Does dying hurt? You cannot experience it for yourself; how could you know something you can only see and hear with your eyes and ears? Would it be painful? Or would it be peaceful, as the books say?
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—One of the lost belongings from the First Surface War; its owner is unknown.
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"Maintain altitude. Fifty kilometers to the target."
"Machine gun inspection complete! Confirmed!"
"No abnormalities on the runway!"
Inside the massive airship, Victory's Wings, everyone from NIKKEs to humans moved in perfect coordination.
Today was the day.
The day Goddess would sever the thread of this cursed connection. They were heading for the Orbital Elevator, to reach the space station that served as the Queen's main base.
Even the Commander, usually so playful, had wiped the smile off his face as he stared through the window.
"What is it? Are you scared?"
"Scared? I've been excited about putting on a spacesuit since yesterday, you know?"
"While your arms are shaking like that?"
"Ahem."
After clearing his throat, the Commander looked at the instrument panel. They had arrived.
"Maintain altitude! We'll go in as low as possible at maximum speed!"
"C-Commander! The Raptures!!"
Kiiiiiiiiiik!!!
Before the crewman's words had even finished, Raptures were leaping onto Victory's Wings. Damn it, they had been discovered already...!
"Damn. Mark them for the anti-aircraft guns! Switch to autonomous flight! Assault in one minute! We'll rendezvous at the nearest J Point, then charge the Orbital Elevator by the shortest route possible!!"
"Understood!"
"There is only one order!!"
"Wipe them all out!!"
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"Snow! Looks like you're in... good shape today?!"
Boom!!
"Thanks to... who trained me!!"
Booooom!!!!
Since the Sicarius capture operation, Red Hood had trained herself with such severity, stripped of her usual cheerfulness, that she seemed like an entirely different person.
'Focus! No one can protect you on the battlefield!'
'Y-Yes!!'
Perhaps thanks to that, Snow White had gained confidence in fighting alone, unlike before. Now, as a full-fledged member of Goddess, I will do my part...!
"Snow! How far until J Point?!"
"We're almost there! Just fifty more meters from here!"
"Okay! Let's wipe them all out!"
Boom!!
Their gun barrels blazed even more fiercely as they advanced.
'Please hold out, body of mine!'
Dragging along her body, festering with Corruption, Red Hood forced herself to take stronger steps forward. She did not want to show anyone a shameful side of herself anymore.
...
Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep!
"R-Raptures are approaching from the rear! Tyrant-class and Lord-class!!"
"What?!"
At the soldier's words, Liliweiss, who had been watching the radar, hurriedly looked out the window.
Storm Bringers—several of them—were flying toward them. Beside them were even Latences, wielding a variety of weapons.
Their target was obvious.
They wanted to sink Victory's Wings. That was not going to happen.
"Haa... Do I have to use my strength already?"
Crack, crack.
"Major Liliweiss! You were told to fight on the ground..."
Whoosh!
"M-Major Liliweiss??!!"
"Maaaaajor Liliweiss!!!!"
Leaving the soldier's desperate cry behind her, Liliweiss threw herself straight toward the horde of Raptures.
. . . . .
Bang! Bang!
"One anti-aircraft gun has been destroyed!!"
"Leave this place to us!!"
Small Raptures had begun landing on the deck as well. They could win in firepower, but there were simply too many of them.
"Honestly, how unpleasant!"
Bang! Bang!
Every time they shot one down, another replaced it. It repeated hundreds of times, like a broken record.
Perhaps because of that, Scarlet, Dorothy, and Rapunzel, defending the deck, were gradually slowing down and beginning to tire.
Bang!
"Tch... I could do this... all day!"
"Scarlet! You mustn't push yourself too hard!"
"Something... something is strange."
Clench.
Rapunzel, gripping her spear, looked around at the Raptures surrounding them.
Boom! Boom!!
"Gasp...!!"
Only the Tyrant Raptures were rushing at Liliweiss.
Could it be...
"They knew we were coming...?"
"Rapunzel! Behind you!!"
Thud!!
"Aah?!"
Kigigigik!!
Failing to notice Blacksmith approaching from behind, Rapunzel was struck by its tentacle and sent tumbling across the deck.
"Cough, cough...!"
"Rapunzel!"
"I'm... cough... fine..."
Hurrying to stand beside Rapunzel, Dorothy and Scarlet saw Blacksmith glaring at them, along with the Raptures descending around them.
"If this goes wrong... we may be the ones getting hunted."
. . . . . . . . . . . .
Bang! Bang!
Kiiiiiiiiiik!!!!
"Never stop, Snow White!!"
"Yes!!"
Bang!!
Red Hood and Snow White arrived at J Point. But what greeted them was none other than a horde of Raptures.
They could not contact Victory's Wings by radio, and their ammunition was steadily dwindling. Things could not have gotten any worse.
Crackle. "This is... Liliweiss...! Red Hood! Have you reached J Point?!"
"Major! Things are really bad here!!"
I don't know whether the kid and I can hold out any longer!! Damn it!!
Liliweiss's transmission barely came through. They exchanged word that both sides were barely holding on against the Raptures' overwhelming numbers.
Crackle, hiss. "Snow...! Your sister will be there soon! Just... hold... on...!"
"Sister Liliweiss!... Ngh!!"
Booom!!
Kiiiiiiik!!!
In the end, Snow White took a direct hit, struck by a mine and flung away. Kid!!
"Damn it, damn it..! Major! Get here faster! Snow is..."
Kiiiiiiiiigiiiiik!!!!
"Aagh?!!!"
"What?! What happened to Snow?! Answer me, Red Hood!!"
Along with a horrible sound like nails scraping a chalkboard, the headache from her Corruption suddenly tore into her more violently. Why now of all times...!!
When she barely managed to lift her head, Ultra was there—the very one responsible for infecting her with Corruption.
Did you make another one already?
If that's what you want, then—
Click!!
"I'll destroy it again!!"
Forcing herself to grip her gun, Red Hood charged back into the battlefield.
. . . . .
"Huff, huff."
"You cockroach-like bastards..!"
"There is... no end to them."
Kiiiiiiik!!!
The anti-aircraft guns had already been destroyed by the Raptures. Even though they had defeated Blacksmith, the Raptures still outnumbered them, as if mocking all their efforts.
No matter how many they cut down or shot, the Raptures stubbornly kept swarming in. Even raising their guns was becoming difficult. At this rate...
Kieeeeeek!!!!
"Damn it! It's a Storm Bringer!!"
"Didn't that monster from before—Sicarius—kill it?!"
Damn it. Scarlet cursed under her breath and tightly gripped Hwamu Sipilhong with trembling arms. I will never... give up! With this sword my sister gave me! Until the very end...!!
"Is that really what matters right—?! It's coming!!"
Kieeeeeek!!!
As the Storm Bringer charged straight at them with its sharp claws raised, they all readied their weapons.
"Even if I die...!!"
"Lord...!!"
"Ngh...!"
Standing at the front, Scarlet knew. If she mishandled this attack, it could kill her.
But—
Her comrades were behind her. She could not abandon them. Not like 'that time' again...!! She could not lose her comrades!!
'Sister... members of the squad... I...!!'
She aimed Hwamu Sipilhong more sharply at the Storm Bringer as it slowly approached.
A tool that cuts down black evil, and a weapon that protects me.
The responsibility of never being able to take anyone's side.
A true sword lies not in its blade, but in my hand and heart.
Do not hesitate when it is for someone else—especially when it is to protect them.
[One Stroke, Two Halves]
.....
...
No one could speak, as though they had forgotten even how to breathe on the battlefield.
It happened in an instant.
The Storm Bringer split in two like a severed stalk of bamboo and fell far below.
"Uh... uh... uh... uh..."
As if something were lodged in her throat, Scarlet's usual cold demeanor vanished. Her eyes began to redden like a child who had lost her mother.
At last.
"Sis... ter..!"
"...Our Scarlet has grown so much, hasn't she?"
The two sisters reunited.
Without a word from either of them, they embraced. One had met the person she had always missed. The other had met the younger sister she had always worried over.
One met someone returned from death. The other was able to see her precious little sister.
I'm sorry. It's okay.
I should have become stronger. You're strong enough.
For growing up so wonderfully...
Thank you...!
Really,
so very
much,
I missed you.
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Booooom!!
"Red...! Wake up...!"
Did I... lose consciousness?
"Red...! ...Get... up...!"
When she opened her eyes, Snow White was shaking her with her injured body. Ah, because of my Corruption... I lost consciousness, didn't I...?
"Red Hood!!!!"
"I'm... awake...!"
Red Hood barely forced herself upright and gripped her gun again. It was not over yet. I will, no matter what...!
"Red Hood!! Stop...! Stop fighting!!"
Grab!!
"Snow? What's wrong?"
Snow White grabbed her hand and pulled her back. There are still enemies left—No, there aren't!!
"S-Sicarius..."
He helped us.
At Snow White's words, Red Hood immediately looked ahead. A graveyard of Raptures, including Ultra, stretched before her. And Sicarius?! That bastard is...!
"Ah, you're awake."
Step. Step.
Someone walked toward them, footsteps sounding out. White hair, red eyes, and that slightly youthful voice that had not changed...
"Haa... Honestly... Someone might think you're a sleepyhead, you know?"
'Red... are you a sleepyhead?'
"You..."
"Tsk! I won't hear any excuses, all right?"
'Tsk! Red! Are you going to keep refusing to listen?!'
Rukh—no, Samael—closed both eyes as if he did not want to hear it.
Every gesture was exactly the same as it had been back then. You have not changed, have you? Really... you're exactly the same.
"Red Hood, even if Sicarius saved us... R-Red Hood?"
Step. Step.
Despite Snow White urgently calling to her from behind, Red Hood did not stop walking.
She walked straight up to him.
"Are you hurt somewhe—uhhh???"
Hug!!
"I really missed you!! You bastard!!"
She hugged him with all her strength.
I will not let you go now—the you I lost back then... Let me protect you once more... one more time.
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