Chapter 81

Seeing that the other party still looked confused, Nana shook her head and directly handcuffed the newly issued white watch Terminal to Jessica's wrist as if it were handcuffs.

"Huh? Hu..."

"Next is the headset... Don't move. Make sure you wear the spellcasting unit properly. Your clothes have shoulder straps, just attach them directly to it... See the circular pattern? The yellow mark lit up means it's successfully activated... Next, I need to configure your permissions and connect you to my spell network... Hmm, this is a little test. If it succeeds, it'll be a happy thing for everyone."

Watching Nana darting around her, helping her put on her gear, fasten the buckles, and assist with spellcasting... Jessica watched for a long time before finally understanding:

"Um... so, this is a... joint spellcasting unit?"

"Different places have different names... The Security Bureau just calls her 'Anna,' it's the activation word for the agent system. For example... Anna, how's Jessica's system installation status?"

[System installation complete, initialization in progress.]

As orange halos lit up the surface of the watch and the spellcasting unit on her shoulder, Jessica stared in astonishment at the AI condensed into such a tiny piece of hardware.

It's important to understand that even Raythean Industries' smooth-running artificial intelligence relies primarily on human-sized hardware to function... and if such small hardware could achieve the same effect...

"This is... a cloud system?"

"Yes, 'Anna's' main body and computing center should be at the Security Bureau headquarters... As for how it was designed to ignore Originium interference and allow the AI to complete information transmission on the Terminal... you can ask that captain of TDD if you're interested, I don't know..."

While Jessica was racking her brain trying to figure out who the captain of TDD was, Nana had already begun establishing a network of Originium Arts for special agent equipment.

As Anna's spell unit initialized, the spell effects that Nana had been maintaining began to sync with Jessica via the network...

"That... Medic... Captain?!"

"I've been maintaining a certain level of special body-enhancing magic... As the spell network is established, the effects on my end will also be synchronized with yours Jessica ... And you might experience noticeable palpitations, elevated body temperature, and red-eye symptoms... Don't worry, that's Anna synchronizing your enhancement effects..."

While speaking, Nana kept a close eye on Jessica's physiological state... Nana had to monitor Jessica's adaptability to the Bloodfiend Enhancement Arts simultaneously... After all, forcibly altering physiological indicators is, from a doctor's perspective, a death sentence...

Enhancement spells, if used improperly, can also kill silently... Given the opportunity later, Nana could showcase the elegance of using medical techniques to kill, but for now, her attention is entirely focused on cooperating with Anna to adjust Jessica's spell frequency.

As the spell slowly took effect, Jessica, her face flushed, stretched out her hand: Four

"Medic... Captain...I...I'm a little scared..."

"Lie down first... keep your breathing rhythm... because you're struggling to adapt to me... so some pain is normal..."

Despite saying that, seeing Jessica's increasingly rapid breathing, Nana frowned slightly and came to the same conclusion as Anna.

[Agent, the target Originium Arts network is experiencing difficulties... The sensitivity and tolerance of Originium Arts on both sides differ greatly. Please adjust the assigned Originium Arts to a type that both sides can handle.]

"Captain... Captain Nana..."

Holding Jessica's hand, feeling the warmth emanating from her body, and listening to her slightly hoarse, soft moans, Nana felt a pang of pity.

But this is only the synchronized state of the Bloodfiend Enhancement Arts... If Jessica's body is to achieve synchronized sharing of the Halo, the burden on her body, especially Originium Arts, will only be greater.

Clearly, this ordinary Feline has no talent in magic; otherwise, she wouldn't be undergoing repeated training from Liskarm for her Firearms Arts- firing skills.

Do we need to terminate frequency modulation matching?

If we're considering Jessica... whether it's to stop the pain or for her safety, immediately shutting down both sides' spell units is the safest option.

However... before making that choice, there was one piece of equipment that Nana hadn't given Jessica — Liquid Fabric.

Artificial liquefied Originium memory fiber... Although Nana uses it either as underwear or at most to block detection spells... In fact, the original and most common function of Orundum units, which are mixed with Originium components and fixed in fibers, is to enhance the wearer's Originium Arts sensitivity!

Thinking of this, Nana held Jessica's hand with one hand and opened the paint box containing the white Liquid Fabric with the other...

As Anna popped up the countdown to Jessica's body temperature entering a dangerous range, Nana listened to Jessica's soft moans, touched the top of Jessica's head to comfort her, then lifted Jessica's clothes with one hand and began to transform the Liquid Fabric into a white bodysuit on Jessica's body with the other.

Although they weren't in the same room, it was the same unlucky guy whose clothes were pulled off.

As the icy touch spread from her lower body, Jessica, who was still dazed from the rise in body temperature, suddenly woke up... Looking at the short-haired kinsman who was pressing down on her and touching her all over, just like in her dream, the usually timid Jessica could only respond with a straightforward scream.

"What's wrong? What's going on?! Nana, are you up to some kind of crazy scheme again?!"

As someone who had been squatting by the door for half a day, just to guard against the idea of Wang Nana, Huang suddenly pried open the locked door of the lounge when he heard the scream, thinking, "Just as I thought."

But then, seeing the two of them pressing Jessica down on the sofa and almost entangled together... Huang's voice quickly faded, and the big cat who had never experienced such things visibly felt his body temperature rise and his face turn red... and finally exploded, frantically throwing his two friends off the 'bed'.

"What are you doing?!?!"

P. S.: Did I... forget to revert to the temporary version again?

PS2: I was just seriously admiring Jessica... Why did this remind me of that there's another provisional chapter...?

PS3: Oh well... I have to write it anyway, it's all the same.

PS4: Meow Meow Cat

Although she's not fully armed, Jessica in this chapter isn't fully armed either... Here's a picture of her in white stockings for reference...

Just like Nana is Black-footed Cat, wearing black gloves on her toes and black stockings on her legs... Jessica is a white-gloved cat, so it's normal for her to wear all-white stockings, right?

I've also included a Jessica, a little girl, by the same artist... but the color scheme is clearly reminiscent of the American Blue cat... although Jessica's design is indeed based on the American Blue cat.

But if I say she's a black cat, then she is a black cat... Even if her pink-streaked hair in the game's illustration is clearly more bluish, judging from that big black tail, she's still a black cat!

4th Crimson Warm Winter: 082 Entry

"... So, a spell experiment... hmm?"

Seeing Huang crossing his arms and impatiently swaying his tail from side to side, Nana, feeling that she might be mistaken for a subordinate being sexually exploited, maintained an obedient sitting posture and quickly nodded.

"Ha... Although the red halo above Jessica's head does look like that... Nana, you and I believe what you say, but will the police believe it?"

"... I have a combat recorder; the combat footage will prove my innocence..."

"... Is that thing of yours actually turned on 24 hours a day?!"

Seeing that Huang and Nana's conversation was going off-topic, Liskarm didn't think Medic would be the kind of person Franka would treat her teammates like toys... so she had been watching Jessica's condition from the beginning.

And now, the black-haired Feline, who is attracting a lot of attention, has cat ears and seven red crosses on his head that emit a blood-red light... Although the design can no longer be called a 'ring'... it is clearly a manifestation of Sankta's 'miracle'.

Jessica, are you alright?

"Ah... um... um... senior, please don't come near me..."

Liskarm nodded in agreement at Jessica's hesitant manner, after all, the remains of what used to be a stainless steel water cup on the ground still served as a reminder of its existence.

Although Su Sulo, the person who handed over the water cup, didn't say anything, the members of the Blacksteel Team were clearly still shaken... Jessica herself, unaccustomed to the increased strength, now had her fingers taut, afraid of breaking something again.

While Su Sulo and Folinic were at a loss with the bent needle and the twisted scalpel that even force couldn't produce a miracle, Huang sat down next to Nana and secretly wrapped his tail around Nana's tail behind everyone's back.

"So, Nana, you succeeded?"

"Yes, using some classified equipment, I successfully replicated my spells and Halo power onto Jessica... Although the process was somewhat misleading, yes, I succeeded."

"Then... I'll have one too?"

Hearing Huang's expectant yet slightly ingratiating tone, Nana didn't break free from her tail's entanglement. While their tails battled, the two cats also exchanged barbs.

"Judging from your reaction when you came in, I thought you hated these kinds of spell experiments..."

"Why don't you go back and look at your previous conversation with Jessica? There was the PRTS recording being shut down, the talk about confidentiality, and then the screaming Jessica made at the end. The fact that we didn't immediately detain you on charges of indecent assault already shows how much we trust you..."

"Honestly, the defensive power of that Halo is ridiculously high. A scalpel can defend against many spells, but it can also stop something like a needle... With that kind of defensive enhancement, I feel like I could cut through a line... Seriously, don't you consider using that... Halo... on me?"

Seeing that Huang was getting more and more excited and even put his arm around her shoulder, Nana twitched her ears uncomfortably.

Although Huang's body temperature made Nana feel as if she had returned to the height of summer in Columbia, the big cat's habit of carrying things smaller than itself in its arms really affected Nana's image as the captain.

Although the Kitty Killer didn't say anything, the way her tail swayed from side to side as if trying to break free was a clear sign of her struggle.

"It's not that I don't want to give it... but... I'm still lacking in equipment... and those special pieces of equipment were only allocated with a thin veneer of permission because of Jessica and my special backgrounds..."

"Secret equipment, huh? I know... similar to what happened in Ticarondo, right? But didn't we use a lot of strange equipment back then?"

"... This is different. The biggest problem with Jessica's equipment now is that, no matter what you intend to do with it... wearing that equipment makes you a member of 'that organization'... which forces Rhodes Island to label you as strongly associated with me..."

"It has nothing to do with whether you have the intention of working for 'that organization,' because it does have the ability to connect with that organization independently... I entrusted it to Jessica mainly because Jessica herself has a very special background and is an outer member of 'that organization.'"

"Eh~ So Jessica's background isn't ordinary either, which explains a lot of my past questions."

Swishing her fox tail, Franka picked up the stainless steel water cup that Jessica had accidentally crushed, while using a cheerful tone to ease the atmosphere. Then, she took the initiative to approach Jessica, who was stiff and didn't dare to move, and sat down next to her.

"We're actually not interested in Jessica's background, Medic's mysterious organization, Rhodes Island's political connections, or anything like that... Although I also think that such Halo would be more practical for me, Huang Yi, or Miss Yato than for Jessica... But since you said it's a matter of qualifications, I won't ask any more questions."

"Compared to that, I'm more interested in Jessica's current combat strength... Although crushing a stainless steel water cup is something I could do with a little effort, let alone a powerful attacker like Huang... More specifically, besides her invulnerable defense and enhanced physique, does Jessica have any other special abilities?"

Seeing that everyone watching seemed quite interested, Nana swallowed back the question she had posed, "Isn't invulnerability and enhanced physique strong enough?"

After a moment 'Nana, the Kitty Killer took the sidearm from its thigh holster from the fake pocket of her skirt:

"If I had to name any special abilities... it would probably be Sankta's special sensitivity to the 'Laterano Gun'... Jessica, give it a try."

Seeing Nana eject the Etch Rounds from the gun and hand it to her, Jessica hesitated for a moment with some worry, but was quickly comforted by Franka, who hugged her tightly.

"Don't worry, your body is actually more sensitive to force than you think. You can't stay in an enhanced state forever without touching anything. Just be careful not to use excessive force... Come on, touch it first, then hold it... Good... Jessica, you should be more confident... Good girl~"

Seeing Jessica's hair all tangled and messed up by the big fox, Liskarm sighed and took a comb and hair tie from the dressing mirror drawer in the lounge. Then, with a rubber band in his mouth, he pushed Franka away and, while re-combing Jessica's hair, asked in a muffled voice:

"So, Jessica, do you have any new feelings?"

"... Hmm... it seems the resistance to magic has completely disappeared... Now, to activate a gun, it seems... all I need to do is pull the trigger?"

Seeing Jessica's incredulous expression, Nana nodded and added:

"I've also experienced the difference between shooting in non- Sankta Mode and Sankta Mode... With the help of 'The Lord,' Jessica, you should be able to fire in bursts as easily as Sankta gunner... I'm not talking about rapid fire, but the Sankta Secret Art of firing multiple rounds at once... Although I don't know if this represents 'The Lord's' permission... but you must know that the limit for 'rapid fire' is 'five,' and you need to remember that."

Just as Liskarm was about to retort, having tied Jessica's hair into two small braids to reveal her beautiful, fair neck, "this technique is not suitable for non- Sankta people," Durin, who had initially been full of curiosity but had later huddled on the corner of the coffee table, suddenly sat up in the corner of the lounge. He had clearly received a reminder from his superior in the cockpit through his headset.

"Um... Captain Medic, I'm sorry to interrupt..."

As the main action team members looked at Durin, who had been slacking off, the blonde girl shrank back, then pointed to the sky:

"Rosemary Operator's warning: Something seems to be rapidly approaching us from afar."

As soon as the words were spoken, everyone immediately noticed that the speed of the Exploration Vehicle suddenly increased. As the yellow warning light for the first combat readiness status in the lounge lit up, everyone immediately abandoned their previous leisurely attitude... The main action team members immediately opened the armory and began to put on their equipment. Nana took the pistol handed to her by Jessica and put it back in its holster while having Anna restore all the functions of the PRTS, so that everyone's communicators could be directly connected to the bridge again.

"Yato, this is Medic. Report the situation."

[Captain Medic, I apologize for accelerating without prior notification... Shortly after Operator Rosemary sent the warning, the alert system popped up a laser warning... We've been locked onto by reconnaissance drones and could be hit by naval gunfire at any moment.]

In the time it took Yato to say a few words, Liskarm loaded his pistol and put on the magazine. Although Franka still had a smile on her lips, the way she lightly touched the blade with her fingers was not the way she was going to have a proper conversation.

Although Jessica's cat ears were still drooping, she quickly grasped the knack of moving in her enhanced state, and her movements, whether inserting a magazine or pulling the bolt, were very steady.

As Huang attached the extended handle to the chainsaw in his hand and started testing it, Su Sulo and Folinic each picked up their own spellcasting units, while Nana closed the bolt of the WA2000.

The light from the Etch Rounds was completely blocked by the gunfire; the machinery operated smoothly, and the assassin remained completely silent.

"Bridge, quickly self-check navigation status transmitter via PRTS system..."

[Everything is normal, sir.]

"In other words, the other side is targeting Rhodes Island..."

[Generally, this is called 'the visitor is ill-intentioned.'] (crying)

Ignoring the strangely accented comment from Black Horn in her earphones, Nana looked at Durin, who had downed a cup of black coffee and was sticking out his tongue from the bitterness. "You..."

"Durin, please go to the engine room. For Landship combat, we need to be ready to increase reactor output to power the weapons at any time... Can Ranger hear me? You go to the engine room to assist Durin; she can't handle it alone... Black Horn, you're still on the top flight deck, right? Launch our reconnaissance drones. Give command to Rosemary, and once that's done, go to the bridge and guard the bridge passage... Su Sulo, the infirmary is yours Folinic, you come with our team. Yato, do we have any small vehicles in the garage?"

[Yes, we have a supply truck and two eight-wheeled jeeps... because they're painted in Rhodes Island colors, they're not armed.] Lin

"That's enough. Huang and Folinic in one vehicle, Liskarm and Franka in another. Get out of the Exploration Vehicle and spread out, ready to provide backup at any time..."

"A backup? Aren't we just going to attack directly?"

In response to Huang's seemingly agitated question, Nana slung her rifle over her shoulder, took out her blue and white Chitinous Knife, and then put it back in her pocket, making sure she could readily access it whenever she needed it: Seven

"... Ordinary bandits wouldn't use drones with laser targeting... If that wasn't an attack marker for an air-to-air drone, then it could only be a firing warning for the Landship's gunnery operators... Yato also mentioned that we could be attacked by naval guns at any time..."

As is well known, neither side in the Kazdel Civil War possessed Landship.

Su Sulo: "... So... it's the Ursus border guards? Have we already entered Ursus territory?"

[No.])

Yato's answer left everyone speechless, except for Folinic, who spoke with a hint of personal emotion:

"Very good~ Border troops crossing the border without authorization is exactly what I've come to think of that country."

"However, we can't engage in direct combat... Keep PRTS's combat logs active, all units in position... Leave the rest to me."

With everyone responding, the previously bustling lounge was suddenly left with only Nana.

After checking her attire one last time and confirming that her only obvious weapon was a long gun, Nana thought for a moment, then put on the Contingency Contract armband before heading through the main corridor to the top aircraft hangar. From there, the top deck was just above.