"Ah, Commander! Uni saved you. Give me a prize."
"A prize?"
While on the move, Uni spoke to the Commander. It seemed she was asking for some reward for saving him when he was nearly shot.
"...Uni, the Commander is a person..."
"Yeah. If I did well, I deserve a prize."
"...Commander."
"Don't worry."
Despite Mihara's worry, the Commander waved his hand and signaled he was okay.
"Wow, really? Then... give me your hand."
At Uni's request, the Commander gently extended his hand. Uni clasped it with both of hers and asked again.
"R-really okay?"
"Of course. Don't be shy—go ahead."
"Hehe...."
With her face flushed, Uni carefully grabbed the back of the Commander's hand. She then began applying force.
"C-Commander. Does it hurt?"
"Hmm, a little?"
"Hehe. Ah, it hurts...!"
Watching the Commander's rather indifferent reaction, Uni squeezed even harder.
Crunch.
"W-wait a second! That was a huge sound just now!"
"Uni! Stop it! Any more and the Commander's hand...!"
Even as Anis cried out in panic and Neon worried, Uni didn't stop. Instead, her face flushed even more as she stared only at the Commander.
Possibly squeezing harder than before, Uni's grip tore the Commander's skin ever so slightly, and a drop of blood welled up.
"Uni. That's enough now."
"O-okay."
Seeing blood trickle from the back of his hand, Mihara firmly restrained Uni. Only then did Uni release the Commander's hand, though she still looked unsatisfied.
"Commander. Please stay still for a moment."
Rapi approached the Commander after removing her glove. She then covered the Commander's bleeding hand with her glove.
"Applying pressure to stop the bleeding. Don't move."
"Ugh, it stings a bit."
"Bear with it a moment. It will be over soon."
As the bleeding was being stopped, a sudden crisis struck.
"Found you."
An icy voice echoed from behind the Commander. Startled, he immediately turned his gaze toward the sound.
The moment he looked back, a chilling face matching that voice grinned at him.
"...!!"
"Wh...!"
While the party was startled by the sudden appearance, something opened its mouth.
"I was going to play with you a bit before killing you, but what luck!"
The group could only stare in shock again. A Rapture had spoken like a human. They had never heard of a talking Rapture.
"I-it just spoke?"
"No, it's a Rapture!"
"Commander...!"
Kwahng–!!!
In an instant, the Rapture vanished—and at the same time, Rapi disappeared in a deafening blast.
Rapi had raced toward the Commander, but was struck by the Rapture's kick and sent crashing into the debris.
"Mihara! Footprint! Foot shape!"
"Talkative...?"
Upon seeing the footprint, Mihara recognized the Rapture's identity and uttered what seemed to be its name.
The giant Rapture before them was indeed the special specimen they had been searching for—[Talkative]. It radiated a level of intimidation far beyond any other Rapture.
"Don't move. I'd appreciate it if you remembered who you're standing in front of."
"I...!"
"......"
Blue light began to spread from Mihara's body as she glared silently at [Talkative]. She placed a hand on her own abdomen and tore into her own flesh.
Crack.
"Guh...!"
"Uni."
"Yeah. I'm on it."
Fzzzt!
At Mihara’s signal, Uni used her ability, sending a flash of sparks from her hand.
"Its eyes...? Did she block its vision?"
"With it reduced to this state, capturing it will be a piece of cake. Now, time to capture."
"...Anis, Neon."
"Yes! Firepower is charged to 100%!"
"I know. Let's deal with this bastard right now!"
"Let's incapacitate that damn thing. Capture it alive afterwards."
"Okay, got it!"
"Affirmative!"
With murderous intent in the Commander's words, Anis and Neon pulled their triggers, starting the engagement with [Talkative].
"Holding on longer than I expected in this situation."
"Its movements have slowed. It'll fall soon."
"Hehe. Then let's pick up the pace."
Surveying [Talkative], whose body was severely damaged, Mihara and Anis exchanged commentary. As they said, the group held the upper hand in the current engagement.
Mihara's sensory trade and Uni's sight-block left [Talkative] helpless, and Anis and Neon unleashed concentrated fire. So far, the operation seemed to be going well.
That's why [Talkative] couldn't mount any effective response and was being forced back. If things continued like this, they would win.
"Sensory trade, huh...."
Kwachak–!
At that moment, [Talkative] began self-harm, using the laser gun built into its arm to tear its own flesh. The pain was transmitted back to Mihara.
"Gah...!"
Kwachak! Kwachak! Kwachak!
The berserk [Talkative] tore into its own body, scattering blood and flesh indiscriminately.
"Hahaha!! This is delightful! The thrill of destroying one's own body!!"
Their jaws dropped at [Talkative]'s grotesque display of madness.
"Now, endure the tearing pain! Let's see how far you can stand, you pseudo-human!"
"Cough... Ugh... Ack...!!"
Mihara, unable to withstand [Talkative]'s ongoing self-mutilation, collapsed. Overwhelmed by pain beyond her endurance, she writhed on the ground.
"Mi-Mihara! You!!"
Whoosh! [Talkative]'s tail swung and struck Uni, sending her tumbling across the ground.
"If you're blocking its vision, basic tactic is to reposition. Remember that, pseudo-human."
Crunch! Crunch! Crrrk!
In the next moment, [Talkative]'s missing limbs regenerated. Its regenerative ability proved so powerful that even the self-inflicted wounds and earlier attacks were repaired in an instant.
"It... it self-regenerated?! A Rapture with that function...?!"
"Anis! It’s dangerous!"
While Anis stared in disbelief at [Talkative]'s restored form, the Rapture vanished from that spot once again.
Then, in an instant, [Talkative] reappeared in front of Anis and swung a punch, hurling her as her waist bent violently.
"No..."
Thud!
Neon also was hit by a wildly swung fist and flew into the air, crashing through a nearby concrete wall.
"Neon!!"
Extermination.
There was no other word to describe this situation.
Just moments ago, the tide had been in their favor. Now the situation had reversed in an instant. In this despair, [Talkative] fixed its gaze on the Commander.
"Human. You will come with me. If you follow obediently, I will not harm you."
"......"
However, as if [Talkative]'s words didn't reach him, the Commander just stared blankly at the concrete wall Neon had crashed into.
"Have you lost your will to fight? Well, it doesn't matter. Human. As I said earlier, you will come with me—"
[Talkative] narrowed the distance, then suddenly froze.
"...Vibrations? No, is the air resonating?"
Rumble...
The faint tremor grew stronger. As [Talkative] stood baffled by this mysterious phenomenon—
"You won't do."
The Commander turned, his expression deeply serious, and glared coldly at [Talkative].
At the same time, [Talkative] doubted its own eyes as an unidentified blue light radiated from the Commander's entire body.
"...What is that light?"
"You don't need to know."
Kiiiiing–!!
From the Commander's eyes, infused with brilliant blue light, an invisible force instantly rippled outward.
Crunch–!!
"Kuh—urk!!"
The astonishing sight occurred in an instant: one of [Talkative]'s arms twisted grotesquely with a sickening sound.
"What... the hell... is this?!"
"Don't look so surprised. Never seen [Psychokinesis] before?"
[Psychokinesis], the basic ability unleashed by [Astral Energy], was showing itself—the clearest evidence that he was born anew as a soldier of the Great Federation.
Rrrcrrk–!!
A sound that naturally wrinkled brows echoed as [Talkative]'s arm was mercilessly ripped off.
"Ugh…! This is where it stops, human!!"
Filled with rage, [Talkative] transformed its remaining arm into a laser cannon and aimed at the Commander.
"Did you think you'd be allowed to attack?"
For a moment, [Talkative]'s movements froze completely, as if restricted.
"Let's start by taking some hits."
Bwahng!!!
"Kuhh!!"
The Commander let the detached arm slam into [Talkative], striking it repeatedly as if the limb had a mind of its own.
'[Psychokinesis] worked. At first, I wondered if it would fail.'
He had just been reborn in a new body, and this was his first time using the ability. He had wondered if it would work, but fortunately it had.
'Maybe because my energy reserves are low? This is draining like crazy; I can't afford to hold back.'
Deciding his next move, the Commander addressed the floating [Talkative].
"I'll ask you bluntly: why did you target me? We have never met before."
"Don't be mistaken. Do you think I'd tell you?"
"...Not a single answer off. Fine. Just give me your head then."
With a gesture aimed at severing [Talkative]'s neck in one blow, the detached arm accelerated and charged forward.
In an instant the distance closed and the fist neared [Talkative]'s neck—
Swoosh! The fist that flew toward [Talkative]'s face froze in midair.
The Commander was momentarily stunned by the sudden stop, but then realized why.
"Cough…!!"
He vomited a mouthful of blood as he dropped to his knee. The sustained energy expenditure had taken a severe toll on his body.
'Now of all times, I'm out of energy…! My luck is just pitiful!'
"You made me suffer, human."
Freed from [Psychokinesis], [Talkative] walked toward the Commander with clear murderous intent.
"Just as you did, I will tear off one of your arms."
[Talkative] seethed with intent to harm the Commander.
'What a bastard… I'm drained of energy and it's charging at me. What do I do?!'
He scrambled for an escape, but no method came to mind.
Thud! Thud! Thud! As [Talkative] closed in, something blocked its path.
"I cannot allow that."
"Rapi…?"
"Hmm? You can already stand? A mere pseudo-human?"
[Talkative] studied the figure blocking its path: Rapi. It muttered with apparent intrigue.
"…So that's what you are. The Fairy Tale Model. Red Hood, isn't it?"
"…Be quiet."
"Hahaha! Today I'm incredibly lucky!"
The Commander's head spun at [Talkative]'s cryptic words and Rapi's response.
"Commander. I'll buy you time. Escape while you can."
"No…! You must never—"
"With my current strength, I cannot protect you. Return to The Ark and report: there exists a Rapture that speaks human language…."
Whack–!!!
Before Rapi could finish, [Talkative]'s tail struck the Commander, sending him flying.
Suspended in midair, he crashed into a concrete wall and spewed blood from the tremendous impact.
'Ugh… got hit by [Talkative]'s tail?... Somehow I didn't lose consciousness.'
Holding tightly to what remained of his consciousness, he tried to stand, only to notice a strange sensation in his leg.
"Gruh…!!"
Agonized, he looked at his right leg. Despairingly, it was bent at an unnatural angle.
"Commander!"
"You'd better follow quietly. I cannot guarantee I won't harm you again."
"You think I'll let you do as you please?"
With silent determination, Rapi stood firm in front of [Talkative].
"Annoying. Fine. I'll take you out first."
"Try it if you can."
"Rapi!!"
Ignoring the Commander's desperate shout, Rapi calmly walked toward [Talkative].
"Excellent."
Kwahng!!
With a tremendous roar, a huge hole ripped open in [Talkative]'s body.
"Guh—urk!!"
"Anti-Ship Rifle?"
"Leave this to me."
Bwahng—!!!
As the unknown Nikke pulled the trigger on the Anti-Ship Rifle, a deafening blast tore through [Talkative].
"Ugh…! Pilgrim!!"
"Begone, heretic."
Bwahng—!!
"Is your regenerative function failing? Damn…!"
Sensing the tide turning, [Talkative] fled the scene.
'Operation over…?'
As the Rapture disappeared in an instant, the Commander’s tension drained away.
"I… I'm alive."
"Commander!!"
With the Commander collapsing unconscious and Rapi rushing toward him in alarm, the battle with [Talkative] came to an end.
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