Rokujouma no Shinryakusha!? - Volume 15 - Chapter 4

Infiltration Operation

Saturday, July 3rd

While the Sun Rangers had been able to sneak into the radical faction’s factory once before, they were now obviously a lot more alert. The soldiers would patrol more frequently, and they were very clearly armed. They didn’t want to allow any more intruders.

“I’m really glad we hurried.”

Kiriha observed the factory on the other end of the forest through her digital binoculars and let out a small sigh of relief. Confused by Kiriha’s reaction, Koutarou standing next to her asked her what she was thinking.

“Why? Isn’t it more problematic that there are more guards around?”

“While that part is problematic, it means that there’s still something left to be guarded.”

“I see. So it would actually be worse for us if it wasn’t as guarded.”

“Precisely.”

The fact that the guard had increased around the factory meant that the radical faction still needed it. Since Koutarou and the others wanted to find out what they were doing, the increase in security meant that the evidence they were after was still inside the factory. A decreased guard would have meant the opposite, and it would be too late even if Koutarou and the others infiltrated it. So while more enemies on site was something of a setback, it wasn’t all bad news.

“There’s also one more reason I’m glad we hurried.”

“What’s that?”

“The fact that the guard is so well armed seems to suggest it won’t be long until the factory won’t be needed anymore.”

“You mean they’re no longer worried about being seen?”

The radical underground dwellers patrolling the site now were much more seriously armed than your standard security guards. And they made no attempt to hide it. They walked around with their weapons in plain sight as they boldly patrolled the yard. In Japan, there was hardly anywhere that was protected by actual armed guards. Anyone who spotted them now would easily be able to tell something was afoot. It would only be a matter of time before they were reported for engaging in terrorism.

But what did it matter if they wouldn’t be around for long?

Before the police or mass media could ever reach the factory, it would have outlived its purpose. They might have even initiated their attack on the surface by then. So right now, they didn’t care about being discovered. They were far more concerned about the enemy trying to infiltrate again.

“Satomi-san, don’t go too far ahead, please. You’ll step out of the area of the camouflage spell.”

“Ah, sorry, Yurika.”

Koutarou and the others were approaching the factory under cover of Yurika and Maki’s magic. They were still some distance out, but a clever spell kept them all perfectly concealed. Thanks to that, the radical faction still hadn’t noticed them. But since the radical faction now had access to magic too, Koutarou and the others still had to be careful.

“Baron-san, it’s about time we split up.”

“You’re right. Red Shine, take good care of my friends.”

“Of course.”

From here, they would split into the diversion team and the infiltration team as planned. Kiriha was the leader of the infiltration team: herself, Koutarou, Clan, and Harumi. The diversion team consisted of everyone else, led by Kenichi. The diversion team would distract the enemy, allowing for the infiltration team to sneak into the factory and gather intelligence. If time and circumstances allowed, they would also sabotage the factory.

“Then we’re off.”

“See you later, everyone.”

“Don’t screw this up, Theiamillis-san.”

“You’re probably the ones who’ll be in more danger. Be careful.”

After saying their farewells, the infiltration team disappeared into the woods. The remaining diversion team stayed put until they could no longer see the others.

“...By the way, everyone, can I ask you something?”

Once Koutarou and the others were long gone, Kenichi decided to try asking the remaining girls of room 106 something that had been on his mind for a while.

“I don’t mind. What is it?” Theia answered for the group.

“I’ve been wondering, but what relationship do you all have?” he asked hesitantly. “Your group is so diverse that I can’t even get my head around it.”

Kiriha was from the underground and everyone else was helping her. He knew that much, but he couldn’t get his head around how things had come to be like that.

Kiriha was a commander of the People of the Earth. Theia, Ruth, and Clan all had extremely advanced technology. Yurika, Maki, and Harumi could all use magic. Sanae had spiritual powers, and Shizuka had overwhelming strength with martial arts. And then there was Koutarou, who united them.

No. Kenichi hadn’t the faintest idea what had brought such a strange and powerful group together.

“We...”

Theia was about to instinctively reply that they were invaders, but something stopped her before she could say it. She had doubts about whether that word was apt to describe them now. That’s why, after thinking for a moment, she gave a different answer.

“We’re sort of like a family. We’re all so diverse, just like you said, which put us at odds at first. But it was that conflict that brought us together. Now we all stand hand in hand, accepting each other—both the good sides and the bad.”

“That’s quite a deep relationship...”

Theia’s answer was slightly different from what Kenichi wanted to hear, but it gave him the gist of things. They had gathered either by fate or chance, and after fighting with each other initially, they’d come to join hands. That was how he understood Theia’s story.

“That’s how I know you’ll be fine too. I’m sure you’ll be able to coexist with the underground dwellers.”

“I hope so.”

If Theia and the others could do it, then surely they could too. Holding on to that hope, Kenichi headed valiantly into the battle before him.

After breaking off from the group, Koutarou and the rest of the infiltration team were hurrying through the forest. Since the diversion team would be attacking the front gate, they would be sneaking into the facility through a back way. They’d chosen an infiltration point that was as close as possible to the actual factory building, hopefully lowering the risk of being spotted by the enemy en route. Once they were in position, the diversion team would begin their attack, so they wanted to get to their destination as quickly as possible.

“Clan, you’re falling behind. Hurry it up.”

“E-Easier said... than done... Running isn’t exactly... my specialty...”

Of the group, Clan was the only one trailing behind. Koutarou was wearing his armor, and Harumi was using the PAF. Kiriha had no assistance, but she didn’t need it; she was quite fit and well trained on her own. Clan, however, had far below average stamina and was already out of breath.

“Guess I don’t have a choice then.”

“Kyah!”

Koutarou circled back for Clan and scooped her up in his arms as he continued to run. With his powered armor, running while carrying Clan was no problem for him.

“Veltlion, I can—”

“Fly on my own” is what she was about to say. But then she remembered what the girls had all been talking about, and ended up swallowing her words instead.

“What is it?”

“I-I just stopped being stubborn. I’ll be counting on you for a while.”

Clan could fly through the air with her inventions, but she had chosen not to. Instead, she threw her arms around Koutarou’s neck and embraced him.

It’s a bit different from being hugged... but this is nice in its own way...

It wasn’t a situation where a girl of age should be glad, but she instinctively poured strength into her arms. That appearance of hers was awfully cute and Harumi smiled by reflex.

“Heehee, not being stubborn is best sometimes, Clan-san.”

“I-It’s just that I’d rather take a blow to my pride than slow everyone down right now.”

“It’d be dangerous if you fell off, so just hold on tight for now, Clan.”

“I think... I’ll do just that...”

Clan blushed as she drew her cheek closer to Koutarou’s. From this distance, she could feel his warmth and his breath. The sensation made her mind go blank. But she was so close to him that Koutarou couldn’t see her or tell what she was doing. Moreover, now that she was in his arms, he was far more worried about Harumi right now.

“Sakuraba-senpai, don’t push yourself too hard either.”

“I’m fine, Satomi-kun. That’s why I’m on this side, remember?”

Since the infiltration team would be going in while the enemy was distracted, they would hypothetically be a lot safer than the diversion team, who would actively be fighting the enemy. Koutarou had only come along as a bodyguard just in case.

“And besides, Clan-san’s invention is more than making up for my weakness.”

“If you say so...”

Koutarou reluctantly nodded. What Harumi was saying made sense, but he was still apprehensive about bringing her into a potential combat zone. Even with the PAF and the strong power she inherited from Alaia, Harumi was still just Harumi to Koutarou. The same as with Yurika, he didn’t like the idea of her being involved in anything violent like this.

“But even then, I don’t want to have you fighting, Sakuraba-senpai.”

“If you’re going to say that, then I don’t want you fighting either, Satomi-kun. A gentle soul like you doesn’t belong on the battlefield.”

Harumi understood how Koutarou felt because she felt the same way about him. Koutarou, who had lost part of his family and was still so desperately seeking warmth in others, shouldn’t be forced to raise a weapon against anyone. There was only one reason why he did.

“Yet you still fight. For everyone, and for their future. So I will too. I want to stay by your side and do what you do.”

“Sakuraba-senpai...”

“Of course, I know I’m not suited to fight. That’s why I want to help as best as I can without getting in the way.”

Harumi’s feelings hadn’t changed since the day she learned of Koutarou and the others’ secrets. She wanted to walk down the same path they did. That was it. And she was sure that the other girl inside of her felt the same way.

“Give it up, Satomi Koutarou. Harumi is right.”

“Okay, okay. In that case, let’s just get this over with quickly. That’d be best.”

Koutarou relented when Kiriha suggested that it was a losing fight. If he was going to insist that Harumi didn’t have a reason to fight, the same could be said about him. There was no real reason that Koutarou should be allowed to fight while Harumi couldn’t. And that being the case, the easiest way to make everyone happy was to complete their mission as quickly as possible in order to avoid any fighting.

And it’s not just Senpai or Yurika, either... It’s the same for Kiriha-san, Clan, and everyone else. They’re all strong, but they still shouldn’t have to fight.

Harumi wasn’t the only one that he wanted to keep out of the fighting. Koutarou wanted the girls of room 106 to live happily. That’s why he was determined to do his best for all of them.

Confirmation that the infiltration team had reached their checkpoint came about ten minutes after the groups split up. By then, the girls of room 106 and the Sun Rangers had reached the front gate of the factory.

“A laser message from Master. They have made it to their assigned position.”

“Send him a message telling him not to let his guard down... Well then, let’s go, men!”

Theia stood at the front of the group, her arms crossed and her feet firmly planted on the ground shoulder-length apart. The night breeze kicked up her golden hair, and it waved like a flag in the air. Her apparent confidence and the unwavering will in her eyes was so majestic and beautiful that it hardly seemed like someone of her diminutive stature could contain it all.

“Maki-san, this will be the first battle for our band of knights. See to it that you perform honorably so as not to sully the Satomi family name.”

“As you wish, vice captain! I will protect Her Highness in place of our captain!”

Ruth and Maki were wearing their knight uniforms and standing on either side of Theia to protect her. On top of their matching uniforms, each girl was wearing their own gear. Ruth had her armor and was carrying two beam swords, while Maki was cloaked in an indigo robe and holding her magical staff. Though they were born in different worlds, the determination on their faces and the fire burning in their eyes made them look like they could be sisters.

Behind the three of them were Sanae and Shizuka.

“All right, I’m gonna give it my all today!”

“You sure are fired up, Sanae-chan.”

“Yeah! I’m gonna steal the spotlight and make Koutarou wanna invite me into his band of knights!”

“Maybe I’ll do the same.”

“That’s more like it, Shizuka! Make dragon uncle work too!”

“No thank you!”

“That’s cold, Shizuka.”

“But if I bring out Uncle Alu, I’ll get heavier! I’ll definitely finish this without having to bring him out today!”

“...It’s not like your actual weight really increases...”

“I don’t really get it, but I’m rooting for you, Shizuka!”

Neither Sanae nor Shizuka had any armor or weapons. Instead, they were both enveloped in spiritual energy—Sanae with her own and Shizuka with some borrowed from the dragon inside of her. Thanks to that, they were both stronger than armed soldiers. For these two girls, weapons or armor would only get in their way.

“Nana-san... I’ll fulfill my duties the best I can today...”

Behind them was Yurika, who had a different atmosphere about her than usual. The real difference was in the enemy she was facing. They were an organized group that was misusing magic on purpose, a clear enemy of Rainbow Heart. Moreover, she would need to defeat them to save Kiriha’s future. So walking into this fight was both a matter of duty and something she needed to do to help a dear friend. That’s why she looked far more serious than normal.

“I’m still nowhere near as good as you were, Nana-san, but I will definitely pull through!”

Yurika tightly gripped her staff, Angel Halo. The resolute expression of a magical girl that peeked out on her face from time to time was now clearly showing. She was like a completely different person compared to when she first came to room 106. Indeed, Yurika was not herself right now, but Rainbow Yurika—a real magical girl.

“Baron-san’s friends are all amazing people... We still have a long way to go...”

“We’ve made progress too just to be able to tell that by looking at them.”

“Kotaro is right, Kenichi. There’s no need to beat yourself up over it.”

“Yeah. Being able to tell how amazing Baron-sama is for ourselves is a huge step forward!”

“...Sadly, that part of Megu-chan hasn’t made any progress...”

All the way in the back of their formation were the five Sun Rangers. They were wearing their usual combat uniforms, which had acquired all kinds of battle scars over the past months. That was proof of their growth, proof that they were now first-rate soldiers. They were no longer the disorderly mob they were when they’d first met Koutarou. Much like Yurika, they were completely different people now.

There were six girls from room 106 and the five Sun Rangers on the diversion team. All eleven of them boldly approached the front gate of the factory. As they did, the spotlights around the facility focused on them. When they had approached to within ten meters of the gate, a speaker mounted over the gate gave them a stern warning.

“This is private property! If you approach any further, you will be removed by force!”

It was the standard threat, but it was clear this was no mere formality. The soldiers beyond the gate already had their weapons at the ready and were just waiting for the order to fire. They knew good and well that the people in front of them were the same group that had been there earlier that day.

“I dare you to try it! I’ll show you just who you’re barking at!”

Theia fearlessly stood at the front as the enemy tried to intimidate them. The unyielding strength she had been born with revealed itself in her eyes.

“Blue Knight, raise the flag!”

“As you wish, my princess.”

On Theia’s orders, a large flag several meters wide spread out behind the group. It wasn’t a physical flag, but one drawn using lasers. In the center of the flag was a golden flower. It was the combat flag raised when Princess Theiamillis took the front lines.

The laser flag stood out even from afar. Koutarou and the others could see it on the opposite end of the factory.

“So it’s started.”

With the flag raised and its golden light filling the area, it naturally caught the attention of the factory guards. As a result, they began flocking towards it. Just as planned, the guard around the rear of the factory thinned out.

“Clan, we’re counting on you.”

While Theia’s flag was meant to draw the enemy’s attention, it was also the signal for Koutarou’s group to get to work. So as the diversion team took to their battle at the front gate, Koutarou and the others took to infiltrating the back of the factory.

“Preparations are already complete. The surveillance cameras along our route are already being fed dummy footage and I’ve confirmed the sensors’ positions. I can guide us into the factory undetected.”

The first step of their break-in would largely depend on Clan. As her ship specialized in stealth functions, she had excellent techniques for concealment. While the People of the Earth had more advanced detection devices than those found on the surface, they were but rudimentary toys to Clan.

“Kii, you’ll have to do something about the spiritual energy sensors.”

“Karama, Korama, activate your spiritual energy sensors and detect them.”

“Got it, Nee-san!”

“Clan-chan, watch how gallant we are, ho!”

“Don’t fall for us, ho!”

“I wouldn’t!”

The only thing Clan couldn’t do anything about were the spiritual energy devices. Since they were a totally foreign technology to her, she had no way of detecting them. She would have to leave that part to Kiriha and her haniwas.

“Senpai, could you keep an eye out for spells just in case?”

“Of course. I’ll keep watch.”

Harumi would be on the lookout for mana. Since magicians needed to cast spells manually, one at a time, the chances that they were being used to do work at a factory was fairly low. But that didn’t eliminate the possibility a few had been assigned to guard key areas. It would be important to have Harumi stay alert for things like that just in case.

For their operation, the division of duties was simple and clear. Clan was in charge of technology, Kiriha of spiritual energy, Harumi of magic, and Koutarou of security. In terms of an infiltration team, they were the most effective and succinct combination possible.

“All right, let’s go everyone.”

“Yeah!” the three girls responded to Koutarou in harmony.

The four of them made it past the outer fence and into the factory yard. Neither their demeanors nor their teamwork showed any hint of disorder.

Koutarou and the others would have liked to advance straight towards the factory, but there were too many sensors in the way. They carefully followed Clan’s directions, slowly but surely closing in on the building.

“Next, stay low and get up to that corner. Veltlion, you need to be extra careful because you’re so tall.”

“Gotcha. I’ll be careful.”

They would sneak from shadow to shadow, staying low and even crawling where necessary. They wanted to be as quick about it as possible, but the enemy would find them if they rushed. They had to be patient for now if they wanted to get as much information as possible.

It took several long minutes for them to all creep up to the building, but fortunately, their efforts paid off. They reached their destination without being detected.

“Jeez, we finally reached it.”

“Well done, Clan. You really are good at these kind of cowardly things.”

“Are you praising me or taking a stab at me?”

“I’m praising you, really.”

“I can’t believe it. Jeez...”

“It’s okay, Clan-san. Satomi-kun is always singing your praises when you’re not around.”

“Hey now, Sakuraba-senpai!”

“Heehee, sorry.”

“I-Is that true?!”

Koutarou and the girls took a quick breather in the shadow of the large factory building. Smiles of relief could be seen on their faces as they felt themselves freed from the tension that had been building up as they made their way here. There was even a lighthearted joke or two. But things wouldn’t remain that way for long.

A group of soldiers passed right by the place where there were hiding. They looked like reinforcements headed for the battle at the front gate. Waiting until the soldiers got a good distance away, Kiriha spoke up.

“We can’t take things too lightly. Koutarou, let’s proceed inside the building right away.”

“You’re right. I bet the other group doesn’t have it easy.”

They could hear the sounds of gunfire and explosions even from this side of the building. There was no doubting the diversion team was in the middle of a fierce battle right now. And with their lives on the line, Koutarou and the others didn’t have the time to take it easy.

“Nee-san, we shouldn’t try that service entrance over there, ho!”

“An active spiritual energy sensor has been set up in that area, ho! We’ll be detected even using Class II Stealth Mode, ho!”

The problem was that security around the factory was tight. They wouldn’t be able to use the entrance that the soldiers had.

“I’d like to hurry, but breaking in with brute strength would be a bad idea when we’re outnumbered like this.”

“We should look for another entrance then. Clan, can you find one we can use?”

“Please wait a moment... um...”

Clan operated her bracelet and sent orders to her small reconnaissance drone. The drone had been gathering information for a while and already had a rough blueprint of the outside of the factory. She brought it up and analyzed it again to find a different route.

“Let’s see... Not too far from here is an exhaust vent where the heat from the factory is being funneled outside. I tried following the heat signature, and it seems to go quite a ways into the factory.”

Clan suggested that they infiltrate the factory via the exhaust ventilation system, but Kiriha quickly shook her head.

“Since this is heat exhaust from weapons manufacturing, it’s likely an extreme temperature. Koutarou aside, I can’t imagine that the rest of us would make it through.”

With metal being processed inside the factory, the heat vented outside would indeed be intense. It would be like a constant, scorching hot wind. That was no problem for Koutarou, whose armor was designed for space use, but the other three girls wouldn’t have it so easy. Which was why Kiriha couldn’t imagine it would be a realistic path. While Kiriha liked Clan and wanted to respect her plans, she had to object this time.

“I’ve already thought of that, Kii.”

But since her objection was something Clan had expected, she smiled. She had already thought of a countermeasure.

“With the data I’ve collected, I believe we should be able to pass without any problems using Harumi’s magic.”

Clan had accumulated data on magic from both Alaia and Harumi. And based on that data, she thought that if Harumi used defensive and cooling spells, they should be able to endure the vent without issue.

“I see... That might work.”

“Of course, it won’t last for long... But there are also other merits to it, too. There shouldn’t be any sensors in the exhaust vent.”

Even with tight security around the facility, the radical faction had no reason to set up surveillance at an entrance that would ordinarily require a spacesuit to pass through. Surely it would be less guarded as well.

“Then we’re counting on you, Harumi.”

“Please leave it to me. This is exactly what I’m here for.”

Harumi didn’t flinch at the sudden job thrown onto her, but rather nodded confidently as her long, beautiful hair started shining silver.

The infiltration via the heat vent was progressing smoothly. Harumi was controlling the mana from Signaltin to shield herself and the others from the searing heat. Thanks to that, they could casually walk through the blowing 100 degrees Celsius air. After walking through the vent for a while, they came across a maintenance hatch. Once they pried it open, they finally had their way into the factory proper. As expected, the heat ventilation system was poorly guarded, and nobody had noticed them.

“Koutarou, your hand.”

When it was Koutarou’s turn to come through the maintenance hatch at the rear of the group, he moved over to the ladder they were using. But looking down, Kiriha was holding her hand up to him to help him down.

“Thanks, but no thanks, Kiriha-san. The armor is still pretty hot.”

“I don’t mind.”

“I do,” he said, giving her a wry smile.

The maintenance hatch was hot from the superheated air in the vent, so Koutarou, who was wearing his armor, was put in charge of opening and shutting it. And since he’d been handling the vent, his gauntlets had absorbed some of its heat. While the armor had a cooling function, it wasn’t instant. If Koutarou grabbed Kiriha’s hand now, it probably wouldn’t burn her seriously, but her delicate skin would turn red from the heat. So Koutarou refused her help and climbed down the ladder on his own.

“Onii-chan doesn’t understand the feelings of a girl who wants to be of help to the person she loves,” Kiriha whispered so that only Koutarou could hear.

She was pouting. Kiriha—or rather, Kii—wanted to be useful. A little heat was nothing if it meant she could help Koutarou.

“What can I say? You’re too important to me, Kii.”

“Ahaha, then I guess it is what it is.”

Kiriha was only able to remain so childlike for a few seconds. They were in the middle of a battle, and tension soon returned to her expression. The same went for Koutarou. The next he spoke, he’d resumed his knightly aura.

“By the way, Kiriha-san, what kind of place is this?”

“This is the part of the factory floor with blast furnaces and other machinery that puts off a great deal of heat. There should be another area where the weapons are actually assembled. I want to take a look there first.”

Koutarou couldn’t even imagine what some of the machines around him were, but they were for industrial metallurgy. The metal was melted in the blast furnaces and molded into rough shapes. Those shapes were then processed, refined, and cut down into parts. Kiriha had no doubt these were the parts for the new weapons the radical faction was using.

But since the mechanical soldiers were so large, it was hard to get a grasp of their overall shape and function just by looking at individual parts. They would be better off heading to the assembly line to see the product being made. And if possible, she wanted to head to the control room where the whole process was overseen.

“Clan-san, which way should we go?”

The factory looked even stranger to Harumi than it did to Koutarou. As a normal teenage girl, she didn’t know the first thing about industrial technology, and it was all a little scary. She turned to Clan for help.

“Well, if the factory is laid out logically, then we should head in the direction of the front gate.”

Clan answered without hesitation. Since she wasn’t an ordinary girl by any stretch of the imagination, and had experience with all kinds of odd things. And that included some industrial knowhow.

“Why?”

“Because it makes supply chain management easier. Placing the start and finish of the production line there is the most logical thing to do.”

“I see. That would be most efficient, wouldn’t it?”

With the beginning and the end of the line in the same place, logistics were simpler. A transport could drop off raw materials and leave after being loaded up with finished product. Though there were some exceptions, most production lines worked in that sort of circular way.

“Which means that’s where we want to go.”

“Let’s hurry. Everyone’s still fighting for us.”

To get the information they needed, Koutarou and the others headed in the direction Clan had suggested.

Everyone, stay safe...

But even though they were inside the factory, they could still hear the sounds of the battle outside. Koutarou prayed for the other girls’ safety while resolving himself to complete his mission as quickly as possible.

The diversion team couldn’t simply focus on defeating the radical faction. If they got too much of an edge, then the enemy might begin retreating. And if that happened, there would be no point in a diversion. They needed to draw things out while leading the enemy to believe they had a sure chance at victory. Because of that, Theia and the others couldn’t make use of any large or particularly devastating attacks, such as bombarding the area using Blue Knight. They limited themselves to fighting against the soldiers directly.

“Blue Knight! Anti-personnel smart gun!”

“Please select your choice of bullet.”

“Use paralysis bullets! Fire at will!”

“As you wish, my princess.”

Theia summoned an anti-personnel weapon from Blue Knight and rained down fire on the soldiers guarding the factory. What she was wielding was like a large machine gun, the kind that was more likely to be found mounted to a vehicle. It spat nearly a thousand per second, and the sound of it firing was like an earthquake.

“Kyah! Kyah! Kyah!”

The bullets weren’t just whizzing past the enemy, but also Yurika, who happened to be nearby. Since Blue Knight was aiming automatically, she was in very little danger of being hit, but she was still none too pleased about being fired at by her own ally. She was crying near hysterically.

“Theia-chan, please just shoot the enemy!”

“The trajectory of each bullet is carefully calculated! You’ll be fine!”

The bullets Theia was firing were rounds meant to paralyze. There wasn’t a great deal of firepower behind them, and they didn’t have the power to break through Yurika’s defensive spell. Moreover, Blue Knight’s automated aim was extremely precise. Even with thousands of rounds being fired, only a handful went astray. While she would have been in trouble if Theia had fired at her directly, there was almost no chance a few stray bullets would do her any harm. Theia had determined that using a high-output, low-firepower weapon would allow her to concentrate on her enemies without having to worry too much about her allies. Though she didn’t say it out loud, Theia had faith in Yurika’s magic.

And the results were just as Theia anticipated. The guards fell one after another. But though she might be safe, Yurika still wasn’t happy about being shot at.

“Don’t shoot me just because you think it’s safe!”

“Yurika-chan, if you don’t like it, then you just have to make sure you don’t get hit.”

Shizuka, who was with Yurika, flashed a confident smile. She could sense Theia’s intention to attack and would move out of the line of fire. As a result, not a single bullet had hit her so far.

“Please don’t lump me together with a superhuman like yourself, Shizuka-san!”

“You can do it too if you put your heart in it. Or can you not muster enough motivation without Satomi-kun here?”

Shizuka made small talk as she wailed on a soldier. She went from a light left jab into a right straight that she used to rotate her body before pouring all her momentum into a roundhouse kick. The soldier took each hit of the brilliant combo, fell instantly to the ground, and stopped moving. Such was the power of Shizuka’s attacks. But since she was avoiding vital points, the soldier on the ground had only lost consciousness and not his life. The girls had good reasons for not wanting to kill their enemies.

Though they might be bad guys, the members of the radical faction were still Kiriha’s people. Thinking about relations in the future, they wanted this conflict to end with as few casualties as possible. That was why Theia and Shizuka were only using nonlethal force. Of course, the fact that they detested killing also played a big role in it.

“Th-That’s not it, but...”

“Yurika, quit spacing out and get to work! They’re coming out in droves!”

Sanae shot at an enemy using a bow and arrow created from her own spiritual energy. An arrow that would split into sixteen smaller ones midair was a difficult thing to dodge, and the soldier fell to the ground as he was hit by several of the smaller ones. The soldier in question had actually been after Yurika. Since she was so incredibly adaptable on the battlefield, she was seen as one of the biggest threats.

“S-Sorry, Sanae-chan! Fog Cloud! Modifier: Effective Time, Twice!”

Yurika cast a spell to block the field of view of the approaching enemies. The enemies would keep attacking even if she protested, so she didn’t have the time to whine.

“Yurika-sama, get behind us!”

“Nijino Yurika, you support us from the rear! The Satomi knights will take the front!”

There were other enemies approaching Yurika, but they were stopped by Ruth and Maki. Ruth was wearing a mechanical-looking set of armor and was armed with beam swords, while Maki had created a large blade stretching out from the top of her staff. The two girls put themselves between the enemy and their friends.

“Maki-san, be careful not to get too far out! Please keep our allies’ positions in mind at all times!”

Ruth made full use of her armor’s defensive capabilities, breaking up the enemy waves. With her barrier’s high output, she could effectively block attacks for her allies by expanding it over a wider area. At the same time, she attacked enemies designated as high priority by her armor’s AI one after another with her beam swords set to paralysis mode.

“Understood, vice captain!”

Maki’s role was more offensive than Ruth’s. Using her large blade, she targeted the soldiers who left themselves open. In essence, Ruth was preventing the enemy from advancing while Maki thinned their numbers. It was an effective combination, and together they were able to stem the enemy tide.

That said, their band of knights had only just recently been formed, and their coordination was still somewhat lacking. Maki in particular had very little experience when it came to fighting on a team. While working for Darkness Rainbow, she had almost always been alone. Because of that, she had a tendency not to consider her allies. Koutarou was one thing, but she had a hard time paying attention to everyone around her.

“Aika-san, wipe those guys out! I’ve got your back!”

“Kasagi-san? Thank you! I’m counting on you!”

But even though Maki struggled to mind her allies, they were still all working together. Since this way of fighting was completely different from what she was used to, there was a lot of hesitation in her moves. But she firmly believed that this was where she belonged, and that belief made her stronger. So did the friends who had her back.

And so, with the unique teamwork between the girls of room 106 that made use of each of their peculiarities, the diversion team’s battle was progressing in their favor. But when it came to teamwork, the Sun Rangers weren’t losing out either.

“Let’s go, Daisaku!”

“Yeah! I’ll charge in, so please back me up, Hayato-kun!”

They’d been little better than a disorganized mob in the past, but now the five of them each had a clear role in the group.

Up in front was the large man skilled in martial arts, Yellow Shine Daisaku. He dealt with the enemy’s vanguard. Pink Shine Megumi used an automatic gun to restrain the rear of the enemy formation. Actually taking out the enemy was the job of their sharpshooter, Blue Shine Hayato, who used a rifle to pick off the enemies one by one. Green Shine Kotaro’s job was to throw the enemy into disarray. His weapon of choice was explosives. And finally, with a sword in his right hand and a gun in his left was Red Shine Kenichi. He adapted to the situation and provided backup wherever needed.

“Calm down, Daisaku, Hayato! Our job isn’t to defeat the enemy!”

“Kenichi is right! We need to buy time for my Baron-sama and the others!”

Their teamwork was splendid. There wasn’t a single sign of the disorganized, chaotic mess they were in the past. The Sun Rangers hadn’t just twiddled their thumbs and done nothing these past few months. They’d trained to become strong, and had gotten even tougher through their experience in battle. Combined with the teamwork they’d developed, they were finally fit to be called a combat squad.

Under the command of Kenichi, the five of them fought magnificently. The equipment they had was nowhere near the level of what Theia and the others had, but it was clear to anyone that they were far more skilled than your average soldiers.

“Kenichi-niichan, something’s strange.”

“What do you mean?”

“Take a good look. The weapons that Daisaku-niichan and Megumi-neechan photographed aren’t coming to attack at all. And that robot that attacked when we were escaping isn’t here either.”

“Now that you mention it...”

Their battle instincts kicked in and told them something was fishy. They were supposedly at a weapons production facility, yet none of those weapons were anywhere to be seen. The Sun Rangers knew they should be there—they’d photographed them just earlier that day—but not even the mechanical soldier they’d fought was around now. The only enemies on the battlefield were members of the radical faction. The Sun Rangers had prepared themselves for a fierce fight, so this was almost a disappointment.

“If you’d like, I can tell you the reason for that.”

That was when a cold, sharp voice cut through the noise of the heated battle. The moment it did, both friend and foe alike stopped fighting.

“Maya-sama?!”

“It’s been a while, Maki.”

The voice belonged to the previous Dark Navy, Maya. She approached in a grand manner, and stopped to face Maki a few meters away.

Maya-sama... she means business...

A cold shiver ran down Maki’s spine when she saw her old master. Maya crossed her arms as if to accentuate her large bosom. She appeared defenseless despite her provoking behavior, but Maki couldn’t seem to find a single opening. To Maki, Maya looked like a ferocious beast ready to rip off her opponent’s head in the blink of an eye.

Maki kept a keen eye on Maya as she readied her blade. Her stance was tighter than it had been before. She knew better than anyone else that she wouldn’t catch Maya with any large attacks.

“Oh, how scary. Maki, you don’t need to be so frightened. I only came because I wanted to see your face. It’s been too long. I’ll leave after playing with you for a bit.”

Maya didn’t seem shaken in the slightest despite her protégé pointing a deadly weapon at her. She knew that the current Maki couldn’t win against her. Maya simply oozed confidence. It was written all over her face. Her white teeth could be seen peeking out from lips as they curled up in a bewitching, foxy grin. She was truly beautiful, but the gesture was more akin to a beast baring its fangs.

“Heh heh heh, but if you look at me with those scary eyes, Maki, you’ll give away your little act of being captured by the enemy.”

“M-Maya-sama?!”

Maki was shaken by Maya’s words. Since Maya had appeared so suddenly, she had completely forgotten about the delicate situation she was in herself. She should have had a more reserved reaction. But Maya’s next words shook Maki up even more.

“Don’t worry, Maki. I don’t really care what side you are on. I never had, and I never will.”

“What...”

Maya had already had an inkling of Maki’s betrayal, yet left her alone until today.

“I have to say though, Maki, I don’t hate the current you right now.”

Maya flashed a truly happy smile as her master, or perhaps as one of her few comrades. It was a pure smile devoid of any malice, though it only lasted for a few seconds.

“Realize your desires with your own power. You’re finally living the life. Though it’s a bit ironic that you didn’t really seem to understand what Darkness Rainbow was all about until you split.”

When Maki was a part of Darkness Rainbow, she desired nothing more than sincerity from people. She clung to truth and honesty because of the betrayals she’d experienced in the past. But no one is perfect. There are many forms of dishonesty, and everyone lies in one way or another. That was an endless source of irritation for her. Maki was always unhappy with her surroundings and with other people.

Maya didn’t like that about Maki. She thought that instead of just being unhappy about it, she should do something about it. Even if that meant forcing other people to be sincere with magic. Using magic to realize your desires was Darkness Rainbow’s creed, after all.

However, after parting ways with Darkness Rainbow, Maki found herself freed from that bitter unhappiness. She’d come to realize that what she really wanted wasn’t sincerity, but what lay beyond. Love. And forcing love with magic was wrong and sad. It would only be a hollow shell of the real thing. A lie. And Maki despised lies. So in short, the power of magic couldn’t bring Maki what she really wanted. She needed a real relationship, not a slave. Someone who would be brutally honest with her, rather than shower her with adoration.

So now, instead of trying to use her magic to get something, Maki was using her powers to protect what she already had. And seeing Maki be so honest with herself about her feelings, even if those feelings were love, made Maya happy. She thought things were better this way, though it was amusing that Maki hadn’t truly started to act like a member of Darkness Rainbow until she left them.

But as a member of Darkness Rainbow herself, Maya knew that their bonds with each other were shallow. It wasn’t exactly out of character for an evil magical girl to double-cross her allies. That’s why Maya wasn’t all that surprised and didn’t care all that much that Maki had betrayed them. If anything, she was happy to see her take that kind of initiative. That’s why she hadn’t mentioned it to anyone else.

Good and evil didn’t matter to Maya. She only cared about her own desires and using magic to get what she wanted. Maya herself was also a pure embodiment of Darkness Rainbow’s ideals.

“Then you should understand, Maya-sama. Even if it means having to fight you, I won’t lose.”

Maki pointed the tip of her blade at Maya. Her hands were trembling slightly from the tension, and beads of sweat were sliding down her forehead. If she let her guard down for even a little, she would be taken out in an instant. Since Maya knew the scope of Maki’s abilities, she was just about the scariest enemy imaginable.

“Good. That’s how you should be. However...” As Maya spoke, blades popped out of her artificial arms. “I feel the same way! I will cut down anyone who opposes me, even if it’s you, Maki!”

Maya made her move just as those last few words left her mouth. She was so blindingly fast that most of the crowd watching had trouble even following her with their eyes.

“Nightwalker! Recall Precast Spells! Category: Alpha!”

But Maki had no trouble keeping up with her. In response, she released ten or so spells that she prepared beforehand to drastically increase her combat abilities.

“Maya-sama!”

Maki’s large sword met the blade that had popped out from Maya’s right arm. With the magical enhancements from her spells, Maki was just barely able to keep up with Maya.

“Well done stopping me! That’s my number one apprentice!”

Though her attack had been blocked, Maya grinned in delight. Seeing how much her protégé had grown pleased her.

“But you’re too naive!”

Maya didn’t relent. Her protégé or not, an enemy was an enemy. Even though she was happy to see Maki’s growth, she wouldn’t hesitate to cut her down without mercy.

Maya had the upper hand in terms of both weight and power, and she forcibly pushed Maki back, following up with a kick at Maki’s head. Since most of Maya’s body was supported by an alloy armature, a blow like that would do serious damage.

“Energy Release!”

Maki’s enhanced senses told her that she wouldn’t be able to dodge the kick normally. So instead, she released the mana gathered in her staff. The magical blade formed on top of Maki’s staff required a large quantity of mana to maintain, and releasing it was enough to cause a small explosion.

“You’re as reckless as always, Maki!”

The shockwave from the explosion threw Maya’s kick off course, but because of its proximity, it also damaged Maki. Compared to Maya and her mechanical body, Maki’s flesh and blood body took more damage in the blast. She figured it would be better than getting hit by Maya’s kick, but just like Maya had said, it was still reckless.

“...My master isn’t someone you can beat through normal means...”

Still staggering from the explosion, Maki readied her staff once more. Her eyes were unwavering. She was desperate to beat Maya.

“You know just what to say to make me happy,”

However, for some reason, Maya retracted the blades extended from her arms.

“Maya-sama?”

Since Maya had the advantage, her actions confused Maki. As her apprentice, Maki knew better than anyone that Maya couldn’t be underestimated.

“I told you. I only came to see your face today.”

Maya knew why Maki was confused. While fighting her was fun, it was also fun to see her like this. Maya smiled like her bloodlust just moments ago had all been a farce.

“If I were seriously going to fight you, I’d prepare a much better stage. Not somewhere like this with all these people to get in the way.”

Maya had several reasons for stopping, but the biggest reason was that she hated interruptions. While Maya would have had an advantage for a time after her surprise appearance, Theia and the others wouldn’t just sit idly by. In fact, Shizuka was already rushing over to Maki’s aid. If she stayed around much longer, Maya may very well have been in trouble. The current Maki wasn’t alone anymore.

“Besides, I just received word that our boy has fallen into the trap.”

“Boy...? You mean Satomi-kun?!”

Maya and the others’ real target was Koutarou. Everything else was just a bonus, including getting to see her protégé. Maya had come out because they didn’t know where Koutarou was. While they had quickly figured out that Maki and the others were a diversion, they didn’t know if Koutarou was taking part in the infiltration or the diversion. Since their strategy would change depending on where he was, Maya had come out to find out for herself.

She didn’t see him among the members of the diversion team, but had shortly after received a message letting her know he’d been found inside. With that information, Maya no longer had any reason to stick around outside.

“That’s right... Koutarou, my dear beloved boy... That’s the reason why our main forces aren’t out here, you know. I’m sure that boy and his little friends are struggling right now.”

That explained why the main weapons at the factory hadn’t been brought out against the diversion team. Maya and the others had placed their main force inside, lying in wait. And just as expected, Koutarou eventually appeared. In other words, the radical faction had pulled the same tactic on them. The group at the main gate was just a diversion to distract attention from their main objective.

“Well then, goodbye for now, Maki. Let’s meet again soon.”

With those parting words like she was only casually bidding farewell to a friend, Maya turned away from Maki.

“Maya-sama! W-Wait, Maya-sama!”

Maki wanted to chase after Maya, but the radical soldiers closed in to obstruct her way. They wasted no time in attacking, and all Maki could do was watch Maya walk off as she defended herself.

“Now... it’s been a while since I got to play with the boy... Heh, I can’t wait.”

Maya’s steps were light. She looked like a woman about to reunite with her lover.