Chapter 79

But now, the Halo seems to have given Nana more than just the convenience of Firearms Arts... It has also given Nana a physical enhancement that Nana has never experienced before and has never even heard of.

This enhancement is so exaggerated that even the so-called "Nana at her peak" pales in comparison to the boost that the Halo gives to Nana's physique.

Nana seemed to have suddenly transformed from a somewhat special Feline into some kind of Elders race... The fact that she could wield the Rosemary Tactical Unit and wave it around so casually was enough to leave Su Sulo and Folinic, who were recording the events, speechless.

And this is just pure power... Nana also tried to take samples from her enhanced body... but whether it was needles or everyone's proper weapons, almost all attacks were ineffective against Nana in her 'Sankta' state.

Nana initially thought this was also part of the Halo enhancement... but after Folinic's careful comparison, everyone discovered that during these processes that caused physical damage to Nana, the brightness of the Halo above Nana's head would subtly change each time she was attacked.

Just as the Halo itself took the brunt of the attack for Nana, because Nana was able to take blood samples normally again after the Halo was suppressed by Witchcraft, everyone felt that this guess made some sense.

Unfortunately, the main equipment on the Exploration Vehicle did not include a high-sensitivity detector that could scan for Originium radiation in relation to Originium Arts. Otherwise, the changes in Nana's body after switching states would probably be enough for Su Sulo and Folinic to write academic papers on their KPIs over the past five years.

It's obvious that Nana's current physical changes are a closely guarded secret within Rhodes Island, and even if something like this were written down, Kal'tsit would most likely not allow them to publish it.

For Nana, it's not just about getting used to the counterintuitive fact that canceling enhancement spells is the real way to strengthen herself... but also about how Nana, her friend, and the intern have finally reached a certain consensus regarding her two forms.

Later, while preparing dinner, Nana decided to share this information with others.

"... In other words, when the Halo is activated, Nana, you will lose a significant portion of your hearing due to the loss of your primary ear... So even though your direct combat ability is stronger in Sankta Mode, considering that shiny aura and your combat habits, you will remain in the Feline's state when you are 'Medic'... and the Halo will only be used when you are 'Agent' or in special situations?"

Nodding, Nana waved the half-peeled onion in her hand and added to Huang, who was waiting for dinner:

"Well, informing everyone of this serves two purposes: firstly, to provide further explanation of my combat mode, and secondly, to help everyone distinguish between the identities of 'Medic' and 'a certain Columbia Agent'... As you all know, this mission isn't just about Rhodes Island helping the Infected; I might sometimes appear as a Columbia Agent... Just keep that in mind."

Hearing Nana's explanation, Liskarm, who had been tricked by Nana three years ago, remained silent with a stern face, while Franka nodded with a smile and said:

"Mmm, we understand, just like 'Jessica' back then, right?"

Seeing everyone unconsciously looking at her, and with some oil stains on her face, Ms. Jessica, who was currently acting as an equipment maintenance worker in the vehicle, shrank back.

Seeing that she seemed about to recall their ambiguous past, Nana quickly waved her hand:

"It's alright. This time we've separated my two identities, so we shouldn't have another mix-up like last year... After all, we don't have any inside help this time... and the Infected we helped during the mission are hardly worthy of our assistance... or rather, under the pressure from Ursus, it's enough that they remain neutral..."

"Medic, if you say that, won't Jessica get even more nervous?"

Seeing that the group, who had become quite close, were either inquiring about the captain's health or discussing the possible missions ahead, Yato, who had been detached, could only drag Durin, who had been lazing around and sleeping, out of bed... In any case, if someone was keeping him company in silence, his silence wouldn't be awkward.

But to Yato's surprise, Durin, whom she thought might be unable to get a word in edgewise due to prolonged sleep, found himself in the Human Resources Department's action team after looking around:

"Speaking of which, where's Rosemary? It's almost time for dinner, hasn't she come back yet?"

Durin, clinging to the edge of the dining table, peeked out and swallowed hard as he looked at the bread and desserts 'Medic' had baked.

Tonight's dinner seemed to be to celebrate the captain regaining consciousness, and also to help the captain recover as soon as possible. Su Sulo several cans of fruit and, with the help of Nana's 'invisible hand,' made them into fruit pies that looked incredibly beautiful, as if they were from a professional bakery.

Besides the fruit stock, Folinic also took out a fresh Tumor Beast (beef) from the cold storage... Although she wasn't a so-called Ursus native who grew up in Ursus, as a child who had wandered and suffered with her mother in that land since childhood, Folinic had memorized several local Ursus recipes during her unhappy childhood.

To let everyone know in advance what an unhealthy Ursus diet is like, and also to help Nana quickly regain her physical strength in Feline Mode, Folinic became the head chef for tonight.

Upon hearing Durin's question, the group of people who had been busy in the lounge finally remembered the Little Cat who hadn't shown up yet.

Fortunately, Nana was always fully aware of her child's condition.

"... Yes, her words are coming back to me..."

Does this sound familiar?

Seeing Huang frown slightly, Su Sulo, who was wiping her hands after finishing her preparations, raised her eyebrows:

"Of course it feels familiar. Didn't that Little Cat say something similar on our first day?"

"... If you didn't know better, you'd think Captain Medic and Rosemary weren't Feline but Sankta or something."

After Durin finished speaking, she scratched her head, because she had just remembered that her team captain was indeed... seemingly... probably Sankta?

However, Rosemary is indeed Feline, right?

Just as little Durin was having a moment of thought, the ship's AI suddenly sounded a radar alarm, but immediately followed by Rosemary's PRTS authentication signal.

"Oh, the Little Cat is back~"

Just as quick to react as Durin was Yato, who had been watching the monitor to avoid feeling out of place in the room. She tugged at the Mike and then opened the team communication channel:

"Black Horn, Ranger, please turn on the Exploration Vehicle's navigation lights and flight deck indicator. Operator Rosemary is returning to base..."

[Got it~ Just waiting for the little one to come home for dinner.]

[Starting... But, even though we haven't even crossed the border, it's getting dark so quickly... Even though I already knew this, I still find it hard to get used to...]

As the only two employees still at their posts chatted idly, Yato Nana, seemingly very concerned about the Little Cat's landing and constantly watching the display screen, readily switched the main monitoring to the top flight deck.

As the lit scene and the fading crimson sunset on the distant Thought Chain Ring grew closer in the Little Cat's mind, Nana, who had been preparing with Kate to welcome the Little Cat home, gradually frowned.

That glowing dot representing Rosemary... is it the PRTS (Friendly Reach Target Indicator) built into the monitor? (Sigh)

I don't think I installed any advanced equipment like IFF (Identification Friend or Foe) on this vehicle, did I?

Just as Nana was wondering, another sniper operator present also noticed something was wrong...

"... Was that... really Rosemary?"

As she spoke, Jessica tugged at Nana anxiously: Master

"That... the person flying over... seems to have Halo above their head... is that a Sankta?"

Nana was honestly a little confused by Jessica's question, but since Jessica could see that white... thing floating above Jessica's head, Nana could see it too.

However, according to the feedback from the Thought Chain Ring, the person landing was indeed Rosemary... and in such a desolate place, besides the Little Cat who regularly uses Telekinesis to fly around, who else would make such a grand landing?

Even if one wanted to infiltrate this vehicle, the first thing to consider should definitely not be the top flight deck, which is located within the firing range of the two turrets.

But before thinking about all that nonsense, Nana clapped her hands to calm the somewhat flustered crowd down:

"Don't panic, it really is Rosemary... I have a stable magical connection with her, I can confirm that it is Rosemary... As for that thing with the Halo -like thing above its head..."

"So, it seems this is all related to you?"

Nana couldn't answer Su Sulo's teasing question, but anyway... to put everyone at ease, and just to be on the safe side, both teams took their staffs or weapons. Nana put on a Rhodes Island uniform over her shirt, and then everyone headed to the garage section, where the temperature was noticeably lower due to frequent contact with the outside world.

As a large Exploration Vehicle that is nearly 100 meters long, it comes with a double-layer garage and has the inherent function of carrying multiple small and medium-sized vehicles at the same time... Originally, during the TDD era, this seemed to be a huge space used to transport Mechanical Hunter.

Now, in addition to reverting to its original function as a garage, it has also become a training ground, an indoor sports hall, and an open workshop for maintaining large equipment, such as the Rosemary Tactical Unit.

As the logistics support for the team, at least two members of the A4 Action Group would wait here every day before breakfast and lunch for the 'little pilot' to return... For some reason, everyone's Little Cat, the adorable Rosemary Operator, suddenly became interested in the 'clouds' in the sky.

Because of its Telekinesis, which allow it to operate Tactical Unit and even achieve flight directly through Originium Arts, the Little Cat began its daily flight training on the third day after its departure.

At first, it was just like a child going out for a walk, circling the Exploration Vehicle within a hundred meters of everyone's sight.

This continued for about three days, after which the Little Cat began to try to climb higher.

Fearing that the Little Cat might cause trouble, Folinic, as Rosemary's senior, carefully explained to Rosemary what she knew about why people on this land had never ventured into the high sky during the week following the Little Cat's attempt to fly... Coupled with the vivid and immersive story told by the veteran Ranger in the team... the Little Cat learned that it could only fly up to 4,000 meters, and beyond that, there were things called 'Starpod'.

That was a barrier that the Terra could neither break through nor understand to this day. Any aircraft that approached it... whether it was a highly efficient internal combustion engine driven by Originium Steam or a reactor driven by Originium Prime... even a primitive hot air balloon containing Originium components would crash into that forbidden 5,500-meter contour line and be smashed to pieces... According to the last judgment of the Leithanien scholars, the world above that probably does not exist at all.

But... what does this have to do with Little Cat that just wants to touch the clouds?

Her goal seemed to be something within reach, something that could be achieved by climbing a few hundred meters in flight.

At first, as the Little Cat began to increase its flight maneuvers, everyone was worried that Little Cat would overdo its pursuit of altitude and violate the taboos of this land...

However, it seems there's no need to worry too much. After the Little Cat ascends to 1,500 meters, it will be forced to descend due to the first layer of Originium particles in the air.

This monsoon belt carrying Originium Dust is not common. As the vehicles gradually leave Kazdel and the latitude continues to rise, the Little Cat's flight also goes deeper and deeper into the increasingly open sky.

This isn't a bad thing. From casual floating to focused flying, Rosemary's Originium Arts precision and proficiency are constantly improving... Plus, flying higher means seeing farther. As Little Cat reports what she sees, the distance she flies, and her location at set times every day, everyone is gradually getting used to Little Cat's perplexing behavior of replacing drones with human power.

Two and a half weeks, over a hundred hours of Originium Arts flight time... even in those demanding flying clubs, Rosemary could be considered a proper pilot.

The ability to land stably and even mold into various known wing shapes through Telekinesis gives the Little Cat a talent for unmanned flight that far exceeds what ordinary people can comprehend.

The mere fact that her Telekinesis allows her to levitate is an advantage many aviation enthusiasts can only dream of. More importantly, Rosemary possesses an independent Telekinesis that activates automatically even when she is unconscious.

The fact that it can survive a fall is the ultimate reason for Rosemary's remarkable leap in flight ability.

As today's joyful flight drew to a close, the calls of my older brothers and sisters came through the earphones hanging on my cat ears.

The thought that Nana, who lives above the clouds, has returned to this material world today makes even flying, a hobby, seem rather dull to the Little Cat.

This made the Little Cat's landing today a little irritable.

In the dim sky, a white dot of light stood out. The Little Cat didn't know what this thing made up of three crosses was, nor did it know when it had appeared above its head.

After all, it was only when it got dark that Rosemary noticed the new light source above her head. She couldn't touch it or interfere with it. Although the Little Cat was a little scared, given her father's optimistic attitude of "if you're not uncomfortable, it's fine," the Little Cat was more concerned about Nana waking up.

As the girl's altitude dropped rapidly and silently, her coat, billowing like a shawl, fluttered in the wind. Four massive steel shields, like wings, pierced the dim sky with azure lightning. The large spellcasting units in the Tactical Unit layer effortlessly controlled the height and speed of their operators.

As the indicator light below lit up, the Little Cat slightly corrected its direction and quickly flew towards 'home'... As the Terminal in its arms regained WiFi signal, the Little Cat skillfully confirmed its identity, then slightly covered its skirt and touched the deck with its toes... Then, it used its legs to support its body, shifting the weight from the four Tactical Unit to its own legs.

Finally, the spellcasting unit in the Tactical Unit's interlayer was extinguished, and the stored charge in the core of the spellcasting unit was released. The azure lightning gradually extinguished... Following Nana's example of performing a mission, the cat pulled on her gloves, then stepped on the protruding switch. The elevator marked with a yellow "H" gradually descended amidst flashing warning lights... Then, the Little Cat saw that familiar figure among the crowd that had greeted her that day.

"Nana!"

Carrying four enormous shields weighing tons, she lunged at the crowd. Her companions' terrified screams reminded Little Cat that she had forgotten to put down her equipment... Fortunately, her father and brothers helped her control the giant shields, which were set to follow mode. Otherwise, given Little Cat's head-scratching and tongue-out antics, she would probably have been lectured by her older sister, Folinic, for a whole day.

But... as the Little Cat pounced into the arms of another black-haired cat and cuddled happily... everyone else stared silently at the Halo formed by the three intersecting crosses above the Little Cat's head.

"... Anyway, let's eat first."

Reaching out to touch the Halo on the Little Cat's head, which clearly reflected the feedback from her Originium Arts, Nana patted the Little Cat's tender shoulders, slightly out of breath... Obviously, even in terms of physical enhancement, the Halo of the two were exactly the same.

It seems that the three medical personnel from the Special Operations Team of the Human Resources Department will inevitably have to work overtime today.

P. S.: I only remembered I had a temporary account after uploading... Well, I guess I'll have to shorten my planned holiday by one day QAQ

PS2: A slight shift towards slice-of-life and some follow-up regarding Nana's Halo... Well, starting from this chapter, we officially enter the Snowfield Arc... Should we create a separate volume for it?

PS3: Now, the information that can be made public is about Rosemary's flight posture... Actually, just being connected to the Tactical Unit is enough for Little Cat to fly... Without the help of her father and brothers, Little Cat's flight experience is actually a bit like Valstrax... Of course, with the physical bonus given by the Halo, Little Cat can truly be as cute and star-studded as Valstrax.

Of course, now she can try the cute cat bumping... Few people can withstand being hit head-on by a twelve-ton iron lump at a speed of Mach 3 or higher.

By the way, no matter how Nana's aura is expanded, its style is always the same as that of Arius Squad... For example, Nana's own aura is Saori from Shiroko's, and Rosemary was originally going to be given a Shirako-like aura as a reference, but after thinking about it, she was given a princess-like aura for the sake of consistency in the setting... the princess of Arius, not the one from Trinity...

Here's a family photo of Arius... I couldn't find one with a really high resolution, damn it.

PS4: Anyway, meow meow meow.

Mumu and Mai Mai can also be sexy (nods).

4th Crimson Warm Winter: 080 Hometown Suitcase

Life is full of unknowns, and that's true for Nana as well.

Even though she received A grades in all courses in the ICA's elite training program, when faced with changes in herself that were clearly inextricably linked to the 'Master,' the best Nana could come up with was... 'It doesn't seem to affect my ability to carry out my mission.'

Due to the need for teamwork, and because they also needed to coordinate with Rosemary who was affected by this change... Nana allowed Su Sulo and Folinic to verbally inform everyone in the team of their new medical examination report.

Of course, regarding the root cause of her changes... Yi Lingqi Siwu Jiu Nai Nana did not fully reveal the roles played by 'Doctor' and 'Kal'tsit'.

After all, not all of his companions present knew who 'Doctor' was.

So, Nana decided to leave the ultimate question of 'why her Halo has turned out this way' for later... What Nana needs right now is 'how to continue living now that she's like this'.

For Nana, who possesses almost all Teekaz spells due to her Chimera physique, 'remaining the same' is not something she can't do... or rather, quite the opposite. Given the significant enhancement of herself by the altered Halo, Nana, who doesn't have much time to familiarize herself with her power, would rather increase her spell output and reduce the Halo to a level that suppresses her usual level. This is Nana's choice for maintaining stability.

The problem is that the Halo is now affecting more than just herself... In terms of spell fluctuations, Rosemary's Halo is exactly the same as Nana's.

Just as Nana is able to use Rosemary's Telekinesis, Rosemary seems to have also received the 'Master's' super enhancement of Nana through the Bruce family's bloodline.

Of course, this is not a bad thing... As a warlock created through artificial modification, the Little Cat itself is not outstanding in terms of physique.

Nana's Halo can be said to have made up for the Little Cat's last shortcoming in becoming a leading figure in this land...

But just as the powerful and unparalleled Teekaz, whose Witchcraft was unmatched, were shattered by the naval gunfire of the Originium Industrial Revolution and transformed into the 'Sarkaz' of today... no matter how strong a being is, they all have their limits.

Teaching the Little Cat not to think it's invincible has become a more pressing issue for Nana than 'adapting to its new power'... However, after voicing this concern, Cole peeked out from behind Nana's shoulder:

[There's no need to worry about that. Mia always listens to Andy. He was grazed by a stowaway's homemade weapon because he underestimated them, and that led to his family's dramatic decline... We're keeping a close eye on Little Cat; we won't give her that chance to become arrogant and conceited.]

While Cole was still discussing children's education, Kate, hanging upside down not far above Nana's head, held the back of her head with her hands and said in confusion:

[When we have the chance, we can take the little one to see more war-related combat records, right? Nana, don't you remember the scenes of the battle between the Four Emperors' War and the fleets of various countries...? Once you see that, you'll naturally understand the insignificance of being human.]

Sitting on the bed, Nana looked up at Kate's face, which was full of black lines...

It seems that what the killer was worried about was not the same thing that the deceased mother and sisters of the victim were worried about.

"No, I'm not worried about Rosemary's education... I'm just thinking, isn't it a bit too conspicuous for a Feline, with cat ears and an alien Halo at the same time?"

The assassin's understanding and expectations of life are all based on the "ordinary joy" instilled by her agent... Even though this land is a dark forest where power is the only way to show oneself and express one's will, humanity has already lit the fire of civilization... The departure of the Ancients and the Elders proves that the theory of individual strength is no longer suitable for the times.