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Hringhorni- Briefing Room

Mio: Yahoo! Long time, no see!

Masaki: Yeah, sorry if I had you worried.

Mio: Well, just consider us even now. By the way, Masaki, you look better than I thought you would.

Masaki: Really?

Mio: Yeah. You seem to have a glow about you…

Mio: Huh!? No way! Wendy, Lune!

Wendy: Eh?

Lune: Wh-What?

Mio: …The two of you have that same glow.

Mio: Ah, so that’s how it is. Hee hee hee.

Becky: Oh, I see.

Masaki: …I don’t know what you’re imagining, but whatever it is you’re wrong.

Becky: You don’t have to hide it. I get it. You decided to go with both of them.

Masaki: I told you it’s not like that. Wendy, Lune, tell her…

Wendy: …..

Lune: …..

Masaki: D-Don’t just stand there blushing! Tell Beck that it’s not…

Simone: I’m sure that it isn’t. Though there is something different about you.

Becky: Well, I’ll pry the story out of you later. So, how are Yang Long and Tytti?

Masaki: They’re both stable, but it’ll be awhile before they’re back in action.

Becky: Gotcha. By the way, we received a message from Fang and Zash saying that they’ll be rejoining us soon.

Masaki: So they’re on their way here?

Becky: Yeah, and it looks like the South finally signed a peace accord. Or at least a partial one.

Xenia: I wish they’d been able to make a few connections within the South…

Guido: Don’t say that, they did a good job. The best that they could have under the circumstances.

Xenia: True…Zash has a few connections because of Kirkus, but that sort of thing is out of Fang’s depth.

Xenia: Well, Ahmad will take care of the rest.

Masaki: Connections in the South…what’s that for?

Xenia: Obviously for a stronger Xenia Division.

Masaki: Xenia Division? What the heck is that?

Xenia: What? Haven’t you been paying attention?

Masaki: First I’ve heard of it. What are you up to?

Xenia: I’m not “up to” anything. You remember how I’ve been working with the Intelligence Bureau, right?

Masaki: Yeah, you talk about it all the time.

Xenia: That’s the name of my branch.

Masaki: Xenia Division…why am I not surprised? You have no taste in naming conventions.

Xenia: I don’t want to hear that from you.

Guido: I think it’s a fine name.

Masaki: Back to the point, why does the Intelligence Bureau need connections in the South.

Xenia: So that we can get informants in the South. We already have Rodney and Ellis in the North.

Masaki: In short, a spy?

Guido: Nothing that drastic. Just someone to collect news that’s circulating in mass media and send it to us.

Masaki: You can do all that on the internet. Besides, we have Ahmad.

Guido: That won’t do. You need to be on location in order to accurately gauge the atmosphere.

Guido: That’s an essential part of intelligence. No person can do it all by himself.

Xenia: Really Masaki, you don’t know the first thing about collecting intelligence.

Xenia: Do you even know how many times the information I’ve gathered has saved us?

Xenia: Since the Antiras Squad can only react to situations, intelligence is our most important lifeline.

Masaki: Okay, I get it. I’ll admit that we owe a lot to the information you’ve gathered, Xenia.

Xenia: If that’s the case, I want you on my side when it comes to budgeting issues going forward.

Masaki: Fine, I promise.

Xenia: You too, Lune. Especially since you’re one of our accountants.

Lune: I understand the importance of intelligence. I saw it firsthand with my father.

Lune: However, I also know that an organization cannot function on that alone. Just something to keep in mind.

Xenia: …She sure is serious when it comes to money.

Wendy: Oh yes. Xenia, we’ve managed to further empower Cybuster.

Xenia: Eh!? Really!?

Wendy: Yes, thanks to a new contract with Cyfis.

Xenia: Why didn’t you tell me sooner!? To the hangar!

Wendy: Of course.

Masaki: H-Hey, the briefing’s still…　

Masaki: And they’re gone. What should we do now?

Mio: We’ve covered the topic of the Intelligence Bureau, so I guess we can continue without them, right?

Wagner: Oh…I suppose it’s my turn then? Well, there’s nothing particularly eventful happening today, so we can adjourn early.

Masaki: ..Okay, I guess.

Hringhorni – Hangar

Xenia: It doesn’t look any different…but I can tell that it has a whole lot more power.

Wendy: I would expect no less from you, Xenia. You noticed it right away.

Wendy: Many of it’s specs have been altered. The overall energy efficiency has also seen an improvement.

Wendy: Most importantly, Masaki can now activate Possession at will.

Xenia: Eh? Possession…Masaki’s finally mastered it!?

Wendy: Of course, it cannot be activated indefinitely, but it can be used for short periods of time as the

Xenia: Well, that’s a given. No mortal human being can withstand Possession for very long.

Wendy: If it’s used correctly, it can be a great asset. Perhaps this increase in power is so that the Masoukishin can endure Possession.

Xenia: Tian wasn’t able to endure it…

Wendy: And Tytti and Yang Long were only able to do so for mere seconds.

Xenia: That reminded me of when Masaki inadvertently activated it during his fight with Cristoph.

Wendy: Yes, and it’s strange for me to say this, when I’m the one who created the system for making contracts with the higher spirits, but…

Wendy: None of them were made to withstand Possession.

Xenia: When you make a contract with a high-ranking spirit, you’re bound to run into a lot of things outside the realm of conventional logic.

Wendy: And these enhancements were made by Cyfis…by the spirit itself. There’s still so many things that we don’t know about them.

Xenia: Would it be alright if I ran a quick diagnostic?

Wendy: Yes, of course.

Xenia: Thanks, Wendy! You’re the best!

Wendy: N-No need to sprint off, Xenia. Cybuster’s not going to fly away on its own.

Wendy: (The full extent of Cybuster’s power…Possession is just one facet of that.)

Wendy: (Although I knew that there was still room for improvement…Cybuster has changed so much that I can hardly grasp it…)

Wendy: (No, it’s not that it’s changed, but that it’s grown…is that a good thing…?)

Hringhorni – Briefing Room

Wagner: We’ve just been contacted by Fang and Zashford. They’ve been ambushed by mercenaries in the employ of the South.

Masaki: Mercenaries?

Guido: Someone from the South must have been quite vexed by their actions. The official army can’t take action, so they’re relying on mercenaries to take care of them.

Masaki: Well, no time to waste! Let’s go help them!

Wagner: Agreed. We move out at once.

≪The Hringhorni travels from Erial’s Warfare Research Institute to the Niasvio Volcano≫

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Chapter 25: The Brighter the Light, The Deeper the Darkness

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Niasvio Volcano – Lava Plateau

*Galguard and Giolast appear on the map*

Zash: Multiple readings on my spirit radar! It’s the mercenaries from the Southern Army!

Fang: Same on my end. Looks like this will be my debut battle with Giolast.

Zash: Will you be alright?

Fang: Don’t worry about me. This Masouki was once used by my master, Zeolute.

Fang: There’s no way I can’t handle it.

Zash: Of course, pardon my doubts.

Fang: Looks like they’re here.

*Multiple hostiles arrive*

Zash: Is that…Euleed!?

Fang: Shutedonias…are they mass-producing the Euleed…?

Zash: Tch…my dad’s greatest folly…I have to destroy it!

Margaret: How disappointing that the Masoukishin are not here.

Fang: What’s the Hringhorni’s ETA?

Zash: About twenty minutes.

Fang: That’s plenty of time.

Zash: Yeah. We’ll have things finished up before they arrive.

????: Hmm, you sound pretty confident.

Fang: Ngh!? Who’s there!?

*Zelvoid appears*

Elan: I don’t believe we’ve met. You are…Fang and Zash, yes?

Fang: The…black Cybuster!?

Zash: So that guy must be…Elan Xenosakis!?

Elan: Oh, so you know who I am. I’m impressed. Well then, Fang, let’s see how good you are.

Fang: You’re a disgrace to the Xenosakis bloodline…in the name of my master, I won’t let you go free!

Elan: Well well, it seems that all of Zeolute’s disciples are short-tempered. Fine, I’ll be your opponent

Fang: Bring it on!

Zash: Um…did you guys forget about me?

*Conditions shown, Battle Starts*

*Turn 4 Player Phase, Hringhorni arrives*

Masaki: Looks like we’re just in time!

Zash: The Hringhorni! You guys made it!

Elan: Finally. Masaki, can you hear me? Come and face me. I grow tired of fighting these amateurs.

Masaki: Elan…you again! Alright, I’ll take you on!

*Cybuster deploys*

Elan: Oh…? Something seems different…

Masaki: Heh…watch this! I’ve mastered…Possession!

Cybuster, Possession!

Elan: Hmm…you finally have a grasp on it.

Masaki: Elan, I won’t let you do as you please!

Elan: Heh heh heh…well, I’ll be. All my work has ultimately paid off

Masaki: Like you get any of the credit for this!

*More enemies appear, including one resembling the Duraxyll*

Xenia: What the…!? Is that thing…a Duraxyll!?

Wendy: No…how could Shutedonias have constructed a Duraxyll…

Wendy: *gasp!* Unless…Rasetz…

Mudeka: That’s right! This Duraxyll II is the ultimate legacy of Lord Rasetz! The perfect means of sending you to your graves!

Xenia: …That thing is nothing more than a cheap copy of my Duraxyll!

Xenia: I won’t forgive this…I’ll never forgive this!

Masaki: Mudeka…so, you’ve reduced yourself to being a lousy sell-sword!

Mudeka: The Antiras Squad…I’ll defeat you this time!

Fang: You know this guy, Masaki?

Masaki: Yeah, we’ve fought more than a few times.

Mudeka: You’re…Fang!?

Fang: Hm? Do I know you?

Mudeka: You…don’t tell me you forgot! I was your opponent in the semi-finals of the Veind Cup Swordfighting Tournament!

Fang: The semi-finals? I did participate in that tournament, but I don’t remember who it was I faced. Was it you?

Mudeka: You…you…this is an insult! I won’t let it slide!

Masaki: …Careful, Fang. This guy can be a real pain in the neck.

*Remaining allies deploy, Hringhorni withdraws, Battle resumes*

{Zash VS Margaret}

Margaret: I’ll spill your blood as a prelude to spilling Masaki’s!

Zash: Wha…what is…this dark prana…

{Fang VS Margaret}

Margaret: I heard you once bore a grudge against Masaki, so tell me, why would you side with the selfsame person!?

Fang: I was the one in the wrong then. Masaki is carrying on His Highness’s hopes and legacy!

Margaret: Hmph…you’re just a fool who can’t properly carry out vengeance!

{Xenia VS Mudeka}

Xenia: Duraxyll II!? Don’t make me laugh!

Xenia: It’s nothing more than a degraded product that can’t even come close to the original Duraxyll’s power!

Mudeka: How dare you speak of Lord Rasetz’s legacy in that way!

{Fang VS Mudeka}

Mudeka: This time, I’ll make sure you remember my name!

Fang: Don’t worry. I remember. It’s Mukade, right?

Mudeka: It’s MUDEKA!!

{Zash VS Elan}

Zash: Hey you!

Elan: Hmmm, you appear to use the Fueki-Kuon style. That school’s fairly mediocre.

Zash: Wh…Who’re you calling mediocre!?

Elan: Oh? Did I touch a nerve?

{Fang VS Elan}

Fang: You! Why are you getting in our way!?

Elan: You can’t grow stronger fighting weaker opponents, right? So I’m going to need you guys to give it your all.

Fang: What are you talking about!?

Elan: You’ll have to figure that out for yourself.

{Masaki VS Elan}

Elan: Heh…you’re growing quite nicely, aren’t you? Very good, very good.

Masaki: You…quit playing around!

Elan: I assure you I’m not playing around. I’m deadly serious.

*Defeat Elan*

Elan: I see…you really have grown stronger, Masaki.

Elan: Well, that’s good enough for today. We’ll meet again.

*Zelvoid retreats*

*Stage ends when all enemies are defeated*

Hringhorni – Briefing Room

Wagner: I’m glad to see that the both of you are safe.

Fang: It’s been a long time, sir.

Wagner: Yes, and your expression has considerably relaxed since then.

Fang: Uh…has it? I wasn’t aware of that…

Wagner: It’s a good thing, Fang. You’ve always been somewhat reckless.

Wagner: If you continue to bear yourself in this matter, I know you’ll become that much greater of a herald.

Fang: Thank you, sir. I shall do my best to meet your expectations.

Wagner: You’ve gotten so big since I saw you last, Zashford.

Zash: Huh? U-Um, do you know me, Your Excellency?

Wagner: Yes. I was an old friend of your father, General Kirkus. I played with you when you were about five years old.

Zash: I had no idea. I look forward to working with you.

Wagner: Likewise.

Xenia: Still, making a copy of Duraxyll…Shutedonias has cast aside any integrity it still had.

Fang: Remember, it was fielded by mercenaries. It’s not officially in use by the Southern army.

Xenia: An extremely distinct, custom-made unit…if the South isn’t behind it, then it was made by a company that can afford to provide Masouki to mercs…

Xenia: I’ve got some ideas about that. Let’s check them out.

Hringhorni – Computer Room

Masaki: How’s it going?

Xenia: Definitely a match.

Wendy: Yes, these specs match those used by the Martena Corporation.

Masaki: Martena Corporation?

Wendy: A temp agency headquartered in Langran. At least, that’s their official designation.

Masaki: I take it that there’s more to them than meets the eye, then?

Wendy: Yes, Martena’s true buissiness is in taking war contracts.

Masaki: War contracts…? There’s an entire company that deals with those?

Mio: You’re kidding, right? They exist on the surface.

Masaki: Really?

Guido: Well, the general public wouldn’t know about them.

Masaki: Can you run a company by taking on war contracts?

Wendy: Training, security detail, renting of equipment, and dispatching mercenaries. It’s an entire industry.

Masaki: They’re taking advantage of war to make a profit, right? Then they’re not the good guys.

Xenia: It’s not that black-and-white. On the contrary, it’s a way for a country to save money by outsourcing it’s military expenses.

Masaki: But, they attacked us. Can we really afford to leave this company alone?

Xenia: It wasn’t the company that ordered the attack, it was whatever Southern power hired them. The company had nothing to do with that.

Masaki: Uh…I guess I see your point…

Xenia: That being said, Martena’s forces are considerable, so we’d better be careful.

Masaki: Why do we need to be careful?

Xenia: Just because they’re mercenaries doesn’t mean we should underestimate them. Many of them have a lot of experience in live combat, so they’re sometimes asked to test out new models.

Masaki: Ah, point taken.

Wagner: Good news, everyone.

Masaki: Huh? What’s up?

Wagner: Yang Long and Tytti have regained consciousness.

Masaki: …thank goodness.

Wagner: We’re now heading towards Solatis Shrine to pick them up.

Masaki: Got it.

The Brighter the Light, The Deeper the Darkness End

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