Genius Swordsman of the Mage Empire

Chapter 258. Overloading (13)

The ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍second-floor wall closing in by the second. Having been flung past the railing and nearly into the wall, Enoch snapped back to his senses mid-flight.

The ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍centrifugal force threatening to rip his limbs off, then the weightlessness that followed — he lost all sense of up and down as he spun wildly, but through it all he understood. If he hit headfirst, it was instant death.

"......!"

No, ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍that can't happen. Enoch immediately twisted his body with every ounce of strength he had.

He ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍rotated his waist like a top and somehow managed to land feet-first on the wall, but the instant he realized a thrown lance had come screaming in at supersonic speed, there was nothing he could do.

He ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍raised the axe handle — which he hadn't let go of even while flying — to block the javelin. The impact that struck his arms felt like colliding with a truck weighing several tons.

"Kh!"

The shockwave from catching the attack with both feet planted on the wall split the surface behind him in radial cracks.

Within seconds, his body lost the inertial force from being thrown, and Enoch's feet peeled away from the wall. He should have executed a forward roll to land on the floor, but even that was impossible.

He toppled forward and dropped. His entire body slammed into the hard metal floor, and the air was knocked from his lungs.

He had blocked a single attack. That was all. And yet every last molecule of air had been driven from his lungs, and every sensation had fled his body as if it had simply ceased to exist.

Enoch leaned against the wall and, staggering, somehow dragged himself to his feet. He hadn't let go of the axe, but that was the extent of it.

Noticing the blood trailing from the corner of his mouth, he wiped it with his sleeve. Even through his ragged breathing, he could easily assess his own condition.

Combat continuation impossible due to shock.

Even so, he had to move. He forced his unresponsive legs into motion, broke into a run, grabbed the railing, and vaulted over it.

He sprinted along the second-floor corridor of the underground shelter, clinging to the wall. Every instinct screamed that staying here after that attack was a death sentence.

Immediately after, carapace feathers trailing green-lit trajectories peppered the position where Enoch had stood moments ago. Like a heavy machine gun's barrage, they punched through the steel railing and floor in rapid succession, shredding them like rags.

He flinched and looked down at the first floor, where a sight that defied belief slammed into his vision.

The massive pile of debris from the collapsed pillars shuddered once with a deep rumble, then swelled and exploded outward, splitting apart to both sides.

Fragments easily two meters across sprayed into the air like splashing water, scattering acrid dust everywhere.

A section of the underground shelter's ceiling was torn clean away and fell, punching a hole that connected directly to the surface. Through it, the night sky was visible — the sun had already set and stars were emerging.

Enoch stared at the terrifying spectacle and gripped his axe.

And the Magical Beast, wings of a black angel spread wide, stood tall amidst the wreckage and looked up at him. The enemy was damaged too. Its Carapace Lance was snapped in half at the shaft, the carapace on its shoulder was shattered, and it had lost two of its six wings.

But it was far from combat-incapable. Behind the narrowed slits of its carapace, the gleam of its eyes conveyed an unmistakable will to continue fighting. A flame that blazed with fighting spirit.

As expected — the strongest individual among the Master Class Magical Beasts on this battlefield.

From the look of things, the javelin thrown at him just now appeared to have been merely one half of its broken Carapace Lance, hurled as a projectile.

That realization sent a shudder crawling up his spine.

While buried under the heap of building debris, it had pinpointed his exact position, executed a javelin-throw motion, and even landed the hit.

"......"

It was classified as Master Class, but its direct combat capability was incomparable to the Monarch Class Indiviltal.

Enoch involuntarily took a step back. His mind refused to accept the hopeless reality of having to fight such an enemy under these wretched conditions.

"What are you doing? Come on!"

Then Sirocco, who had closed the distance without him noticing, grabbed Enoch's arm and leapt.

Sirocco's bare feet cleared the second-floor railing like the wind, and they landed deep inside the first floor of the underground shelter — an area where the structures were still intact.

He realized this was the corridor connecting to the innermost shelter, designed for emergencies within the shelter itself — the very place where many people had been fleeing into just moments ago.

Soon the Master Class Magical Beast also spread its wings, rose into a low hover, and took the same stage.

Backlit by the glow of the white shelter's fluorescent lights, the artificial angel spread both arms wide.

Atop the crumbling underground refuge, facing the pitch-black silhouette of despair with wings fully unfurled, Enoch slowly looked up at it.

***

At the same time, deep inside the underground shelter.

The people packed like storm clouds inside the innermost shelter were staring at the screen, every jaw hanging open.

Immediately after the Master Class Magical Beast had revived from beneath the pillar debris and a massive explosion had occurred, the giant display showed nothing but noise.

The last thing broadcast on screen had been the moment just before Enoch was counter-attacked by the beast. Since no one here could predict what had happened next, shouts erupted the next instant.

"Wh-what?!"

"Wait, what just happened?!"

"I don't know! I have no idea either!"

Voices tangled with anticipation, anxiety, and impatience rang out from every direction.

As if in sympathy with that unease, the fluorescent lights inside the shelter flickered — then all went dark at once with a sharp POP.

Pitch-black darkness descended immediately.

To make matters worse, the monitor mounted on the underground cavern's ceiling wall lost its connection signal and went completely dead.

The shockwave from Enoch's clash with the beast had apparently knocked out the monitor's signal as well. It seemed the data captured by the drone's feed was no longer being transmitted to the screen.

"Ah......"

In the darkness, a small girl holding her mother's hand gazed quietly up at the ceiling.

All the girl could see, clutching her stuffed bear, were the lights on the ceiling — now dyed pitch-black.

In the darkness, only the panorama of the underground cavern — its width impossible to gauge — spread before her.

The girl looked into the dense darkness and grew a little frightened, groping beside her until she found her mother and clutched tightly at the hem of her skirt.

Unlike the familiar cityscape she knew, it was a city far too dark. And so the girl hugged her stuffed toy, lowered her head, and began to whimper softly.

She was not alone in that.

Everyone around the little girl was much the same. As the crowd murmured nervously at the sudden turn of events, Alicia glanced to the side.

The confusion born from the pitch-black darkness was intensifying, the fear spreading like a contagion, swelling uncontrollably like a snowball.

"Lights! Turn on the lights! Hurry!"

When someone shouted, the white glow of personal terminals flickered on here and there, but they were hopelessly insufficient to drive back the darkness of the enormous shelter.

In a darkness where you could barely see an inch ahead if not for the dim green emergency exit signs—

The murmuring from all directions soon began to mix with screams and shouts steeped in despair and hopelessness.

Before long, the surroundings had transformed into a cauldron of people sunk deep into despair. From somewhere in the darkness, the sound of children crying could be heard, the expanding anxiety making it hard to breathe.

Meanwhile, across from Alicia, April urgently turned to Nano beside her and asked.

"Nano, what's going on?!"

"The dust and heat are messin' up Bzz-Bzz's line of sight-mda! And bein' underground must be why the signal connection's gotten unstable-mda!"

Nano shook her head slightly as she pushed her visor up onto her forehead. Beside her, April tapped the barrel of her sniper rifle with an anxious expression.

"Ugh! Of all times! If the moment comes when we're really needed, we've got to get out there and support him fast......!"

"How, could a Magical Beast, like that......"

Meanwhile, the man who had been gripping Lily's shoulder also saw the broadcast cut out and cried out urgently.

"Damn it, now we can't even tell what's happening outside! If that Direct Lineage loses and runs for it, we're all......!"

"No, that person would never run!"

But right then, Alicia's clear voice flatly denied his words.

The man turned to look ahead.

The Dragoon girl had not moved a single step from where she stood, fixing him with her vivid blue eyes without an ounce of wavering.

"Let go of that nun now. Your wounds aren't that serious. If you keep troublin' the people around you, I won't just stand by."

The man faltered for a moment, unable to refuse the sheer force of will emanating from the girl's dignified bearing. He stepped back, then ground his teeth as he shouted.

"Grk! Just you watch!"

Watching him vanish into the crowd spouting lines that could have come from a third-rate villain, Alicia let out a small sigh.

Then she walked over to Lily, knelt down, and looked at her with a worried expression.

"Sister, you're really okay, right?"

"Y-yes. Thank you so much. I'll hurry and go treat the others now!"

Lily nodded, gripped her Magic Gear, and trotted off toward the injured child Ella had pointed out earlier.

As Alicia watched her go, a small voice came from below.

"Um. Dragoon lady, are you okay?"

Only then did Alicia notice Ella, who had been clutching the hem of her uniform skirt, and opened her eyes slightly wider.

"Hm? Am I okay? Well, as you can see—"

"That's not what I mean. You said you're in the same squad as that guy on the screen, right? You must really want to go help him."

"How did you......"

Ella silently pointed at Alicia's hand. Only after glancing down did Alicia realize her hand gripping the Bombardment Lance was trembling faintly. She turned her head away, her face reddening slightly.

"You're right, but...... that's just my selfishness. I can't leave this post."

Alicia glanced at April in the distance, staring blankly at the monitor, and continued.

"I heard from a freelancer who evacuated here earlier — the same one from our squad's group. Our squad's assignment is to protect everyone here and prepare for any unexpected developments."

"Really?"

"Yes. Protectin' all of you to the best of my ability is my duty too."

"You trust that guy that much?"

"Yes. I learned somethin' from him last time!"

Recalling the solo mission to assassinate Indiviltal, Alicia clenched her fist tight.

Back then too, Alicia had been ready to sacrifice herself in a desperate situation, saying she would buy time against the swarming Magical Beasts.

But Enoch had refused to leave her behind, ultimately choosing to escape together with her no matter what.

And so, paradoxically, even in this hopeless situation, she had no choice but to believe in that boy once more.

That at the end of this desperate battle, just as he had saved her, he would save everyone.

"Please win, Direct Lineage. Please......"

Alicia clasped both hands together in secret, trembling, and whispered a small prayer toward the boy beyond the pitch-black monitor.

Just then, Nano — who had donned her visor to attempt reconnecting the drone's feed — widened her eyes behind the metal visor that half-covered them. Then she looked around and shouted.

"Ah! A message just came in from the freelancers on the surface-mda......!"

"A message?"

"Yes, it's......"

At Nano's words, Alicia hurried over to her. April, who had been listening from beside them, pulled out her own terminal to check and made a startled expression.

"W-wait. Is this for real?"

"What happened?"

"Well, you know how......?"

April stared blankly at the screen of her terminal and murmured in disbelief.

"Someone who has no business being in this Outsourcing District just arrived, apparently......!"