Am I still me?
The rooftop was crushed under Garuda's weight—structural integrity degrading.
The staircase was sealed, but a jump unit could breach through the hole in the outer wall.
(Tracer, activate. Mark the lizard deployed on the rooftop.)
'Enemy contact below. Red Crest unit—close.'
Snake-eye scanned the sky, then the ground.
On the rooftop: Garuda firing relentlessly, guarded by five Weedland units.
Below, on the second floor, an elite enemy unit deploying swiftly upward.
The enemy seemed depleted, but time was nonexistent in every sense.
Red Crest's combat capability and weaponry were a threat. With Boomer having expended all equipment, no time could be bought.
Boomer spat, glancing out through the collapsed wall.
"Considering both实战 and training, this is the worst possible insertion scenario we've faced so far."
"Bad with high ground?"
"Not the lizard on high ground. That's what I'm bad with."
"Your comrades getting shot at by the Garuda probably feel the same way."
Io crouches on a rebar protruding from the hole, facing outward.
The view from the top of the skyscraper is dire. Everywhere, friendly units are being blown apart amid the ruined cityscape.
The battle in Corwe City had been decisively dominated by just one Garuda.
"Io, if you fall, stay calm—use your jump unit to kill velocity."
"By then, the lizard below will have peeled your skin off."
"Let's skip the unpleasant imagery."
...Now that we're here, anything you want to say before we pull off this crazy insertion?
Last words might be in order."
There’s nothing like that. Do you have one, Boomer?
Yeah, tell the staff of the Karaaf Front Army this.
Boomer grinned, miming a scratch across his neck.
The Sinclair team was the one being kept on simmer by the passive posture of the Karaaf Front Army headquarters holed up in Oxanun.
That should get the message across.
Boomer, the enemy deploying on the roof is few in number. I don’t know about inside Garuda.
I’m equipped with a Defender— I’ll be the bait.
Count on me, partner.
Boomer moved up onto the rebar. Below, the drop was vertigo-inducing. Wind buffeted him, threatening to send him flying.
Regulate breath. Wait for the timing. The red crest’s response was already one floor below.
Don’t rush. Don’t falter.
Io remained expressionless. Kicked off the rebar, hooked fingers onto the rooftop’s edge.
Snake Eye was nearing operational limits.
Still, he held. Waiting for the one moment to slip past the five enemy sentries.
Waiting for the instant their backs turned.
The rooftop structures were massive outdoor units, half the height of Io’s frame in diameter.
They were crushed by Gorda, but still usable as cover points.
No, there was no leisure for a prolonged firefight.
If Goblet’s intel was accurate, Gorda could achieve flight within 120 seconds from standby.
Even if not, once the boarding hatch sealed, options vanished.
Boomer’s energy grenade could partially disrupt the Weedran weapon system’s special power function.
That was the key. The outcome hinged on a single instant.
Io turned only his head, meeting Boomer’s gaze as he looked up, and gave a single nod.
Muscles tensed. A creaking sound. His body was battered.
Released compressed air from the jump unit. Leapt upward on momentum.
Activated the Defender while thrusting the handgun forward.
—Charge!
—Cover me!
A sudden strike from the boarding position eliminated one target. Land.
The lizards, nerves sharpened, responded instantly. The Weedran makeshift gun emplacement on the rooftop began to hum.
The Defender, recharged with the battery taken from the red crest, absorbed the incoming rounds.
But the firepower overwhelmed it. The Defender immediately sounded its alarm.
—Boomer!
Boomer launched from behind. Cleanly eliminated the gunner distracted by Io.
Io slid over the hanging duct like a blade slicing through air, pushing forward.
Garda reacted. The hatch began closing with a rapid hiss of exhaust.
—Stop the lizard! Stop the hatch!
The sealed rooftop access was a roofed landing. Boomer rolled onto it, controlling the jump unit, gripping the energy grenade tight.
Io sprayed the remaining three with wild handgun fire. Ammo ran out instantly.
No time to reload. Charging forward, Defender still in hand, he lunged at one.
Impact. The heavily armored lizard was knocked back.
—Combat support ongoing.
Performance improving.
The world slowed, thick and sluggish. Goblet’s voice echoed. The knife was drawn.
The lizard’s rifle barrel is deflected. A brutal low kick sweeps its legs out. As it stumbles, a grapple is locked, the knife driven into the solar plexus. The body becomes a meat shield. Standard procedure.
—Energy grenade deployed!
Scales scatter. The Garuda’s exhaust shuts down. The hatch groans, locks in place.
Io hurls the one used as a meat shield with brute force. It crashes into another lizard targeting Io.
Boomer is efficient. No hesitation. Immediately eliminates the one Io knocked aside.
Io reaches for Raven slung across his back. Fires four rounds into Weedran, who lies fallen beside his comrade’s corpse.
—...!
—...!
No words. A single glance. Io sprints. Boomer activates his jump unit.
Avoiding the hatch opening head-on, they split left and right into assault formation. Boomer had finished preparing the next energy grenade.
Drop!
Spores detonate. Simultaneously, Io reactivates the Defender and leaps forward onto the hatch’s front.
Weedran is waiting inside, as expected.
‘Enemy Defender neutralized. Advantage secured.’
A torrent of fire erupts. The Defender screams under overload.
Boomer rushes behind Io, grips his shoulder, crouches low, right hand on the handgun.
The rifle is either empty or lacks reload margin.
Io advances slowly, Defender still raised. Minimal deployment range. Securing the line of fire for Boomer.
Boomer matched Io’s pace. Slipping steps, breath held, firing with cold precision.
Three, two, one—Boomer had cleared the enemy within three counts.
—Front clear! Io, still there?!
—No response. Advancing.
Crack—Defender shut down with a sharp noise. Overheated.
Crouched, maintaining firing stance, Raven performed a fast reload. Boomer finished reloading the handgun, regrasped Io’s shoulder.
—Snake Eye, shutdown. Reboot in 120 seconds.
Red Crest unit closing in from behind. No time to wait two minutes for full readiness.
Suppressing breath, matched pace again, slid inward.
Garda was massive, but weapon systems consumed internal capacity—interior not much room.
Crossing the crew compartment, breaching the power unit. A lightly armed Weedran attempts to intercept—Io shoots him instantly.
Internal cockpit, poor visibility. A separate unit concealed in shadow—Boomer eliminates it. Io on forward watch. Boomer covering blind spots.
Combat effectiveness already lost. Final resistance. Io clenches lips, forces entry into the cockpit.
"This is it."
Io dispatches the Weedran seated in the cockpit, ejects Raven.
"Can't believe it. It worked."
Boomer is panting heavily. Io ignores it, drags the Weedran corpse into alignment with the instruments.
"Not over yet. The Red Crests are here."
"So what now? Taking Garde's body—this isn't the same as Condor."
"Options remain."
Io activates Little Lady and moves toward Garde's pilot interface.
A strange, lizard-like language floats in the air. Naturally, it cannot be understood.
『Io, you've done it.』
「(Time to shine, Goblet.)」
『Garde is the latest weapon in the Weedran arsenal, capable of functioning as a makeshift command center.
Breaking through the Protector alone is difficult for Blue Goblet.
Seize the key from the pilot. On the chest armor.』
Io kicks the recently slain Weedran onto its back.
As instructed by Goblet, a purple data key, shaped like a bird’s feather, glows in the chest tool slot of the armor.
「(Where to put this?)」
『On the terminal's underside.』
「(Connection complete. Do it.)」
Io slams the key into place. Various instruments begin to glow.
The vision swims with the blue goddess. She leans close, her hand hovering over the control interface.
—Agent Io, temporarily suspending your functions to augment Little Lady’s processing capacity.
No need to worry.
No need to question. You are Io.
(What’s he saying? We don’t have time.)
—Connection initiated. Mastery in twelve seconds.
Suddenly, dizziness strikes Io. He grips the chair, but every joint in his body begins to tremble and laugh uncontrollably.
—Io, hey Io, what’s wrong!
—Boomer…
Io clenches his teeth and barely manages to stay seated.
Goblet turns, face expressionless, smiling. Not a polite smile. Her eyes glow gold.
She leans in. The world warps—wet, malleable.
—
—Agent Io, abnormality detected in consciousness level.
No physical damage detected. Anything wrong?
(—Goblet, I’m—)
Io shook his head.
Boomer lowered his helmet visor and leaned in to peer at his face.
Io, you alright? Conscious?
Fine. Back off, Boomer. I’m not kissing you.
Io pushed him away, rubbing his eyes. His skin was slick with sweat.
The world felt distant. A strange discomfort—things that should be visible were not.
What the hell— I was just conquering the hardest stage ever. This game’s been the most intense action and adrenaline I’ve felt since I started. Should’ve been—
No sense of it. Was I even me right now?
Whatever. Io shook his head again.
Having seized Gilda, all that’s left is a minor side task. Mission complete.
Boomer, Gilda’s ours now.
Good job—medal material.
Yeah… that’s great… Io, you’re…
Boomer’s expression is skeptical.
—Gilda’s control established. Agent Io, you cannot access combat support systems while Gilda is under control.
Please note.
(No matter. Launch it.)
—Launch sequence skipped. Ascending. Hatch sealed.
A low drive hum. The sensation of floating. Gilda begins to rise.
It’s actually flying—no way.
What, you didn’t believe it?
I went along with your plan, sure—but it’s Gilda.
A toy we actually got. Time to enjoy it properly.
Boomer frowns again as Io speaks.
—Agent Io. Blue Goblet has confirmed.
(…What’s that?)
—We make a good team.
(Hah, yeah. I think so too.)
[Interface, please touch.]
Following Goblet’s navigation, I extend my hand. Garuda spins, the rooftop of the building where they previously landed now displayed on the front-mounted large monitor.
The elite Weedran unit, the Red Crests, were just emerging onto the rooftop. They barely missed the window.
"Boomer, I’d like to get a close look at their faces."
"I agree."
[Attack initiated.]
The Garuda’s weapon latch opens. Immediately, eight missiles are fired, vaporizing the Red Crests.
"Huu! Io, mark the point.
Let’s go pick up the Reaper!"
"Got it!"
Obeying Io’s command, Garuda executes a sharp turn.
Got it—action, yo!