Ch 102

"──Everyone, hurry!"

"──Rapi! Where is the Commander!?"

It was a sudden attack, but shortly after Rapi took temporary command and evacuated everyone, including the off-duty mass-produced Nikkes, from the dormitory, Anis asked her.

Before rushing out of the dormitory, they heard familiar gunshots and, subsequently, what sounded like grenade explosions.

Anis, sensing that Moore had engaged in combat with Triangle──human soldiers, couldn't help but worry about him.

"If it's the Commander, he'll be fine! So let's quickly head to the rendezvous point!"

Gunshots again echoed continuously from the direction of the command headquarters. In response, Marian stopped in her tracks.

"Marian, hurry!"

"But, what about the Commander...!"

"If it's the master, he'll be fine! Master is someone who can even fight against Rapture!"

Neon, with a shotgun slung over her shoulder, urged her to run again.

For now, they needed to head to the building Moore indicated──an unfinished construction site with exposed steel beams and the like.

After joining there──

"──Are we going to the Ark?"

"──The Ark is even more dangerous. There's a high possibility that Central Government forces are deployed everywhere."

With an assault rifle ready, Rapi led them from facility to facility or across the road, clearing areas as they moved within the outpost base.

During this, while Neon was asked about their future actions, she shook her head to indicate a negative response.

"─Rapi, wait! Look...!"

"What's wrong...!?"

They had just reached the vicinity of the guardhouse. At that moment, they witnessed it.

Mass-produced Nikke staff who had been subjected to one-sided violence were crawling along the paved road, pouring out red catalysts, trying to move to the side of the road.

Fortunately off-duty, unharmed mass-produced Nikkes rushed to them and lifted up the injured ones who couldn't move as easily.

"Are you okay!? What happened!?"

"Eagle! You...!"

"I-it's okay... my brain... is fine...! More importantly... the Commander...!?"

Anis gasped at the transformation of the staff who had been on duty that day, substituting for the guard duty. Eagle, who had taken up the post as the commander bravely, had red catalyst dripping from the corner of his lips, and she expressed concern about not seeing the figure of the commander anywhere.

"The Commander should be fine! He's probably trying to catch up with us now."

"Thank goodness...! But... how can I apologize...!?"

The main duty of the guard was to secure the outpost. This included monitoring those entering and exiting the premises and responding to Rapture infiltration at the front line.

Not only had the guardhouse been taken over, but they couldn't fulfill their duties properly. Even though it was a rotation, she had no face to show to Moore, who had entrusted her with the command duty and relied on her.

"The Commander won't scold someone who fulfilled their duty."

"But...!"

"We can discuss it later! We need to go quickly!"

Although Rapi tried to console them, Eagle, who strongly felt that they couldn't fulfill their mission, objected. However, Anis must have judged it as dangerous to stay in this place. She urged them to move.

Carrying those who couldn't move well, or lending a shoulder, they finally arrived at the front of the building used for clearing training. Fortunately, there were no signs of enemies in the vicinity.

That was a relief, but the conditions of several guard duty personnel, including Eagle, were worrisome. Since they were Nikkes, it wouldn't become critical quickly, but inspections and treatments at the repair center were still necessary.

They needed to do something as soon as possible.

Amidst the growing impatience, Rapi tightly gripped her assault rifle, constantly directing her red eyes in all directions.

----

13:27.

From the gap between the helmet and body armor, a neck was visible. The corporal, with the cold sensation of a knife pressing against the artery above the neck, felt a clear sense of imminent danger.

His breathing became erratic, and the corporal, pale and frightened, had long lost his will to fight. In his terrified state, he turned his gaze towards his colleagues and superiors trying to semi-surround him.

"Help──"

"──Who said you could speak? Shut your mouth."

A low voice warned immediately from behind, and simultaneously, the knife sank even deeper. Strangely, fear was overriding the pain.

He was surely going to be killed as easily as taking a breath.

Realizing this, the corporal tightly sealed his lips, trying not to let even a groan escape.

"Capture Nikke Marian! That's the order from higher-ups! By any means necessary, surrender Marian quietly to us!"

"I don't recall receiving such orders or directives?"

With the corporal taken hostage, Privaty, the de facto commander of Triangle, couldn't issue shooting orders against Moore. Regardless, she had to calm him down, thinking that she needed to focus on the mission objective, but unfortunately, Moore was as calm as ever.

The fact that he responded to Privaty with a low, calm tone was more than enough evidence.

"Where are these 'higher-ups' you speak of? It couldn't possibly be the Nikke Management Department, right? You don't have the authority to issue orders to us."

"It's Vice Commander's orders!"

"Which Vice Commander? Moreover, is this operation approved according to the proper procedures?"

Though the organizations were different, in a broad sense, they belonged to the same military. If an operation that amounted to infighting was approved, the possibility of operations based on irregular warfare like assassination, abduction, or capture was high.

"I don't need to answer that!"

"Is that so? Well then, my answer is also a NO. Sorry, Miss."

"M-Miss!?"

"Any problem? Miss?"

If his subordinates were present here, especially the members of his squad, they would find it unusual that Moore was taunting his opponent.

A few hundred meters remained until the planned rendezvous point. They had to somehow buy more time.

"──Lieutenant!! This guy...!!"

At that moment, Triangle members appeared from beside the ammunition depot surrounded by a fence. One of them had lost their right wrist, and a tourniquet was wrapped around the arm.

Witnessing the member enduring intense pain, Moore's deep brown eyes opened to their limits, and his pupils dilated again. He tightened the trigger of the assault rifle, which was still entangled with the corporal's arm, pointing it at the Triangle member.

"Hey, exchange that guy and the corporal. I want to shoot him right now, but I'll save the fun for later."

Even with a tourniquet applied, the bleeding wouldn't stop. The member needed treatment above the heart. Indignant at the sudden proposal, Privaty wondered what Moore would say.

"You're just taking turns hurting my precious subordinates... Don't think any of you will survive from here!"

It seemed that it wasn't just the member who lost his right wrist. Moore directed his gaze and words full of murderous intent toward the others who seemed to have been injured by asphalt fragments.

"Hurting them...?"

"...The orders were to use any means necessary, right? I see... it includes taking turns hurting my subordinates."

At first, Privaty couldn't understand the meaning of his words. However, after a moment, her eyes widened in understanding.

"What... have you all done...!"

"They're just scrap metal──"

The member who had lost his right wrist, as if trying to disguise the pain, was about to scream loudly. At that moment, flames erupted from the muzzle of Moore's assault rifle, firing a projectile that crushed the member's head along with the helmet, scattering fragments of flesh, skull, and brain matter around.

It must have looked like the moment a balloon inflated to its limit burst uncontrollably.

Having proposed a hostage exchange, it seemed impossible to accept after all. Moore didn't want to hear even a single sound emitted by that member any longer.

Or perhaps──it might be more accurate to say that they couldn't tolerate existing in the same world, breathing the same air.

The head, shattered by the impact of a large-caliber projectile, was utterly obliterated. The body below the remaining neck lost its strength, falling backward, and succumbing to gravity. Privaty and the other squad members could only watch in a state of semi-stupor.

"──Who's next? I still have enough bullets to kill everyone."

Next, the gun was aimed at Privaty, whose face had twitched. Whether it was because of this or not, several members stood in front of her, and a puzzled expression caused furrows on Moore's forehead.

----

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13:35.

"──Firepower!"

"──Banzai! Master!"

Neon's expression brightened in response to the password. Simultaneously, the group of them who had been waiting in front of the building also responded.

Undoubtedly Moore's voice. Rapi, leading them, started moving toward the direction where the voice came from.

Just as they exited the area with abandoned buildings densely packed, what came into her view was Moore, who had taken Triangle members hostage, holding an assault rifle pointed at Privaty and the squad members in a semi-surround.

"──Commander!"

"──It's okay. We've reached an agreement, somewhat. All the staff will voluntarily report to the Nikke Management Department. I'll ask for a report from Lord Anderson. ...They'll be under surveillance, though."

Sensing danger reaching him, Rapi was about to pull the trigger of her assault rifle, but Moore restrained her.

During the journey here, had there been some form of negotiation?

With both hands raised, making gestures indicating that they were unarmed, Yorha and Admi approached. Moore gave orders to the mass-produced Nikke units.

"──Escort, that's what I want you to say."

"…Hmph."

Yorha raised a skeptical expression, and even Anis readjusted her grenade launcher. However, Moore gestured with his gaze to lower the gun.

"Help the injured."

"We will accompany them."

"…Can we trust you?"

Anis, with a skeptical look, also readjusted her grenade launcher. In response, the girl in the form of a young girl nodded.

"...I promised Captain Moore."

"If he breaks that promise...it seems frightening afterward. Besides, our squad members are being taken hostage, so there's no choice."

Yorha, sighing deeply as if saying, "Well, well," shook her head from side to side.

Despite receiving the supreme order to use any means necessary, it was probably just a figment of his imagination that there wasn't much seriousness to it.

"──Commander...!"

Supported by the mass-produced Nikke, Eagle, while pressing her abdomen with her hand, called out to Moore. When he heard that and directed his intense brown eyes towards her, she resolutely opened her mouth.

"I apologize──"

"──You did well. I appreciate it. Thank you."

Being told not to apologize, Eagle straightened her lips into a straight line, trying to endure the impending hiccups.

"──Issuing a new order. Eagle is hereby relieved of the position of Guard Unit Commander as of the current time, and I entrust the command of the staff to you from now on. I order you to recover under the protection of Lord Anderson until further notice. Omit the response."

"...Understood."

"And also...when you recover, I plan to order you to return to guard duty immediately. Is that okay?"

──Aah, this is bad.

Trying to suppress the hiccups, she sniffled. Eagle had no choice but to nod repeatedly to convey her understanding.

Even though there are plenty of mass-produced replacements, it wouldn't be surprising if she, those who couldn't fulfill the mission, were disposed of──.

Supported by the mass-produced Nikke, she let out uncontrollable hiccups. While he restrained the squad members, Yorha and Admi, accompanied by all the mass-produced Nikke, boarded the elevator heading to the Ark.

As the doors closed, the backpack on his back, appearing in Eagle's blurry field of view, seemed larger than usual.

Feeling the elevator doors closing behind him, Moore, though relieved, immediately exerted pressure on the index finger on the trigger.

Now, only he and the squad members, including him, remained.

"──You'll keep your promise, won't you?"

"Yes. I promised not to intervene until the mass-produced Nikkes escort us and Captain Moore's group escapes from the forward base. Captain Moore, please keep your promise as well."

It goes without saying. Moore nodded in response.

Prompting Rapi to call the elevator, she reached for the control panel, tapping the LCD screen. With exceptions, elevators would not operate without entering the individual recognition number assigned to the commander. Therefore, she first entered Moore's recognition number, completed the authentication, and finally tapped to call the elevator.

"Do you think you can escape?"

"Lieutenant, did you forget? I should have told you. I'm a human who will do anything to protect my subordinates."

While throwing an equally sharp gaze at Privaty, who narrowed her eyes as if glaring, Moore, hearing the electronic sound indicating the arrival of the elevator behind him, immediately urged everyone, including Rapi and Marian, to board.

Sensing that they had boarded the elevator, he released the knife he had aimed at the corporal's carotid artery.

"Keep going. Slowly."

Untangling his right arm entwined in the assault rifle, the joint seemed to scream. The corporal, who nodded while protecting his right arm, began to walk slowly forward, aligning with him, while Moore, with the gun pointed at his back, stepped backward.

As soon as he reached the inside of the elevator, Rapi tapped the button to descend to the ground with her hand.

The door closed, and after a momentary sensation of floating, the elevator began to ascend.

Moore, breathing a faint sigh of relief, wiped the knife still in his left hand, which was wet with blood---slightly but noticeably, against the pants of his combat suit, and sheathed it.

"…Is everyone okay?"

"Yes. No casualties, no losses."

"...That's good."

Rapi, Anis, Neon, and Marian──seeing all of them together, he once again acknowledged their safety and expressed his relief.

"...What about Master?...The helmet and jacket?"

Not completely relieved, but rather as a precautionary measure, Neon inquired about the different attire he was wearing compared to his usual self. While it's fine for him to wear body armor over a short-sleeved shirt, he usually wears a jacket and helmet securely during missions.

Finally noticing his own appearance, Moore seemed to realize.

"...Sorry. I forgot. Ah, I brought cigarettes and a lighter, so it's fine."

As if on cue, he took out a soft pack from his pocket, lit a cigarette with the oil lighter, and began to smoke.