Catherine was the first to jump down. The longsword crackling with electricity in her hand effortlessly sliced apart an Angel's wings. Though they too possessed wings, the artificial steel wings granted the Artificial Humans tremendous strength and astonishing mobility. One after another, the Artificial Humans leaped down, swinging their weapons. The roar of Explosive Rounds Guns and the shriek of Chainsaw Swords burst across the sky, their fury enough to set the feathers of these Extra-dimensional Beings ablaze. As the Artificial Human with the most steadfast faith, Catherine's fighting stance was also the fiercest. The reaction speed and strength bestowed by her alchemical body were enhanced by her Force-feedback Power Armor, making her seem like a blood-red rose blooming upon the battlefield.
She had earned her current position not through the Monarch's favor, but through her swordsmanship and character. No one in the entire Sisterhood could rival her swordsmanship or combat ability, which was why she commanded every assault squad and had been responsible for most security operations involving the Arcanist before the Praetorian Guard had taken shape. Her combat ability was displayed to the fullest in this raid—first, she smashed the shoulder of a centaur-like Lower Angel with the magazine of her ornately decorated Explosive Rounds Pistol. Then she stepped onto its back and blasted a gaping hole through the Angel's body with the Explosive Rounds Gun in her hand. Holding her longsword in a reverse grip, she drove it down through the humanoid body. Without even checking whether the Angel was dead, she threw herself at the next target.
From encounter to attack, from attack to death, the entire process took only ten seconds.
Her Power Armor and Iron Wings were drenched in blood. The battlefield rose truly lived up to her name.
At the same time, the