Ch. 118

The squad's name is Exotic. Officially, they belong to the Central Intelligence Management Office's squad, but...

"Everyone is from the Outer Rim, and all members are implicated in Class 1 crimes, with rumors even suggesting that the leader, Crow, used to be the leader of Heavenly Ascension. Normally, would you send such kids as a support unit? Sup-port-unit?"

Neon might think that Anis is having another bout of nervousness, but the squad commander Moore, walking beside her as if to console her, is also unable to fully grasp Syuen's intention.

"Isn't it just a rumor? And sending them as a support unit for that matter—support unit?"

"Well, it's not like Anis to be so flustered. But, you know, there's a saying, 'There's no smoke without fire.'"

"...With this, I'm more worried about our necks than Rapture."

----After much ado, he had cut some heads, ...and oh, they were also part of Heavenly Ascension.

While consoling Anis, Moore remembered something absurd—when a slender arm like a snake entwined around his right arm, it hugged him against a rich bosom as if sandwiching his arm with a thick arm.

"Don't say such mean things~. We're indeed the bad guys, but... won't you give us a chance for rehabilitation~?"

With a voice that leaked out like a sweet, soothing whisper, Nikke—Viper, exposing her lightly pigmented skin, hugged Moore's right arm, pointing to her own neck while indicating Anis on the other side.

"Can you see this? The choker on my neck. It's a remote-controlled bomb~~"

"...Is that a fashionable accessory?"

"....Darling~~?, Are you seriously saying that?"

"No, I'm being sarcastic, but? I'm sorry, but stay away. It's inconvenient if I can't shoot."

"Come on, don't bother the commander. Hell, stay away from the commander...!"

He wouldn't complain about the strange way of addressing him, but when Anis, on the opposite side, started pulling Moore away from Viper by hugging his left arm, he frowned slightly.

Being pulled by Anis's arm, who seemed to be putting quite some effort into it, he was separated from Viper. There was a slight pain in his left arm, especially around the shoulder, but it shouldn't be a big deal.

"---Muuu... how mean."

"...So? What about that choker?"

"Ah, Will you listen properly? Hehe...Darling is kind. This bomb is planted on all of us. And Syuen has the button."

Being held in check, Viper informed the members of her squad while looking at the ones with a rope-like black choker resembling Crow, the leader, and Nikke, the energetic and petite Jackal.

It was probably a mechanism similar to a detonation cord. Unlike a regular fuse, the core itself is explosive.

From a military standpoint, it could be used in situations where forcibly unlocking doors or detonating a large amount of explosives simultaneously and almost simultaneously was necessary.

In their case, they would wrap it around their necks and cut or disconnect it when necessary.

It was quite a fashionable accessory.

"...But, um, Un....chained? If you bring that, she'll remove the bombs as compensation for working for Ark!"

"Yeah! We'll do our best! Whether it's Rapture or Lobster, we'll sweep them away!"

Speaking with a sense of innocence, Nikke, Jackal with a launcher of a rather unconventional design, jumped around like a puppy. 

"Well, I'm counting on you. Unfortunately, as you can see, our squad is also small in number. We only have four members."

"...Including Darling?"

"That's right. I'm human, and in combat-oriented against Rapture, I'm undoubtedly inferior to Nike as a force. So I'm relying on them."

What differentiates Nikke and them decisively is the various constraints that come with him being human. Namely, the necessity of meals and sleep. Neglecting those would inevitably make him unable to fight, a self-evident truth. In fact, when he fought against forces like the Central Government Army and Heavenly Ascension at the outpost base, he was exhausted both physically and mentally due to continuous combat without rest.

Their ability to continue fighting and basic physical strength is undoubtedly superior to Moore's. Let's put it bluntly. In terms of combat power, Moore would be considered a rookie compared to Neon within the squad. Of course, it's not possible to definitively determine superiority or inferiority, but at least Moore himself evaluates himself objectively and lowers his self-esteem.

Despite that, he stands at the forefront, shoulder to shoulder with them— it's inexplicable.

The group of Counters and Exotic, a rather strange combination, eventually encountered a horde of Rapture.

They engaged in combat, but perhaps due to the cold climate in the northern region hindering the operation of Rapture's components, their mobility felt slower compared to enemy aircraft from other areas.

In any case, it was convenient for them—

"Ah, it's so much fun~! No matter how much I shoot, A.C.P.U. doesn't come!"

"...Ugh, it's really disgusting..."

The Exotic girls seem to be enjoying shooting a bit too much.

"Stop it. All the Raptures are destroyed. Any more shooting is just a waste of ammunition."

"Eh~?"

Unable to overlook it, Rapi urges them to stop shooting, but Jackal, after expressing dissatisfaction, quickly repositions her unique-designed launcher on her shoulder and releases her finger from the trigger.

"Oh, really? Sorry~♡—But, I'll shoot just one more. This one ruined my pedicure."

As soon as she said that, Viper aimed the shotgun at the wreckage of an enemy aircraft where the light had disappeared from its red single eye, which was rolling at her feet. It was a relatively close-range shot, and the Rapture's aircraft itself was shattered into pieces.

It was a sight that might make one feel a bit sorry for that Rapture.

"...It's chaotic chaos."

"Neon, don't mix chaos with chaos. And... pedicure... is it something noticeable?"

Moore inadvertently looked down at Viper's shoes. Even from the outside, the condition of her toenails couldn't be known. He had an absurd question about how the pedicure got ruined.

"...Shouldn't they have been better off returned to Ark? They are criminals, right? There are even rumors that they were terrorists."

"Terrorist is a fluid name."

"What?"

As Anis submitted her opinion to Commander Moore, Crow reacted. She approached Anis and Moore, kicking away the wreckage of the enemy aircraft rolling on the snow while carrying submachine guns in both arms.

"In the old days, it was used as a derogatory term for independence activists of small nations."

"...Or if you want to label it to individuals, groups, or organizations in conflict, anti-establishment or anti-government activists, anarchists, or extremist religious believers... well, that's true."

"Hmm... You know a lot."

"It's common knowledge."

Moore, without any fuss, stated plainly. To this, Crow showed an unexpected reaction.

"As a general rule... labeling the actions of individuals or groups in conflict and disagreement as terrorism is just evidence of strained relationships. It's a fluid and relative term. In the future... there's a non-zero chance that children will be taught that Heavenly Ascension's ideology was correct."

"That's a flexible way of thinking. It seems a bit unexpected. Weren't you supposed to be a military man?"

"There's no mistake that I am a professional soldier. But... speaking as a military man, it's difficult to agree with terrorism. And personally, at least it's not my hobby."

With an unchanging tone, Moore, who wore sunglasses, made Crow curious about what was beneath them. Eyes speak louder than words.

"...That's right. But aren't you just killing innocent people and making excuses?"

"Innocent people? Who are you talking about?"

"About the citizens of Ark who were harmed by you guys."

The conversation started to heat up, and perhaps wanting to let out grievances now, Moore seemed to be observing for a while.

As evidence, Moore lightly shook the soft pack he dragged out of the body armor pouch, bit the cigarette that popped out, and lit it with an oil lighter.

"Transforming teenage and young girls into weapons, releasing them into the Rapture-infested surface, and claiming that those who live peacefully without thinking are innocent bystanders without guilt? That's an innovative opinion."

The sound of the oil lighter's lid opening resonates. Crow's gaze inadvertently turns towards him, but he stops the motion of trying to light the cigarette for a moment.

Having captured that sight keenly, she becomes convinced. —He's one of us.

"Anis, it's better not to ask. ...As you said, it's just the excuse of a murderer."

"Murderer? Then what about the commander over there?"

While he was lighting the tip of the cigarette, letting the purple smoke waft, Crow, holding the slender stick of smokeless cigarette in her mouth, gestures towards Moore with her chin.

"I know what happened at the outpost. It's probably more appropriate to call him a murderer than you all."

"You...!!"

Anis didn't understand why Crow pointed at Moore, but the moment she sensed the intention, she tried to approach while lifting her blazing hazel eyes.

—What stopped her was his arm that leaped out in front of Anis.

"Commander...!"

"...Anis, stop."

"But...!"

"It's an order."

"...Understood..."

With a click of her tongue, Anis steps back. Moore, who watched her off, turned to face Crow.

"My subordinate was rude."

"Nah, don't worry about it."

"That's good. —Just to clarify, what we did was a military operation, not terrorism targeting non-combatants. Remember that."

"Yeah... I'll leave it at that."

"Let's move forward. Exotic, take the lead, please."

Indicated to proceed, Crow shrugs her shoulders and eventually starts moving forward with Viper and Jackal in tow, ahead of Counters.

"...Heeehh....I'll leave it at that, then."

Undoubtedly, he is, as Crow puts it, a murderer. Even if wrapped in the guise of a military operation, the hellish scene he manifested probably didn't change much. Moore, who has no evidence to deny that, deeply inhales the purple smoke and lightly gestures for everyone to move forward.

-----

Author's notes:

Everyone, do you remember?

In the second part of Chapter 5, Episode 9, there's a remark Moore made to Ingrid while laughing through his nose.

"Well, well... This is quite a statement from the CEO of a company that performs surgeries on teenage and young women, turning them into Nyx."