24 The End Approaches 1

Jin and Mio braced themselves against the sudden appearance of the End—yet—

……?

‘It’s not moving.’

As Mio had said.

Despite its eerie arrival, it showed no reaction to its surroundings.

It simply existed.

Not even a glance in Jin or Mio’s direction. Not a trace of will.

That silence was more unsettling than anything.

……No.

Edelweiss spoke.

‘That.’

It pointed to a spear-like extension growing from the opponent’s arm.

The tip rotated slowly.

So slowly that Jin and Mio hadn’t noticed until it was pointed out—yet—

What’s so significant about that?

It was moving, yes—but not in a way that warranted urgency.

At this rate, a single rotation would take minutes.

‘Space is warped.’

‘What?’

‘Ah!’

Mio seemed to realize it too, struck by Edelweiss’s abrupt clarity.

Jin, whose consciousness was not directly linked to high-precision sensors as theirs was, could not discern what it was.

‘Over a vast range—too vast, I didn’t notice immediately.’

‘At least tens of light-years, the entire cosmos is contracting toward that point. Like something being drawn in.’

Jin’s expression froze—then tilted, confused.

‘So… what exactly are you saying? That thing has influence over such an absurd scale?’

It was hard to believe.

True, the reactor output was high.

Yet still only 2,000 Lammy—equivalent to Edelweiss’s current output or the destroyed Antares Prime.

Remarkable as a combat force, it was still inconceivable that it could trigger a phenomenon on a cosmic scale.

‘…That might not be the core.’

Edelweiss spoke, searching for words.

‘You see. Something still connects beyond that aperture. It seems to be drawing ether from there.’

‘That’s its power source?’

‘Probably.’

Jin considered their words. What, exactly, was that aperture?

A technology that sustained a connection to somewhere else, not a fleeting phenomenon like Overlight. Humanity lacked such a capability.

Likely the people of Thelminas did too.

Then perhaps it was an accidental byproduct of the Laitera Project.

Or perhaps a common natural phenomenon in this universe.

Whatever it was, it bore the mark of an inevitable end—something that resembled an assault frame.

At least it lacked the uncontrolled trajectory of a standard ASID known as Hugre.

It did not seem to be the work of human hands—yet it bore the clear shape of defined rules and rational design.

He abandoned thoughts on its origin. At least for now, it was irrelevant.

"What happens if this contraction continues?"

"…At the very least, this entire stellar system would converge upon that single point."

"Impossible to imagine. Multiple planets, countless asteroids, and the star itself—all collapsing into one location. A supermassive black hole would form."

"No. Not just that. If the same process occurs beyond our observational range—"

"Wait a second."

Jin interrupted, startled by the scale of the implications.

"Does that mean the entire universe would collapse into that single point?"

If so, the universe would cease to exist.

A question laced with disbelief received no denial in return.

Instead—

If the phrase in our传承 about a great sin capable of destroying the universe is true, then it is possible.

“That’s absurd…”

The idea that something capable of erasing an entire universe could actually manifest was too far beyond expectation.

The degree of astonishment dwarfed even the Laitera Project.

“…We must destroy it.”

After a brief pause, Jin said.

Perhaps it could be communicated with, like the people of Terminas.

But risking everything on that possibility was too dangerous.

First, we must stop that spear—there is no alternative.

“I—I’ll help too!”

No movement was occurring. Then, forcing it forward should not be difficult. If it does not move.

But would it remain still, even if pushed aside by force?

As he approached, considering this—only the neck of the End moved.

The right hand remains limp, hanging down. Only the tip of the spear at its end continues to spin.

Only the left arm, likewise hanging weakly, moves.

A long cannon, its muzzle exposed.

Something is fired.

Before Jin can confirm what it is, he has already shifted Edelweiss's body smoothly aside.

The thing grazes the shoulder armor.

(…A projectile?)

Not an ether-based attack.

It is a tangible, physical bullet.

Not even coated in ether.

Fast, but no more than thirty times the speed of sound—Jin, who can dodge something at that velocity, is no ordinary man, yet that is not the issue.

For Edelweiss, whose ether coating matches the reactor's output, something at that speed should not constitute damage.

And yet—

The grazed armor is completely torn away.

Moving across the sky, canceling all etheric defenses.

"What!?"

Jin warned Mio without hesitation, watching the thing pierce through the wall behind them.

Fall back with Mr. Higata!

But...

Useless—just getting in the way!

Until just moments ago, Mio’s own ether coating had been strong enough to permit her presence here.

But if something is piercing through it, that changes everything.

If struck there—through the chest, the part impacting the cockpit—everything would end in an instant.

Mio slowly begins to distance herself at the words 'You're in the way.'

Move with sudden precision, avoiding the opponent’s attention. Avoid turning one’s back on the opponent.

Jin, even at a distance, pays no mind to the end.

An attitude that seemed to say, "I warned you for approaching carelessly."

Not so easy to take me down, is it?

Any further attempt to force an advance would be met with unpredictable movements.

Their intent remained entirely unreadable.

After all, this was a creature that had withstood the assaults of the original nine Queens, including Seventh and Stalt.

Or perhaps it was better to push it back into that aperture than to attempt its destruction.

The problem lay in how to seal that aperture—yet, one might be tempted to think that a Harmonic Razer strike might suffice, despite the difficulty.

In either case, the adversary remained formidable.

Urged by Jin, Mio escaped from the damaged Lombardia-class vessel through the bombardment of Trishula, searching for aid.

Someone. Anyone.

Anyone who could save Jin.

Mio’s instinct as a Terminus native detected a familiar etheric frequency.

"...May nee-chan?"

Her gaze settled on the drifting Raven.

A机体 with half its structure destroyed, combat capability entirely severed. Likely caught in the earlier barrage.

— The question of why May, who had launched from a Leopard, now occupied the Raven, was one that neither Sharona nor even Mio could entertain.

"Are you alright!?"

Approaching, she calls out. No reply.

A moment of dread crosses her mind. Yet the vital signs return normal.

Relief settles in.

"…But what now?"

No one nearby offers aid.

The voice of her kin, the Terminus people, is silent.

Instead, another sound reaches her.

『—Toya』

"Toya-kun! You're awake!"

Joy wells up, tears falling. She had not wished to witness a future where he remained unconscious.

『…Where is… that bastard…?』

Communication is unstable. Images and audio are not reaching clearly.

"Someone's out there... Jin took care of it! But another strange one appeared..."

'Another strange one...?'

Mio senses that even Juu doesn't understand what it is. Her anxiety is unhidden.

Even if she learns its identity, the urgency won't change.

"Is there anyone who can help? What about the others?"

"Six thousand units away. But probably useless. Everyone's asleep."

"Asleep... Right. Litera hasn't... yet."

That unknown entity—the hole that birthed the inevitable end—remains open. The Stalt reactor, Litera, still functions.

As long as it doesn't stop, none will awaken.

"What should I do...?"

In a situation like this, Mio's options are few.

Above all, she lacks experience—by far.

What can she do?

Even if she were to serve as reinforcement at that location, she would still be nothing more than a hindrance, just as Jin said.

That is true of her current situation as well.

No—on this battlefield, there is no one, human or Terminan, who could serve as reinforcement for Jin.

At best, one might consider whether the unicorn could enter the fray—but even that would be barely possible.

‘Hey, Tōgō.’

In that moment, Shu suddenly remembered something.

Not so much a sudden thought, as something that had already been on her mind since the first time she saw it.

‘Are you piloting that thing inside there?’