“I’m actually alive…?”
After a moment of shock, I moved my hands across my face and body.
It was only when I felt the steady beat in my chest that it hit me.
Believe it or not, I was alive—and every wound I’d suffered on Mars was completely gone.
My body was clean, as if I had never been injured at all.
I had no idea how any of this was possible. Why was I alive? Where was I? And who was the woman standing in front of me?
Before I could sort through my confusion, a flood of questions crashed into my mind.
“Commander…? Are you okay?”
I turned at the voice and stared at the woman beside me.
“Commander? Are you talking about me?”
“Yes. But are you alright? You look pretty shaken.”
Her worried gaze raised another question.
'Commander? So I’m her superior?'
I wasn’t sure, but it seemed I outranked her. I might be able to use that to get information on what was going on.
I scanned our surroundings and then asked her directly.
“I must have hit my head in the crash and lost some memories. Tell me what happened.”
“Right. We were en route to the mission area when anti-air fire hit our transport. It went down, and the explosion’s drawn Raptures this way.”
“A transport?”
The moment she said that, my eyes shifted to where wreckage lay.
The transport was a shattered husk—there was nothing left to call it a ship.
I wondered how the area had been so completely destroyed, but anti-air fire made it make grim sense.
“Wait. You said something’s coming?”
Thinking back, she had said Raptures were coming for the crash.
I’d let it slip past, so I couldn’t recall exactly. I asked again.
“Yes. Raptures are swarming in. Commander, you need to find cover—now.”
“Raptures…?”
I’d never heard of such creatures. Before I could process it, she shouted:
“Get down!”
Kwaaaang—!!!
A scorching heat beam fired from somewhere and cut straight toward us.
I threw myself over her, shielding her body.
The beam passed right where her head had been, and an explosion’s shockwave slammed us both.
“Are you okay?! Any injuries?”
“I-I’m fine, Commander. Thanks to you, I’m alive.”
Relief washed over me when I saw she’d escaped unharmed, and I looked toward where the beam had come from.
“What the hell…? Are those Raptures?”
Metallic creatures on all fours were closing in on us.
'They’re not beasts. Could they be mechanical lifeforms?' I thought, but every question only piled on more confusion.
“Commander. I know this is chaotic, but from here on out, I need you to lead.”
“Lead?”
Her request was abrupt, but when I saw her personal weapon in hand, I understood.
“Wait. You’re going to fight?”
“Yes. Can you command?”
Everything was bewildering, but instinct told me one thing: those Raptures must be wiped out immediately.
“…Alright. I’ll command. Let’s take them all out. We’ll talk after.”
“Roger!”
Click!
She charged her weapon with that click and the heavy thump of the mechanism.
“Engaging enemy forces. Keep your head down at all times.”
“Understood. But there are quite a few of them. Are you sure you can handle it?”
“Don’t worry. I’ll protect you, Commander, no matter what.”
“…Alright, that’s reassuring.”
She looked young, but I knew better than to judge by appearance.
'Just like I proved myself to humanity.'
Looks and age didn’t explain everything. If judged unfairly, skill would win the day—just as it had in my old life leading the Great Federation’s forces at twenty-five.
“Marian, switch to combat mode. …Encounter!”
When Marian gave the signal, gunfire erupted around us.
*
“Clear! Switching back to non-combat status.”
'She took them all out on her own.'
Marian set her weapon aside. I’d been curious how skilled she was, and she’d exceeded my expectations.
“Not bad. I was ready to jump in if things went south.”
“Heh, I appreciate the thought. Keeping you safe was my top priority.”
Marian gave me a small smile at my words.
Honestly, she was humanity’s best asset, yet I treated her like an ordinary person.
“Actions speak louder than words.”
I reached toward the Rapture wreckage. Rather than explain, I’d demonstrate.
I wanted to show her a bit of [Psychokinesis] without going overboard.
“…Huh…?”
I was stunned. [Psychokinesis] should have activated by now, but nothing happened.
Something was off.
[Psychokinesis] was supposed to be available whenever I needed it. Why wasn’t it working?
'Wait. This body…has no [Astral Energy] at all!'
In the chaos, I’d only now noticed that this body held no trace of [Astral Energy]—the signature I could detect back in the Federation.
'So that means…no more [Psychokinesis]? No Divine Weapon either?!'
First, I’d been betrayed. Now I couldn’t even use my powers.
This was ruin beyond anything I could have imagined.
'Is this for real…?'
I felt like my mind would break from despair.
“C-Commander…? Are you alright? You’ve looked spaced out since a moment ago…”
Marian’s voice brought me back as she watched my face go cold.
The truth was, I wasn’t okay. I felt like I’d been crushed.
“Ha…It’s nothing. Forget I said anything.”
I forced a smile to reassure Marian. Even if everything sucked, I didn’t want to worry someone I’d just met.
“Marian…your leg—”
I noticed Marian’s leg looked damaged, probably from the fight.
“Are you hurt?”
“Hurt…or should I say, broken.”
“Broken?”
Most would say “injured,” but Marian had said “broken.”
“It doesn’t affect my movement much. Don’t worry.”
“Hmm…leaving it like that doesn’t sit right. Wait here.”
Despite everything, I couldn’t leave her wound be.
I rummaged through my pack and found some bandages.
“C-Commander?”
“Stay still. Better than nothing, right?”
I knelt and wrapped her leg. It wasn’t a serious injury, so a bandage would be enough.
“C-Commander, bandages won’t do anything for a Nikke…”
“A Nikke? Did you just call yourself that?”
“Uh…yes? After all, I’m not human—I’m a Nikke.”
Of course. Her earlier “broken” comment made sense now—she was a Nikke.
'I’ve got a lot to learn.'
This wasn’t just about understanding the situation; if I was stuck in this world, I needed whatever information I could get.
“It might feel uncomfortable, but can you bear with it?”
“Uncomfortable? Actually, I feel better already.”
She brushed my concern away as she stood.
“That’s a relief. All set.”
“Heh, you’re kind.”
“Thanks for saying so.”
Marian gave me a bright smile. I’d risked my life to save her, but I didn’t need to point that out.
“Shall we move? The rendezvous point is just up ahead.”
“Alright. Let’s go.”
With a surprisingly warm atmosphere between us, I followed Marian toward the rendezvous point.
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