390 – S8. The Prince, the Mechanic, and the Magical Girl

They flew over the countless masses.

“It’s the sky! They’re in the sky!”

“Catch them!”

“How am I supposed to catch them?!”

Their rage and shouts couldn’t reach the heavens. Their hearts were overflowing with love, so how could even brainwashing-induced false emotions intrude?

Irid and Centra arced through the air, soaring to the roof of the Capital Knights Order’s headquarters. Thwack. Centra, nimble as a panther, landed lightly.

Centra asked, a slightly flushed expression on her face.

“Where should we go in now? The chimney?”

“The chimney has traps laid out, so it’s dangerous. We’ll use the secret passage. Three steps from the left corner, five steps, here.”

Thump.

Irid stomped hard on the tile where the hidden mechanism was located. But nothing happened.

It was a switch for the Capital Knights Order’s exclusive secret passage, designed to be activated only by the weight of someone wearing power armor, so ordinary pressure wouldn’t work.

“…”

“Excuse me, Irid!”

“…Please do.”

Swoosh, thwack.

Centra leaped, holding Irid, landing with the force of two people’s weight precisely on one foot. Click, the switch was pressed.

Whirr. A section of the roof rotated and slid down. They had successfully entered the building.

* * *

Thunk.

The(Capital Knights) underground, a clandestine facility. Irid laid down the defunct communication device.

“…The network is, as expected, inoperable. Signals can’t reach either the Azure Tower or the Crimson Tower. But, the ‘Reinforcements’ have already arrived, haven’t they, Centra?”

“That’s right, Irid. Everyone has been summoned somewhere within Crown Hall, and they’re communicating with each other in real-time. Originally, they were supposed to be summoned right beside the people they’re connected to, but…”

The Black Dragon’s interference had slightly skewed the summoning locations. The NPCs were a bit off from where they were needed, wandering about in misplaced locations.

With the stars scattered hither and thither, only an empty darkness fills the spaces between.

“In that case, we’ll change our mission to operational support. We’ll gather all the useful equipment here, then relocate and deploy the ‘Reinforcements’ to their proper positions.”

“Looks like the grappling hook gun will be busy again today!”

And so, Irid Crown decided to become the bridge. To connect star to star with a line, creating a constellation. To get the needed manpower to the needed location.

Then what items should they gather? Several things flashed through Irid’s mind. First, the Stellaria engine prototype and repair tools.

Gordius had moved out to reactivate the Meteor, but there was still no sign of it becoming operational. If that behemoth had moved, they would’ve seen it from afar. So she surmised that something had likely gone wrong.

Besides that, the tools to take would be…

A-2 Sector.

The place where the ‘Overclocked Armor’ was stored.

Beep. Wrrrriirr.

The metal door split open, revealing a power armor painted pitch black. An artifact of sorts, imbued with the combat-assist functions of a crazed mage.

A power armor that pushed hardware and software performance to its absolute limit—originally planned as a command unit, but it was relegated to storage due to defects.

The combat-assistance was so intense that it overwhelmed anyone who wore it, causing the system to malfunction under the sheer amount of information.

Clank-clank. Upon entering the command, the power armor shrunk and reassembled itself into the size of a single bag. Irid lifted it up.

“If we can get this working, our combat power will increase significantly. Are there any among the ‘Reinforcements’ with exceptional processing power?”

“I don’t know about processing power… but there’s someone who can handle a mechanical body better than anyone else.”

“Good. Now, let’s move out… hmm?”

As she was about to exit the facility, a brand-new grappling hook gun on the shelf caught Irid’s eye. Why was this here?

Then, she understood.

In the past, during an inspection, she had suggested using a grappling hook gun instead of the power armor’s boosters, only to be told by Gordius that ‘rope guns are relics of a bygone era.’

Apparently, her slightly upset feelings had shown on her face. Seeing that, he must have prepared one as a form of appeasement, thinking, ‘The Prince must really like grappling hook guns.’

Regardless of the cause, it was fortuitous in this situation. Irid smirked and picked up the grappling hook gun. She had learned how to use it when she saved Centra, after all.

Centra covered her mouth with one hand and asked,

“…You’re smiling, Irid?”

“Hmm. Today will surely be a busy and arduous day, but… as long as I’m with you, I think I’ll remember it as a happy one. That’s why I keep smiling. Do you dislike a man who acts like this in a serious situation?”

“Oh, heavens no. I’m truly happy we feel the same way. I could prove it. If you put your ear to my chest, you’d definitely hear my heart thumping.”

“Perhaps… we should confirm that after work is done.”

…So that’s what he meant!

Honestly, he’s such a tease. Sentra playfully bumped Irid’s chest. An irrepressible smile escaped her lips.

And then.

*Whoosh-! Click!*

A pair of grappling hooks fired simultaneously and secured themselves. And a pair of shadows soared side-by-side across the sky of Crown Hall, beginning to return the city’s fallen stars to their rightful places.

—

*Bang!*

Gordius slammed his fist against the panel inside the cockpit. He had tried various approaches, but the *Meteor* showed no signs of budging. There was a limit to what he could do with his bare hands.

Materials, parts, tools – he lacked everything.

More than anything.

“Damn it, time…!”

He lacked time. Every minute, every second was precious. Even as he was stuck here, people were in danger, and the *Black Dragon*, the progenitor of the Great Fiends, would continue to expand its grasp.

And that wasn’t all.

*Beep-! Beep-!*

The main system warned that a foreign substance had entered the machine. And that substance was squirming, creeping towards the cockpit. It was a demon.

The *Meteor* had crushed and destroyed demons using its massive size, but in the chaos, a few demons must have survived by wedging themselves into the machine’s crevices.

If the engine were running, he could concentrate mana and power within the machine to burn them away, but right now… it was impossible. It was dead.

Anxiety and trepidation.

Gordius’s back was already soaked with cold sweat.

He had to make a decision. He didn’t have multiple bodies. If a battle with a demon broke out in the cramped cockpit, Gordius would likely die. Close-quarters combat was poison to a mage.

So, to save his life, he would have to leave the cockpit and fight the demons. But if he did, he would inevitably waste time.

Time. Time. Time!

“…………”

The choice of what to do was obvious.

Gordius forgot about the demons. And he busied his hands, starting the work to restart the *Meteor*. The demons that had invaded? No, forget them. Forget them.

*Meteor Unit 1* had failed because it was short just one week. He couldn’t repeat that mistake. He would protect. He would safeguard. Move. Empty your head and move your hands.

Even if you’re afraid and nervous, don’t stop your hands!

Thud.

Over Gordius’ trembling hand, the researcher’s pristine white hand descended.

“You connected it wrong, Goldie. Still weak in science, I see. Slacked off on your review?”

“⋯⋯⋯⋯?”

Gordius, time and all else be damned, whirled around. There stood Doctor Woo Chaerin, clad in a lab coat, adjusting her glasses with an array of tools in hand.

“⋯⋯Chaerin!”

“You hated it when I went kamikaze. Why try to do it yourself, I wonder. Though, this time there won’t be any lack of time. No need to rewind. Because…”

“⋯⋯A competent scientist is here to help. Is that it?”

“Ah-nyo. Because we have a genius scientist *and* a genius magician, the two of us. That’s why.”

And between them, a young girl’s voice chimed in.

“Why leave me out? Genius pilot Kim Yoonseo is here too. Honestly, when you’re blinded by love, you can’t see what’s around you.”

“⋯⋯Yoonseo?”

“Leave the machine’s piloting to me this time. You two focus on repairs. As for any intruders who get inside the machine…Uncle Joseph went with his rifle.”

“Even Joseph⋯⋯? No, I don’t think a rifle will work on a demon.”

Thus, the core members of 『Stellaria』, the group formed to defeat the Great Monster, were reunited.

With double the manpower, there was no longer a need to rush. The various parts transported via Irid made swift action possible, and Gordius and Doctor Woo Chaerin worked with more than double the synergy, rapidly increasing the progress.

And finally. Flash, and then—

『Meteor』 opened its eyes once more.

—

How cruel destiny could be.

Born with a disability. Brought to a point of no return by a random accident. Trivial misunderstandings crumble relationships. Crossed paths lead to death.

There’s nothing humanity can do. The sense of helplessness is impossibly deep, and because there is no target to express anger towards, it’s empty.

In other words.

“Because you can’t avoid it, because you can’t stop it, that’s why it’s called 『Destiny』.”

The First Prince waved his hand dismissively.

“⋯⋯It’s coming! Something is com—⋯⋯Magic?!”

The mana in the atmosphere, by chance, took on the shape of a magic circle, and activated, piercing through the slim possibility. The result was a fiery spear launched from the void.

“『Mana Solidification』!”

Roderus tried to freeze the fire spear and cut it down, but the moment the power of Winged Transformation left his body and was exercised into the atmosphere – it was altered. Mana Solidification solidified and strengthened the core of the fire spear.

It was the opposite effect of what he had intended.

“Hiss!”

*Swish.*

Kim Ruru swung her arm, crushing the flame lance. That brief exchange was enough; everyone but Ruru understood, simultaneously. The First Prince’s manipulation of fate was strong enough to instantly alter magic that had left the ‘body’s exterior’.

“『Seng-hyeop-geo: Oppressive Moon』.”

*Creeeaaak.*

Cisel activated his euphemism to solidify his theory into certainty. Intensifying the greatsword’s weight, distorting space. So far, so good.

But the moment he swung it, leaving a fissure in the space before him—

*Crack, crack! Whooosh!*

The gravity of the Seng-hyeop-geo instead began pulling the four of them in. Cisel repeatedly swung the greatsword, desperately trying to collapse the fissure.

That meant, precisely.

“It seems 『Fate Manipulation』 doesn’t reach *inside* the body. It acts instantaneously on magic that extends *outside* of it. I can’t say for sure about weaponry though.”

“So, projectile attacks or anything fired, that separates from the extremities, is counterproductive?”

“In that case, for safety, we should fight empty-handed. Infuse magic into our arms and legs, and carefully control its flow.”

“……..”

For all intents and purposes, it was an euphemism sealing. Because Roderus’s 『Magic Hardening』 and Elaine’s 『Expectation』, were both based on exerting their abilities within a limited range.

Cisel’s most potent attack, the spatial tear caused by amplified weight, was also blocked. The warped space would instead try to devour their allies.

But with this structure, there was one person who could unleash their full power without restriction.

“….Ah! I figured it out, Dae-soo! It seems like we can block that guy’s ability by keeping the magic close!”

“Back-seat driver, but you’re right on the money. I trust you, Kim Ruru!”

“Here I come, 『Tingling Fist of Justice』!”

*Krrrrumble–!*

Thunder roared. The 『Stellaria』 engine built into her power armor rapidly spun, converting Kim Ruru’s magic into raw power.

*Fizz, fizz-fizz!*

She resembled a thunder god, or a golem forged of light. A fist packed with immense power swung toward the First Prince.

Then.

*Shhhwshshshshshsh–!*

The very structure of the Painting Palace stirred to life. Black dragon scales sprouted densely from the floor tiles, and the ground surged upward, forming layers of shields.

*Kkoong–!!*

A sound like a struck bell echoed. Three layers were shattered, but one remained. It was blocked.

“Damn it, blocked!”

“Yes! It’s working! Kim Ruru as the main assault, supported by the rest. Each step, each strike, deliberate!”

“Ooh!”

“Hmm…?”

The First Prince, finger tracing his lip, tilted his head. The reality differed considerably from the data he possessed.

It was written that Ruru, Captain of the Capital Knights, lacked finesse in controlling her mana. That her only means of attack was the crude release of raw power, thus making her power susceptible to being exploited with *’Fate Manipulation’…* or so he thought.

Though not exceptionally refined, it possessed a certain… elegance.

Roderus Redburn, too, was an anomaly. He was supposed to be male, yet he presented as a woman. Furthermore, instead of a broad *’Mana Hardening’* field, his Ascendance had mutated into a form that amplified his own combat abilities.

Ciel, likewise.

Her Ascendance consumed her life force. A few exchanges, an attack on her spirit, and she’d be easily neutralized… but now… she didn’t seem to bear that burden.

Why this discrepancy in information?

It was as if they had undergone training in some unknown otherworld.

“But… nothing changes. Humans are more fragile than they realize. The ways to die are staggeringly numerous….”

*Kuuung──!!*

The First Prince flicked his fingers downward. An oppressive pressure, almost unbearable, crushed down on the four.

*Shrng, Shrng.*

Weaponry that adorned the walls detached and floated in the air, then hurtled forward. Targeting vital spots – neck, head – with terrifying speed.

*Kurrrruurrrung──!*

Simultaneously, jagged spikes erupted from the walls, slowly closing in. Leaving no room to evade, destined to be crushed to death.

“I’ll intercept the projectiles!”

“I’ll breach the wall! *’Zzip Zzip Fist’* again!”

Ciel deflected the incoming weaponry, and Kim Ruru channeled every ounce of her mana into her fist, launching a straight punch at the wall.

*Chalkchakchalkchak-!*

*Kukung──!!*

“Huh? It won’t break?!”

The wall rippled violently, but only sustained a slight dent.

Something’s wrong. A sense of unease washed over the minds of the three excluding Kim Ruru. A monster who reached Ascendance, couldn’t take down even one building with her most serious punch?

The Palace of Painting possessed an unnerving resilience, and seemed to move as if alive. This condition alone worsened the situation dramatically.

If they unleashed overwhelming destructive power to breach the Palace of Painting, it might be seized by his authority, causing friendly fire.

But if they restrained their strength, they couldn’t pierce the Palace of Painting, shielded by the Evil God’s power. They would be crushed to death eventually.

There was something. Something they needed to discern from this unease. Before they were cornered even further!

The First Prince spoke.

“Don’t bother resisting. This is ‘Fate.’ That impossible, maddening unfairness. Its endpoint is ultimately surrender.”

“I’ll sooner rot. A magical girl *never* gives up, you dolt!”

“Yeah. Somewhere, there’s gotta be a weakness. We can break through!”

“What kind of singer puts down the mic before the show’s even over?”

But. The flame of defiance refused to be extinguished.

A crisis. Even if they survived the First Prince’s game, the Black Dragon wouldn’t simply retreat. Cross one mountain and another, steeper one appeared. Perhaps endlessly.

And yet, why couldn’t they abandon hope? The First Prince, genuinely curious, inquired.

“…You’re not giving up?”

Elaine responded to him.

“No. We have *expectations* for the future. I mean, we have to watch our little sister transform the Empire into something wonderful– how could we give up on that?”

“…”

“Back in the day, I thought we *had* to. But it’s a little different now. I think we *want* to. Now, we live looking up, not down.”

“I see…”

Then, confined within a living, breathing Painting Palace, wedged against a wall, utterly unable to move, slowly drying up to death, he would see if they could sing of hope instead of begging for death.

His face twisted into a hideous mask of wickedness, the First Prince brought his hand down in a sharp, vertical gesture.

*KWAH-AH-AH-AH-AHH!!* *CRACK, CRUNCH–!!*

The roof of the ‘Painting Palace’ was ripped away. The upper part of the building cleanly crumbled and flew away, taken out by the arm of the giant robot.

Light streamed in from the heavens. And above it, the silhouette of a person flickered. Clothing in shades of yellow and fluttering frills, and a sparkling magical wand to boot.

Against the backdrop of the towering, solemn giant robot ‘Meteor.’

The magical girl shouted at the top of her lungs.

“I heard there was a villain harassing people, so I’ve arrived. A radiant light to save everyone– ‘Pure Light’!”

“…Oh Hyein!”

“Hyein! Smash it! You came to save us?!”

She nodded her head with fierce determination.

“Yep! I came to save you! We’re gonna wrap this up quickly, and then– we’re all going to eat crepes together!”

“Ooh! Gotta go-!!”

“I appreciate the sentiment, but stop chattering and focus, you idiots!”

The magical girl trio, reformed in another world-!