The Entrance of Tokyo was in a shape that traversed through the j.a.pan imperial palace, it displayed an eerie presence.

It was a transparent wall that crossed about a kilometer horizontally and vertically. It had no thickness, the surface was dimly s.h.i.+ning and swaying slowly like a water surface. From this wall of light, magic weapons and fleets arrived in great amount. It was an understandable story for Tokyo to be vastly damaged.

The bay coast area was particularly in a bad condition, it was turned into a burnt filed with only rubble that stretched continuously. There was almost no undamaged building in the cities of Hibiya, Ginza, and j.a.pan Bridge. The capital highway crumbled down, the bridge fell, the common roads were also filled with rubble and the traffic was paralyzed. Tokyo had completely lost its function as the capital.

Also, the human damage was considerable too. And then, even after the battle had quietened down, Tokyo was trembling down from the figures of magic weapons that strutted around as if they owned the place, the people were living in hiding. Lifelines like electricity and water didn’t function, the food amount also hit rock bottom.

The people didn’t have hope, there was also no means of salvation. What was left was only to die. The only difference was whether it came fast or slow. Rather, it was better to die quickly with a pain that would only last for a short while. The number of people that thought so were not few.

But, that too was just the story of last month.

“The reconstruction is going well isn’t it?”

Hida Nayuta was walking from Yurakucho towards the entrance.

“Yes……the work is carried out focused on each block…..the building in, Yurakucho, and Marunouchi will be finished soon.”

Large number of people were coming and going nearby the two. When there was a person that was wearing a business suit like a company worker, there was also someone that brought their family for shopping. Also, young male and female couples that seemed to be on date were also not few in numbers.

That scene was like the situation before the 2nd Another Universe Conflict happened, when the city was flouris.h.i.+ng in holiday. They were not concerned of anything at all, whether it was of the crumbled buildings, or the paths with holes gouged out, or the AU fleet floating above, or even the Entrance that stood tall dividing the imperial palace into two. It was as though it was only natural for those sights to be there, or as though such sights didn’t even enter their eyes.

Amidst the congestion of people, Nayuta who was wearing the clothes of AU and Valdy who was wearing magic armor were walking. Nayuta’s clothes was a white long coat that was ordered in AU. It gave an impression like a doctor’s robe at a glance, but it also looked like a military uniform. Getting told that it was clothing from a SciFi movie could also convince someone seeing it. At the very least, there was no doubt that it would gather curious gazes in the middle of the city.

However, there was no one that gave heed to these two even when they pa.s.sed each other.

“In accordance with the magic power plant project that Nayuta-sama created……we are going ahead from the areas that are nearby the Entrance. Is there……any problem?”

“No. It’s truly marvelous.”

Valdy’s cheek reddened from Nayuta’s words of praise.

Sound of construction rang out from everywhere in the surroundings. A great number of laborers were removing rubble from the street and progressing the reconstruction work of the pavement.

The laborers were talking to each other about the progress of the work, they also talked about trivial things. However, the content of those talks felt dreary in some respect.

“I saw it yesterday on television you know, it featured Hibiya in the gourmet program. The food looked really cheap and tasty.”

“Then, how about we try it after the work is over?”

That store was destroyed from the battle of Another Universe Conflict. In the first place right now the broadcasting station was not functioning, so there was no television broadcasts. Regardless of that, these laborers were repeating the same conversation every day. However, they were talking lively as if they were really having fun as though they were talking of this topic for the first time. Their eyes too were transmitting full vitality that could only be thought of as coming from a human.

“Seems like there is also no problem in the mind control.”

“Yes……in the previous experiment, the emperor also understood about the usefulness of the magic power plant……thanks to that, Zelsione-sama also kindly lent her power even more than before.”

“Even so, she was able to brainwash on a scale this large. Zelsione-sama’s power is really something.”

“Yes but, it’s only for the inside of Ya, Yamanote line……ring railroad. A wide area magic is deployed using the track of that ring railroad, so…..that’s how it is, please don’t try to get out to the outside……because it’s dangerous.”

The people spending a wealthy and peaceful livelihood were only the ones inside the Yamanote line. In contrast the outside was in ruin, there was almost no humans that lived in the neighborhood. It was just that there was the possibility of resistance force of humans lurking nearby.

“Understood. I only earnestly ask to please not let humans come near the inside of the loop line. It will be troubling after all if they destroy the magi power plant’s installation.”

“Ye, yes. I think, it will be fine. The patrolling of the magic weapons is also……still continuing.”

Nayuta looked at the direction of outside the loop line. Thereupon, at the opposite side of the overhead structure of Yamanote line, she could see magic weapons [Blue Head] and [Albatross] lining up.

“Roger. Then next it’s about the expansion work of the magic power plant, what about the progress at the area from Kudans.h.i.+ta until Iidabas.h.i.+?”

“The, the work there is……lacking in workers……looks like it will be late.”

“If that’s the case, let’s put to use the gentlemen of the American army that are now used for maintaining public order.”

In this place, the people collected from Guam and Okinawa were having their minds controlled to be used as labor force. There were especially a lot of military personnel that were used for maintaining public order. The AU were using humans to deal with the crimes of fellow humans and cracking down on the resistance forces that were against AU.

“Let’s increase the area where we can collect energy just like this. We have to hurry in order to stop the destruction of Vatlantis after all.”

Valdy nodded with a meek face at Nayuta’s words.

“Nayuta-sama, this Valdy……even if I have to risk my life――”

At that time, an explosion sound could be heard from the direction of Tokyo bay.

Valdy readied herself to protect Nayuta and became alert of the surroundings.

“The sound just now……is from the sea……did the magic weapons encounter enemies? ……But, there should be no more humans in the coastlands.”

Nayuta smiled at Valdy who was murmuring in puzzlement.

“No. It’s likely the scouts of Ataraxia, otherwise it’s a surprise attack.”

“Enemy……”

Nayuta looked up to the sky of Tokyo Bay. The five hundred meter-cla.s.s battles.h.i.+p that was floating there exploded and fell down.

Nayuta murmured joyfully.

“So you came. Kizuna, Reiri.”

At Ataraxia, Gertrude was taking position in the middle of the control room at Nayuta Lab in transmission duty. She kept sitting on her wheelchair, but she wore her Heart Hybrid Gear and opened several communication windows around her body. She was opening several lines to multiple people at the same time, so several communication windows were lined up.

Reiri came right beside her and gave instructions to Gertrude.

“It’s time to rush into Tokyo. Confirm the present condition.”

Gertrude nodded and chose Kizuna’s window to talk.

“This is Ataraxia, explain the situation.”

{This is Kizuna. It’s completely impossible to scout like this! The fleet and magic weapons of the enemy are too many.}

Reiri changed her expression.

“Kizuna! Can’t you go past without getting noticed?”

Reiri faced the window and yelled angrily.

Kizuna sent the image that Eros’s camera captured to Gertrude. All members that saw the image relayed to Ataraxia lost their words.

And then Kizuna yelled to the window.

“The situation is just as you see! This is the second coming of the 2nd Another Universe Conflict!”

Large force even more than imagined was stationed there. Several dozen battles.h.i.+ps were in standby at the sky, between those s.h.i.+ps were tens, hundreds of magic weapons flying around like fog.

“All gears charge! Be careful of stray bullet!”

Right after saying that, bullet of light grazed pa.s.sed right beside Kizuna. The battles.h.i.+ps deployed along the Tokyo Bay began their bombardment. And then the magic weapons were surging forward. Kizuna plunged in the middle of that and flew while evading magic weapon and bombardment. He continuously changed his route left and right, he moved in inverted flight and soon rotated back again. Even so a bullet that came flying from somewhere hit his Life Saver and let flew sparks.

“It’s impossible! This is not a problem in the level that we can go past through!”

Kizuna and Amaterasu, and also Masters were evading the surging forward enemies while flying to Tokyo. They somehow slipped through the enemy and came near above the land. There this time it was the magic weapons that were standing by at the main road and intersection that flew up one after another.

Fierce sounds roared, Kizuna looked above. Thereupon one of the battles.h.i.+ps that was carrying out s.h.i.+p bombardment was sliced into two. And then it exploded repeatedly while turning into fragments of light that were scattered by the wind.

Nearby the s.h.i.+p was a red Heart Hybrid Gear floating while holding two double-edged swords.

Kizuna faced the window to Ataraxia and shouted.

“Himekawa sunk a battles.h.i.+p with Gladius! Now that it come to this let’s rampage flas.h.i.+ly. I’ll use that opening and go to investigate Tokyo!”

Reiri called out with a worried voice.

{Roger. Don’t forget to secure an escape route.}

Kizuna replied with affirmative and sent a communication to everyone.

“Everyone, I’ll infiltrate until the center of Tokyo like this! I’ll retreat after investigating around the Entrance. Until then, defeat every single one of the magic weapons and the battles.h.i.+ps. Got that!?”

{Roger!}

Voices returned from all members of Amaterasu and Masters.

Kizuna went north from Tokyo Bay and flew above the street that continued to Ginza and Yurakuchou. And then when he pa.s.sed through the overhead structure of Yamanote line, he noticed how the situation changed completely.

“What, is this……there is reconstruction work?”

Until now there was only ruins that continued without end, but suddenly the scenery changed to a city with sign of living. Constuction work was carrying out everywhere in the ordered townscape without rubbles.

And then, there was something that was even more shocking.

“People! There are people. Nee-chan! Also……there are a lot, or rather……”

{What!? Are they AU people? Or else, are they human of our side?}

“I don’t know. It looks like just before the Another Universe Conflict happened. I’ll land down after this to confirm!”

Kizuna lowered his alt.i.tude. He couldn’t suppress the rapid throb of his heart and landed on the street without even decreasing his speed satisfactorily. He ran right after that and talked at a male in business suit walking nearby.

“Wait! You there.”

However that male didn’t even glance at Kizuna and pa.s.sed through just like that.

“O, oi! Wait!”

It was like his calling voice wasn’t heard. He left without turning back with unhesitating pace.

“s.h.i.+t-, I’m ignored! ……Oi, you all!”

This time there was a group of female highschooler wearing uniform. Three people were talking while walking.

“I came from Ataraxia of Megafloat j.a.pan in order to free Tokyo. I got something I want to ask a bi――”

However, these female students were also ignoring Kizuna.

“Oi! Can’t you see me?”

Kizuna grasped the shoulder of one of the girl and turned her at his direction.

That girl finally looked at Kizuna.

“Listen, I……”

However the gaze of that girl was pa.s.sing through Kizuna’s body and focused at far ahead. She didn’t recognize Kizuna’s figure at all. There was nothing particularly unusual in this girl, she was a really normal girl with expression and eyes that wasn’t wrong at all.

It was just that she was unable to see Kizuna’s figure, she also couldn’t hear his voice.

“Hey―, what’s wrong―?”

The girl’s company called at her.

“Eh? Hmm. Nothi―ng.”

The girl that Kizuna stopped chased after the other two female students with fast steps and like that they continued to talk while walking.

‘―――What the heck, just what is the meaning of this?’

Many people were pa.s.sing through around Kizuna. However, no one noticed Kizuna’s existence. Something cold crawled at Kizuna’s back.

‘They didn’t hear my voice even when I was talking to them, they also didn’t see me. This is, as if――’

“It’s like they are hypnotized……don’t you think?”

He heard a voice that he recognized. Kizuna turned back at the direction of the voice with a startled jump.

“You have come Kizuna.”

At the other side of the crowd of people, Hida Nayuta showed her figure wearing the clothes of the AU. Behind her was Valdy sticking close to her like shadow in her magic armor Rael.

“Kaa-san!”

The moment Kizuna saw his mother’s figure, he tasted a nervousness that was even similar with terror. His legs unintentionally froze and he was unable to immediately rush.

‘s.h.i.+t-! Get a grip Hida Kizuna! What are you doing getting cold feet at your mother! Just what are you coming this far for!’

Kizuna encouraged himself and glared at her mother. And then he stepped forward resolutely as though to rush forward, he walked until in front of his mother.

Looking at Kizuna who was like that, Nayuta was showing her usual kind smile.

“Ka……Kaa-san.”

When he saw that smile, things that he wanted to say, things that he wanted to ask suddenly welled up. Mountain of doubt and question searched for exit at the same time, making his throat hitched and no voice came out.

“Fufufu, I know what you want to ask. Why are these people not recognizing us, isn’t it?”

“Ye, yeah……that’s, true.”

There was other question, there was something even more important to him. He tried to say that, but Nayuta’s words cut him off.

“Exactly as you guessed, they are put under a powerful suggestion. They cannot recognize the current situation and live inside the happy world before the Another Universe Conflict.”

Kizuna gulped audibly.

“Why……why are you doing this?”

“Because it will be really difficult for the experiment if they have free will left.”

‘――Experiment?’

“I promised you that I will show you something interesting didn’t I? Look over there.”

Chasing after Nayuta’s gaze, his eyes were caught at a strange machine installed at the intersection.

It was like a tree created from metal and electronic component. The trunk part was made from metal and entangled complexly by cables, it was growing high until around twenty meter. From the middle of the trunk, several antennas protruded out like spreading branches. And then from the tips, thin cables like telephone line were spreading to four directions.

With that metal tree as the center, a metallic magic circle with diameter that reached fifty meter was spread on the ground. When he looked carefully, he noticed that the magic circle was drawn by a gathering of metallic cable that formed the tree in the center.

“This is……the interesting, thing?”

Kizuna didn’t understand just what was this thing that was like an object of modern art. But, he also felt like it was anticlimactic.

At that time, an office worker wearing a suit was hurriedly pa.s.sing through Kizuna. He was apologizing with his all at the smartphone he held to his ear while sweating from his forehead.

“I’m sorry, the train was a little late……yes, in ten minutes……yes, my deepest apology. I will arrive soon.”

“He can use……smartphone?”

Nayuta shook her head to Kizuna who was whispering in admiration.

“Of course things like base station for telephone are not activated. That office worker is just feeling that he is making a call. He is not talking with anyone. Rather than that, look at the trace of his step.”

Being told by Nayuta, Kizuna dropped his gaze at the ground that the office worker pa.s.sed through. There, his footsteps were dimly s.h.i.+ning in bluish white, before long it was absorbed into the ground and vanish.

“What’s, that light just now?”

In order to answer Kizuna’s murmur, Nayuta pointed at the tree standing in the intersection.

Light particles were rus.h.i.+ng about inside the magic circle drawn on the ground. Those lights arrived on the cable and reached the tree at the center. And then the tree trunk raised the bluish white light above as though it was taking water from the ground. And then that light was transmitted to the cables stretching out from the branches and crossed to the other side of the street.

The light pa.s.sed over the moat of the imperial palace and vanished at the Entrance that was materialized there. The radiant light traveled along the cable and flowed into the AU.

“Kaa-san……what is that, just now?”

“Life force is sucked from that human then converted into energy.”

“Wha……”

Kizuna doubted his ear.

“What I called as energy is……that’s right, as I thought, calling it [magic power] imitating that world is suitable. Currently it only targeted the area around the Entrance, but three is the plan that before long the whole area inside Yamanote line will become magic power plant.”

A great number of people were pa.s.sing through in front of his eyes. Life force was stolen from all of the steps of the crowd. And then light particles followed the cable and flowed into the Entrance.

“Magic power? Plant……you said?”

Kizuna was unable to understand the meaning of those words.

“All of the people inside Yamanote line are turned into energy source for the sake of supplying magic power. They are supplying their life force that is their stamina and willpower as energy, that’s what it means.”

‘What the h.e.l.l, is that…….’

“Isn’t that, completely the same like the mechanism of Heart Hybrid Gear?”

“Yes. That’s why they will die if their energy is completely wringed out. That will just not work. For that reason an adequate management is necessary. The plant is absorbing half of the energy that human recovered in one day.”

“Why just half? It’s strangely kind just in that kind of place huh.”

Kizuna intended to say that as sarcasm with his all. But Nayuta didn’t even notice and continued her explanation.

“If we collect it all, human won’t be able to do their activity. They will be completely asleep the whole day. That will inevitably invited the decline of stamina and there is high possibility of their life becoming short. That will result in the small amount of energy obtained. That’s why, in order to collect energy in the most efficient way, I make them to live following the schedule that I planned. For that sake they are given powerful suggestion like this.”

Kizuna stared at the coming and going people dumbfoundedly.

“Just why in the world, Kaa-san do something like this……this magic power, what in the world is it?”

“If I have to say it simply, it’s the all-purpose energy at the world over there. Although right now they are faced with a serious problem of the energy drying up. This is the countermeasure for that.”

‘The AU’s, energy problem she said?’

“Don’t f.u.c.k with me……they are invading this world for something like that?”

“Even if for argument’s sake it’s like that, but this is not really something that is particularly rare right? It also often happened in our world here.”

“That’s not the problem! You think doing something cruel like this can be forgiven!?”

“It can.”

“-……!”

Kizuna couldn’t say anything after getting an answer that was said so naturally like that.

“Isn’t this fine? They look happy see? Look at them, Kizuna.”

Kizuna looked at the face of the walking company worker and students. There was grim face and also happy face, in any case they were faces that were living their respective ordinary day.

But that was a live that came from a fake ordinary day.

“Something like an ordinary day……a peace that is created from hypnotism, what kind of meaning there is in such a fictive happiness! Something like this is no different than a livestock!”

Ten years ago he experienced being abandoned. Even so, someplace inside him there was a heart that was wis.h.i.+ng for his mother. He honestly loved his mother. And now Kizuna threw his anger at that mother.

However, that mother spoke as if to admonish him.

“For the current them, being livestock is a fitting job.”

Kizuna clenched his fist.

‘――This is,

This is, my mother?

Come to think of it, perhaps I too am like a livestock for this person.

She raised me as guinea pig, but she threw me away when I became unneeded.’

Kizuna glared at Nayuta with a grim expression.

“Kaa-san, I won’t expect anything from your conscience anymore. But, I’ll have you take responsibility.”

“Responsibility? For what I wonder?”

“For making Heart Hybrid Gear and then forcing it to other people! Why did you create something like Heart Hybrid Gear!? That kind of weapon! Not only that, you even went to AU and created for them Heart Hybrid Gear called magic armor!”

Nayuta suddenly sighed.

“Kizuna is making a mistake of the major premise here.”

“Mistake? What mistake! Making excuse after this far is――”

“The Core of Heart Hybrid Gear is not something that I created.”

‘……What?’

“The Core is a substance from AU. I also investigated it in Vatlantis, but over there the Core is also treated as mysterious OOPArt, it’s unclear with what kind of technology it was created. Most likely it was created by the race at the time before Vatlantis Empire……by the people that ruled over the AU at the prehistoric era, that’s what I think.”

“Tha, that’s impossible! Then, how……”

“Around the outbreak of the 1st Another Universe Conflict, a Core was discovered nearby an Entrance. Most likely there was an outbreak of small scale Entrance. That Entrance was connected to the place where Vatlantis stored their Cores by accident and the Core fell at the world over here……this is nothing but a hypothesis though.”

‘It’s not something, that Kaa-san created, she said?’

“It seems that in the ancient time, this Cores were items that magician used. They created armor using their own magic power, equipped their body with powerful weapon, it was a kind of magic tool. However, there is no magic power in human. However looking at my research, I understood that there is something with energy that is extremely close with magic power. That is……”

Kizuna scowled his face.

“That is, the life force of human……the energy of the living is it?”

“Right. Thanks to that replacement energy, even human without magic power can bring forth Heart Hybrid Gear. What I did was only creating a mechanism to use human life force in replacement of magic power.”

“Then……even the method to suppress the reduction of Hybrid Count, or extracting the Core……”

“I don’t know.”

‘s.h.i.+t-! Even though I finally found Kaa-san, it doesn’t solve anything.’

“――No, anyway……I’ll have you return to Ataraxia. If Kaa-san doesn’t know, then think how to do it from now on. Together with the method to repel back the AU.”

Kizuna opened the communication window.

“This is Kizuna. I discovered Kaa-sa……Professor Nayuta, I’ll take her back after this. Lend me a hand.’

Before he could finish saying that, Aine landed down from the sky.

“Kizuna! Professor Nayuta!’

When Nayuta noticed Aine’s figure, she raised her voice happily.

“Aah, Aine. So you cam, I’ve waited for you.”

Aine faced Nayuta with a dubious face.

“Waiting……for me?”

“Yes. I’m expecting you. Of your forbidden armament.”

‘――what is Kaa-san talking about?’

Aine too tilted her neck similarly like Kizuna.

“I don’t understand the meaning of what professor is talking about but……anyway, let’s return to Ataraxia.”

At that time, an unfamiliar high pitched voice resounded.

“I found you, Zeros!’

Kizuna searched for the owner of the voice and looked around his surrounding.

At the other side of the street, a battles.h.i.+p of AU was slowly showing its appearance from the gap of the building. The sight of the gigantic battles.h.i.+p showing its appearance from the cover of the building possessed a bizarre pressure.

It was a 500 meter-cla.s.s battles.h.i.+p with elegant line and slim body. Thanks to its slimness, it could fly above a wide street. The hull was colored bright red, it was a type that they really never encountered.

However, he recognized the figure that was standing on the bow of that s.h.i.+p.

The large type magic armor Demon which was crossing its arms. And then, the pet.i.te girl with twintails named Ragrus which was settled inside that large body.

“I thought that you will absolutely come to meet Nayuta! Now, I’ll catch and drag you in front of Zelsione-sama!”

The gear ignited its thruster and charged toward Aine.

Valdy raised a panicked voice.

“Ra, Ragrus, inside the wide area magic circle is-“

“I know! I must not dirty the sorcery of Zelsione-sama! Rather than that, catch those guys!”

“Eh……ah, so, sorry.”

Valdy’s arm starting from her elbow suddenly vanished.

At that time when Aine tried to move from the line of movement of Ragrus’s charge, a steel claw grasped Aine’s arm.

“Wha-……what’s with this.”

Aine felt creepy staring at the steel arm that grew out from thin air.

“Aine!? s.h.i.+t-, that girl!”

Even Kizuna’s arm that was trying to go to help was also similarly restrained. Kizuna had cold sweat from Demon that was approaching with amazing speed. Demon’s large hands opened and approached Kizuna and Aine.

‘d.a.m.n it! It’s going to be dangerous at this rate if we get caught by that!’

Demon’s stout arms quickly reached out and grasped Kizuna and Aine’s body.

‘――d.a.m.n!’

Kizuna struggled trying to escape from Demon’s palm, but Demon’s terrifying grip strength grasped Kizuna and Aine’s body tightly. Demon ignited its thruster and rushed through the wide road. Kizuna and Aine were kept in its grasp and they pa.s.sed through the overhead structure of Yamanote line in the blink of eye.

“Now, we can rampage as we please if it’s in this side. Well, I guess you two will be crushed in my grasp first before that won’t you?”

The gigantic palms clenched with all its strength on Kizuna and Aine’s body.

Aine made an anguished expression and desperately resisted that power.

“Kuh……this”

Blue light of magic power rushed through the surface of Aine’s Zeros. She put her body’s full strength and tried to pry open the fingers of Demon. However just enduring Demon’s strength was the best she could do.

Eros’s armor raised a scream at the severe pressure. Cracks entered the surface and fragments scattered all over.

‘――d.a.m.n it, at this rate, we are going to get crushed for real!’

Kizuna endured his body that was raising creaking sound while reaching out his right hand as if trying to grasp something.

“Mode Neros!”

The pink light that ran on Kizuna’s Heart Hybrid Gear [Eros] changed color to red. At the same time, the power of Himekawa Hayuru’s Neros now resided in Eros.

“Come! Sword!!”

A sword was created inside Kizuna’s palm.

“Wai-! What’s with that!?”

It was the result of his Climax Hybrid with Himekawa. Kizuna’s Eros made the ability of the partner he had Climax Hybrid with as his and with that he was able to create the weapon of said partner. He quickly grasped the created sword and aimed not at the Demon, but directly at Ragrus.

‘――Even if she is not killed, it’s enough to stop her movement. Rather I’ll let her live and capture her as prisoner!”

“HAAAA-!”

He determined his aim at Ragrus’s shoulder and swung down his sword.

“Chih!”

Ragrus threw away Kizuna and Aine’s body with all her strength.

“UWAAAAAAAAAA!”

Kizuna’s body gouged the pavement of the street and rebounded. He rolled around for some hundred meters in bounces.

“Kuh, s.h.i.+TTTT!”

He somehow controlled his balance with his thruster and halted his body by sinking in his feet to the road.

When he raised his face, Aine had recovered her posture even quicker than Kizuna and rushed in order to intercept Ragrus.

“Here I go, big guy!”

“Show me the power of the rumored Zeros!”

Demon’s gigantic hand chop was swinging down. Aine crossed her arm and blocked it overhead.

“Guu……-!”

The impact pierced her whole body. Crack ran through the road surface from below Aine’s feet. Her arms almost broke.

“Hah! You block well. But, there is still more after this-!”

A punch with large swing blew away Aine. Aine’s body flew in a straight line and crashed into the building at the opposite side of the street.

“Aine!”

Kizuna light up his thruster and rushed at Ragrus.

“URAAAAAAA-!”

He readied Sword right beside him and flashed it horizontally. Fierce metallic sound and sparks scattered and the sword broke right into two.

“……-!!”

It was blocked by the thick armor that covered Demon’s upper arm.

“Just what are you……doing-!”

In exchange, Demon’s back fist bored into Eros’s body.

“Guha-!”

With one attack that lightly shook him off, Kizuna’s body once again rolled on the street and smashed into the roadside tree.

Aine who raised her body from the rubble of the building walked out in front of Demon.

“Fuh……I’m displeased with this stupidly huge body, but how it’s using bare fist instead of projectile weapon is pleasing. I’ll get serious too now.”

Aine looked up at Ragrus with her red eyes and put her fist forward, while half her body moved back. Blue light ran through her whole body.

“Are you thinking that you can with against this me with that kind of tiny magic armor? If I beat you up and take you home, Zelsione-sama will……surely praise me. She will more, to me……”

The moment Ragrus had a distant look, smoke raised from below Aine’s feet. She kicked the ground and displayed a G.o.d speed step in.

“!?”

Demon immediately blocked with both its hands at the front. Aine’s fist struck at the arm s.h.i.+eld. Shockwave was transmitted to Demon’s body and shook Ragrus’s body.

“Tsuu! ……Hee, so you can get out a really heavy attack with that kind of body. But, it doesn’t work on Demon!”

Gigantic fist was swung down. The fist that hit empty air sunk into the road and shockwave that was like an explosion happened. Fragments that became little pieces scattered at the surrounding, breaking the gla.s.s of the building that faced the street.

Riding that explosion, Aine ran to Ragrus’s side. She leaned her body diagonally until she almost fell and circled around while opposing the centrifugal force. She kicked the ground and jumped, twisted her body instantly, and unleashed a spinning kick.

The kick aimed at where the armor was thin, the upper arm. Even if Demon blocked it, it was supposed to inflict quite a damage.

However――,

“Naïve!”

Aine’s body was pierced with red beam.

“Aine!”

“KYAAAAAAAAAA-!”

Demon’s palm opened and directed at Aine’s body. There was a hole opening right at the center of that palm.

“Particle cannon’s firing hole!? That b.a.s.t.a.r.d, so it actually has a projectile weapon!”

Ragrus broadly grinned daringly.

“After all a trump card has to be saved in reserve!”

Aine that was. .h.i.t directly by the beam collapsed on the ground with smoke rising from Zeros.

‘s.h.i.+t-, at this rate Aine will-!’

Kizuna stared at the broken sword in his hand.

Now that Sword had broken, there was only that left.

“Isn’t that right, Himekawa!”

Kizuna threw away the broken sword and yelled.

“Blade!!”

Four streaks of light glowed on Kizuna’s back. Those lights converged and created swords that s.h.i.+ned like something wet. Those were the swords that soared in the sky, faithfully following Himekawa’s Neros, the [Blades].

“This is the trump card of the current me!”

Blades flew out from behind Kizuna. It rushed in the sky with speed that the eyes couldn’t follow. However, he couldn’t control them skillfully like Himekawa. It was difficult to drew complex trajectory like Himekawa could, it was his limit to prepare straight attack from four directions.

“Aah― geez, how irritating!”

Demon scattered light particle from its thruster and retreated in panic.

Kizuna used that chance to rush at Aine’s location.

“Aine! You okay!?”

After he hugged her up, Aine stood up on her own feet even while her face was distorted in pain.

“Rather than that……what about that girl?”

“Don’t worry, right now she is facing the Blades……”

Demon pulled back until an intersection and entered the side road. Her figure vanished from Kizuna’s sight.

‘――d.a.m.n it!’

The Blades floated stood still at the intersection. Blade was something that he controlled himself. The instant its figure vanished from his sight, it became impossible to control. If he had piled up experience and training as much as Himekawa, perhaps he would be able to make them fly to a certain degree. But, it was impossible for the current Kizuna. It was something like flying with your eyes closed. It was impossible if he didn’t have the map of the city memorized perfectly.

“Aine, it’s dangerous if we don’t move!”

The moment Kizuna and Aine’s thrusters spouted out ring of light, the department store right beside them exploded. The gla.s.s of the entrance was blown away into pieces and the marble pillar broke. A huge hole was opened going through the department store, the light of the particle cannon that gouged out that wall attacked Kizuna and Aine.

“UOOWAAAAA-!”

Explosion of flame occurred at the place the two were at. Fierce shockwave and flame enveloped Kizuna and Aine’s body. The body of the two were sent flying by the explosion and floated in the air before cras.h.i.+ng and rolling on the road.

Pa.s.sing through the gaping wide hole in the building, a gigantic magic armor appeared.

“Really, you really give me a lot of trouble.”

“Sh……it”

Strength couldn’t enter his body. If he didn’t quickly take distance, they would be killed.

Demon’s feet stomped on the rubble, and step by step, it was approaching.

“I’m taking away Zeros. The black one over there…..I should kill it I guess.”

Blood and sweat flowed down Kizuna’s forehead. He could put strength into his arm and leg, but he was dizzy and couldn’t concentrate.

Demon came right beside Kizuna.

“Now, have your resolved yourself I wonder?”

Ragrus was looking down at Kizuna with a haughty face. The inside of Kizuna’s chest froze instantly.

‘s.h.i.+t-! I don’t care what method it is, I’ve got to get away from this girl!’

Kizuna raised his body with his elbow and rolled on the rubble trying to escape.

“GUAA-!”

When Kizuna’s posture became looking up, Demon’s leg stepped on Kizuna. His ribs creaked and his internal organ felt like they were going to burst.

”Don’t dart about like pest! Be obedient already.”

He was lightly stepped not for crus.h.i.+ng him but for stopping his movement, but even so it was a heavy ma.s.s that could crush him to death.

Demon’s gigantic fist was slowly lifted up. The gigantic steel fist could pulverize Kizuna’s head just by its weight. That brutal weapon was now hanged over Kizuna’s head.

‘d.a.m.n it! At this rate I’ll crushed to death!’

“Her I go black one! Drop dead!”

“Don’t f.u.c.k with me-! No way I’ll die in this kind of place!!”

As though in respond to that scream, light gleamed at the sky.

‘――That’s?

The next instant, pillar of light pierced in front of his eyes.

Ragrus opened her eyes wide in shock.

“!? ……Wha-!!”

A fierce explosion happened.

The shockwave made even Demon’s gigantic size stepped back. Kizuna’s body was blown away by the shockwave, he rolled out from under Demon’s floating foot.

Demon hardened its guard by its both arms and endured the impact while staggering a few meters back.

“Wha, just what in the world is……”

What happened in the next moment was an impact that should be feared even more.

Gigantic ma.s.s dropped down from the sky. The ground caved in and the cracked pavement broke and floated in the air. The water pipe and gas line underground ruptured causing a fierce explosion and water spray.

“Captain! Are you safe desu!?”

A sound he was familiar with resounded. Kizuna pushed away the rubbles weighing on him and raised his upper body.

“Sylvia!!”

With the arising conflagration on its back, the figure that fell down from the sky was flickering. Ragrus unintentionally whispered from looking up at that figure.

“Mo……monster?”

A huge monster could be seen. It had arms and legs, but it didn’t look humanoid. Its balance was bad, and its irregularly long neck that stuck out to the front even looked animalistic.

And then above all was its largeness.

With flame on its background, the figure that shed black shadow was running with purple light. It could be understood that it was using magic power as energy from that radiance. But――,

“Ju……just what is, is this……magic weapon?”

Until now Ragrus had never seen a magic armor even larger than Demon. No matter what kind of opponent it was, she always looked down at them from above.

But, this thing was different.

The head that looked like dragon, but also looked like rabbit, was s.h.i.+ning with light that imitated eyes and mouth. Those purple eyes were s.h.i.+ning far above Ragrus’s head.

Its shape and size wasn’t like magic armor. Rather it was closer to magic weapon, but if that was the case, then just what was that girl settled at the center of that body could possibly be.

“I made you wait desu! The adjustment finally just finished desu!”

Kizuna opened his eyes wide at that size which he witnessed for the first time.

“Sylvia……this is, you?”

“Yes! This is Sylvia’s Heart Hybrid Gear [Taros] desu!”

It was a super large Heart Hybrid Gear. Exactly like A monster Heart Hybrid Gear.

Kizuna stood on his feet staggeringly and looked up at that large body.

“So this is……the result of the install that I and Sylvia performed, huh.”

“Yes! This is our first group work, the crystallization of love desu!”

Looking at it from nearby, he once again felt for real the largeness of every single parts that composed Taros.

There were thrusters on the shoulder that controlled the posture, but with that many it felt like they could be used for several normal magic armors’ share. And then there was a large caliber main cannon at the exterior. The cannon muzzle had the size where a person could comfortably enter, it was not a weapon that could be handled by a magic armor. Rather it was a size that should be packed in a battles.h.i.+p.

The left and right arms were asymmetrical, at the right hand were rectangle tough hammer, and the left hand became a gun. Something like a huge safe key was attached on the hammer for some reason. As for the gun, it looked nothing more than a thick metallic plank in a glance, but there were two eerie large holes opened on the tip.

There was two-motored large rocket that was in charge of the mobility. A sword shaped large thruster was supplementing it. That absurd propulsive force looked like it could even flew away Taros’s large body until outside the atmosphere.

Sylvia tensed her expression and glared at the enemy in front of her eyes.

“Sylvia won’t let you lay even a single finger anymore on Captain desu!”

Ragrus whipped up her faltering heart and roused herself.

“What’s with you! Just because you have big frame doesn’t mean anything!”

Demon ignited its thruster and struck at Taros.

Sylvia turned at Kizuna’s direction and yelled.

“Captain! Please leave this to Sylvia!”

“Bu, but!”

The charging forward demon broke the street light and the lowered fist gouged up the ground. It was like a launched rocket, the steel fist was shot heading to Taros.

The two gigantic Heart Hybrid Gear clashed.

With its tough hammer that looked like a safe, Taros blocked that fist. And then it swung its left arm that was like a thick steel plank.

Demon was blown back altogether with its guarding arm and crashed into the building that faced the street. Its body sunk into the wall and the impact of the crash tilted the building, gla.s.ses cracked all at once.

In order to deal attack the downed enemy, Taros’s hammer was driven horizontally. Just on the verge of the hit, Demon escape and the hammer pulverize the wall and the pillar of that building into pieces. The building became unable to support its weight from that impact and crumbled down. Intense dust cloud and flame rose.

Kizuna opened a communication window while evading the dust.

“Aine! We are leaving this place to Sylvia and retreat!”

Aine was projected on the window and let out an amazed voice.

{Wait I mean, what is that? That’s really Sylvia’s Heart Hybrid Gear? That’s look more like a monster.}

“Save the question for later. Rather than that, we will rendezvous at the sky for the moment!”

After saying that, Kizuna ignited his thruster and flew to the sky. When he came out of the dust smoke, Aine whose figure came out similarly like him entered his eyes. Aine also noticed him and flew toward Kizuna.

Kizuna opened a communication window with Sylvia.

“Sylvia, I beg you don’t force yourself! This is an order!”

{Roger desu!}

A smile and energetic voice returned from the communication window. Kizuna was slightly relieved and closed the communication window.

Aine stared in astonishment at the explosion that Taros and Demon created.

“So, that thing is……no, we can talk about that later. Rather than that, what are we going to do about Professor Nayuta?”

“Aah. Maybe we should go back to the place just now. Or else……”

Kizuna got quiet and created a grim scowl.

He wanted to catch her so much. However, the longer they stayed the higher the risk. If there was more powerful opponent like Demon that appeared, it would be hard to deal with it. He couldn’t get impatient and exposed everyone’s life to danger by his whim.

“No……we understand well now of Tokyo’s situation, the result is more than enough as an operation. There is no meaning in remaining here longer. We are falling back.”

Kizuna opened a communication window in order to get out the retreat order to all members.

However, Kizuna lost his word from looking at the figure that was projected there.

{Going home already Kizuna? Take your time a little more slowly here.}

“Ka-……Kaa-san!?”

Nayuta’s figure cut into the communication window as if it had been hacked. The communication from Gertrude in Ataraxia opened beside the window that reflected Nayuta. Reiri’s face came out from the side and reflected in close-up.

{Kizuna, don’t listen to her! You’ve got enough result. We can form the next strategy with this! It’s fine already, just go home!}

Nayuta showed an exaggerated shrug of her shoulders.

{Reiri is too impatient. You can take a bit more time……that’s right, after two hours the elite squad native of Vatlantis, the imperial guard that is under the direct control the emperor will arrive here.}

Elite squad……the imperial guards she said?

{That Ragrus just now and Valdy over here are members of the imperial guard you know? If you come here for scouting, then isn’t it better to pay some respect to them once?}

{No need. If those kinds of fellows are coming as reinforcement, we’ve got to retreat as fast as possible instead. Kizuna, give the retreat order to everyone. Hurry!}

Reiri acted obstinately and rejected Nayuta’s words.

{Is that so……then it can’t be helped if that’s how you act. Well then, let’s kill all the humans that are becoming the energy source of the magic power plant all at once.}

It took him time to understand the meaning of those words.

‘――Kill she said……does she mean, killing human? Also, all of them!?’

Kizuna opened his eyes wide and yelled with a loud voice.

“What are you running your mouth about! I don’t get what do you mean! Besides, something like that……killing all of them all at once, there is no way that’s possible!”

{It’s simple. It will happen if the limiter is just released and their life force is sucked all at once.}

“……-!”

Even Reiri questioned her with a hollow voice.

{Right now……how many people there is in Tokyo?}

{There are two million people in the experiment site. Aah, but you don’t need to worry that much about it. In the present condition only a part of them are becoming the energy source of the plant, so the one that will die will be nothing more than around a hundred thousand people.}

Kizuna felt dizzy.

“You are making a hundred thousand people…….as hostage?”

Nayuta clapped both her hands.

{Let’s play a game.}

There was no one left that could follow Nayuta’s speech and conduct. The meaning was unclear. It was nonsensical.

Kizuna unconsciously held his head.

“Game……what’s with that! What the heck are you talking about!”

However Nayuta explained calmly.

{If you annihilated all the magic weapons and fleet that are stationed in this bay coast area, I’ll return back to Ataraxia. But, if you return home before that, I’ll absorb the life of a hundred thousand people dry.}

Kizuna didn’t understand at all, just what was his mother thinking, or how much of what she talked about was serious. But, he had the feeling of dread, that if it was this person then she might really did it.

Annihilated the enemy……could they do it? Kizuna asked himself.

He didn’t know if it was before, but for the current Amaterasu and Masters, magic weapon was just not a match for them. The problem was the fleet, but it was possible to deal with them if they could just use Corruption Armament. However, it would be a protracted battle with how many the enemy number was. Looked like he was really going to do Heart Hybrid in battlefield. But if there was just time……they could do it!

Nayuta called for attention, as though she had predicted Kizuna’s thinking.

{I said it too before, but there is about two hours until the imperial guard arrive. That’s the time limit.}

“Two hours……huh.”

Kizuna knitted his eyebrows. It was really strict, but it wasn’t impossible. It was a time that made him thought so.

{If you can annihilate the magic weapon and return before that, it’s your victory. It’s your lost if the imperial guard arrives. I’ll especially go without any punishment game even if you lose. After all if the imperial guards come then your survival rate will really go down, that’s already like the punishment game isn’t it?}

Reiri asked with stiff voice.

{Why? For what reason you go that far!? If that hundred thousand people die, you won’t be able to make more magic power. Why are you taking so much risk for holding back Kizuna and others?}

Nayuta smiled sweetly.

{This is the long awaited reunion with my children. It’s only natural to wish to be together with them as long as possible right?}

{There is limit even to being transparent!}

Reiri couldn’t hold back and yelled angrily. However, she heaved a large sigh and glared at her mother with a bold smile.

{But…..this is rare, coming from you. To dodge the question with such stupid joke.}

{Hm? Is that so I wonder?}

Reiri snorted with a motivated face.

{Hmph, you don’t plan to kill them from the beginning. Isn’t that right? For you too, those hundred thousand people should be an important resource. To say nothing of the threat of killing a hundred thousand people with such silly reason, that’s impossible even for someone like you.}

Nayuta huffed a little, looking at the proud Reiri.

{Fuh, ufufufufu, ahahahahahahahahaha}

Nayuta raised a laugh in amus.e.m.e.nt.

{Aah, geez-, Reiri. You are really an idiot aren’t you?}

Reiri’s expression hardened.

{Something like a hundred thousand people are not that much. I told you already before right? Even just in this experiment site there are two million people you know? And then in this world there is tens of millions of human.”

Reiri’s complexion changed, her eyes were swimming unfocusedly. Sweat flowed on Reiri’s chest.

{Bu, but, even if it’s you, to kill that many lives……}

{I don’t understand the basis of the thinking that someone can kill a person, yet they cannot kill a hundred thousand. Killing a person made you a killer, but kill ten thousand and you are a hero, there is also such saying isn’t it?}

Kizuna was made to realize once again. The dreadfulness of his own mother.

‘――Kaa-san, is serious.’

She wouldn’t steal life meaninglessly just for fun. However, if it was to achieve some objective, if it was needed, she would surely kill without hesitation. It was like dissecting a mouse in an experiment. By no means that the one doing it was having fun. But if it was for the sake of an objective, then there was no reason to hesitate.

It was irrelevant whether it was a person, or a hundred thousand people. This was not a problem of number.

Reiri hit the console nearby with all her strength.

{This……demon-!}

Kizuna could hear from the communication window, he heard the voice of her sister that was in the verge of tear. He barely raised a voice with his clenched teeth.

“……It’s fine as long as we annihilated everything isn’t it, Kaa-san?”

{Yes.}

“Got it.”

{Kizuna!}

He could hear the reproaching voice of Reiri from the window.

“Nee-chan. Kaa-san is……this person, is not thinking of human life as anything at all. No, that’s not it. For this person, human is the same like a thing or tool. That’s why, perhaps, she will really kill a hundred thousand people. There is no need to hesitate at all.”

Kizuna opened the communication window once more and transmitted to all members.

“Informing all members. Strategy change. With our current battle strength, there is no problem in annihilating the enemy. We are sweeping clean the enemy in Tokyo! We are finis.h.i.+ng this in two hours! But don’t do anything reckless. Those with their Hybrid Count in yellow zone are to report to me without fail! In the case that there is no respond, retreat from the front line without hesitation. Okay!? Well then, all hands go-!!”

He cut the communication with Nayuta when he opened that communication. Kizuna slumped his shoulders then.

“s.h.i.+t-! Just what is Kaa-san thinking?”

Aine murmured worriedly.

“Kizuna……I wonder if there is a reason or anything in Professor Nayuta’s action? For me, I really cannot think that she has any design. It’s as if, this is just a whim or a simple idea……”

“Yeah, honestly saying, I also think so. But, Kaa-san shouldn’t be someone that will do anything meaningless. That’s why, she must have some kind of aim.”

However, they couldn’t do anything if they didn’t understand what it was.

At that time, Himekawa’s line suddenly opened.

{This is Himekawa. Kizuna-kun! Can you hear me?}

“What’s wrong Himekawa?”

{I’m in the middle of battle with the battles.h.i.+ps at Tokyo Bay, but perhaps it’s because I overused the Corruption Armament, my Hybrid Count’s reduction is intense……that, I’m greatly sorry but, can you, re, replenish……}

Feeling of impatience was whirling inside Kizuna. His clenched teeth made a gritting sound.

Their lifeline that was the Corruption Armament had already one that became unusable. What left was Yuris.h.i.+a’s Crosshead and Aine’s Pulverizer. To overcome this situation, Aine’s Pulverizer was more suitable rather than Yuris.h.i.+a. However…….

“Aine……this is an emergency situation, no matter what your――”

At the same time with Kizuna talking to Aine, Yuris.h.i.+a’s window was opened.

{Can I make a request too? After all the enemy’s number is a lot, so the reduction rate is quite steep. It will feel a little uneasy if it’s not get replenished soon.}

Kizuna immediately contacted Ataraxia.

“This is Kizuna! The Hybrid Count reduction of Himekawa and Yuris.h.i.+a are more than imagined. I want to do Heart Hybrid urgently.”

Aine made a surprised face. That surely was because she thought that she would be ordered to equip her Corruption Armament.

“E……err.”

Ataraxia’s window opened covering over what Aine wanted to say. In the window was a restless Reiri answering him.

{Got it, wait for five minutes. I’ll send the Love Room soon.}

“Love Room? In five minutes!?’

However, Reiri didn’t answer him and cut the communication immediately.

“Just how in the world Nee-chan is going to do it……is she going to use a helicopter like the time I did Climax Hybrid with Himekawa previously……no, five minutes is impossible with that……”

After that a contact came from Kei this time. She sent him the coordinate and told him to move to that location.

Kizuna and Aine moved in the air and headed to the designated place at once.

“This place, Tokyo’s Yaesu huh.”

It was the business district in front of Tokyo Station, but right now there was not a trace of it that could be recognized. Looking around from the sky, the surface of the surrounding was a mountain of rubbles. There were also remaining buildings, but there was not a single one that was undamaged.

“Kizuna-kun! I made you wait.”

Himekawa came flying from the direction of Tokyo Bay.

“Kizunaa―, what are we doing in this kind of place?”

Next after her Yuris.h.i.+a arrived.

“No, even I don’t really understand about that. It’s just, I was told to wait here.”

The four floated in the air forming a circle. They watched each other’s back and waited for the Love Room’s arrival, but there was not the littlest sign that it would come. Just when he was getting impatient of what to do, a line from Ataraxia was connected to him once more.

{Kizuna, it will impact soon. Be careful.}

“Eh……impact you say?”

A sound like flying missile could be heard from the sky.

The next moment, a large rocket pa.s.sed beside Kizuna and others.

“……-!?”

It looked like an ICBM. A sound of destruction roared and it pierced at the middle of the business district. The impact raised fiercely billowing dust cloud with the missile at the center, the cloud was spreading in ring shape.

All present had deployed their Life Saver in preparation of the impact, but there was no sign of explosion.

“The explosion……doesn’t happen. Is it a dud?”

Kizuna yelled toward the communication window to Ataraxia.

“You plan to kill us!? I heard that you are going to send the Love Room, but I’ve never heard of any ICBM coming instead!”

{That’s the new model Love Room. The middle range ballistic missile replenishment room!}

“Eh……?”

The rocket divided like a three stage rocket. The engine part that was at the farthest back fell to the ground just like that and raised a loud sound, but the middle part itself was attached with posture control thruster, it laid down on the rubble without even any large impact. And then it fired fixing anchors from its four corners that stabbed on the ground.

The setting of the new mode Love Room middle range ballistic missile replenishment room was finished.

“Don’t tell me……I had never thought that it will be carried by a rocket.”

“Our technical research department really used an out of box method huh.”

Himekawa and Yuris.h.i.+a spoke in astonishment.

“Yosh, then Aine――no, Himekawa.”

Kizuna turned at Aine’s direction for a moment, but he immediately changed his direction at Himekawa.

“Eh……”

A sound leaked out unintentionally from Aine’s mouth.

Even though she was supposed to feel relieved because she didn’t get forced to do Climax Hybrid, she felt sad for some reason.

“Himekawa’s Hybrid Count is 20%, Yuris.h.i.+a is in 40%. That’s why Himekawa who is in more danger is prioritized. Is it fine?”

“Ye-, yes.”

Himekawa nodded with a reddened cheek.

“Actually if Hayuru and I can do Connective Hybrid, the talk will be faster though.”

Yuris.h.i.+a toyed her blonde hair wit