Chapter 176

[Yes, and regarding the plan you specified, the Stand... I mean, Miss Jessica has completed her immigration registration, and 'Medic' is ready to rejoin the team and return to Rhodes Island with us at any time... Frostleaf said her matter can be dealt with later, but Miss Mary is a bit unfortunate.]

[Our original evacuation plan was for the day after tomorrow... Today was actually the day she took that Executor on a tour of the school and had a conversation with you...]

"That's certainly unfortunate, but also quite coincidental... The Laterano Executor probably wouldn't ignore an attack on a church school..."

Yes, but... it would probably be more appropriate to discuss the details in person.

Eileen's ambiguous attitude made Nana hesitate slightly. After all, the maid was usually decisive and efficient, a very straightforward person. But why was she sobbing like this when talking about the Executor named Federico? Had she seen some strange, inexplicable magic?

The other party is clearly a Sankta?

But things had come to this point, and Nana didn't have much energy left to care about Laterano's affairs... She'd rarely come back, yet she hadn't even had time to visit the priest. She was furious.

After all, the Sacred Remains that escaped with two companions shrouded in Halo must be dealt with as soon as possible.

Furthermore, judging from the Collapse Reaction trajectory, the crystal monsters are fleeing towards their 'master'... Nana is worried that those guys will pull off some strange tricks after they reunite, so she can't even pay attention to the Lycoris who are being attacked.

After resupplying her ammunition, carrying the tactical equipment and magical Terminal of the Artificial Angel squad, Nana strung their agent wristwatches together with a strap and hung them on her backpack. The bright red screens of those watches, reflecting the death of their users, were Nana's way of expressing her deepest grief.

As for Lycoris, Nana glanced at Takina, who had also finished resupplying but was visibly exhausted... With the changing battlefield, she might not be able to keep a close eye on her as much as before.

Let her go and join Lycoris and the others.

After Nana briefly explained her orders to Takina's resistance was surprisingly obvious:

"... I... never mind, putting aside personal wishes for now, there's a problem with the number of slots alone... Lycoris needs to register to leave the city, and I haven't prepared any documents to deal with the National Guard..."

"I sent you to join the main force not because I disregarded your personal wishes... but because it was a tactical necessity."

"After all, I need to continue dealing with that monster and the person who created and controls it. And now that the school and your juniors are under attack, I think it's precisely because the enemy wants to slow me down, which is why I need you to help your juniors..."

"You need to contact Mike Shandy and inform Atlas of the defeat of their 'Archaeology Division.' Tell them they will definitely not get paid in the future, and if they don't believe you, tell them to contact their superiors again... Try to persuade them to surrender in this way."

"Takina, don't forget that after I ordered the defenses to be tightened, only the two of us Lycoris are still active in the open... The others probably can't even make a lasting impression on them as a representative of Lycoris."

"As for the so-called quota for leaving the city... who said you didn't prepare the corresponding documents? Medic's entry and exit targets and procedures were already prepared, weren't they?"

Looking at Nana, who had changed out of her red clothes and tattered gear, and put on a shirt, suit, and pleated skirt, and retied her red tie, and who handed over both the WA2000 and M4 Shotgun to Nana, Takina was somewhat incredulous:

"You mean... no, what will you do then?!"

"Me?"

Seeing that Takina listened to her advice, Nana smiled and attached a tie clip with the ICA logo to the bright red tie.

"Before I leave, I'll give you one last demonstration... what Ghost Assassin is all about."

PS: Waaaaaaah!

PS2: Just a quick transition... Because this is a turning point, I'll quickly update another chapter. Time to execute the Archaeology Division.

5th Laytonson's Ghost Assassin: 192 Everything is proceeding as planned

This is Nana- senpai's order; she needs me to leave her side to handle school matters. It's not that I'm being abandoned... Absolutely not!

Having emphasized this to herself several times, Takina, preoccupied with the matter, nearly crashed into the fence at the end of the escape route as she carried herself, Nana, and the three long guns in a gun bag.

After hanging up the phone with her informant on Atlas's side, Takina still felt relieved that the basement structure had survived, even as she recalled the shopping mall now in ruins.

Although Nana- senpai smiled and said something like, "Even if you get buried, I'll find a way to get you into the passage, don't worry," when Takina heard those words, even though she knew the other person couldn't possibly have meant anything by them, Takina still subconsciously felt a pang of pain at her own powerlessness.

But didn't I do a great job today?

Perhaps I have indeed proven myself.

So don't overthink it, go and rejoin everyone right away, and then get Atlas to cease hostilities with you... Every minute you delay now could mean the death of one of your junior classmates, so you have to hurry.

"... But speaking of which, even though Nana -senpai and I wiped out all the elite men we hired, and even that monster fled in a sorry state... it's truly incomprehensible that we still had Atlas and his people launch an attack in the end."

Even if it's just to evade Nana- senpai's investigation, the national government and the Raisington City will probably hold them accountable.

Can you dodge Christmas and then dodge New Year's?

With this question in mind, Takina took the crowbar Nana had given her and pried open the lock on the fence, which was obviously already rusted. Then she took out a vanity mirror and glanced at the outside view from above.

The passage in Nana's safe house leads directly to a rift valley caused by an earthquake, but fortunately there was no Originium reaction.

After some minor renovations, the Raisington City used it as a dumping ground for used tires and scrapped cars. A four-lane bridge over the rift can be seen by climbing the slightly steep rock staircases on either side. Less than three kilometers further out is the nearest guard post to Lycoris Church School.

"You seem... alright?"

Although Takina described it as "okay," in reality, families with children are now a common sight on this street.

Not only were there convoys of vehicles waiting to leave the city for inspection on the roads, but the roadside was also full of impatient people waiting for vehicle inspection and registration, who wanted to seek refuge using a simpler and more primitive method of movement.

Generally speaking, the citizens of Columbia would not be so reckless. However, unseen by Takina, Kal'tsit had already announced, in the name of Rhodes Island, the speculation that the scope of this Catastrophes was not widespread.

Through the announcements of various mass shelters in the suburbs, the Contingency Contract's wording was full of the subtext that as long as one left the city, one could seek refuge even in the suburbs.

Walking against the flow of people, Takina's actions of carrying her belongings and hurrying towards the city center were quite conspicuous.

There were even reminders because someone recognized Takina's school uniform, and kind inquiries like, "Do you need help?"

Takina politely declined their offer.

She knew she must look disheveled from the previous battle... and those who would offer to help her were definitely citizens who had received help from Lycoris, which was precisely why Lycoris was unwilling to back down.

Thinking this way, Takina became even more determined to stop Atlas from continuing the fight.

While it's unlikely that someone would run unarmed onto the battlefield shouting, "Stop! The war is over!"—a rather romantic and idealistic scenario— Takina decided to record a looping message on her radio to inform Atlas.

Of course, the main reason for using a walkie-talkie is that there are too many confidential messages on personal mobile phones.

The mere fact that the ICA's ace, the legendary Ghost Assassin, has his contact information on there is already enough to drive people crazy... As for the radio handheld, at least the Lycoris mainframe can simply change the frequency regularly, which would completely eliminate the possibility of anyone trying to find it by following the frequency.

To draw Atlas's attention to the walkie-talkie, Takina sneaked into an unlocked restaurant and grabbed a white tablecloth to distract him.

Using tree branches to make a white flag, and then hooking the twigs onto the walkie-talkie, Takina deleted the saved FM radio and switched it to a public channel, thus finding the outer perimeter of Atlas's position.

"... Aren't we already just one street away from the school gate?"

Somewhat saddened, Takina shifted her weight to the heavy gun holster on her shoulder. She was fully aware of her own limitations; she certainly didn't possess the ability of her senior Nana, to infiltrate enemy lines in broad daylight.

So, after honestly texting Nagisa-senpai for support and receiving a reply, Takina found an open area away from Atlas's position. Using a flower bed as cover, Takina planted a white flag and played a voice message on a loop before fleeing the spot as if her life depended on it.

Because she didn't know what the other person would do.

If it were Takina herself... she probably would grab the nearest explosive and blow the enemy's white flag to smithereens, then angrily denounce it as a tactic by the enemy to disrupt morale.

Clearly, this behavior will inevitably hurt those who truly yearn for an end to the mutual harm, since Lycoris didn't start this war. If Takina were to put herself in her shoes, she would undoubtedly believe that Lycoris's side would never stop fighting, and that the enemy could fight as long as they wanted.

By extension, Takina's decision to plant the white flag and run away was naturally based on a thorough consideration of the current situation... She was very worried about being captured by Atlas. Even if she wasn't taken hostage to break through the school gates, she would inevitably become a sacrifice to boost Atlas's morale.

However, things went more smoothly than Takina had expected.

The expected scene of a swift and decisive explosion did not occur, suggesting that the initial phone call to Mike Shanddy had an effect. The Atlas members were not particularly aggressive.

Not long after, there were new developments in the direction of the Lycoris Academy.

Three people walked out of Liu Ling Er II III Private School (VIII).

Two of them, dressed in white dresses adorned with crosses, were walking out of the campus. Judging from their distinctive high nun shawls and their long hair—one pink and the other flaxen blonde—they were actually the secretary and headmistress of the Lycoris Academy waiting for Takina!

The last person was someone Takina didn't recognize. Although she could tell from their clothes and Halo that they were from Laterano, since they were male... they must be outsiders. Takina didn't know them.

As the three walked out of the academy gate, they all glanced at the place where Takina was hiding. As Nagisa took the initiative to talk to the Atlas members, Takina began to move towards the school in an inconspicuous manner.

"You all seem to have doubts, so let's talk. Communication and mutual understanding are the most fundamental differences between humans and beasts. With your employers, who are truly hostile to Lycoris, now out of contact... Yes, your employers have been defeated by us, and they have begun to flee... Please try your best to contact them to confirm."

"Of course, we are not here to demonstrate or to celebrate a victory. With Catastrophes alerts still in effect, we hope that you can at least show the most basic humanitarian concern... For example, could you reopen the road closures in front of schools, which are main thoroughfares? Also, I believe that your work for the Archaeology Division of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory is now finished..."

"The police have obtained evidence of the murder of a government employee by one of your department's employees. It's not too late for them to repent."

Just as planned, Atlas was bound to fall into chaos once the other party's employer's name was revealed... And after Nagisa's fluent speech, amidst the bewilderment of the group, Mike Sandy immediately took over the conversation.

"Well, I think we need to discuss this..."

"Of course, please go ahead... As a church academy, we are currently being visited by Laterano Executor. The gentleman beside me... His Excellency Federico's assessment of Atlas will undoubtedly influence the government's consideration of your roles in this conflict."

"Whether you realize your mistakes and return to the right path, or become the foolish victims of your employers... your fate is now in your own hands."

Seeing the Atlas Mercenaries in such a state of panic, Nagisa smiled, thinking that the troubles Lycoris had encountered were finally coming to an end.

But at that very moment... because Mike, who had stepped forward at the crucial moment and was calling out to the squad leaders, seemingly becoming the new leader of Atlas on the front lines, suddenly froze...

As blood flowed from the wound on his forehead, chaos suddenly erupted again on Atlas's side.

"This is a trap!"

"The attack came from behind?"

"The Rapid Response Force is finally coming to wipe us out?!"

"It was Lycoris! It was definitely Lycoris who did it!"

Amidst the chaotic speech, the pink-haired girl, who had been dignified when silent but whose expression was now twitching, accurately grasped the part concerning herself and roared:

"How could it be us?! Our children haven't participated in any military operations for almost three days!!"

Despite being a woman, Mika's voice was surprisingly loud.

This close-range shouting actually suppressed the chaos among Atlas's men instantly, but then, pointing to the row of figures standing or crawling on the building behind them, the Atlas veterans seemed to see something they couldn't understand at all:

"Even if you say that... a minor girl armed with weapons, it should be Lycoris by all accounts..."

"... No, even Lycoris doesn't have the concept of 'sixteen Feline for pregnancy preservation'..."

Just as Federico, Laterano Executor, silently pulled a photograph from his pocket, seemingly comparing it to something, members of Atlas's side were the first to raise their weapons:

"They're the ones who killed McKee! Fight back! Fight back! Kill them and avenge McKee!!"

"Wait, they..."

They are in danger!

Before Nagisa could finish speaking, Mika suddenly grabbed Nagisa by the collar and pulled him back behind a stone wall in the school that could barely serve as cover.

When Nagisa came to her senses, to her left was Federico the Executor, who had also drawn a shotgun but remained silent. Turning to her right, she could see Mika, who was concerned about her injuries but didn't know where to begin... and Takina, who seemed to have been pulled back by Mika with her other hand when she wasn't looking, and whose body was covered in bags.

"Ah... is everyone safe?"

"The stone wall is not strong enough to withstand the attackers' advanced Firearms Arts..."

After a moment's hesitation, Federico looked calmly at Nagisa:

"Furthermore, the newly spawned enemy unit looks remarkably similar to my target... An explanation is needed."

"I hope to discuss the details with you after the parties involved meet with us. After all, the Church Arson Massacre you requested several years ago is a personal experience that only that senior can clearly explain."

"I know... the will of the priest of the mobile church in Lysington, Columbia, needs to be carried out, the target of which is Nunna Ivy, a registered nun in Lateran... so those people aren't..."

In the blink of an eye, the Atlas members who had been blocking the gate were reduced to wailing and screaming.

Takina knew what they had encountered just by listening. After all, they were only separated by a wall, and the sound of bullets piercing through the iron plate bunker and invading flesh was enough to send chills down Takina's spine.

"Too brutal..." (noon)

As she spoke, Takina didn't forget the task she had been given: y

"Nana -senpai said they wanted to make peace with Atlas, but it seems they've gotten into a fight with the Artificial Human from the Archaeology Division... So, next... we'll all return to Rhodes Island together..."

"Of course, we've been preparing... but given the current situation..." Qi

Just as Nagisa hesitated, trying to peek out, but was forced to crouch by bullets from above, seemingly unable to leave the corner, Mika, with her usual cheerful smile, stepped forward.

Almost simultaneously, a bullet flew diagonally downwards, striking Mika in the forehead, shattering and ricocheting away.

"Takina must be exhausted after so long of extracurricular internship, and Mr. Federico is a guest. If we let you fire, our legitimacy as the headmaster of the Laterano Academy might be questioned... So don't overthink it, Nagisa. In matters like this, it's time for me, the headmaster, to step in!"

As she spoke, two more rifle bullets struck Mika's head with penetrating blasts, but aside from causing her dazzling aura to flash a few blue lights, Mika didn't even flinch.

With smiles on their faces, they looked across the street at the rooftops. The two 'Artificial Angel' holding long guns had just unloaded their magazines, seemingly checking if their ammunition was rubber bullets.

With wings, completely out of place compared to a regular Sankta, unfurling at her lower back, a pink-haired girl, seemingly more Empathy Liberi than Sankta, walked out the door, unnoticed by Federico's inexplicable gaze.

She took an AK-Series Replica Firearm from the trembling wounded Atlas soldier.

Seeing that Mika had almost drawn all the gunfire, and that blue spell—how could Takina, being dragged along, not recognize it...it was clearly SHD's defensive spell!!

Headmistress Mika... no, perhaps even Nagisa-senpai and that patient sent to Rhodes Island are connected to Nana- senpai?

In that instant, the only explanation Takina could think of was... they were all 'test subjects' of that person's faction.

However, despite having considered this, Takina didn't have time to verify or ask anything.

At this moment, only the usually aloof pink-haired headmaster remained, blocking the backs of all sixteen 'Artificial Angel,' and the faint sound of what seemed like a show-off conversation drifted over: u