Ethan’s Side
“…The trail’s gone cold.”
“The Ebla particle concentration up ahead is thick. That means a high danger level.”
“Hmm... What do you think, Commander? Shall we call it here?”
We had no way to pursue the target, and there was no point in entering such a dangerous area. We might as well end the operation here.
“Think so? Then we’ll head straight back to the Ark...”
Zing!
Just as I was about to make a clear-cut decision, my phone rang unexpectedly.
Mihara swore she said all communications were down.
Half doubtful, I pulled my phone from my pocket and checked the screen.
“Shuen?”
It turned out the vibration was a message, and the sender was Shuen. Wondering what this was about, I opened the message right away.
I exchanged a few silent messages with Shuen.
Grit!
After finishing the messages with Shuen, I unconsciously ground my teeth hard.
“Look at this bastard.”
A wave of rage instantly surged to my head. I really had no idea what the hell this damn brat was babbling about.
What utter nonsense. Terrorize the Ark? Once my strength is restored, I could level the whole place. Why bother planning an operation?
I snapped that out of anger, but I had no reason to terrorize the Ark in the first place.
There’s no grudge or anything—I simply have no reason to attack the Ark. It was obviously Shuen’s scheme to pin something on me.
“Master, what is it?”
“...Tracking. We need to continue, right?”
“...It’s annoying, but yeah, looks like we have to.”
“...Understood. Let’s move.”
I really didn’t feel like it, but if I ignored this and went back, who knows what kind of trouble I’d get into. I don’t mind taking some hit, but not if it hampers my growth.
“Hoo... Let’s go.”
I swallowed my mix of anger and irritation and, grudgingly, continued the operation.
Author’s Side
Time passed quickly, and the next morning dawned on the surface. As the sun rose, warm sunlight filtered through the cracks of the ruined building.
Yet in contrast to that warmth, Ethan struggled to lift himself up.
Moments before, he’d tried to sit up to get a drink of water. No, he’d tried to haul himself to his feet.
What’s going on? Feels heavier than usual.
“Oh dear. Uni, wake up. You’re going to crush the Commander at this rate.”
Just as my confusion grew, Mihara’s voice rang out. Uni had somehow climbed on top of Ethan and fallen asleep.
“Mmm... Uni wants to sleep a bit longer. Commander, you’re warm and firm, and it feels good...”
“...What’s going on here?”
“Uni is using Master like a bed.”
“...Wake up. Let’s move out.”
“Ugh... No~”
Squeeze!!
In her sleep-talking, Uni wrapped Ethan in a powerful bear hug. Despite her childlike form, she showed the strength you’d expect from a Nikke.
“Bear hug!”
“Amazing technique!”
“Hah...”
“...Don’t just stand there, help me out.”
It wasn’t too painful, but Ethan was in a real bind. He called on the Counters for help and finally managed to pry Uni off him.
After that unforgettable incident, the Counters and Wordless resumed their journey to capture [Talkative].
“Mihara, it got taken away—are you okay?”
“Hehe. As long as Uni is happy.”
“But watching from behind, you looked just like father and daughter.”
“...The formation.”
The reason they said that was simple: ever since a moment ago, Uni hadn’t let go of Ethan’s hand.
“Hehe, Commander, can I hold your hand a bit tighter?”
“Well, if it’s just a little tighter.”
Squeeze!
“...Uni, you do know what the word ‘a little’ means, right?”
“Hehe. Commander, you’re so warm, I love it.”
Watching Uni squeeze my hand so firmly, I had plenty to say, but seeing her beaming smile, I held my tongue.
“It’s strange—Nikkes obsessed with temperature and all.”
“Is some sensor malfunctioning?”
“It’s not that. ...She has anesthesia. But for some reason, she only feels sensation when she’s in contact with another person. I’m not sure if she was always like that or if it’s from the ability, but either way, she craves constant contact.”
…
Mihara calmly turned her gaze and watched Ethan and Uni.
“By the way, most people would loathe that and back away. Hehe, your Commander is a bit odd, isn’t he?”
“He’s not strange.”
“Right. He’s far from strange.”
“Master is a good person, after all.”
“That seems to be the case.”
As they traded compliments about Ethan, they came upon unfamiliar terrain and halted their steps.
“...This terrain is dangerous.”
“Perfect spot for an ambush.”
Judging by the layout and ruined high-rises, Anis was right—it was an ideal spot for an enemy ambush.
“This isn’t good. I think we’ve been lured here, haven’t we?”
“Wasn’t it said that Raptures lack intelligence?”
“I take that back. We’ve walked right into [Talkative]’s trap.”
“...What I feared has come to pass.”
Ethan’s expression darkened as he scanned the area. After quickly assessing the layout, he suddenly spotted something shimmering on a rooftop.
“!!”
At first he didn’t know what the shimmer was, but then he realized—it was a sniper’s scope trained on him.
“It’s a sniper!”
Yahap!
A blue flash burst from Uni’s hand, and Ethan’s legs went weak, sending him to his knees. No sooner had he fallen than a beam streaked overhead.
“Uni! Nice!”
“Those bastards! They were targeting the Commander! Not us!”
“Formation HO! Commander, behind me! They’re clearly targeting the Commander! But don’t worry. We will protect you.”
…
I hesitated to break the supportive atmosphere, but compared to the soldiers from my previous life’s unit, they didn’t exactly inspire confidence.
Back then, my Butcher Team was made up solely of elite operatives, and beyond that, my bonds with them were like family—unlike the Counters, with whom I was only beginning to build trust. The comparison was meaningless.
“I’ll trust you guys, too.”
“Formation set!”
“Firepower charged to 100%!”
“Let’s go.”
“Encounter!”
With the Counters and Wordless ready for full-scale combat, they engaged the Raptures right in front of them.
Though taken by surprise, thanks to Ethan’s sound judgment and the swift response of the Counters and Wordless, they secured an overwhelming victory in the skirmish.
“Situation terminated.”
“Heh~ we’re a pretty good match, aren’t we?”
“Yeah. Uni likes them. She also likes the Commander!”
After the fight ended, Mihara and Uni voiced their honest feelings. It seemed they thought they meshed well with the Counters.
“Maybe we should make this a five-person squad. Could be good.”
“Right. What do you think, Rapi?”
Anis turned her gaze to Rapi standing beside her and asked. Rapi answered with her usual impassive face.
“It’s not me who makes the decision.”
“Come on. You must have some thoughts at least.”
“...I still can’t trust you.”
…
“Okay, enough chit-chat. Let’s gear up fast and move out again.”
Following Ethan’s orders, the Counters and Wordless finished quick maintenance and headed straight to the next zone.
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