Chapter 173

Honestly, just looking at Nana, I had absolutely no intention of fighting them.

In addition, I have all sorts of doubts... It's not just about why those crystals look like they're made of the same material as my bones; just the fact that you guys suddenly went from being about 1.6 meters tall to being five-meter-long monsters is enough to give me a headache... The law of conservation of energy that my manager taught me in the past is crying out in pain!

As the four monsters either crawled or stood up, seemingly searching for their own form, Nana calmed down somewhat.

While the most proper way to deal with this right now would probably be to ask the Mechanical Hunter for help as a special agent... I still really don't want more people to see scenes involving me.

Whether it was the green crystal monster, or those distorted shells that, although deformed, still revealed Medic's face... disgusted, Nana even abandoned her blonde hair and red eyes disguise.

Or rather, because of the oppressive presence of those four monsters, Nana no longer had the energy to devote her attention to such trivial matters.

Her shoulder-length blonde hair quickly turned into the color of the night sky under the lamplight, and her bright red eyes suddenly transformed into heterochromatic blue and emerald pupils. As her cat ears popped out, her tail, which had always been hidden beneath her skirt, unusually and assertively swished several times.

Is it unease?

Or perhaps... it's because of anger that the power that's usually suppressed has unconsciously begun to be activated?

Even the ever-present smile of the girl in red gradually faded and disappeared completely. As the four Halo monsters drew ever closer, the Halo above Nana's head, which had been suppressed by Witchcraft, revealed itself and cracked like lava.

This anger arose after Empathy for hundreds and thousands of women who were unaware of their own identities, passively becoming accomplices, and existing as experimental animals.

Clenching his fist, the black-haired, Halo Feline reappeared before the monsters, brandishing his Firearms Arts.

"... Artificial Angel? Laboratory Archaeology Division? They treat me as an uncontrollable factor, and consider their agents as enemies... These children, brought into existence for inexplicable reasons, are then driven out of control after they die for you... And they call this the 'last resort'?"

For the first time in his career, Agent Number Seventy-Seven displayed clear anger.

"How far are you going to fool me...?"

As they stepped forward, whether they were onlookers or observers through their devices, the black lines that flickered and danced in everyone's vision began to encroach on their field of vision. Rootless flowers grew on the ground, and Black Snow fell at the same time.

"You're still watching, right? I know you're still watching... Just you wait, I'll be at your house as soon as I've settled these children!!"

PS: Waaaaaaah!

Because of her emotional connection with Nana, she was suddenly overwhelmed by intense memories and emotions, and tears streamed down her face as she pulled down Rei's skirt. At the same time, she was startled by Nana and shuddered.

PS2: Although there is no subjective description of Nana's past, related people, or events, everyone can get a basic understanding of Nana's background by this point.

So you're not just some ordinary Feline anymore? (Starts torturing the self who originally wanted to write about an ordinary assassin lady)

In addition, to prevent any errors in perspective, here is some information that can be released:

Regarding the situation at the National Laboratory where the left hand is attacking the right, the Archaeology Division and the Applied Division are two departments of the same level, but they are completely different in terms of atmosphere and purpose... The agent comes from the Applied Division, and we'll have to wait for Nana to come knocking on our door for more details.

5th Laytonson's Ghost Assassin: 189 External View

Most of Columbia's territory was acquired through pioneering efforts, and even in Raisington City that has been urbanized for over a decade, its residents still retain a strong sense of crisis inherited from the pioneering era.

Unpredictable gales; clouds that inexplicably appeared and gathered overhead; warnings of Active Originium... black snowflakes that warned people not to approach... all these anomalies seemed to indicate that something was wrong.

However, this is a minor issue. The people of Terra are already used to all sorts of unexpected situations. Although Laisenton is not Mobile City, as a large industrial city, its evacuation plan is comprehensive and has been practiced many times. The plan is mature, effective, and deeply rooted in people's hearts.

Early risers quietly woke their families, and after checking the supplies in their own shelters, they went to the supermarket to replenish what they had lost. At work, they just sent a casual leave request text message to appease everyone. Then they checked the government website and were surprised to find that the government website on the Laisenton Intercity Network had not declared a state of emergency, nor had it provided any explanation for the Catastrophe Cloud overhead.

Does that mean there are no problems?

But on the main road, military-style convoys were speeding through the city, ignoring traffic rules. The red and blue lights of the National Guard and police cars were flashing silently in the city streets, and the occasional gunshots were unclear whether they were from police enforcement or gangs fighting inexplicably.

People stayed home with some skepticism, but as dawn approached, more and more people saw the dark, oppressive sky.

Traffic to Laisenton's Contingency Contract network interface began to surge, but all calls to the Catastrophes warning unit were busy. Finally, after reporters from various news agencies came to interview him, the mayor decided to hold a press conference to explain the situation after an emergency meeting.

"Therefore, the final conclusion is that 'this was just a magical celestial anomaly resulting from a collaboration between National Laboratory '... That's not wrong."

Kal'tsit turned off the TV, no longer wanting to watch Columbia's peculiar nonsense literature. She turned to look at Rosemary, who had been shivering since waking up that morning, and worriedly stroked the Little Cat's droopy ears.

"Medic is fighting the dark green monster in Collapse Entity form, and she's furious... She doesn't seem to be backing down, is that right?"

"That's what Mom and my sister said..."

Watching the Little Cat seek comfort as it sat on her lap, burying its head in her lap and refusing to come out, Kal'tsit sighed deeply... Rosemary was already twelve years old this year, an age when she should be learning to be independent.

Originally, the plan was to take advantage of the fact that someone wasn't taking her on this field trip so that she and Amiya could learn to live together and gradually adapt to the 'socialization' process... But Medic's sudden and violent emotional fluctuations were like a parent's roar that Rosemary, who has Thought Chain Ring, couldn't avoid no matter where she was.

Even knowing that the guardian's anger has nothing to do with them, they would still tremble with fear, after all, children are very delicate.

Moreover, what came from Medic was definitely not just anger... According to Kal'tsit's intelligence, if even the usually emotionally detached AMa-77 reacted this way, then what she saw could only be a massive amount of emotional counseling obtained through the Sankta Halo, and inhumane acts that even the morality of 'military aircraft' could not be judged.

Although Kal'tsit was still trying to calm Rosemary, who seemed to be having a stress reaction, her thoughts had already drifted to the city dozens of kilometers away.

Kal'tsit was somewhat worried... after all, she didn't know whether AMa-77's current criteria for judging 'humans' allowed her to participate fully in the affairs of this land.

In the past, Kal'tsit created Teekaz 'Kazdel' of today because of this very problem.

As for now, Kal'tsit is still hesitant, wondering whether she should get involved in something that might only get worse if she gets further provoked... After all, combat power has nothing to do with personal will; it's simply a matter of the difference in the machine's purpose and performance.

Sending a domesticated pet cat to fight a heavily armed quadruped machine is a vivid analogy for sending an AMa-10 to fight an AMa-77.

Even if this house cat wears powered armor using its owner's ID card, it will still die a horrible death when facing regular army combat units capable of summoning railguns.

They might even intensify their purge of 'illegal units' if the other side sees the illegally activated power armor... That's the kind of thing the AMa-77 is.

To date, due to the special nature of the military and the special procedures required for its firepower authorization, the AMa-77 has remained in a relatively stable state. Recorded activations of military weapons have all been triggered by the underlying logic of its role as a military unit's perimeter.

Through the changes that Originium brought to life on this land, AMa-77, who should have been completely locked away, unexpectedly began to iterate her thoughts, and now she also has the ability to empathize with the life around her... Kal'tsit is absolutely happy to see this happen.

While Nana Ivy's power might not be enough to save the land, her combat capabilities ensure that a certain area remains unaffected by external threats.

However, there are clearly considerable contradictions within the Columbia National Laboratory regarding Nana's existence.

Because of certain reasons that are inconvenient to say outright, Kal'tsit was aware of both sides of the conflict in this incident. In Kal'tsit's view, the disagreement between the Archaeology Division and the Applied Division was just a familiar topic that she had experienced in the past.

[Should we accept something that appears human but is fundamentally inhuman, and even capable of wiping out humanity?]

Kal'tsit was accepted because Kal'tsit was not a threat to humanity.

Humans... Whether it's the memories of the Teekaz or the traditions passed down through generations of the Elders, 'humans' have defeated the monster known as 'Kal'tsit' many times. That history, in turn, has shaped Kal'tsit's incredibly gentle approach to interfering with 'civilization' today. In this process, humans have become familiar with and come to know Kal'tsit, and have come to accept the result of their symbiotic relationship.

But what about the AMa-77?

Her appearance is too deceptive, her abilities too threatening... Even without using the astonishing array of fancy weaponry from the Previous Civilization, the current AMa-77 is in a position to kill whomever she wants.

The Archaeology Division believes that the Applied Division has unlocked the insurance against the raging fire of the past, while the Applied Division scoffs that the Archaeology Division's choice is less a matter of caution and more a suicidal one.

Since you know her ability to conquer cities and seize territory, you still keep trying to interfere with her by force... attempting to control her through imprisonment, drugs, hypnosis, and other means.

With AMa-77 now affected by Originium interference and her emotional iteration abilities accelerating... instead of building a good relationship with her while she's still naive, helping her understand universal principles of humanity and society, and becoming a 'person' that others can understand... are we just going to wait until the external blockade can't keep up with her thought process and watch her see the entire land as an enemy?!

Although both sides were drawing nourishment from the Previous Civilization, the Archaeology Division was unwilling to accept a 'god' left behind by a Creator. Instead, they used funds to create the 'Salaru Organization' and began experiments to destroy the 'god' and create a 'divine power' that they could accept.

The Applied Division decided to bring the 'god' to the human world.

When 'God' exists in human form, when facing the disasters that all of us face, 'God' will surely stand shoulder to shoulder with us.

Kal'tsit couldn't say which approach was more reasonable, given her own similar experiences; both methods had yielded results in the past, but there were also instances of utter failure.

Ultimately, whether or not people accept these "different" individuals is entirely a matter for the general public, compared to the individual "AMa fellows."

Researchers should just focus on their research. It's their tendency to meddle that makes the problems of this land so chaotic and complicated.

"... Nana, she'll teach those bad guys a lesson, right...?" Si

Faced with Rosemary's tearful gaze, Kal'tsit paused for a moment, then chuckled and said: Cover your eyes.

"Yes, doing bad things should be punished... that's only right."

Kal'tsit smiled and shook her head. It had nothing to do with those topics and considerations about the safety of the land; a child's simple sense of good and evil was perhaps more suitable for this moment of reflection...

On one hand, life is being created in an unethical manner, and children are being driven to fight without any moral compass... In contrast, while the Applied Division also has its share of children being driven to fight without their own clear motivations, a simple comparison of how both sides treat their own children suggests that the matter is already settled.

Watching Kal'tsit put her down, get up, and take her phone, the Little Cat tilted her head and tugged at the hem of Kal'tsit's slightly wrinkled white coat. "What..."

"Is Kal'tsit going to battle too?"

"No, given Rhodes Island's status, it's really inappropriate for it to directly get involved in the ideological struggles of state-owned enterprises... But as Medic's employer, ally, and friend, I feel I can still help her create a scenario where she can fight freely."

Kal'tsit knew the reason the Archaeology Division chose this city as the battlefield... but while she couldn't bear to see Nana's feelings gradually normalize, she was also using Nana's concerns to control her actions. Even Kal'tsit, who was used to her actions being mostly constrained by various 'greater good' reasons, found this despicable tactic somewhat unacceptable.

With one hand holding the child's, the emerald-green Feline, Kal'tsit answered the phone and pressed the speakerphone button. While picking up the watering can and quietly instructing Rosemary on the precautions for watering Nana's potted plants, she said to the operator on the other end: )

"This is Kal'tsit of Rhodes Island. Receive the crisis contract... Yes, we are currently in Lysington, Columbia. We've observed a natural disaster cloud here... Hmm, not very large... But judging from the mayor's demeanor on television, he doesn't seem to want to take responsibility for the citizens..."

Hold the bottom of the water bottle with one hand so that the Little Cat can hold it with its own paw.

Seeing the child, whose ears were still drooping but who was full of anticipation as the water droplets fell on the green leaves... Kal'tsit had done what little she could.

"Yes, then I'll leave the notification to you all..."

"Evacuate citizens?! Why?! If people are evacuated from Raisington City, won't the Salaru Organization be exposed immediately?!"

He slammed the communicator on the table, Feline, a man habitually wearing a white lab coat and the armband of the National Laboratory's Archaeology Division, rubbed his nose in pain before saying:

"Contact the officials we support and have them continue to block the mayor. Emergency notices must not be issued. Without civilian cover, No. 0 Prototype can act with impunity... Also, the Artificial Angel's movements will be very conspicuous; the mayor must keep them in check..."

"... Section Chief, what about the officials...?"

The woman, Scarlett, whose relationship was complicated, choked up, and then another man beside her Perro, continued:

"Most officials hung up on us, and the one who answered refused to offer us any further political advice..."

"Why? Is it because you need money? We still have a budget..."

"No, I'm afraid it's not about money... Section Chief, it seems it's because our investigation of the No. 0 Prototype was too bloody, those officials..."

"What did they say?!"

They said, 'Go eat shit...'

It seems that his subordinate's bland narration brought him back to his senses, but his flushed face is probably better interpreted as a complete breakdown of rationality.

The man Liberi, waved his hand, trembling.

"The liaison team will continue to contact officials. We will increase the funding and do everything we can to stabilize the government, not only to maintain the state of emergency, but also to prevent the National Guard from getting in the way... Also, contact Atlas. If the evacuation of civilians is a foregone conclusion, then order Atlas to attack Rhodes Island..."

"Section Chief, Rhodes Island is in the suburbs."

"Damn it... I'm not talking about Rhodes Island itself. Their field teams are at Lycoris School, aren't they? Let Atlas attack there... If we need to evacuate, then whether Atlas's actions can draw Zero's attention is key to our safe departure..."

As he spoke, the man sat back down in his seat as if paralyzed.

"Also, let's completely unlock the Evolution Lock on Number One and the others. As long as the 'Artificial Angel's' Sacred Remains attack Number Zero, everything will be alright."

Seeing that their leader seemed to be suffering from a severe migraine, the few people who had been responsible for intelligence support but could only watch the battle of the 'Sacred Remains' hesitated to get up:

"Um... Section Chief... Number One and the others..."

"... Number One and the others have completely lost connection with the monitoring system, and it seems that even the Evolution Lock has been unlocked long ago. Zero One and Seven..."

The report from his subordinate made the man, Liberi, tremble even more. As he shakily removed his gold-rimmed glasses, he lowered his gaze and spoke in a voice as if he had crawled back from hell:

"Has the Evolution Lock been unlocked?"

"Yes, and the latest report from our inside source on the periphery of the Catastrophe Cloud... about three minutes ago, indicates that the fighting in the mall hasn't stopped. The attacks confirmed to be from the Sacred Remains... aside from the 'self-destruction'... have been confirmed at least five times with directional ejections of the furnace core's contents. The National Guard has had to withdraw their perimeter line 500 meters back..."

"Five Originium Core jets... five energy blasts and they still couldn't take them down?! No. 0 Prototype is now completely unarmed, completely unarmed--!! Even Steam Armor Squad could be torn apart by four Sacred Remains swarming at us!!"

"But, that's the truth, Your Excellency..."

As the male Perro meticulously turned the pages of the document, just as Liberi was about to ask something, the support team member who had been responsible for supporting Number One suddenly screamed from his seat.

Black flames first ignited around the eyes, then seemed to burn into the body, continuously spraying out from the facial features. The surrounding researchers screamed violently, and combat personnel in military gear bravely rushed forward with fire extinguishers, but the carbon dioxide used to extinguish the fire was also violently ignited... Everyone screamed "Originium Arts!" and hurriedly ran out of the command vehicle.

After being swept away from the car, Section Chief Liberi Boli stared blankly at the flames behind him. He clearly saw a burning figure looking around in the flames before looking precisely at him.

I see you.

The fiery humanoid pointed at him, then at its own 'eyes,' and then disappeared.

"It's her... it's Zero... she's found us..."

As he muttered to himself, the crowd around Section Chief Liberi was in a state of chaos for a moment, but they quickly calmed down due to their good training.

A will to survive was instantly ignited in everyone's hearts by black flames; the intense fear even darkened the surroundings slightly.

"Don't worry! There's... there's another way..."

The blackness gradually covered his vision. Was it because he was short of breath and lacking oxygen? Liberi didn't know, but he understood that now that the citizens had left and he could be burned to ashes by the beam of light falling from the sky at any moment, he still had a way... he still had a trump card!

"Go! Go and release all the Artificial Angel--!!"

"But... but the handling of the Sacred Remains... and the socialization of the personality are still pending..."