The sound of twenty one blank shots aimed at the sky by the snipers resounded at the second base of Liberia. This place is a base of collaboration under the state management where the Liberian soldiers, Warslan Company’s soldiers and Slayers who died in the fight against the Savage on and after the?First Attack?are resting. Fritz and Latia were visiting this base together with the three members of the Student Council: Claire, Liddy and Erika. It is to join the funeral of the soldiers and Slayers who were the victims of the?Third Attack. It was not part of the duty of the special corps, nor was it an obligation from the Student Council.

It is for a companion who fought together with them and so they wanted to participate in the funeral of Bergryd, a person of their admiration, who showed to them the way of the Slayer. Among the same attendants, they could see Kane and Wendy, the Slayers of the Liberian army who fought together with Latia and Fritz and under Bergryrd’s command. The funeral ceremony has already ended in another place. The thing that remains is the burial in the grave. There are a total of twenty people to bury today.

The burial of the first five people is over and Bergryd’s turn comes.

– Your deceased husband, Bergryd Leonhardt, sacrificed himself in duty to protect the peace of the Federal State and the lives of its people. Respecting that courage and resolution, flags were sent from the United States of Liberia and Warslan Company, respectively.

Along with the prayers of the priest, the flags of the Liberian States and Warslan Company, which covered the coffin of Bergryd, were removed and handed over to the bereaved family, his wife, from the Secretary of Defense of the United States of Liberia and from Judal, the president of Warslan Company.

Looking at that, the boy tilted his head.

– Mama, what is this?

The one who asked is the son of Bergryd. It looks like since he is four years old, he doesn’t comprehend about his father’s death.

– This is a proof that papa lived as a brave Slayer.

The young wife of Bergryd answered, and lifted the boy’s body. The figure of his father, who has closed his eyes, is reflected in the eyes of the lifted up boy whose body is wrapped up in two flags. He is sleeping with a peaceful face.

– Now Say goodbye to papa. Say good night to him.

– Good night, papa.

Bergryd’s wife was enduring her tears, and as a mother, she was showing to his son until the end the braveness of his father. She was trying to carve to him, his father as a proud soldier and a wonderful man on his chest.

The lacrimal glands of Latia who was watching that figure break down. She restrains the inner corner of her eyes, but the overflowing tears cannot be stop. Sobs also leak. Fritz gently hugged that body.

– Then, blessings to you and everyone in this place, and those five brave warriors heading to heaven―.

<<Funeral March>>?Requiem’s?performance by the brass player begins. The face of Bergryd is hidden with light clothes, and that time came at last. Along with other four person killed in action, his coffin will be buried into the ground. The ceremony completes its first stage with this. But if it’s looked at the whole, it’s not over the half yet. This ceremony itself will last for three days, and today is the second day. That’s because the victims in the?Third Attack?were numerous.

– No! I won’t recognize it! I don’t like this!

It was a girl belonging to the Liberian army’s Slayer troops who suddenly raised her voice in the middle of the funeral ceremony and crumbled down to the floor. The years not only ended up for Fritz and the others. It seems that a friend of her died on the battlefield.

– I don’t want you to die yet. Please don’t die!

– Hey, pull yourself together.

– What are you going to do with this disturbance of yours in front of Katerina?

– Katerina is smiling, you know!?

Likewise, the Warslan’s Slayers who were nearby crouched in a hurry, and talked gently to the girl. But the girl never calmed down.

– But, I may die next time! And like Katerina, I.. uwaah, aaaah, aaaaaaaaaaaahh!

– She, perhaps is no good for her anymore..

– There are people who lose their dear friends for the first time and in such a way. Some of them will not be able to return to the battlefield again.

In the noise, such a conversation jumps into the ears of Fritz and Latia. In such circumstances, Latia declared while her trembling fists.

– Fritz, I’m not quitting, ok?

Latia is trying to keep on her words by inhaling through her nose.

To such trembling hand of the girl, Fritz gripped tightly with one of his.

– ..Fritz.. I, as long as I have this body, I will continue fighting. I will continue fighting to succeed the will of Bergryd-san and of those who died in this battle.

That is her declaration of determination. Those are daring words that she spoke of, in order to strengthen like the steel that was about to break.

– If so, then I’m going to stick with you until then.

Fritz, said that puffing with a gentle smile.

– If that’s the case, then promise to me. That you will not die first than me. Absolutely.

– Yeah, I promise.

As they were, they held hands all the time until the funeral was over. Carving promises deeply into each other’s chest, which will last forever―.

One week passed since the massing of troops of the?Third Attack. Little Garden is hardly damaged. It is possible to sail to the Pacific Ocean at once. Nonetheless, for the time being, three weeks have been announced by the Student Council to stay at Sangria’s Harbor to help restore the city of Sangria.

Three days of rest, there are almost no injuries and the Slayer’s physical strength and?energy?have returned to nearly normal condition. Therefore most of the Slayers participated in helping the restoration works. Emilia and Hayato are no exception. Today’s also the first day, and they were helping in the restoration works in the city of sangria wearing their Variable Suits. Because they are members of the special team, they were allowed to deploy their Hundred under approval from the Student Council, and are in great demand in deconstruction sites and the like.

– We are almost finishing today’s work, huh?

Muttered Hayato, and in front of his eyes the rubble was turning red due to the shining of the setting sun. It is decided that the work will end before sunset.

– Looks like that.

It was Emilia who was dealing with the rubble together with Hayato. Suddenly, her?wireless ring?makes a sound.

– Hmm, I wonder who it is.

Emilia directed her eyes towards the?ring?in her arm, and looked up at the name emerging from there and raised her voice.

– It’s from Charo!

Emilia accepts the communication request. Of course it is Charlotte’s voice that she heard.

[Hello, do you have a minute?]

– Sure but, has something happened?

Emilia answers.

[Since Hayato-kun is there too. So, listen together. We need to talk a matter about Kenzaki Touka]

– Has something happened to Touka?

Hayato, who’s on the side, interposed with his mouth. Touka is now hospitalized at the hospital of Little Garden. Although the problematic about her physical condition is not to that extent, it is to treat the injury in her shoulder, and to take various tests.

[No, there’s nothing in particular. Looks like she is fine, and that she can leave the hospital immediately. However, there’s something that I want to try before that]

– Something you want to try, what would be?

Hayato wonders about what it is.

[For a little, it’s related to her?ability]

With that said, Charlotte continued.

[Depending on the result of the test, it will be decided whether she will stay in Little Garden for now or not. That’s why, I think that you guys must see it. Surely, I think that you will see something interesting, so wouldn’t you come to the training ground in an hour?]

Hayato and Emilia, who immediately returned to Little Garden from the city of Sangria, decided to get on the invitation of Charlotte, and quickly changed from their Variable Suits to their school uniforms and reached the training field below ground of the Slayer’s school building at the specified time.

– Hayato-kun and Emilia-san, both of you came.

It’s Mei Mei, a girl in maid dress, and an assistant of Charlotte who is waving her hands to Hayato and Emilia, facing them from the entrance of the field.

– Touka-san and Charlotte-sama are in the modification room over there, but I think they will come out soon. Hayato-san and Emilia-san, please wait in the field.

When prompted by Mei Mei, Hayato and Emilia step into the field. It was Karen who first noticed their existence.

– Oh, Nii-san!

She raised her voice and comes closer.

– You finally came. You made it barely in time, you know?

That’s what was said by Sakura, who’s next to Karen.

– Our bad, we were doing our job at Sangria and― hmm, regardless of President, why are you also here?

Sakura, Claire and Karen were all together in the field. Claire is wearing a red uniform, showing that she is the Student Council President, and the other three remaining were wearing their uniforms.

– What, is it wrong if I stay?

Sakura glares to Hayato with her eyes half-closed.

– No, that’s not what I mean, but..

– Actually, today Karen and Sakura have undergone physical examination at the hospital. Then we were told by Charlotte-san that she will show us something interesting, and we heard that Nii-san will also come, so we thought that we should come. Souffle-san said that she will also come.

– As an engineer I got pretty excited.

Souffle smiled happily. In the end, three people seem to have come to this place for the same reason as Hayato and Emilia.

– Well, it seems that the spectators are assembled, so let’s begin at once.

The voice of Charlotte reverberated in the field.

As usual, her mouth had candy with sticks

A girl in a sleeveless undergarment, Mihal, who is the nurse in charge of Kenzaki Touka, comes into the field..

– ..eh, Shinshishō? Why are you here..?

Looking at Hayato’s figure, Touka opened her mouth in surprise. And Hayato answers.

– That is, because there is something that will be shown with your ability, so we came here as we were told by Charlotte-san.

– My ability? What, what is it?

Touka tilted her head in puzzlement. Apparently it seems that she didn’t hear that Hayato will come to this place, and that she hasn’t been told what she will do from now.

– Simple put, we are going to test whether your strength is suitable for use in Little Garden. There’s a present for you before that. Mei Mei, can you hand it over to her?

– Yes, understood!

In answer, Mei Mei rushed down to Touka on a trot, took out a small black box from her maid’s pocket clothes and opened it.

– Please accept this kindly.

What is in the box is a shining black jewel. Picking up and taking a look at it, Touka said.

– By some chance, this thing is a Hundred, right?

– Wha―.

Claire makes her eyes round after listening to Touka’s words.

– What! A Hundred for her, what on earth does this mean desuno? Explain yourself, Charlotte Dimandius!

– Take it easy, Claire. First of all, can you start to calm down? Even if I repair her sword, I know it is impossible for me to regain its original strength. That’s why in that case she will not be able to fight the Savage. Because of that I prepared another thing. Touka-kun, grasp tightly that jewel and try yelling ‘Hundred On’.

– Got it.

Grasping tightly the jewel, Touka shouted.

–?HUNDRED ON!

Then the jewel turned into a sword by changing its shape while emitting a radiance.

– I made the sword looking like the one your father made, did you like it? I made it with that as a reference.

– Yeah, the weight, feels pretty much the same! If this is the case, then I can definitely fight the Savage!

While swinging around the sword, she said very happily, and continued.

– ..so, how can I return this jewel to how it was before?

– Just grasp it tightly while focusing your mind in turning it back. Give it a try.

– Got it, I’ll try!

When Touka grasps it tightly, the sword returned to the original jewel just as Charlotte said.

– Wow, I did it! I can do it! Thanks, doctor!

– Hahaha, I’m pleased to hear that.

Charlotte has a satisfying expression on her face.

Claire interjected in there.

– Wait a moment, Charlotte Dimandius. What in the world is that desuno?

Claire says so frowning, expressing dubiousness on her face.

– I thought the same. That thing is not a Hundred.

– Apparently they seem to have noticed. As expected from Emilia and Queen-sama. Has anyone else noticed something?

– Nii-san, what on earth is she referring to?

– ..who knows?

Karen asked, and Hayato shrugged his shoulders and turned his left and right palms toward the air. He didn’t understand.

– Did you understand, Sakura-san?

Sakura responds to the rejected Karen.

– Er, I didn’t understand neither. Did you understand, Souffle?

– I think that the sword of just now is no doubt one made of?Variable Stone, but I don’t know much more than that.

– That’s right. That being the case, allow me to gradually expose the details through me. Kenzaki Touka isn’t naturally a Slayer. We start with that premise. In effect, the one developed earlier, strictly speaking is not a Hundred.

Charlotte took out the candy from her mouth and began to explain while swinging it like a teaching stick.

– Anyway, regardless of its amount, every human being have a faint?sense energy?flowing in their bodies.?It reacts to it and made it to change the shape of the?Variable Stone?as programmed, so to speak, you can call it a sham Hundred.

– That means that she cannot change the shape of the gem besides of the sword, and that she can’t deploy E barrier. That’s the gist of it. The feeling of incongruity that I felt is that I didn’t feel the power of?energy?from that child at all.

– Of course she can’t change to Variable Suit to create an armor or reinforcement by pouring?energy?into her weapon. That’s why she is not wearing a Variable Suit now.

– If we assume that, then it is just as you said masuno. With that sword alone, we cannot admit her as a fighting strength of Little Garden.

– Wha-, that means is no good?

– Yet, how about dealing with bombardment masuno? It’s too dangerous if she doesn’t have an E barrier masuwayo.

– To such things, I can dodge them..

– There will be times were avoiding will be impossible, and in the case that you were watching our battle, you should be able to understand desuwa.

– Ugh..

As those words were true, Touka hesitates.

– Charlotte, what on earth are you planning to do desuka? To such a thing, of course that you knew all of this desuwayone.

– Indeed. That’s why you guys gathered here today.

– ..? What do you mean desuno?

– What I really wanted to show you was that this sword is not just a trick.

Speaking with the candy once again in her mouth, Charlotte suddenly took out a gun from her pocket.

Emilia inquires reflexively.

– Charo, what is that?

– This is a gun powered by a?Variable Stone?that I made for experiments and it can shoot beams like this.

– ..huh?

Suddenly, everyone in the scene, including Hayato, became speechless. It was because Charlotte shoot the gun pointing at Touka.

– Charlotte, what the hell are you doing..!

– Claire, take a look at her.

– Eh?

Claire turned her eyes to Touka.

– That’s..

Not only mentioning Claire who told that when she saw that figure, but including Hayato, and everyone except Charlotte and Mei Mei were with doubt in their eyes.

– What happened, everyone?

Touka, who gazed at them, stood as if nothing had happened, having a vague expression.

– Right now, what was that?

While surprised, Hayato asked.

– That of now, I felt that something like a light hit my body, but it was of no concern at all.

– ...

Hayato and the others had a flabbergasted expression on their faces.

– What do you think, you are surprised, right?

*Wahaha* laughed Charlotte, and continued.

– Actually she has a special constitution, she doesn’t receive attacks of?energy.

– Wha, what did you say!?

– In other words, is it like she is deploying N barriers in this state?

– That’s how it is.

– How is that even possible nodesu? I really don’t understand.

– Well, even I don’t understand it. <<LiZA>> doesn’t know the answer either.

An equivalent to what she is saying is that it is not understood by anyone.

– When I looked up the previous data, it seems that her father was similarly close to that, so I think that the possibility of being hereditary is high. In addition, her body has accepted a large number of viruses, but it has completely erased their existence.

– Eh..? Such a thing, is it possible to occur?

When listening to Charlotte’s words, Sakura rounded her eyes.

– That’s usually unimaginable, if I have to say. The Savage’s Virus that enters the body will associate with the cells and starts proliferating. Even if it’s a small dose, it is impossible to completely remove large amounts of virus by human function alone. Isn’t that right, Dr. Charlotte?

– It’s exactly as Souffle is saying. That’s why I’m also surprised. It’s probably because, even though I want to say occult-like things like if the hate against the Savage is so strong that it is drowning out the existence of the Savage’s Virus. It is really a miracle to say that she is still in a human body.

– Umm, I don’t really understand what you are talking but, is it then okay for me to go out and fight with the Savage, thanks to that N barrier?

Asks Touka.

– What’s your opinion, Queen-sama?

Charlotte waved to Claire.

– Whatever my answer is, you will want to leave Kenzaki Touka in Little Garden, or am I wrong?

Amazed, Claire replies.

*Wahaha* Charlotte laughs, and said.

– Oh well, it’s just like that. She is truly an interesting being. By studying her constitution, there may be the possibility of developing a specific medicine that surely cures people who have suffered from sickness like Karen-kun a while ago.

– ..fine. She is in third year of middle school and is at the age of fourteen. Little Garden does not do something like putting middle school students onto the battlefield. There is still a deferment as to whether or not to put her in the martial arts department, and I am entrusting you the treatment for the time being.

– All right, if that’s what you decide.

Charlotte turned her eyes to Touka.

– Kenzaki Touka. From today on you are a member of Little Garden and a third year student of middle school. Therefore, as soon as preparations are ready, you will be asked to go to the same school as Karen-kun who is there, agreed?

– Sch, school..

– Is there something wrong?

– No, is just that, the studies are not one of my strong points...

– If it’s the case, then Karen-kun will be there to teach you.

– All right!

Touka replied, straightening herself by correcting her posture. Then she turned her body towards Karen and lowered her head.

– I’ll be under your care, Karen-senpai!

– Ah! Yeah.. treat me well..

Karen answered in a troubled way. As a matter of fact, Karen is not so good at studying.

– After this, that’s right. If you are going to discharge from the hospital, then it’s indispensable to prepare a house, right? That is pointed to Mei Mei, I’ve passed that to you so you can manage it in a way or another.

– Yes, I understand. I will do the arrangements immediately.

– Isn’t that good, Touka?

– Yup!

Touka hugged tightly at the waist of Hayato.

At that moment, the air in the stadium gets frozen and heavy.

– This is also thanks to Shinshishō. And also, to everyone in Little Garden―.

And then, it seems that Touka finally noticed the change of the surrounding air.

– Mu, what’s the matter? Why is it that I feel that everyone’s gaze is cold..?

Touka is with a blank expression on her face.

Looking at the situation, Charlotte gave a big laugh.

– Well, it looks like things will be more interesting in the future.

Ten days have passed since the human race surpassed the?Third Attack. While the world finally settles, and reports of battle results and the damage situations are given by countries and organizations, a secret meeting hosted by the United Nations to distribute the recovered?Variable Stones?and the core of the Savage was held by delegates from major countries, representatives of large corporations and religious organizations called?Seleson. The representative of Warslan, Judal Harvey, stands at the center of its circular conference center and is taking the spotlight to?make some suggestions.

It is the same as listening to Vitaly’s case, from [A] to [G], a total of seven black screens are lined up in front of him. Basically this conference is carried out hiding everyone but the speaker. Regardless of nationality or affiliation, it is to speak without reservations.

– We humankind endured the raid of the Savage which totaled 312 of them for five days, so we were able to overcome the?Third Attack.

Breaking the ice, Judal started his speech.

Many dead and injured people came out of it, both Slayers as well as ordinary people, and there were also many destroyed buildings. Still, it is about 1/50 as compared with the damage in the?Second Attack― only looking at the results, it is no exaggeration to say that this battle is a complete victory of humanity.

– It is thanks to the Hundred, developed by Warslan Company, and the power of the Slayers that manipulate them, as well as new equipment such as?Outer.

– Why are you boasting that all of a sudden?

– So you are trying to say that you want to increase the allocation of the?Variable Stone, am I right?

Along with suppressed laugh, several jeering sprung suddenly out of nowhere.

– Silence. Please speak after pressing the button at hand.

The letter of [A] of the screen shines. He is identified as the chairman.

– It doesn’t matter, chairman. I am not boasting about anything. Even though the Savage attacked in many areas that we were in charge of, there were many Slayers as victims belonging to Warslan and Little Garden. Because the number of Savages that descended to the ground on the?Third Attack?was not so much as it was at the time of the?Second Attack, the damage was only suppressed to this degree.

– If that’s true, then what do you want to say?

The screen of the character [D] shined.

– Considering the large scale attacks this time, then before they descend to the ground― what I want to say is, that it is the best to intercept the Savage in outer space.

– So in short, what you are saying is that you want to advance with Project Lunaltia, right?

The letter of [C] shines this time.

– Today I am standing in this place to have a talk about that.

Saying that, Judal continued on his hypothesis.

– The place the Savage appeared, including this?Third Attack, is a place where strong?sense energy?is released, a place where the reserve quantities of?Variable Stone?is immense. Alternatively, there is data that it is a place where Slayers hold strong?sense energy. Everyone, please take a look. This is that data.

When Judal said so, in the monitor of each of the seats, as well as in the floating monitor installed at the upper part of the conference hall, it is displayed the location of a map were Savage appeared.

– Certainly, that doesn’t look like that.

Following the voice of confusion rising from everywhere, such as “Is that really true?”, the screen of the character [D] shone again.

– In other words, you are after the core of the Savage and the?Variable Stone. And if you transfer the majority of the Slayers from the earth to the moon, and then give them strong power there, what you want to say is that they become decoys so you can attract the Savage to the moon?

– In effect. However, this data has not been confirmed yet, and before that are also the anti-Slayer organizations. Please keep this confidential.

Loosening his mouth and smiling, Judal continues his presentation.

In the moon it is easier to generate Hundred than on the earth and, it is also necessary for the study of incurable diseases that are spreading widely on earth since the?First Attack. It is already proven that Slayers have high adaptability to space in comparison with ordinary humans, can stay long periods of time and there’s no problem in migration. And although the population started to decline for the first time with the?Second Attack, the population is increasing once again, even though thinking that it may become impossible for them to fully cover the earth in the future, the human being should go out into space.

Such preparation informs that Warslan is doing it.

That’s why he wants to assign the majority of the Savages’ cores and the?Variable Stones?that the United Nations’ member countries got at the?Third Attack?to Project Lunaltia. In the?Third Attack, Warslan did that much work.

That was Judal’s proposal of today, which was also a request.

– By the way, Savage have appeared more than expected, and it is also speculated that there is a distortion in outer space.

The conjecture is that the Savage will be warping surrounding the earth using that distortion.

– That distortion means that there is a possibility of same scale attacks, no, even large scale attacks in the near future. Considering that time, I believe that you should let the Slayers advance into the moon as soon as possible. In other words, it means that this?Third Attack?may be just the start of a massive invasion by the Savage.

– Hmm, doing so by putting out words that encourage hope and fear, but after all the development of Lunaltia Base isn’t an appeal for you to start activities as a politician?

– There’s no doubt that you will use the base to rule the moon as an independent nation in the events you become the President, isn’t it?

Words emanate from the screen of [E] followed by the screen of [F]. The assembly hall began to be noisy like a catalyst. Among them “It’s only the second in charge of that one company” “The social standing of this greenhorn” “Judal Harvey is beyond his position” etcetera, and so, there are words that can be heard that insult him.

– Can I have a minute to speak?

The screen of letter [B] shined. And so, the assembly hall falls silent.

– Even if the United Nations is reluctant to allocate?Variable Stone?or Savage’s core to Project Lunaltia at this place, Warslan will advance with the development in the moon with its own power. Am I correct, Judal Harvey?

– ..it is just like that.

After a brief silence, Judal replied.

– In any case, we will transfer the <<Key of the New World>> from the earth to Lunaltia Base with our own funds in a few years, and carry our plan forward of terraforming?in the moon. For that purpose too, we will expand ten times the existing base within one year period and plan to make not only laboratory facilities, but also residential areas so that many Slayers can stay there.

– In short, that means that Warslan will advance the expansion of the moon’s control on their own way.

– That will depend on how you grasp that.

– If you become a politician of Liberia, will it expand further?

– I wonder about that. Whether it is possible to become a politician, that’s something that the people of the United States must decide. It is too early for me to be able to run for Liberia’s member of the lower house in the first place.

Again, the assembly hall got noisy.

There, Judal opens his mouth.

– Of course, there will be people who are holding animosities to us, Warslan, about expanding our control of the moon. That is why I believe that it is best to have the main leadership of Project Lunaltia to the United Nations, I am proposing that on this place. Now, there’s something that I don’t wish for, which is the futile fight among humankind.

– If what you are thinking results to be true, then I will approve of your plan.

At the same time of those words, the scr-->>

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