"A true knight..."
In the cramped rented room, the current Platinum, who was about to run away, huddled in bed watching the game.
The screen was showing a spectacular duel between the Radiant Knight, and the radiance emanating from them rekindled Centaurea's long-dormant interest in knightly competitions.
"Why don't we go see it in person?"
The girl hesitated.
Although she could slack off if she wanted to, her boss had a competition coming up.
If I don't go, won't I get a hard time...?
Thinking about this possibility, even a warm bed no longer feels comfortable.
Centaurea tidied her appearance, preparing to infiltrate the arena.
What? You mean buy tickets?
Buying tickets was out of the question, so he could only sneak in to maintain the appearance of making a living.
But you could try buying a support sign; maybe if the boss sees it, he'll have a better impression of you?
Just as Centaurea was calculating how much money she would spend, a sudden ringtone broke the silence.
"No way..."
Hearing the familiar ringtone, the girl's expression changed repeatedly, but she still answered the call.
[New mission, Little Platinum ~]
The flippant voice didn't sound like her former boss's.
"Where's the old man?"
[Yes, because I suddenly had to withdraw during a special period, I was taken care of by Darksteel.]
Huh? Really?
For a moment her mind went blank, then, as she came to her senses Centaurea began to wonder if the old man was playing a trick on her.
"Who are you?"
[Hmm... I thought my voice was quite distinctive.]
"I don't have time to mess around with you, what's up?"
[Great news! The Platinum is going to be promoted to Grand Platinum VIP!]
The girl's expression twisted for a moment, realizing it was that old man trying to mess with her again.
But the thought of leaving soon brought a sense of relief to Centaurea.
"... What is the mission?"
Well... let's talk about it face to face.
The other person's words instantly put Centaurea on alert. In all the missions she had done, she had never had to explain herself to his face before.
Moreover, that light tone didn't sound like that of an ordinary Armorless Union member...
Recalling what the other person had said earlier, cold sweat trickled down Centaurea's forehead.
Could the old man have really been killed?
[Little Platinum?]
"... I will go."
After giving a perfunctory reply, Centaurea hung up the phone and prepared to head to the arena to seek someone's protection.
"Hey? But I haven't told you the mission location yet."
"I wasn't planning on..."
Her pupils contracted sharply, and grabbing the weapon from the bed, the girl smashed through the window and jumped out.
Immediately following, a bluish-black arrow pierced through the door and broken window, shaving off the ends of her hair.
Without looking back to check on the enemy, Centaurea fled for her life.
The rental location she deliberately chose was incredibly cluttered, and given her agility, she should be able to shake off her enemies quickly.
Even though she had circled around several times, the stinging sensation at the back of her head was getting stronger and stronger.
There are archers even stronger than her, and they're not old fogies!
Is it Lazurite? Or Darksteel?!
Before one could think, the arrows struck even before the shriek.
Centaurea fell and rolled into the alley, a bloody gash still visible on her shoulder.
Damn it!
The girl gritted her teeth and took out her crossbow. Rather than exhausting herself by constantly running away, she decided to take a gamble.
But...
"Centaurea?"
Someone stuck their head out of the window, and the middle-aged woman who usually took good care of the girl looked terrified.
"How did you get hurt? Quick! I'll call a doctor right away..."
"Go back!"
The girl yelled, and the arrow that was meant to be shot behind her shattered the old woman's window.
The latter Reflection retreated back into the house, while the girl immediately fled towards the outskirts.
We can't fight here...
Luring the enemy away, Centaurea glanced at her wound. Fortunately, the enemy's weapon wasn't poisoned, so she still had a chance to fight back.
He took out his communicator and immediately dialed the number pinned to the top of his chat list.
"Help! Boss! I'm going to die if you don't come soon!!!"
[Where are you?]
Without any unnecessary words, SilverAsh's calm voice almost brought tears to Centaurea's eyes.
"I can't stop, I'm heading towards D2 District now..."
Laugh--
The girl dodged the arrow that was meant to pierce her head in time, but the price was her terminal being reduced to fragments.
In the silence, Centaurea quickened her pace slightly, but questions also arose.
If she can shoot multiple arrows at once, there's no reason why those made of Lazurite and Darksteel, which are superior to her, can't do it.
Unless... the other party never intended to kill him at all.
The thought had barely formed when a sharp pain appeared around my heart.
The girl dodged again, her face contorted in a ferocious grimace.
Damn it! This deadly attack is hardly showing any mercy!?
"Sigh... I really tried my best."
On a tall building behind, Roy, one of the current Lazurite, rubbed his temples, his head aching.
Even though his attacks always force the opponent to run in the opposite direction, why does this guy insist on doing the opposite?
Looking in the direction the girl had fled, Roy shook his head.
"Don't say I didn't give you a chance; you were asking for it."
Remembering the orders from above, and recalling the tense atmosphere surrounding the recent entry of the Silverlance into the city, Roy sighed and chased after them again.
Should we make our escape now...?
Unable to comprehend Roy's feelings from behind, the two chased and fled, soon arriving in the suburbs.
The open space offered no cover, but thanks to her previous experience, Centaurea flipped and slid into the underground pipe.
Roy's expression became even stranger upon seeing this.
"Could this guy know something...?"
Muttering to himself, Roy called out to the Armorless Union members who were supposed to be stationed there through his earpiece.
[Sizzle... Sizzle...]
"..."
After switching communications, my partner's voice came through normally.
What's going on? Hasn't it been resolved yet?
"Members in D2 District have gone missing."
[... I'll be there soon.]
After hanging up the call, Roy looked at the dark pipe opening and opened the door on the other side.
The underground at this moment--
Centaurea dragged her injured body forward, setting several traps along the way in an attempt to cause some trouble for the enemy.
However, as she moved forward, the girl's body quickly stiffened.
His colleagues lay sprawled out in the passageway in front of him.
Judging from the slight signs of fighting around the area, this was a crushing battle.
The culprit was located in the middle of the passageway.
The blond Kuranta stared coldly at her. His unfamiliar hunter's attire was quite unfamiliar, but his tired yet cold face was unforgettable once seen.
Mlynar Nearl...
Centaurea's eyes twitched, and she silently raised her hands.
The intelligence report stated the other party was a corporate slave, so what's with this terrifying sense of oppression?!
Forgetting her thoughts of defeating her opponent and escaping, Centaurea prepared to win them over with politeness.
"Um, I'm not with them."
Mlynar remained unmoved, and the longsword he had just collected once again revealed its sharpness.
"Tell me what you know."
The girl, who had a pained expression, was about to say something when a voice behind her made her ears perk up in alarm.
"Oh my gosh... it's the famous wandering swordsman!"
Roy emerged from the darkness, scrutinizing Mlynar's hunter's attire, before retreating to a distance.
"I was wondering why none of my colleagues had contacted me. At this hour... shouldn't you be at work?"
Roy's arrival did not change Mlynar's expression; she maintained her indifferent tone.
"I've saved up enough vacation days specifically to deal with people like you."
"Tsk, isn't that unnecessary? We're all just working people, why make things difficult for each other?"
Roy shook his head, feigning exhaustion, and looked at the Platinum ahead.
"Instead of wasting my precious vacation on such a traitor, I'd rather go watch a couple of games now."
"And it's highly likely to rain tonight, so you'll get soaked if you don't leave early."
"There's no need to stall for time."
Mlynar remained expressionless as she swung her sword, slashing away the arrows that came from behind.
There was no movement at the end of the darkness, only a dark blue light indicating that it was not safe.
"Hmm~ It seems that your long years as a corporate slave haven't dulled your intuition."
Roy clicked his tongue in regret.
"But Monique is already here, you have no chance of winning."
"Let's make friends. Hand over that traitor to me, and I'll let you go, how about it?"
"Friends? Who would like a friend who stabs them in the back?"
"Hey~ don't be so absolute."
Roy raised his bow and arrow, his smile turning colder.
"After all... it would be troublesome if a Nearl died here."
"... I also have a piece of advice for you."
Mlynar gripped the hilt of her sword, a sliver of light shining through the gaps in the scabbard.
"If you honestly turn yourself in to the Adeptus Sprawiedliwy, you might still be able to save your life."
Can you guys find somewhere else to talk?
The two spoke in a relaxed tone, but their conversation was full of tension, leaving Centaurea caught in the middle feeling utterly helpless.
Whenever she tried to move her body, a deadly stinging pain would come from all parts of her body.
Clearly, both sides intend to use it as a shield.
A prolonged standoff was clearly not what either of them wanted. Roy kept glancing around as he spoke, secretly calculating the time.
It seems the Armorless Union colleagues here have completed their mission; I just don't know if they've been discovered.
But seeing that Mlynar still had time to confront him, Roy guessed that the other party had not been able to extract anything from him.
Since that's the case...
Roy lowered his bow and arrow, slowly spread his arms, and stepped back.
"It seems you're planning to turn yourself in."
Mlynar remained wary of the other's movements, while Roy smiled and continued to back away.
"Turning yourself in... maybe it's a good idea."
"But compared to Commercial Union, the laws of the Adeptus Sprawiedliwy... are hardly reliable either!"
As soon as the words were spoken, everyone began their attack simultaneously.
Platinum, who was giving up, simply lay down, thus avoiding the golden light that illuminated the entire ground.
Distracted by the sight, Roy retreated continuously, while Mlynar deflected the arrows behind him and leaped forward, attempting to take down a Lazurite.
The ever-approaching sharpness made Roy's eyelids twitch, and he quickly fired several arrows to stop the enemy from getting closer.
The rapid-fire arrows weren't very powerful, but that wasn't Roy's intention anyway.
"Hey... do you know why my colleagues are here?"
Roy suddenly spoke, and the arrow aimed at Mlynar also pointed towards the ceiling.
As his vision gradually returned, Roy's smile turned increasingly cold.
Although the reason is unknown, the Armorless Union has been assigned the task of planting bombs in various locations.
This place is no exception.
Then the task becomes very simple.
Roy aligns the hub of the pipe above with his eyes on it, calculating the time.
The bomb is then detonated after the node is breached, causing it to collapse and become an obstacle.
Perhaps the other party has other ways to escape, but that's none of his business anymore.
Anyway, the main task has been completed. As for Centaurea... if Mlynar puts her in prison, the Business Federation has plenty of ways to get rid of her.
To celebrate the imminent completion of their mission, Roy fired the crucial arrow.
He watched the arrow fly towards the pipe, but the scene he had anticipated happened ahead of schedule.
In his bewildered gaze, the steel-cast pipes began to glow.
Dark red... crimson... until it transformed into golden flames.
The surging pillar of fire pierced through the pipe, obliterating the arrow along with it, and continued its relentless advance, piercing the ground.
The melting Iron Wall stopped Mlynar's advance and also allowed the lying-down Centaurea to jump up.
"Boss!"
Unlike the girl's joy, Roy felt completely numb.
The knight, wreathed in flames, landed heavily. Judging from the seemingly endless passage, the enemy had most likely cleared a path underground and was advancing in a straight line.
Faced with this unreasonable monster, Roy felt he should run away immediately.
But...
Tap... Tap...
Unhurried footsteps came from behind, and the Black Knight, who had repeatedly defeated Darksteel, slowly approached.
Roy: "..."
As Roy watched Centaurea skip and jump to tell Gregor her story, Roy heart grew cold.
He can't escape now.
But...
Kuranta looked towards the end of the passage, where the dark blue light had disappeared.
Monique is gone...
Roy breathed a sigh of relief, but couldn't help feeling a little regretful.
Honestly, they have no loyalty at all. We clearly agreed to sell hand sanitizer together after retirement.
"What are the Armorless Union doing here? Tell us everything you know."
Tsk, you're already thinking about interrogating me before you've even caught me?
"What bad luck!"
The brief moment of regret passed, and Roy, pinned to the ground, gave the order.
"Detonate."
As soon as the words were spoken, violent explosions continued to reverberate from the end of the passage.
Intense flames, high temperatures, and impact.
The three forces squeezed together in the narrow passage, transforming into a roaring Fire Dragon that lunged forward.
The less-than-exciting flashback played in Roy's mind, and in a daze, he seemed to hear Monique's roar in his earpiece.
"Who told you to detonate it! You could have saved him..."
I'm sorry...
Roy closed his eyes.
You'll have to come find me later.
"..."
The expected scorching heat didn't come. Hesitantly opening his eyes, Roy froze on the spot at the surreal scene before him.
Before--
The tall knight completely blocked the passage, one hand outstretched forward.
Beneath the cracked gauntlet, scorching lava solidified and took shape, transforming into a gigantic hand.
Light and heat, flames and impact—these intangible things were firmly grasped by that tangible hand.
Dazzling light burst forth continuously, and the flames roared like a raging beast.
But as the Giant exerted his strength, the light shrank continuously, and the flames became as docile as a house cat.
As the last glimmer of light compressed and disappeared from his palm, the explosion that could have destroyed the surrounding underground finally ceased.
The Giant slowly turned around, and Roy, through the cracked half of the armor, saw the king's true face.
Oh, so it's the Flame Demon.
Roy: "..."
The man laughed; he was at his wit's end, and he felt relieved.
"Please ask me, I'll tell you everything."
Lazurite of the Armorless Union lay quietly on the ground, pondering what he could say to save his life, while also gloating over his superior's misfortune.
Gentlemen of the Business Federation... do you even know who you're fighting against?
"Where else are bombs planted?"
Roy calmly told everyone the location he knew, but after a brief pause, he felt uneasy.
Then...
"By the way, Darksteel has also been deployed, so be careful."
Where is it?
"Um... how about I ask for you?"
On the lower level of Sector Zero, the lurking Darksteel couldn't help but sneeze.
"Damn it, why would they plant a bomb in a place like this?"
Darksteel scanned the surroundings. This was the lowest level of Block 0, a place even the Infected wouldn't settle down in.
"What were those guys thinking? That kind of explosive force is enough to blow up an entire district..."
Shaking his head, Darksteel headed upwards.
Ring ring ring-- Ring ring ring--
The ringtone sounded in my earpiece.
The call connected, and it was my own mentor and partner.
"What's wrong? Another new mission?"
[...]
"Hmm? Why aren't you saying anything?"
Come back, it's time for us to leave.
Darksteel stopped in his tracks, frowned, and asked:
"What happened?"
On the other end of the phone, Lao Darksteel quietly watched the screen.
An emergency announcement suddenly appeared on the screen that was playing the match.
Old Darksteel read it aloud truthfully—
[Breaking News: Business Federation spokesperson Czarny, claiming he was overwhelmed by guilt, arrived at the National Assembly at 13:42...]
[Confessed.]