Chapter Four.
G-3 was walking on top of the sea once more. Beneath his feet… As I drew closer, I finally understood.
Some kind of bridge, transparent like glass, was laid across the waves. It seemed like an optical illusion to the eye, but the bridge was real and tangible.
I began to cross it. Taking a few steps forward, I felt the ground beneath my feet change and found it quite stable.
This is almost like the deck… of an invisible ship?… that I found my self standing on.
「Oi, Kinji. That’s ‘Hysteria King Mode’… It comes from entering ‘Berserker mode’ many times.」
Turning around towards me, G-3 announced in a low voice.
King?
「From our observations, it’s similar to a situation where male animals form a herd with a lot of females. ‘King’s HSS’… It manifests when the male’s women are destroyed.」
「…That’s why you did it! The same thing. Twice.」
It was only the Baskerville girls that were attacked a few days ago at the Shinagawa Geofront… and then here again today. In both cases he hurt girls I had a relationship with, one after the other.
That’s why he did this
「That’s right Kinji! This was all for your benefit! Ha ha ha!」
Pointing to the mainland that had been turned into a war-zone, G-3 was sneering at me. Caught up in this provocation, I wanted to attack immediately but… I didn’t.
The increased blood flow of Hysteria Mode was coursing through my head, but…
G-3’s attack on Kaname just now…
I couldn’t even guess his real motive.
G-3 is hiding something. A lot of things. But I’ll let someone else figure it out later. Everything he’s done so far has been a lie, anyway.
「Historically, it’s been assumed that this is the strongest form of HSS. However, the exact details are vague, and I don’t fully understand them. According to our estimates from the US Army, the acceleration of the central nervous system activity is about… 30 times 1.2, so that would be about 36 times, right?」
Craning his head, G-3 turned to look at me. Something about his words are strange. If their numbers are accurate, that would mean ‘Beserker’ is actually stronger. Interrupting my calculations…
「Please stop, Third-sama.」
After a slight buzzing noise, the figure of a person wearing something like a raincoat materialised next to G-3.
There wasn’t anyone there a moment ago, and he filled the empty space suddenly. And not just him. Around us, a group of two… plus three more people wearing the same kind of coat now were standing there. I was surrounded before I knew what had happened! Checking his surroundings first, G-3 quipped:
「Hey, Kinji. That isn’t the first time you’ve seen ‘Photo-refractive Camouflage’1, is it? The Galleon also uses it.」
With a loud *thunk*, he stomped on the invisible deck of the ship.
「The day is unpropitious. To join battle with that kind of strange man is something we should not do.」
Beside G-3, the speaker removed what looked like a hood. A young boy, or maybe it was a beautiful young girl–I couldn’t tell which– spoke.
Ah…
On his head, like Tamamo… he had a pair of pointed Kitsune ears . Although I don’t know a lot about non-humans, it seems that G-3 has an ally of the same race as Tamamo.
「Superstitious as ever, eh, Tsukumo?」
Apparently his name was ‘Tsukumo’, and patting him on the head, G-3 said…
「All of you, get back to the Yokosuka base. Be on 24-hour alert.」
He gave his orders to the people surrounding us. The group surrounding us were… a motley crew–to say the least.
There was a white-haired man with surgical scars on his head and neck.
With a bullet scar on his cheek, filling the role of strongman, was burly Caucasian man stood over two meters tall.
With bandages wrapped around his head, covering almost half his face– a tall, thin dark-skinned man.
With mismatching eye colours, a silver-haired young girl.
And the man who drove us in a Hummer from the Shinagawa Geofront to Butei High the other day, the old man Angus is also here.
So they’re all under G-3’s command, huh?
All of them… are radiating an aura that tells me that these are no ordinary people. Although not G-3’s level, each of them probably possess a considerable amount of battle power. Except the girl and old Angus, of course.
「You musn’t! You musn’t!!!」
Apparently worried about G-3 , Tsukumo desperately pleaded.
「I’m going to put Kinji to the test. Didn’t we already go over this? Man up, Tsukumo!」
「I am a woman!」
With a sigh, Tsukumo shook her bristling chestnut-brown hair, and following…
「But in the unlikely event that you were hurt…」
「There is no need for you to stoop to perform such a task… 」
「Allow me do it…」
G-3’s underlings clamoured.
「Hey, you lot! Are you insinuating that I might lose?!」
A razor-sharp glint in his eye, G-3 roared with an eardrum splitting roar. Hearing his voice…
*Whoosh*
In unison, all of his subordinates, in that instant, hurriedly snapped to attention. Even Tsukumo, who was panicking just moment ago stood with her hand in salute. This concern for G-3, and their response to his leadership that I witnessed… It seems that all of those under his command are extremely loyal to him.
And as I maintained a constant state of vigilance…
They all saluted G-3 and crossed the deck in order disembark to the mainland. Last of all, Tsukumo stubbornly remained, and turning her tail towards me… departed. Now, only G-3 and I are standing here.
「Book of Sirach, chapter 42, verse 19: “He declareth the things that are past, and for-to come, and revealeth the steps of hidden things.”2 I don’t want either of you to have any regrets. For your own sakes.」
Hearing Kana’s voice from on top of the crane, I turned to look that way but when I turned to look that way… she was gone. Although I didn’t grasp the full meaning of her words, but apparently she didn’t really intend to help anyone.
It doesn’t matter.
Don’t let anyone else interfere. I’ll defeat him myself.
「Come, Kinji.」
G-3 turned his back toward me and fiddled with something near his feet as he kicked if. A manhole access appeared nearby, leading inside… and inside a ladder protruded from the opening, going down beneath the water’s surface.
You want me to ‘come’? Inside this vehicle…
That’s fine. He wants to get me alone and then work me over. That way there will be greater psychological damage.
I followed him through the hole in the illusion, and after entering the ship began to rumble and started moving. My HSS kicked in, and I understand the situation. From the inertia I could tell that we weren’t moving forward, back, left, or right… Up?
Since he had already closed the entry hatch and there wasn’t a window, I couldn’t check visually, but… We are definitely rising. Not soundlessly, but very quietly.
So it’s a seaplane…
And it’s also a VTOL (Vertical Take-off and Landing). They had landed between the Thermal Power Station and the natural gas tanker… probably because they were stealing fuel.
The long hallway inside the plane was lit by LEDs. It is a large vehicle. From the sound of water passing underneath the body of the plane… it is about 20 metres long and upwards of 50 metres wide.
Its profile… is a ‘flying wing‘.
It is shaped like a giant boomerang, utilising only the main wing to fly. A giant version of Nazi Germany’s Horten Ho229… No… something else…
Rather the American B-2 Spirit bomber. Fitting every definition of the word ‘stealth plane’, this plane and the B-2 are as alike as two peas in a pod. As I combat-loaded3 the bullets I had been carrying…
「So this is one of the US military’s toys.」
I said, probing. And..
「It’s a next-gen stealth aircraft prototype. Its code-name is ‘Galleon’— the most undetectable aircraft in the world. Although, because of the production costs it can’t be mass produced. Ah, relax. No pilot or anyone else that could interfere is aboard. We’re flying a pre-selected path on autopilot.」
G-3 replied calmly, as if he were chatting with a friend.
‘Galleon’.
This… is not the first time that I have heard that name. At the Shinagawa Geofront G-3’s subordinate, the old man Angus, mentioned it.
「It’s incredibly quiet for a VTOL!」
「How many times are you going to be surprised seeing the same thing! Just like P-FIBER, this aircraft uses a ‘Dean drive’4.」
P-FIBER.
The same as what Kaname was using– those ‘flying blades’… Those cutting edge scientific weapons spring to mind. Moreover, it possesses optical stealth technology that makes it completely invisible in daylight. I think the fact that it is undetectable by radar goes without saying. Surely, this aircraft is the epitome of Neue Ange.
*******************************************
At that moment…
「We are a little overweight.」
For some reason, saying that out loud so that I could hear, G-3 kicked opened one of the doors inside the plane.
「Yes, we are overweight.」
「Why did you say it twice?」
「Shaddup!」
Inside the room he had just entered… Disorderly piles of banknotes were stacked in plastic bags. Shouting ‘Hey!’, G-3 opened a hatch on the floor. As if it were an air-raid, G-3 scattered the money, throwing it out of the plane.
Looking through the hatch myself, I saw that the Galleon had already risen 50 metres off the ground, and G-3’s anxious followers gazing up as bundles of notes rained down upon them. Then G-3 dropped a box with a picture of of gold ingots, and it hit Tsukumo on the head, knocking her over and causing G-3 to laugh.
「Alright, now we’re light.」
He said aloud again. And while turning his gaze away from where I stood bewildered… he returned to the hall.
Following him into the aircraft bay which originally held the Cluster Bombs, compact B-61 Thermonuclear Warheads, or modified JDAM Bombs, but now it was filled with…
Paintings…?
Realistic religious imagery, Impressionist and Cubist colour oil paintings,; avant-garde contemporary modern art, and many other kinds of art adorned the room. Pierrot Dolls in gaudy clothing and huge speakers scattered here and there throughout the room. It looked like an art gallery… no, like an art gallery and audio room combined.
「What is this place? It’s not an armory; it’s a junk closet!」
「What do you think of this, Kinji. This is a Pablo Picasso.」
And saying that, G-3 hooked his thumb indicating one of the paintings.
And G-3… What this?
The blood-thirst radiating from him had been strong from the beginning… but since we entered this room it’s become stronger.
「Is that… Hysteria Mode?」
I accidentally gasped aloud, and G-3 smiled and laughed .
「Ah, so that’s your name for HSS.」
He hasn’t denied it.
Thinking back to Kaname’s old name–G-4–, that name shows some kind of relation between them, and I vaguely expected that this guy has Hysteria Mode. He’s using it right now.
But… There isn’t a trigger here…?
With that realisation, I searched for a female figure amidst the art, but…
「Not that, Kinji. For a number of reasons in my past, women don’t do anything for me.」
While scratching the back of his head, G-3 said redundantly.
「So, how did you do it?.」
「You know what they say: ‘The brain is like a black box’, right, Kinji?」
G-3 laughed, as with each passing second, the aura of his Hysteria Mode grew stronger.
「The trigger for HSS is β endorphins. There isn’t only one way to produce them.」
*Boom!*
A loud noise echoed through the body of the plane, sending vibrations through the hold–music being blasted at full volume. It was electronically generated music with vocals. It part of the recent musical craze that everyone is listening to. Reki listens to it too; it’s ‘Ibiza Trance’5. Filling the room, the music instantly transformed it into a dance club atmosphere.
「In my case, Kinji. Beauty–being moved by Art causes a rush of β endorphins. Whether an object or sound, until it bores me, I can use it as a trigger.」
I listened… and I couldn’t even smile at G-3 explanation.
Although I have very little interest in such things, a long time ago I read about it on the internet. The reason some men and women go to clubs, art galleries, the cinema, and the like together… Is to use music and the fine arts to enter a mental state of rapture similar to the trance-like ecstasy of sexual arousal.
Is he intentionally using them to induce Hysteria Mode? If I had to say, it has to be some kind of Pictophillia or Agalmatophillia.6
Well, when you limit the context to hysteria talking mode, something kinky like that would be handy in gaining a victory. It certainly gives him a wide degree of freedom broader than Kana or Vlad. With the feeling that he was baring his white teeth like fangs… G-3 pulled out a small box.
「Normally, it would be enough for someone to simply set foot in here, but against you I have to use this trick.」
He pulled a piece of square red paper about 1 cm large from the box, and put it inside his mouth.
「What was that?」
「This is the product of the most cutting-edge technology: Neurotransmitter accelerating cocktail. It would scare you to find out what is in it. Los Alamos stopped using it when they discovered that it could lead to death.」
Radiating from him… his blood-thirst… reaching another level, increased even more.
Vlad, my older brother Kinichi, Sherlock … Compared to Hysteria Mode user I have fought so far, he is perhaps the most formidable enemy. I have the feeling of being locked in the same room as a magical monster.
But my Hysteria Mode is very different also. Using this new King Mode… or “King’s HSS”– whatever you call it–, I will defeat him.
「I think that’s enough talk. Come on up, mate.」
And after saying that, G-3 started up an interior spiral staircase. The stairs led to a small hatch in the ceiling that he opened… leading outside… to the top of the aeroplane.
Apparently G-3 wants to continue the fight on top of the wings, and exiting through the hatch… The sun has set, and the moon shines white through the gaps in the the clouds. As for the weather… there are scattered clouds.
Because of my current state, I can vaguely make out the Galleon’s shape. As I deduced from the sound, is exactly like the B-2 Spirit bomber, but the composite materials are completely different. The surface of the aeroplane is like a ultra high-definition display, and a view of the Tokyo nightscape below us is being displayed as night camouflage.
Photo-refractive Camouflage… able to become all but invisible and copy any colour and pattern.
Looking like some kind of flying chameleon, judging by the pitch and yaw of the aeroplane and what I can see of its ailerons and wings, the Galleon is flying in a gentle arc and we are apparently ascending in order to rise above the clouds. Our current altitude is about 400 meters. We are cruising comfortably, at a speed of approximately 100 km/h.
To develop a large aeroplane that can fly stably at such a low speed– as you’d expect of America! Moreover, it is almost completely silent. I suppose that it’s an aeroplane that differs in traditional flight mechanics, implementing a combination propulsion system that limits the use of jet engines. I don’t see any contrails either. It probably uses a system with some drying chemical, the same way the B-2 does.
Standing near the nose, 20 metres away, G-3…
「This place is large enough, isn’t it?」
Turning towards me, G-3 raised his arms, spreading them to indicate the entire sky. Paying attention to the air flow, I could tell that the slightly inclined surface of the wings has leveled out. If I were somehow caught up in the swirling vortex of air generated by the wings, I would be instantly sucked in by the vacuum of air.
「No, It’s me and you. Even the sky is too small. It’s time for your exit, G-3.7」
That was… a Hysteria Mode induced response. It surprised even me. This means that the blood flow from the core of my body has already been circulated throughout my entire body. But before I fight, I want to confirm something. When he did that…
「…By the way, you’re really kind. I didn’t expect that..」
Hearing my remark, G-3 pursed his eyebrows with a roared 「Whaaat?!」.
「You let her escape, didn’t you? Kaname, that is. You didn’t kill her.」
And with that, I cut straight to the heart of the matter…
G-3 remained silent and only glared at me. It was not a denial. As I had thought, my guess was correct.
「After I went into Hysteria Mode I started thinking back, and in the middle of my recollection, I finally understood. Your attack inflicted an injury that was just shy of fatal. Besides that, Watson was there, and Kana who also holds a medical licence. Kaname has a 100-to-1 chance survival.」
「…」
「From Kaname’s words and behavior, you deduced that true effect Hysteria Mode has on women. Because of that, you concluded that she would be a loose cannon in your operation, and decided to exclude her from your organisation. By inflicting pain and mental shock upon Kaname, you wanted to foster rebellion while destroying her loyalty to you.」
With the superior mental powers of Hysteria Mode… in the care G-3 took for Kaname, the image of Reki’s attempted suicide in Tokyo Station is being superimposed onto this scene as I remember it.
「Life is worthless if not devoted to our leader.」
–Such loyalty will last a lifetime unless a sufficient psychological shock is experienced. Since her attempted suicide, Reki has stopped listening to the illusory 「Orders of the Wind」, but with Kaname feelings, something more was needed… They could only be separated if he killed her himself.
「It wasn’t just Kaname’s loyalty you had to worry about, but it had to hold up to to all outside observation, didn’t it? It had to appear as real as possible. Overall, your acting was quite superb, and the channeling of blood-lust into your attack was flawless .」
「…You can think whatever you want.」
He said as he interrupted me, but under his HMD, his face… was red.
As I thought, I’ve hit the mark. And his secret exposed, G-3 is embarrassed. Which isn’t like him at all.
「There’s one more thing I want to say. Is that alright, G-3 ?」
「…What?」
「You’re not absolutely sure that you can win.」
「That’s crazy-talk.」
「That is why you chased your comrades away–to avoid exposing them to danger. And so they could continue to make a living for themselves, even if they lost you–the one they call their leader–, you handed over all the money.」
A little while ago, G-3 threw that cash to his subordinates– that’s how it was. All of these deductions were able to be made thanks to Hysteria Mode but… Somehow, I can well understand his actions. They are the same as those he took toward Kaname.
「There’s been a huge misunderstanding, Kinji. I w-…」
A little flustered, G-3 tried to deny it, but I continued…
「Relax. No one else figured out your true intentions. Except me, of course.」
Waiting for the right time, I spoke and interrupted him. Hiding his true feelings and having them guessed so straightforwardly, G-3… He paused for a moment, and seemed to consider how to deny it, but it looks that he couldn’t come up with anything. He could only turn red and stand there, gawping…
What is this? I’ve only just come to understand his personality. In short– he’s Tsundere– as Riko would say. One the surface he looks like a tyrant, but he actually has a kind personality. In fact you could say he is soft-hearted.
Scowling at me, his feelings were revealed, and he crossed his arms.
「Great guess! But… there’s one thing that your way off on. I didn’t chase them away because you might win– there’s no way you will kill me.」
「So, why then?」
「My body. It won’t last much longer. It’s like Fourth’s.」
「…What?」
「It goes without saying that while you’re living, laughing, and enjoying life, you could die at any moment. But for us… we have a ‘Life Limiter’ that Los Alamos built into our DNA to prevent treason. It’s some kind of compound known only to them, and if we don’t take it regularly, we can’t live in the long-term. That’s how it is with the Genion.」
G-3 said, as if he were talking about someone else’s problem.
「In Fourth’s case, its a kind of Furano polymer and we have confirmed that the polymer compound found in soft candies is a good enough substitute. But my ‘Life Limiter’ is still unidentified.」
So… that’s it, huh? The reason Kaname was always, without fail, eating some kind of sweet.
What… cruel words ! Disgust is building up inside of me–Hatred for Los Alamos!
「Well, then…. When we’re above the clouds and out of reach, whether they are exploding bullets, incendiary bullets, blinding bullets or whatever, they won’t be seen from below. Use them all you want. Oh, yeah, one more thing…」
Slowly clearing the cumulus clouds, the Galleon rose… G-3 looked up into the dark azure night sky dark blue, and in defiance of his previous words, put on a bold smile.
「You did it Kinji! You’re a celebrity too!」
「Celebrity?」
「This battle is being watched by the U.S. Military’s KH-14 spy satellite8.」
「Seriously?」
「Neue Ange is developed there. They want to collect all the information they can on ‘human weapons’. That includes my battle with you. Whoops! It’s too late to hide that stupid look on your face. Misty’s state-of-the-art Enhanced Imaging System technology is able to analyse a single square centimeter of area.」
Americans… You have to be insane.
「Huh…」
I turned toward the starry sky, and in their direction… showed then my raised middle finger. G-3 barked and exploded into laughed
「HA HA HA…! Now I see… So that’s it.」
「What’s ‘it’?」
「Well… During your battle with Sherlock on IU, I heard that he was laughing. It puzzled me, but now I get it. You’re an idiot. But you’re funny. I’m sure of it now.」
‘During my battle with Sherlock on IU’… How does he know about that? And in such detail?
「You have an impressive information network. Are you sure you aren’t my fan?」
「Don’t say such disgusting things. Rather, Butei Officer Kinji Tohyama, are you sure you want to do this?」
「Do what?」
「Fight me. You are E-Rank, I am R-Rank. It’s obvious what the result will be.」
「The ‘R’ comes long after the ‘E’ in the alphabet.」
I replied while drawing my Desert Eagle in response. G-3 , laughed again and…
*Clang!*
From the armour storage on his right leg, he drew a gun.
A Heckler & Koch USP Match model9.
That would be a gun I would not like to fight against. It’s power comes from the calibre, and it’s accuracy is high. The gun has a rail fitting at the bottom of the frame and is equipped with an integrated recoil compensator. The magazine is double column and the number of bullets it can carry is greater. But still…
「I thought that you’d pull out a ray gun, but here you are packing a regular gun.」
「Because this isn’t my main weapon. Just a toy, to rock you to sleep.」
Then from the armour on his back, G-3 also drew a large, heaving looking knife. However, it doesn’t look like the Neue Ange that Kaname used. It was made of the same cemented carbide material as the Orochi gloves I was wearing and looked like a normal tactical knife. As a result, G-3 and I… interestingly enough, both of us had a gun and knife. Evaluating our situation and opponent, we reached the same conclusion–without any kind of mutual agreement.
「We think alike, eh, Kinji?」
「Despite ourselves, so it would seem.」
「There’s something I want you to show me first. What you call: ‘Billiards’.」
「Seriously… You know a lot about me. And my fight with Sherlock.」
「Before Bandire, I bought the information from the leader of I.U.’s remnant war party, Ignatius Nomad. Because I had a grudge with you.」
「A grudge…?」
「The subjugation of Sherlock, and the extermination of I.U…. That was my job, and you just up and snatched it. Do you know, Kinji? In the US, stealing another person’s job is a crime.」
「In Japan we call that ‘hatred born of a misunderstanding’. Nevertheless, the outcome was unfortunate. I regret stealing another’s prey.」
And with a sigh,
*Click!*
I cocked my Desert Eagle.
The Desert Eagle is both a double and single-action gun. In combat all one has to do is pull the trigger and it will shoot in semi-auto double-action mode, but by manually cocking the hammer, a trigger pull is limited to firing in single-action mode. In single action, it takes less force and time to pull the trigger and is suited to making more accurate shots.
Accurate shooting…
In other words, as an apology for stealing his prey, I’ll indulge his request.
I will repel his bullets with mine, using ‘Billiards’ .
Seemingly understanding, G-3 smile and laughed.
「Good Kinji! That’s a good fellow. But how are you going to do it? My USP holds 13 bullets. Your DE has 8. You can’t deal with all of them…」
「…I’ll manage somehow」
As we talked…
Rising to an altitude of almost 600 meters, we locked eyes as we stood atop the Galleon’s wings.
「Should we start? Both of us… only came here to fight!」
His USP set on Full-Auto, and the muzzle-flashes blurring into one… 13 identical .45 ACP calibre bullets bore down on me.
…Perfect.
Per your request, I’ll show you… ‘Billiards’..! Using only that technique, I will meet your attack with with my DE.
Cannon!10.
*Bang!* *Bang!* *Bang!* *Bang!* *Bang!* *Bang!*
Our bullets sparked as they intercepted each other between us. All of them scattered in every directions, and the smoke that issued from the barrel of our guns drifted over the back of the plane.
「…!」
Half surprised, G-3 bore a happy expression.
「…」
Silently, I was standing… unharmed.
How to repel 13 bullets with only 8?
That’s simple.
Just like a ‘Cannon Shot’ in the real game of Billiards, I used 1 of my bullets to strike upwards of 2 of my opponent’s, diverting their angle. Of course, if I hit my opponent’s bullets, my own bullet’s trajectory will change, and I calculated that beforehand. In short, this is a ‘2-Chain Billiards’.
Of the 8 bullets, I used 5 of them that way, and 8 + 5, gives a total of 13 bullets I was able to block. Normally this would be impossible, but with this Hysteria Mode– in King Mode–, I can chain up to 4 or 5 shots with one shot. So shoot 30 or 50 bullets at me. You’ll only be wasting ammunition, G-3 .
Then…
A startlingly important distinction suddenly occurred to me.
…I’ve got it! The reason this Hysteria King Mode is so powerful…
I was able to preform a self-analysis on the ‘Cannon’ I did, and right now, the neurotransmitter levels coursing through my brain… is approximately 75 times the normal amount. That would be 2.5 times the strength of normal Hysteria Mode. I calculated regressively from the experience.
Then I understood.
G-3 had said that King Mode increases normal Hysteria mode by 1.2 times. That’s most likely correct. But there’s more to it.
…King Mode works exponentially…
Shirayuki, Jeanne, Riko, Aria and Kaname, they were defeated in front of me, one after another…
Apparently I recognised them as ‘part of my herd’ and King Mode was manifested 5 times over. That’s 1.2 times raised to the fifth power–approximately 2.5 times. If the effect of normal Hysteria Mode is 30 times, it yields a result of 75 times normal acceleration. This number fits perfectly with my experience.
G-3… doesn’t know that it works this way.
He only knows that it will manifest if he hurts several women… but he doesn’t have a full understanding of King Mode. And when a human being doesn’t understand something properly, they don’t know how to deal with it correctly.
「Done already, G-3 ?」
My mind is… cool and collected.
King Mode is different than Berserker. It is a form of Hysteria Mode with silent rage. With what I have now… I can win.
G-3 twirled his large knife once in his hand and closed in menacingly.
So that’s how you want to play? Fine…
While drawing my DE from it’s holster, I opened my butterfly knife and… his black and gold coat flapping in the wind, crashed into him.
With a loud *Clang* our knives crossed creating a shower of sparks, and my arm started feeling strange, so I tried to check on it. In the blink of an eye, G-3 had changed grip on his gun and using it as a blunt object, struck my left shoulder.
With a *Crack!* A strange noise issued from my body.
My left shoulder… has been dislocated. With a strong shove of his knife, he forced me back and… caught up in the air currents swirling around the wings, I slipped backwards.
…!
In that instant, I tried to regain balance and hold my ground; but thanks to the Photo-refractive Camouflage, I missed the edge of the wing and stepped into empty space. So that was his plan when he pushed me.
We’re above the clouds. Our altitude is about 800 meters. We’re higher than when I fought Hilda at the SkyTree, so… I’ll fall. Is that it? …Of course not. Come on Kinji!
*Bam!*
I tried to think of a way to survive, and in almost the very same instant I shot my Beretta. With my right hand index finger in the trigger guard, the rest of my fingers clutched a luminous blue material. It was the test sample that Hiraga-san had given me a few days ago– Anchor 11.
From the barrel of the gun to the point of impact, a modified bullet stretched out a diphase liquid Aramid cable.
Knowing that we were going to be on a plane, it looks like I made the right decision when I loaded my gun.
The tip of the wire stretched out and fixed itself to the underside of the Galleon, optically camouflaged with the night sky. Grasping the blue-green luminous object, I found that it had become the tail-end of a wire suspended mid-air. Now a line has been stretched between the Galleon and my hand.
Using it like a trapeze, I swung toward the front of the Galleon with a pendulum motion. In King-Mode… I can see the eddies of the air currents moving around the the wings of the aircraft. It’s only a matter of concentration. I boarded the plane using the air currents swirling around the nose, and looking back, my gaze met G-3’s.
And then …
*Bam!*
Still being carried by air currents, I landed on my left shoulder on the right wing of the Galleon, and a *Crunch* could be heard coming from my body.
「Gahahaha! That must have hurt!」
Appreciating what I had just done, G-3 clapped happily on the left wing of the plane. What I just did was relocate a dislocated joint in the middle of a battle.
The Tohyama Family technique of falling from a horse to relocate a joint has been passed down for generation, though my older brother taught me to use it falling from a car, I’m pretty sure that I’m the first to use it on a stealth bomber.
Ouch… I knew this would hurt.
I narrowed my eyebrows slightly. It wasn’t my shoulder that hurt. I’m used to pain from my days in ASSAULT. My head hurt, and the pain radiated from my spine. Probably a side-effect of Hysteria King-Mode.
The manifestation of a 75 times acceleration of normal the brain and the body’s nervous system isn’t maintainable. If this Hysteria Mode got any stronger, it would probably cause a total physical breakdown.
「Looks like you had a good anchor cable, Kinji.」
「It came from here at Butei High. The inventor of the Japanese version of Neue Ange.」
As we reached the flowing clouds… from several places on the wing, black smoke was going up and threaded its way toward the back of the plane. It seems that some of our stray bullets have damaged the aeroplane.
How fragile is this thing! They had so much confidence that it would never be detected, so it has no armour.
「Shall we continue?」
As the Galleon broke through the top of the clouds, I turned to face G-3… Narrowing my focus to a single target besides his left arm, I began to think about how I could decisively end this battle with one trump attack. I guess he realised where I was looking, because G-3 held up his left arm and motioned for me to stop.
「 Before that, Kinji. With your first Billiard attack you didn’t need to hold back so much!」
With keen insight, he penetrated to the truth.
「…That’s an artificial arm, right?」
From the start, I had a slightly uncomfortable feeling, but… only just when he struck me could I confirm it. From his left shoulder down he does not have a natural arm. Instead, there is a high fidelity Bio-electric prosthesis. Receiving faint nerve signals allows him to move it at will. At a glance, it is indistinguishable from a real arm.
「I don’t want your stupid pity! That really pisses me off so much, I’m going to rip your arm off. Learn to read the room, you insensitive bastard!」
That sounds like something Aria says a lot. You Tsunderes may say that; but if you have something to tell me, just open up your mouth and say it! My intuition is terrible, and I’m not an ESPer like Tokitou-senpai.
「Don’t you think it would be better if we stopped?」
Even as I thought it was pointless, I heard his answer.
「This King-mode… it far exceeds all other Hysteria Mode variants. As I am now, I am a like child when put next to you. You must see the huge gap between us. An elite Butei should be able to distinguish the difference in fighting power between his enemy and himself.」
「…」
「I am a Japanese Butei. I don’t want to kill you in order to win but… but it might happen if you make a stupid move. Didn’t you say that the time remaining in your life was short? Don’t waste it here.」
「Ha! If it’s a waste, then come on and waste it!」
G-3 answered, his breath… coming out white like a snowy mountain. Mine was also. Our current height probably approaching 1000 meters. How far do you plan to ascend? If we assume that the ground temperature is 8 ° C, the temperature of this place should be 1.5 ° C. Oxygen concentration has also dropped by 12%. There’s also the ongoing damage to my nervous system due to Hysteria King-Mode, and considering the speed with which we are ascending… If I can’t end this quickly, all of these things become dangerous in several ways.
「What should we do? If we keep going like this, we’ll end up in outer space, Brother.」
His long coat–which was apparently thermo-regulated– flapping in the wind, G-3 asked, sneering at my school uniform.
「Before that we’re going to make a splashdown landing. And besides,we’re not brothers. Kaname says the same thing.」
As we re-entered the clouds, a dense fog of water vapour surrounded the plane…
「 You don’t get it? Your investigative skills suck, Kinji.」
G-3 answered in disgust and… *rub* *rub* wiped his face… He is removing his face paint.
Suddenly, the Galleon broke through the clouds into clear sky, and illuminated by moonlight, he stood on top of the plane wing…
…?!
Once G 3 removed his HMD, his face could be seen clearly visible. Until now obscured by his HMD and facepaint, his unpainted face was now seen…
That face … It looks like… It definitely looks like… me...!
It doesn’t reach the level of twins, but rather the likeness between brothers. It is not a disguise. With King-mode’s enhanced visual perception, I know that. That is his natural face.
「I’m you, Kinji.」
His long bangs flapping wildly in the wind, G-3 let out a laugh.
「How… do you..?」
「Konza Tohyama. Nationality: Japanese . Former-Armed Prosecutor under the direct supervision of the Minister of Justice. Intelligence, physical training–on the whole: Excellent. Special Skills: What is known as HSS. His favourite game: Shougi, wasn’t it?」
G-3…Why do you…
「In 1989,he was ranked #8 in the S.D.A.12 It was then that the US Department of Defence put him on a list of people that it was key not to antagonise.」
It is… my father’s profile that he’s reciting. Including both public and private information.
「When Los Alamos saw the list, he had been assigned the code-name “Golden Cross13“–abbreviated ‘ G ‘– and a top secret military development project… managed to successfully obtain a tissue sample.」
「…!」
「Hey Kinji, your face changed colour. Didn’t you know this? That’s right, your old man’s genes were selected as the most important chromosomes, and combining them with other other superior genetic specimens already collected… the final products of myself and Fourth were created. You couldn’t even dig up that much?」
The other day, in the art room, Watson had said something about that…
Genions were artificially created in an American Research Facility as part of scientific experiments. It wasn’t only how they were raised, but it went so far as science having a hand in their lives up to and including conception. Well, such a thing isn’t strange in and of itself, and it’s not particularly rare in the world but something like this… it goes too far. Creating a super-human this way in order to militarise them and using used my father’s DNA without his permission…!
「I have inherited 50% of Konza Tohyama’s genes with a strong genetic dominance as the third of the G-Series. However, in the Genion Series, any children born to your father and mother would inherit the greatest percentage of genes, and numbers in the sequence were skipped because of the children already born. Tohyama Konza already had an eldest son and their second son– you– was already on the way. That’s why I was called Third. In fact, it seems like you and I were born at about the same time.」
「So then… was it you… or me… that was born first?」
「Who cares which way it was? Whichever way it is, you can’t change the fact that we are related by blood.」
“Related by blood.”
“The G-bloodline”.
Those are the words G-3 used a while ago… G–i.e., inheritance of my father’s genes, in Kana, myself, G-3, and Kaname… In that case, it means that, together, the four of us are all genetic siblings. And it also means that by calling me “Onii-chan”… Kaname wasn’t wrong. Meanwhile, as I stared in blank astonishment…
「Alright, brother. Until now, I’ve just been biding my time. Now I know your acceleration factor is… somewhere about 75 times, right? That is amazing but… with an acceleration of 100 times, I would easily be able to crush you. Although I’ve gone beyond 60 times…I’ll do it!!!」
Settling his HMD back on his head, G-3 put another small, red piece of paper into his mouth… Two… Three, even.
Those are his neurotransmitter accelerates… The drug he uses in order to strengthen his Hysteria Mode.
100 times…?!
Are you planning to boost the effects of Hysteria Mode to an acceleration of 100 times with this drug? Don’t do that! Except for the neo-cortex, Hysteria Mode puts a huge strain on the whole body’s nervous system. Even fighting at an acceleration of 75 times, I’ve reached my breaking point limit and can hardly stand it …
An 100-fold acceleration could cost you your life…!
Like a drug-user, G-3 closed his eyes, and with a *crack*, twisted his neck to one side …
「The world is …」
Contrary to my expectation, his voice was calm and even–the kind of voice that would make you believe that it was a superhuman speaking– and he began his speech,
「… caught up in the trend towards regulated disarmament. In the midst of such circumstances, there will be those who will try to develop all kinds of super-weapons, and these weapons will eventually lead to humanity’s self-destruction. So which super-weapon is it that would not cause self-extinction?」
His killing aura… is becoming stronger… and stronger…! Like the increasing fury of a typhoon… but at the eye is calm and unaffected…!
「The answer is the human body. While striving to create a post-nuclear world, the US is trying to develop a super-weapon of equal power–Universal Soldiers … and I am the prototype…!」
Unconsciously… I took a single step backward.
I’m outmatched…? Even in King-Mode?
「In order to become a deterrent to conflict, Universal Soldiers must be perfect. Undefeated by any threat. Including the exceptionally strong. Now, I will prove that I can defeat an enemy with HSS. Making her wish come true…!」
I get it. Now I completely understand. He is stronger than me now. Looking at me, his eyes reflecting moonlight… there is nothing human about him.
So… that is a super-human…!
Hurry! He is getting stronger. Seeing this, I won’t be able to bring him down if his Hysteria Mode becomes any stronger!
Again, clouds swept over the Galleon, and within the drifting fog composed of water vapour… Whipping out my DE, I ejected the empty magazine, reloading almost simultaneously, and…
*Bang!
I fired an Invisible Bullet aiming to graze his head. In imitation of Reki, I aimed for the unarmoured part of his head, intending to deliver an abrasion to his skull and end things at a blow.
「HaHaHaHa!」
Laughing loudly, while from around him…
*Whoosh!*
With a sound of a cut air, clouds of water vapour were blown away from him like a mini-explosion had occured.
「…!」
I saw it. Just now… having folded his arms earlier, while opening them he seized my bullet in the fingers of his right hand, slowing it down and grasping it with his left-hand fingers, deflected it as I watched.
That technique..!
At Tokyo Station I had devised a way to deflect the covert sniping of the eldest Cao Cao sister… my Slash… this is just like it!
「Suprised? So you can do it too? Something like Blast14.」
So… that’s what G-3 calls Slash. A while ago, he had protected himself from Reki’s sniping. But… such a technique is only acquired in actual combat when you are engaged in life-and-death struggles. Apparently he, like me, has lived through harsh days, battling against fierce and formidable enemies.
However…
My DE had been modded with a selector switch, and I changed it to the 3-bullet burst position.
…Slash can’t handle several bullets in rapid-fire!
Because they were the same technique, I also knew it’s shortcomings, so I fired a burst of three bullets… G-3 rounded out his mouth and let out a mocking *Phew* as my three bullets rushed toward him–two of them following the same line–, and he shifted his fighting knife to his left hand.
*Cla-clang!*
From the knife edge, two metallic clanks and two went up. Two bullets were cut in half and each dispersed into a ‘Y’ shaped path. That… was how I had protected myself from Riko’s bullets on Flight ANA-600–Split. With that he deflected two bullets at once. The remaining bullet he dealt with using his right hand…
*Twist!*
To- tornado…!
He’d used The technique I devised in the fight against Watson as well–diverting a bullet with only on hand… Effortlessly. What’s more, It was an advanced version. His body remained almost motionless, only his arm moved as he executed it. Without having had any effect, I watched the .50AE bullets vanish into the clouds…
「Those were Chop and Coil… If you want, I can show you something like Billiard that I call Cracker?」
G-3 laughed carelessly, as he spoke.
Against G-3… bullets are useless…!
This… is really effective–emotionally, speaking. Have all the enemies I have faced until now felt that same despair? I guess that’s Karma for you.
「I already said it, right? Those things are toys! To people like us…」
Giving the wing a kick, G-3 discarded his USP and knife behind him into an empty space …
「Now we can have some fun!」
*Clack!*
Underfoot the floor gave way and the internal launcher was exposed …
A short-range Air-to Air-Stinger missile!
*Whoosh!*
Amidst a blinding light and smoke it was fired without any warning behind the Galleon. And leaving behind a tail of smoke, the missile began curve around the clouds slowly as if to make a U-turn. Moving steadily it began accelerating as it moved away…
It’s … It’s fast …!
It’s useless. It’s impossible to dodge!
That was a FIM-92C Stinger missile. It’s top speed exceeds Mach 2. It’s not something that a human being can avoid. Even myself, in King-mode. Furthermore, it’s too late to intercept it with my Desert Eagle as well… I’d receive fatal wounds from the flying shrapnel at this range and distance.
「What the hell are you doing?! The Galleon won’t survive this!」
「Why do I care? Better watch out! What are you going to do, Kinji? HaHaHaHa!」
Laughing as I screamed at him… G-3 was guiding the missile. It’s not an IR or UV guidance system. I can’t use anything as a decoy to divert it. Is it a proximity fuze? Impact fuze? Time-delay fuze? No, I don’t have the time to think about it. The missile is already creeping closer and closer…!
「Shit!」
Suddenly an idea hit me, as for the method,well… I couldn’t be sure that it would keep the Galleon safe. It was a 50-50 chance. But I’m out of options. It’s risky, but it’s all I’ve got. It’s now or never if I don’t want to die!
「Gaaaaaahhh!」
Tossing my gun, I sighted the missile and beginning to run towards it… Kicking out in order to remain parallel to the wing, I jumped. Then I raised both my fists as the missile came flying in…
*Bam!*
I put everything I had into a Double Slash Hammer. The missile’s trajectory was altered to point obliquely downward and flew by just passing below my stomach… But it wasn’t enough, a missile is not the same as a bullet. There are several types of fuzes, If it is the normal proximity type, it will explode as it approaches it’s target. If that happens, I’ll be covered in shrapnel from the missile’s body and die on the spot.
So… one more hit!
「..!」
While in the air, I crashed into the the missile with a no-look kick. It easily opened a hole in the unamoured wing, plunging it’s way into the plane’s interior.
How about that…!
If I had to give it a name, it would be a “Full-body Slash”–Slash II15…!
The Galleon was like a paper plane. The thickness of the wings was less than a single meter. If I divert the missile with my Slash II as it accelerates, it should penetrate the wing…
*Boom!*
「..!」
As I landed on the wing, I heard a rumbling sound and a sudden vibration shook the plane.
It… didn’t have enough time. It was only a matter of milliseconds. I’d lost my 50-50 bet. Burying itself inside the main wing, the FM-92C Stinger missile exploded while inside.
*Fwoosh!*
Flames went up from the back of the right wing… The black smoke flowed, like blood trailing from a wound. Catching my Desert Eagle that I had thrown up a few moments ago, I was… speechless.
「Gahahaha! Very good, Kinji! I knew that you’re a genius!」
The fact that the fuel tank had not been impacted was the one silver lining, but… it’s no good… we will crash!
「Sword beats guns. Fist beats sword…!」
Carrying neither gun nor knife, G-3 began walking from the right wing toward the centre. Furrowing his eyebrows, to me he said…
「Now do you understand, Kinji? These are our main weapons!」
G-3 clenched his fist and showed it to me.
Now I remember… I heard from Watson that when he escaped from Los Alamos he had annihilated a group of armed soldiers empty-handed. Well, that’s entirely possible. Being a Genion, able to entering Hysteria Mode at will, and furthermore, if he possessed all of the techniques that I know, it would be easy.
「…」
Because that would be admitting that I myself was superhuman, I did not want to think about it, however…
G-3’s words were correct. Any bladed object is ineffective against me. I stopped Jeanne’s sword with two-finger edge catching, and was even able to dodge Sherlock’s strikes.
Guns are ineffective against me. How many times was I able to block, divert, and even turn back whatever my enemies hurled at me as I defended myself. Just now I had proved it. Hysteria Mode users can even defend themselves against a missile attack. If two fellow Hysteria Mode users fight…
…It always end up this way, doesn’t it?
I re-holstered my DE, going bare-handed. I didn’t draw my knife either. Both would just be a waste of time.
The blaze burning inside the right wing was spreading from the tip across the top of the wing. It’s only a matter of time before the whole thing burns. Maybe five minutes, maximum. In less than five minutes I have to defeat G-3 and find a way to safely descend from an altitude of 1000 meters. So I have no time to waste.
We’ll fight bare-handed. Until the bitter end. If we only compare our respective Hysteria Mode acceleration factors, G-3’s is 100 times and mine is 75 times. On a fundamental level there seems to be a large discrepancy between our relative Stats. I’m at a huge disadvantage. Winning would be… difficult. But the only way to survive is to beat him–I have to face him.
Things being difficult, I began to keep time… second by second, each only brought me closer to annihilation. This was much better than giving into the urge to rush him in a kamikaze-style attack. Doing nothing was still better than that, and I can face him here. But then there is Aria’s saying: “Difficult” does not mean “Impossible.” If it’s not “Impossible”, then that means it’s “Possible”. Although it may seem like splitting hairs, I for one firmly believe it’s true, and I’ll prove it.
That’s why I’m going to fight. Even this powerful enemy…!
With the fire behind me… I walked toward the center fuselage–toward G-3. G-3 was also walking towards me. Beneath our feet, the Photo-refractive camouflage had begun to fail, displaying flickering images of the clouds below us. Drifting above us, the scattered clouds formed a thin fog. Around us, there were clouds that stretched on into high heaven faint golden flashes could be seen. They were different from the Cumulus clouds we had been passed through until now. As proof that we had reached high-altitude, Cumulonimbus clouds began to appear. The faint glow… Lightning.
Rather than lose stability because of the fire, the Galleon was actually climbing faster . Our altitude must have exceeded 1500 meters. The ambient temperature was below freezing. On our black hair, Tiny ice crystals from the surrounding clouds clung to our black hair turning it ashen grey. Both atmospheric pressure and oxygen concentration had dropped 20%. In a valley of thunder clouds, between fire and water, in low air pressure and oxygen… Under these hellish conditions, a brother’s quarrel will be settled with fists.
Good grief! What the hell is going on with my life? Give me a break!
「I’ll give you one last chance at survival, Kinji. Kneel right here, and say that you will be my follower. In my group we also have girls, and they can all be yours. They’re non-human and brats, but they aren’t so bad to look at. I don’t think there’s a better deal for someone with HSS.」
「You’re kidding me. Throwing in any kind of women makes it a bad deal. You should have done your research.」
I said throwing his own words back at him…
「Things being what they are, you are a indispensably capable person. I intend to beat you without killing you, but I might make a mistake. Your life isn’t so cheap; don’t waste it, Kinji.」
He threw my words back at me also.
「If it’s a waste, then come and waste it!」
As if we were repeating our own words to ourselves… we drew closer to each other. I to him, and him to me.
「You will kneel… coughing blood and in tears. And then you will bring me the 『Hidan no Aria』!」
「『Hidan no Aria』…?」
Hear those words again, I paused in my tracks.
「What’s that face for? As the nearest person to it, I know that there’s no way you don’t know about it. Fame follows Irokane. The ancients thought that a goddess had appeared and made a huge fuss over it.」
「Goddess? How can that tiny ravenous glutton be a goddess?」
「..You really don’t know …? Ah… I get it… Necessary information has been hidden from you.. at least partially.」
Realising he was the only one that understood, G-3 stopped his advance.
「Alright… I’ll tell you a little about it. The 『Hidan no Aria』 was predicted by the Scarlet Irokane research– Hyper-ESP. Super-humans with god-like powers on an entirely different level than ESPers.」
The look in his eyes as he spoke… It was like a fanatic religion preaching faith in some god.
「The manifestation of a fraction of that power far exceeded the powers observed by modern ESP science has already been confirmed. You saw it too, right? 『Portal of Heavenly Scarlet Light』– The ability to manipulate space-time.」
The ability to manipulate space-time… Indeed, I’ve witnessed it.
That time at IU, when Sherlock used it to shoot a bullet of Hihiirokane into the Aria from three years ago.
「What a pity, G-3. That time it worked because she pulled it off together with Sherlock. You might have thought of using me as a hostage against her, but it’s ultimately fruitless.」
「She can pull it off by herself, and she already has. Here’s an example — remember those pyramid scraps that mysteriously floated to Japan a few years back?」
Listening to him, I easily recalled it under the influence of Hysteria King-Mode.
Indeed… something like that had happened.
I’d looked through the related data back when I took the 『Odaiba Pyramid bodyguard job』 with Aria. Supposedly, the Odaiba Pyramid was built from the design of that floating pyramid wreckage.
「…Yeah… but what does that old stuff have to do with anything.」
「That’s Patra’s pyramid. When Aria blasted it with 『Scarlet Heaven 』, it was sent to the past.」
「What…!?」
「If you don’t believe me, go find those fragments and do your own radiometric dating. That’s what I did.」
Hearing such outrageous words– my eyes widened in shock.
That time I only saw the top of the pyramid 『disappearing』… but in reality, it was actually sent to the past…?
「I need the power to control space-time. To that end, I need your help. Of course, I need your subordination first.」
「Why… do you need me?」
「Ah… I can’t say that.」
His eyebrow twitching while he scratched his chin, G-3 didn’t answer.
「Then I’ll ask something else. What do want that power for? Don’t tell me you want to change history like in some cliche sci-fi novel?」
「–What good would answering do for me?」
His earlier rough manner and jokes all disappeared.
I stayed silent for a while to pressure him for a response, but he didn’t say a word.
…
Something… was hidden deep in his eyes.
Something like sadness… like a longing for someone…
I recalled G-3’s past, trying to figure out the answer. And my brain, under the influence of Hysteria King-Mode… let me understand. Let me thoroughly understand.
G-3, wanted to interfere in the past.
His intentions, had to do with what was said back in the warehouse on the day of the Sports Festival.
G-3 — had a loved one.
When he was in Los Alamos, the sole beauty who had treated him gently.
And that person… passed away in an incident during G-3’s training.
G-3 was in pain, and blamed himself for her death–
「–You, want to revive Doctor Sarah…!」
「You really do your homework, don’t you? …At least when it comes to something like this…」
As if I had touched on a taboo subject, he replied in a low voice.
As expected, he wanted to revive the person he loved – to use Aria’s power, to change the past…!
「You should give up on this sort of thing. It’s not that I don’t understand your feelings, but this is against the laws of nature.」
「As if I’d care about that. I’d go against God if I needed to.」
G-3 held a deep, deep… sincere love for doctor Sarah, I could feel that from his sorrowful eyes.
Even if he died, he still probably wouldn’t yield one step.
For love, he wouldn’t even hesitate to go against God. For love, he’s even thinking about controlling and using gods.
It’s not that I don’t sympathise, but your plan…. I must stop it here.
I am that goddess’ slave, after all.
Firmly renewing my determination, I advanced towards G-3I.
Just then, a part of the Galleon’s right wing snapped off with a loud sound. The plane began to list to the right from the changes in the aerodynamic lift.
G-3– he stood there unmoving– eyes closed, facing upward into the sky like he was praying.
So that’s it…
He chose to fight me in the air–
「Sarah… watch me . The Genion you dreamed of, a perfect existence…」
–so he could get closer to the heaven that his loved one was in…!
「I will obtain 『Hidan no Aria』– obtain her, and then I will turn back time. If it’s her, I can do it… I will be able to revive you…!」
G-3, at a loss, having thrown everything away– from the sloping left wing, he charged towards me with his right fist tightly clenched.
–*Bam*!
I clashed fists with G-3, sparks literally flying, erupting from my Orochi and his own gauntlet.
G-3 had the advantage in terms of strength. Pushed back by his blow, I somersaulted to lessen its impact,
「——!」
–seizing the opportunity to dodge G-3’s instant explosive follow-up kick that seemed to come out of nowhere.
From his leg in the air –*whoosh*– came an explosive videogame-like sound effect.
This is the sound of the surrounding air compressing due to the force of his kick. What kind of strength is this, for him to have reached the limits of subsonic speed?
「!」
No, that was a feint–
G-3’s other knee shot upwards, and the left arm I used to the utmost to defend against it was smashed away. Immediately, while my body was sent spinning from the impact, I took the chance to sweep my right leg upward, aiming for G-3’s jaw. But my right knee instead collided with his left elbow which he raised to block my kick.
How fast, what a reaction speed he has. The difference between me and him is like racing an electric bike against an F-1 car.
G-3’s leg swept down, hitting my left leg with a sound like lightning.
…Heavy…!
I tried to offset the damage done by withdrawing my leg at the moment of impact, but it was no use.
His attacks were extremely heavy, and letting out explosive sounds. This speed – this power, so 100 times Hysteria Mode is this strong, huh?
Having no choice but to roll backwards, I continued retreating. But the right wing was already a sea of flames. There was no escape.
It was as if the inside of the wing was already filled with flames. The surroundings were below freezing, yet it was scorching hot below like a frying pan.
「…!」
Hu…! It looks like the flames had already spread to the front of the plane. And the lower part of the Galleon was already burnt until it started falling apart. I could already see the art G-3 kept, burning up and falling scattered into the sea of clouds.
The plane is disintegrating midair… there’s no time left…!
Looking at me who was enduring injuries to both my arms and legs and had a sea of flames behind me, G-3 laughed.
「So you can still stand after eating 4 of my attacks. You can feel proud, Kinji. No one else has ever received a second blow. I killed them all with one strike.」
「Those attacks were just tickles. Now it’s my turn to strike back」
Bluffing, I distributed my weight evenly on both legs… positioned my arms as if I was about to push someone in front of me. I also placed my balance completely in the centre of my body.
–This stance, was the Tohyama family’s 『Zetsurou』16
Using an application of Aikido, my entire body revolved–a technique that used the power of the opponent’s attack and returned it to them in a counterattack.
No matter who the opponent was, as long as they attacked me, they would be counterattacked as if they hit a revolving door–struck back with a blow as heavy as their own attack.
The stronger the enemy the stronger I was, a skill that that borrowed strength to counterattack.
Without Hysteria Mode such a powerful technique would be impossible– a secret of the Tohyama family who killed anyone who witnessed it, but at this point there was no other way.
Ancestors, please don’t blame me.
The rule that all witnesses must be killed, ends with my generation.
But, G-3… it was evident he already saw through to what this purely defensive stance meant.
「I don’t want to drag out this fight too long either. I’ll use 『Meteor』to tear you to shreds and finish this」
G-3 said as he pointed his left elbow towards me–
He slanted his whole body, his waist and head held low, right leg placed behind, and right fist held up high.
It was similar to the posture used for the sprint in the ancient Olympics… a stance meant to gain speed, I saw through his initial movement.
That’s–
Ou, 『Ouka』…!
There’s no mistaking it.
Although the positioning was completely different from my own Ouka, but this–was a posture where all the muscles and bones in the body move simultaneously, releasing a supersonic attack.
This , this really is beyond expectations.
It’s definitely too much for 『Zetsurou』.
It’s like he said– forget my arm– my entire body would be pierced through.
『Zetsurou』– the revolving door–, he intends to completely destroy it.
「…!」
What to do, Kinji–
An idea flashed through my mind, but will it work? No, even if I did pull it off–
–It’s no good. It can’t be that easy to win.
He’s at 100 times Hysteria Mode, and I’m at 75 times Hysteria Mode.
But… there’s no other way…!
「–Sarah, look at me. I am the strongest. A perfect weapon.」
*Cough*
— Congealing on the floor having come from G-3’s mouth…
…Blood…?
I saw blood.
G-3 coughed up blood. Even though he apparently didn’t even have a scratch on him.
This was probably the Life Limiter– the system we had just discussed that was corroding his body. Perhaps, the 100 times Hysteria Mode also added additional strain to his nervous system.
Seeing that I noticed, G-3–coughing with blood flying out of his mouth– held up his left index finger and waved it at me.
「This is something that’s been happening a lot recently. There’s no need to worry. For one more attack… I can hold it together.」
The next instant, with eyes wide G-3–
–Whoosh!
With a force greater than a missile, he lowered his body and charged toward me.
His right fist had already reached supersonic speed and– just like the a meteor’s tail, it left a conical trail of vapour behind…!
In the exact instant his fist came into contact with my right leg
『Kikka』17—『Zetsurou』—『Ouka』!
I shifted my centre of mass forward and leapt– in midair, all the muscles in my body moved as one.
Borrowing the force of his 『Meteor』, and channeling it into my leg’s 『Ouka』– and returning it!
–Wham—-!
In midair, I struck G-3’s shoulder with a roundhouse kick.
「–Uwah—–!!」
The golden-edged black armour on his shoulder was shattered into flying fragments.
His shoulder suffered the force of his own 『Meteor』.
The force of the attack was further transferred to G-3’s legs, and even his leg armour was broken.
「…!」
I, I did it…!
My legs…I-I’m still standing, although I’m shaking, my leg didn’t break at all.
So 75 times Hysteria Mode, can actually do something like that.
Just now– I first received the force of his blow.
Then, in the split-second before my body could endure said force without breaking, I used Ouka in the opposite direction. If I had to give it a name, it would be 『Kikka』. This is a second, speed-reducing defence form of 『Ouka』.
This was an entirely new technique, named after the orange blossoms that appear after cherry blossoms bloom.
Next, I used 『Zetsurou』 and switched from defense to offense–
Just as my roundhouse kick was about to land, I re-accelerated with『Ouka』to further add to its speed.
–The non self-injurious, subsonic version of『Ouka』that I created by chance during the battle with Watson at the Skytree.18
Hysteria King-mode has really proved itself…
To think that in an instant, I could pull off such a complex skill, and furthermore, that last-ditch counterattack completely reversed the tables, leading to my victory.
But… not everything went smoothly.
Being somewhat reckless, my leg was injured to a similarly considerable extent. Even so a partially self-injurious『Ouka』was enough.
「…Ugh…!」
Likewise, the Genion before me wasn’t beaten with just one attack.
Clutching his injured right shoulder, he was was forced to fall back a step.
Falling to his knees on the left wing, G-3 uncontrollably coughed up yet another mouthful of blood.
He has… already hit his limit.
「Let’s stop here，G-3…!」
The entire right wing was already engulfed in flames. Already, it was falling into ruin, crumbling as it were disintegrating.
Forced forward by the flying sparks, I could only limp– as if I were chasing him, towards the fuselage.
「I can see that you can’t fight anymore, and my leg is also no good. This battle is a draw」
「Bullshit…*cough*! Ugh…」
G-3 coughed up… even more blood.
Even though he used his hand to block it, his mouth was already covered in blood.
As expected, 100 times Hysteria Mode was too much to endure.
「Now’s not the time to act tough! The Galleon’s already about to…!」
As I pointed to the wing, the front of the plane that was aflame–*rumble*–exploded like a oil tanker, setting blazing flames alight.
The fuel tank over there had ignited……!
「Uwoh……！」
The scorching flames crackled and swirled; the hot wind chasing me, I ran to the left wing.
That moment, G-3… knees trembling, stood.
Such willpower. He had received my 『Ouka』 just moments earlier.
But to think that he was on one knee for just about ten seconds…and stood up again!
「…Sarah, look at me. Am I not perfect? Something like this is nothing」
No, this isn’t willpower at all.
G-3–only knows battle.
He can only express himself through battle.
And right now, he is trying to to express himself. To the one he loves.
Who… is no longer in this world…!
「G-3, you are not perfect at all! You should understand that yourself!」
「No, I am the perfect–*cough*! Universal Soldier! This…this is Sarah’s dream– As a weapon, I, have to be perfect!」
「Kicked by me until you cough up blood, and calling a woman’s name in the end, how is that perfect! You’re not perfect! Wake up! Humans aren’t perfect!」
「Human… you say? I haven’t fallen that far!」
「You’ve already fallen! You’ve– always felt that you were human. That’s why, you wanted to meet……you came back to meet us right!? To meet me, and Kana……!
「…!」
Perhaps he didn’t even realise it himself; when G-3 heard my words, he made an astonished expression.
The fire had already spread to the fuselage behind me.
The entire Galleon had become a fireball.
Its Photo-refractive Camouflage had broken-down, exposing the glossy black surface of the left wing.
「–Why is it, Kinji?」
「What do you mean?」
「Why is it that you’re on that side, and I’m on this one」
Understanding that there was no time left before the Galleon crashed, G-3 laughed at himself…
「I, really wanted to be you. I wanted the fate that chose you and not me when we were born. I wanted to live that shitty, ordinary life you had…」
G-3, as if he were about to shake hands, stretched out his right arm.
「Come, Kinji. You still have moves you haven’t used yet, right? Just like me–a trump card」
Understanding what he was about to do, I said…
「If I use that you’ll regret it. In that, I’ve only ever lost to my Nii-san」
「I’ve never lost in that to anyone–not even to Fourth」
So it’s the same for all of us– our family’s trump card.
「…」
「…」
G-3 and I, hooked the arms we used to hurt each other with together.
Our bodies had already reached the limit… and the plane below us was about to crash. This is the end.
But, looking at him from this distance… he really does look like me.
G-3 who also seemed to be thinking the same thing, let out a bitter laugh.
I… and G-3 –like mirror images– leaned our heads backwards.
Our arms and legs full of injuries from battle… we were going to use what was left– our heads.
*Sigh*
To think that, people who possess the same genes, even our trump card is exactly the same.
–*Crash*——!!!
Like two bulls, G-3 and I gathered all our strength and head-butted each other.
「Stubborn Bastard… what kind of rock do you have for a head…!」
「Aren’t you talking about yourself…!?」
And then–the second collision!
–*Crash*——-!!!
Now I can see, G-3 is clearly shaking now.
Haha! Looks like I have the advantage. It’s going almost completely my way.
–*Crash*——-!!!
The third was the finishing blow
「Hahaha……Hahahahaha……」
Laughing, G-3 fell on his back, as if I had knocked him down.
*thump*… below me, he lay sprawled like a ‘大’ character.
「..It isn’t the time or place for laughing, you know…」
I said as I got up, but now… all I could do was laugh as well.
Fire had spread to the left wing. There’s already nowhere to escape.
And it was impossible to take back control of the aircraft, no matter how you look at it. An emergency water landing was also impossible. Meanwhile, the fuselage was burning up bit by bit.
「–Don’t make such a sad face, Kinji」
G-3 said this and…*crack* *crack*, tore open the destroyed portion of his back armour. And with a rattle, and placed something next to me.
「Although it’s a small one, it’s enough for one person to descend」
Inside his back armour was–probably made of cutting-edge synthetic fibres– a small size parachute peeked out.
「…What will you do?」
「I said don’t make that kind of face. I–will just go to where that person is」
On the burning left wing… G-3I laid like a 大 character, unmoving.
He… wants to die here in the sky.
「What are you saying…!」
Just as I reached out to grab G-3’s left hand and pull him up–the left wing must have been more damaged than it appeared–the wing collapsed, and he fell through!
「——!」
Lying on my stomach at the very edge of the wing, I finally managed to stop G-3 from falling.
As they fell, the Galleon’s fragments created small puffs of mist as they hit the clouds far below. Looking at this distance… our altitude seems to be about 2000 metres. But to the clouds, it may only be a hundred.
With me holding on to his left arm hanging mid-air–G-3 twisted his bloody mouth into a bitter laugh.
「Kinji. Let go.」
「Come up…!」
「That’s enough. Nii-san」
「…!」
My body surrounded by the hot wind, I widened my eyes in response to his words.
He’s my…
「Ah… I’m so happy. Before I die, I was able to see the face of my Nii-san」
…Younger brother…!
If it’s like that then…
I can’t let go…!
「As the older brother… how could I, sacrifice my younger brother…!」
At my words, G-3 laughed again.
「The younger brother, can’t sacrifice his older brother either」
*click*…
With that sound, The left arm-armour I was holding–separated from G-3’s body.
「——!」
Along with debris from the Galleon’s, his body gradually became smaller and smaller… disappearing into the clouds.
「G-3! G-3!」
Why.
Why did you have to do this–
I still have a lot of things I want to say to you. I wanted to be together with you, as brothers… and live!
「You stupid bast–a–rd!!!!!!!!!!!」
Amidst the swirling flame and cloud, my scream–
–only echoed.
(End Text)
End of Chapter 4
****************************************************
1. This is the kanji reading. The katakana says: ‘meta-materila ghillie (suit)’– Anon-san
2. The quote comes from the Book of Sirach. I replaced the text with an English version. Here is what it says in Japanese: ‘The Lord reveals the past and the future, and bring what was hidden out into the light’.– Anon-san
3. This is an armed forces technique to reload the gun without taking your eyes of the target or breaking stance. Here is a demonstration.
4. This was a little tricky to translate, because it is a coined term. The kanji say: ‘Chaotic angle particle lift’ (角動揚力粒子). The katakana say: Dean-Bit (デイーン・ビット）. After a few hours research, I think it means a Dean Drive.
A Dean Drive is a type of fictional reaction-less drive that does not require propellant to work. A Dean Drive is supposed to use rotary motion from a self contained system to generate uni-directional force for propulsion. This description seems to fit the Kanji meaning.
5. Link. Trance music itself seems to have a fast tempo to get people excited then it slowly fades out. Maybe it works like a drug for G-3– getting him on a ‘high’ then bringing him ‘down’ again?– AGlingua
6. Para-sexual desires that grant sexual satisfaction from fantasies concerning visual media or statuesque figures, respectively.
7. This is a theatre term for a stage exit in case this is unclear.
8. ’KH’ or ‘Key Hole’ (Code-named ‘Misty’) is the designation for a series of US reconnaissance satellites that incorporate stealth technology. Most agree that the series in current use reaches KH-13. KH-14 is the fictional(?)successor to the KH-13.
9. Link. Apparently a great gun for accuracy and target tracking with follow-up shots.
10. The Katakana say ‘Cannon’, but the Kanji read: ‘chain/linked shooting’.
Also known as ‘carom’– shortened from Carombole Billiards. The the term means that the cue ball hits two other balls in one shot– the aim of the game.
11. The Kanji read ‘Fiber bullet’.
12. In the original the expanded acronym was given as “Skilled Detective Armed”. I decided to keep it in acronym form because it doesn’t make much sense in English.
13. The “Cross” here refers to an intersection (Like streets or something crossing and connecting) or a genetic cross-pairing. In light of things revealed later in the text, it could be read “Golden Stud”, but we didn’t like that too much… LOL!
14. The kanji for “Blast” is almost identical to those used for Kinji’s “Slash”, substituting the kanji “dispel” or “drive away” in Blast for the “divert” used in Slash. The same goes for all subsequent technique names.
15. “Guided missile diversion” in Kanji.
16. ‘Absolute Prison’ in Kanji.
17. Similar in name to Kinji’s Ouka (Cherry Blossom) this is named ‘Orange Blossom’.
18. What Kinji seems to have done is to accelerate backwards with a reverse ‘Ouka’–re-named ‘Kikka’–to lessen the relative speed between himself and G-3, allowing him to use ‘Zetsurou’ to turn G-3’s Meteor back on himself, and then use a less powerful ‘Ouka’ to add additional force to his kick.
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