Chapter 37 Moving Babylon to Nier world, First battle of 22B and 8B

In the dark expanse, where everything was pitch black except for a transparent white floor, a girl with white hair stood chained with black restraints. She had a blindfold over one eye, with the other eye exposed. Her hair was tied in a ponytail, and she wore a YoRHa uniform. She struggled to break free but couldn't manage it.

Raising her head, she saw two pairs of red eyes peering down at her from above. She could only see those four intense red eyes, but their mocking presence was palpable. She had no recollection of how she had arrived here, but she was certain that she had fallen victim to a logic virus. She wasn't a scanner-type android and had no way to solve this virus. All she could do was wait, hoping to be cured by 21S.

Suddenly, light-blue energies with metallic particles burst forth from her body, dissolving the chains and spreading in all directions. She felt her body becoming lighter and refreshed, then everything faded to black, like a TV being turned off. When she tried to open her eyes again, a flash of light hit her, and her surroundings gradually came into focus.

She looked around and saw books, desks, a lab microscope, and various research equipment. She attempted to move but found herself still bound to the bed by chains. She thought she might still be in her own mental space when she heard the sound of a door opening.

Raising her head, she observed a beautiful girl with pink hair and a lab coat entering the room. A4 prepared to use force, but Saya spoke, "You've awakened. Please don't suddenly destroy this lab. I'm not your enemy."

A4 questioned, "...Why should I?"

Saya continued, "Just so you know, you are no longer inside your own mind. I've already healed you from the logic virus."

A4 was surprised, "!?"

Saya asked, "Do you remember what happened?"

A4 replied, "No... I only remember watching the battle of mother's wives."

Saya contemplated what A4 might have seen or felt inside her mind before regaining consciousness. She understood that a logic virus was not like a typical digital virus and that there were unique spaces and events within their minds, as she had seen in anime. There were many instances of 9S attempting hacking attacks in the anime.

A4 requested, "Can you release the chains now?"

Saya apologized, "Ah, sorry. I was lost in thought." She cast a spell, turning the chains to dust, which then vanished.

A4 asked, "So, how did I get here?"

Saya explained, "My wife brought you here."

A4, still somewhat bewildered, asked, "...Wife?"

Saya clarified, "It's Lucia."

A4 recalled Lucia mentioning her wives, who hadn't visited their world yet. She quickly expressed her remorse, "I'm sorry! I was so rude!"

Saya reassured her, "It's fine. I need to contact Lucia now that you've been healed. You're free to explore for the time being."

A4 saluted, "Understood."

As Saya left the room, she reached out to contact Lucia telepathically.

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As the day drew to a close, the warm hues of the setting sun painted the sky with a delicate tapestry of oranges, pinks, and purples. The scene was set within the heart of a forsaken city, where the remnants of once-proud buildings stood as stoic witnesses to the passage of time.

In this desolate landscape, an open tent served as the focal point for a gathering of enchanting souls. Its canvas walls, tattered by the ages, provided shelter amidst the decaying grandeur. The group of beautiful young women, like a resplendent bouquet of wildflowers, formed a circle within the sheltering arms of the tent. Their laughter, like a symphony of joy, harmonized with the melancholic whispers of the ruins surrounding them.

As the warm, golden light of the evening sun filtered through the tattered fabric of the tent, it cast a soft, ethereal glow upon the gathering. Shadows danced on the weathered walls of the nearby buildings, creating a mesmerizing interplay of light and darkness.

The young women, in their circle, were a vision of beauty and camaraderie. They leaned in, their faces illuminated by the warm light, their laughter filling the space with an infectious spirit. Their presence breathed life into the desolation, a testament to the resilience of the human spirit even in the most forgotten of places.

In this moment, amidst the ruins and the fading light, a sense of beauty, community, and fleeting magic converged, creating a captivating tableau that defied the passage of time and the weight of history.

(Lucia POV)

"I was in the midst of a conversation with 21S and the rest of the girls when suddenly I heard Saya's voice through telepathy.

"Lucia, A4 has awakened."

"Oh, is everything okay?"

"Yes, she's fine. She's walking around here. You can bring her back."

"Why don't you come here too?"

"...Okay. I'll be there after a while."

"Okay."

Moments later, Saya appeared with A4. A2 rushed up to A4 and hugged her, starting to talk with her. They had been concerned that A4 might not survive. Dying wasn't a problem for them, as they could revive, but A4 couldn't upload her data because of the sudden virus invasion. After revival, she would become a new A4 without memories.

"Are you okay? Do you feel anything strange?"

"It's okay. Thanks to Saya-sama."

"Thank you, Saya-sama," A2 said, bowing. 21S and G16 did the same.

"It's okay. You can just call me Saya. No need to add 'sama.' After all, we are family now."

"Yes, we are family now," A2 said with a bright smile.

Later, they began to chat with Saya, discussing various topics.

"It's time to move Babylon here. Yuriko said the remodeling has been finished. I'll be back later."

"Then hurry up and bring Mama here," Saya said.

I nodded, stood up from my seat, and kissed each girl on the forehead. Afterward, I disappeared from there and reappeared in the living room of Babylon's main palace.

"You're back?" I heard Yuriko's voice and turned to see her wearing only an apron without any other clothes. I was about to speak when I noticed Shizuka behind Yuriko, similarly attired in just an apron. I shook my head and smiled.

"Why are you two only wearing aprons?"

I said as I walked to them and pulled them into my embrace.

"It's just us anyway. There are no other people here except the golems," Yuriko explained, pointing to the maids cleaning the room with expressionless faces.

"...Sorry."

Somehow, I felt compelled to apologize to them.

"Why are you sorry?" Shizuka asked.

"Nothing, don't mind it. I came here this time to take the two of you and our home."

"Okay, are we leaving now?"

"No, not yet. I want to eat before we go there."

"I haven't cooked yet," Yuriko said.

"No need. I'm eating you two!"

"Kya!"

"Ma..."

Shizuka exclaimed, and Yuriko smirked as I lifted the two of them up from their seats and carried them to the bedroom.

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(General POV)

"Why are they taking so long to get here?" Saya wondered aloud.

"They might be busy," Rika suggested.

"Hmm..."

"I feel like A4 has changed somewhat, but I don't know where she has changed," A2 commented.

"I checked her, but I found no abnormalities," 21S added.

"I also think the same," A4 confirmed. The girls turned to Saya for an explanation.

"Well, I can't explain it for now. I'll talk to you girls later."

The girls nodded.

"Umm… What is Babylon?" Lily asked, and Saya began to explain what kind of place Babylon was.

"Wow, a floating island?!" Lily exclaimed, clearly amazed by the idea. She had never heard of such a thing and was very interested.

"I've read about something like that in a fairy tale book before," G16 mentioned.

"You'll see for yourself later."

"I'm looking forward to it!" Lily said, her cheerful demeanor in contrast to her anime persona. Saeko looked at Lily and smiled. They all chatted happily, and Saya shared stories she had read.

As the night wore on, the person they were waiting for was still busy with two girls in a beautiful bedroom.

"Why the hell is she so late?!" Saya shouted.

"There's no doubt. She's really having fun," Esdeath said with a laugh.

"She really is," Saeko agreed with a giggle.

"Is there some difficulty happening to Lucia?" Rose asked, showing concern.

"Well, she has too much stamina, and that's the problem. Do you want to know?" Rika said with a smirk, looking at the android girls.

Although the girls had adult forms, they were innocent and didn't understand what Rika meant. They nodded because they wanted to know. Rika proceeded to describe in explicit detail what she believed was happening. Meanwhile, Saya went to Babylon to complain but was instead pulled into the bedroom by Lucia. The day passed, and a new day arrived.

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Lucia appeared outside of the tent and saw the girls sleeping. They didn't necessarily need to sleep but still did it to relax and rest. Saeko was sleeping in a chair beside the campfire but woke up as soon as Lucia appeared and greeted her.

Lucia pecked her on the lips as she greeted her back. Shizuka, Yuriko, and Saya joined Lucia and greeted Saeko as well.

"Having fun last night?" Saeko playfully asked Saya, who blushed. Even though they had seen each other's bodies because of Lucia, Saya still felt shy. She nodded in response.

After a while, the android girls, Rika, and Esdeath also woke up and greeted Lucia. Lily expressed her desire to see Babylon. Lily was no longer wary of Lucia and wanted to do the things Rika had told them to do before. After all, their affection points were already at 90 and were stuck because they hadn't sealed the deal yet.

"Okay. I'll show you all our new home." Lucia said, and the android girls blushed, even though their faces couldn't turn red because they lacked that function.

Lucia summoned Babylon from the Gate of Babylon. She had stored it inside the Gate of Babylon, even though the skill called Gate of Babylon was a treasury that stored treasures and wasn't directly connected to the Flying Fortress Babylon. The floating island began to emerge from a massive golden ripple that appeared out of nowhere in midair. After some time, its appearance was fully revealed, and the design of the Flying Fortress Babylon had changed.

The girls looked at the majestic floating garden, a magical island hovering in the air, with wide eyes.

"Beautiful..." Lily murmured.

Lucia nodded in agreement, unable to take her eyes off the stunning sight as well.

Under the expansive azure canvas of the sky, the Floating Garden of Babylon was a breathtaking masterpiece suspended between the heavens and the earth. The heart of this enchanting paradise was a resplendent palace that radiated with ethereal beauty, a beacon of opulence and magnificence.

Surrounding the palace, a symphony of modern city-like buildings emerged, their architectural marvels rising toward the heavens, a fusion of futuristic design and timeless grandeur. Each building was a testament to human creativity and ambition, juxtaposed against the ethereal beauty of the floating island.

The island's edge was encased in walls of pristine white, engraved with intricate and ancient magical runes that glistened with an otherworldly light. These runes, a defensive enchantment of unparalleled power, shielded the island from any would-be threats, their presence lending an air of mystique and protection.

In the forested section of the island, a vibrant and magical garden thrived. Here, a glowing tree with luminescent foliage illuminated the surroundings with an enchanting radiance, creating a dreamscape that appeared almost otherworldly. Beneath the canopy of this mystical tree, a garden bloomed with a riot of colors, where flowers of impossible beauty flourished.

Glistening waterfalls cascaded from carefully crafted rock formations, their crystalline waters descending into sparkling pools. As the waters plummeted towards the depths below, they defied gravity, disappearing into midair as if merging with the very fabric of the island itself. The sense of wonder that permeated this place was boundless, where the boundaries between reality and imagination seemed to blur.

The Floating Garden of Babylon was a realm of wonder and enchantment, a testament to human ingenuity and the harmonious marriage of nature and magic, where the beauty of the earthly and the ethereal converged in a place suspended between the sky and the sea.

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Beneath the expansive cerulean sky, where the line between heaven and sea blurred into infinity, the ocean stretched out as far as the eye could see. The endless sea mirrored the azure canvas above, creating a seamless horizon that left no room for distinction between the two realms.

Above, the azure firmament was adorned with scattered white clouds, as if nature itself had decided to paint strokes of cotton on the canvas of the sky. These clouds, like fluffy wisps of imagination, added depth and texture to the expanse, creating patterns that shifted and transformed with the whims of the wind.

Six sleek aircraft, resembling graceful birds in flight, sliced through the boundless blue. Their metallic frames gleamed in the sunlight, a stark contrast to the natural beauty that surrounded them. The engines roared with determination, propelling them northward and leaving behind a trail of white vapor that dissolved into the pristine heavens.

{--Note: Multiple machine life forms detected.--}

Pod unit, tagging along beside 8B, reported.

"This is 8B, we've encountered a group of flying machine life forms. Requesting permission to engage."

"This is 10O. Permission granted."

"Understood."

With permission from HQ, the flying unit led by 8B began to ascend. Moments later, they encountered a group of small and medium-sized flying machine life forms.

"Formation B will be used. Release the missiles."

8B was at the forefront, with two on the left and two on the right, and the final one behind her. The missiles they fired homed in on the machine life forms, leaving trails of white smoke in their wake.

Boom!

Explosions lit up the sky as machine parts fell into the ocean. However, there were still numerous machine life forms remaining, and they retaliated by firing purple ball-like bullets at the aircraft. 8B commanded her team to dodge and return fire with the machine guns installed on the aircraft.

Pale-colored, large bullets were unleashed from the aircraft, taking down many machine life forms. They skillfully evaded the red ball-like bullets, but due to the sheer number of enemies, some of the flying units under 8B's command were hit and damaged. The battle could be observed from below, with many purple and white dots falling from the sky like shooting stars.

22B skillfully dodged an incoming rocket and transformed into Mecha mode. It was unusual for small and medium-sized flyer-type machine life forms to be equipped with rockets, but 22B had narrowly evaded one. She detected the presence of a Goliath flyer behind the flyer-type machine life forms.

{--Warning: Massive energy beam detected.--}

"!?"

"Everyone, watch out!"

8B shouted just in time as a massive red laser beam shot from a distance, slashing upward like a laser sword.

Boom!

"10D down, 1S down..."

8B reported as she, too, transformed her aircraft into Mecha mode, along with her team.

"Formation A will be used. I'll draw the attention of the Goliath flyer while 22B takes it down. The rest of you clean up the remaining enemies."

"Understood."

12D and 64B unleashed laser weapons, rapidly eliminating the massive flyer-type machine life forms. They also launched any remaining missiles. In the meantime, 8B took the lead in attacking the Goliath flyer to draw its attention. It began pursuing her, firing purple bullets from all directions.

8B adeptly dodged the attacks and continued to return fire with her machine guns, slicing through bullets she couldn't avoid with her laser sword. Meanwhile, 22B attacked from behind, using her laser sword and machine guns at close range.

As the Goliath's middle section began to lower unnaturally, 8B quickly recognized this as the precursor to a massive laser attack. She swiftly veered to the side, anticipating the impending danger. Soon enough, the colossal laser beam appeared once more, but the machine didn't unleash a barrage of bullets like before. It seemed to require some time to recharge for its next attack.

Taking advantage of this momentary respite, 8B and 22B closed in for a pincer attack on the Goliath, working together to dismantle the formidable foe. After several intense hours, the battle concluded, with all machine life forms destroyed.

"Enemies have been eliminated."

"Good work. You may continue with the mission."

"Understood."

They resumed their flight toward the post they were assigned to, known as Winter City.

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