As soon as I stepped outside the ship, the endless sounds of gunfire and explosions filled my ears.
I heard that the RABBIT Squad could hold out here for several hours, maybe even a day, just with the supplies they brought.
But thanks to Neru, who temporarily supplied ammunition, this wasn’t a big deal for me. Still, it was definitely good news that the defensive line formed around Utnapishtim’s Ship wouldn’t be collapsing due to supply issues.
However, it’s a bit hard to say that the situation was relaxed. Miyako, who usually treated me like a senior, cast a sideways glance at the infiltration squad and quickly turned her gaze back to the battlefield, looking quite tense.
However, it was impossible for me to extend a helping hand here. Protecting the ship was crucial, but what was even more important was the mission given to the infiltration squad.
As Wakamo moved to join us upon confirming our departure, I examined the exterior of the ship carefully.
Remarkably, for having crashed directly into the Ark, the condition was surprisingly good. It wasn’t pristine, but it also didn’t look severely damaged.
With that state, couldn’t the engineering team handle it somehow?
On one side, Serika and Shiroko teamed up to fend off the advancing Nameless Guardians. On the other, Hoshino was maneuvering around the battlefield wielding a shield and shotgun, while Amy filled in the gaps, making her presence felt.
Having taken in the sight of the RABBIT Squad shifting formations to fill Wakamo’s absence, I harbored doubts about whether it was right to pull her out of here.
This doesn’t look good without Wakamo around, does it?
This is not just a situation where the enemies are coming from one or two directions; it’s a life-or-death defense game where we have to fend off enemies coming from all sides, even dropping from the ceiling. The target we need to protect is a spaceship that measures over 100 meters long, and of course, it is a prime target for the enemy.
Ordinary attacks wouldn’t even leave a scratch on Utnapishtim’s Ship, but the enemies were Nameless Guardians, created based on the techniques of the Nameless Priests. They weren’t the kind of opponents we could let our guard down against.
That’s why I made a judgment on my own. It was the defense team, not the infiltration squad, that truly needed Wakamo.
“Mika, I have something to say…”
And as if Wakamo noticed this fact too, she approached me just as I was about to say something.
“Ah, yeah. I think it would be great if Wakamo-chan could support the defense team like this. Would that be okay…?”
I hesitated, glancing at Wakamo for her reaction.
Although I hadn’t heard her answer yet, I knew from the start that she would agree. Leaving aside everything else, just the fact that I asked would be enough for her to follow through.
Because of that, I had to be extra careful with this request. Such relationships could easily evolve into one party using the other for their own benefit.
“Yeah, I was just thinking the same thing. The battlefield is too vast for such a small number of us to handle… If I were to drop out, the burden on everyone else would just increase too much.”
Anyway, Wakamo agreed to my suggestion without hesitation. Seeing her give up the chance to stay by my side without a second thought made my body act on its own.
“Uh…?!”
“…Fufu. This is a gift from me to cheer you on and keep you unhurt. So, go wild like earlier. Make sure to protect the Teacher well too.”
“Hehe, uhu… Ah, with how I am right now, I feel like I can crush any enemy with ease. I’ve received your gift, Mika.”
Wow, this buff effect is amazing! Can a kiss have such good value?
After receiving the buff, as Wakamo began to charge ahead with all her might, I decided to put my initial words back in my mouth. It was just something to say after the job was done.
Somehow the strength of the infiltration squad had decreased, but that was okay. The lineup of the infiltration squad didn’t include Aabi Eshuh in the first place.
If Aabi Eshuh showed her true power, wouldn’t it be overkill to include Wakamo in the infiltration squad as well?
Still, with the Teacher’s command added to the mix, the defense team wouldn’t lack in firepower.
“Hey, Mika. If you keep dawdling, we’re leaving you behind.”
“Neru-chan, how about we try to grow our patience a little? I mean, how much have I really dawdled—”
“Ha, is that what you’re going to say after creating chaos with Rion? And what was so good about hitting yourself in the back of the head…”
“…Sorry, let’s hurry.”
It was only natural that Wakamo could be understood, but that I, who was caring for Rion in the tense situation, wouldn’t be viewed very kindly. However, calling Rion out for hitting me in the back of the head is somewhat misleading.
I allowed it on purpose, so it’s basically a frontal assault. Strictly speaking, it’s not so different from petty squabbles you have with friends.
Regardless, I decided not to mention this to Neru. The response I would get back wouldn’t be very good anyway.
Leading the group, I held my firearm in one hand and scanned the enemies in the direction we needed to break through.
Three giant Nameless Guardians resembling scorpions. There were slimy, grotesque Nameless Guardians drifting through the air, and dozens of bipedal ones.
To be honest, they looked incredibly weak.
“No stragglers! Keep up!”
With our current party consisting of Neru, the strongest of Millennium, and Toki, who had become the best due to her gear, only a Decagramaton-level prophet would be enough to block our way.
There was no need to draw the stars with Shinpi. I’d save that for emergencies and charge forward with just the firearm in my hand.
Cover? The wreckage of the Nameless Guardians that the defense team had smashed would be more than enough.
The breakthrough happened instantaneously.
As I pierced through the enemy lines like a spear, Neru and Toki followed behind, making chaos on both sides. Support fire provided by the RABBIT Squad was also quite helpful.
“Woohoo~! I feel so light today…!”
A swimmingly acrobatic Asuna leaped across the Nameless Guardians, looking truly light on her feet as she moved.
Karin’s shots accurately targeted the attacking Nameless Guardians and took them down, while Akane and the Game Development Club pitched in with their own efforts.
They tried, at least.
…It would be a lie to say they were of great help, so I won’t bother to mention that.
After escaping the area where the ship had crash-landed, we stepped into a long corridor. A space that vaguely reminded me of Divi:Sion’s military factory in Abydos brought an ominous feeling.
And soon that feeling became reality, crashing down upon us.
Nameless Guardians began pouring down from the ceiling.
I didn’t know if it was because Eridu had transformed into an Ark, taking on the functions of a military factory, but the number of Nameless Guardians far exceeded our estimates.
However, to succumb to sheer numbers is just a waste of the infiltration squad’s talent.
“Now I’m finally getting to the real fun! Hey, Houbae. Shall we place another bet?”
“With me on board Aabi Eshuh, the probability of you winning, Neru-senpai, converges to zero.”
“Shut up, are we doing it or not?”
As Neru brought up the bet, Toki who seemed to be hesitant for a moment, vanished from the spot.
“Three.”
Suddenly reappearing among the crowd of enemies, Toki swiftly smashed through three Nameless Guardians while counting.
“Hey, you! That’s sneaky!”
“The world of competition is unforgiving, senpai. This is the mindset necessary for a perfect agent and maid…”
“Come on, come on! It’s not over yet, what are you rambling on about?!”
As Neru unleashed a barrage of bullets, the Nameless Guardians in front of her were sliced down like straw dolls. Watching the Certified Agent and her senior go wild in this manner, a smile slipped unintentionally onto my lips.
Hmm. With those two rampaging like that, maybe I should conserve some energy myself…?
I’d like to avoid wearing myself out fighting small fries unnecessarily.
But then seeing the endless supply of Nameless Guardians from the ceiling, I began to doubt whether this tactic had any meaning.
Well, it makes sense that even if I want to conserve strength, there’s no way those small fries would let us be at peace.
*
“…”
In the heart of the Ark, Princess Aris, or rather, Key, frowned as she sat in a space reminiscent of a royal throne.
“Princess. Do you know what the intruders who stepped onto the Ark are trying to do right now?”
A momentary hesitation flickered in her vividly glowing red eyes.
“Princess, I tried to intercept them before they could board the Ark for your sake. They may be trivial compared to our own, but they were foes we could have easily repelled with the weapons on hand. But…”
Why did you stop him?
Key asked this into the air. It wasn’t really a question she expected a reply to.
The only one who could answer was Aris, who, at that moment, was sinking into a deep unconsciousness.
The cruise missile fired by Key should have struck the Utnapishtim’s Ship directly. No matter how they maneuvered to avoid it, that shouldn’t have mattered.
But there was an interference. Because of Aris’s unconscious influence, the missile veered away from the Utnapishtim’s Ship.
“Princess. The OOPATS they came on is a super-ark class weapon created by our enemies from the past to counter us. Whether they know how to use it, I do not know. But one thing is certain.”
You have done something incredibly reckless that calls for your own death.
Princess, what should I do now?
As your maid, the only thing I can do before our arch-enemies… is this pitiful struggle.
