When the Smoke Clears, All Return as One

The enormous Monster Airship shattered into countless fragments in midair. They seemed to hang there for a moment before the ruptured gas bags scattered down, carrying fireworks that had not yet burned out.

Occasionally, specially made explosive shells detonated only after being flung far away, keeping the sky filled with thunderous blasts and flashes of fire, as though countless fireworks had been lit all at once.

Inside the Municipal Council Building, the two councilors who had been holding wineglasses and admiring the scene stood frozen in shock.

The screen before them continued to flicker, perhaps due to the Monster Airship's explosion, or perhaps because of that mass of light.

"What was that? What the hell was that?"

Unease rose in both their hearts. They felt that things had slipped beyond their control, beyond even the limits of their understanding.

At that moment, one councilor's World Token began to flash, signaling an incoming emergency transmission. Once they connected it, intermittent, muffled sounds came through. It seemed to be suffering severe interference, and they could only make out fragments such as "suspend... retreat quickly... Fighter..."

Even those words soon became unintelligible, until only a harsh static hiss remained.

Irritably, he asked, "What exactly did he say?"

The other councilor's face had gone pale. "Th-that... that was a Fighter..."

"A Fighter? That was... a Fighter?!"

The councilor opposite him finally understood. He wore an incredulous expression, as though asking whether they were fucking joking with him.

A moment later, he smashed the glass in his hand to the floor with a bang. Scarlet wine splashed everywhere as he lost control and cursed furiously.

"I sent people to surround and capture him. I even issued a wanted notice. And now those bastards are telling me that the person I was trying to hunt down