The swing of the baseball bat rippled outward like a blooming ripple.
For a brief moment, it illuminated the entire platform.
Amidst the interweaving red and blue neon lights, the Doomsday Beast began to plummet toward the ground.
Joining it in the headlong rush earthward was Bai Ming, who had somehow mysteriously ended up on its back.
The wind rose.
The descent.
Then, a whirlpool-like spin.
Inside the Master Control Zone,
Asta seemed to sense something.
She whipped her head around and, through the thick space-grade glass, witnessed a scene she would never forget for the rest of her life.
A pale streak was falling from above, as if intent on tearing through the endless black curtain of the starry expanse, and it also etched a line across Asta's pupils.
Was that… a shooting star?
Asta, with her passionate love for astronomy, momentarily fell into a state of rapt fascination.
However Her identity as the Acting Director Chief quickly brought her back to her senses.
"Continue reinforcing the force field!"
"Don't let the work stop!" she commanded.
Elsewhere,
the trail of the "shooting star's" descent also etched a line in March 7th's eyes.
But she felt no sense of beauty from it whatsoever.
Because March 7th knew exactly what it was, Bai Ming and the Doomsday Beast, falling!
With a thunderous boom!
The "meteor" crashed onto the platform's deck.
It had to be said,
this station, funded by the wealthy Asta, was impressive indeed.
The materials used were likely all super military-grade.
Even faced with an impact like that of a comet, the platform's surface wasn't simply shattered in half.
Instead, a violent tremor shook everything!
Every warning sign erected on the platform instantly flashed red alerts.
"Warning"
"Detected incoming comet-scale impact!"
"Evacuate the area immediately!"
But March 7th wasn't concerned with that; her only concern was the spot where the Doomsday Beast had fallen.
Although the platform hadn't been pierced through,
it had still suffered severe damage.
The surface equipment was heavily cracked, electrical sparks sputtering from within, mingling with rising black smoke that enveloped the entire crash site.
"Bai Ming!" March 7th shouted, wanting to rush over immediately.
However before she could take more than a few steps, she was pulled back by Himeko, who was beside her.
"Little March, don't go."
"How can I not go!?" March 7th turned back. "Bai Ming is over there!"
"But you might not even be able to get close."
Himeko stared intently at the scene ahead, replying word by word.
"The platform's gravity systems are probably malfunctioning."
"W-what?"
Only after Himeko mentioned it did March 7th notice something.
Equipment that should have been sitting securely on the platform was now flying straight out into space.
But this process didn't last long.
Soon, they were pulled back down to the ground.
And the moment they touched the surface, they began flying back out toward space again.
Just as Himeko had said, this was a sign of gravity system failure!
The area around the Doomsday Beast was experiencing fluctuating gravity!
Approaching recklessly would be far too risky!
"This…"
Although she understood what Himeko meant, March 7th grew even more anxious than before.
Because this meant there was nothing she could do!
"Himeko, think of something, quick!" March 7th was practically on the verge of tears. "Are we just going to stand here and watch?!"
"…"
Himeko was silent for a moment, then smiled slightly.
"So, Little March, you still haven't understood what I said earlier."
"What you said earlier?" March 7th looked at Himeko, confused. "I understood! I'm not going over, am I?"
"Heh… Not that part."
Himeko's gaze remained fixed on the black smoke rising from the crash site.
"I meant the part about believing in her potential."
"Believing in her potential?"
"Mm." Himeko nodded.
Then, she handed the cake Bai Ming had given her to March 7th.
"She left this for you."
"Did you anticipate this possibility?"
"Eh—?"
March 7th looked at the sliced cake being offered to her.
"Isn't this the cake we were having with Asta earlier?" She saved a piece for me too…"
"Young people really are good at building bonds," Himeko shrugged. "Someone like me doesn't get the chance, it seems."
"Eh, well…"
March 7th blushed, stammering and unable to form a proper sentence.
But the worry in her eyes remained.
Seeing she was still uneasy, Himeko added,
"Don't worry. If it's Bai Ming, I believe she'll be fine."
"And if worst comes to worst..." Himeko clenched her fist, "I have a way to make sure that Doomsday Beast is utterly annihilated."
Before March 7th could even respond to Himeko's words, Bai Ming's voice cut through the smoke.
"Whoa!"
"This guy's cheating!"
As Bai Ming's voice rang out, a gust of wind swept through.
The Doomsday Beast beat its wings once more and soared into the sky!
And below it, Bai Ming was sprinting.
She ran breathlessly toward the group.
But before the anxious March 7th could speak, Bai Ming grabbed her hand first.
"March! You were worried about me just now, weren't you!"
"W-what?"
Caught off guard, March 7th was completely flustered.
But this time, she didn't immediately deny it like before.
Himeko spoke up promptly beside them:
"Bai Ming.Now that you're here, I won't hold back."
"We must deal with this Doomsday Beast threatening the space station immediately!"
"Let's pierce right through its head!"
Hearing this, Bai Ming immediately raised a hand to stop Himeko.
"Sister Himeko, that won't work! Something seems to be protecting its head!"
"That's the feeling I got earlier!"
"This…" Himeko hadn't expected Bai Ming to say that.
After all, during the Express's travels before, she had encountered Doomsday Beasts before.
But this was the first time she'd seen one with protection on its head.
However, Himeko's mind was sharp.
Connecting it with what Bai Ming had just done on the Doomsday Beast's head with the baseball bat, she immediately knew she should trust Bai Ming's judgment.
"So, Bai Ming, what do you suggest we do?"
"Hit its claws!" Bai Ming replied without hesitation.
"Hit its claws?"
"Mm! It's really afraid of that!"
Bai Ming nodded earnestly, then looked up at the Doomsday Beast still circling above the deck.
"Although it might not guarantee success. I'm going to make it understand."
"It's not the only one who can cheat!"
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A/n: Hey over on my patreon there are currently two for the time being exclusive books which are
Life Simulator: Starting in Genshin Impact!
Zenless Zone Zero: Loving Daily Life Starting in New Eridu
patreon.com/deadlygoober