Chapter 8 - The Perfect Man (2/3)

"!?"

The raised tail fired the same white threads – or metal wires – that the spider had used to toy with the girl. A shield-like web formed between the machine and the sword.

The full-speed slice easily chopped through the impromptu shield, but…

The metal wires split their tips into fine brush-like hairs. They were as sticky as a real spider web and they wrapped around the sharp blade.

Splitting her sword into two came back to bite her. Their halved weight kept the sharp edge from slicing through the thread, so she could not cut the metal machine.

The spiral of power Lucia had mentioned was true. The angel could burn a demon with her flames, but her scissors-like weapon had less luck against the solid Springloaded that was hard as a rock.

"Angel capture simulation: complete."

"!? Oh, n-…"

"Checkmate."

The needle at the end of the tail targeted Ange. She deflected it with her other sword, but…

"~~~~ Kh!"

She paid dearly for leaving herself defenseless within the enemy's attack range. The scorpion had extended its pedipalps at the same time as its needle, so it captured her arms and torso between them.

"Khah… Let me go! Let me goooo!"

The girl struggled, but her arms were not strong enough to break free of their alloy bonds and her swords were useless without use of her arms. Not that she could have cut through its shell with the threads and wires tangled around one of them.

"Ange… Wah!"

A metallic groan accompanied every movement of the frighteningly nimble mechanical scorpion as it hopped back to the balcony with the girl in tow.

It landed right in front of Mutsuki.

"Likely Serpent's Eye possessor spotted within capturing range."

"Mutsuki…you idiot! Why didn't you run away!?"

The machine had shaken the entire balcony when it had landed, so the boy had fallen onto his butt. The scorpion extended its mechanical tail with the girl still in its grasp.

With the sound of splitting metal, the tip parted into a crane shape.

"Ah…ah…"

Mutsuki's hips had given out, so he crawled backwards to escape capture. But after taking aim, the catcher caught up quickly.

Plus, his back hit something at the balcony exit and he could move back no further.

"…"

He turned around and trembled like ice was licking at his heart.

Machina stood there. Her usual cold eyes were calmly observing the abnormal events.

That was all the confirmation he needed, but…

"I-Ibekusa-san…"

He felt like he was praying as he asked the question.

"Are you with FeTUS?"

Speaking it aloud filled him with a tremor not brought by fear.

Just a few minutes before, he had felt she was the closest person in the world to him. She was no longer a mere classmate and that time had been so sweet and even more passionate than time spent with a lover. He had been happy and he was confident she had enjoyed it too.

But when he thought back, he had to ask why she had come here and why she had so easily opened her body to him.

"Positive."

She gave a quick, precise answer and an unconcerned nod.

"Are you one of FeTUS's top level members!? The FeTUS Witches!?"

Unable to move, Ange only shouted angrily. The other girl once more nodded.

The boy's mind went entirely blank and all strength left him.

Then had she only allowed him her body and heart as an act to deceive him?

He had longed for this classmate since spring.

Just as he thought he was going to fulfill that desire, the ground had crumbled below his feet.

"Mutsuki! Pull yourself together! You need to escape, Mutsuki!"

Ange's futile voice was drowned out by the rain and the boy had stopped moving. Machina reached out a hand and the Springloaded's mechanical hand approached from the front.

"…"

The boy was surrounded and had no escape.

The mechanical hand continued forward.

"Mutsuki! Why you…!"

It grabbed the body of the chosen one.

"Let gooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!"

"Eh?"

Why did Ange sound so confused?

Because the crane-like hand holding the boy had broken to pieces?

Or because the two mechanical bonds holding her had torn away like tofu?

"Ange?"

Mutsuki was just as baffled by the scene before his eyes.

His gaze met Ange's wide-eyed gaze. Her eyes were as dignified and sharp as ever.

But they had shed their usual blue and taken on a divine gold color.

To match her eyes, the usually blue flame wings were also burning gold.

In a spherical shape around her, everything was audibly vaporizing: the balcony wall, the window, and even the Springloaded's body. But as always, Mutsuki did not even feel warm.

"What…is this?"

"…"

Machina looked just as curious as she stared at her own hand on the wreckage of the tail crane.

She was the one that had destroyed the crane. Her outstretched hand had passed the boy by and grabbed the Springloaded trying to capture him.

As soon as she had touched it, the tail had fallen apart as if all of the screws had been removed. It looked just like when the spider in the clock tower had been destroyed.

Had she protected him? Mutsuki was confused by both this and what had happened with Ange.

"Damage level: 37%. Within capture range: negative. Attack still possible. Switching to attack."

Two of the Springloaded's legs had melted and its tail had come apart, but it approached the angel and boy with its remaining six legs. However…

Ange and Machina swept their hands dismissively toward it.

One hand melted it like chocolate and the other dismantled it.

"What in the world is this?"

They both looked curiously down at their own hand.

"The temperature of my purifying fire has increased. It's on an entirely different level."

"I can input the Anti-Code so quickly…This is six times as fast."

They were both surprised by their own power. They exchanged a glance, completely forgetting they were enemies.

Ange remained utterly shocked, but Machina ultimately calmed down.