Chapter 5: Cruel Reality and the Apostle
As we moved, Shifty spoke through the comm.
What is this “Lord Class”—is it a term denoting a Rapture’s threat level?
“Front, high-class energy signature detected. Estimated to be Lord Class.”
“What? Why is something like that popping up here?”
“I recommend a retreat.”
Her report confirmed it: “Lord Class” really does refer to a Rapture’s danger rating. Just like the Great Federation devised a grading system to measure kaiju combat strength, this works the same way.
“Then what do we do about the missing Nikkes?”
“We abandon them, of course.”
Marian fell silent, stunned by Anis’s shockingly indifferent tone.
But Anis had her reasons.
“On the surface, the recovery rate for missing Nikkes is only 0.2%. You know this search is just for show.”
“Still, we can’t pretend we don’t care…”
Marian truly has a warm heart—she’d sacrifice herself for strangers, and that’s why I let my guard down around her.
It’s admirable… and also a vulnerability. In a brutal world, predators worse than trash could exploit someone as innocent as Marian.
“By the way… are Lord Class Raptures really that dangerous?”
The question popped into my head. How powerful must a “Lord Class” be to warrant such alarm?
“They’re dangerous. They command entire companies, so their combat power is high. In simulations, our win rate is fair, but we still take heavy losses… there’s a 24.35% chance of total annihilation.”
‘Compared to kaiju, that’s like a fourth-tier at best.’
Back in my prime, even dozens of sub-tier kaiju were nothing more than warm-up fodder. But I can’t do that now.
I already miss my peak days.
“Commander. Are you going to give up?”
Marian approached calmly and stared at me, silently urging me not to abandon them. She really wanted to save any survivors.
“…I don’t want to call off the search. The chance they’re alive is slim, but as long as it’s not zero, I want to try.”
It wasn’t an objective decision. Sure, luck might save them, but we could also die. And right now, only the Nikkes can fight the Raptures.
“Then give the order. That’s all we need. We follow your commands.”
“Alright. Let’s move forward.”
“Roger.”
“Commander, you know you could die, right? We just need our heads intact—but you’re human.”
I knew. Unlike my past life, I was now clearly a civilian. I had to watch for even a low-tier Rapture attack; a single hit would kill me.
“Don’t worry. I’ll be fine.”
Even if my life’s on the line, I couldn’t back down. If even one missing Nikke survived, they’d be begging for help.
‘Just like I once was.’
I couldn’t ignore that.
“Okay. Got it.”
“Commander. Stay behind me. I will protect you no matter what.”
**
[Situation report: report damage status.]
“Minor damage. Ammunition levels good.”
“Same here.”
“Left collarbone frame damaged. Lower-right protector destroyed. Left-eye lens wounded by grenade. Target recognition unaffected. Damage rate 17.05%. Operation may proceed.”
As reports continued, everyone’s eyes turned to Marian’s surprisingly severe condition.
“Uh… yes. Understood.”
Marian ended her report as if nothing was wrong. Even Shifty sounded unnerved by her calm.
“…Isn’t she hurt too badly?”
“It’s fine. We’ll reach the coordinates soon, so let’s hurry.”
“Hey, hey, Marian—hold on. Stay still.”
I stopped Marian, who tried to move despite her injuries.
“Commander…?”
“Just a moment. Stay put.”
Ignoring her puzzled look, I pulled out the bandages and wrapped her wounds.
“Haha, Commander, what are you doing? Bandages don’t help a Nikke at all.”
She wasn’t wrong—human bandages were useless on a Nikke.
But if I didn’t do it, I’d be too distracted.
“No. They help.”
“…?”
As I wrapped her wounds, Marian contradicted Anis.
I looked at her in surprise. In her usual calm voice, Marian added:
“They… fill the heart.”
She gave me a faint smile. She must know the bandages serve no real purpose.
Still, hearing that made me treat them even more carefully.
“Commander. Please wrap the other wounds too.”
“…Alright.”
I nodded and carefully wrapped her remaining injuries, knowing the bandages were essentially symbolic.
“How’s that?”
“Hehe, thank you. It doesn’t hurt at all anymore.”
“That’s a relief. The bandages did their job.”
I couldn’t tell if she was sincere or just reassuring me. But if it gave her comfort, that was enough.
After the quick maintenance pause, we pressed on. The operation area was close, so we moved swiftly.
“We’ve arrived.”
We reached the site—but there was no sign of the vanguard team, not even a trace.
No matter how we scanned the ruins, nothing but desolation met our eyes.
“There’s nothing here at all.”
“There is.”
“I’m telling you, there’s nothing.”
“Let’s search harder.”
Anis looked doubtful, but Marian ignored her and walked forward in silence, as if spellbound.
“Marian…?”
“What’s wrong with her?”
I agreed. Marian had seemed off for some time—she didn’t feel like the same person.
Then Shifty’s voice crackled through the comm.
[Rapi, the transport’s black-box analysis is complete. Transmitting text now.]
“Roger.”
Rapi’s eyes flickered as she reviewed the footage. What she saw next was shocking.
Click.
“—!! Rapi, what are you doing?!”
“Commander. Stand down.”
Rapi’s sudden action froze me. A metallic click rang out as her muzzle pointed at Marian.
“Marian. Stop.”
“Yes.”
“You shot down the transport?”
“…What?”
“…What did you say?”
Anis and I stared unbelievingly. Marian? Shooting the transport?
“No.”
“Two explosions occurred inside the transport. Those were our bombs for this operation—they wouldn’t detonate without an external signal. And the signal’s identification code—Marian, it was you.”
“No.”
“What was your objective?”
“Here. Here it is.”
“Answer me. Refuse and I’ll have you neutralized.”
“Here. Here it is.”
The exchange made no sense. Marian kept repeating the same words.
“Here. Here. Here. Here. Here. Here. Here. Here.”
The premonition was right. Marian’s pupils turned a deep, blood-red.
[Corruption reaction detected! Since when…?!]
“Shifty! What’s happening? And why is Marian like this?!”
[A Rapture has seized her central nervous system!]
“What…?”
I refused to believe that a Rapture could control Marian so quickly.
“Heereereereere…”
Her voice warped into a mechanical drone.
[Calling signal detected! Intercept it!]
“I’ll fire on command.”
Kugugugugun…!!
A sudden tremor shook the ground beneath us, signalling something massive approaching.
[Front, high-class energy signature! That vibration pattern… Blacksmith is coming!]
“Heereereereere…”
“Blacksmith…?”
[Code name Blacksmith! One of the Tyrant Models! A special entity that captures Nikkes on the surface to use as Rapture parts!]
“Heereereere…”
Thud.
“Marian!!”
While we grappled with how to respond to the Corruption, tentacles shot out, wrapped Marian, and dragged her beyond the building in an instant.
“Damn…!”
“Shit, she’s been absorbed!”
Frozen, we could only watch. Marian was pulled away like paper, and we were helpless.
The reality of watching a comrade taken filled me with despair and guilt.
“The missing vanguard was probably taken by that thing. But it might not be too late—for Marian or them.”
My head spun, but Rapi’s voice cut through the haze. Only “it might not be too late” registered.
“Rapi! What do you mean?!”
“Quiet, Rapi. Get to the point.”
I focused on her words.
“Blacksmith holds captured Nikkes for a long time. If we time it right, they can survive. What are your orders?”
“What do I—? We should run!”
“Give the order.”
I hesitated, but made my decision.
“We save Marian.”
After feeling betrayal by the Federation and the horror of fighting Predaking, this was the first kindness I’d felt since reincarnating. I had to repay it.
“Roger.”
“Are you insane? You’ll die!”
“Anis. Let’s do this. I want to try.”
“…Have you located her?”
“Not yet.”
“Alright. Then let’s go.”
“Shifty, provide support.”
[… Understood. Engaging Tyrant Model 003 Blacksmith now! Encounter!]
**
Thud-thud-thud…!
With the crash of massive iron, the tension broke. Our fight with the Tyrant-class Rapture Blacksmith ended in our victory.
[Simulation win rate: 12.4%. Excellent work, Commander!]
“What about Marian? Check her first!”
I ignored Shifty and searched the wreckage for her. I couldn’t stand finding anything else.
“Confirming survivors.”
Rapi, expressionless, began digging through the debris for Marian.
Moments later, Rapi reported.
“…The vanguard is gone. Their parts were stripped away.”
“And Marian?”
“She’s alive… barely.”
“No…”
Hearing “alive” should have sounded hopeful, but seeing Marian’s condition shattered all hope.
Her state was beyond critical.
Her left foot and right arm were completely destroyed, revealing her frame, and Corruption had reached her left eye.
“Heereereere…”
Her voice was faint.
The moment I saw Marian force out those words, my chest burned—it was the same pain I felt losing my squad on Mars.
“…It’s worse. The corruption has spread to her brain.”
[Regulations mandate disposal of any Nikke whose brain is damaged. Under military law, the Commander must perform the disposal personally.]
“What…?”
I thought I’d misheard. They wanted me to kill Marian—with my own hands?
Thud!
In my despair, Rapi approached silently and placed a pistol in my hand.
“It’s for execution. A human can use it too. Fire at close range.”
“Fire… you want me to shoot her?”
I asked, hoping it wasn’t real, but she said nothing. Was this truly happening?
“Should I do it?”
“No. A Nikke may not dispose of another Nikke.”
With no choice, my head ached. I stumbled to Marian, cocked the pistol, and aimed at her head.
It was just an ordinary pistol, but it felt unbearably heavy. My hand trembled.
“Commander. There is no time to hesitate. If left, she will become an Irregular.”
I knew. Ending this quickly would let Marian rest.
But even knowing that, I couldn’t pull the trigger. Marian’s face blurred into the memory of my fallen squad.
‘I… failed to protect them again…’
Above all, Marian saved my life—she guided me when I was lost, taught me this new world, and helped me adapt. How could I repay that by killing her?
“Commander!”
Click!
“!!”
My grip slackened and the muzzle dropped. I inhaled sharply at the sight: Marian’s hand had shot out and grabbed the barrel.
“Heereereere… Commander…”
“Marian…!”
She yanked the barrel to her temple.
“Thanks for the bandages…”
“Ma—…”
With those words, she pressed my finger to the trigger.
Bang!
A single gunshot echoed across the surface as Marian’s hand fell limp from mine.
Thud!
As her hand dropped, the pistol clattered to the ground.
“…Marian, disposal confirmed.”
[Silence confirmed. Search operation terminated. Return to The Ark.]
Everything was over, yet I knew nothing had truly ended. Only a deep, crushing emptiness remained.
‘Instructor. Why is the world so cruel? What is fate to bring such an end? Please… tell me.’
I stared into the void, but no answer came. All I could do was vent my despair into the emptiness.
‘Everyone. My heart aches. It feels torn to pieces—just like when I lost you all to Predaking.’
Semi-delirious, I gazed upward, repeating the words in my mind. It felt like another unhealed wound had opened in my chest.
“Commander…”
Rapi and Anis flanked me. Seeing me stare blankly, Anis gently patted my shoulder.
“…Commander.”
“…I know. I understand. Just one more thing.”
I knelt and looked at Marian’s face. After a moment, I fixed her loose bandages and spoke in gratitude.
“Marian. Thank you for saving me. Thank you for your kindness. I will never forget this debt. So please… rest in peace.”
My lips trembled. Tears welled in my eyes.
My instructor like a father, my squad like family, my sister in Marian—all were irreplaceable to me.
In the end, I let my grief pour out over losing someone precious.
**
Author's Side
Quite some time had passed since Ethan and his group departed. In a safe place, someone approached Marian, who lay asleep. It was a woman in a black robe wielding a long sword.
“She might be of use.”
The woman’s ominous words slipped out as she reached for Marian.
Kiieeeeee—!
At that moment, an intangible energy radiated from the woman, lifting Marian into the air. The woman stared coldly at the floating Nikke.
“Looks like you want to live. Don’t worry.”
Turning, she glanced back at Marian.
“The Queen will give you a new life.”
As she walked forward, Marian floated after her.
“Shall I congratulate you in advance? From now on, you’re a ‘Heretic.’ Welcome to the Queen’s vanguard.”
Among the Heretics, she was the strongest and had been granted the title ‘Apostle of the Queen’ by the Queen herself.
That was the codename Nemesis.
She was that very entity.
Comments (0)
Please log in to leave a comment. Login or Register