Yuuki had only just managed to leave the observation balcony when another group approached him before he could finally return to his quarters.
This time, however, the atmosphere felt entirely different from the emotional confessions earlier.
Rapi stood at the front while Anis, Neon, Ade, and Soda followed closely behind her. None of them looked embarrassed or flustered like the shipgirls had been. Instead, there was visible tension in their expressions, as though they were trying to confirm something important but feared the answer at the same time.
"Commander…" Rapi spoke quietly.
Yuuki immediately noticed the seriousness in her voice.
"Ah, Rapi," he answered gently. "Can I help you girls with something?"
Rapi exchanged a brief glance with the others before carefully continuing.
"Commander… you understand what Nikkes are, correct?"
Yuuki nodded slowly.
"I know enough to understand you girls aren't simply machines," he replied honestly. "You think, feel, suffer, and live like any human would. Good with guns and made as successor to the shipgirls to fight raptures on land. That's the short version."
That answer alone softened some of the tension within the group.
Then Rapi continued.
"Then… are you familiar with Vapaus blood?"
Yuuki frowned slightly while trying to remember what Vergil had once explained to him.
"Hm… somewhat," he admitted. "If I remember correctly after Vergil explained it, Vapaus is some kind of black organic compound derived from human blood."
The Nikkes immediately focused on him more closely.
Yuuki continued carefully.
"It's considered dangerous to Heretics Nikke, right? Something capable of killing corrupted Nikkes aligned with the Raptures technology."
Rapi nodded quietly.
"Yes. Vapaus is derived from human blood, but not ordinary blood. Only individuals with the Rh-X blood type can naturally produce it."
Her expression became more serious afterward.
"So far, only one human was ever confirmed to possess that blood type."
"Commander Anderson," Soda whispered softly.
"Sounds like a legend." Yuuki mused.
The atmosphere immediately grew heavier.
"Yes, he became something of a legend among Nikkes," Ade explained quietly. "Someone capable of leading us properly."
Yuuki slowly crossed his arms.
"But he died during the Siren and Rapture invasion on one of the Ark cities five years ago," Rapi finished calmly. "He can handle raptures but, once the invulnerable sirens stepped in, he was done for. The reason why all Nikkes scattered."
For several moments, only the distant hum of the Daedalus engines could be heard around them.
Then Rapi continued explaining further.
"The components that make up Vapaus cannot be artificially synthesized," she said. "The moment it comes into contact with metallic compounds, it rapidly degrades."
Yuuki tilted his head slightly.
"Metallic compounds?"
"Goddessium," Neon answered this time. "The material used to create our bodies."
Yuuki blinked softly.
"As Vapaus itself is entirely organic," Rapi added, "military scanners cannot properly detect it. Their systems only search for recognized synthetic materials and weapon compounds."
The explanation slowly settled within Yuuki's mind while he quietly observed the girls standing before him.
There was hesitation in their eyes.
But also hope.
Hope strong enough to frighten them.
Yuuki finally looked directly toward Rapi.
"…Why are you telling me all this?"
The five Nikkes exchanged uncertain glances before Rapi finally stepped forward slightly.
Her crimson eyes remained fixed on his.
"Because…" she whispered carefully, "…we think you might possess it too."
Yuuki visibly blinked in surprise.
Anis immediately sighed afterward while rubbing the back of her neck.
"Yeah. Crazy theory. We know."
"But the more we observe Commander…" Ade quietly continued, "…the stranger things become."
Soda lowered her gaze slightly.
"We follow your orders naturally," she admitted softly. "Without resistance. Without instability."
Neon nodded quickly afterward.
"And not because we're forced to. It's like following Anderson back then."
Yuuki's expression gradually became more thoughtful.
Rapi continued quietly.
"Only Vapaus carriers are capable of commanding Nikkes that smoothly without triggering mental rejection or system errors."
Then her voice softened further.
"But around you…"
Her eyes lowered slightly.
"…everything feels natural."
Yuuki fell silent after hearing that.
Because deep down, he had noticed it too.
The Nikkes trusted him unusually quickly.
Followed him instinctively.
And despite barely knowing him, they treated his words with almost unnatural ease.
Not out of fear.
Not out of programming.
But because something about him simply felt… safe to them.
Yuuki slowly exhaled afterward.
"And you want confirmation."
Rapi nodded immediately.
"Yes."
Anis looked visibly uncomfortable now.
"Rapi's insane enough to suggest directly testing your blood," she muttered. "Which could seriously go wrong if we're mistaken."
"A single drop would be enough," Rapi answered quietly.
Yuuki immediately frowned.
"You were willing to risk yourself for this?"
Rapi did not hesitate.
"Yes."
The answer came so honestly that Yuuki could not even argue immediately.
Then Rapi looked directly into his eyes.
"I need to know whether you truly are the man capable of leading us. Understanding us just like understanding the shipgirls."
"Maybe... just maybe... connected to our Bastion Cubes just like you connect yourself to the Wisdom cubes."
The corridor became completely silent afterward.
Not because of fear.
But because everyone there understood how much that answer could potentially change for the Nikkes forever.
Yuuki remained quiet for several moments after hearing their explanation, his expression thoughtful rather than dismissive. The distant hum of the Daedalus engines echoed softly through the corridor while the stealth carrier continued its silent flight through the night sky.
"It's not like I intentionally connected myself to the shipgirls," he finally admitted quietly. "Everything started when I touched Yorktown's sister, Hornet's Wisdom Cube."
The Nikkes immediately listened more carefully.
"That was the moment I got pulled into the Void World," Yuuki continued. "The place where the dead shipgirls reside."
Even Rapi looked visibly surprised hearing him describe it so calmly.
"In that world, my voice somehow connected to shipgirls everywhere. Not just nearby ones. All of them."
Yuuki slowly folded his arms while thinking back.
"And now… the connection keeps intensifying every time I gather more of them."
His eyes lowered slightly afterward.
"The more they trust me. The more they confess their feelings…"
A helpless smile crossed his face.
"…the stronger the connection becomes."
The Nikkes exchanged uneasy glances afterward.
"So honestly," Yuuki admitted, "I don't know whether the same thing could happen with Bastion Cubes."
Then he shook his head slightly.
"Without physically seeing or touching the cubes themselves, I can't know for certain."
Rapi slowly stepped forward afterward.
"Then…"
Her brown eyes remained unwavering.
"…will you allow us to test your blood?"
Yuuki immediately narrowed his eyes slightly.
"Are you sure about this?"
The seriousness in his tone caused even Neon to become quiet.
Rapi nodded slowly.
"If you truly carry Vapaus blood…"
Her voice softened slightly.
"…then it has the potential to completely change what Nikkes are."
Yuuki remained silent as she continued explaining.
"Vapaus destroys NIMPH," Rapi said quietly. "The neural regulatory nanomachines inside our brains."
Yuuki frowned slightly.
"And what exactly happens after that?"
Rapi inhaled softly before answering carefully.
"A Nikke exposed to Vapaus can no longer be revived through Ark backup systems if she dies."
Yuuki's expression immediately hardened.
"Then wouldn't that just make your deaths permanent?"
"No," Rapi answered immediately. "It only destroys the NIMPH itself."
She placed a hand lightly against her chest afterward.
"The Ark's revival systems depend entirely on NIMPH to restore memory backups."
Soda quietly stepped forward as well.
"But if you could somehow bind us to our Bastion Cubes instead…"
Her voice carried cautious hope.
"…the same way Wisdom Cubes are connected to shipgirls…"
Yuuki's eyes widened slightly.
"Then I could potentially revive you through the cubes instead of the Ark."
Rapi nodded.
"And only you would possess that capability."
The implications immediately became enormous.
Rapi continued speaking calmly despite the tension building around them.
"Once NIMPH is destroyed, a Nikke also becomes immune to memory alteration and emotional manipulation."
Yuuki blinked softly.
"We would keep our memories permanently," Ade whispered quietly. "Even painful ones."
Anis crossed her arms afterward.
"It means no more forced memory wipes every time something traumatic happens."
Her expression darkened slightly.
"We would have to cope with pain the same way humans do."
Then Neon quietly added:
"But it also means nobody could manipulate our emotions anymore."
Rapi nodded again.
"NIMPH allows human authorities to forcibly regulate our behavior. Without it…"
Her crimson eyes narrowed slightly.
"…Nikkes gain complete free will."
Yuuki slowly exhaled while listening carefully.
"No forced obedience," Rapi continued. "No emotional suppression. No control protocols."
"And no more corruption," Soda added softly.
Yuuki looked toward her.
"Rapture corruption relies entirely on NIMPH to hijack our systems," she explained. "Without NIMPH, standard corruption methods become ineffective."
Yuuki's expression gradually became more serious as he realized the full implications.
Vapaus did not merely free Nikkes.
It fundamentally changed what they were.
Then Rapi quietly added one final truth.
"With Vapaus…"
Her voice became softer now.
"…we would no longer belong to the Ark."
The corridor fell silent afterward.
"Neither governments nor military systems could take us away from you anymore," Ade whispered.
"Because we would no longer be theirs," Neon finished quietly.
Yuuki slowly looked at all five of them afterward.
And for the first time that night—
He realized the weight behind what they were truly asking from him.
This was not simply a blood test.
This was the possibility of liberation.
Freedom.
A complete rebirth of what Nikkes were as living beings.
And if the connection truly formed…
Then they would no longer be bound by systems, commands, or manufactured obedience.
They would choose him entirely through their own free will.
Yuuki remained silent for several moments after hearing everything the Nikkes had explained. The weight behind their words was impossible to ignore now. This was no longer simple curiosity or speculation. If what they believed was true, then the consequences would fundamentally change the lives of every Nikke connected to him.
Finally, Yuuki exhaled softly.
"…Then you girls are absolutely sure about this?"
Rapi nodded immediately.
"There is risk," she admitted honestly. "But we need confirmation."
Yuuki studied their expressions carefully before eventually turning around.
"Then come on."
The five Nikkes blinked in surprise before quickly following him through the quiet corridors of the Daedalus. The ship remained mostly silent this late into the night, save for the distant hum of engines and the occasional movement of maintenance drones passing through the hallways.
Eventually, Yuuki led them directly into the Medical Center.
The moment the doors slid open, Vestal immediately looked up from one of the glowing holographic displays she had been studying intensely.
"Commander?" she spoke in surprise. "You're still awake?"
Then she noticed the Nikkes behind him.
Vestal quickly straightened herself while trying to regain some professional composure despite the faint redness still lingering on her cheeks from earlier confession.
"E-Ehem… I was currently exploring the Med Bay systems," she explained. "This facility is absurdly advanced. Some of these treatment options are decades beyond what I'm familiar with."
Yuuki smiled faintly.
"Find anything interesting?"
"Everything," Vestal answered immediately. "The regenerative stabilization chambers alone are terrifying."
Then she tilted her head slightly.
"Is there something you need, Commander?"
Yuuki nodded.
"Yeah. I need your help extracting some of my blood."
Vestal blinked.
"…Ah."
The room became quieter afterward as Yuuki explained the situation regarding Vapaus and the Nikkes' suspicions.
The more he explained, the more worried Vestal's expression became.
"Commander…" she spoke softly once he finished. "Isn't this dangerous?"
Yuuki crossed his arms.
"We don't know yet."
"If you truly carry Vapaus blood," Vestal continued carefully, "then the reaction could affect you as well. Especially considering how your body already interacts with Wisdom Cubes."
The mention of the cubes immediately caused the atmosphere to grow heavier again.
Yuuki, however, simply smiled faintly afterward.
"We won't know anything until we test it."
Then his expression softened slightly while looking at her.
"Besides… I have you as my doctor, right?"
Vestal froze.
Then immediately blushed again.
"Commander…"
The warmth in her eyes softened almost instantly afterward.
"…If you phrase it like that, I can hardly refuse."
Then her expression sharpened professionally.
"Fine. But if something goes wrong…"
She narrowed her eyes directly at him.
"…expect an entire round of scolding from me."
Her gaze shifted toward the Nikkes as well.
"And all of you too."
Neon visibly recoiled.
"Yikes… this doctor's scarier than Mary."
"I think they'd get along extremely well," Rapi muttered quietly.
Even Anis looked mildly intimidated now.
Vestal sighed softly afterward before motioning Yuuki toward one of the advanced medical stations.
"Sit down, Commander."
Yuuki obeyed surprisingly easily this time.
That alone made Vestal suspicious.
"…You're being cooperative."
"A patient listens to his doctor, right?"
"You said that earlier too." Vestal blushed.
"I'm committed to the role now."
Vestal tried not to smile while preparing the extraction tools.
The medical systems around them activated automatically, projecting holographic diagnostics across the room as scanners carefully analyzed Yuuki's body. Several readings immediately began fluctuating strangely the moment they scanned the residual nanomachines within him.
"…That's unusual," Vestal whispered quietly.
Yuuki calmly raised his arm afterward.
Then, with a subtle pulse of energy, the nanomachines around the extraction point dissolved away temporarily, exposing normal human skin beneath.
The Nikkes quietly watched the process with growing tension.
Even Rapi's usually calm expression had tightened slightly.
Because once this blood was tested…
There would be no turning back from the answer.
Vestal carefully inserted the extraction needle into Yuuki's arm while monitoring the readings closely.
For several moments, nobody spoke.
Then finally—
Dark crimson blood slowly filled the transparent vial.
The moment the first few drops settled inside…
The room's atmosphere subtly changed.
Vestal stared at the blood sample for several long seconds while holographic diagnostic panels continued processing the data above the medical station. The more the systems analyzed Yuuki's blood, the stranger the readings became.
Her expression slowly shifted from curiosity…
To disbelief.
"Commander…"
Yuuki raised an eyebrow slightly.
"What is it?"
Vestal looked back toward him carefully.
"Your blood is extremely unusual."
That immediately caught everyone's attention.
"What do you mean?" Rapi asked quietly.
Vestal slowly turned the holographic display toward them.
"Human blood classifications are normally simple. A, B, AB, or O."
Her fingers moved across the interface again.
"But Commander's blood isn't matching any recognized human category."
Even the Med Bay itself appeared unable to properly classify it.
"The system keeps labeling it as…"
She hesitated slightly.
"…unknown."
The room immediately fell silent.
Yuuki quietly exhaled afterward.
"…Yeah."
Vestal blinked softly.
"You already knew?"
Yuuki rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly.
"I probably should explain something first."
The girls focused entirely on him now.
"You already know I'm not originally from this world," Yuuki began carefully.
Anis nodded slowly.
"Yeah, obviously."
Yuuki shook his head.
"No. I mean literally not from this world."
The room became still again.
"What do you mean?" Vestal asked softly.
Yuuki lowered his gaze briefly before continuing.
"Back on Earth 1.0…"
His voice grew quieter.
"…I wasn't even from that world either."
Nobody spoke.
Because the statement itself sounded absurd.
Yuuki gave a weak laugh afterward.
"Do you girls believe me if I said I literally descended from the heavens twenty-seven years ago and crash-landed into a Tiberium-infested Earth?"
Even Neon failed to make a joke.
"…How?" Soda whispered softly.
Vestal looked completely stunned.
"Then… does that mean you're some kind of alien?"
Yuuki immediately sighed.
"I honestly don't know."
That answer somehow made things even stranger.
He leaned back slightly against the medical chair afterward while speaking more quietly now.
"When I explained the memory merging experiments to Yorktown and the others earlier… I wasn't exaggerating."
Rapi narrowed her eyes slightly.
"Normal humans couldn't survive them?"
Yuuki shook his head.
"Not even close."
His expression darkened faintly.
"Most people exposed to large-scale memory implantation collapse psychologically. Their personalities break apart. Their minds fragment from overload."
Then he looked toward them calmly.
"But me?"
A bitter smile crossed his face.
"I survived hundreds."
The room immediately became silent again.
Vergil surviving a few memory integrations had already sounded extraordinary.
But hundreds?
That was monstrous.
"They studied my brain extensively afterward," Yuuki continued. "And the conclusion they reached was simple."
His eyes lowered slightly.
"My brain structure wasn't normal."
The distant hum of the Daedalus engines echoed softly through the room while everyone listened in stunned silence.
"I was found by my adoptive parents shortly after the Second Tiberium War."
His voice softened slightly at the memory.
"They discovered me near one of the infested zones in America and secretly brought me to Japan."
For the first time since they met him—
Yuuki genuinely sounded vulnerable.
"They raised me like their own son."
A faint smile appeared on his face.
"But even as a child… something about me was abnormal."
He slowly looked at his own hands.
"At three years old, my physical growth matched children twice my age."
His gaze hardened slightly afterward.
"My intelligence development was even worse."
The girls quietly listened.
"I processed information unnaturally fast. Learned faster than normal humans. Solved problems I shouldn't have been capable of understanding."
Yuuki laughed weakly afterward.
"So naturally… governments became interested."
Vestal's expression visibly saddened.
"My adoptive parents were compensated heavily," Yuuki continued. "But they still remained part of my life for years."
Then his voice became quieter again.
"Until they died during an alien invasion in the Third Tiberium War."
Nobody spoke afterward.
Even Anis looked uncomfortable hearing how calmly Yuuki described something so painful.
Yuuki slowly closed his eyes briefly before continuing.
"After that, I was placed into military command programs."
The holographic lights reflected faintly across his face now.
"They implanted memories from countless commanders directly into my mind."
His eyes opened again afterward.
"But unlike everyone else…"
"…I didn't go insane."
Rapi quietly stared at him now.
"That's where I met Vergil," Yuuki continued. "Back then he was being trained for frontline combat operations."
A faint smile crossed his face briefly.
"The idiot already knew how to use a katana like some anime protagonist."
That actually caused Neon to snort slightly.
"Later they implanted him with the memories and intelligence profiles of two geniuses—Albert Einstein and Siegfried."
Yuuki shrugged helplessly.
"That's why he became obsessed with Chronosphere technology afterward instead of just sword fighting. To him, discovering new things was the excitement of his life."
Vestal slowly processed everything silently.
Meanwhile Yuuki leaned back again before speaking more thoughtfully.
"The strange thing is…"
He paused slightly.
"…I never felt like those implanted memories became me."
The girls looked toward him carefully.
"I treated them like playing through different lives. Like experiencing someone else's story firsthand."
His expression softened slightly.
"I gained their experiences. Their knowledge. Their instincts."
Then he quietly touched the side of his head.
"But their personalities never replaced mine."
Rapi slowly understood what he meant.
The memories shaped him…
But never consumed him.
"That alone should have been impossible," Yuuki admitted softly. "No human should survive that level of mental integration and still remain psychologically stable."
Then he looked toward the vial of blood resting inside the Med Bay scanner.
"So when my blood gets classified as something unknown…"
A faint bitter smile appeared again.
"…I stopped believing I was completely human a long time ago."
Silence filled the room afterward.
Not fearful silence.
But sad silence.
Because for the first time—
The Nikkes realized Yuuki's loneliness extended far deeper than they initially understood.
Even surrounded by people…
Even loved by shipgirls…
Part of him still quietly questioned whether he truly belonged anywhere at all.
Yuuki looked toward them again afterward.
"So when it comes to relationships…"
His voice lowered slightly.
"…I never felt like I was in any position to speak about what's considered normal between humans."
The room remained completely quiet.
Then slowly—
Before Yuuki could continue speaking, Vestal suddenly stepped forward.
Then, without hesitation, she wrapped both arms around him gently.
The warmth of the embrace immediately caught him off guard.
"Vestal…?"
Her hold tightened slightly, not possessively, but reassuringly. Like someone trying to anchor a person who had spent too long drifting alone.
"It doesn't matter who you are, Commander," she whispered softly.
Yuuki quietly froze.
Vestal slowly pulled back just enough to look directly into his eyes, her own filled not with fear or uncertainty…
But compassion.
"What matters is what you choose to do moving forward."
The medical bay remained completely silent around them while the soft blue glow of holographic monitors illuminated the room.
"I heard parts of your story earlier from Enterprise," Vestal continued gently. "About Earth 1.0. About how you led the GDI."
Her expression softened deeply afterward.
"You escaped the control and greed of humanity in that world."
Yuuki lowered his gaze slightly.
"And together with Vice Commander Vergil…"
A faint smile appeared on Vestal's lips.
"…you transformed the GDI into something genuinely worthy of being called the Global Defense Initiative."
There was admiration in her voice now.
Not for his strength.
But for what he chose to become despite everything he endured.
"Then after all of that…" Vestal whispered, "…you still came here."
Her hand gently rested against his chest.
"To us."
Yuuki slowly looked back at her.
Vestal's eyes trembled faintly with emotion.
"So tell me honestly, Commander…"
Her voice became warmer.
"What are you willing to do in this world?"
The question lingered quietly in the air.
Not accusatory.
Not demanding.
Just sincere.
Then Vestal smiled softly.
"Maybe there's a reason you were sent here."
Yuuki blinked slightly.
"Maybe whatever brought you into this universe…"
Her fingers lightly tightened against his shirt.
"…did so because this world needed someone like you."
The Nikkes quietly listened behind her.
Vestal continued gently.
"You could have ignored us."
"You could have abandoned this world."
"You could have conquered it."
A faint sadness entered her expression.
"Or destroyed it."
Then she shook her head softly.
"But you didn't."
Yuuki's eyes slowly widened.
Instead of ruling through fear…
He protected people.
Instead of exploiting the shipgirls and Nikkes…
He treated them as equals.
Instead of taking advantage of their feelings…
He respected them.
And despite carrying enough power to dominate entire nations…
He still worried more about accidentally hurting people emotionally than about his own safety.
Vestal smiled warmly through the faint redness lingering on her cheeks.
"That alone tells me more about who you truly are than your blood ever could."
For several seconds, Yuuki could not speak.
Because nobody had ever answered his fears so directly before.
Not with logic.
Not with pity.
But with acceptance.
Behind Vestal, Rapi quietly lowered her gaze.
Because for the first time…
She finally understood why the shipgirls trusted Yuuki so completely.
It was not because he was powerful.
Not because of the Wisdom Cubes.
And not because fate forced them together.
Yuuki slowly exhaled after Vestal's words settled within him. For a brief moment, the constant uncertainty he carried about himself felt quieter somehow, softened by the sincerity in her voice and the warmth of her embrace.
Then a faint smile finally appeared on his face again.
"…Thanks, Vestal."
Vestal tilted her head slightly.
"You really are a doctor for feelings too."
That immediately caused her cheeks to redden again.
"A doctor simply does her best for her patient," she answered softly, though the affection in her eyes made the statement far more personal than professional.
Yuuki chuckled quietly before finally reaching toward the medical station and picking up the vial of dark crimson blood himself.
The liquid inside reflected strangely beneath the Med Bay lights, almost unnaturally dense compared to ordinary human blood.
Then Yuuki turned toward the Nikkes.
"So…"
His expression became more serious again.
"What exactly are you girls planning to do now?"
Rapi stared silently at the vial in his hand.
Not with fear.
But with realization.
At first, they believed Yuuki might simply carry Vapaus.
Now…
That possibility felt far too small.
His blood was unknown even to advanced GDI systems. His mind survived things no human should survive. His body evolved beyond ordinary biology. Even his connection to Wisdom Cubes defied logic itself.
Their commander was not merely human anymore.
Perhaps he never had been.
Anis quietly stared at the vial as well, her usual sarcasm absent completely now. Neon, Ade, and Soda looked no different. The weight of the decision before them had become painfully real.
Because if this truly worked…
Then this could become their liberation.
Freedom from the Ark.
Freedom from forced obedience.
Freedom from being treated as disposable weapons.
And perhaps for the first time in their existence…
The chance to truly belong to someone who genuinely cared about them.
Rapi slowly extended her hand toward the vial.
Yuuki instinctively frowned slightly.
"You're really doing this?"
Rapi nodded once.
"We have to."
Carefully, she allowed a single drop of Yuuki's blood to fall onto her fingertip.
The others followed immediately afterward.
Neon.
Anis.
Ade.
Soda.
Each one silently holding a single drop of that unknown blood within trembling hands.
They had chosen to do this together.
Not because they were ordered to.
But because they trusted him enough to risk it.
Yuuki quietly looked at all five of them afterward.
"…I really hope you girls know what you're doing."
Anis gave a weak laugh.
"Honestly? Not really."
"But we still need to know," Ade whispered softly.
Soda slowly nodded.
"If there truly is a way for us to become free…"
Her eyes lowered slightly.
"…then we want to see it ourselves."
Rapi looked down at the drop of blood resting against her fingertip for several long seconds.
Then finally—
"We need certainty."
And before anyone could stop her—
Rapi placed the drop into her mouth and swallowed it directly.
The others immediately followed.
Anis.
Neon.
Ade.
Soda.
One after another.
The room instantly became silent afterward.
Vestal visibly stiffened while Yuuki instinctively stepped forward.
For several seconds…
Nothing happened.
Then suddenly—
Rapi's entire body froze.
Her crimson eyes widened sharply.
A pulse of black-red energy flashed beneath her skin for the briefest instant before disappearing entirely.
"Rapi?!"
Neon nearly collapsed against the medical station as her body trembled violently. Ade grabbed the edge of the table while Soda gasped sharply, clutching at her chest as though something inside her was breaking apart.
Anis immediately dropped to one knee.
"…Tch…!"
The moment the reaction began, Vestal immediately moved.
Years of medical instinct overtook hesitation as she grabbed Neon before the girl collapsed entirely, guiding her onto one of the active Med Bays while emergency systems automatically activated around the room.
"Rapi!"
Rapi's body trembled violently as dark crimson patterns briefly flashed beneath her skin before disappearing again. Ade and Soda could barely remain standing while Anis clenched her teeth hard enough to draw blood.
"What the hell is happening?!" Vestal shouted while rapidly opening diagnostic windows around the room.
But even the GDI systems themselves appeared confused.
The readings no longer matched any known biological or mechanical pattern.
Meanwhile—
Yuuki staggered backward suddenly.
A violent wave of heat exploded through his body without warning.
"Commander?!"
Vestal immediately turned toward him in alarm.
Yuuki grabbed the edge of a medical console as his breathing became uneven. The sensation flooding through him felt unbearable, as though countless burning threads were piercing directly into his mind all at once.
No.
Not threads.
Connections.
Five of them.
Each one striking directly into his consciousness like blazing arrows.
"Ghh…!"
His vision blurred violently.
And then suddenly—
He could feel them.
Fear.
Pain.
Confusion.
Loneliness.
Hope.
The emotions of the five Nikkes slammed into his mind all at once through something newly awakened between them.
The intensity nearly broke him instantly.
"Commander, sit down now!" Vestal shouted while rushing toward him.
But Yuuki could barely hear her anymore.
Fragments of memories suddenly flashed through his mind.
Cold laboratories.
Gunfire.
Endless white corridors.
Voices calling Nikkes disposable.
Painful memory wipes.
Loneliness.
Isolation.
Fear of abandonment.
The emotions crashing through him were so overwhelming that even his enhanced mind struggled to process them.
And yet—
Beneath all of that suffering…
There was trust.
Trust directed toward him.
Yuuki's eyes widened weakly as realization struck him.
"The Bastion Cubes…"
Then his knees gave out entirely.
Vestal barely managed to catch him before he hit the floor.
"Commander!"
At the same time, every Nikke inside the room suddenly lost consciousness simultaneously.
Rapi collapsed first.
Then Anis.
Neon.
Ade.
Soda.
One after another, the Med Bay drones automatically caught and stabilized them as emergency restraints and diagnostic systems activated around their sleeping bodies.
Vestal stared at the readings in horror.
"…What did you all just do…?"
Yuuki's body burned with unnatural heat while faint traces of dark crimson energy pulsed beneath his skin in synchronization with the unconscious Nikkes around him.
Then finally—
Even he lost consciousness.
The moment his eyes closed, the entire Med Bay abruptly fell silent.
No alarms.
No warnings.
Only the soft hum of medical systems continuing to monitor six unconscious bodies now connected through something the GDI systems could not even properly identify.
Vestal stood frozen in the middle of the room, surrounded by floating holographic displays showing impossible readings.
All six life signs remained stable.
Physically, they were alive.
But mentally…
Every single one of them appeared to be somewhere else entirely.
Vestal slowly approached Yuuki afterward, gently brushing several strands of hair away from his face while worry filled her expression completely.
"…Commander…"
Her voice trembled softly.
"Please be all right."
=================
Yuuki slowly opened his eyes.
The first thing that greeted him was destruction.
A ruined city stretched endlessly beneath a dark crimson sky, smoke rising from shattered buildings while distant explosions echoed somewhere beyond the horizon. The streets were filled with wreckage, twisted metal, and abandoned military vehicles torn apart as though some monstrous force had ripped through them effortlessly.
"…Where the hell am I?"
His own voice sounded strangely distant.
Yuuki slowly steadied himself before walking forward carefully through the ruined streets. Broken concrete crunched beneath his boots while cold wind swept dust and ash through the destroyed city.
"This place is a complete mess…"
Then he noticed the bodies.
Scattered across the streets were countless fallen Nikkes.
Mass-produced models.
All of them looked identical to Rapi.
Yuuki immediately froze.
"…What in the…"
Some bodies were heavily damaged while others looked almost peaceful despite lying motionless among the ruins. The sheer number of them made the battlefield feel horrifyingly tragic.
Yuuki slowly continued forward, his expression darkening more with each step.
Then suddenly—
Gunfire erupted nearby.
Yuuki immediately turned toward the sound and saw another Nikke fighting desperately against a group of metallic creatures. Unlike the others, this one looked different.
Red hair.
Crimson eyes.
And overwhelming ferocity.
Mechanical appendages and armor surrounded the creatures attacking her while she struggled to hold them back alone. One of the Raptures slammed into her hard enough to pin her against a collapsed structure.
Without hesitation, Yuuki activated his repulsors and launched himself forward instantly.
The blast from his arm cannon obliterated the nearest Rapture before he landed directly beside her.
The remaining creatures recoiled briefly before retreating into the smoke-covered streets.
Then the red-haired Nikke stared at him in complete shock.
"…Commander?!"
Yuuki immediately offered her a hand.
"You alright?"
She accepted it slowly while staring at him in disbelief.
"So these are Raptures…" Yuuki muttered while looking around cautiously. "First time seeing them up close."
The girl looked utterly confused.
"What are you doing here?"
Yuuki blinked.
"…You swallowed my blood remember?"
That immediately caused her eyes to widen.
Then realization slowly crossed her face.
"…So that's why."
Yuuki frowned slightly afterward.
"Wait. What exactly is this place? And why do you look different from the Rapi I know?"
The girl remained quiet for several seconds before finally answering.
"This…"
Her crimson eyes lowered slightly.
"…is one of my memories."
Yuuki stilled.
"One of the bad ones."
The ruined city around them suddenly felt even heavier afterward.
The girl slowly looked toward the countless dead mass-produced Nikkes scattered throughout the battlefield.
"I was one of them once."
Yuuki followed her gaze silently.
"There were hundreds of copies of me," she whispered quietly. "Disposable models created for war."
Then she slowly touched her chest.
"But this…"
Her voice softened faintly.
"…is what eventually made me become me."
Yuuki listened carefully.
"I was merged with another Nikke's core."
Then she looked directly toward him.
"A cube belonging to Red Hood of the Goddess Squad."
Yuuki immediately blinked.
"…That is a lot of names at once."
The girl actually gave a faint laugh at that.
"The Goddess Squad was humanity's first legendary Nikke squad," she explained quietly while the ruined battlefield stretched endlessly around them. "They fought during the First Rapture Invasion."
Her expression gradually became more solemn.
"They were created through the combined efforts of humanity itself. The predecessors to every Nikke generation that came after them."
Yuuki quietly absorbed the information.
"They were heroes," she continued softly. "But also tragedies."
Then her eyes lowered slightly.
"Red Hood eventually suffered terminal corruption."
The cold wind swept across the destroyed streets.
"She disappeared before the Ark was completed and was officially declared terminated."
Yuuki slowly understood where this was going.
"But her core survived," the girl whispered. "And eventually…"
She looked toward herself.
"…it merged with me."
Yuuki stared at her silently.
"When the surface Nikkes lost their power after the Sirens and Raptures severed our systems…"
Her voice hardened slightly.
"…many became vulnerable."
Some joined the Raptures.
Some became Heretics.
Some wandered endlessly without purpose.
"But after ingesting your blood…"
She slowly clenched her hand.
"…I felt Red Hood's power awakening again."
Then finally—
"…I can transform once more."
Yuuki remained quiet.
Because he could already feel something unusual surrounding her now.
Strength.
A dormant power slowly reawakening beneath layers of old scars and suffering.
Then the girl looked directly into his eyes again.
"Commander…"
Her voice softened almost painfully.
"…let me show you my past."
The world around them suddenly shifted.
The ruined battlefield faded away like smoke before Yuuki found himself standing inside a dim hospital room.
A young girl lay bedridden beneath pale artificial lights.
Small.
Fragile.
Lonely.
"…Rapi?"
The girl beside him nodded quietly.
"I was born in the Ark."
Her gaze lingered on the child version of herself.
"I lost my parents at a young age and suffered from a rare illness."
Young Rapi stared weakly at a television screen showing heroic Nikkes fighting on the surface.
Despite her condition…
Wonder still filled her eyes.
"They became my source of hope," present-day Rapi whispered softly.
Yuuki quietly watched the scene unfold.
Then the atmosphere darkened.
"The Surface Reclamation War caused massive economic collapse," Rapi explained. "The hospital was at risk of shutting down."
Doctors argued desperately in the background while young Rapi listened silently from her bed.
"One of the doctors eventually offered me a clinical trial."
Rapi's eyes lowered slightly.
"She hesitated at first because of the risks."
Then a faint smile appeared.
"But I accepted."
The memory shifted again.
Years passed rapidly before Yuuki's eyes.
Treatments.
Pain.
Recovery.
Eventually—
Young Rapi finally walked out of the hospital healthy for the first time in her life.
But the happiness did not last.
The memory changed once more.
Crowds filled the streets of the Ark.
Protests.
Anger.
Fear.
People shouting against Nikke discrimination after the Goddess Fall incident.
Young Rapi stood among them uncertainly, frightened and completely lost in the chaos.
Then—
Gunfire.
Central Government forces opened fire on the protesters without hesitation.
Yuuki's eyes widened slightly.
Young Rapi froze in terror as panic erupted around her.
"She mistook me for one of the protesters," present-day Rapi whispered quietly.
Then—
A bullet pierced through the young girl's body.
Yuuki watched silently as the child collapsed lifelessly onto the cold streets of the Ark.
And beside him—
Rapi quietly lowered her gaze.
"That…"
Her voice trembled faintly.
"…was the moment I died as a human."
The memories continued unfolding around Yuuki like an endless nightmare stitched together from war, grief, and abandonment. Every scene carried the same pattern no matter how different the battlefield became.
Rapi survived.
Everyone else died.
He watched her fight beside countless squads over the years, only for every operation to collapse into tragedy. Some teams were wiped out during direct Rapture assaults. Others fell after corruption spread through their ranks. Some were abandoned entirely by commanders who viewed mass-produced Nikkes as expendable assets rather than living soldiers.
Yet every single time, Rapi alone remained standing afterward.
The memories moved rapidly from one battlefield to another while Yuuki silently watched the same cycle repeat itself over and over again. The constant losses gradually hollowed something inside her, replacing emotion with discipline and endurance.
Eventually, the rumors began spreading among the Nikkes themselves.
Rapi became feared.
Not because she was cruel.
But because death followed her everywhere.
Nikkes whispered that any squad she joined was doomed to be annihilated sooner or later. Others called her cursed. Some outright begged not to be assigned beside her during surface operations.
Over time, the name "Rapi" itself became synonymous with inevitable death.
The Grim Reaper.
Yet despite all of that isolation, she continued fighting because there was nothing else left for her. War had become the only thing she still understood.
Then the memories changed again.
Yuuki immediately noticed the difference in atmosphere the moment Red Hood appeared within the scene. Unlike the cold military structures and desperate battlefields surrounding Rapi's earlier memories, Red Hood carried overwhelming presence and warmth despite the destruction around her.
She fought like a force of nature.
Wild.
Fearless.
Unstoppable.
Yuuki watched the moment Red Hood saved Rapi after another squad wipeout operation. Even heavily damaged and surrounded by Raptures, Red Hood laughed in the face of overwhelming odds while tearing through enemies with terrifying firepower.
More importantly, she treated Rapi differently from everyone else.
Not as disposable equipment.
Not as a cursed survivor.
But as a person.
That alone visibly affected Rapi more deeply than Yuuki expected.
The memories progressed through the time they spent together wandering the surface. Red Hood taught her combat techniques, survival methods, and the mindset needed to continue moving forward even after endless suffering. Yet beneath her confident personality, Yuuki could sense something unstable hidden inside the legendary Nikke.
Something broken.
Then came the battle near the Lift.
Yuuki watched Rapi fall into the crevice during the Rapture ambush while Red Hood stayed behind alone to hold the enemy back. Even after suffering terminal corruption, Red Hood still annihilated the entire Rapture force herself.
That moment changed everything.
As Rapi watched Red Hood standing victorious amidst the burning battlefield, admiration transformed into longing.
She wanted to become like her.
No.
She wanted to become her.
The memories shifted toward the mysterious individual known as D.E.E.P., where Red Hood underwent repairs alongside Rapi. During that time, Red Hood continued training her personally, shaping not only her combat abilities but also her resolve.
For the first time since becoming a Nikke, Rapi found someone she genuinely connected with.
Someone who gave her purpose beyond survival.
But like everything else in her life, that connection eventually ended too.
The memories moved toward Elysion Headquarters where Red Hood finally accompanied Rapi back toward the Ark before disappearing from the world entirely. Officially, Red Hood was declared terminated due to corruption.
Yet her core survived.
And somehow, over time, Rapi unknowingly assimilated it into herself.
Yuuki watched the medical staff discovering that Rapi possessed two functioning cores instead of one. Her body weight, energy output, and combat readings all exceeded normal Nikke parameters by impossible margins.
That was when the transformation first appeared.
Crimson energy erupted violently from Rapi's body while the surrounding battlefield shook under the pressure of Red Hood's power awakening inside her. The transformation enhanced her strength, speed, and firepower beyond ordinary Nikkes, turning her into something terrifyingly powerful.
Yet the power carried a terrible price.
Every second she remained transformed caused her body temperature to rise dangerously. Her systems destabilized while fragments of Red Hood's consciousness began surfacing inside her mind.
Yuuki could hear the whispers himself through the memory.
Destroy the Ark.
Again and again.
Relentless.
The hatred buried inside Red Hood lingered even after death itself.
Rapi continued using that power anyway because the situation on the surface kept worsening. Once the Sirens joined forces with the Raptures, the war escalated beyond anything humanity could properly contain.
The memories became darker afterward.
Entire Nikke battalions vanished.
Surface strongholds collapsed.
Raptures multiplied endlessly.
Even with Red Hood's overwhelming power, Rapi could never truly win because every battle only led to more enemies appearing afterward.
If she defeated the Raptures, the Sirens arrived.
If she survived the Sirens, more Raptures descended.
The war itself became endless. Eventually, ten years ago... the shipgirls and the Nikkes became weaker. Eventually, lost the war.
Eventually, Yuuki watched Rapi kneeling amidst another destroyed battlefield while smoke filled the skies around her. Her body trembled from overheating while countless enemies continued advancing in the distance without end.
Hopelessness finally overtook her.
Then came Ark humanity's final decision.
The Ark no longer trusted the Nikkes.
Unable to fully destroy them due to their importance in the war effort, the Ark instead chose another solution.
Disable them permanently. Using a synchronized code, the ark disables the Nikke's powers.
The last kill switch.
Yuuki watched countless Nikkes restrained, shut down, and discarded like broken machinery once they were no longer considered safe or useful. The same humanity the Nikkes sacrificed themselves protecting had ultimately become afraid of them.
Rapi lowered her gaze while the memories around them slowly darkened.
Rapi lowered her head quietly while the ruined battlefield stretched endlessly around them beneath the burning crimson sky.
"No matter how hard we fought…" she whispered softly, "…humanity feared us more than the enemies we were trying to save them from."
The sadness in her voice felt deeper than anger.
It was exhaustion.
The exhaustion of someone who spent an entire lifetime sacrificing herself only to be feared, discarded, and eventually betrayed by the very people she tried protecting.
For several moments, Yuuki simply looked at her silently.
Then—
A gentle pat landed on her head.
Rapi froze.
"Good thing I'm not from this world then."
Her crimson eyes widened slightly as she slowly looked back toward him.
Yuuki smiled faintly.
"There's no rule saying I have to think like the humans here."
The wind swept quietly across the ruined city around them while Rapi stared at him speechlessly.
Then suddenly—
She stepped forward and hugged him tightly.
Yuuki blinked in surprise.
"I just…" Her voice trembled softly against his chest. "I just wanted a peaceful life."
The emotions she had suppressed for decades finally began surfacing all at once.
"I was always afraid…" she whispered shakily, "…that I would only bring death to the people around me."
Yuuki quietly listened while holding her gently.
"I thought if anyone stayed beside me long enough…"
Her grip tightened slightly.
"…they would eventually die too."
The memories around them flickered faintly.
"When you saved me…" she continued quietly, "…I thought I was only bringing you bad luck as well."
Yuuki's eyes softened.
"Avrora saved me once," Rapi whispered. "And because of my existence… her hometown was raided afterward."
Pain crossed her expression again.
"She and I were both taken as slaves."
Yuuki slowly closed his eyes for a brief moment.
Then he gently held her shoulders and looked directly into her trembling crimson eyes.
"Then stop carrying all of that alone."
Rapi froze.
"Live with us."
His voice remained calm.
"Live with the GDI."
The ruined battlefield around them suddenly felt quieter somehow.
"You're safe now, Rapi."
The sincerity within his words struck her harder than any battlefield ever had.
"I won't let anyone control you ever again."
Rapi's breathing visibly trembled.
"You're free now."
Yuuki's hand rested gently over her chest.
"Free from the Ark."
Then softer—
"…and free from Red Hood's influence too."
The moment those words reached her—
Something inside Rapi suddenly shattered.
Not painfully.
But peacefully.
Her eyes widened sharply as warmth surged throughout her consciousness. The endless pressure she had carried for so many years abruptly vanished like chains breaking apart one after another.
The whispers stopped.
The constant voice telling her to destroy the Ark—
Gone.
The lingering pressure from Red Hood's unstable influence—
Gone.
The oppressive sensation of hidden programming deep within her systems—
Gone.
For the first time since becoming a Nikke…
Rapi's mind felt truly quiet.
Truly her own.
Her breathing became unsteady while tears slowly filled her eyes.
Then she looked toward Yuuki again.
And finally understood.
His blood was not merely Vapaus.
It was something beyond even that.
Not blood that simply destroyed control.
But blood that liberated.
Blood that allowed her to become herself again.
Fully.
Completely.
Freely.
Rapi's lips trembled softly before she buried her face against his chest once more.
"Thank you…"
Tears finally began falling freely from her eyes now.
"Thank you…"
She clung tightly to him while crying openly without restraint, revealing emotions she had hidden from everyone for decades.
Fear.
Loneliness.
Relief.
Hope.
And deep, overwhelming gratitude.
Yuuki quietly held her while gently stroking her hair, allowing her to release everything she had carried alone for so long.
And within that ruined world of memories and endless war—
Rapi finally experienced something she had nearly forgotten existed.
Peace.
=======
The ruined battlefield slowly began dissolving around them.
Burning buildings faded into particles of light while the crimson skies gradually softened into clear blue horizons. The endless sounds of gunfire, explosions, and distant screams disappeared one by one until only silence remained.
Peaceful silence.
Soon, the world around Yuuki and Rapi transformed completely into a vast grassy field swaying gently beneath a warm breeze. Wildflowers stretched endlessly across the land while golden sunlight bathed everything in calm warmth.
No destruction.
No war.
No Raptures.
No fear.
Only peace.
Rapi quietly stared at the scenery around her as though afraid it might vanish if she blinked too hard.
"…After all these years…"
Her voice trembled faintly.
"…I finally understand what peace feels like."
Yuuki smiled softly beside her.
The wind brushed through Rapi's crimson hair while her expression gradually softened in a way he had never seen before. The cold restraint she constantly carried had disappeared entirely now, replaced by quiet vulnerability.
Then she slowly turned toward him again.
"My loyalty belongs to you now, Commander."
Her voice carried no hesitation.
No programming.
No forced obedience.
Only genuine choice.
"If I ever become compromised again…"
Her crimson eyes lowered slightly.
"…please save me."
Yuuki immediately reached over and gently patted her head again.
"Then use that power to protect the people important to you."
Rapi blinked softly.
"Save your fellow shipgirls. Save your fellow Nikkes."
His golden eyes carried calm certainty.
"And don't worry."
He smiled faintly afterward.
"No matter what happens…"
His hand lightly touched the center of her chest.
"…I'll pull you back again."
Rapi's eyes widened slightly.
"As long as I still have your cube," Yuuki whispered gently, "…I'll revive you."
The words struck directly into her heart.
Not because he spoke of power.
But because he promised her something nobody else ever had before.
That she would never be abandoned again.
Tears slowly gathered in her eyes once more.
"Thank you…"
Yuuki immediately sighed.
"Hey now. Stop crying."
Rapi weakly laughed through her tears.
"A cute girl like you shouldn't cry this much."
Her cheeks instantly flushed red afterward.
"…Charmer."
Yuuki shamelessly shrugged.
"That's my specialty."
That answer actually made Rapi smile genuinely for the first time since he entered her memories.
A real smile.
Small.
Soft.
But completely sincere.
Then Yuuki slowly looked upward toward the peaceful skies stretching endlessly above them.
"I guess we're connected now…"
Rapi quietly stepped beside him afterward.
"…Yeah."
Her voice became softer.
"I think…"
She slowly placed a hand against her chest.
"…I can understand your heart now."
Yuuki blinked slightly.
Rapi looked at him quietly for several moments before continuing.
"It's surprisingly peaceful."
Yuuki gave a faint laugh under his breath.
"That's how I stayed sane."
Rapi slowly lowered her gaze afterward.
"I wish I had a heart like yours."
Yuuki immediately shook his head.
"No you don't."
Rapi looked back at him in surprise.
Yuuki's smile softened slightly.
"My heart only looks peaceful because I learned how to bury a lot of pain properly."
The breeze gently swept across the endless grasslands around them.
"But yours…"
He looked directly into her crimson eyes.
"…is stronger than mine."
Rapi visibly froze.
"You kept fighting despite losing everything over and over again."
His voice remained calm.
"You survived loneliness, betrayal, death, corruption, slavery…"
Then more softly—
"…and you still chose to protect people."
Rapi's breathing quietly trembled.
"That's not weakness."
Yuuki gently touched her forehead.
"That's strength."
For several seconds, Rapi could not speak.
Because nobody had ever described her existence that way before.
Not as a weapon.
Not as a survivor.
Not as a cursed Grim Reaper.
But as someone strong.
Yuuki quietly looked across the endless grassy plains stretching beneath the calm blue skies. The peaceful atmosphere around them felt almost unreal after witnessing the endless suffering hidden within Rapi's memories.
Then he slowly raised his hand toward her.
"Now…"
A faint smile appeared on his face.
"Mind helping me find Anis and the others?"
Rapi blinked softly.
Yuuki's expression became slightly helpless afterward.
"Though honestly…"
He exhaled quietly.
"…I'm expecting we're about to walk through some extremely terrible memories."
Rapi stared at him for several moments before finally nodding.
"Yes."
Without hesitation, she placed her hand into his.
The moment their fingers intertwined, the connection between them deepened further. Unlike before, there was no interference now. No hidden programming. No lingering influence from Red Hood or the Ark's control systems.
Only Rapi herself remained.
And for the first time since becoming a Nikke—
She truly felt free.
Not because someone ordered her to obey.
Not because systems compelled loyalty.
But because she willingly chose this path herself.
Yuuki had not simply removed her chains.
He gave her peace.
Now, instead of fighting endlessly for survival, she could finally use her strength to protect someone she genuinely trusted.
Someone she wanted to follow.
Together, the two slowly walked across the endless grasslands beneath the warm sunlight while the breeze moved gently around them.
The world itself felt strangely calm.
If the Wisdom Cubes created a Void World of endless skies and quiet oceans for the shipgirls…
Then perhaps this—
The vast grassy fields and peaceful heavens surrounding them—
Was the Void World born from Bastion Cubes.
A place carrying the hidden hearts of Nikkes.
Eventually, Yuuki and Rapi stopped walking.
Several meters ahead of them floated four strange masses of energy suspended above the grasslands.
Blood-red.
Black.
Pulsing softly like wounded hearts.
Yuuki immediately understood what they were.
"…Anis. Neon. Ade. Soda."
Rapi nodded quietly beside him.
Unlike the peaceful atmosphere surrounding her now, the energies before them felt unstable. Turbulent emotions leaked constantly from within the floating masses, distorting the calm scenery around them slightly.
Fear.
Pain.
Loneliness.
Confusion.
Yuuki slowly exhaled.
"Well…"
He glanced toward Rapi.
"Guess we're diving into trauma again."
Rapi actually gave the faintest smile at his attempt to lighten the mood.
Then both of them stepped forward together.
Yuuki reached toward one of the blood-red energies while Rapi did the same beside him.
The moment their hands touched the floating mass—
The peaceful grasslands around them shattered instantly.