Bronie Archive「♥♥♡♡♡」
When I opened my eyes, I was back in this city again.
The same city — the same black, street beneath my feet.
Although...
Oddly enough, not a single cracked street like the ones etched into my memory showed up here.
Most people strolled around without a care, even having the luxury to complain about how tiring their day had been. Children, too, could be seen walking side by side with their friends, laughing about little things.
What a relaxed thing to do, I thought.
They didn't need to wear masks that covered their entire faces, nor a Barrier Jacket just to shield themselves from the air. No giant eyes drifted across the sky, no alien cloth waiting to snatch up anyone in sight.
"Fhuuh… the air's actually tasty. And the water's good enough to drink down in one go." 「Bronie」
I deliberately bought a bottle from the vending machine, twisting it opens just to prove it was real. A taste I once thought I'd never experience again spread through me, filling every sense.
"This could cost an arm and a leg in the future." 「Bronie」
There wasn't nearly as much smoke or dust in the air.
In fact, it felt so fresh that I loosened my helmet and unzipped my barrier jacket.
It had been ages since I last took off my shoes and let my feet sink into sand. The sensation felt almost foreign, as if I'd forgotten how to be grounded. Even the grass beneath me, or the grain of living wood under my palm, seemed alive, still damp with life.
The little creatures—animals and insects alike—remained as unremarkable as ever. Birds perched above, their songs threading through the trees as if nothing in the world had changed.
What a truly peaceful time, I thought.
"Either colonization on Mars hasn't happened yet… or things are still safe enough." 「Bronie」
From the top of the city's tallest tower, I released my drone and watched the panorama unfold. Buildings I'd once thought reduced to rubble stood whole, their paint unchipped, their balconies dressed with neat rows of potted plants.
"All the Monoliths are still here? Ha. Even numbers thirty through forty-six. Guess that means Jyahnar hasn't wrecked the place, no Star Class Catastrophe, and the Finale Calamity? Yeah, still a ways off." 「Bronie」
The peace felt… off. Too neat. Like the world had hit pause, and nobody told me.
"In that case… it should be, there." 「Bronie」
I let my feet drift until they landed me in front of a hole-in-the-wall eatery.
A bar? A café? Hard to tell. But it stood exactly where I remembered.
"Raven Bar… Cioara's really been sticking with that awful name since the beginning," I snorted.
I poked around a few more streets. Some places matched my memory perfectly.
While some are nowhere to be seen at all.
"I guess those get built later." 「Bronie」
I didn't skip the cemetery either.
Just to make sure which names made the cut—and which didn't.
"This really happened." 「Bronie」
A normal person would've hesitated, needed time to process.
But I'd rather cut to the chase than drown in cringe-worthy reports.
With everything I'd seen, certainty struck me in an instant. I bit back a laugh, my hand tightening before anyone noticed. '…It works… it really works!' The bizarre scenes around me weren't illusions. They were real.
This version of Soukai City… I made it here. I had returned to the past.
...
....
.....
After everything I'd seen, there was no denying it—I'd actually landed in the past.
"It really is a one-way ticket, huh?" I muttered, rolling my eyes at myself. "Not like I had anywhere to go back to anyway. Now let's see what's a good found around here~?"
And as for why I'm here? Please. It's not rocket science.
I'm here to rewrite the future, plain and simple.
Although that day's still way off, but prep time? That's a whole different monster. And since I've got more than enough of it, I might as well juggle both—future plans and present nonsense.
Like dinner. Or aimlessly prowling the city at night.
"Is tonight supposed to be special, or is this place always packed?" 「Bronie」
Half the dining spots had names I didn't recognize—places that either didn't exist yet or had long since gone under in my time. A few familiar joints showed up here and there, though they were still scattered and barely popular.
Sure, I could've played it safe and walked into one I knew. But seriously, where's the thrill in that?
To the unknown we go.
"Give me your recommendation!" I announced, drawing a curious glance from a passerby.
The place buzzed with life—busy but not unbearable. Still, I kept it simple: takeout. I waited by the doorway, watching the city's neon-soaked night blur past the glass until—
"Order number 314!" the cashier called.
"That's me." 「Bronie」
They handed me a medium-sized box of old-style golden fried rice, paired with crispy, stuffed spicy flatbread—the kind that warmed your hands through the wrapping and carried a comforting, savory scent.
I tore into the bun while walking, saving the rice for later.
Comfort food to go with uncomfortable thoughts.
"But still… why seventy years in the past?! Seriously? I'll be stuck crawling decade by decade until I reach my own timeline. At this rate, I'll be a grandma right alongside my actual grandparents…" 「Bronie」
My return to the past only worked because of one thing: the Steins Gate.
It was built from the last scraps of Honkai energy left on Earth, hammered into a so-called divine instrument—an artifact that didn't fight my present's destruction but rewrote the past instead. A cheat code for causality itself.
That was the Steins Gate.
And because my wavelength matched, I was the one who resonated with it. Lucky me, huh? Out of everyone in existence, I got handed the keys to time travel.
"This is pretty spicy… but I like it," I muttered between bites. Street food therapy.
Shame the device that got me here was still half-baked when we used it. One-way only. Straight into the past, no return ticket. So here I am—stranded—unless I somehow build another Steins Gate and perfect it myself.
"Professor… Captain… Teacher…" The names slipped out as my eyes caught a gaudy recruitment billboard.
They'd all bet everything on me, pinned their hopes on this crazy plan. Some even buried time capsules for their younger selves, knowing they wouldn't live long enough to open them.
And then the Catastrophe and the Calamity tore through everything. Wiped them out.
"I… really won't ever see them again, will I…" I whispered, my voice smaller than I wanted it to be.
They'd dumped a mission on me.
Go fifty years into the past, plant some hope, and stop the future from going full apocalypse. Easy enough to understand—thanks to all the novels and comics I'd binged with the exact same plotline.
Sure, I had a laundry list of objectives, but two burned brightest in my head.
The Star-class Catastrophe and the Finale Calamity. Those were the bosses of this run. Wreck them if I could or at least throw enough wrenches in the timeline to slow them down.
So yeah, my whole new life basically revolved around those two nightmares. The Steins Gate? That was my side quest—something to grind when I wasn't busy tackling the Main Quest to get my ass out of this age.
What I still don't get is why they yeeted me seventy years back instead of fifty. For a bunch of supposed geniuses, that's one hell of a math error.
"In seventy years past… hmm, not exactly a crowd of familiar faces." 「Bronie」
With the scraps of info I've got about this era, it's not like I can just speedrun the mission. Nope—this is gonna be a long grind. Years, probably, before anything I brought from the future even becomes useful.
Still, I've got a couple of tricks no one here's ready for. And hey, I already scored my first base of operations in a totally ordinary rented apartment. Not bad for Day One of temporal exile.
Yeah… I'll make it work. Somehow.
"We're talking Grandma-and-Grandpa's generation here, after all." I tore off another piece of the spicy bread, the heat making my tongue tingle in a way I kinda liked. "…Hmm. Actually, yeah! Let's take a peek at them. Hehe—let's see just how cute they were back in the day."
Standing around wasn't going to get me anywhere.
I chewed slowly, half-laughing to myself, but the thought stuck.
Curiosity wasn't just for laughs. If I wanted to change the future, I had to start here—by finding the familiar faces who were still alive in this era and maybe, just maybe, getting close to them.
Among the lists are supposedly me granparents.
The Silver Wolf of Ural—my grandma, Bronya.
And the Grey Wolf from Aspan—my grandpa.
I smirked into my spicy bread, crumbs threatening to fall onto my jacket. "Crazy to think those legends were just teenagers at this point in time. Basically my age. Heh… guess even wolves have awkward years, huh?"
I knew plenty about Grandma—mostly because when I was a kid she used to torture—uh, "play" with me all the time. Word on the street (and by "street" I mean her bragging) was that she was the Hero who fought against the Finale Calamity and somehow lived to tell the tale.
Grandpa, though? That's fuzzier. Most of what I know comes secondhand from Grandma. He was gone long before I was born—apparently gave his life to save my mom while I was still just stardust in her womb.
Grandma always said he was crazy strong. Stronger than her, even back when she was at her prime. If he'd survived… maybe he could've been the partner I really needed in the future.
In a way, I owe him.
So, hopefully that'll make it even by saving him later.
"Hm? …The bread's already gone." 「Bronie」
Sure, part of me wants to repay what I owe, but honestly? I just want to know what kind of guy could've possibly melted that frozen-hearted hag of a grandma. Because, seriously, I get sick of how often she goes on and on and on about Grandpa.
Was he really that handsome? Some rich noble? Or maybe some genius mastermind?
"No way, right~?" 「Bronie」
But then again… Grandma was never the type to care about shallow stuff like that.
Even after Grandpa's death, when plenty of young and middle-aged men came forward—handsome, wealthy, brilliant, and everything in between—none of them ever managed to move her heart.
They lined up, dazzled by her beauty and that suspiciously ageless face, but one by one they struck out. Not a single one ever got close. In the end, Grandma never remarried. When her final day came, she was buried right beside Grandpa—just like she had always wished.
"Hehe… what if I stole Grandpa for myself~?" 「Bronie」
The thought was outrageous, absurd even… but it still tickled at the edge of my mind. Just imagining it was enough to make me laugh as I strolled through the city at night.
I mean, come on—like that would ever happen, right?
————————————————
*Chooo-Chooo-CHHOUUU*
On the other side of this story, aboard a train making its cosmic journey, a few complaints were bubbling up among the passengers. The loudest came from a dark-red-haired woman, while faint murmurs drifted from the feasty-haired girl as she mumbled in her sleep.
That girl was dozing in the seat just ahead of Cera, while her little furball companion was busy fiddling with the controls in the front car.
"Fuwaaa!!!"
*CHHOUUU-CHHOUUU-CHHOUUU*
What a strange sound for a train whistle.
"Excuse me, ◼️◼️◼️◼️! Don't you dare brush off the real issue here! Hey… where's segges? It's all just wholesome fluff! Those precious memoria are fine, sure—but I need something more! More!" Cera's body bounced angrily off the ceiling.
What a weird sentence.
Whatever dream Hylia was lost in, it showed clearly on her face—calm, content, as if her dreams were filled with peace and sunshine. A sharp contrast to Cera, who looked like she was about to pick a fight with the roof of the train car itself.
"...If you really want to know, why don't you just dive into her dream already? You should be able to do that—you're the most shameless narrator and peeper around. Take my suggestion and hurry up with the next part of the Theresa Archive!" Cera huffed.
Breathing onto the window, she scrawled something with her fingertip.
It read: Idiot, you're reading this?
No one else could possibly understand why she'd bother writing a message that only she herself could see. But who's to judge the right from wrong, when our guards are down, I think we'll both agree.
That violence bred...
"You really trying to put 'It has to be this way' right now?" (Cera)
In the end, it has to be this way.
Moreover, those Archive series were nothing more than fragments of his past in a single world. For Cera—who had walked alongside the Fool's journey for so long—there should've been far more exciting and meaningful pieces worth telling.
It felt strange, almost unreasonable, to be so infatuated with the story of just one human.
Especially for a being as unique as her.
"Isn't it obvious? These are the parts of his story WITHIN THIS STORY that I don't know yet! Anything related to Zei—I need to know every detail! And of course, it's only natural for someone like me to have favorites… like this feasty haired little girl right here~" (Cera)
That basically meant she wanted to know everything about him—a complete breach of privacy.
"Like you could say that. Now, hurry and move on. We can't just waste the Stranger's time with empty chatter, can we? This train only keeps rolling if you keep the story moving—so c'mon, hand over the next part already~" (Cera)
————————————————
Once upon a time, a song was written.
It was not a beautiful song. Its words were rough, its melody unpleasant.
And yet, the song was sung. And it reached someone's ears.
The stars once lost in dreams now shine,
They trace the sky, a silver line—
A blessing cast on fading breath,
To grace a world that runs to death.
"Your name… Sengoku. Hold the weight of my wrath."
Angels fall, their wings are torn ♪
Demons burn where they were born ♪
Humans dance in chaos' flame ♪
Calling ruin by their name ♪
"Do not fight for good. Do not fight for evil. Fight for nothing but the clash itself. Strike at all, strike at everything, until your body is nothing but scars. For only in endless war can one earn the name 'master of battle.'"
Let the faithful wash away,
Greed will birth the end of days.
Feathers drift, but none shall know
The peace that once was long ago.
"Rage when you are embraced. Rage when love dares to call your name. You are the flame that burns the world I know—become the inferno that devours all into ruin, not the gentle fire of hope."
The world now weeps in silent ache,
I faced the peace we could not take.
Should I bite my tongue and blind my sight—
To flee the truth, to fear the night?
"Like my other Persona, I will carve balance into your being. So rust, bleed—but never break, Sengoku. For the cruelest tragedy of all is that you will always be loved… far more than you will ever comprehend."
Then peel your skin, disguise your face ♪
Let hunger rot what once had taste ♪
No sleep shall come, no dreams to find ♪
Just endless dark, no end, no time ♪
"The curse I bear will strip you of peace. The sins I carry will be your burden, dragging you toward the door of our shared ambition. Yet I care nothing for that now… only that you fulfill my desire for destruction."
The gods will chase your every sin,
Whether they fall or rise again.
So do not fear… but tread with care—
The stars above are always there.
"Take my wrath. Forge it into your blade. Let it burn away the filth that clings to this world."
For stars once born in dreamers' eyes,
Now blaze across these shattered skies.
They watch, they weep, they never lie…
And bless the world before it dies.
"My wrath will never end unless I die. And until that day, the world itself will never know peace."
Slowly, Sengoku opened his eyes.
Death and ruin.
Ash drifted through the fractured veil sector, swirling with the hiss of molten gears and shattered steel. Abomination Engines lay in twisted heaps, still steaming from the violence of his blade.
(Thomas the tank engine theme playing in the background)
They were always the first things to greet him, as if the world itself had already bowed to his role as herald of destruction. Wherever this Persona walked, something was destined to break. Either it's a city, or sometimes a soul.
He was the will of humanity refusing to fall silent—forever raging, forever burning in the fire of sin. Rage and resentment clung to him like a second skin, a cloak he could never shed.
(Thomas the tank engine theme playing in the background)
He did not rest.
He only advanced as the wrath incarnate, a living scar carved into the world.
"Perish… trash." 「Sengoku」
Gazing upon the familiar ruin, the Persona smirked—a heart-born satisfaction.
Even as the flesh of his fingers began to sear, filling the air with the stench of burnt meat… even as his bones blackened and crumbled like brittle charcoal, the Persona wanted only one thing: destruction.
It was how he was made. It was his only purpose.
And in that endless ruin, he felt most alive.
"…You!" Bronya's voice cut through the haze.
This time, though, something felt different from the usual destruction he left behind. Too many traces of someone who actually cared lingered in the air. The Persona could feel it—but, as always, he didn't care.
"Are you alright?! Your hand—it's getting worse!" 「Bronya」
And there it was—the closest, most repulsive gaze brimming with pity. For anyone else, it might have made them feel as if they mattered in this vast, beautiful world. For Sengoku, it only made him want to vomit.
"Don't touch me. Move your hand or you'll lose it." 「Sengoku」
"Yeah yeah... you're right. Because at this rate, you'll lost yours first anyway." 「Bronya」
Reporting in, current conditions are as follows.
Monolith No. 17 had been shattered, broken clean in half.
Its upper half had collapsed to the ground, leaving behind a jagged stump of stone—still towering, but no longer the shield the Veil Sector once depended on. Worse, its fall had opened a weakness, a breach that anything lurking beyond could seize upon.
So far, only Thomas' forces had shown themselves.
But it was only a matter of time before other creatures made their move.
Meanwhile, the extent of the damage is also visible around the Monolith area. Destruction is apparent both at the front, which connects to the outer waters, and at the rear, known as the Monolith's Veil Sector.
So far, there have been no reported casualties.
However, material and property damage continues to increase.
Meanwhile, at the center of this unfolding story: the Persona of Wrath, Sengoku has arrived in this world.
He had risen near the ruins of Monolith No.17 before making his presence known in the Veil Sector. At this moment, Sengoku stood alongside the agent known as Silver Wings—Bronya—racking up kills together.
Together they had held the strategic center point for some time, pushing back the invading force.
(Thomas the tank engine theme playing in the background)
The ground trembled with every impact those engine fall.
"0019, spread arc!" Bronya commanded.
In the original Honkaiverse, Agent Silver Wings—Bronya's current battlesuit—was armed with the Multi-Unit Arm 0019. The weapon was designed to replace her dearest partner, Project Bunny, after circumstances forced its retirement.
Here as well, the weapon carries its own origin story. For now, however, it is sufficient to refer to it simply as what it is: a unique creation. Further details will be documented in a separate file within the Bronya Archive.
Not only could the weapon deliver a wide array of ranged attacks—blistering laser fire, rapid gunfire, even precision aerial bombing—it could also project a barrier with multiple functions.
The unit itself could transform into a drone, which Bronya piloted directly—ferrying Private Hua and Major Himeko to safety, while at the same time locking Sengoku's fiery red greatsword in restraints, keeping it out of his reach.
(Thomas the tank engine theme playing in the background)
"…Those two unconscious soldiers have been moved," Bronya reported, her tone clipped but steady. "But retreat isn't an option yet. I'll need your support until reinforcements arrive. Stay behind me."
"What? Weren't you trying to keep me out of the fight?" 「Sengoku」
"I am. And I'll keep trying, even if you push me away. But survival comes first. Use your armlet and counter down anything that gets close. I'll handle the rest from a distance. I'm counting on you." 「Bronya」
Sengoku's silence was answer enough.
The Multi Unit Arm 0019 zipped between falling debris, spraying arcs of cannon fire that shredded the advancing small to medium sized Thomas-variants before they could close in. Sparks lit the air, smoke curling around the flashes of her controlled bursts.
(Thomas the tank engine theme playing in the background)
While Sengoku just keep doing tank and counter towards anything.
So far, Bronya could hold against their legion, yes—but not against the overwhelming firepower of a Mega Laser or Mega Cannon, like the one Thomas had unleashed before. If another volley came, Bronya could only brace for the inevitable.
She also knew she would be in serious trouble if surrounded by those machines, that's why she wants to leave this place ASAP after retrieving her package. But then—
"All targets eliminated… conducting further reconnaissance—" Bronya began.
(Thomas the tank engine theme playing in the background)
"High-energy reading... damn it." 「Bronya」
She saw it.
A core splitting open in the distance, spilling a blood-red glare across the battlefield. Smoke twisted and curled in its radiance, shadows writhing as if alive, while the air itself quivered under the weight of its energy.
That threat descended upon her.
An overwhelming torrent of power far beyond the previous Mega Laser she had barely managed to block. Every fiber of her body seemed to scream under its arrival, and the crushing pressure in her chest threatened to crush her entirely.
"Give that to me." 「Sengoku」
"Wha—?! Since when you snatched that again?!" 「Bronya」
The greatsword was already in his hands.
Dragging it along the ground, Sengoku lunged forward and came crashing down like a guillotine, cleaving another abomination engine clean in half on his way. But now came the real problem: how to handle the beam ahead.
Tank and counter? He could try that.
Slash it with the sword? He could try that too.
Use something else? There was plenty of debris around—surely he could find a way.
"Anything works," Sengoku muttered, eyes gleaming with reckless abandon.
"Plan! There's no way you're charging in blindly—hey!!!" Bronya yelled, trying to rein him in.
Without a second thought about which method to use, Sengoku leapt into the sky, leaving a trail of shattered earth and the wreckage of the destroyed Abomination Engine beneath him as his steppingstones.
Strangely, he also carried the pieces of the Abomination Engine he had just destroyed. Each half was no heavier than a six-wheeled truck, weighing several tons, yet he lifted them as effortlessly as if lifting a skirt.
No sooner had he arrived in the air than he was immediately greeted by incoming fire from 10 and 11 o'clock. The same beam of destruction suddenly split midair, striking at him from both directions.
"It's devising another battle style, just like before! Be careful!" Bronya shouted.
Though a knot of worry tightened in her chest, Bronya was certain he would be fine.
At that moment, Sengoku hurled the two massive chunks of the Abomination Engine directly into their trajectory. The resulting explosion erupted in the air with a deafening roar, forcing Bronya to shield her eyes and hair from the scorching blast.
And not long after, when she dared to open her eyes, she saw Sengoku had already landed back on the ground. There were no new injuries she could see—a fact that somehow eased the tension in her chest.
"You like hiding in the back, huh, trash? Enough of this toss-and-catch—show me what else you've got! I'm done playing games for dogs," Sengoku growled, thrusting the greatsword toward the path of the incoming beam.
Whether Thomas actually heard the provocation or not didn't matter. Sengoku was certain a technology that formidable could see exactly where he was. In the eras he knew, robots had always been capable of that.
However, after waiting for what felt like an eternity, no new wave of Mega Lasers or bombs came. Silence hung over the battlefield, even as he lowered his greatsword.
"Piece of shit cursed with knowledge… that scrap trying to learn again, huh?" 「Sengoku」
Whatever it was, it was over almost as quickly as it had begun. Even Bronya was momentarily stunned by what had just happened. Slowly, she approached him, eyes scanning the remnants of the explosions still lingering in the air.
The sky… it looked torn above them.
And yet, here he was—completely unimpressed after facing all that.
"As expected from the Ace of Aces," Bronya murmured.
Her gaze swept over him, noting the way his chest rose and fell a little faster than it should. Even though he was undeniably strong, she couldn't shake the thought that he still felt fatigue, still carried exhaustion beneath that unshakable gaze.
She needed to get him off this battlefield as quickly as possible.
Bronya was certain that if he stayed, the man would only take worse injuries. Her mind involuntarily drifted back to that time… the memory of cradling his nearly lifeless body in her arms.
How fragile he had seemed, how close to death he'd been.
Her chest tightened as she silently vowed never to let that happen again.
"…Yet here you are, doing it again. Why do you keep fighting for this world, Machi…" Bronya whispered, her eyes tracing the scratches and wounds etched across his back.
"This is what a good weapon and a skilled user can do. While I'm still enjoying this, don't get in the way of my fun. Go on—cover the rear, like the weakling you are," Sengoku said, not even glancing at her.
But Bronya's eyes never left him.
Her deadpan gaze stayed locked on Sengoku, even as she came to a halt right before him.
"???" 「Sengoku」
Warm puffs of vapor curled from each of his breaths, carrying the faint scent of scorched metal. His hands trembled, likely from the countless shocks he had absorbed through the golden armlet.
Her throat tightened, a lump forming.
"You're stronger than before, Machi." 「Bronya」
"Machi? Hah. If that's what you want to call me… fine," Sengoku muttered, his tone dripping with indifference. "But just so you know, I'm not him. No fucking way."
"Tell me—why do you even use all that strength? And do you want me to nag you about your trashy mouth while I'm at it?" Bronya said + deadpan stare.
"Purpose? That's none of your damn concern. Strength isn't some dream, it's a damn obligation. Now leave, woman. Raise kids, protect your man at home… that's the only career you're fit for." 「Sengoku」
For a second, she froze—torn between being pissed and grudgingly admitting the raw power rolling off him. Her fingers twitched, itching to pinch his smug lips or put him in a headlock until he finally shut up.
But as much as she wanted to snap back, there were bigger things to deal with.
The Multi-Unit Arm 0019 shot forward, extending toward the greatsword in his grip.
"Give me that sword!" Bronya demanded.
"I don't repeat myself, woman." 「Sengoku」
"Not until you drop that sword first! You can't keep shredding your body like this! That's exactly why no one lets you run wild anymore." 「Bronya」
"…Huh? I've never even seen your damn face before." 「Sengoku」
"That amnesia or Alzheimer's excuse again. You've used it so many times even Bronie doesn't laugh anymore—she just smacks your head to shut you up. Maybe I should too," Bronya's voice was flat, but the threat lingered.
"Oh? Then try." 「Sengoku」
"You…" Bronya narrowed her eyes.
Slowly and theatrically, she peeled off one of her gloves and flexed her fingers. "Desk work hasn't made me soft." Her movements were purposeful, each second dragging just long enough to charm him.
Sengoku's brow twitched, the first crack in his composure.
Bronya then raised her arm and slowly rolled her sleeve back, flexing just enough to tease.
"See? Plenty of strength, both right and left." 「Bronya」
The gesture was almost too casual, but the way her chest shifted with the motion made it look deliberate—like she was throwing open the gates of a mountain range, daring tourists to lose themselves in the view.
Sadly, he's facing Sengoku right now.
"Who's asking? Just get it over with." 「Sengoku」
Bronya's eyes narrowed, her voice flat but edged with ice. "You're really doing this just to provoke me aren't you... guess you've already had your practice with Theresa after all. Hmph."
Then—wham! She threw what she called a "fist of love" straight at him.
"Counter." 「Sengoku」
Unfortunately for Bronya, instead of flinching, he just absorbed the punch like it was nothing and casually flicked her forehead with his pinky. The pock! that rang out was absurdly sharp.
"Agh—?!" Bronya reeled back, clutching her head in disbelief. "What the—? That was just your pinky!" The sting burned way worse than it had any right to. Holding back or not, it still felt like he'd jammed a nail into her skull.
"You really are weak as shit," Sengoku sneered.
That was the last straw.
"…Enough." Bronya's voice dropped, eyes narrowing as the Multi-Unit Arm flared to life. Her lips curved into a cold half-smile, "If you've forgotten who's on top here, I'll remind you. Mercy's off the table now."
Sengoku scoffed, raising his blade with a lazy grin. "What now? You gonna bust out some, 'Throughout Heaven and Earth, I alone am the honored one' speech? Save me the cringe, Silver. No way you're beating me."
"Language!" Bronya snapped and launched forward. Her assault aimed to put him down before his arrogance got the better of both of them. "Come here, I'll beat some sense into you just like the old days!"
Now, after everything, the battlefield carried only their voices, clashing as sharply as their blows.
On the surface, it looked amateurish—downright foolish—to be bickering at a time like this.
But they had their reasons. All the nearby Thomas-variant Abomination Machines had already been reduced to scrap, and ever since the fighting ceased… Thomas himself had gone utterly still. Silent. Unmoving.
Just like before.
For reasons unknown, Thomas the Engine granted them a stretch of uneasy silence after his new machine and even the so-called Ultimate Mega Lazer had been destroyed.
(Thomas the Abomination engine theme playing in the background)
The same jingle kept looping at full volume, rattling through the battlefield, but for several tense minutes no new Thomas-variant stirred. No fresh monstrosity charged. The quiet was almost worse than the fight.
"In my view… it's trying to figure out another method of attack. And you're the target, definitely. Aren't you afraid of being the main focus of a Calamity that size, Ace of Ace?" 「Bronya」
"Afraid? Welp, who knows! Maybe some bastard is pulling the strings. Why should I be scared of a puppet?" Sengoku scoffed, swinging his blade up just in time to catch the strike from her Multi-Unit Arm.
Sparks hissed as metal scraped against metal.
"Anyway, stop worrying. You're good with blades, so keep using them. And that 'Calamity' stuff? What the hell is that supposed to mean?" 「Sengoku」
Bronya pressed forward, her mechanical arm locking against his sword. "It means something you can't just laugh off." With a twist, she forced his blade down and aimed a sharp kick at his ribs.
Sengoku slid back, catching her ankle with his arm.
For an instant it seemed like she would topple—until Bronya dropped into a perfect split, balance unbroken. Then with a sudden leap she twisted upward, her other leg snapping around his head, locking his face between her thighs like a wrench.
Even then, Sengoku didn't falter nor fell down. Pinned in place, he let out a low chuckle. "Hah. Nice try. Stay flexy, then. So… are they actually strong, or just for shitshow?"
Something about Thomas was strange, but with the extra time stretching longer than expected, the two of them chose to settle their own score first. Cooperation could wait until this childish standoff was finished.
Assuming either of them would still be standing.
"That was a joke… you can't have forgotten this, right? You've faced them again and again?" 「Bronya」
"And? I told you already, I don't remember any of it. Hell, I don't even know who the fuck you are." 「Sengoku」
"…Seriously?" Bronya's eyes narrowed.
"Do I look like a joker to you?!" Sengoku roared back.
Loosening her thigh's grip, Bronya prepared to dismount from his shoulders. Yet, to her surprise, it was Sengoku who shifted first—lowering himself deliberately, as if granting her an easy way down.
His face stayed maddeningly calm between her thighs, as if the hold meant nothing at all. That careless indifference only made Bronya's irritation spike hotter.
"Do you know Theresa?" Bronya asked, her voice low.
"Theresa who?" 「Sengoku」
Her eyes narrowed. "What about your siblings?"
"I have no siblings. Been alone since birth, out from rocks." 「Sengoku」
His words struck Bronya like a blow. The man she remembered—so devoted to family—would never joke about something like this. Even as a lie, he wouldn't have let those words leave his mouth.
And yet, he said it again, more than once.
After a long breath, Bronya steeled herself. She would try one more test.
"Oi?! Let me go, damn it! You bitch—what the hell are you doing?!" 「Sengoku」
"Calm down." 「Bronya」
Her arms slipped behind his neck, pulling him down until her lips met his. The kiss began soft, almost coaxing, before melting into the familiar sweetness of shared breath and tangled tongues.
It was the same way Bronya had kissed him the very first time.
"…Do you remember this?" Bronya whispered against his lips.
"The hell's that supposed to mean?! What are you, some kinda serial kisser or something?!" 「Sengoku」
This time, Bronya felt truly shaken. There's no hint of deception in his eyes—nothing to suggest a lie. He acted as if he genuinely remembered nothing, neither her nor the people he treasured the most.
"You... woman!" 「Sengoku」
Irritated, he tugged at her hair to pull her back—not hard, but enough to make Bronya grunt. Their fight was far from over, hence why with a quick motion, Sengoku threw her several meters away.
Sengoku wiped his mouth, catching his own breath.
"Ouwh! You… little! How could you grab my hair like that?!" Bronya yelled, glaring.
"You bitch! You think I care what you like or don't like?!" 「Sengoku」
"Well… what if I said I did like that just now? Didn't think you had it in you to be that rough," Bronya purred, letting her words linger like a challenge.
"Hell I care!" 「Sengoku」
Setting aside their strange antics…
The extra time had its benefits, giving the people nearby a chance to escape the crossfire. Higokumaru, Yae Sakura, and Yae Rin were now keeping distance, while staying close to Moriarty who was within their group.
They were far enough away from the explosions caused by Thomas and Sengoku, but that didn't mean they were safe. Far from it. In fact, the situation around them had grown even more frightening—Moriarty was beginning to wither again, both in hair and in gaze.
[Hmm~ Hmm~ Bite your tongue and gouge your eyes ♪ Purge for those who are faithful ♪ Greed born as those with wicked ♪ Let them fall with the feathers flows ♪ Hmm~ Hmm~]
"Mo—Moriarty-san?! Higokumaru! What do we do?! She's turning white again!" Yae Rin shouted, panic in her voice.
"…Hold on. Transformation Seal!" Higokumaru pulled a talisman from her pouch, and her form shifted into a giant fox once more. "UGHH, NO GOOD! I STILL FEEL THAT AURA FROM NEE-CHAN! RIN! WHAT ARE WE SUPPOSED TO DO?!"
"Why are you the big one hiding behind me?! Wait, Higokumaru! Sakura-nee was here just now, right? What if we ask her for help? She surely knows something about how to calm Moriarty down!" 「Yae Rin」
"BUT WHERE IS SAKURA-NEE NOW?!" 「Higokumaru」
Unexpectedly, despite being fixated on the Monolith, Moriarty somehow made Yae Sakura appeared before them. With a subtle tilt of her sand-time staff, the bunny-eared soldier popped out in a blink, standing right before her younger sister and the giant fox.
"What...? How did I...?" 「Yae Sakura」
"SAKURA-NEE! YOU'RE HERE!" Higokumaru's voice rang out, tail whipping in excitement.
The little sister bolted forward, arms flinging around her older sister in a tight embrace, while the giant fox lowered her head gracefully, nuzzling against her master in a quiet, loyal greeting.
"Onee-chan! Ehehe… are you okay?" Yae Rin asked, eyes wide with worry.
"Uhh? Yeah… no worries, Rin. I'm fine. Actually, I'm more worried about you," Yae Sakura replied, offering a small, reassuring smile. "But just now... was it the doing of that girl?"
"I'm fine too! Maybe even better than before! But more importantly, Nee-chan… you see that girl, right? Her name is Moriarty, and she's not a bad person! So don't hurt her! Got it?!" Yae Rin
"Not… exactly. Ugh, I still don't fully understand what just happened. The point is, Rin… she's someone whose true identity you can't even imagine. So, if you can, try not to get too close to her." 「Yae Sakura」
"Ehh… but why?" Yae Rin asked, tilting her head in confusion.
Originally, Yae Sakura had been sent as reinforcements for Monolith No.17 and to investigate the mysterious girl's presence. Learning that her little sister was nearby, she chose to take on the mission on her own, acting independently.
It was up to her to decide whether to neutralize any hostile threats—but just after a brief moment apart from her sister, Yae Sakura received a new order from MOTH's headquarters.
The orders were simple: keep everything about the timeless girl a secret, and make sure no one else ever finds out she exists. The MOTH already knew about her, and they were dead set on capturing Moriarty.
"Her steps are not meant for the world of humans." 「Yae Sakura」
Her mission had shifted. What had started as simple reinforcements now required her to retrieve the "package"—Moriarty—and bring her back to MOTH headquarters. But… she wasn't sure she could actually pull it off.
Not only was her sword useless against the girl, but that blonde could do countless things Yae Sakura didn't even understand. Like how had she been located and transported here just now?
And her appearance… what changes did it carry this time?
"Don't hurt her. Besides, I'm fine when I'm with them, right? Maybe Moriarty is connected to your work, Sakura-nee, but for now… could you please not threaten her like before? I'm begging you…" Yae Rin's voice trembled with worry.
"…I'll think about that later. So… what exactly is she doing over there?" 「Yae Sakura」
[Hmm~ Hmm~ Peel your skin and hide your nose ♪ Pack your food and let it rot ♪ None shall be sleeping tonight ♪ As the stars watch over your head ♪ Hmm~ Hmm~]
Ignoring the three of them, Moriarty continued to sing. Her voice was gentle, almost soothing—but the lyrics were horrifying, carrying the same unsettling aura as before.
[...Gods will chase your sin ♪]
At last, she finished.
Her song came to an abrupt end as she saw her beloved playing with another woman right in front of her. She knew that to truly understand this Persona, she would have to push herself further than ever before.
For now, all she could do was swallow the surge of jealousy and frustration.
[Sengoku… the one who has shattered worlds with his sins. How can I face his wrath and draw close to him… I need to find a way to be near him again. I have to act fast, before another woman takes him into their arms again.]
Turning away, she could feel the three of them watching her intently.
"CAREFUL! SHE COULD FREEZE EVEN TIME ITSELF!" 「Higokumaru」
"Rin, behind me. Higokumaru, protect Rin." 「Yae Sakura」
"But Onee-chan! You said that—" 「Yae Rin」
"Relax. You know I've spoken as a Miko at the shrine plenty of times, right? Let your sister handle this. You just need to make sure you don't leave Higokumaru's side." 「Yae Sakura」
The soldier stepped aside, letting her katana rest at her side. Moriarty continued advancing on bare feet, stopping a few paces in front of them. Her withering gaze was imposing, yet Yae Sakura managed to keep her expression steady.
"Dear magnificent Goddess, for what purpose have you fallen to this land?" 「Yae Sakura」
[...I see, your people are quick. For now, I will speak to Yae Sakura, priestess from Shinano—not the soldier from the MOTH organization. What is it that you wish to discuss first?]
Her withering gaze hadn't changed, and her hair remained the same ashen white. Yet there was something subtly different in her eyes and the aura surrounding her—calm, like the surface of a still lake.
"…I suppose that was to be expected. First… allow me to ask—do you intend to let destruction fall upon this land? Or is the purpose of your presence here to deliver it?" 「Yae Sakura」
[The handling of Calamities and Catastrophes… that is the duty of the World Initiators. I have come only for personal matters… concerning the man over there. That is all.]
"And what of the song you just sang?" 「Yae Sakura」
The timeless girl paused thoughtfully, then turned her gaze back to the three of them.
[Hmm... a rebellion song.]
"What kind of rebellion was that song, Moriarty-san? It sounded… ominous to me…" Yae Rin asked, frowning.
"SAME HERE! LOOK AT MY TAIL! LOOK!" Higokumaru shouted, spinning around wildly.
"Fhuuha?! Higokumaru!" 「Yae Rin」
Her big, fluffy tail curled and twitched wildly behind her, and the timeless girl allowed herself a small smile at the display. As a guardian of this world, she found the spirit's bluntness quietly amusing.
[It's the song of rebellion to the stars… and as I recall, there is more. Today is the day gods will fall ♪ Angels will be torn from their wings ♪ Demons will burn in their hell ♪ Humanity will choose chaos for their living ♪ The world will sink into deep pain as I face…]
"W-WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?! RIN, JUST AS I SUSPECTED… THAT'S A SONG OF DEMONS!" 「Higokumaru」
"H-Hmm? S-Sorry, I was just captivated by Moriarty's beautiful voice and wasn't paying much attention to the lyrics. But… what is the song about, exactly? Hey, Moriarty—" Yae Rin began, tilting her head in curiosity.
"Both of you, please mind your manners. Do forgive them, magnificent Goddess. But allow me to clarify—since you spoke of the World Initiators and that rebellion song… is there a connection between the two?" 「Yae Sakura」
As she spoke, a gentle wind brushed against her.
[No. Whatever you may think, there is no connection. The world remains as it has always been. And rest assured, Priestess… you still have plenty of time with the two of them.]
"…Though that's not exactly what I wanted to hear, I'm very relieved." 「Yae Sakura」
[Alright, I've finished speaking with the Priestess. So… what does the soldier want with me?]
And just like before, another gust of wind swept toward her.
"For now, we want you to come with us, Goddess Moriarty." 「Yae Sakura」
————————————————
So? How's your sleep?
"OI! We were just getting to the good part! What are you doing here? Hurry up and continue the story, you idiot!" (Cera)