Inside Earth Cradle's sprawling urban expanse, I spot two familiar faces: Yuuki and Carla. Their presence means Archibald's unit reached safety.
"Welcome to Earth Cradle," I call.
"Captain Axel!?" Carla gasps, while Yuuki's cool facade cracks slightly.
"No need for shock. You knew I was here," I tease.
"It's not that… Thank you for the retreat support. We made it because of you," Yuuki says.
"Yeah, we were decoys, but who knew the main force was clashing with the Feds?" Carla adds.
"The Feds haven't mastered their Lion units yet. You'd have managed without me," I reply.
"Still, your help minimized casualties," Yuuki insists.
"Hey, Captain, those Landgriz units—Earth Cradle made them?" Carla points to nearly thirty machines on trailers.
"And some unfamiliar units," Yuuki notes, eyeing the El Eins.
"Those are our mass-produced units," I say. "Shadow Mirror's own."
"Shadow Mirror?" they echo, puzzled.
"Didn't Echidna tell you? We're not DC or Earth Cradle. We're a separate entity."
"You and Echidna are in the same group!?" Carla exclaims, while Yuuki's brow twitches.
What a pair. My comm buzzes—Vindel. He's supposed to be in the command room.
"Excuse me," I tell them, stepping away. "What's up?"
"We're attacking Hagane. Come to Shadow Mirror's strategy room," Vindel says.
Hagane? Right, Ouka's first enemy encounter scenario. "Got it. I'm on my way."
I turn back. "Sorry, duty calls."
"No worries. It's strategy," Yuuki says.
"We'll catch up later!" Carla adds.
In the strategy room, Vindel and Lemon await. Lemon looks annoyed—probably pulled from maintenance.
"Late?" I ask.
"No, you're fine," Vindel says. "We're engaging Hagane with just our unit."
"Just us?" Lemon balks. Hagane's forces are split between space and ground—manageable, maybe.
"Desert Cross needs resources elsewhere. Battle's in Arabia. Lemon, what's available besides Lions and Landgriz?"
"Huckebein Mk-IIs went to Dr. Feff, Biltofalcon's under analysis, and the new units—except your Vaisaga—are in maintenance."
"Biltofalcon… captured in the fight where Zeora reunited with Latune, right?" I muse. "Its data led to Weiss Savior's O.O. Rifle and Rapisage for Ouka."
"What about El Eins?" Vindel asks.
"Five or six are ready," Lemon replies.
"Then deploy them," Vindel says.
"With mass-produced Gespenst Mk-IIs? That'll expose us," Lemon warns.
"Doesn't matter. It might draw Helios' attention. We gave Landgriz to Ban for that reason," Vindel says.
"Axel, you're commanding?" Lemon asks.
I hesitate. Vaisaga's a close-combat unit, unlike my usual style, and Grow Savior's in overhaul. "No. W16 should lead. If I must command, I'll sit out combat."
"W16 it is," Vindel agrees. "We can't waste Axel's combat skills."
"I want W16 to check on W17," Lemon adds. "No word since the disk delivery. Possible trouble. I'll send backup comms."
Lamia's language issues are unknown to them, but I recall from the original story: that glitch sparked her true self.
W16 takes command; I'll pilot Vaisaga freely. As we plan, a mass-produced W approaches.
"Sir Vindel, Agira Setome requests we send one unit."
Vindel nods. "Acknowledge it."
Lemon eyes the departing W. "What's Agira's angle?"
"Extra firepower's fine by me," I shrug. "Boosted Children, likely."
Vindel frowns. "Why them?"
"During the Biltofalcon capture, a School member went missing, driving their partner erratic. The pilot was a discarded School member. Agira's probably sending Ouka to satisfy her curiosity."
"Sounds like her," Lemon says.
"Accept it. Rejecting raises suspicion," Vindel decides.
"Vaisaga's my ride. Transport?" I ask. "Wonderland's down, Arcland's for parts, and Gyanland's too valuable."
"We'll use Rhinocerous, built here from Feff's blueprints," Vindel says.
A land battleship? Not my favorite, but it'll do. "Keep it out of combat. Transport only," Vindel orders.
"Understood."
On Rhinocerous, en route to Arabia, I spend PP to boost Infight to LV.4. Ouka approaches, eyes wary despite her polite greeting.
"Captain Axel, I look forward to working together."
"I'm not in command. Echidna is," I clarify.
"I've spoken with her. But… why are you hostile toward Mother?"
Straight to the point. "How do you see yourself? Treated as a test subject, drugged, manipulated, yet you call her 'Mother.' As Ouka Nagisa, how do you feel?"
Her face reddens with fury. "I won't forgive anyone who insults Mother, no matter their rank! She makes painful choices for our sake!"
"Then why reclaim Latune after discarding her?"
"How do you know her name!?"
"Arado and Zeora, from Yuuki's unit. Heard about them during the retreat."
She hesitates. "…Fine. I'm saving Latune from Federation brainwashing. Mother wants her back."
"Brainwashing? Why would the Feds bother with a discarded failure?"
"That's… No, Latune's not…" Confusion clouds her eyes—hint of a contradiction in her programming.
"Captain, Hagane sighted," the comm interrupts.
"Prepare to engage," I order. "Ouka, ready your El Eins."
She nods, clutching her head, and heads to her unit.
Character: Axel Almer
LV: 25
PP: 25
Melee: 206
Shooting: 224
Skill: 216
Defense: 213
Evasion: 241
Accuracy: 263
SP: 342
Ace Bonus: SP
Boost (Enhances Slime performance with SP consumption)
Growth Type: All-Rounder/Specialist
Terrain: Air (S), Land (S), Sea (B), Space (A)
Spirits: Accelerate (SP 4) Effort (SP 8) Focus (SP 16) Direct Hit (SP 20) Awaken (SP 32) ???
Skills: EXP Up SP Boost (SP Up LV.9, SP Recovery, Focus) Psychokinesis LV.10 Attacker Gunfight LV.9 Infight LV.4 ??? (x5)
Kill Count: 100