GODDESS OF VICTORY: NIKKE story · Main story
Chapter 42: Only One
The one and only wish.
17 scenes, 2,750 lines
1. The Dark Girl
113 linesRapi pushes through the pain searing through her body and forces herself up.
She casts a side-glance to survey the area.
The entire area is devastated. Nothing has been left intact.
Everyone lies collapsed on the ground, unable to get up.
However, Rapi is unable to go check on her fallen comrades.
In front of her stands something alien,
a carbon copy of her younger self.
*Gasp!*
N-no! Nooooo!
L-Levi! Behemo...!
The little girl is absorbing Ziz.
Ziz struggles desperately, thrashing violently to avoid her fate, but to no avail.
Ziz!
Ahhhhh!
Behemoth lunges forward, swinging her pincers at the girl's hands clutching Ziz.
Her grip loosens, but she retains her hold on Ziz.
What... are you?
Huh...
What are you?!
*Bzzzzzzz!*
*Vrrrrrr!*
Rapi deploys her drill and charges forward,
ripping apart the girl's hands.
Hm?!
How did you...?!
It's not over yet! The thing's still alive!
The severed hands fly up for a moment, then instantly clump together to form spikes.
The spikes shoot through the air, aimed directly at Ziz.
I'll stop them!
Little Mermaid's bubbles trap the spikes.
As Behemoth tries to pull Ziz away, countless black hands shoot forth from the girl once more.
They grab Ziz's ankle.
Eek! S-save me!
How... is she... this... strong?!
Another hand starts to sprout from one of the hands clutching Ziz.
Suddenly, the new appendage transforms into Bahamut's pillar.
...
You've got to be kidding.
*Bam!*
The pillar, now ablaze with blue fire, slams down on Behemoth,
sending her crashing into the ground.
Behemoth!
!
Hyaaaah!
Drake grabs one of the black hands holding Ziz's ankle and unleashes a storm of red lightning.
The hand appears to boil for a moment, then bursts with a pop.
Pull!
Eeeeek!
Leviathan yanks Ziz free from the girl's grip.
Huh...
The little girl's hands turn toward Drake.
Don't you dare lay a finger on me!
Red lightning erupts from Drake's body.
As soon as the little girl's hands touch it, they instantly burst.
It's working!
Cinderella, now!
Laplace!
Full contact!
Buster!
Waves of blue light engulf the little girl,
and she explodes into pieces.
...
Drake! Take care of Maxwell!
Maxwell!
Bahamut!
Drake and Ziz rush to where the little girl was standing.
Drake plunges her hand into the Dark Matter on the ground.
Don't! It's dangerous!
Maxwell, are you there?! Take my hand!
Bahamut! Bahamut!
Drake gets sucked into the Dark Matter.
Eeeek!
Ziz pulls on Drake.
She spreads her wings and tries to fly up, but Drake doesn't budge.
I'm coming!
Don't, you fool! If you get absorbed too, we're done for!
And you, too! Get out of here!
B-but...!
I said go!
But you... you saved me...!
Huh...?
Drake tears herself free of Ziz's grip.
Ziz tumbles backward,
while Drake gets swallowed up by the Dark Matter.
The little girl rises up from the ground.
She once again shoots hands in every direction.
Everyone, retreat!
Birdie!
Commander! You're safe!
Fighting her is dangerous! We don't know what she's capable of.
Fall back!
I'll buy us time.
A waterfall from above suddenly pours onto the little girl's head.
She stops moving, pinned by the massive pressure pushing down on her.
Let's go!
But... that thing's too dangerous to leave alone!
Drake and Maxwell are still—
It's not going to matter if we all die here!
I'm giving you an order! Retreat!
... Agh!
Everyone begins to run.
Off in the distance, the Four Beasts are seen falling back.
2. The Four Beasts' Queen
135 linesI'm sorry I was late. Let's try to make sense of all this.
Judging from what we know, the Rapi we saw must be the Queen of the Four Beasts.
That's right. I'm a Heretic, so I would know.
But why does it look like me when I was a child?
Ziz had your headless body.
The one we had to leave in the field during the battle with Grave Digger.
I saw them use it to create the Queen.
Mh...
Ingrid tried to recover it several times, but since it was deep underground in an area swarming with Raptures, she gave up.
Ziz must have gotten ahold of it.
That explains why it looks like... me.
Can't say that feels very good.
As you saw, it can use the abilities of whatever or whoever it absorbs.
As for what happens to those it absorbs, we have no way of knowing for now.
...
But I'm sure they're still alive.
How...?
We should move forward under that assumption.
We have to hold onto hope. Otherwise, we'd never be able to do anything.
Huh...!
You're right, Birdie.
Drake and Maxwell are part of Matis, Missilis's strongest squad.
They wouldn't go down so easily.
They'll make a dramatic comeback, blasting out of that thing with a big burst of electricity.
Like the heroes they are.
Exactly.
Of course you did. If a younger version of myself appeared in front of me, I'd be shaken up too.
For now, let's just be happy we made it out of there alive.
All right... Thank you.
...
I turn around.
You came.
Prince.
I told you we would find you.
You're... Siren, right? So you met. That's good.
Ah, awoo?
I've seen you before. I thought you were only made of bubbles.
Ah, awoo awah.
Hmm?
What's wrong, Siren? Do you have a sore throat?
Awoo...
Are you feeling shy?
...
It's okay... Go ahead and rest up. We can talk later.
Next, we have...
...
Mori.
E-Evaluator, you remember me?
Of course.
I see you're not alone anymore. Congratulations!
Mori.
Oh, sorry. We can talk more later!
Yeah, I'd like that.
How did you find us, by the way?
After reuniting with Siren, I witnessed a major upheaval.
I was trying to meet up with Hansel and Gretel, but something bigger came up.
What do you mean, "major upheaval"?
I'm afraid now's not the time to discuss it.
The situation is already dangerous enough. If I were to tell you now, it would only cause confusion.
I'll tell you later.
Anyway, because of that, I decided it was best to join you first.
On the way to the Outpost, we saw a massive whale fall from the sky.
We figured that's where you'd be.
Precisely.
Why is that?
Because that's the kind of person you are.
That's right.
... That somehow both makes sense and doesn't at the same time.
I called it. I have good instincts.
Laplace, you've changed so much. You've become beautiful.
The same goes for Drake and Maxwell.
I'm sure when the three of you reunite, it will be even more beautiful.
We must rescue them.
Cinderella...!
You're positively brimming with heroic spirit!
I'm touched and so grateful to have met another true hero!
Whose? Mine?
You're the first daughter Mother made.
I was created based on your data.
You were the first, and I was the second.
That makes us siblings, Sister.
?
You cannot change your origin.
And your origin determines what you are. Therefore, you cannot change what you are.
Your origin makes you my sister.
You are the only blood relative I have, the only other one Mother made herself.
I am not the Queen's child, nor am I your sister.
I've come back. Unlike you.
So forgive me, but I'm not interested in being sisters or even friends.
We're working together now because the situation demands it,
but to me, you're merely someone I'll have to put down one day,
because you are the Queen's child.
So long as someone is there to take your hand, you can change.
...
I doubt you will ever understand.
You're right. I don't understand.
I'll switch topics, then. Talking about things neither of us understands is a waste of time.
Much appreciated.
Right... Everyone, listen up.
In the Imitation Ark, there's something targeting the Four Beasts' Queen.
*Rumble rumble...*
A deafening roar echoes through the air.
In the distance, white buildings begin to collapse.
Or rather, sink into the ground.
Two figures appear to be running in this direction, with another one flying.
Coming straight for us, huh? They must've been itching for a fight.
Something doesn't feel right.
It's Gluttony.
Ah woo?!
Wh-what?
*Boooom!*
The ground splits open, and a colossal mouth erupts forth.
Its massive jaws chomp again and again as the beast lunges forward, trying to devour the Four Beasts whole.
3. Recurrence
126 linesI c-can't believe G-Gluttony is here...!
More will come. For Gluttony, the Four Beasts' Queen is the perfect prey.
We only barely managed to take it down last time...
You took it down?
Err... Yeah.
Impressive.
It's hunting the Four Beasts. Let's save them.
My condition for cooperating was to kill the Four Beasts and their fake queen.
The moment you try to save them, the deal is off.
The reason you want the Four Beasts gone is because they tried to create a queen, isn't it?
That's right. No queen other than Mother may exist.
But another queen has already been created.
And they're definitely not on her side.
If we want to increase our odds, we need to cooperate. You told me that.
...
All we need to do is take down this new queen together, right? And that'll solve everything?
The Four Beasts were not created by Mother. They shouldn't exist.
Because Mother would hate them.
What a dutiful daughter you are.
It took a long time to create this new queen. If we work together to defeat it,
it'd take just as long or even longer to make another, if that's even possible.
That'll force the Four Beasts to go into hiding.
You and your queen won't need to pay them any mind.
...
They've already managed to make a queen. If we find out how they've done it, either through force or otherwise,
then we can prevent them from ever making another one.
I'm saying you should leave them be, and only use them when you need them.
A peaceful coexistence, like what you were talking about before.
...
The Four Beasts won't cooperate with you. They won't talk.
They were born different.
They were made individually in such a way that they'll never be able to merge with others.
But what you said makes sense.
You convinced me. I'll cooperate.
Thanks.
Also, Rapi.
I haven't given up on talking with them yet.
... Roger that.
Siren.
Ah woo?
You take care of Leviathan. Something happened between you two, didn't it?
Good. Now, let's get going.
None of our attacks are working!
Agh! I'd heard stories about this thing, but I didn't think it'd be this insane!
W-what if we go inside its stomach... and do something? Lots of p-people do that, right?
Like who?! And there's no telling what's inside that thing's stomach! It's too dangerous!
Th-then what should we do? W-we need to save Bahamut!
At this rate, we're g-going to get eaten a-alive!
N-no matter how high I fly, it s-stretches and c-catches up...!
We've got to beat it somehow.
Levi! Any ideas?
*Huff... huff... huff...!*
Leviathan keeps charging straight ahead.
Ziz and Behemoth yell from behind her, but she doesn't turn around.
Levi!
*Huff... huff... huff...!*
What do we do? I thought if we made a queen, she'd be on our side.
But she swallowed Bahamut, and tried to eat all of us.
*Huff... huff... huff...!*
Is Bahamut okay? If she went inside the Dark Matter, she should be alive, but if not she's probably dead.
What if Bahamut is dead? I never even gave her that book, or a pair of proper glasses.
I should've told her she's smart, even if I didn't mean it. All I ever did was tease her and call her stupid. I should have been nicer to her.
No, no. She's not dead yet. No way. I'm sure she's still alive. But there is a good chance she's dead.
*Huff... huff...!*
Why do they keep chasing us? They want to talk? About what? They seem like good people... I mean, they are good people.
I'm scared, though. Not about being betrayed. That's a lie. I'm scared I'll betray them. They're good people. What would that make me?
I betrayed Siren, so why wouldn't I betray them? If things get too dangerous, I'll run and leave them behind. That's how broken I am.
What kind of look would they give me? And what will they think of me? Will they think I'm a good person? Could I ever be a good person?
Please don't come after me. Don't talk to me. Just leave me alone. Please.
*Huff... huff...!*
Ugh, freakin' Gluttony. Damn you, Gluttony. I'm scared. I'm scared. I'm scared.
Gluttony devoured Siren, and I turned my back on her. Why didn't I fight for her? Why did I run away?
That's Siren. Why is Siren here? Is she real? She said she was.
She must resent me. I ran away when it mattered most. That grilled fish was so good. I had so much fun playing with those bubbles.
What should I say when I see Siren? Wait, Siren's dead. It's pointless to think about. That's a fake. Or maybe she's real.
*Huff...!*
The Queen, Rapi, the failed cores, Bahamut's gift, died, rescued, survived, talked, betrayed, good people, Gluttony, Siren, grilled fish, bubbles, Dark Matter, Ziz, Behemoth, Whaley, Raptilion, the Offsprings, Liberalio...
*Huff...*
Ugh, I can't do this.
Leviathan suddenly stops.
Levi! Keep running! Don't stop!
Wh-what's wrong? Are you okay?
...
Behemoth, Ziz.
I figured it out.
My head's about to explode, but I've figured out a way to solve everything.
Let's die. Then it'll all be over.
Dying will fix everything.
What?!
L-Levi...
I'll die first.
Goodbye.
!
*Gasp!*
Gluttony's giant mouth crashes down on Leviathan,
and closes.
Ahhhhh!
Ahhhhh!
Behemoth and Ziz desperately charge toward Gluttony.
It opens its mouth again,
the inside of which is filled with radiant bubbles.
Bubbles...?
Th-they're getting bigger!
The bubbles expand and force Gluttony's mouth open.
Leviathan floats in the center of the bubbles, as though swimming.
Huh...?
Bubbles...
Hyyyaah!
*Wham!*
Behemoth's claw slams into Gluttony's cheek.
The bubbles burst out from Gluttony's mouth.
Leviathan is still spinning inside one of the bubbles.
She locks eyes with Little Mermaid, who is staring back at her.
Gluttony absorbs large-scale attacks and spits them back out! Avoid the mouth when you attack!
Target the parts touching the ground and cut them off!
That's correct. If its feeding organs are destroyed, the body abandons them.
That's our best option right now.
Have you seen its body before?
What an inspiring story. Thanks for sharing.
4. My Lantern
194 linesLaplace! Cinderella!
Leave it to the hero!
No holding back.
The air ripples, and torrents of water pour down, rushing into Gluttony's gaping maw as it lets out a monstrous shriek.
*Glug glug glug*
Gluttony's feeding organs swell, bulging like cheeks filled with water.
This should be obvious, but Gluttony's stomach isn't bottomless.
It chooses what it lets in.
Right now, most of its stomach is filled with water.
Since it doesn't need any more, it shuts its throat.
And as you can see, its outer shell stretches easily.
Now, look closer. When the shell stretches from the water, it gets thinner.
Get to the point.
Cinderella! Mid-right section!
The light from Cinderella's Glass Slippers condenses into a single point.
Dozens, then hundreds of rays merge into a single razor-sharp blade.
*Swish!*
With remarkably little noise, Gluttony is split clean in two.
The severed upper half thrashes wildly.
Behemoth grabs it with her pincers and throws it to Rapi.
Rapi uses her drill to pierce Gluttony's core,
after which Laplace dissolves the scattered fragments with her light.
The remains clinging to the ground quickly stiffen before crumbling to dust.
It looks like they severed its feeding organs. That means they won.
Incredible! Th-they brought it down so easily!
Levi!
Leviathan is still inside Little Mermaid's bubble.
Siren, if you would.
Little Mermaid takes a step forward.
The bubble lands on the ground gently.
Little Mermaid enters the bubble without hesitation.
Inside, she and Leviathan face each other.
Levi.
Siren.
I...
Siren... I...
I ran away.
Even though I knew you'd die if I did.
I was scared. I didn't want to die.
You gave me everything, and I abandoned you.
I betrayed you.
I'm a traitor.
A filthy traitor.
That's how I was born. It's the only way I know how to live.
I have no idea what you're talking about, Levi.
!
I'm a filthy traitor!
I abandoned the most precious thing in the world to me! I ran away!
I'm so broken that I don't know how to live any oth—
I'm alive.
!
Little Mermaid swims forward in the bubble and gently takes Leviathan's hand.
Do you feel this?
...
It's warm...
Yes. Because I'm alive.
That means you're not a traitor,
because you didn't betray me.
You never have. Not once.
...
But... Siren.
I've lived such a pathetic life since then.
I didn't go searching for you because... I'm a traitor. That's just what I am.
You only told yourself that because you couldn't live with yourself otherwise.
That may be. But still, I missed our time together so much,
those days in the dark cave, and on that cloudy beach...
I missed them so much that I tried to meet new people and make new friends.
I tried to build a family.
You gave me everything, but I only thought of myself.
I didn't use the powers you gave me for good,
I just used them for myself.
Along the way, I met people who wanted to talk with me.
People I knew were good. Genuinely kind people.
I wanted to be with them, but I chose not to.
I betrayed them because that's who I am. I took advantage of their goodwill.
My life isn't full of light.
I am still, and will continue to be,
curled up inside that dark cave, drenched in black water,
broken.
Levi, look behind you.
Leviathan slowly turns around.
Behemoth and Ziz are watching her.
Behemoth, Ziz...
Your life is full of light.
You're not broken.
You have people who love you.
You're doing it right, Levi. You're living a good life.
So please, once and for all,
forgive yourself.
!
Little Mermaid embraces Leviathan tightly.
*Sob* Ah... ahhhh...!
I'm sorry!
I'm so sorry, Siren! I'm so sorry...!
I messed up! I made a terrible mistake!
I missed you! I missed you so, so much...!
You, you mean more to me than anything...! You showed me how to live...!
You've been my light in the darkness...!
My lantern...!
*Sob* Waaaahh!
Levi...
I'm sorry... I'm sorry... I'm sorry...!
*Thud*
Little Mermaid suddenly pushes Leviathan away.
Leviathan tumbles onto the ground.
She lifts her head and looks at Little Mermaid.
Little Mermaid looks at Leviathan and smiles.
*Chomp*
A gigantic mouth swallows Little Mermaid whole.
Ugh.
It's so loud.
Why's everyone screaming? You're making so much noise.
Can't you see Siren just get eaten by Gluttony? Be quiet.
Siren was alive. She held my hand and hugged me.
Gluttony, Gluttony, Gluttony...
That big, scary mouth... Big, and scary, and big, and scary...
That big, scary mouth... devours everything.
Trees, buildings, even the earth itself.
That big, scary mouth swallowed Siren.
...
Levi! Get back or you'll get eaten!
Siren! Siren!
I can't believe it just came out of the ground like that...!
*Bellow*
Gluttony opens its mouth again,
and Leviathan looks inside.
She sees nothing. Only darkness.
It... swallowed her. It swallowed her.
It swallowed Siren.
It pushed Siren back into the dark again.
You swallowed her again. You swallowed Siren.
My friend. My lantern.
The one who pulled me out of the darkness.
Give her back.
Give her back...!
Do you hear me?!
Give... Siren... baaaaack!
Black light erupts
from Leviathan's body.
*Gasp!*
She's transforming!
Agghhhh!
Leviathan grabs Gluttony's jaws and forces them apart,
ready to rip them wide open.
Spit her out! Spit her out!
I said spit... her... out!
*Craaaack!*
*Rippppp!*
Ahhhhh!
*Snap!*
Gluttony's upper jaw is torn free and sent flying.
Leviathan plunges her hand into Gluttony's lower jaw.
Siren! Siren!
Where did you go...?
!
Leviathan pulls her hand out,
and she slowly opens her lightly closed fist.
In her palm sits Little Mermaid,
who looks up at the giant Leviathan.
Siren...
You have such beautiful eyes, Levi.
... Yeah.
Leviathan gently sets Little Mermaid down on the ground.
*Rumbleeeee*
From the ground, three maws rise.
They devour the buildings as they advance toward Leviathan.
Th-they're huge!
Wait here for a second.
I'll be back after destroying them.
Behemoth, Ziz.
Sorry, but can you help?
I don't want those things swallowing the ones I care about ever again.
...
...
Let's go!
Yeah!
Black light bursts forward.
The three beasts, cloaked in dark flesh,
rush through the white city.
That's... beautiful.
5. Another Attempt
70 lines*Huff... huff...*
*Sigh*
...
Transforming... sure isn't easy...
Leviathan looks around.
Gluttony's remains are spread everywhere.
But as far as debuts go, we killed it.
Yeah...
Transforming is... incredible.
...
What's wrong, Ziz? Are you okay?
Ziz marches straight toward Leviathan.
*Smack*
And slaps her in the face.
Huh?
Yeah. She deserved that.
Wh-what're you...?
Ziz grabs Leviathan by the shoulders,
gripping them so tightly that her fingers dig in.
Ow, that hurts! What're you—
Never again!
Don't... ever... do that again!
Saying you should just die...!
You have us...! So don't...
Don't try to... leave us behind like that!
...
I'm sorry. You're right.
I won't do it again. Promise.
Good! That's right...!
Levi.
Behind you.
Leviathan turns around,
and locks eyes with our group.
...
I acted selfishly.
I betrayed you.
And yet...
...
You never stopped trying to talk it out.
Thanks...
...
I'll talk.
Let's have that conversation.
You've got some nerve.
Let it go. She's a kid.
In case you forgot, that kid once stabbed you in the stomach.
Oh, right. I forgot.
And after all that, it wasn't even a transformation. Just some kind of mecha Leviathan.
What did you say?!
Calm down. We're not exactly innocent here.
Hmph!
The Four Beasts slowly approach,
and stop in front of us.
...
...
...
...
...
What're you looking at?
Uh...
Aaah...
Th-this is kinda... awkward...
Our objective is to rescue Maxwell, Drake, and Bahamut from the Queen the Four Beasts created.
And if possible, to neutralize the Queen herself.
We're all on the same page about that, right?
Everyone nods in agreement.
Good. Then tell us everything you know.
We'll lend you our strength.
6. Coordinated Operation
218 lines*Rumbleeee*
A distant roar grows closer, and the ground begins to tremble intermittently.
We remain alert as we begin our strategy meeting.
We have to believe so. Same with Bahamut.
The Queen is made of Dark Matter.
Normally, Dark Matter changes into other substances to create a body, but that hasn't happened yet.
She might not be able to because she's still newborn.
In other words, she won't have melted down anything she's absorbed,
so there's a chance the three of them are still intact.
That could mean that only their bodies are intact, though... right?
...
B-but the Queen looked so small. Did all three of them really fit in there...?
I don't think so. I believe her structure is similar to Gluttony's.
Beneath her childlike form is likely a vast domain of Dark Matter.
That's right. I'm pretty sure it spreads far and wide underground, and that she can travel around it freely.
Th-that means they might be able to survive in there, like we can!
If there's something akin to bubbles protecting them, maybe.
It'll depend on the concentration of Dark Matter they're stored in.
If it's like what Leviathan once trapped me in, then they should be fine.
I was able to breathe without issue and even speak.
Leviathan, how big do you think the Queen's domain is?
At minimum, it stretches to the Furnace from where we fought, since she just popped up out of nowhere back there.
How much Dark Matter did you use to make the Queen, and how concentrated was it?
Oh, I see where you're going with this.
You want me to gauge the size of the Queen's domain based on the amount and concentration of Dark Matter we used, right?
...
It's probably not that dense.
About the same as what I used to trap Rapi, maybe a little thicker.
Hah!
Good!
We've got at least two possible reasons they could still be alive! That's all I needed to hear!
A hero can save the day with just two-tenths of a reason, let alone two whole ones! That's more than enough!
There's no such thing as two-tenths of a reason.
Worry not! Baphomet will be fine, too.
It's Bahamut.
What can we expect about the Queen's abilities?
She's tough. She can condense her Dark Matter to the extreme.
Yeah, for a brief moment I trapped one of her hands in bubbles, it felt unbelievably heavy.
It probably weighed the same as two of us.
Then it's probably safe to say that her child form is made of even more densely concentrated Dark Matter.
I guess most attacks won't work. But mine will.
Yeah, if anyone can pull it off, it's you, Cinderella.
Laplace, too, since Drake's attack managed to burn the Dark Matter.
Yeah, and I'm way stronger than Drake, so I can burn it better than her!
S-so you're saying the Queen's not invincible.
She's just really tough and... heavy.
Nothing we can't pierce through, though.
The real problem is all those hands.
Once they grab and absorb someone, she can use their powers.
We need to know Bahamut's abilities so that we can be prepared.
Th-then we should also know what the red girl and the yellow girl are capable of.
Drake can control electricity with extreme precision. You thought the dinosaur was impressive? She can shape it to look like Syuen!
Uh... I d-don't know what Syuen is, but th-that sounds impressive!
That has nothing to do with combat.
She does other stuff, too, like... she fires Infinity Rails from her gun, I think?
You mean a railgun. I-I'm well aware of that, c-considering she used it to pierce my wings.
Oh, right! That's it!
I see you have someone like Bahamut on your end, too.
You think there's only one?
Bahamut uses a huge pillar that she can control freely.
Its surface emits blue flames.
She originally used it to transport molten materials by sticking them to it.
Unlike Ziz, who collects high-grade materials, Bahamut focuses more on gathering large quantities.
In battle, she either rolls the pillar or slams it down.
Can she transform?
No. Not yet, at least.
Good. That's something to keep in mind.
Now, our top priority is to rescue the three of them.
I think we need to enter the Queen's domain and make sure they're there.
I'll go.
...
Considering how highly concentrated the Dark Matter might be, someone who's used to it should go.
I'm the one who handles Dark Matter best.
I'll go inside and look for them.
I'll go with you.
Why? You can't fly inside Dark Matter.
Still, I want to go with you.
I'm not going to be reckless again. I can go alon—
I don't believe you. I'm going with you.
Fine...
I can be of help as well. I'll come, too.
No, you stay here.
I don't want to put you in a dark place again.
Dark Matter is like your bubbles, but it's not the same. It's dangerous.
Ah...
Cinderella and Laplace, you handle the hands.
Sure! Those infernal black hands are nothing compared to our heroic power!
The heroes' light will banish the darkness!
Just out of curiosity, I can't be paired with anyone else, can I?
Correct.
Okay... I'll respect your wish.
I'm counting on you, Cinderella! Oooh, and we should start thinking of a catchphrase for our joint attacks!
That... won't be necessary.
Good luck, Cinderella.
Siren and Grave, you provide support.
Writer's Eraser and bubbles are versatile.
Ah wooah.
Got it.
Rapi and Behemoth, I want you to attack the Queen directly.
You'll both be able to fend off her hands while applying pressure.
Roger.
Sounds good. We should sync up, Rapi.
I think you'll have trouble keeping up with me.
Well, I'll need you to back me up if things go south. I've got a secret weapon.
What secret weapon?
If I told you, it wouldn't be secret, would it?
Now I'm curious...
Mori.
Yes, Evaluator? How can I help...?
Proceed south to where our transport and allies are.
Brief them on the situation and help them prepare for an immediate withdrawal.
Thank you.
No, thank you for being so considerate.
Mori...
Thanks again.
You bet!
Mori runs off.
... I'm sorry, Mori.
That leaves us with...
...
The Offspring.
*Rumble rumble...*
The tremors and the roaring persist.
We're really doing this.
Humans, imposters, and half-baked Heretics,
all teaming up to take down the fake Queen.
I hate you.
Good. I hate you too.
You're Mother's failed creations.
There's no reason for us to like each other.
But since our cooperation's temporary and it helps me toward my goal, I can stomach it.
We're the ones who have to stomach it.
We could take out a weakened Offspring like you as though you were nothing.
I'm sure you could.
But I wouldn't recommend it. There's nothing for you to gain in doing so.
It'd make us feel better.
You'd go through the trouble of killing me just to make yourself feel better? You're so emotional.
Maybe you are broken. You've been hanging out too much with the imposters.
I'll kill you!
Levi. There's no need for such harsh language.
Sh-she's the one who started it!
I don't want to hear you speaking like that.
...
Okay. I won't.
Thank you.
L-Levi didn't talk back.
Yeah, not a single retort.
You're Liberalio, right?
Yeah. And you're Little Mermaid.
...
It's only temporary anyway.
Once we achieve our goal, there's no telling what could happen.
You'll never understand one another, and neither will I.
We're inherently different.
And because of that, we can never have a truly meaningful conversation.
Conversation isn't just about trading words.
It's about changing each other. That's the driving force behind it.
... Conversation is the cornerstone of evolution.
You can't change others. The way you were created makes it impossible.
...
... I hope it isn't temporary.
Liberalio, you head to the Furnace.
The place where the fake Queen was made?
Wait, why are you sending her there?
There may still high concentrations of Dark Matter there, even if only a little.
That's true, but...
Wait. Don't tell me you're...
Go there and recover. Try and come back in one piece.
I'll pass. I don't want to get contaminated by whatever filth that thing was made of.
The only filth around here is coming out of your mouth. Maybe I should plug it with my fist.
D-do you have any idea how hard we worked to make that?
Well, thanks to your hard work, we're in this mess right now.
Fine, don't use the Furnace. Just go on being annoying.
You can't help us right now, not in your current state.
I'm the only reason you were able to see your friends again.
And don't forget that I helped back there with Gluttony.
I know, but it's still not enough. We expect more from a Heretic.
I want you to be our secret weapon.
... That's fair.
I really am weak right now. You know it's bad when even the Four Beasts can insult you and they're not wrong.
Fine. I'll go recover.
Didn't I tell you not to use the Furnace?
Levi.
...
Argh! Fine!
You know the location, right? Just go in and immerse yourself, and it'll automatically repair whatever your body is lacking.
Just keep it clean, you got that?
I don't know how I could possibly keep something clean when it's already filthy, but I'll try.
I hate you so much, Offspring.
The feeling's mutual.
Liberalio leaps into the sky and flies off.
All right.
Let's commence the rescue operation and assault on the Queen.
But how do we find her?
Oh, that's easy.
*Rumbleeee*
Just head toward that sound.
She's probably fighting Gluttony right now.
Wait, if the Q-Queen gets eaten by Gluttony, isn't it all over?
That won't happen.
I doubt it as well.
If anything, it'll be the other way around.
7. Black Throne: A
142 linesIt's an odd sight.
Countless dark hands stretch out from beneath the little girl's feet,
gripping the feeding organs of Gluttony that surround her.
The gaping maws thrash wildly, but her hands don't budge an inch.
Instead, they proceed to tear Gluttony into countless pieces.
Where there was previously grotesque, writhing flesh, now there is only a little girl with an empty expression on her face.
Huh... g...
Yikes.
Laplace.
Yeah, let's do it.
Leviathan, Ziz. It's time.
All right. Leave it to us.
Y-yeah.
Ah... Levi. Be careful. Promise me.
I will...
When I get back, we can finish our conversation.
Good. I have a lot of stories to tell you.
Same here.
C-could you say something nice to me, too?
Well, you're... um...
Hehe. Don't worry, Ziz. Levi said she considers you fam—
Hey! Shh!
Let's go, Ziz!
Huh? Err, okay.
Leviathan and Ziz vanish into the black pool beneath their feet.
Huh... g...
The little girl spreads her hands.
A countless number of hands come flying out of the ground in this direction.
Leviathan and Ziz swim through the Dark Matter.
Th-this place is huge...
No kidding... It just keeps going.
W-will we really be able to find them in here? It's too big, and if they've already been fused...
...
Still, we have to keep looking. Maybe if we head towards the center...
Hm?
What's wrong?
Over there.
Hm?
Leviathan and Ziz both look the same way.
They spot Bahamut, Drake, and Maxwell curled up and drifting.
Th-there they are!
Are they still alive? At least their bodies seem to be okay...
Let's hurry up and rescue them!
Hold on, it might be a trap! We should make sure it's safe!
But if we don't hurry, we might be too...
...
L-Levi.
What?
B-behind you.
Leviathan trembles as she slowly turns to look behind her.
A swarm of hands fill her vision.
!
Aaaaaah! Levi! Leviiiiii!
Leviathan turns back around.
A legion of hands are clutching Ziz.
Within an instant, she is swallowed up in their grasp.
Eeeeek!
Just as Leviathan tries to dash forward, something grabs her legs.
Leviathan stares down in despair at the hands clutching her feet.
She tries to shout, but the hands engulf her entire body.
Inside the Dark Matter, only silence remains.
The situation is dire.
Everyone is fighting with determination against the hands,
but a path to victory has yet to present itself.
The hands move and attack with much greater precision than before.
Laplace's light and Cinderella's Glass Slippers get blocked before they can even graze the core.
The dark hands spread wide and start closing in to seize them.
Meanwhile, Rapi and Behemoth are overwhelmed just keeping the onslaught at bay.
Grave's Writer's Eraser can no longer predict the shifting movements of the little girl's hands.
Little Mermaid's bubbles continue to get torn apart without difficulty.
There is no opening, no opportunity to take so much as a step toward the little girl herself.
I've never seen such strength.
She's gotten even faster and sturdier in such a short time...
Uh... at this rate...
Don't give up! A hero never gives up!
I could use some of your confidence...!
We have to hold on. We have to have faith in Leviathan and Ziz!
The little girl freezes.
All the hands withdraw, and her body becomes motionless.
Huh...?
Huh... g...
The girl twitches.
The Dark Matter on the ground bubbles and churns.
Leviathan and Ziz must have done something! Attack with everyth—
*Shhhk*
Wings sprout from the little girl's back.
Two pillars erupt from the ground.
Levi and Ziz...
Did they... get absorbed?
Huh... g...
The girl spreads her hands.
Everyone! Cover my back!
What...?
Wait... No! Stop!
By the way, Hero. I know this is late, but...
Sorry for wrecking your arms earlier.
I wasn't myself. I'm really sorry.
Behemoth!
Behemoth runs forward.
She throws her body into the countless hands that lash out.
She turns around.
Grinning wide, she draws her thumb across her own throat,
then sinks into the ground.
...
*Clink, clink!*
!
A crystal suddenly perforates the girl's body, emerging from within.
The girl looks down, puzzled.
Cinderella! Laplace! Grave!
Fire!
Ahhhhh!
This ends here!
Cinderella, Laplace, and Grave's attacks slam into the crystal.
*Clink, clink!*
*Clinnnkkk!*
The crystal swells rapidly as it absorbs the electricity.
It tears through the little girl's body and spreads wider and wider.
The girl trembles as she thrusts forth her hands to stop it,
but the crystal does not stop growing.
Don't stop! Keep firing!
The light intensifies.
The crystal expands with terrifying momentum until it completely covers the little girl.
*Huff... huff...*
Can't... stabilize the output... Aaah!
Whew... Ugh...!
...
*Crack, crack!*
The crystal splits.
*Smash!*
The crystal shatters outward in all directions.
The little girl staggers while trying to regain her footing.
Oh, no you don't!
Rapi charges forward.
At that moment,
a burst of black light explodes from the girl's body.
No way...
A colossal black spire rises up,
with a throne at its top.
The little girl is sitting upon it, staring down with hollow eyes.
She...
She transformed...!
8. Black Throne: B
171 linesCinderella's collapsed.
Laplace, too.
Little Mermaid is on her knees, barely holding on.
Rapi is panting and out of breath.
Grave is staggering.
Huh... g...
A giant hand reaches down from the spire.
Cinderella is sucked in.
Then Laplace.
Grave strikes the black spire.
Agh...!
Rapi scoops up Little Mermaid and me.
Seven Dwarves Zero's thruster roars to life.
Abe...!
Damn it!
Urgh...!
Seven Dwarves Zero's output falters, and we drop down, tumbling across the ground.
Arrrghhh!
Rapi!
I-I'm fine.
I help Rapi and Little Mermaid get upright.
We're almost at Whaley...
Just hold on a little longer!
Ro... ger...!
Rapi grabs my hand and pulls herself up.
Little Mermaid looks at me.
Do you think we can really do this...?
Hm!
I'm sure they're all alive. We'll find a way to save them and come back!
Ooh...
Little Mermaid turns around.
The black spire is quickly closing in.
Little Mermaid looks back at us.
Black smoke comes out of Seven Dwarves Zero as it overheats.
Rapi is battered and broken.
Oh...
A bubble envelopes me and Rapi,
lifting us into the air.
What are you doing?!
!
The bubble shoots away at high speed.
From inside, Rapi and I look down at Little Mermaid as she gets farther and farther away.
We see the black spire getting closer to her,
but all we can do is watch in silence as she continues to recede into the distance.
Why's that?
Because I... used... too much... power!
Why did you waste your strength on something so meaningless?
Because... you know, you never know.
Wait, do you know or not know? Which is it?
What is it?
There's a bubble flying toward us...
...
It looks like... someone's inside...
And behind them is...
Ooh! Uncle's friend!
As the bubble reaches Mori, it bursts.
I help Rapi get on her feet.
Pinocchio! Are you all ready to leave?
Yup, yup!
Uh... Evaluator. Where are the others?
...
...
I'm sorry...
I-I don't...
...
Whaley!
*Rumbleeee*
A thunderous roar comes from Whaley.
Time to go!
*Beeeeep*
*Rumbleeee*
Whaley begins to lift off.
...
...
Where's Raptilion?
He's resting right now. His body was hot... Do you know why?
I told you, it's because wounds give off heat when they heal.
Yeah, but I can't trust what you say. We're not friends.
Ugh, fine! Let's be friends. Will you believe me then?
Okay! We can be friends!
I always believe my friends!
I'm sorry. We tried, but it wasn't enough.
I'll head back as soon as I'm repaired.
No. There's no way we can win right now.
But we can't leave them there.
Then I'll go. If I use Vapaus—
You want to make that thing even stronger?
It's a fifty-fifty chance. It's worth a—
How do you know that? Vapaus has only ever reverted corruption once.
It hasn't worked like that on anyone but Marian.
...
Meanwhile, your blood was what helped Behemoth and Leviathan transform.
Does that sound like fifty-fifty odds?
No, but...!
Everyone! Over there!
Are they your friends?
Hm...
I look to where Pinocchio is pointing.
The black spire is approaching.
Wh-what is that?!
She just won't give up...!
Pinocchio! Can you make Whaley go any faster?
Hmm, not sure I can. Whaley's already going at full speed. Why do you—
I'm going to buy everyone time! Escape while you can!
Y-you don't have to...!
I'm telling you, it's okay!
What are you talking about?!
The black spire gets closer.
A hand reaches for Whaley.
Agh!
The black spire begins to tilt,
losing its balance.
With a thunderous crash, it topples to the ground,
and shatters upon impact.
What the...?
I sorta laid a trap.
A trap that big...?
Yeah... You never know, you know?
Did you do it by yourself?
P-Pinocchio helped me a little bit.
That's amazing...
Really amazing.
Liberalio!
I got all better, so I came back.
Huh... Looks like she nabbed everyone else.
Have you come up with a way to kill her?
...
You're going to what?
The black spire begins to reform.
The little girl on the throne looks up at us and stretches out another hand.
Huh... g...
*Krrrrrshhh*
The crash of a waterfall roars,
albeit off in the distance.
Beyond the horizon, a massive tidal wave surges in this direction.
Its size is staggering, even from our view atop Whaley.
Did you do that?
Yeah. I guess you could call it a secret weapon.
The wave rushes forward,
swallowing everything in its path.
It engulfs the black spire along with the white Ark.
*Wooooosh!*
The deafening roar continues to tear through the air,
as the tidal wave relentlessly surges forward.
...
When the sound finally subsides, we look down at its destruction.
Everything has been swept away or reduced to rubble.
Where is she...?
I pushed her to the place I thought we'd have the best chance to win,
since we're basically on our last legs.
So... Eden?
No. Eden's in worse shape than we are, especially now.
Wait... Don't tell me you...
9. Collaboration Invitation
100 linesAnis runs.
Behind her, she hears the horrific sound of crystals expanding,
with accompanying screams.
Running ahead of her are Mint, Prika, and Avistar.
To her side, civilians.
Behind her, Tricky Boi and his gang.
Tricky Boi trips,
and his group stumbles and falls over him.
Anis stops.
The crystals are approaching.
Well, looks like that's it for him.
Then again, the Commander touched the crystals and was fine.
Then again... again, I'm not sure the Commander actually touched them.
S-save me!
Anis looks at Tricky Boi, who is screaming desperately at her.
I could just leave him.
That'd be okay, right? It's not like I'm the one killing him.
It'd be one less person in the world who hates us. Statistically, that means more people would like us than before, right?
And that would make us happ—
*Slap*
Anis slaps herself hard on the cheek.
Anis turns around and runs.
She hoists Tricky Boi and his entire group onto her back and runs.
Grrnghh!! Save me! Save meee!
Anis?
What are you carrying...?
... People?! Are they injured?
No! They just panicked!
Here, you take 'em! There's something I need to do!
Keep running, and don't stop! If those crystals touch you, it's all over!
But what about you?!
... Okay! Be careful!
Mint, Prika, and Avistar hoist up Tricky Boi's group and run forward.
Anis slows to a jog and shouts.
Enikk! Enikk! You can hear me, right?
I'm listening, Anis of the Commando Unit.
What is this?! What's happening?!
Anis knocks over street stalls to block the path behind her.
Someone activated E2 Crystals in the Ark.
It's spreading quickly.
Electricity is what makes them grow. Can you turn off the power to all the buildings in the area?
The power grid has been destroyed by the E2 Crystals. The street you're on is no longer within our control.
Well, this thing's gonna spread over the entire Ark if we don't do something!
We have cut the power to all buildings within a three-kilometer radius around your location.
In other words, we've isolated the street you're on.
Anis lifts a trembling girl crouched in a corner onto her shoulder and runs.
So what's gonna happen to this street then?
Once it's filled by the E2 Crystals, the situation will be resolved.
All buildings within a three-kilometer radius have had their power cut,
and all exits have been blocked with concrete barriers.
The crystals won't spread to the rest of the Ark.
You can't be serious! There are people here!
Anis lifts a man who is sitting on the ground, frozen in fear, and pushes him forward. The man runs.
Currently there are two-hundred eleven people and six Nikke units including yourself in the area.
You know what'll happen to all of us if this place gets taken over by crystals, right?
If you're referring to casualties, everyone will die.
And you blocked the street anyway?! Have you lost your mind?!
If these crystals spread across the Ark, the situation would be far worse.
That's... true, but you've got to do something for this place!
I have no adequate alternative for this situation.
That's just... insane...!
Anis keeps running.
The crystals continue their relentless expansion.
She lifts up an injured woman onto her other shoulder and runs.
Is there anywhere that's safe on this road?
No, the ground is lined with heating wires.
So you're seriously just gonna keep us trapped in here to die?!
I have no adequate alternative for this situation.
A man who was running ahead of Anis takes the little girl from her onto his back.
Anis continues to sprint while calling Neon.
She doesn't answer.
Something's gone wrong. I knew it!
Enikk! Who was the last person Neon met with in the Outer Rim?
The Exotic Squad.
Anis rapidly taps on her phone.
Anis spots a nearby couple trembling in each other's arms. She slaps their backs to snap them out of it and get them running.
They take the middle-aged woman Anis was carrying and run.
Well, well, well! Who do we have here?
Where's Neon?!
Not sure. She left, saying she needed to find someone.
Dang it! Why the heck isn't she answering her phone then?!
What's got you all angry?
Tell me, where are you right now?
I need you to listen to me!
What? What is it?
We have to open the partition!
10. Don't Escape
49 lines
Don't stop. Keep running.
Wh-where are we going?!
B-but, what good could we do there...?
If you go to the Ark, the bomb will go off!
I'm going anyway. If I can save even just one more person, it'll be worth it.
B-but...!
If I get dragged into this... I mean... I already escaped the Rehabilitation Center!
Don't run away, Liveryn.
What's done is done. If you run now, it'll only make things worse.
Avoiding a problem won't solve anything. You need to face it, and then think about what to do next.
If I do that... th-they'll do more than lock me up this time...
Then take your punishment.
!
If you've committed a crime, you must accept the punishment, reflect, and improve.
I didn't do anything wrong, though. It was Sixo. She threatened me...
Think of how many people have been harmed because of your selfishness,
how many have suffered because you were only looking out for yourself.
...
Liveryn tightly clutches the brain shelter in her arms.
But...
I'll be executed, won't I? Or left to die up on the surface.
...
Leader.
Viper. Perfect timing. We—
Anis contacted me.
Anis? From the Counters?
The partition...?
!
Right... I didn't think of that.
Viper. Wait by the front of the partition with Jackal.
We're going to open it.
What? Why? What's going on?
I'll explain once we're there. Hurry up.
Are you serious? We can't open the partition just because we feel like it.
If we go near it without authorization, the guard bots'll destroy us.
Still, we're going to open it.
... Yeah, sure. I'll do it, but it better be for a good reason.
It is.
Aha! Heh, I guess that's true, huh?
11. Expectation and Response
318 linesI cannot authorize that.
The Outer Rim's partition cannot be opened at an individual's discretion.
It's the closest one to us! We can use it to evacuate these people!
The Outer Rim doesn't have much electricity, so it'd be a safe zone against the crystals.
I will list the potential problems of opening of the Outer Rim partition without authorization:
First, the illegal escape of those residing in the Outer—
If that's all you have to say, I'm hanging up!
*Click*
Anis keeps running.
She's distanced herself from the crystals, enough to be safe.
However, there is no guarantee that they'll only spread in one direction.
Anis speeds up and joins the crowd gathering in the plaza.
Hey, I'm here! Where is everyone?!
Anis! Over here!
You're safe. You said you had stuff to do? How'd it go?
I think it's gonna work out. Somehow, at least.
Hey, look over there.
Anis looks to where Avistar is pointing. A giant concrete wall is blocking the exit leading out of the plaza.
Those nutjobs really did it... I can't believe they even got that thing here.
I bet Enikk was behind it.
Yeah, they can't let these crystals spread across the rest of the Ark.
... So they're leaving us here to die.
Pretty much. We've been kicked to the curb.
!
...
Good news is, there's a place for people like us, and that's where we're going.
...?
Avistar turns her head and looks around.
Buildings encircle the plaza on all sides,
their lights flickering.
A wide road extends from the plaza and connects to a tunnel.
At the tunnel entrance is a sign carefully styled to blend in with the surroundings.
Its message, however, is chilling: "Warning: Outer Rim Partition. Enter at your own peril."
You haven't thought about anything after that, have you?
No.
Okay. I'll lead the civilians and move—
*Clink, clink, clink!*
Agghh! It's coming from the sides too!
Crystals burst up from the buildings encircling the plaza. The ground rumbles.
Anis shouts as loud as she can.
Everyone! Follow me!
She then starts running.
Behind her are screams, cries, panic-stricken voices, footsteps, and the relentless sound of the crystals expanding.
The sounds grow louder as she enters the tunnel.
Anis glances back.
Everyone's eyes are fixed on her.
She quickly faces forward.
Mint and Prika follow close beside her.
I can't believe this is happening!
I don't want to die before the concert! What if I turn into a ghost that haunts people?!
Oh, that'd be the worst! I'd rather die than become a ghost!
Well, if you don't die, you don't have to worry about it.
Wh-what if I made the wrong decision...?
...
...
What if the partition doesn't open? Can it even be opened?
Is it safe in the Outer Rim? If we do get in, will the people there accept us?
Did I overplay my hand? Would someone else have made a better call...?
I should've just stayed quiet. If I had—
*Tap*
Mint lightly taps Anis's lips with her finger.
Oof.
Snap out of it, Anis.
All these people are counting on you. Don't second guess yourself.
Right! Sorry!
Up ahead. The gate's closing.
At the end of the tunnel, the entrance is slowly closing.
The light pouring into the tunnel slowly begins to fade.
What? Seriously?
That's just mean...
Agh...
Anis grits her teeth and charges forward.
Ahhh!!
Just as the gate is about to close, she leaps toward it.
*Boom!*
Anis kicks the door and sends it flying.
On the other side of the tunnel,
they are blocked by a towering grey partition, denying passage to all.
Anis keeps running.
Two unmanned guard drones spot her.
They start to blare warning messages.
She slides to the ground, gets into position,
and blasts them with her launcher.
With a loud explosion, the robots burst into smithereens.
Turrets at the top of the partition aim at Anis.
She ducks and sprints for the gate.
*Thud!*
One of the turrets drops beside Anis.
She looks up.
Jackal waves with a smile from atop the wall.
Hehe! Howdy, Anis!
Hi!
Hey there, terrorists! Nice to see you!
We'll handle the turrets up here! You take care of the gate.
Got it!
Anis stops in front of the partition.
The massive iron gate is shut tight.
Anis kicks the gate, but it refuses to budge.
...
She backs up, creating some space, then leaps forward and kicks. The gate still doesn't budge.
She pulls out her launcher, aims, and puts her finger on the trigger.
A chill runs through her.
Suddenly there's a flash, and Anis dives to the side,
just in time to see a neatly carved, scorching hole in the gate.
She turns to see Eternity standing with a blank expression on her face.
Liveryn. Grab that side.
H-here?
Yeah. We're going to open the gate manually. You'll have to pull it with everything you've got.
G-got it.
Here we go!
*Thud*
Something lands behind E.H.
Jackal and Viper drop down, their faces pale as they stare at her.
What's going on?
Sh-she's here! She's here! She came!
I figured she would, but didn't think it'd be this soon.
Eeek!
Endless appears in front of E.H.
You are hereby under arrest on charges of terrorism against the Ark.
Be advised that resistance may result in the use of lethal force.
We have to open this. Or were you just going to kill everyone here?
The consequences of opening the partition are impossible to predict.
The Outer Rim populace could potentially flood into the Ark.
Why the hell would they do that when the other side is infested with crystals?!
To cite the previous terrorist attack on the Ark as an example, some individuals crossed the partition even in the middle of a Rapture invasion.
Said individuals were promptly shot down by either Raptures or Central Government forces.
This illustrates that the Outer Rim populace is unpredictable in their behavior. Even I cannot anticipate their actions.
They could carry E2 Crystal fragments into the Ark.
Thus, the risk is too high.
Do you even hear yourself...?!
Anis glances back.
Countless eyes, full of fear, are fixed on her and Eternity.
Anis lunges at Eternity.
Greetings.
Enikk...?
That is correct. It has been some time since we last conversed, Elysion Harper.
We need to open the partition.
You are currently suspected of activating the E2 Crystals in the area commonly known as Punk Street.
Surrender peacefully and comply with our instructions.
If I told you I didn't do it, would you believe me?
A judgment will be reached after the facts are established.
Also, you are acting alongside Liveryn, a known fugitive from the Rehabilitation Center who stole the head of Hammering from the Hammer and Drill Squad.
This significantly lowers your credibility.
The great ruler of the Ark, here to talk in person? The situation must be grim.
For the Ark, at least.
Do you think we'll have to fight her?
Probably?
Ugh...! I'm scared of her...
Right? Me too.
I'm going to open the partition. Tell Endless and Eternity to move aside, Enikk.
That is not possible.
You know as well as I do that the Outer Rim is relatively safe from the E2 Crystals.
Why aren't you considering that as an option?
I do not consider it as an option because the Outer Rim is not the Ark.
...
Wow...
...
So, what, the Outer Rim is just the Ark's dumpster?
Then what do you think of the people living here?
They chose to live in the Outer Rim of their own free will.
It is no different from renouncing Ark citizenship.
Attempting to persuade me is futile.
Leader, how long are we going to keep talking? Don't we have things to do?
Yeah! I'm not entirely sure what's going on, but we've gotta open this door!
D-does that include me?
...
Let's go.
Outside the partition...
Anis is getting overwhelmed by Eternity,
who deflects every single one of her attacks.
Meanwhile, Eternity swings her arms and legs seemingly at random.
While far from graceful, her attacks are nonetheless quick and powerful.
Anis tumbles across the ground before barely managing to force herself upright.
Urgh...!
Anis!
Stay away! You'll just get in the way!
*Clink, clink, clink!*
The sound of the crystals getting nearer echoes from within the tunnel.
People are panicking but are unable to move forward,
frozen in place due to Eternity's sheer aggression.
Anis turns around.
Everyone is looking at her.
Open... the gate!
Anis charges forward, but Eternity swats her aside.
I said... open it...!
Your request is impossible to grant.
Arrrrrghhh!
Anis charges again, and Eternity once again sends her flying.
She slams into the tunnel wall.
Agghh!
Anis stares at the wall as she pushes herself up, her body trembling.
The crystals are already breaking through.
Anis messes with her phone.
She then wipes the blood from her lips and charges in again.
Eternity begins to pummel her. Anis struggles to stay conscious, but she grits her teeth and endures it.
With her phone in hand, she takes a swing at Eternity's face.
*Thud*
Eternity catches her arm.
Both her phone and her own hand have crystals protruding from them.
!
I can predict your every move.
*Spit*
Anis spits out a mouthful of crystals.
They strike Eternity in the cheek.
Anis grins, revealing a mouth mangled by crystals.
*Clink, clink, clink!*
Crystals spread rapidly across Eternity's body.
I... win...
Core shutdown.
Eternity slumps down.
The crystals, deprived of their food, crumble to dust.
Rebooting.
*Buzzzz*
Forcing reconnection to damaged section.
*Crack, craaaack!*
Reconnection complete.
...
Are those people behind you friends of yours?
No.
Are they important to you?
Then why go to such extremes for their sake?
Aren't you the one who said Nikkes need to protect humans?
Based on your prior actions and statements, this does not align with your ideology.
I do not understand your actions.
...
Anis turns around.
The crowd gazes upon her.
Meaning unclear.
You see,
pop stars have to live up to the public's expectations.
Whenever I went on stage... well, "stage" might be too grand a word, but anyway.
Everyone would be looking at me,
their eyes full of anticipation.
...
When that would happen, I'd do whatever it takes,
anything for those people looking to me!
They're counting on me, and I can't let them down!
Look! Even now!
They're all looking at me!
I have to do something...!
I can't just turn away from them!
...
A flash of light bursts from Eternity's hand.
A massive hole pierces the partition.
Anis stares blankly at the hole.
What... the...?
Beyond the hole floats Endless. Beneath her lay the fallen members of Exotic.
E.H.?
Eternity, why did you make a hole in the gate?
Eternity stares at Anis intently.
Initiating maintenance. Analyzing the cause of anomalous behavior.
...
Confirming breach of partition entrance.
Adjusting plan.
Relocate all personnel near the partition to the Outer Rim.
Wh... What?
The deed is done. We must revise the plan quickly and respond accordingly.
Once all individuals have entered the Outer Rim, I will explain the next phase of the plan.
Proceed swiftly.
Ugh, you are unbelievable...!
*Clink!*
!
Anis feels a disturbing pain in her mouth and arm.
The crystals are spreading.
Yes?
How can we help?
Is something wrong, Anis?
...?
Anis walks toward the opposite side of the partition.
She realizes she'll be in serious trouble if the crystals continue to spread through her body.
While the Outer Rim likely won't have much electricity for them, she knows anything could happen.
What if she got unlucky and stepped on a live wire?
Or if someone touched her while carrying electronics?
The Outer Rim would cease to be a safe place for everyone else.
Anis continues walking toward the other side of the partition.
Meanwhile, the others sprint for the gate, glancing at her as they pass.
Heh...
This is why I hate cleaning up after others.
What do I get for it? Nothing... Nothing but trouble.
...
*Sigh*
I hate it. I really do.
Suddenly Anis feels something grip her head.
Huh...?
Eternity is holding onto her.
What, you wanna go another round? Sorry, but I don't have time...
Eternity. Go back to your position.
... Confirming refusal to obey. Initiating cause analysis.
Wh-what?! This is starting to creep me out.
*Whoosh*
Anis's vision goes black.
12. Non-Omnipotent
102 lines*Gasp!*
You're awake.
Anis hurriedly checks her hand.
It's entirely unscathed. She doesn't even feel any sort of lingering pain.
She rolls her tongue around to check her mouth.
Likewise, there is no discomfort whatsoever.
Uh, what happened...?
She fixed you.
Eternity stares intently at Anis.
She performed a forced shutdown of your core, removed the crystals, and then did a forced restart.
For your information, such actions were not a part of her original programming.
She appears to have learned it when I removed the crystals from her.
Uh... I may be wrong, but don't you control those things remotely?
No. They are equipped with autonomous AI systems.
Currently, they do not feature linguistic capabilities, as these were deemed unnecessary.
However, I plan to install them in the near future, since their AI appears to be developing self-awareness.
As in, consciousness?
There is no other explanation for this one's actions.
Eternity approaches Anis and stares intently at her.
Uh, what's she doing?
This is another action that, given the available parameters, I am unable to explain.
Everyone is gathered over there.
The gate has been resealed, and the street on the other side is completely overrun by crystals.
But it's safe here.
Mint and Prika are checking to see if anyone's injured, and are ready to help if anything happens.
The Exotic Squad is keeping the Outer Rim citizens from approaching.
Endless is with them, too.
Wait, is E.H. now the new leader of Exotic?
Yes.
Why? Because she's the "best" terrorist?
Because it is the most efficient option.
Soon, high-density Alva Particles will be dispersed across the road known as Punk Street.
They will block all electrical signals and weed out the E2 Crystals.
Weed out, huh? Interesting way to put it.
The crystals resemble plants in many ways.
Afterward, the situation will be monitored for approximately one month, and the street will reopen once it's deemed safe.
And how long do we stay here?
The Central Government has dispatched health officials. After thorough examinations and if there are no issues, you may return home.
That is still under investigation.
We don't believe it was the Exotic Squad, but they have not been fully exonerated as of yet.
According to E.H., an entity known as Sixo may be the terrorist behind it. However, nothing has been confirmed.
Sixo? That girl from before?
Correct.
Then why not capture her and confirm?
I cannot apprehend Sixo.
She knows too much about me.
Huh...?! I never expected you of all people to say that.
I am not omnipotent, a reality of which I have recently become convinced.
...
Rest for now.
...
You did well.
If you hadn't gotten in the way, this would've been a lot easier.
I only made the decision that was best for the Ark.
Yeah, I'm sure.
Liveryn was here. Where did she go?
I don't know. I'm guessing she ran away.
Seriously? After all that, she scurried off again?
What's she thinking? She keeps digging herself a deeper grave.
She's probably thinking there's some way to put everything back to how it was.
And she's trying to figure out what that way is.
But that's impossible. There's no way.
I know. It's frustrating.
Are they blaming you for all this, Leader?
Right now, they're just suspicious, so I'm free to move around.
You're gonna catch the one who did this, right?
Naturally.
But how?
Viper said no one can get their hands on her, let alone take a bite out of her.
Which means there's nothing I can do.
Then we'll make it so there is something you can do.
Huh? How?
I'm not sure, but we'll figure something out.
What about the higher-ups? Are they not going after a terrorist?
They probably will.
Which would mean major trouble for us if what Sixo said is true,
since it seems some of them have already been compromised.
What a pain.
Okay, but how are we going to find her?
I can run and catch her!
Oh, right. That's good to hear.
Okay. But before that, let me deal with this.
Viper raises the brain shelter she is holding.
Right. Thanks.
E.H.'s expression hardens as she keeps watch.
Enikk's words echo in her head.
"The Outer Rim is not the Ark."
13. The Ark's Stars, Always
203 linesI'm not eating Splendamin!
I demand a hamburger! Or a hot dog!
Look around you. There's no way we have those here.
That's not my problem! Just bring me one! What kind of Nikke talks back, anyway?
I thought the Central Government was coming. Where are they, huh?
How long are you going to keep us locked up in this disgusting dumpster of a place?!
What's his problem this time?
Beats me. He just started acting like that a little while ago.
Ever since he got here, really.
He's such a pest.
Let's go, everyone!
I don't know what kind of game they're playing, locking us up in here, but I don't wanna find out! Who knows what could happen?
Hey, you over there!
...?
Are you gonna tell us what's going on? I've heard you eat people!
What are you going to do with us? Huh?
What is he talking about?
Should I go make him shut up?
Forget it. Just ignore him.
See that? They're ignoring me! They're not saying anything because they're hiding something!
Think about it, people! If something happens here, no one will know!
Murmuring begins to spread through the rest of the crowd.
One by one, they start speaking out.
"He's right! How much longer do we need to stay here?"
"I've got work piling up back home. Who's gonna take responsibility for all this lost time?"
"All these Nikkes, and they can't even do a proper job protecting us."
"I think I got injured during the evacuation. Are those Nikkes going to compensate us?"
"This whole mess happened because the Nikkes couldn't do their job."
Complaints start to pour out like a flood.
Anis feels disgust welling up within her again.
You're telling me these are the people I risked my life for...
Anis. Can you help me with this?
What is it?
These blankets were in the partition's storage. They need a good shake.
Some of the people are cold since there's no light or anything in here.
Anis looks at the pile of blankets stacked beside Mint.
... Sure.
A loud thud sounds as Avistar accidentally drops something.
Oops.
Geez, watch it! I almost got hurt!
Ugh, I can't take this anymore! Is the Central Government even coming?
Tricky Boi's outburst sets off another round of shouting from the crowd,
full of profane curses and vulgar gestures.
Anis stares at the scene as she helps Mint shake out the blankets.
Mint.
Yes?
Are you really able to sing and dance for those people?
Anis...
They're so self-absorbed, and they laugh when someone makes an effort.
They enjoy watching others fail, and when someone succeeds, they tear them down.
They treat altruism as a joke and scorn sacrifice.
The Ark is full to the brim of people like that.
And I'm supposed to sing and dance for them? Even risk my life?
Do you think they're worth that?
...
I don't.
Look closely, Anis.
At what?
Just look.
At what?! I'm tired of looking at these people.
Mint grabs Anis by the head and forces her to turn.
Prika and Avistar are busily distributing supplies from the partition.
Someone hands Prika a bottle of water.
A middle-aged man washes the face of a girl with an injured hand.
The girl shows a wealthy-looking woman how to open a Splendamin bar.
A young man tears his clothes to wrap around someone's ankle.
A middle-aged woman pours water on someone's scraped knee.
A child helps disinfect the wound on someone's head.
An old man feeds food to someone who can't eat by themselves.
...
Do you see that?
... Yeah.
Not so bad? Right?
Anis makes eye contact with someone helping.
They smile and give her a small nod.
Anis awkwardly nods back.
Phew...
That should do the trick until the health officials arrive.
There are over two hundred people here, but it went pretty smoothly thanks to everyone's help.
Anis, here.
Prika tosses Anis a piece of candy.
That kid said to give it to you as a thank you for carrying her on your back.
Oh... Right.
Hmm? What's with her?
Dunno.
You didn't put that little girl up to this or anything, did you?
...
Those people saw how hard you were working and wanted to help.
They're grateful for what you did.
Anis.
Remember the people who called for help when you collapsed in the practice room, and kept massaging your arms and legs?
The ones who carried you all the way to the hospital, and then collapsed from exhaustion?
The nurses at the hospital who comforted you?
The people on the street who asked if you were okay afterwards?
Those people have always been there.
Anis looks at the people again.
Tricky Boi and his gang are nowhere in sight. There is no sound of them either.
All she sees are people helping each other.
They're the ones at the forefront.
...
... They're the stars.
I never realized the Ark had them...
But it turns out it's always been full of stars.
...
...
*Rumbleeeee*
Murmurs ripple through the crowd.
Groups of people huddle together and stare at their phones.
Hold on.
Avistar rushes over and peeks at one of the phones.
When she returns, her face looks pale.
A-Anis.
Wh-what's wrong?
Look at this.
Avistar lifts up a phone.
On the screen is a live stream.
What is it?
After the terrorist attack on the Ark, a lot civilians started flying drones on the surface that broadcast their feed.
This is the most popular channel among them.
How do civilians have access to the surface?
It's mostly done illegally, but the government sanctioned a few of them, saying it would help keep the public's mind at ease.
Sometimes Raptures appear on screen, but even that helps raise awareness, they said.
So why are you shaking? What's wrong?
J-just wait.
*Rummmmble*
Looks like there's something definitely going on...
The video continues.
A towering black spire with wings and horns is moving.
Is that a... Rapture? No, that's Dark Matter, so... Wh-What is this?
And why is it so big? Those're buildings next to it, right?
...
*Rummmmble*
At its current pace, they say it'll arrive within three hours.
Enikk.
Yes?
What is that thing?
That is classified.
It must be a Heretic, and since it's covered in Dark Matter, it's somehow related to the Four Beasts.
That is a likely possibility.
A large wave carried it into our surveillance area.
A large what...?
Wave. Further details are unknown.
Have any forces been deployed to intercept?
That is classified.
Of course it is. Thanks.
The communication cuts off.
...
It'll be fine. The Ark should be able to block it.
It's nothing to worry about... right?
P-plus, we have Dorothy.
Er... I didn't tell you this earlier because I didn't think it was very important,
but Eyeri contacted us, and apparently Dorothy is not currently in the Ark.
Absolute has been deployed for a recon mission up north, and Matis has joined up with the Commando Unit.
And... Aegis?
I heard they joined the Commando Unit as well, but that they're on their way back.
So... we're in big trouble, yeah?
I believe so, yes.
Really...?
What's going to happen...?
*Rummmmble*
It's all right. I'm sure the Commander and Rapi will...
Anis suddenly gets an ominous feeling.
A strange sensation that she's experienced many times before.
She's being watched.
Anis quickly looks around.
Everyone is staring at her,
not saying a word.
Their eyes are filled with unease, but they haven't lost their glimmer.
They're filled with expectation.
Anis realizes the stars are watching her.
...
She takes a step forward.
Are you heading to Tetra Line's headquarters?
How did you know?
I know many things.
The front partition is unusable. I will guide you to the nearest one that connects to Tetra Line.
Where are you going?
I'll contact you right away if something happens.
Anis runs off.
Everyone by the partition keeps their eyes fixed on her as she leaves.
14. The Stars' Star
201 linesYou sent the Queen to the Ark?! What were you thinking?!
The Ark is the strongest faction here, after the Raptures.
It's got the highest chance of victory.
What about all the civilians?!
Not a problem if the Ark kills her before she arrives.
The Ark possesses a lot of mysterious technology that I don't know about.
I'm sure they have something they can use.
And what if they don't?!
You seem to have less faith in the Ark than I do, Human.
They have something they can use. I'm sure of it.
In that sense, I trust the Ark.
We'll talk about this later.
Sure.
Pinocchio, can you bring Whaley closer to the Queen?
You want us to be right by her?
Hmm... Whaley says she doesn't want to.
She says she can't help, so she doesn't want to get too close.
And if it doesn't work?
I can't just sit here and do nothing.
Can't you call up another wave and redirect her?
No, it's not something I can just whip up whenever I want.
There's no sea nearby to draw water from, for one.
And more than anything, the Ark could end up getting submerged. Would you be okay with that?
...
So we're on the same page, then.
Hello, friends! Might I ask where we're headed?
Uncle! You're awake!
You bet! I told you, it was just a small injury.
We're following that other friend right now.
Other friend?
Yeah. She's down below.
...
Oh!
Ohhhh!
Who in the world is that?! That's the first time I've seen such a friend!
I know, right? Isn't she incredible?
My friends, will you take me to her?
I'd love to speak with her!
Uh, I don't think now is the best time for that.
Why is that?
If things go wrong, she could devour everyone in the Ark.
Huh...?
What do you mean? That friend—
Excuse me.
Enikk!
I see you are aboard the White Mother Whale. I assumed that would be the case.
Are you tracking the entity?
Enikk, the Queen... er, what we assume is the Queen is heading for the Ark.
The Queen... Updating information.
I am aware of her approach. Do you have any means of interception?
Unfortunately, not at the moment.
Understood. Then the Ark will intercept her.
How?
With a giant modified particle cannon.
Currently, it is the Ark's most powerful long-range weapon that is available for use.
From the way the ground shifts with her movement, the provisional Queen's weight is estimated to be approximately one thousand tons.
It is feasible that the particle cannon can destroy her.
However, if she manages to survive due to unforeseen circumstances,
we will leave it to you to deliver the finishing blow.
Okay...
Goodbye now.
*Beep*
See? I told you.
I appreciate you trusting them.
Commander! Rapi!
Anis?!
Anis!
Two hours earlier. Tetra Line headquarters.
Pretty's room.
Are you sure you don't have to go?
What are you talking about?
T.T. STAR's gotten dragged into a sordid affair at the Outer Rim.
Hmm... If ma chérie Anis is there, it should be fine.
You really trust her, don't you?
Oui.
Why?
...
C'est un secret.
Oh, come now. Don't make me jealous.
I've never seen you play favorites like th—
President!
Oh!
Don't be ridiculous.
Anis, ma chérie. Did you terminé everything you needed to do at the Outer Rim?
Yes, I... phew...! It's been taken care of.
Superbe.
President.
The expansive armament Star.
Give it to me.
We need to stop that thing from getting to the Ark.
...
So, le spectacle isn't over yet.
I'm going to become a star.
!
...
That's the spirit, ma chérie.
You said there have always been stars on the Ark.
You were right.
Even in this dark, trashy place, there are shining stars.
Stars that have continued to shine, no matter the circumstances.
I...
I only saw the filth, but it turns out there was so much more light.
Light so bright that it completely drowns out the dark.
I want those stars to look at me and find hope.
I want to be a star for them, for all the other stars.
...
Tetra Nikkes must always be someone people look to, even on the battlefield.
That is how...
we give people hope.
I get it now. I finally understand. I know what that slogan means.
So...
I'm going to be the star of the Ark.
A star that gives people hope.
EEEEEEEEEntertainment!
Magnifique!
Yes, Anis, ma chérie! You have finally realized!
The Ark is beyond saving? Non! There were always people shining bright!
It was the darkness and the dirt that made it so you couldn't see!
And now, you will become a véritable shining star! The star of stars!
That is true entertainment!
L'amour for humanity!
...
I will préparer the expansive armament Star!
Let us put on the greatest entertainment act
the Ark has ever seen!
Enikk. Are you listening?
Yes, I am.
This monstre s'approche the Ark. How are you going to destroy it?
I plan to use the giant particle cannon.
In theory, it should be able to intercept the target.
And that will be la fin?
Correct. It has the highest probability of success of all the weapons currently available to us.
Hmm...
Let's make a deal, Enikk.
What kind of deal?
Anis will put on un spectacle and destroy le monstre.
In exchange, you give me l'autorisation to personnalise the particle cannon.
...
Very well.
Oh, vraiment?
Since the attack on the Ark, public concern has been on the rise.
The recent incident with the E2 Crystals did not help,
and we now have an unknown black spire approaching the Ark along with a string of earthquakes.
We need something to put the citizens' minds at ease.
If that takes the form of a flamboyant show, all the better.
Très bien.
You're starting to comprendre l'esprit humain, Enikk.
Is that so?
Before we proceed with modifications, I will propose five possible upgrade plans.
All of them can be finished within two hours. I will leave the choice to you.
Non.
Non, non, non!
Something so... tactical cannot possibly be entertaining!
Instead...
I will transform the giant particle cannon into a stage!
It will be called... the Star Stage!
...
What?
Now, just head inside and get tested.
The fitting adjustments could take as much as two hours.
Okay, thanks.
Anis.
Yeah?
You sure you're not gonna regret this?
All this "star of stars" business.
It means being absolutely flawless in front of others.
You could feel rotten inside, so tired that you could die, but you'll have to keep it hidden.
Everyone will look to you as a beacon of hope, and so you must only show them beauty.
That's no easy feat.
What about Pretty?
Pretty...
Right. She did that.
But in the end, her light shone too bright. It burned her up,
until only ashes remained.
Heh... Hm.
Don't do it.
What...?
I've mulled it over. The reason Pretty was reduced to ashes was her fixation on being perfect.
So it's okay if you become a star with some rough edges.
In times like these, being too perfect comes with its own set of problems.
Do as you like.
Just...
Don't burn yourself out.
Shine for as long as you can, and light up the Ark.
If you can do that, it'll be more than enough.
Okay... I understand.
Now!
*Clap*
Mrs. Miss gently pats Anis on the back.
Come back prettier than ever,
and show them what you are:
the star of the Ark.
15. Open Arms
138 linesAnis, ma chérie, listen carefully.
The expansive armament Star harnesses l'énergie from optical weapons, then condenses and releases it.
Star Stage est une version modifiée of the giant particle cannon, and is packed with un énorme quantité d'énergie.
You need to condense that énergie and fire it at le monstre you see over there.
Do you comprends?
Right... Uh, how do I do that?
The expansive armament Star will guide you.
All you have to do is concentrer on putting on un grand spectacle.
Oh? Pourquoi?
Because I want to show them what I can do.
Magnifique! You truly are an entertainer.
In fact, I anticipé this, so I prépare something in advance.
Excuse me for a moment.
Your Commander is near the entity, riding on the Mother Whale.
What? Really?
Consider this a chance to show off your achievement.
Would you like me to connect you to your Commander?
Wait, I thought there wasn't a shred of humanity in you. What made you think to...?
Very well. I will cancel the connection.
Put me through.
*Beep*
It hasn't been very long, yet seeing those two familiar faces nearly makes Anis burst into laughter and tears all at once.
Her heart is burning. She feels invincible, like she can do anything.
Anis cries out with all her heart.
Yeeeeees!
It's show time!
A blinding flash fills the sky.
Whoa...!
That's... Anis...?!
Ack! So bright!
Then close your eyes!
You really know everything, Uncle.
Commander! The Queen's Dark Matter has been stripped away!
It's already regenerating, though. That's fast.
We have to end this before the spire regenerates.
I'm counting on you!
Roger that!
I'll help.
Rapi leaps down from Whaley, and Liberalio descends.
I look down below.
Exposed and without her Dark Matter, the little girl looks up at us.
Her face, eyes, and even her movements can all be seen clearly.
She stretches both her arms out as she says something.
But no black hands appear.
It's the same motion she's been doing this entire time.
...
Wait...
She keeps... doing... the same thing...
Something's off...
I turn around,
and look at Pinocchio and Raptilion.
Pinocchio, Raptilion...
Can either of you tell what she's saying?
Hmm! She's too far away, so I can't hear!
However, from her gestures and her eyes, I can surmise what she is saying!
There's more to a conversation than words, after all!
Huh? I can hear her!
Wow! That's incredible, Pinocchio!
She's saying...
Pinocchio's lips move.
Aha! I knew it! That's precisely what I thought!
I dash forward and leap down.
No, no, no...!
How could I forget?!
It's the same thing I've been trying to do this whole time...!
Rapi!
What...?! Commander!
Huh...?
Rapi! C-catch me!
Ro... ger...!
Rapi veers and catches me.
As I continue descending, I see the Queen's...
Er, I see the child's figure grow closer.
Her arms are outstretched.
Commander! What are you doing?!
We need to talk!
Huh...?
We were so focused on the threat she posed, we forgot what we've been doing for so long.
Now that I think of it, she's been doing the same gesture ever since she was born.
She's been saying the same thing,
but we didn't listen to her.
We didn't even try to listen.
We didn't try to understand,
because we were scared, and because she's different.
So we gave up the idea of talking to her.
The child comes even closer into view.
She opens her arms and moves her lips.
I listen closely.
Huh... g...
... me...
Hug... me...
...!
Rapi retracts her drill.
Rapi and I, with our arms wide open,
tightly embrace the child asking for a hug.
Ah... Wah...
...
Mmm...
The child buries her head in our arms.
She softly grips my arm,
and, with a faint breath, she falls asleep.
The black spire collapses.
Dark Matter scatters and dissolves into the air.
Flowers bloom, trees sprout.
The sky clears and a breeze blows,
gently embracing us as we descend,
setting us down on the ground.
I look around.
It's a beautiful sight.
It's as if...
a new world has been born.
Laplace, Drake, Maxwell.
Cinderella, Little Mermaid, Grave.
Behemoth, Leviathan, Ziz, Bahamut.
All of them are sleeping peacefully.
...
Wh-why're you... crying...?!
What do you mean...? You're crying too...!
We let our tears flow freely,
as we continue to look at the child in our arms.
...
Liberalio lands beside us.
16. A New Continuation
394 linesReclamation Site 01.
When're you coming back?
I'll head down as soon as things are finished over here. Two weeks at the most.
Okay. I've got plenty to deal with on my end as well, so I'll see you at the Outpost.
I'll be waiting for you.
Anis.
Yeah?
You did really well.
Well, I promised that I'd make a grand entrance, didn't I?
Yes, you did. You were amazing.
What about Neon, though?
I was going to say,
I haven't been able to get in touch with her.
Since it's Neon, I know she's probably fine, but the Outer Rim was where she was last seen.
I can't help but worry.
Okay... I'll be there as soon as I can.
Good. Thanks.
Um... Commander.
Do you have anything else to say to me?
Like, uh, any comments about my clothes... or stuff like that?
They look a bit small on you.
They're supposed to! That's the style!
If that's the case, you should probably change into something a little... more.
Whatever. Just get here as soon as you can.
Will do. See you later.
See you.
*Beep*
Rapi suddenly furrows her brow.
It's too loud here.
And then I took my heroic hammer—because I'm a hero—and BAM! Right on Behemoth's head!
I keep telling you, it's Mjolnir.
I'm here talking about our achievements, and you keep going on about hitting me in the head.
The hammer was super sturdy, so I, ever the hero, once again—
I think we've heard enough about you assaulting my head.
Enough with such trivial things. Look at this! It's an attack I've been practicing that's shaped like a brachiosaur.
Th-that's amazing...! But shouldn't a brachiosaur have a longer neck?
Oh, you're right! Brilliant insight! You're officially a member of the Villain Union!
GraGre has already joined, so there's only one spot left!
I never agreed to join. And my name's not GraGre.
V-Villain Union? Wh-what do you do there...?
Wait, are you actually interested?
Uh... yes? I think so?
B-but what do you do...?
Uh... Yeah, what do we do?
How do you not know...?
Because she's not right in the head.
All of you, be quiet. Can't you see that I, the staggeringly sagacious Bahamut, am trying to read?
You're holding the book upside down.
Books can be read just as well upside down. To think there is only one way to read a book is a parochial point of view!
You're strange.
...
My keen intellect senses a kindred spirit within you.
We seem to be rather similar, you and I.
She may as well be saying you look stupid.
... I take offense to that comparison.
Hey! Don't you dare poach a member of the Villain Union!
I'm not part of the Villain Union.
It's okay. I got it.
Ah... Why are there so many?
I thought everyone would be hungry, so I just brought everything.
There's no way we can finish all this.
Oh, don't worry about that! I could finish it by myself if needed.
There's plenty to go around, so don't be shy.
Ah, awoo?
Is something wrong, Siren?
I'm glad everyone seems to be doing well.
I am too. I was worried.
But we worked together toward a common goal and managed to succeed.
I sense that perhaps even a small sense of camaraderie has formed.
Ah woo.
Come to think of it, I was so busy that I never really greeted you properly.
It's nice to meet you, Siren.
Ah, ah, ahhhh...
... Siren.
Are you okay? You've been like this ever since meeting the Prince.
Does he make you uncomfortable?
You're asking in front of him? That's... bold.
Little Mermaid approaches Cinderella and whispers.
It's my first time talking to a man. I don't know what to say.
What...?
He's the prince you've talked about, right? I think I've seen him before.
He's handsome. He really does look like a prince, hehe.
...
We can all hear you.
Ah, ahhh?!
Can't help but exude charisma, can you, Prince Charming?
Very funny...
As the incident with the Four Beasts' Queen comes to a close,
we head back to Reclamation Site 01.
All the Nikkes that had been absorbed by the Queen are safe, and say that the inside was warm and comfortable.
They said their hostility melted away, and they just felt cozy.
I can't say for sure, but I imagine it felt like someone giving you a hug.
Hey! Don't steal my food!
Leviathan comes running this way with a fish skewer in her hand.
In front of her, a child is running with a grilled fish in her mouth.
Hm...
...
Since the incident, the little girl hasn't once surrounded herself with Dark Matter.
Nor has she displayed any violent tendencies. In fact, she simply acts like any mildly disobedient child.
Her true identity is most likely akin to one of the Four Beasts, but for the moment, she doesn't seem dangerous. She appears to be in control.
Ah.
The child grabs onto my pant leg,
then stretches out both of her arms.
Hug me.
I bend down and pick the little girl up.
She's thankfully light.
She buries her head in my chest and then looks at me.
Daddy.
...
Wh-what...?
Daddy. Daddy.
Huh...
...
Hm...
Little Mermaid approaches Cinderella and whispers.
Um, Cinderella?
Yes?
Is the Prince married?
No. At least, I don't think so.
We can still hear you.
Daddy.
Er... Um...
The child reaches her hand out to Rapi.
A puzzled Rapi reaches out her own hand, and the child grasps it.
Mommy.
...
Haah!
Wha...?! Oy.
Hey, I told you to stop stealing my... Aww, you ate it all!
How can she eat so much?!
Daddy. Mommy.
...
Congratulations on your kid, by the way.
Look at our daughter, Honey. Isn't she so pretty?
Stop... You're weirding me out.
For now, let's just finish eating.
Uh, sure.
I grilled some fish. Let's eat them together.
Levi...
...
A friend?
Mori. Can you come this way?
Huh? Why me?
Ah... Let's talk!
After a lively meal,
I have a talk with each individual group before I head back to the Ark.
First, Raptilion and Pinocchio.
So, this is the town you live in! It's got a really nice vibe to it!
Whaley seems to like it too. She says she wants to rest here for as long as possible!
Don't you think it's a bit noisy, though? There doesn't seem to be any soundproofing.
Yeah... Sorry about that.
It's okay, so long as our Rapture friends don't get startled.
You can stay as long as you want.
Thanks to the optical camouflage, other Raptures won't attack.
We appreciate the hospitality! But we'll be leaving soon.
There are still so many unknown lands we haven't seen!
That's right. I want to see more, too.
Where are you going this time?
We still haven't decided. We'll take a gander at the sky and the landscape and go wherever our hearts take us!
Well, I wish you luck. Be careful out there.
Pinocchio, take care of Raptilion.
Of course! You take care too, Friend.
See over there? Don't ever go that way.
... I understand. I'll be careful.
Next up are Cinderella and her companions.
Ooh...
Hansel and Gretel cannot be left out of the happy ending that we are writing.
They mean too much to us for that.
Ah... Very well. If that is how you feel, I will follow.
But you should be prepared. Things might not work out as you expect.
Do you know where they are?
Yes, I do.
Once our preparations are finished, we'll leave straightaway.
...
What's wrong, Mori?
Oh, it's just...
For me to be involved in such a big battle is a bit...
Haha... I'm not confident I'll be of much use.
I heard from Superhuman that, if not for you, we would've been done for.
Digging is the only thing I'm good at...
Mori, don't say that!
B-but I...
This won't do at all.
Y-you're right... I'm—
We'll put you in special training.
Yes. Special training.
Er, huh?
While we travel, you'll undergo special training.
We'll put you through the wringer.
Until you stop saying foolish things like you're useless or that you're not good at anything.
Until you realize for yourself that you're beautiful.
We're going to help you.
Hehe! You look happy, Mori!
N-no, special training sounds hard. Why would I be... happy...?
At any rate, we will be heading out on our own for a bit.
Yeah, I understand. Thank you for all your help.
You said the Queen is coming, right?
Of course. We'll make sure to get ready on our end. Are you heading out right away?
Hehe. No, we also have to undergo some maintenance. A lot has happened, and without nearly any breaks at that.
I believe a little rest is in order.
Yes, we indeed require some rest.
Agreed. There are some nearby places I'd like to see, and I also have a lot to talk about with Levi!
E-Evaluator.
I'm really okay now.
It's all thanks to you.
It may take a little while, but next time we meet,
I'll be an even better version of myself.
I'm looking forward to it.
Next are the Four Beasts.
So, what do we do now?
We made the Queen we wanted.
Our plan to give the Offsprings a good beating fizzled out,
thanks to this pesky alliance you lot decided to form with us.
Then it's safe to say you're on our side, right?
Yeah, go ahead and think of it that way.
We won't ever betray you.
Wow. You've become so agreeable.
Then again, I do seem to recall you saying before that you knew deep down we're good people.
Th-that's...! B-be quiet!
Behemoth. Are you okay?
What do you mean?
You looked like you were nudging Leviathan.
I was, because she kept running away instead of making a decision.
I was already going to go with whatever she decided, since I was pretty bad to all of you.
Anyway... here we are. Let's get along from now on.
I've got some things to make up for, so if you ever need anything, just let me know.
Er... All that stuff I heard from Cinderella and Siren.
Is it true?
... Yeah. I don't think it's a lie.
The Queen...
Wh-what is she coming down here for?
There's no way to know.
I-is there a chance she won't do anything? Like that child?
I look toward the other side of the room.
The child is lying on her back, sleeping soundly.
It seems she snores quite loudly.
That would be nice, but considering the Queen is the one who created the Raptures,
I doubt she's just looking for a hug.
Are you going to try talking to her?
If she's willing.
Even if she is, it's unlikely to go well.
She created those insane Offsprings.
You need to be prepared.
For battle, you mean?
Yeah.
As expected, I, in my astonishing astuteness, understood everything merely from context clues. Even I am surprised by my intelligence.
Yeah, you're a real genius.
If the Offsprings are so strong, then the Queen must be...
There's only one way we stand a chance.
Exactly. Are you thinking what I'm thinking?
We have to raise the child.
We have to join the Villain Union.
... What?
... Huh?
Are you serious? We're not joining that weird cult.
B-but they can make dinosaurs...
Ugh... I think I'm getting a headache.
By "raise the child," you mean her?
She's calmed down now, but she had no trouble overpowering all of us.
To say she has immense potential is an understatement.
Her power is on par with the Queen.
Leviathan.
I know what you're going to say.
But I promise.
That child's power...
will only be used for good.
...
Besides, we've no reason to fight in the first place if the Queen doesn't make a move.
Then allow me to ask.
If the Queen indeed does not attack, what are we to do?
...
An incisive question that hits the mark. It would appear you are at a loss for words.
... I don't know.
What should we do?
Just live.
We do what we want, eat what we want.
Th-then I want to join the Villain Union! I-I think it sounds cool.
And leave me?
You can come too.
...
No. No way. Even imagining it for a second made me sick.
Maybe I'll run an orchard, and just fill it with apple trees.
I, with my penetrating perspicacity, will become a teacher.
To hoard knowledge as brilliant as mine would be a crime against the world, so I will spread it far and wide.
Even the Villain Union sounds better than that...
Where are you planning on staying?
Staying here doesn't sound so bad,
but people from the Ark will be in and out of here, right? I don't like the sound of that.
I'm fine cooperating with you all, but that doesn't mean I trust the Ark.
We'll go back to the Imitation Ark. It's better there.
But Liberalio swept everything away.
Restoring it sounds like a lot of fun, too.
Are you sure you can take good care of the girl?
A child should be with her mother and father.
We'll make it work.
We made her, after all.
It's only right that we take responsibility.
But why does she keep calling us her parents?
I, the infinitely informed Bahamut, will explain. When a man—
Th-that's okay. You don't need to explain.
You must not fear knowledge.
Huh...?
...
Anyway... uh...
Thanks for... everything.
For giving me an opportunity to see Siren again.
And... for accepting me as one of your own.
Sorry, I didn't catch that. Could you say it louder, with more conviction?
I would like you so much more if you said so much less.
Anyway, take care on your way back to the Ark.
If it looks like you're going up against the Queen, make sure to call us.
Will do. See you later.
We'll be in touch.
Now for Matis.
This'll probably give Syuen's reputation a boost.
There are reports saying Matis played a major role—I guess?—in stopping this so-called Queen from reaching the Ark.
So now we have a bit of a shield to use against all the attacks that come our way.
Haha! As heroes, our role is naturally to save others!
The problem is the so-called Queen.
She was broadcast live, though it looks like the stream was cut off right after Anis attacked.
Do you think the Ark will leave her be?
I find that very unlikely.
She's with the Four Beasts, so things should be mostly fine. Admittedly, though, I'm still worried.
She's calm now, but what if something provokes her and she transforms again...?
Honestly, I don't think even all of the Ark's forces could take her down.
And on top of that, I'm told the real Queen is descending.
Let's wait and see how things play out before telling the Ark about that.
They've already got enough headaches to deal with. If we tell them about the real Queen,
they may snap and be all like, "Time for the Third Surface Reclamation!"
Yeah. It's best that we keep this close to the vest for now.
Most likely.
While things aren't exactly peaceful right now, there's at least a lull,
but it sounds like that could end at any moment.
...
Well, we can go over the details on the way back.
Yeah. Preparations will take around two weeks, so take your time getting ready.
Sure thing.
And finally, Liberalio.
I'll be honest.
This whole experience changed my perspective.
I saw something change that I thought was incapable of changing.
Humans, Raptures, a human acting like a Rapture, some unknown thing, human imposters, Heretics, a former Heretic...
And the new Queen.
I saw them all gathered together, eating at the same table.
You've managed to overcome your origins and actually communicate.
You should have joined us.
I wasn't in that sort of mood.
I was completely in awe.
I've lived a long life, but I've never felt like this before.
My heart is racing. My body is warm.
It's like a new path has been opened to me.
Sounds like you've fallen in love.
Maybe I have.
Maybe I've fallen in love with this feeling of awe that I'd never even imagined before.
...
I must tell Mother about this.
I will persuade her,
tell her that a new path can be opened for us.
That we can change, too.
What?
Sure... Okay. Thanks.
We can have a conversation. Just like you did.
I can't wait.
Until then, try not to get yourself killed, Human.
That night...
The time passed almost in an instant as everyone shared stories they'd been waiting to tell and celebrated new friendships.
17. Unexpected Contact
76 linesCommander!
Anis.
I know it hasn't been that long, but it feels like it's been ages.
Tell me about it. Did you have fun while I was gone?
Sure. I brought plenty of snacks and drinks.
We recount to each other what we went through. By the time we're done, it's already dark outside.
The Queen... Wow, that is quite the story.
Same with you, pop star.
Hm...
Why did you insist on making a performance part of the deal, anyway?
Because I kept fixating on just the ugly, rotten parts.
Mustang hoped that while I prepared for the performance, I'd meet different kinds of people and finally realize something:
that the Ark has a lot of good people in it, and that they need a star to look to.
He should've just said that to you, then.
So, is everything at the Ark taken care of?
Yeah, for the time being. They say all the crystals are gone, and not too many people were injured.
A terrorist attack using crystals...
For now, we should regroup with Neon. Then we can decide on our next move.
It doesn't sound like we can just leave Sixo unchecked.
Agreed.
E.H. seems to be launching a full-on pursuit. If there's anything we can do to help, we should.
There's always a chance the Queen suddenly comes at us.
We'll just have to trust Liberalio.
Are you sure you're not being too trusting of everyone?
It's because the Commander is so trusting that we're here now.
Yeah, that's true.
...
Thinking back on what happened here,
I feel like I didn't actually resolve anything myself.
The expansive armament Star was something President Mustang had already prepared, and the Star Stage only worked because of Enikk's help.
I wasn't even the one who opened the partition.
Mrs. Miss told me a star's role is just to shine on the stage that's prepared for her, but...
I don't know.
It sounds to me like you did plenty, but if that's how you feel, I probably can't convince you otherwise.
You'll still have plenty of chances to shine later, so don't let it get you down.
Yeah, I won't.
So, is your concert canceled?
That's probably what'll happen, yeah... I need to get back to my main duties.
Oh, Mint and Prika, and...
Mrs. Miss, and Avistar... They all helped a lot.
Prima Donna too.
...
I do want to do the concert, but... heh.
Now doesn't exactly feel like the right time.
Do it.
What?
You should do it. Otherwise, your spirit might never find peace.
You make it sound like I'm dead.
Look, I'm happy you guys are being so supportive, but it's just not a good time...
We've got a lot of things to do, important things.
Then let's finish them quickly so you can do the concert.
I want to see you perform.
Yeah!
Let's get started right aw—
*Buzzzz*
Sorry, I have to take this.
I look at my phone.
It's...
...
Who is it?
It's Johan.
What...?
Johan is contacting me.