Author's Note:
"Sorry for the lengthy message...
Also, I would like to kindly remind you... While I appreciate your feedback, I would be grateful if it could be expressed with moderation and courtesy. Thank you."
-----
Things are going smoothly. Shifty, from the back of the housing, informs everyone that they are advancing toward the coordinates where the Heretic's fragment is located.
It seems they have managed to escape the peculiar space that Moore compared to a running machine. Fortunately, they are out of it. However, in Moore's peripheral vision, he notices Eunhwa, Rapi, Ema, and eventually Vesti, Anis, and Neon engaging in a conversation using hand signals.
Having understood the contents of their conversation, Moore quietly sighs. He lightly taps his assault rifle with his left hand, making a sound. Rapi and Eunhwa, following Eunhwa's gaze, see Moore's left hand moving swiftly.
---Don't have non-lethal rounds.
---Using live ammunition.
Moore's left thumb is raised, with his index and middle fingers pointing to his temple.
---Dispose of?
He gestures as if shooting himself in the head, asking the question. Rapi and Eunhwa respond with hand signals.
---We'll handle it here.
---We'll use rubber bullets.
Moore acknowledges their responses with a thumbs-up sign and adjusts his assault rifle again before speaking.
"We're close to the Heretic's fragment. Check your guns. Confirm loaded rounds."
Following Moore's verbal instructions, both Counters and Absolutes start moving. Rapi removes the magazine and pulls the cocking handle to clear the chamber of the bullet. Eunhwa performs the same procedure, observing her movements. Moore finishes his chamber check, ensuring live rounds are loaded, and takes a deep breath.
"Here it is."
They eventually reach a spacious room. Various unknown machines and equipment, even on the ceiling, line the space, a stark contrast to the previously ruined surroundings dominated by debris. Shortly after reaching this space, Maxwell, Laplace, and Drake stop, turning to face the others.
In the eyes of the Metis squad, a faintly peculiar red light can be seen. Moore couldn't help but let out a small sigh.
"Confirmed... Yes."
Ema, too, seems to have gained confidence by looking into their eyes, just like Moore. While Eunhwa, Rapi, and even Moore confirm it, Shiftiy's instructions echo from the housing.
[We have arrived at the target point. Please proceed with the operation.]
.
.
.
.
.
"Understood... Fire."
With a natural motion, Moore's assault rifle is pointed at Maxwell. Simultaneously, hearing Moore's short command, Rapi and Eunhwa, each holding an assault rifle and sniper rifle, aim and pull the triggers.
The sound of two guns echoes in the spacious area, and the dull thud of bullets hitting the heads of the Metis squad members also reverberates.
"...Clear."
Rapi lowers the smoking barrel, reporting, and Moore nods, his expression tense. He lowers the assault rifle he was holding, securing the safety.
All members of the Metis squad are lying on the floor, but there don't seem to be any significant injuries.
[Why... why did you... suddenly... What happened to the Metis squad...!?]
"...Erosion."
[Erosion!? When did...!?]
They intended to give instructions to retrieve the Heretic's fragment, but what followed was gunfire directed at the leading Metis squad. Shifty, bewildered by the unexpected turn of events, becomes stunned upon hearing a word uttered by Moore.
"I didn't know~~~ When we rendezvous, they were already in an eroded state. It was vague, but... I became convinced when we arrived here."
"I see. Do you know the cause?"
"Probably, but... it's likely because of the tentacles that attacked Rapi and the others."
It's just a speculation, but Ema voices what seems to be the most probable explanation from what she heard before they merged.
Moore recalls the scene where tentacles pierced the members of the Metis squad, including Rapi, moments before the battle that caused the ground to collapse and structures to crumble. He then turns his gaze to Rapi.
"... Rapi..."
"I'm fine. I wasn't deeply pierced, so it's okay. Please don't worry. That's why I'm telling you not to."
Approaching him, Rapi lightly holds his left hand, looking up at him with her crimson eyes. Despite his thoughts on her behavior, Moore nods in response.
"Yes, Rapi hasn't been eroded. You can tell by looking at her eye reactions and facial muscle movements."
"I understand."
"That's because I'm familiar with such things."
I see. Moore nods lightly in response, avoiding further inquiry. It's evident from Ema's tone that she doesn't want to talk much about it.
Originally, the eroded state wouldn't occur in Rapi, who didn't have NIMPH—so it makes sense. Moore looks at them lying on the floor, each repeatedly saying, "Here," "It's here," "This way," like malfunctioning reproduction devices.
.
.
.
—He's involuntarily reminded of that time with her, Marian.
.
.
.
"...We were lured here, right? Shall we dispose of them?"
Three vertical wrinkles deeply furrow Moore's forehead, visible through the gap between his sunglasses and helmet. At the same time, Rapi, who is next to him, grips his left hand slightly tighter.
"Eroded Nikkes might become irregular, so it's a principle to dispose of them... but in the early stages, many cases have been regenerated through memory erasure. If it's within three hours... there might still be a chance."
Sensing Moore attempting to move his left hand, Rapi releases it. Moore checks the time displayed on the wristwatch wrapped around his left wrist.
"...We might manage it somehow."
"But—since they lured us here, there must be a reason for it. Operator, investigate the surroundings."
Eunhwa quickly loads live ammunition while keeping an eye on the surroundings. He removes the safety of his assault rifle, lightly placing his right index finger on the trigger.
[Central substance estimated to be the Heretic's fragment. No reaction from the Rapture so far.]
"...Suspicious. Can we just take that thing casually?"
"I wonder... The original owner seems to have disappeared... I don't think anyone would complain..."
Is it only the police who get angry when someone picks up lost items? Moore recognizes the object on the central pedestal—a machine-like entity. Ignoring Anis, who is on guard, he shrugs.
[Commander, please connect the connecting device. Confirm control feasibility—]
Following the instructions, Moore reaches for the pouch on his body armor. In that moment, Shifty gasps.
[—High-energy reaction near 1 meter! Tyrant-class or above... No, it's different! The reaction is sensed throughout the entire room!]
"...What?"
"—The whole... room... is... Rapture!"
.
----They really were really inside its stomach.
.
Upon hearing Shifty's warning mixed with screams, Moore was taken aback. He caught sight of all the facilities starting to operate on their own, producing an unpleasant metallic sound that filled his field of vision.
Feeling like he had wandered into a horror movie, Moore instinctively readied his assault rifle, which he had already removed the safety of, as soon as he saw the tentacles that had attacked them on the surface heading towards them.
"Watch out for those tentacles! If they get you, you'll be eroded!"
"Don't give orders! Encounter!!"
Eunhwa, responding roughly to Rapi, declares the engagement. At the same time, Ema, who had carried the Vulcan cannon this far, readies it.
The battery's power spins the barrel, and the continuous, dull gunfire of strafing soon reverberates.
"Neon! Blast those approaching tentacles to pieces with buckshot!"
"Got it!"
"Anis... Ugh... Disgusting..."
Just as he was about to give orders to the squad, there was movement right above the pedestal where the Heretic's fragment was placed.
A figure reminiscent of a giant eyeball hanging from the ceiling, with numerous long tentacles sprouting from it—a likely form of the Rapture's main body that dominates this room. Moore can't help but feel a visceral disgust at its biological appearance.
It seems that individuals of Tyrant class or higher occasionally provoke a visceral disgust with their designs, intending to crush the opponent's fighting spirit and morale.
Although it should be machine tentacles, the undulating movement resembling a biological motion is incredibly unsettling.
"Commander!? What do you mean I'm disgusting!?"
"No, it's not you! That is disgusting! Anis is cute!"
(Tl Note: Damn...Bro's casually flirting like breathing even in this situation.)
"—Take this seriously!!"
"I'm always serious!!"
Eunhwa couldn't help but rebuke Moore, but Moore retorts back while pulling the trigger of his assault rifle.
"Anis! Aim for its core! It's exposed!"
"OK!!"
Anis, who was momentarily frozen by the sudden use of the word "cute," switches gears promptly. Following Moore's instructions, she readies the grenade launcher. Peering through the optical sight, she aims at the target he indicated and pulls the trigger.
With a flat firing sound, the grenade flies—
"—It deflected it!!"
—Exploding just before reaching the core emitting a bluish-purple light. The warhead detonated upon hitting something.
Upon closer inspection, the surroundings of the spherical Rapture's main body appear distorted. Perhaps it has some kind of defensive barrier.
If that's the case, a direct attack would be impossible.
In that case—
"Vesti!"
"W-What, Commander!?"
"Aim for the tracer round! Fire!"
A single tracer round loaded every five rounds in the magazine. Pointing the muzzle towards the main body, Moore pulls the trigger, firing towards the ceiling. There's no visible enemy there.
"B-But...!"
"Just shoot it!"
"Don't give orders on your own!"
"Just one shot!"
"...Tch...! Vesti, do it!!"
He must have come up with something. Eunhwa, feeling slightly irritated by Moore taking charge without permission, cuts off one of the tentacles he captured in his reticle with gunfire while clicking his tongue. At the same time, she orders Vesti to follow his instructions.
The petite girl nodded slightly, shouldering the recoilless gun she carried. She glanced back to confirm no one was behind her before releasing the safety.
Pulling the trigger, she fired the multi-purpose grenade she had loaded.
The projectile flew straight at an incredible speed, smashing into the ceiling directly above the massive spherical Rapture main body. Upon impact, it exploded, and debris detached from the ceiling scattered and rained down on the floor.
But it didn't end there. The section above the enemy machine, shaped like a hanging form, started to collapse.
It seemed it couldn't bear the weight of the machine anymore. The ceiling collapsed, and the fallen sphere struck the pedestal. From above, additional large fragments of the collapsing ceiling fell in succession, causing physical damage.
"...This is... more than I expected."
"It's collapsing! Take cover!!"
Moore, witnessing the ceiling beginning to collapse with a louder noise than anticipated, couldn't help but wryly smile. Eunhwa sharply shouted instructions.
Both squads jumped to nearby cover to escape the collapsing ceiling mixed with dirt and debris.
Once the collapse subsided, amidst the dancing dust, Moore covered his mouth with the shemagh wrapped around his neck and stood up, still coughing.
Around him, the others stood up too, each pointing their carried firearms in the direction where the enemy machine would likely be.
The collapse of the ceiling from earlier had an impact. A large hole opened in the ceiling of the spacious room, revealing the sky.
When the dust settled from the wind blowing in through the hole, there, at the end of their gazes, was the motionless and distorted shape of the giant spherical entity.
Tens of tons of rocks, earth, and fragments fell from the ceiling, striking it repeatedly. It must have been far more impactful than any stray bullets.
"...Eunhwa, please shoot the core just in case."
In the returning silence, he made the request, and Eunhwa, holding his sniper rifle, aimed carelessly but accurately, destroying the enemy machine's core with bullets and delivering the final blow.
Author's Note:
"Sorry for the lengthy message...
Also, I would like to kindly remind you... While I appreciate your feedback, I would be grateful if it could be expressed with moderation and courtesy. Thank you."
-----
Things are going smoothly. Shifty, from the back of the housing, informs everyone that they are advancing toward the coordinates where the Heretic's fragment is located.
It seems they have managed to escape the peculiar space that Moore compared to a running machine. Fortunately, they are out of it. However, in Moore's peripheral vision, he notices Eunhwa, Rapi, Ema, and eventually Vesti, Anis, and Neon engaging in a conversation using hand signals.
Having understood the contents of their conversation, Moore quietly sighs. He lightly taps his assault rifle with his left hand, making a sound. Rapi and Eunhwa, following Eunhwa's gaze, see Moore's left hand moving swiftly.
---Don't have non-lethal rounds.
---Using live ammunition.
Moore's left thumb is raised, with his index and middle fingers pointing to his temple.
---Dispose of?
He gestures as if shooting himself in the head, asking the question. Rapi and Eunhwa respond with hand signals.
---We'll handle it here.
---We'll use rubber bullets.
Moore acknowledges their responses with a thumbs-up sign and adjusts his assault rifle again before speaking.
"We're close to the Heretic's fragment. Check your guns. Confirm loaded rounds."
Following Moore's verbal instructions, both Counters and Absolutes start moving. Rapi removes the magazine and pulls the cocking handle to clear the chamber of the bullet. Eunhwa performs the same procedure, observing her movements. Moore finishes his chamber check, ensuring live rounds are loaded, and takes a deep breath.
"Here it is."
They eventually reach a spacious room. Various unknown machines and equipment, even on the ceiling, line the space, a stark contrast to the previously ruined surroundings dominated by debris. Shortly after reaching this space, Maxwell, Laplace, and Drake stop, turning to face the others.
In the eyes of the Metis squad, a faintly peculiar red light can be seen. Moore couldn't help but let out a small sigh.
"Confirmed... Yes."
Ema, too, seems to have gained confidence by looking into their eyes, just like Moore. While Eunhwa, Rapi, and even Moore confirm it, Shiftiy's instructions echo from the housing.
[We have arrived at the target point. Please proceed with the operation.]
.
.
.
.
.
"Understood... Fire."
With a natural motion, Moore's assault rifle is pointed at Maxwell. Simultaneously, hearing Moore's short command, Rapi and Eunhwa, each holding an assault rifle and sniper rifle, aim and pull the triggers.
The sound of two guns echoes in the spacious area, and the dull thud of bullets hitting the heads of the Metis squad members also reverberates.
"...Clear."
Rapi lowers the smoking barrel, reporting, and Moore nods, his expression tense. He lowers the assault rifle he was holding, securing the safety.
All members of the Metis squad are lying on the floor, but there don't seem to be any significant injuries.
[Why... why did you... suddenly... What happened to the Metis squad...!?]
"...Erosion."
[Erosion!? When did...!?]
They intended to give instructions to retrieve the Heretic's fragment, but what followed was gunfire directed at the leading Metis squad. Shifty, bewildered by the unexpected turn of events, becomes stunned upon hearing a word uttered by Moore.
"I didn't know~~~ When we rendezvous, they were already in an eroded state. It was vague, but... I became convinced when we arrived here."
"I see. Do you know the cause?"
"Probably, but... it's likely because of the tentacles that attacked Rapi and the others."
It's just a speculation, but Ema voices what seems to be the most probable explanation from what she heard before they merged.
Moore recalls the scene where tentacles pierced the members of the Metis squad, including Rapi, moments before the battle that caused the ground to collapse and structures to crumble. He then turns his gaze to Rapi.
"... Rapi..."
"I'm fine. I wasn't deeply pierced, so it's okay. Please don't worry. That's why I'm telling you not to."
Approaching him, Rapi lightly holds his left hand, looking up at him with her crimson eyes. Despite his thoughts on her behavior, Moore nods in response.
"Yes, Rapi hasn't been eroded. You can tell by looking at her eye reactions and facial muscle movements."
"I understand."
"That's because I'm familiar with such things."
I see. Moore nods lightly in response, avoiding further inquiry. It's evident from Ema's tone that she doesn't want to talk much about it.
Originally, the eroded state wouldn't occur in Rapi, who didn't have NIMPH—so it makes sense. Moore looks at them lying on the floor, each repeatedly saying, "Here," "It's here," "This way," like malfunctioning reproduction devices.
.
.
.
—He's involuntarily reminded of that time with her, Marian.
.
.
.
"...We were lured here, right? Shall we dispose of them?"
Three vertical wrinkles deeply furrow Moore's forehead, visible through the gap between his sunglasses and helmet. At the same time, Rapi, who is next to him, grips his left hand slightly tighter.
"Eroded Nikkes might become irregular, so it's a principle to dispose of them... but in the early stages, many cases have been regenerated through memory erasure. If it's within three hours... there might still be a chance."
Sensing Moore attempting to move his left hand, Rapi releases it. Moore checks the time displayed on the wristwatch wrapped around his left wrist.
"...We might manage it somehow."
"But—since they lured us here, there must be a reason for it. Operator, investigate the surroundings."
Eunhwa quickly loads live ammunition while keeping an eye on the surroundings. He removes the safety of his assault rifle, lightly placing his right index finger on the trigger.
[Central substance estimated to be the Heretic's fragment. No reaction from the Rapture so far.]
"...Suspicious. Can we just take that thing casually?"
"I wonder... The original owner seems to have disappeared... I don't think anyone would complain..."
Is it only the police who get angry when someone picks up lost items? Moore recognizes the object on the central pedestal—a machine-like entity. Ignoring Anis, who is on guard, he shrugs.
[Commander, please connect the connecting device. Confirm control feasibility—]
Following the instructions, Moore reaches for the pouch on his body armor. In that moment, Shifty gasps.
[—High-energy reaction near 1 meter! Tyrant-class or above... No, it's different! The reaction is sensed throughout the entire room!]
"...What?"
"—The whole... room... is... Rapture!"
.
----They really were really inside its stomach.
.
Upon hearing Shifty's warning mixed with screams, Moore was taken aback. He caught sight of all the facilities starting to operate on their own, producing an unpleasant metallic sound that filled his field of vision.
Feeling like he had wandered into a horror movie, Moore instinctively readied his assault rifle, which he had already removed the safety of, as soon as he saw the tentacles that had attacked them on the surface heading towards them.
"Watch out for those tentacles! If they get you, you'll be eroded!"
"Don't give orders! Encounter!!"
Eunhwa, responding roughly to Rapi, declares the engagement. At the same time, Ema, who had carried the Vulcan cannon this far, readies it.
The battery's power spins the barrel, and the continuous, dull gunfire of strafing soon reverberates.
"Neon! Blast those approaching tentacles to pieces with buckshot!"
"Got it!"
"Anis... Ugh... Disgusting..."
Just as he was about to give orders to the squad, there was movement right above the pedestal where the Heretic's fragment was placed.
A figure reminiscent of a giant eyeball hanging from the ceiling, with numerous long tentacles sprouting from it—a likely form of the Rapture's main body that dominates this room. Moore can't help but feel a visceral disgust at its biological appearance.
It seems that individuals of Tyrant class or higher occasionally provoke a visceral disgust with their designs, intending to crush the opponent's fighting spirit and morale.
Although it should be machine tentacles, the undulating movement resembling a biological motion is incredibly unsettling.
"Commander!? What do you mean I'm disgusting!?"
"No, it's not you! That is disgusting! Anis is cute!"
(Tl Note: Damn...Bro's casually flirting like breathing even in this situation.)
"—Take this seriously!!"
"I'm always serious!!"
Eunhwa couldn't help but rebuke Moore, but Moore retorts back while pulling the trigger of his assault rifle.
"Anis! Aim for its core! It's exposed!"
"OK!!"
Anis, who was momentarily frozen by the sudden use of the word "cute," switches gears promptly. Following Moore's instructions, she readies the grenade launcher. Peering through the optical sight, she aims at the target he indicated and pulls the trigger.
With a flat firing sound, the grenade flies—
"—It deflected it!!"
—Exploding just before reaching the core emitting a bluish-purple light. The warhead detonated upon hitting something.
Upon closer inspection, the surroundings of the spherical Rapture's main body appear distorted. Perhaps it has some kind of defensive barrier.
If that's the case, a direct attack would be impossible.
In that case—
"Vesti!"
"W-What, Commander!?"
"Aim for the tracer round! Fire!"
A single tracer round loaded every five rounds in the magazine. Pointing the muzzle towards the main body, Moore pulls the trigger, firing towards the ceiling. There's no visible enemy there.
"B-But...!"
"Just shoot it!"
"Don't give orders on your own!"
"Just one shot!"
"...Tch...! Vesti, do it!!"
He must have come up with something. Eunhwa, feeling slightly irritated by Moore taking charge without permission, cuts off one of the tentacles he captured in his reticle with gunfire while clicking his tongue. At the same time, she orders Vesti to follow his instructions.
The petite girl nodded slightly, shouldering the recoilless gun she carried. She glanced back to confirm no one was behind her before releasing the safety.
Pulling the trigger, she fired the multi-purpose grenade she had loaded.
The projectile flew straight at an incredible speed, smashing into the ceiling directly above the massive spherical Rapture main body. Upon impact, it exploded, and debris detached from the ceiling scattered and rained down on the floor.
But it didn't end there. The section above the enemy machine, shaped like a hanging form, started to collapse.
It seemed it couldn't bear the weight of the machine anymore. The ceiling collapsed, and the fallen sphere struck the pedestal. From above, additional large fragments of the collapsing ceiling fell in succession, causing physical damage.
"...This is... more than I expected."
"It's collapsing! Take cover!!"
Moore, witnessing the ceiling beginning to collapse with a louder noise than anticipated, couldn't help but wryly smile. Eunhwa sharply shouted instructions.
Both squads jumped to nearby cover to escape the collapsing ceiling mixed with dirt and debris.
Once the collapse subsided, amidst the dancing dust, Moore covered his mouth with the shemagh wrapped around his neck and stood up, still coughing.
Around him, the others stood up too, each pointing their carried firearms in the direction where the enemy machine would likely be.
The collapse of the ceiling from earlier had an impact. A large hole opened in the ceiling of the spacious room, revealing the sky.
When the dust settled from the wind blowing in through the hole, there, at the end of their gazes, was the motionless and distorted shape of the giant spherical entity.
Tens of tons of rocks, earth, and fragments fell from the ceiling, striking it repeatedly. It must have been far more impactful than any stray bullets.
"...Eunhwa, please shoot the core just in case."
In the returning silence, he made the request, and Eunhwa, holding his sniper rifle, aimed carelessly but accurately, destroying the enemy machine's core with bullets and delivering the final blow.
