[Eden v2] Chapter 4: Forbidden Crystal (completed)

Here's the whole Chapter 4. Didn't realize part 3 is that short. Enjoy.
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{1}

The rays were shining through the gaps of the dense forestry. The moisture released by the trees turned into mist, and lingered around the gradually brightening sea of trees.

"Mmm— the forest during the night time has some mysterious aura about it, but the forest in the morning is pretty awesome too. The smell of the trees are much heavier."

"Eyri-nee, I saw a butterfly that was this big!"

The girl in overalls took a refreshing deep breath as she stretched her arms out wide. The black-haired little girl by her side was jumping around with a smile on her face.

"You two, don't get too far away."

Leon quickened his pace as well, so as not to lose sight of the two who may disappear from their wandering at any moment.

...... They're really energetic.

They had fooled around the whole time last night, so he had no idea where their energy came from.

"Ah, I can see the aircraft!"

Eyriey pointed to the silver object which they could see amid the trees.

"So we shall just wait here?"

"Yeah, I sent a mail to Sheltis' badge last night. Seems like we got here first."

After circling the aircraft once, there was still no sight of those two around.

"...... The damage to the aircraft is much lighter than what I had anticipated."

The silver aircraft was lying horizontally on the ground after it had knocked down a tree.

Despite being attacked by the electric faeries, they could not see many noticeable traces of damage on the outside. The worst was just the scratches to the outer coat of paint when it crashed onto the ground.

"But of course. It crashed only because the currents to the engines were not stable."

"It'll crash just from that?"

"Machines are actually very sensitive. However, I'll have to check through it once. It may be able to move now after a night, and even if it can't, we can still release a distress signal."

With that, the girl squeezed into the aircraft excitedly.

...... So I'll be looking after the kid while I leave the aircraft in her care?

"Can Yuto go there? There's a big tree over there!"

As he looked downwards at the little girl who was tugging onto his trousers, Leon gave a sigh,

"I'll come along as well. Don't stray off too far from the aircraft though."


The current in the engines had been tuned back to normal, and its output had been restored back to eighty percent.

"So everything's fine. What a good girl."

As she caressed the dials on the cockpit, Eyriey tossed the green gloves in her hands at the windows. She was originally worried that there might be a short-circuit when she conducted the check on the engine, but it seemed like she had worried too much about it. In fact, she was surprised by how normal everything was.

"Eyriey."

She turned around. The silver-haired young man was standing there.

"Ah, good timing. It seems like the aircraft is operational."

"That's perfect...... We've encountered something over here too. Yuto's waiting outside. You come along too."

With that, Leon walked out of the cockpit.

What's wrong?

Despite her being all confused about the situation, Eyriey still followed behind him.

"Ah, Eyri-nee! It's great! I've found something!"

"What's up, Yuto?"

After descending from the steps of the aircraft, Yuto and Leon both walked up to her.

"So, what's happening around here?"

"Just as you were checking the aircraft, I took a walk around to check up on our surroundings. Did you notice something strange about this primeval forest?"

"I don't really know how to answer that sudden question of yours, since I'm not too well versed about biology."

"Especially the trees in that area."

Leon pointed towards an area of the primeval forest where there was a group of large trees clustered together. There were over tens of them, and they were protruding out of the forest like a small hill.

They had lined up in a circle, as though they were shielding something.

"Oh?"

"That's right, that's the only place with a cluster of tall trees grouped together. I walked there to take a closer look, and...... I think it's better if you see it with your own eyes."

Leon turned around, with his coat swaying in the air.

"Ah, wait. We don't have to wait for Sheltis at the aircraft?"

"I've just contacted him. It seems like it will be a while before they reach here, so I asked them to head straight to that area to join in the search."

What exactly is that?

With a half curious and half confused mindset, Eyriey followed behind Leon and Yuto.

"Actually, the person who discovered that is Yuto."

The young man who was paving the road by prying open the branches suddenly stopped in his tracks.

...... This is?

"A research facility?"

It's a dark grayish rectangular building. There were no decorations nor windows on the walls, just green moss all over it. It's as though the building had camouflaged itself into the surrounding forest.

"Strange? Wait, this is definitely a research facility. But if so, isn't it really strange for it not to be registered on the map released by the Government Sector?"

"That's the most suspicious thing about this place."

Leon stared at the building before him.

"A research facility built on a desolated island; a totally enclosed structure without any windows. The green moss on the walls acts as a camouflage beneath the leaves of the trees, thus totally hiding itself from aerial view...... Well then, what exactly is the Government Sector planning?"

*Za* — The silver-haired swordsman walked to the front of the building with firm steps.

"So there's no main door at its front huh? Whatever. Let's find a place where we can enter. I'll head right. Eyriey and Yuto, you two head left."

"Understood. We'll just have to circle it once, right? Let's go, Yuto."

With her back facing Leon, Eyriey began to head towards the left side of the building with Yuto.

"...... Then again, it's really surprising that you can find something like this, Yuto."

"Ehehe, I'm good?"

"Well, it's no wonder we never noticed it. There's no way we'd realize it unless we got closer to it."

Alright, where exactly is the door located?

The two of them fixed their gaze on the walls as they walked on. However, they found nothing that looked remotely like an entrance despite them scanning through the walls of the building. The deep-gray paints on the building had already faded slightly due to the constant weathering...... from that alone, one can deduce that the building is not something that was built in recent years.

As they turned the first corner, they encountered the second wall.

It's almost the same as the first slab of wall that they saw - there are no windows nor decorations on it. The most they could see aside from the moss were the vines scaling the walls.

"Well— we can't get in at all. I wonder if Leon found anything over there."

Suddenly, she realized that her surroundings were deadly quiet.

............ Yuto?

The black-haired little girl was standing motionlessly at the first corner - it was as if she had stopped blinking and moving as well.

Those amber-colored eyes of hers were giving off a glow, as though she had detected something.

"Yu—"

Just as Eyriey was about to shout.

"So it's here?"

Perhaps it was due to the wind, but Eyriey could barely pick up the soft words that came out of the little girl's mouth. In the next moment, Yuto's left hand shimmered, similar to a gush of hot air—

*Guooooooooooooooooo!*

There was a rumbling sound akin to that of a wild beast. The originally seamless walls suddenly sank inwards. *Kan* - an entrance about the width of an adult appeared before them after the walls had totally sunk inside.

A secret passageway?

"Eyri-nee, here, here! This is great!"

"Eh? Ah......hhhh, mmm."

Eyriey finally regained her senses when she heard Yuto calling her with her childish voice...... Could that sound have been an illusion of hers?

"This is really impressive! Isn't this a secret passageway? How did you find it?"

"Mmm...... let's see?"

Yuto pushed her finger against her lips.

"Yuto doesn't know either! It just seemed like this wall was really clean."

"Ah, I get it. There's no moss over here."

Different from the other walls that they saw, since this wall had moving mechanisms, it would be hard for the moss to grow on it. Yuto probably saw it by chance, and never really thought that deep into it.

"So what do you guys got? Found anything?"

The silver-haired young man walked towards them from a corner far away.

"Ah, good news! Yuto found a secret passageway!"

"Oh? You've done quite a great deal, considering that you discovered the research facility as well."

"Ehehe—"

The little girl closed her eyes in happiness as Leon patted her head.

"I've found an ordinary door over the other side. It's locked, but I don't really need much effort to destroy that sort of simple padlock...... So where should we enter?"

Eyriey pointed towards the dark passageway without hesitation.

"Of course the place that was hidden."

"My thoughts exactly."

Leon crossed his arms and nodded.

"I'll lead the way. You two must really be on your guard this time around."

***

"A research facility hidden amid the primeval forest huh — they've used some creative methods to conceal the building too. Leon and the girls are really something."

"...... Darn, I thought we could head back immediately. Seems like things are not as simple as I first thought."

Sheltis gave a slight wry smile as he looked at the dark gray building.

It's about two stories high, judging from its height. Since there were no windows to be seen, nor were there any seams, there may be more floors within than anticipated.

"How are things over there?"

He made a cross with his arms in reply to Monica's question, who was standing a considerable distance in front of him.

"Absolutely nothing. I've checked the surroundings thoroughly, but there's only a single place that seems suspicious."

There was a brand new copper-colored padlock on the door. The metal door was full of red rust, and yet the padlock looked as good as new - perfect proof that there's someone who's been using the door recently.

"I've found a secret passageway here...... though someone probably discovered it already. All I saw was an entrance."

"That should be Leon. He just sent me a message saying that he'd explore the place first, and asked us to help out when we arrived."

"So, what should we do? Do we chase them via that passageway?"

"No."

He pointed to the door that opens from the middle, and grabbed onto the metal padlock.

"We'll go this way."

"I was thinking the same too."

Monica swung the crossed rods <Rosario> in her right hand. There was a hint of a smile in her sharp eyes.

The door was destroyed with a dull sound.

"Right, let's go."

— The reason the Queen sent a Sennenshi to this island.

— If the reason is because of this research facility here......

"Monica, I don't think I need to remind you, but please stay on your guard."

Gripping onto the two handlebars, Sheltis pushed opened the door of the research facility.

{2}

A dim, narrow passageway.

Each step they took brought up a cloud of dust into the turbid air.

"I've already prepared myself psychologically for this, but I still never expect this research facility to be that ghastly."

Monica cringed her face slightly as she touched the walls that had a poor finishing on their surface.

"It's dark and cramp, and there's a musty smell too...... I really don't feel like staying around here."

"I feel the same too. Even if we're here to find something, I hope we can get things over and done with quickly, and leave this place."

As they stood before a door at the ends of the passageway, Sheltis shot a glance at Monica.

— I'm gonna open it.

After receiving a nod of approval from her, he increased the strength exerted from his arms. Unexpectedly, the door opened up really easily.

Before them was a huge dark space. It felt like the place was rather spacious, but since there was no lighting inside, they could not grasp the full interiors of the room.

"What to do? Ilis, why don't you release some light like a machine? Just release light at about thirty times brighter compared to normal, and we should be able to see the interiors of the room clearly."

"I can if you want me to. However, due to the overload, I'll become hotter than a heated frying pan."

"...... Let's just look for a switch to the lights."

"Found it."

Monica's voice came from far away.

A *kacha* sound rang, and the room was flooded with a blinding flash of light for a brief moment.

"...... A library?"

Sheltis murmured as he took a look at the room under the shine of the lights.

It's a huge space that extended inwards for over ten meters long, and the sides of the walls were filled with giant bookshelves lined up together. Each of them was approximately three meters high, and it was designed such that the top shelves can only be reached via ladders.

There were four round desks in the middle of the room, and each desk had three chairs assigned to it. There were stand-alone computers and screens placed on the desk.

"Illustrations of plants, distribution of the vegetation, makeups of the soil, the climate of the floating island...... They are probably things left by the explorers of this island. Each and every report is rather detailed."

Monica tapped on the keyboards of the computers at a rapid speed. The details shown on the screens before them were undoubtedly information left by the researchers.

"The books on the shelves consists of similar information as well."

"...... Which means, this is just an ordinary research facility?"

Sheltis randomly picked out some encyclopedias from the shelves, and browsed through it roughly. However, they were typical encyclopedias. There's not a single problem about the publishers and the date of release as well.

"They may be just a facade. Want to check through each and every terminal and book?"

"Hmm— we should leave these things to units that are in charge of carrying those tasks. It's not like we are familiar with these things anyway."

In the investigation of the Floating Archipelagos <Lagoon>, the guards only plays the role of a scout, to ensure that there are no harmful beasts and insects, or that there will be no danger of the ground collapsing and such. Special expertise teams will only investigate about the topology of the islands much later.

"So are we meeting up with Captain Leon?"

"I guess, though I wonder if they are—"

Just then.

There was a sudden violent rumble beneath his feet.

***

Let's turn back time to an hour before that.

"...... Right, what shall we do now?"

Leon stopped in his tracks when he saw the strange sight before him.

After going through the passageway that an adult could barely squeeze through, they came to a mechanical room at the end of it.

At their feet were red and blue wires of various width crisscrossing together messily like a spiderweb. There were plenty of pipes hanging from the walls and ceilings, and their ears were filled with the sounds of gases flowing through the pipes.

There were computers of various sizes in front of them. They seemed to be connected to the grounds, and all that could be seen were tiny indicators giving off a weird neon glow.

"...... Oh—"

Eyriey was walking around the room, but she suddenly stopped in her tracks. The place she was looking at was the measurement instruments located at the innermost areas of the room.

"Is this place the control room of the building?"

"Twenty points. Full mark's hundred, by the way."

The young girl replied without even turning her head back.

"About twenty percent of the machines in this room is related to the power source and etc. That's quite easy to see, but I am not quite sure about the remaining eighty percent. I think there should be a control terminal somewhere else in another room. If there is none, then I really do not have any idea what they are."

"If so, that means you don't understand the use of these computers here?"

Perhaps she had already expected that Leon would ask her that - Eyriey flashed an profound smile of bitterness, and scratched her head.

"...... Urm— the best I can do is to guess. Can I?"

"Ahh."

"Then here I go. This is probably a 'Control Device'."

After hearing her voice reverberating in the room, the young girl continued,

"The huge computer is online and operational even though there's not a single person in the facility. From that, it should be because these machines are used to maintain something."

— She sounded pretty sure even though she said she was guessing.

The young girl was probably pretty certain about her conjecture. And Leon was quite confident about that speculation as well.

"...... So what is it controlling?"

"I have no clue. However, it should be located somewhere in this facility. I originally thought this passageway will lead us to somewhere, but it seems like we've hit a dead-end. If so, there may be other secret passages or hidden rooms......"

After scanning her surroundings once, Eyriey's sight rested on a certain area in the room.

"Can I operate this for a while?"

It was a stand-alone terminal located in the middle of the room.

All that was displayed on the screen was a blank white background.

"That's......"

Anyone who stepped into the room would probably see that terminal first. However, as that terminal was way too eye-catching, Leon did not dare to touch it casually.

It might be a trap.

Even if it is not, something bad may happen should there be any error occurring when they were working on it. In the worst situation, it may be installed with a program that will trigger off the self-destruction device that will blow up the whole facility.

"Sorry, as for that terminal......"

"Ah, sorry. I've already touched it."

"Oi!?"

"Ahaha! It's because you were to slow with your reply."

Eyriey flashed a mischievous smile as she tapped onto the keyboard of the terminal at great speeds.

"Moreover, this terminal is probably not a trap."

"Why so?"

"The possibility of an outsider arriving here is already very slim. This is an unregistered floating island, and we were forced to land on here without the prior approval of the Government Sector. We first found the research facility hidden in the depths of the primeval forest by chance, then we happen to find the secret passage as well before we are able to reach here. Do you really think there is a need for them to set up any further precautionary measures?"

In contrast to her lighthearted tone, Eyriey's reasoning was highly logical.

...... And it probably is just as she had said.

It's the same for Leon. If not for the orders of the Queen, he would never have came to this island by himself. There's no possibility of him exploring the Floating Archipelagos <Lagoon> by his own accord if he has not received any mission in regards to it.

"And there's another reason as well. It seems really easy to operate this terminal. If it is a trap, then shouldn't it be much more complicated?"

Eyriey's fingers were dancing furiously on the keyboard as if she was playing a piano. The blazing rhythm had even produced a sense of beauty from it. The girl suddenly raised her fingertips up elegantly, and then—

"Right, let's see what we've got here."

At the instant she keyed in the final button.

Came the sound of a certain giant object moving.

***

"Something really interesting has appeared."

The machine crystal <Ilis> broke the silence by saying that casually.

"That's quite sudden...... We did nothing here, so perhaps Captain Leon and the girls did something on their side. Or it may be someone luring us to a trap. What should we do, Sheltis?"

Monica stood at the side with the crossed rods <Rosario> in her hands.

That line of hers showed the tense atmosphere in which both of them were in. She stared straight at the target beneath her, without blinking her eyes.

A flight of stairs that went downwards.

The floor shifted along with the rumbling which they felt earlier, and the entrance to what seemed to be a basement was revealed.

The stairs were shrouded in darkness, and they could not see the ends of the path no matter how hard they looked.

"If that is the destination of our trip here, then I think it will be better for us to head down by ourselves first."

Shelits said that to Monica as he fixed his gaze on the stairs.

"We are not waiting for the instructions of Captain Leon?"

"Eyriey and Yuto are still with Leon. If we are to ask him to meet up with us before heading off, then the girls will have to follow along as well. Eyriey's not a guard, while Yuto's still young, so I absolutely cannot allow them to face any sort of danger."

"Smart choice. It is much easier for a pair to act should the two of you encounter anything. We shall be the scouts."

Mmm— Just as he was nodding his head in agreement with the suggestion of the machine crystal <Ilis>.

He noticed that Monica, who was beside him, was strangely quiet.

"......"

The young girl was gripping onto the pair of crossed rods <Rosario> in her hands, but her face was pale white.

"Monica?"

"............. Ah...... Ahhhh."

She suddenly widened her eyes.

"You alright? Your expression was really frightening."

"...... I'm fine. I just feel slightly dizzy."

With that, she took a step forward.

"Alright, since it's already decided, then let's head off quickly."

"—Mmm."

Monica slowly walked down the stairs that led to the basement, as the sound of her shoes rang. Sheltis followed in her steps quickly after taking a look at her back.

*Ka.................. ka..................*

The dreary footsteps of the two people reverberated along the passageway as they walked down the stairs, which had a visibility of barely two meters ahead. After confirming the situation they were in via the echos, he gripped onto the machine crystal <Ilis> that was hanging before his chest.

"Ilis, this flight of stairs is quite shoddily built."

"I am thinking about the same thing as well."

The machine crystal <Ilis> replied him quicker than he had expected.

"The materials which the stairs were made of is obviously different to those used on the floors and walls above. The floor was made out of strengthened metal alloy, but this place is constructed using cheap alloys. That's the reason for the echoes of your footsteps."

"...... Meaning?"

Monica, who was walking in front of him, turned her head around and asked.

"It's highly possible for this flight of stairs to be constructed much later. If so, the possibility of the flight of stairs being a trap will be greatly reduced."

It's the same with how fake drawings will always be more "real" than the originals. Since the point of faking is 'to be more real than the originals', there is probably no one who will design a trap that looked like an obvious shoddy work.

"This means we're heading in the right direction?"

"Yes. The possibility is quite high."

He gently gripped onto the hilts of his dual swords. He could not construct the blades due to the narrow flight of stairs. As such, the machine crystal <Ilis> was on standby mode, ready to construct the blades at the voice of his command.

*Ka——*

Their line of vision suddenly broadened when they walked past the final step.

............ This place is?

It was a huge room which was as spacious as the floor above them.

The only difference was that instead of shelves of books, the room was filled up with large black computers instead.

The wires beneath their feet were crisscrossing with each other messily, while huge pipes were hanging from the ceilings above. The thing that was lighting up everything which they were seeing were eerie red-colored light cast down from the ceiling.

It was a peculiar sight. However, the strangest thing was the object located in the middle of the place.

It was an extremely large screen that extended all the way from the floor to the ceiling.

"...... What's displayed on it?"

Monica raised her guard and took a step closer.

*Zi...... Ziiiiii....... Ziiiiiiiiii......!*

A black and white screen filled with static. Not only they were forced to decipher the image with only the monochrome colors, but the resolution of the screen was pretty low as well.

"Is it broken?"

She knitted her brows.

...... No, that's not it.

The screen is not broken. What it is displaying, is the thing that is located in the middle—

...... A girl?

"Sheltis, what's wrong?"

"Somehow, it feels like...... there's a girl in the middle of the screen."

He could indeed see what seems to be a silhouette of a girl, in the center of all the static.

And then there's the transparent shadows that were encasing the girl — they could be either ice or crystals. The girl was sealed within layers of hard, transparent crystals. That's what Sheltis felt the screen was showing him.

"I am really sorry, but I can't affirm what you had said. What about Monica?"

"I can't make out that either. Perhaps it's just your illusion due to all the static on the screen."

An illusion due to the distortion of the static. Indeed, he could not deny the possibility of that happening. Putting Monica aside, he was fully certain of the machine crystal <Ilis>'s image processing capabilities.

...... So I am the one seeing things?

He rubbed his eyes, and looked at the center of the screen once more.

His eyes came into direct contact with the eyes of the girl's in the screen.


...... Shel...... tis.

...... Are you the person...... who is looking at me?

...... Looking at the frozen dream of the Garden of Corrupted Song <Eden>...... Looking at the Forbidden Crystal......


At that instant, a scene suddenly flashed past his mind.

A world filled with black waters.

A young man with tea-red colored hair was slowly sinking down with his eyes closed.

Deeper and deeper.

He was sinking downwards in a world filled with darkness, a world that was incredibly quiet and slow.

The deep purple lights encased his body, as though they were blessing him—


...... Sheltis......

...... At the Floating Continent where everything is still in their dreams, at the Garden of Corrupted Song <Eden> where all time are frozen......

...... You...... and your mateki...... awakens......


"Sheltis!"

"Oi, Shel-Sheltis!"

"!"

Sheltis finally returned back to his senses when Monica shook his shoulders.

"What has happened to you?"

"Ah, no....."

Just then, the young girl in the screen turned her head to look towards his direction...... no, she was looking at him.

A screen appeared before his eyes the moment they exchanged gazes with each other.

Is that...... me? Could it be back when I fell into the Garden of Corrupted Song <Eden>—

"Sheltis, are you alright?"

"...... Mmm. Monica and Ilis, please take another careful look at the center of the screen. I am certain there's a girl there."

*—Kra—*

There was the sound of something cracking, as if it was laughing at what he had just said.

They originally thought it came from the screen, but the screen was still filled with the monochrome image and the static.

It's not the screen. What's that then?

"Behind it?"

Monica walked around the screen that was almost blocking the whole room, and made her way to its back. Just as her body was about to disappear behind the back of the screen, Sheltis hastily reminded her,

"Monica, be careful."

"I know. I am just curious about what is behind—"

Monica's voice was suddenly cut off at an extremely unnatural moment.

"............"

"Monica?"

"............ Ahh...............................!"

A hoarse shout that sounded neither like a shriek nor her weeping.

"Monica, what's wrong?"

He squeezed past the space beneath the screen, and got next to her side.

There.

"This is—"

Even the machine crystal <Ilis> was at a loss of words as well.

What appeared before them was a giant column of water tank.

The water tank was filled with a blue liquid and countless tiny air bubbles. That's all.

However, the machine crystal <Ilis> could not say a single word. Monica was staring at the water tank as she bit hard on her lips.

As for Sheltis—

"............"

He quietly gripped tight on the hilts of his dual swords after seeing the object that was in the water tank.

It was a Yuugenshu that was being "incubated" in a huge water tank.

{3}

"Warning."

"Abnormalities detected to the hypnosis wavelength of Experimental Body #2, code-named 'Slumbering Child'."

An automated voice suddenly rang from the ceilings. At the same time, the warning red lights began to flash throughout the floor.

"Eyri-nee, I'm scared......"

"W-What's with this alarm! Did I press something wrong at the terminal just now?"

Yuto pressed herself against Eyriey, who hugged her tightly in return.

"No."

Leon shook his head to disagree, as he looked at the floor being dyed red by the crimson lights.

Just like what she had said earlier, the possibility of a trap set on the terminal is very low. If so, then there must be another reason for the alarm to went off.

— Experimental Body #2.

There was a strange term mentioned in the automated warning. They did not find anything that looked like it in the floor where they were on. If so, the only possibility was that Eyriey had triggered a path at the other stories after she had operated the terminal.

"Eyriey, take Yuto and run back to the aircraft right now! I'll go and meet up with Sheltis and Monica. Seems like the place where they are at is the real crux to the matter."

"Yeah, I think so too. In any case, let's get moving, Yuto!"

Eyriey planned to make a dash for it after she grabbed onto Yuto's hand. Just then—

Along with the tremors of the ground as well as a strange metallic sound, the innermost wall of the building collapsed.

"Warning."

"It is confirmed that the hypnosis for 'Slumbering Child' has failed. It is speculated that there is an infiltration of a malicious third party, which in turn awakened it."

"To prevent the second wave of damage, begin the automatic destruction of 'Slumbering Child' as well as the malicious third party."

*Zu...... Zuzuuu............*

The floor was rumbling.

A shiny black gigantic object was slowly approaching them from within the dark floors.

"Combat robot?"

Eyriey could immediately recognize what it was from a brief look at it.

A thick armor which gave off a dull metallic shine. Its both arms were equipped with shiny black heavy weapons, and it was carrying armored-vehicle-class shells on its back. That's not all. There were bluish-white patterns all over its body. The straight-lined patterns were flashing repeatedly, and the glow had covered the whole body of the combat robot.

"Heavy-armed combat robot, with the marks of shinryoku engraved on it...... To think they have actually shipped this thing specially onto this island."

The robot inched closer to them with loud steps.

"............"

Faced with such an overwhelming presence, Leon silently swung the hilt of his great sword.

"W-What are you doing? Shouldn't you be running away in a situation like this?"

"The so called malicious third party is probably referring to Sheltis and Monica. Something may have happened there, so I have to destroy this fella."

"No, that's not what I mean—"

"It's fine,"

After saying that, Leon began to dash towards the combat robot.

"In any case, if you do not wish to be hit by the stray shells of the heavy weapons system, then hide yourself at the corner of the room right now."

***

*—Piki...... ki...... ki......—*

Cracks began appearing on the reinforced glass of the water tank. The blue fluid flowed all over the ground.

Each time the beast which was shrouded with the dark purple mist pulsates, the cracks on the water tank would widen.

"How can this be...... who will actually do such a thing like...... breeding a Yuugenshu?"

"We'll investigate on that later. The important thing is to deal with this thing here and ensure we come out alive."

Sheltis walked to the front of Monica, and stared at the enemy before them.

...... The Yuugenshu has responded to our infiltration?

His hunch told him that he was not too far off from the truth. The Queen's order was not really targeted at the facility itself. Rather, the real target were probably the image in the giant screen, as well as the bred Yuugenshu.

That's right. There was not just a single objective behind their mission. Taking that into consideration, one can then understand the reason for the lack of focus behind the Queen's order.

"Ilis."

"Begin the construction of the anti-Yuugenshu blades. Fixing a silver monad as the core, and encasing its surrounding with a layer of azure crystals of Hyouketsu Kyoukai. Limit to destruction is set to be at sevenfold."

A thin silver line extended outwards from the blade-less hilts. The brilliant azure crystals began to encase it, and they gradually formed the blades.

The glass of the water tank had shattered.

*Slosh*...... With its body covered with fluids, the four limbs of the Yuugenshu came into contact with the floor.

A wild beast shrouded with an eerie mist all over its body, sending chills down the spines of whoever that sees it. Amid the dark purple mist, was a pair of red eyes filled with animosity, and looking towards their direction.

"...... So we've no choice but to strike?"

"Seems like it— here it comes!"

The howl of the beast.

What followed next was the shocking 'transformation' that came immediately after.