Of course, those monsters paid Kiana no attention either, and just kept charging to their deaths.
By the time the startled girls reached Kiana's side, the Ancient Beasts and Swarm had been completely wiped out.
"Kiana, what are you doing?!" Mei grabbed Kiana's arm.
Kiana blinked and came back to herself. "Huh...? How did I get here?"
The girl looked around in confusion. When she saw the corpses of Ancient Beasts and insects everywhere, all melted down by the Fortress's point-defense weapons, she nearly threw up on the spot.
"Kiana, what exactly happened?" Murata Himeko asked in a low voice.
Bronya, meanwhile, frowned deeply—she didn't understand why this Fortress... hadn't attacked them.
Kiana pressed her lips together, then looked back at the tightly shut Fortress gate.
"You might not believe me if I say it."
Kiana spoke with righteous conviction, hands on her hips.
"I think I can open this door!"
"Fine, then try it." Murata Himeko raised an eyebrow. "Don't disgrace your title as Herrscher of Finality—hey, hey, hey! What are you doing?!"
Before Murata Himeko could finish, Kiana had already walked forward and stood before the gate.
Then, in a voice full of momentum, she cried out loudly and sweetly, "Open up! Open up for this Young Lady!!!!! The Young Lady has arrived!!! Everyone, out of the way!!!"
"Are you an idiot?! There's no way this thing will open just because you shout at the door—"
Rumble rumble rumble rumble rumble rumble rumble—
Before Murata Himeko could finish scolding her, that enormous alloy gate, hundreds of meters tall... slowly opened...
With a clang, the greatsword in Murata Himeko's hand crashed heavily to the ground.
At the same time—
"E-e-e-e-e... everyone!!!"
Feiying covered her little mouth and cried out in shock, her eyes wide as she stared fixedly at