Who is the best?

-YAAAAAHOOOOO...! Tabane appeared sliding down the precipice towards everyone. She then jumped from the wall, the mere strength of her jump cracked the rocks beneath her feet. She jumped at least 10 meters into the sky before falling into Chifuyu, saying:

-CHIII-CHAANN!

Chifuyu then lifted her right hand and caught the falling human showing yet again why she is the second strongest human in the world.

Tabane was incredibly awkward, at least that was from everyone else's perspective, she, in reality, didn't care at all about other people's opinions.

She seemed to annoy Houki, because she ended up receiving a strike from her wooden sword to the face.

She presented herself as the "genius Tabane" and pointed towards the sky.

-Let's go! Contemplate the vast sky!

Like last time a strange pod started to fall from outer space. Like a meteor, it hit the ground to cause… Nothing. Nothing happened this time, the pod just stayed there, unmoving.

Tabane appeared from behind it and said:

-Ta-dan! This is Houki-Chan exclusive Unit AK…

-AKATSUBAKI!

She was cut mid-way, not by any of the people present, but by me.

I stood atop the mountain looking at everyone below me. Suddenly, I jumped directly from there, much to everyone's surprise, and landed directly in front of them with my two feet. The mountain was over 30 meters tall.

I didn't create a dust cloud, but the ground below me cracked a little.

…

-Sorry for being late.

Chifuyu looked amused while she looked at Tabane's face.

She seemed downcast as if…

-He stole the limelight! In fact, how did you know its name? Asked Tabane

I just went and decided to present Akatubaki in her place.

-This is Akatsubaki, a special unit minutely developed by Tabane for her sister, it's better than all of the other units in every single aspect, made as a pair to Byakshuki. It's obviously a fourth-generation model. As expected of the best in the world. I said the last part sarcastically.

Tabane looked really proud with a smug smile, forgetting about her lost limelight, but she soon realized that no one was surprised and she asked:

-Why aren't you guys surprised? This is the first fourth-generation IS! She seemed angry as she was pouting a little.

I then walked in Kona's direction and said:

-Unfortunately, you are too late. Aktsubaki isn't the first Fourth-generation, it is the second! I said as I made a pose with Kona on the side.

-You are a month late, how unfortunate. The old generation retires, and the new one replaces it…

Tabane couldn't believe me and said:

-Impossible! Show me your IS!

-Do it Kona.

-... Do I have a choice?

A light flashed and the purple IS appeared.

Tabane immediately connected a wire to the IS and started to type at an unbelievable speed.

-What is this… Mess? The shielding is all over the place…

-Try to look at the thrusters system.

-... What did you do?! Are you trying to kill the pilot? I can't say it's useless but…

-Look at its energy system and sensor system.

-...You… Did you put everything into this? For speed? Humph! It's faster than Akatsubaki but I can easily make…

-Look at its weapon system.

-... It's... It's nothing impressive. I can make something like this easily, just give me a week…

-What about its fold-out armor?

-...

-Finally, realized? Its flaws don't matter, it is a full-fledged fourth-generation IS!

-...AT LEAST AKATSUBAKI IS THE BEST FOURTH-GENERATION…

-Is it? It's just an all-rounder. Made as a partner unit for Byakushiki. When paired together they will give it a hard time, but they can't defeat it in a short time. You may come with the excuse of energy consumption, but I can also come with the fact that your unit can be defeated in a single strike of mine. I said while accessing Akatsubaki information in the same way as Tabane.

-Its fold-out armor isn't efficient, its energy system is outdated, everything is…

-I can already fix that with Akatsubaki data…

-Hah! You needed to use its data! That means I won!

-Alright then. Why don't we have the IS's speak for themselves? I said

-Alright them! Houki-chan enters the IS, please. I've already put some of your data while building it, so now we only need to make some adjustments.

Within a minute, she finished the adjustments.

-Adjustment finished. I am so fast! As expected from me. Now, go on and fly! Show them who's best! It should fly with your thoughts.

-Yes, I will try!

-Don't let them get ahead of us Kona.

Houki took off into the skies and started to test the flying speed and mobility of her unit.

-See? Isn't its mobility great? She said as she looked at me with a mocking smile.

Kona then took off at a much faster speed, doing all of Houki's movements. She was much smoother than her.

They did a few more tests. They used their weapons and shot with their guns.

I didn't make fun of her and decided to give my honest opinion.

-It's indeed an incredible unit. You did an amazing job at it. But Houki still has much to learn, she can still push it further. Akatsubaki has much more combat capabilities than Tsukanoma no Yume. If Houki can corner Kona then everything is pretty much over.

-I learned a lot from this. I said

-A year. She said

-Ho. I already know what you are going to say. I accept!

I looked at her and she looked at me with a smile.

I could see something different in her eyes this time. Normally her eyes would be half asleep, and she would have this carefree attitude. But now, although she was still carefree, her eyes were fully open(to a normal standard), and she had a tinge of seriousness in her tone.

Houki and Kona were still flying in the sky when a woman appeared running down the stairs in the mountain. It was Maya holding a cellphone.

-Orimura-Sensei!

She gave the phone to Chifuyu.

-Especial mission of level A, countermeasures were already initiated…

-Test operations are canceled, there is something I need you guys to do.

-Heh? Who is that? Said the tired Maya

-Shinonono Tabane. Said Chifuyu

-HEH?!

Tabane had a smug look on her face.

In a secret room somewhere in the hotel Chifuyu was explaining to everyone what happened and what they needed to do.

-In essence, two hours ago, close to the Hawaii coast, Sylver Gospel, an experimental Third generation IS developed in a joint operation between the US and Israel was making some tests when it suddenly got out of control.

-According to the information, it's a non-manned unit. By using satellite tracking, we confirmed that Gospel will enter an air space two kilometers from here. This will happen in 50 minutes. And as such, we received orders from the academy to handle this situation.

-The instructors will block the naval air space utilizing the training units. I will allow the personal IS users to participate in the operation.

-What?! Said Ichika

-So basically we need to neutralize an uncontrolled IS. Said Laura

-What a botter. Said Kona

-Now we will start the strategic meeting. Does anyone have any questions?

-Yes, I have one. I lifted my hand.

-Do you guys want me to deactivate it?

-...

-Can you do that Miyoshi? Said Chifuyu

-I managed to enter its systems pretty easily, but my Ipad fried. If you give me a better computer I might be able to do it. But there is something I would like to say. It isn't a non-manned unit. There is someone inside it.

-WHAT?! XEveryone minus Chifuyu

-Are you sure, Miyoshi? Your information may cost this entire operation.

-I am pretty serious, but if you are concerned then just give me a computer with access to a satellite.

Chifuyu gave someone an order and an operator on a computer gave way to me.

I sat in front of it and started to type at an unbelievable speed. I was using my power of course. At this point, after training it every day and every night, I can maintain it for half a day. But I will get some nausea after using it for so long.

Everyone started to agglomerate behind me.

Within a minute I asked Chifuyu:

-Sensei. Do we have any sort of authority given by the USA and Israel in regards to their military network? I could just shut it down if I got access to it. As for the pilot inside it, she is unconscious. This is a rather strange situation, the IS took over all control while the pilot was put to sleep.

-No. We were only given information about the IS, but I can ask for permission if you want…

-Too bothersome. Let's just enter the sneaky way.

-Are you insinuating that you are going to hack the military network of one of the world's superpowers? Said Linlin.

-...I got it.

Everyone almost fell. Chifuyu had a frown on her face.

-If you can't shut it down you are going to be under watch for at least 5 years.

-Me? Why? I never hacked them or anything of the like. I said with a bit of Irony

-You… Just finish what you started.

-...In 20 seconds I should be able to stop it… 5-4-3-2-1… Done… Wait… Fuck.

-What is it? Asked Maya

-Someone is overwriting my shutdown command.

-WHAT?!

-The only people capable of doing this are the ones with direct access to the IS mainframe and … I didn't continue but Chifuyu already understood.

-Can you stop this from happening?

-Of course, I can. But that will result in some bad results.

-Tell me.

-Destruction of the IS itself.

-...Oy. You aren't insinuating killing her, are you?! Said Ichika with a bit of anger

-No… no. She won't die, fast. The energy shield that makes sure the Pilot is fine is maintained by the core. Hence when I initiate the IS self-destruction, the pilot will be fine. But she will have at most 2 minutes before the shield energy depletes and she drowns in the ocean.

-...

-Kona IS is fast, but not fast enough to get there in two minutes. If she uses everything together she will take a few minutes to reach there, she would get there when the pilot is mid-drowning. But in the first place, her energy count can't even sustain all of her assets being used at the same time for such a long time.

-If you don't decide now the hacker will get full control of the IS, and we will have to get our hands dirty fighting it. Or we can just blow it up and rush there. If we are lucky she will still be ok if we aren't she might drown, after all the IS suit comes with some life-saving equipment, and that includes a floater. The core will sink, however.

-Blow it up. Chifuyu said without a hint of hesitation.

-Wai… Ichika tried to say something

I pressed the button and…

-Success, now, Kona, you should go ASAP! I said.

-YES!

-Everyone else, get ready to fly. Miyoshi, you stay here and shall provide support.

Ichika seemed downcast.

-Hey dude, instead of looking down, why don't you get on your IS and fly off in order to save her?

Ichika remembered that someone's life was at stake and ran off through the door.

-What are you all waiting for?! Move out!