"No pursuers, it seems," Vindel mutters, eyeing Shirogane's radar.
"Almost had Hagane… Tetsuya…" Lee grumbles, his voice laced with personal vendetta.
"Lee, we didn't recruit you for personal grudges. Clear on that?" I say.
"Captain Axel, I'm a lieutenant colonel. Watch your tone."
"Your ideals are your own, but in Shadow-Mirror, do your job right, and ranks don't matter. You've been here long enough to get that."
Vindel, smirking, chimes in. "I tried fixing Axel's mouth early on, but he gets the job done and knows TPO. I gave up. You should too, Lieutenant Colonel."
"But…" Lee protests.
Lemon cuts in. "Think of it this way: a competent soldier with a bad attitude beats an incompetent one like Kenes. Right?"
"True, but—"
"Hey, enough about me," I interrupt, annoyed at their banter.
Vindel quips, "That's your daily conduct talking."
Lee stays silent, eyeing Vindel. More time needed? Time's running short. In the original story, Lee's attack during Operation Plantagenet kills Hagane's captain, Daitetsu Minase. For my goals, keeping Daitetsu alive is better—he leads Hagane and Hiryuu Kai's troublesome crews. But quenching Lee's hatred for Tetsuya… or Hagane… won't be easy.
If it comes to it, shoot Shirogane from behind? I'd rather not. For now, the bigger issue:
"Vindel, how's Trinity Gain after W17's self-destruct?"
"Heavy damage. System XN's hit too. Repairable, but it'll take time."
"Supplies and maintenance needed. Can we make it to Earth Cradle?"
"Barely, if at all. I've ordered mass-produced W units to seize a base thirty minutes out. We'll resupply there, then head to Earth Cradle."
"Sharp as ever."
"I'm off to check W17. Let me know when we're near the base," Lemon says, waving as she leaves.
"Careful with W17's adjustments," I call after her.
"Colonel Vindel, is she trustworthy?" Lee asks.
"Hey, Lemon's a Shadow-Mirror veteran, longer than you," I snap.
"I'm asking the colonel, not you, Captain. Well, Colonel?"
"She's a bit of a wildcard, but trustworthy? Absolutely," Vindel replies.
"If you say so, I'll follow," Lee concedes, though reluctant.
"Not satisfied?" Vindel probes.
"No, sir. Your word's enough."
Watching them, my thoughts drift to Lamia and Lemon. Time's up.
I nod to Vindel and leave the bridge.
"Has W17 gone?" I ask Lemon, alone in her quarters.
"Yes… by her will, as Lamia Loveless, not W17."
"Got it. But Vindel can't just let her go. You know that?"
"If she falls here, that's the end of Lamia Loveless."
I nod, hug her briefly, pat her head, and head to the hangar.
"Axel, we're nearing the base—what's wrong?" Vindel's voice crackles.
"W17's escaped. Heading to the hangar."
"What!? …Understood. Get to the hangar—argh!"
An explosion rocks Shirogane—likely Lamia blasting the hatch.
"Vindel, I'm pursuing W17. Handle the supply loading."
"Alone?"
"Punishing a traitor like W17 is my job as execution squad leader."
"Alright. It's yours."
I cut the comm, rush to the hangar, and board Growseiva.
"Growseiva, Axel Alma, launching!"
Tesla Drive activates, and I pursue through the breached hatch. Lamia's Angelg is still in range—luckily, little time passed. In the original story, a hidden unit could've been acquired here, but her Angelg's unchanged. Echidna's Vaisaga aside, I thought we had spare Ashsavers. Guess I missed the hidden unit conditions.
"W17, stop."
I fire Gun Rapier shots across Angelg's path.
"Disarm and accept Lemon's readjustment. I'll overlook this."
"That would erase Lamia Loveless. I left to break from being W17."
"Breaking free, huh? You're Lemon's masterpiece, Lamia Loveless. Want to move forward? Defeat me."
"Understood."
"Shirogane's too close. Let's move out. Vindel, hurry the supplies. Something's coming."
"T-LINK System picking up something?" Vindel asks.
"More like my telekinesis warning me. Bad feeling."
"Got it. I'll speed up the loading."
Far from Shirogane, I face Angelg, T-LINK barrier up, ready for combat.
"Come, Lamia Loveless. Prove you're not W17. Show me your strength. Time's short, but not gone—if you survive."
"Understood. Not for orders, but to walk my path as Lamia Loveless, I'll defeat you, Captain."
"Ha, I can tell who influenced you. Come!"
Angelg, a shooter-type, doesn't keep distance. It deploys Mirage Sword, slashing at Growseiva. I dodge sideways, firing vulcan pods for suppression.
"Going for close combat, knowing you can't win a shootout? Smart, given you know Growseiva."
"I'm not reckless enough to fight you and Growseiva at range!"
Angelg's rapid, fencing-like thrusts come fast, but my T-LINK barrier tracks them, making evasion easy.
"Adamon Halber, activate!"
Her relentless stabs aim to lock me down, but I flip backward mid-air, activating Adamon Halber.
"Hah!"
Using the flip's momentum, I swing the scythe upward.
"Ugh!"
Angelg parries with Mirage Sword, but I slip Growseiva inside its guard. At half Angelg's size, I'm a tough target.
"Low power, but point-blank? Fire Dagger!"
Growseiva's chest armor opens, firing multi-warhead missiles. Angelg, hit repeatedly at close range, reels back.
"As expected, Captain," Lamia grunts.
"You chose to be Lamia Loveless. Is this where your path ends?"
I shift Adamon Halber to lance mode, aiming at Angelg. As I charge, an alarm blares.
"What!?"
Lee's voice answers: "Three objects approaching fast. Special units and Personal Troopers."
"Hagane's pursuit?" Vindel mutters.
No, I realize—Kurogane's. "Vindel, this is my bad feeling. Supply status?"
"Needs more time."
"Got it. They're here!"
Three units burst in: a rare Tesla Drive-equipped Gespenst Type-RV, a Grungust Type-3 (Slade Gelmeer's base), and a Huckebein Mk-III, like Ryouto's. The pilots? Gilliam Yeager, Zengar Zombolt, Raetzel Feinschmecker.
"You held on well, Lamia Loveless. Your hope's arrived."
"Captain…?" She looks puzzled.
Ignoring her, I face the trio. As if on cue, a transmission comes from Gespenst Type-RV.
"Respond, Shadow-Mirror commander, Colonel Vindel Mauser."
"Impossible…" Vindel gasps.
"Helios Olympus!?" Lemon exclaims.
I wait as the man—Helios Olympus, no, Gilliam Yeager—speaks.
Axel Alma Stats
Level: 28
PP: 40
Melee: 218
Shooting: 236
Skill: 228
Defense: 225
Evasion: 253
Accuracy: 275
SP: 366
Ace Bonus: SP Boost (enhances slime performance with SP)
Growth Type: Versatile/Special
Terrain: Air S, Land S, Sea B, Space A
Spirit Commands:
Accel (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) Telekinesis Lv.10 Attacker Gunfight Lv.9 Infight Lv.8 ??? (x5)
Kill Count: 135
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