Three of the assailants lept from the adjacent rooftop, landing on ours in a crouch, their swords glinting in the dim light. Behind them, the man in the top hat and a remaining soldier watched from their elevated vantage, a smug look painted across his face.
“Get ready,” Otome muttered, her eyes narrowed as her mechanical gauntlet whirred to life, joints clicking faintly with an amber glow. She flexed her fingers, and arcs of energy danced along her exoskeleton’s pulleys, crackling like miniature lightning storms.
One of the swordsmen charged, his blade slicing through the air precisely.
I swiftly conjured up a shimmering data shield. A translucent barrier made up of waves of code flickered sporadically in and out of vision as it absorbed the incoming attack just in time.
Ding~!
The impact sent a small ripple across the shield’s surface, but it held its integrity.
With my free hand, I raised the pistol Otome had given me, aiming carefully. I fired a single shot, and the bullet sped past my shield, hitting the swordsman squarely in the shoulder. He staggered back, his grip faltering on the sword as blood began to seep through his uniform.
Another assailant rushed in from my left, blade aimed straight for my side. I rotated my data shield to intercept his thrust, feeling an intense driving force burst through my arm as his sword collided with the barrier.
Thud!
Taking advantage of his hesitation, I fired two more shots, both finding their mark in his chest. He crumpled, his sword clattering to the ground.
‘That was close. If I moved a beat too slow there, I could’ve said goodbye to any hopes of getting out of here…’
On the other side of the battle, Otome moved like a storm, the punches echoing in my ear. Her gauntlets powered each swing with incredible force, and she landed a brutal uppercut to the third swordsman’s jaw, lifting him off his feet and sending him sprawling backward. Without missing a beat, she shifted her weight, rotating to deliver a powerful kick to his midsection. The exoskeleton enhanced her movement, and the blow cracked audibly, knocking him off balance.
Off in the distance, I heard a distinct sound coming from the other building.
Clack!
Something sharply whizzed through the air, flying right past my face. A crossbow bolt had found itself embedded into the rooftop tile not too far from me, cracking the surface and sending shards scattering. Alerted, I focused my attention towards the rooftop where the man in the top hat stood.
He was holding his hand up with a slightly discontent face. Beside him, the crossbow wielder laid, crouching slightly. The weapon rested against his shoulder, the faint creaking of wood and taut string audible as I caught the glint of metal in the dim light.
“Otome, we’ve got a ranged on us!” I called out.
Otome didn’t need to look; she nodded and pressed a switch on her gauntlet, adjusting her stance.
“Don’t worry, I’m on it.”
With one arm shielding herself from potential incoming fire, she swung her other arm around, her fingers brushing against a series of triggers that lined the forearm section of the other gauntlet. A faint hum was heard, and the gauntlet’s break-action compartment snapped open.
Click-tss~
Inside, the machinery revealed the chambered slug before the weapon automatically sealed itself in.
The embedded shotgun activated, its barrel extending slightly out from the forearm. Upon pulling a secondary trigger, a deafening BOOM! echoed across the rooftops, hurtling forward like a blazing comet.
The shot found its mark, slamming right into the crossbow-man’s side. He staggered a bit back, his body twisting. Blood sprayed out of the wound as the crossbow-man recoiled in pain, his aim faltering as he tried to steady himself. Unfortunately for him, the damage he sustained seemed too critical as he lost his strength, dropping down on his knees, his crossbow similarly falling with him as it clambered down the rooftop tiles.
The man in the Top Hat seemed wavered by this, the smirk no longer plastered on his face, replaced by a scowl. He pulled out a small pane of glass, tapped it, and spoke into it,
“Elizabeth, I’ve found the HVT. Engaging on the art store’s roof.”
Cursing under his breath, he leaped down to join the fray. His movements were fluid— almost unnervingly smooth. He drew a slender shortsword that glinted ominously in the dim light.
"Enough of this!"
He sneered, his gaze locking onto Otome, lunging at her with a barrage of strikes. Sparks flew out as her gauntlets absorbed the impact.
Ding! Clang!
His movement didn’t falter; his blade danced about, each strike flowing seamlessly into the next. Otome was forced to retreat, her exoskeleton’s gears and pulleys groaning under the stress of deflecting his blade, the gears and pulleys straining as she pushed to keep up under the pressure.
I moved to her side with my pistol raised, lining up a shot on Top Hat. But, before I could pull the trigger, another shadow darted onto the roof. “Elizabeth” was there, her movements a blur as she hurled a dagger directly at me.
Instinctively, I conjured my data shield, and the dagger ricocheted off of its shimmering surface.
Ping!
Elizabeth pressed on with the advantage with a quick series of strikes, each dagger she pulled aimed with pinpoint accuracy to probe for weaknesses in my defenses.
Her blades continued to slide across my shield as I tried to keep up with the trajectory of her attacks. Her dexterity outclassed my own, pushing me back step by step. Every time I thought to make distance to use my pistol, she would close in and relentlessly jab at critical points, forcing me to keep my concentration on blocking her advances.
———————————————————————————————————
On the other end, Otome’s fight with Top Hat, Cedrick, raged with equal intensity. Each clash of metal reverberated through the rooftop as Cedrick drove her back, his skillful swordsmanship similarly outpacing her clunky exoskeleton’s low agility. With a well-timed pivot, he sliced low, catching her in the leg, and she staggered. Her face tightened, and she swung a countering punch with her gauntlet, but he sidestepped and parried, moving into a swift, downward slash, he shattered the wiring on her left gauntlet, and the exoskeleton sputtered, hissing and losing power on one side.
Cedrick’s lips curled into a wicked grin as he twisted his blade, disarming her entirely. With a sharp shove, he sent her sprawling onto her back. Standing over her, he raised his sword, his expression devoid of mercy.
“You put up a decent fight, but this is the end.”
As he prepared to slash her throat, a powerful gale of scorching air blasted across the rooftop, scattering the loose tiles.
Fwoom~!
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“Ack—What the?!”
In a mere instant, Nanik had appeared between the pair, eyeing Cedrick. He seemed annoyed.
Around him, the air seemed to flow differently. It simmered, the faint distortion bending it like ripples over a sweltering desert. The tiles underneath Nanik seemed to already have buckled, splintering from the sudden change in temperature. This wave of oppressive heat continued to radiate outward, undulating like a mirage.
Cedrick, who took the brunt of it, stepped back a few paces, flinching as his eyes widened in shock. Profuse sweat poured out as his body tried in vain to protect him. Otome, quick to react, used this moment to disengage herself, dragging her damaged gauntlets along as she jumped back.
“Tch. I was hoping to see more from her, but I’ve gone and done it again… No matter.”
“What is he talking about..?”
Hearing Nanik’s strange words, Otome muttered, staring confusedly at his figure as she wiped her sweat with her arm. When she’d first seen him, she thought his appearance was akin to a normal businessman. But, as he was travelling with Tokei, she knew there was probably more to his character. Little did she know…
Nanik didn’t bother to look back, his eyes scanning Cedrick, eventually landing at the sword in Cedrick’s hands. A gust of wind was kicked up as he appeared immediately in front of Cedrick, unexpectedly grabbing at the shortsword with his fingers.
Thin wisps of smoke started to effuse from Nanik’s fingertips.
“You… Let go!”
Cedrick tried to yank his weapon back, but Nanik stood unyielding like an immovable wall. The sword violently glowed, with sparks occasionally flickering from it. Looking down, Cedrick saw that a chunk of his weapon had become dull and warped, as though it’d returned to a state before its forgery.
“Heh… Always wanted to do that.”
“Who are you?”
“You don’t need to know that.”
Cedrick’s face glowered at his aloof response, reaching into his pockets and pulling out the glass panel once more, attempting to call for reinforcements—
“Nope.”
From the center of Nanik’s palm, a sharp blade of molten fire erupted forth, completely shattering through the glass device. A burning sound could be heard as the sword dug deeply into Cedrick’s hand which held the panel.
SHHNK—Ksss!
“AGHH-!!”
Cedrick reeled, unable to contain the pain. The location of the stab had left a horrific blackish-red gash—this wound inflicted had cauterized the surrounding skin and flesh immediately upon contact. His gaze shook for a moment, before he gathered his senses again, looking at his assailant with a sense of dread he hadn’t felt in a while.
“The fight’s just started, and you want to call for help?” From Nanik’s hand, A faintly red sword with no guard, completely made of steel, was held casually.
Gritting his teeth, Cedrick tightened his grip on his shortsword, channeling Sethnine through it, causing the blade to shimmer with a frosty, crystalline edge.
“Hmph.”
With a swift, determined breath, Cedrick lunged at Nanik, his blade trailing shards of ice as he swung it in an upward arc. Nanik sidestepped the swing mindlessly, his movements languid but precise. He countered with a sweeping slash of his own with his flame-forged sword, meeting Cedrick’s ice-coated blade in a burst of steam and sparks.
Pang~!
The clash of elements was fierce, but Nanik seemed to be unimpressed still.
Cedrick struck again, his blade flashing with icy spikes aimed for Nanik’s chest, but Nanik merely leaned back, narrowly dodging the attack with uncanny agility as it slid past his face. Their exchange continued thus, with Nanik’s flaming sword carving through the air, each strike radiating intense heat.
Although the strikes Cedrick received had been without intricate technique, Cedrick struggled to counter any of them due to Nanik’s overbearing strength, being forced on the defensive. The frost covering Cedrick's sword began to melt under the relentless pressure of Nanik’s flames and turbulent wind, the ice from his weapon being chipped and baked with each hit.
“Is that all you’ve got?” A slight grin could be seen on Nanik’s face as he taunted Cedrick.
Cedrick growled, desperation flashing in his eyes as he summoned every ounce of remaining magic he had. His sword glowed with a deep, almost indigo blue as he aimed a desperate blow at Nanik’s neck.
But… A swing and a miss. Nanik offset his body and swung in an ascending motion with even greater force than before.
Clang!
The shortsword, having been battered relentlessly throughout the battle, was split, shattering haplessly.
“Hah… Hah…”
Cedrick limped, clutching the remaining hilt of his broken weapon. his breath coming in labored gasps as he backed away. His face was completely haggard, red from exhaustion under the heat.
Nanik advanced toward Cedrick. In a merciless move, he extinguished his weapon, tossing it away.
With blinding speed, he dashed in front of Cedrick, who could no longer hold up his stance. He wound up his fist, delivering a devastating shovel hook.
Crack!
Cedrick’s chest caved inward, and the punch sent him sprawling towards the edge of the roof.
———————————————————————————————————
Elizabeth paled as she took in Cedrick’s defeat on the rooftop. For the first time since the fight began, a flash of shock and fear crossed her face. Without sparing me another glance, she turned and dashed toward Cedrick, her movements swift and purposeful. She slid to his side, quickly assessing his injuries before hauling him up with surprising strength.
Nanik stood still, watching as Elizabeth hoisted Cedrick over her shoulder and bolted off. She barely hesitated as she launched herself off the side, landing in a controlled manner and immediately shifting into a sprint, her form disappearing into the shadows below.
“Hey, why’d you let them go?” I asked inquisitively.
It seemed as though Nanik had been holding the tempo the entire time, but suddenly seemed to have changed his mind, allowing the officials to escape with their lives.
“I ran out of Sethnine.”
“...”
‘Any idiot could tell that’s a lie! You clearly had enough strength to brawl!!’
“Suit yourself, if you don’t want to say.”
“You should conserve energy anyways. You may need it later.”
“Yeah, yeah.”
Glossing back over the place Elizabeth had vanished with Cedrick, I turned and sprinted over to Otome. She was laying on the rooftop, struggling to sit up. Dropping to my knees beside her, I could see the pain etched on her face, though her eyes were still sharp.
"Cough... Not the best I’ve looked," she managed with a wry smile.
"He had the advantage on me."
With a wince, she undid the straps on her exoskeleton, letting the heavy contraption fall away from her shoulders. She tried to rise but sucked in a sharp breath as her leg buckled, clearly worse off than she wanted to admit.
“Looks like I’m not going anywhere in my state,” she said, grimacing.
“You all should just leave. This wasn’t your fight to begin with.”
Ignoring her dismissal, I watched as she cut a strip from her sleeve, grimly wrapping it around the bleeding gash on her leg.
“I’m not going to let you do that. You’re going to make it out with us. I have a feeling I’d regret this forever if I didn’t try to take you with me.” I said with conviction.
Suddenly the terminal opened itself up with a new notification.
[New Skill: Reenactment now available.]
[Cost: 20 SP]
[Current SP: 24]
‘Reenactment?! Sounds cool… I mean, that sounds like it would be important in getting my own memories back. I’ll hold off on that till we’re in a safe space because I’ll probably black out like I did when I bought the [Corporeal Data Creation] skill.’
Otome winced as I lifted her onto her good leg, my arm wrapping around her waist to steady her. Her face was pale, but she managed a shaky grin, though the pain was clearly wearing at her.
Supporting Otome, I turned to Nanik, who stood at the ready, his eyes scanning the perimeter. “We need to get off this roof. Nanik, do you know where Farthington went?”
“Oh. I haven’t seen him…”
———————————————————————————————————
Farthington groaned, coughing as he pulled himself out of the dumpster, wiping at his mouth in disgust.
"Ptoohey… kegh, ugh! I think I got peasant food in my mouth.”
He spat, wincing as he felt his sides start to throb. He stumbled forward, brushing off the bits of garbage that clung to his coat, only to grimace again at the smell that lingered.
He glanced up at the rooftop above, where the explosion had originated, squinting to catch any sign of Tokei or Nanik through the settling dust. He looked down at his coat, now dirtied and slightly tattered.
"Just my luck.”
Farthington dusted himself off as best he could, straightening his collar with a resigned sigh. Glancing up at the rooftop, he muttered dryly,
“I guess I’m not getting back up there. That’s a shame.”
Without a second look, he turned and strode out of the alley. He took a moment to orient himself by glancing toward the distant line of trees he’d glimpsed from the roof before he’d been unceremoniously flung off.
He mumbled to himself, “Well, might as well make myself scarce. I’ll see them again, anyways…”
With that, he set his sights on the direction of the border between Ardem and Cielmouth, walking as though he were in a daze, completely unfazed by the chaos he’d just left behind.
