[──...Excuse me for a moment, but cutting off communication so suddenly is a bit rude. I must say, I'm truly impressed by the brevity of your "moment," Johan.]

「───」

Dorothy and Johan returned together. As the tall man activated the communication device switch he carried, a heartfelt sigh resonated through the ears of everyone present in this place and vibrated the housings of their headsets. Following that, came unabashedly sarcastic remarks.

The voice weaving these sarcastic remarks was melodious, making it all the more apparent that, "I'm not pleased with you".

「──Has the concept of your 'moment' changed without my knowledge? Or perhaps, has this base approached light speed without me being aware?」

「───」

「──Well, otherwise, it's not possible to cut off the operator's communication for over half a day during a mission, is it?」

「───」

Moore lightly pressed the housing of his headset with his left hand while casting a sidelong glance at Johan.

By chance, ice-blue eyes were also directed towards him. Those eyes told a tale of trouble and distress.

「──Why is Johan silent? Dorothy?」

「Yes, Cecil.」

「──Confirm if Johan has lost his language function in this 'moment.'」

「The commander's language function is perfectly normal. There's no need to worry.」

「──Is that so? Then why are you silent, Johan?」

Somehow, the dynamics within the Eden ground base could be sensed, and Moore became increasingly awkward hearing their conversation.

(Tl note: ....It probably overlaps with his situation. Hehe.)

----Help me.

-----Do you think a young lad like me knows how to appease an angry woman?

...Damn, this was the consequence of saying "young lad" so carelessly.

Dark brown eyes averted, and a soft pack taken from the pouch of the body armor was lightly shaken.

Johan could only gaze at the sight of lighting an oil lighter to the clamped cigarette ── soon, he let out a grand sigh.

〈──You just sighed. Did I say something wrong?〉

Nothing was wrong at all ── it was an irrefutable argument that left Johan at a loss for words. Being the possessor of a genius intellect, he wished she could understand that much at least.

「...…」

「... He's getting scolded with full force.」

「That emotionless guy can get scolded by someone too.」

「... Rather, he has too much humanity in him.」

「Really... Major, are you saying that seriously?」

The only thing they could do was watch the one-sided exchange unfolding before them, mainly the Special Forces Counters and Papillon.

Especially, Rapi seemed unusually half-dazed.

Alongside him, still holding the cigarette in his mouth and letting out purple smoke, after questioning Anis' jest, Johan began to advance, revealing fatigue within his small sigh. Moore, noticing that Inherit and Dorothy followed, aligned two fingers of his left hand and signaled forward by shaking them a few times.

Just before Johan restored communication, Dorothy informed him that participation in the operation was approved. However, it remained to be seen if it was fully acknowledged.

Approximately an hour passed as they continued to advance.

Gradually, the surroundings became desolate, with almost no vegetation in sight. It also grew hotter by the moment.

Sniffing, Johan detected the smell of rotten eggs ── the smell of hydrogen sulfide.

In the ancient island nation of the Far East, hot spring culture was deeply rooted, and hot springs were associated with the smell of sulfur. However, sulfur itself is odorless.

Nevertheless, if there was a smell of hydrogen sulfide ──

「──Wow! Master, please look at that!」

Excitedly, Neon tapped Moore's back, who carried a backpack. In the direction she pointed with the fingertip of one hand wearing hard knuckle gloves, there was ── white smoke rising hazily from the crack in the ground. The surrounding rocks were dyed yellow ── likely covered with sulfur deposits.

「... That explains why it's hot.」

「If we go a bit further, maybe hot springs will come out?」

「... Protective masks are a must.」

Enjoying hot springs in an environment filled with invisible toxic gases doesn't seem feasible.

Anis couldn't help but smile as she watched him shrug his shoulders, and at the back of the advancing Special Forces and Papillon, Inherit, the last one──looked over his shoulder.

「──Before the hot springs, something hotter should come out.」

「...From your tone, it doesn't sound like a geyser.」

「Yes. This area belongs to the Flame Dragon Nihilister.」

「I see...」

In other words, encountering it anytime wouldn't be surprising.

Just as he confirmed the loading of the initial bullet into the chamber of the assault rifle he carried, the voice of the operator, a woman named Cecil, echoed from the depths of the headset.

〈──There are no detectable heat sources nearby. It's possible they're hiding in gaps in cover to avoid scans, but...〉

「I don't think her personality is that careful.」

「... Eh? Why is that?」

Cecil's expectation—of course, she likely considered the possibility low, but he denies it. When Anis, standing beside him, inquires, Moore opens his mouth with a disdainful expression, furrowing his brow with the stench of rotten eggs.

"...The image I got from the simulated battle against Nihilister... the impression of her personality is arrogant, haughty, and disrespectful. In any case, she has absolute confidence in her combat abilities. Of course, she probably has the skills to back it up, but..."

──This leads to arrogance.

The muttered remark he added at the end, heard over his shoulder by Johan, brought a slight smile to his lips.

「──Shall I investigate from the sky?」

「──Please do. Oh, and...」

After returning a nod to Dorothy, who offered to scout, she continued to gaze at the unit's staff in silence.

Moore sensed that she was sending individual communications and noticed Isabel's cheeks lightly reddening as his narrowed dark brown eyes turned in her direction.

「──Well then, I'll be off.」

The mechanized wings attached to her back unfolded widely, and without any preliminary movements, she floated into the air──

「...She's fast.」

In an instant, her figure disappeared into the sky.

As particles of sand, stirred up by the rising shadow of the desolate land, covered the area, he clenched the cigarette in his mouth and lit the oil lighter.──

「... This can't be the sound of Isabel coming back, right...?」

──The atmosphere began to tremble.

「... Please, don't let it be a landslide...」

「... Anis, rest assured. The ground isn't shaking.」

「Thank you, Commander. Still, I can't feel completely at ease.」

His fingertips, enveloped in purple smoke, released the safety of the assault rifle. Anis, acknowledging it, also disengaged the safety of the grenade launcher she carried.

〈──Codename Nihilister, approaching from above at super high speed! Less than 10 seconds until engagement!〉

「No slow-flight or wing missile launch.」

They were underestimated. It seemed like she would confront them head-on.

Sensing that, Moore looked up to the sky──and the pure white clouds split in two.

In the gap of the split clouds, there was a fireball, or perhaps a meteor. In any case, something burning through the atmosphere and descending.

As it landed on the ground── and right at the nose of the group, a blast swept through the surroundings.

Dust and sand swirled around, and an unrelenting blast assaulted the skin. Amidst the swirling dust, there was a looming giant figure in motion.

Brushing aside sand particles, the colossal figure seemed to take a step forward. The ground shook with a rumble.

A dragon──a mechanical, gigantic dragon. A mechanized dragon with a red and black exterior towered before them.

「──Nihilister. The vanguard of the Queen. An ancient relic that should have decayed long ago...!」

「...You have many names. Can't you settle on just one?」

[──Ah, I completely agree.]

A slightly hoarse, low voice that agreed with Moore's sarcastic remarks, responding to Johan's hostile tone. It wasn't the voice of Inhert, the Special Forces, or Papillon.

As Moore wondered who it could be, the fire dragon in front of him gradually diminished in size.

Soon, the figure became human-sized, and a Heretic with burning red hair appeared.

Ignoring various laws of physics, the scene was surreal, but there was no point in worrying about it now.

「──Insects from the paradise. Did you dare provoke me?」

The menacing crimson eyes shone like burning flames, and the Heretic surveyed everyone with a sharp gaze.

「Seems like you really want to turn into ashes! I'll grant that wish!」

〈──Nihilister's core output rapidly increasing! Evacuate!〉

Transforming back into a fire dragon based on the lessons from previous battles, it would unleash an attack reminiscent of dragon breath hot enough to melt upon contact, even with just a graze.

Noticing this, Johan and the others from Inhert began their evacuation, and Moore also instructed the Special Forces and Papillon to take cover.

「...Huh?」

Heretic's gaze caught Moore. Although she perceived him as an attack target, the crimson eyes squinted in a puzzled manner.

Transformation for an attack didn't begin──Johan, Inherit, and others stopped when they experienced an unfamiliar development. A bewildered voice from Cecil reached them through communication.

〈──Nihilista's core output is decreasing... Why...?〉

「──Moore...!!」

Nihilister's figure disappeared──no, it moved at high speed, and Johan raised his voice.

In response to the cautious sound, Moore also reacted, glancing sideways. He tightly gripped the assault rifle he carried.

Pausing but forcefully planting one leg, at the moment he slammed the butt of the assault rifle into the nonexistent space──

「──Heeh? You've got a good reaction. And the strength too... Are you really human?」

A figure appeared, effortlessly catching the blow with one hand. Needless to say, it was Nihilister.

Having caught the blow, Nihilister deftly manipulated the sharp, black tail and aimed for his abdomen.

At a speed that seemed unstoppable, just as it was about to embed itself into his body armor, he released one hand from the grip of the assault rifle and drew the fighting knife he carried.

The black-bladed tip caught the tail's end, demonstrating a last-minute interception.

「...Is that knife made of titanium? Quite sturdy. It won't break.」

「...It can cut off Nikke's arm.」

「And, I suppose you cut off your own legs too, right? I heard the story.」

With a creaking and dull sound, the knife and tail, the assault rifle and the arm that resembled solidified lava, clashed against each other. In the midst of this, crimson and brown eyes crossed paths.

「Do you remember the talking Rapture? The one called Chatter--something.」

「...The talking bastard? I killed him... What about it?」

「What about it? Well, he was someone I valued quite a bit. You killed him, though.」

「...I won;t apologize. It's the nature of the battlefield. I hope you understand.」

Taking Moore's earnest response for a moment, the Heretic soon revealed a momentarily bewildered expression and then burst into laughter, reminiscent of mocking amusement.

「Hahaha!! You're interesting!!」

Seemingly satisfied after a brief laughter, the Heretic shrugged lightly.

「──If you were expecting a boring revenge story, sorry to disappoint. I'm not the type to be sentimental. Well, it might be lucky for you, though.」

「That's right. I'm feeling the luck amidst the misfortune, Miss.」

The self-proclaimed Miss──Heretic looked up at Moore, who was labeled as such, and once again displayed a momentary look of bewilderment.

Subsequently, she emitted a more restrained laughter than before, and unexpectedly releasing the force that had been resisting, took a step back.

「──Before we start, let's talk about something mutually beneficial. Actually, you know, before Chatterbox died, he told me something incredibly interesting.」

The sharp tail, hidden behind Nihilister's back, and the crimson eyes fixed upon Moore. Capturing a restless sensation as the gaze crawled all over his body, a deep vertical wrinkle of displeasure formed on Moore's forehead.

「──He said that if I catch you and peel you open, there should be something I desire inside.」

「...What are you talking about? Unfortunately, there's nothing inside me except for some organs.」

Recalling the scene in the snowy field where he spoke about trying out anatomical knowledge on a test subject, Moore couldn't help but think of some peculiar hobbies.

「──Secrets are most interesting when even the person harboring them doesn't know. I've been looking forward to the day I could meet you since I heard that story from him.」

「...I didn't know I was eagerly anticipated by a beauty...」

Feeling strangely unfazed, Moore, even in the worst situation, maintained a composed attitude. While considering the situation, he casually spat out the cigarette he hadn't been able to enjoy──

「──Hey, what exactly is inside that body of yours? The remnants of the Kratos Project, what's inside you?」

「──Ugh...!!?」

As soon as a low, hoarse voice of a woman hit his ears, an unbearable headache tormented him, and his knees buckled, nearly causing him to collapse.

──No way..!

At the same time, Nikke, with her sakura-colored long hair, widened her amethyst eyes to the fullest.

-----

Author: By the way, speaking of the next event, it's a hot spring... Moreover, with Ludmila-sama, armed with garter belts and stockings, showcasing her voluptuous legs, and the cute Mika!?

...Leaving that aside, Lieutenant Moore, you seem like you'd look good in a yukata. And a hot spring suits you strangely well. It's more like a medical treatment, isn't it? (What's happening? Why the sudden...)