kind of thing."

"But, right now there's only you."

"But that's not the only way."

"If other people have that energy, I'll also try them."

"But didn't the other side propose that themselves?"

Felli wasn't able to hide her own anger towards Sharnid's negative attitude.

"Only we can save Captain. Isn't that why you're here?"

"I understand that too."

"Hey, hey...."

At that time, Harley inserted himself into the tense atmosphere.

"Right now we can still try and see if we can increase the flight distance."

"....Please don't spend too much time."

"I know."

After Felli shot a glance at Harley who took the Dite from Sharnid and took out tools, she once again began focusing on Psychokinesis information gathering.

How could they send it to Nina?

Or, how could they get Layfon to catch up to Nina?

There were only those two questions in Felli's mind.

"Hey, what's up with Felli-chyan?"

Sharnid spoke quietly next to Harley who was squatting down, working.

"Nn...."

Harley could only show a wry smile.

"I think that she's being impulsive."

"For what?"

"To save Nina, and to become Layfon's strength."

"Hah?"

"Because of those two things, her mind isn't turning very well."

"Tch."

Though he understood the meaning behind Harley's' words, Sharnid still shook his head and made an expression as if he were unable to accept that.

"Does she unnecessarily believe that only we can do this because she knows about too many things through Psychokinesis?"

"Maybe it's like that."

"We really lost to her. We don't have that kind of superhuman strength, right?"

They had seen Layfon's battles in Zuellni, and before that they had seen the battles of Heaven's Blade successors in Grendan.

Sharnid was already very clear on what kind of beings Military Artists who had honed their Military Arts to the extremes were.

Even if they all bet their lives on this battle, Sharnid didn't know how much he and the others really do.

To save Nina, he had to go do what he could.

"But, I don't think it's right that we don't need any help."

"I also understand that. In order to reach our goal, we shouldn't actually care so much about the means."

Though he said this, Harley's hands still hadn't stopped, and in order to raise the functions of the Dite in his hand as much as possible, he kept applying any methods he could think of.

"But...."

"What?"

"If we can, I also want to do it just relying on ourselves. I also understand that kind of feeling very well."

"You...."

"Senpai, you're a bit useless, huh?"

"Aah?"

"I always feel that you want to be cooler when you're with Layfon."

"Harley, don't think you can preach to me."

"Guah."

Harley, whose forehead was flicked, fell over.

"If you say that, then I'll show you - Sharnid-senpai's beautiful performance."

"It hurts.... then, we're counting on you."

"Alright, leave it to me!'

Seeing the fierce Sharnid, Harley showed a happy smile.

◇

Harley's modifications ended in five minutes.

"This gun is a slightly special gun that I had always wanted to try, but...."

"If you want to explain, then please make it concise."

Because she felt it would become long and boring, Felli warned him first.

"Nn, nn."

In the slightly disappointed Harley's hands was an extremely long gun. The body of the gun had been split into two parts, and that was because the goal of this gun wasn't to shoot a Kei bullet, but to shoot a Dite.

This was a gun Harley had invented in order to send Dites to Layfon.

"To explain simply, if it were a gun meant for Military Artist use, it can't shoot a bullet without a certain amount of Kei strength, and it can't be loaded with more Kei than that. I changed that, to where it can be filled as much as possible."

"As much as possible?"

"Yes, that's right."

Saying this, Harley took out the clip of the gun.

The bullets embedded inside the clip could be seen.

"I've resolved the feeling of putting aside Kei for every single bullet. So, you can use your Kei to make big adjustments. For example, it can be used for the desired distance this time, and its destructive power when used as a normal gun can be increased."

"And then?"

"Now, how far the bullet can fly depends on Sharnid-senpai's Kei power and technique, and it should be easier to use than before."

"Really...."

Sharnid didn't seem very excited as he looked at the gun.

Even Felli understood clearly that he was in an extremely tense state right now.

"How's Nina's position?"

"We've already got her approximate position."

Felli used her Psychokinesis flake, showing Sharnid an image.

"So far, damn."

Though he said this, Sharnid still stood on the outskirts, readying the gun.

"Let me first try a test shot."

"Understood."

After Harley replied, he gave the Dite to him.

A Dite in its unrestored state was loaded into the double barrel, and Sharnid could feel that the air around him became cold.

This was proof that he was entering a state of extreme focus.

Felli held her breath, and even Harley watched without moving a muscle.

"........"

The positioned barrel moved slightly, and he repeated slight adjustments, and then pulled the trigger.

The light of Kei filled the gun barrel.

Compared to the strength of the light, the sound released was unexpectedly small because the compressed air was released.

No one could follow the speed with his eyes.

But, Felli's psychokinesis caught the trail of the Dite that was shot out.

After the Dite flew high into the sky, it formed a parabolic arc.

But the place the Dite fell was a place that still couldn't reach Nina.

"........"

That result was displayed on the image, and after Sharnid saw it he wordlessly loaded the next Dite.

After adjusting slightly, he fired.

It still wasn't enough.

"Good."

After he said something that seemed like that, he quickly loaded the next Dite.

His adjustment was extremely slight, and there wasn't much of an interval until he pulled the trigger.

Wouldn't they fail this way.... That kind of anxious feeling entwined around Felli. Never mind Nina, the two test shots up to now hadn't even reached Layfon's area.

Though they were test shots, if this went on they would fail when it was time for the real shots.

It seemed like Sharnid had noticed Felli's thoughts, or perhaps he hadn't.

What happened afterwards was as if he were teasing Felli.

He pulled the trigger.

"Uwah!"

That moment, the body of Harley next to him was sent flying, being thrown backwards.

Harley's cry was drowned out by the sound of the shot, and the calm sound like compressed air that had happened up to now suddenly changed into a strong gunshot intense enough to hurt the ears.

"Wah!"

The giant noise that suddenly occurred made Felli cover her ears.

Even in this kind of situation, her mind was still filled with information of Psychokinesis. Tracking the path of Sharnid's test shot.

This time it shot higher than the previous two, and then descended.

The result....

"....What is it so suddenly?"

Layfon's voice was transmitted through Psychokinesis.

"Ah, that's just a warmup. Use it whenever you like."

"Then, I'll use it just in case."

Sharnid showed a smile as if the tension from before was all gone, ending the conversation with the confused Layfon.

Layfon was focusing on pursuing Nina, so right now he didn't have extra energy to listen to their situation.

But, Felli had something that she wanted to make clear.

"Just now that was....?"

"Killing Hands, you've seen it before."

"Ah...."

She thought of it.

When they went to Grendan to save Nina, Sharnid had wielded a power that they had never seen in him until then.

"That wasn't just coincidence, huh."

"Though I don't really want anyone to know about this, we can complete our goal this way."

"Then, we can send it, right?"

"Of course! It should be about time for the real thing."

Saying this, Sharnid took something from Harley.

It was a box very similar to an unrestored Dite, and the inside was filled with as many Psychokinesis flakes as possible.

"It's alright even if we can't send it to Captain herself, as long as it surpasses her current location, and as long as a single flake reaches her...."

"I know."

Sharnid interrupted Felli's words, entering a focused state.

Right now all Felli could do was hold her breath as she watched the outcome from the side.

In the period of time that seemed to stand still because of tension, Sharnid's finger pulled the trigger.

The overflowing light was strong enough to even make one wonder whether or not the special gun had exploded, and the box inside was shot out from that light. The box in which Felli's psychokinesis had been placed drew out a line with an even smoother angle than before as it flew through the sky, and after reaching a peak even higher than before, it began descending towards the vast earth.

Beautiful.

After that path appeared in Felli's mind, she secretly mumbled. The path that Sharnid had shot had perfectly surpassed Nina's position as predicted by them.

The box followed along the path that Felli had predicted, falling into the battlefield where flame and beast raged.

Bang.

The shock produced from the ground made the box bounce. The box opened, and the Psychokinesis flakes flew out.

What came afterwards was Felli's job.

The Psychokinesis flakes that flew out quickly became part of her Psychokinesis net and were strengthened.

At the same time, she searched for Nina.

Not long after, she saw her figure.

The surrounding flame swirled, filled with heat, and the beasts formed from the flame raged in all directions.

Among this, Nina fought while advancing.

The shockwaves produced by her rapid running blew away the heat and flame, and the assaulting flame beasts that were penetrated by the shockwaves were then sent flying by the iron whips. That kind of battlefield seemed simply otherworldly, and when she found the continuously battling Nina, Felli felt as if her own breathing would stop.

She wondered in her heart whether Nina had become someone completely different from the person she recognized.

Perhaps because she was possessed by several Haikizokus, Nina had been altered by their Kei and might have become a monster herself - Felli considered this.

But, she didn't have that kind of feeling.

The appearance of Nina in battle was indeed a bit frightening, but from the exterior there wasn't any great change.

Then, what about the interior?

(Captain!)

Felli firmly positioned a Psychokinesis flake on her predicted path of movement, calling out.

"........"

Whether it was because of the sound on the battlefield or not, the sound didn't reach, and Nina didn't make any response. Not only this, but she still ignored Felli's Psychokinesis flake and prepared to continue forward.

If things were like this then Sharnid's hard work would be for nothing.

(Captain!)

Felli called out again while carrying out the next preparations.

Nina didn't notice her.

Or perhaps, she didn't want to pay attention.

Was she intentionally ignoring Felli, thinking that she should resolve everything herself?

(Captain!)

How can I let you do that.

Felli continued calling out, while changing the positions of her Psychokinesis flakes.

The flakes that had been positioned in the error boundary of the predicted path were all hurriedly recalled, and gathered together.

They would get here.

All of the Psychokinesis flakes gathered in the place where Nina was most likely to be.

Moreover, they didn't just wait there, but rather they flew towards Nina.

Because there were twisting shockwaves by Nina, if normal things got close to her they would be shattered in moments.

This was the same even for Felli's flakes. It would happen if the advancing Military Artist didn't use their own techniques to neutralize the shockwaves, and since she couldn't expect Nina to do that right now, Felli could only rely on herself to think of something.

In other words, she had to think of a way to neutralize the shockwaves.

Felli let the Psychokinesis flakes form a conical formation, rushing at Nina.

Of course it wouldn't only just charge over there.

She also used her Psychokinesis to form a reflective film covering it surface.

It was a heavy reflective film, used to combat the shockwaves.

Nina had already gotten close.

She could see Nina breaking through the flame.

There was some degree of error before the information from the Psychokinesis flakes reached Felli. Though this was a very short time span, to a Military Artist in battle, it was enough of an error to become fatal.

Because of this error, the moment from when the charge began up to when the results appeared disappeared.

"Ugh!"

A meaningless noise reverberated in Felli's mind. Felli who stood on Zuellni's outskirts felt as if she were about to lose consciousness.

Felli maintained her fuzzy consciousness with all of her power, and she clenched her lips, the taste of blood spreading on her tongue.

How was the situation?

What had it become now?

She slowly groped for the truth in her information filled with noise.

The weak degree of Psychokinesis that came through told Felli that there were not many Psychokinesis flakes remaining. She feared that almost all of the flakes had been unable to break through the shockwaves and had been smashed.

Then, what about the remaining flakes?

Where were the flakes that had acted as the agents to transmit this weak Psychokinesis?

Her Psychokinesis was gradually becoming weaker, why was that?

Had they been sent flying?

Or....?

(Captain, please respond.)

Grasping at straws, Felli spoke.

"........Felli."

There was a response.

It was Nina.

The plan had succeeded.

Felli's Psychokinesis flake had reached Nina.

(Captain, what are you planning?)

"Felli, I'm focusing right now. I'm sorry, if there's anything then please talk about it later."

Hearing Nina let out these kinds of words with some difficulty, Felli confirmed the current situation of her Psychokinesis flakes.

There was only one remaining flake, and the damage to it was not light.

More importantly, Nina hadn't taken that flake, but rather it had luckily caught on her clothing.

Her two hands hadn't released the iron whips for a moment.

Perhaps the battlefield on that side was intense to that degree.

Perhaps it was truly only that?

Because of the speculation that swarmed her heart, Felli continued speaking.

(Captain, please listen, you're being used.)

"Did you say I'm being used?"

(Yes, the Electronic Fairy is....)

"It doesn't matter who's using me."

(Eh?)

"Everyone would use someone else for their own means. As for how you see it, that just depends on the differences between people's point of view."

"Hey hey, right now we're not talking about that kind of thing."

Nina's voice was broadcast out, and Sharnid who heard her voice let out a helpless sound.

"Right now we aren't talking about the problems in human relationships. Listen, Nina, you...."

"Right now I have no time to talk about these things!"

"Listen, Nina, your life is in danger."

"Since the moment I stood here, I made my resolution."

"Things aren't like that!"

Even at Harley's words, Nina still didn't stop.

Her stubborn attitude made the atmosphere surrounding Felli and the others become heavy.

"....Captain."

At that time, a third voice entered, not from Felli and the others, nor from Nina.

It was Layfon.

"....Layfon."

"Captain, right now I'm trying to find a way to group up with you, can you wait a bit for me there?"

"I can't do that. In order to resolve this situation as soon as possible, I must go."

"If you have me helping you, the situation will definitely go more smoothly."

"No, the battle this time isn't that simple."

"Captain!"

"I can't do anything relying on the seventeenth platoon!"

Not only did that sentence stab Felli, but it affected everyone else as well.

Never mind Sharnid and Harley, it was so even for Layfon.

"I can only do the things that had been entrusted to me. Things outside of that.... I can't do them!"

(Captain!)

Felli who felt some kind of unclear premonition called out.

But, all she received was noise. Though she didn't feel as if she were about to faint the second time, her head still felt extremely painful.

The Psychokinesis flake had left Nina's body, and then been smashed by her shockwaves.

Felli went slack for a time.

Part of the reason was the pain created by the recoil from the Psychokinesis flake, but of course, it wasn't only this.

The surrounding silence was definitely from the same feeling as Felli's.

"That girl...."

The first to speak was Sharnid.

"Though, I thought long ago that things might become like this."

Harley also raised his head to look at the sky.

"It's way too close to expectations, what a joke."

"To think it would differ by this little, how incredible."

"Incredible enough to be annoying."

It was unusual that even Layfon participated in the conversation.

(There's nothing incredible or not incredible.)

Felli who had overcome her pain with difficulty opened her mouth.

Felli also had things she wanted to say.

There was a lot that she wanted to say.

(Though, we knew long before that this idiot wouldn't hear other people's words at all as long as she had her own thoughts, and would charge forward single-mindedly.)

"Nn, Felli-chyan, completely merciless as expected."

(She's always putting on a sorrowful expression along while completely not understanding our toils, that kind of egotistic style is ridiculous.)

"........Why does it feel like I'm being included in the scolding."

Though Felli also secretly wanted to say 'that's how it is' to the cowardly Layfon, she held back for now.

(But, compared to this, in her words just now, there's something even harder to bear.)

"That's right."

"Those words were indeed too much."

"That's right."

Nothing could be done relying on the seventeenth platoon.

They definitely couldn't forgive anyone, even Nina, for those words.

Regardless of if Nina had formed the seventeenth platoon, they couldn't permit that even for Nina herself.

(Let that idiot look well at what kind of platoon the seventeenth platoon is.)

"Yes."

"Well said."

"Alright, this time let's make Nina lower her head and say to us 'Please let me be your Captain'!"

(Not a bad proposal.)

Spirits high, the seventeenth platoon once again began to act.