High above the sea...
Kaguya's golden eyes briefly shifted toward the battle below.
She saw her dearest standing before the corrupted destroyer.
She also saw the face beneath the shattered visor.
"...Ayanami..."
Even she recognized the Sakura destroyer from what Nimi, Laffey, and Javelin had told her.
Her expression softened for only a heartbeat.
Then—
She returned her attention to Anachiro.
"Thou truly hast crossed a line."
Below...
Leviathan slowly pushed herself upright.
Her destroyer rigging was barely holding together.
One cannon hung twisted and lifeless.
The remaining gun barrels were cracked from Yuuki's attacks.
Her missile pods had been destroyed.
Several armor plates drifted upon the waves around her.
Only her greatsword remained intact.
Yet...
She still stood.
She slowly lifted the enormous blade once more.
Yuuki quietly watched her.
"...Even now..."
"...you still won't stop."
The corrupted destroyer remained silent.
No anger.
No hatred.
No fear.
Only the cold purpose implanted within her.
Houshou's eyes widened. Seeing her corrupted pained her deeply. As the matriarch of the Sakura fleet, it was only natural for her to worry.
Javelin's trembling voice suddenly burst through Yuuki's open communications.
"Ayanami!"
"Please!"
"Stop already!"
Her voice echoed across the battlefield.
Inside the Steel Fortress, Javelin had abandoned all composure.
"You don't have to fight!"
"We're here!"
"We'll help you!"
Laffey wiped at her eyes.
"...Ayanami..."
"...please."
Even Nimi gripped the controls tightly, her knuckles turning white.
"...Come back."
"...Please."
For a brief moment...
Leviathan stopped walking.
The sea became quiet.
Everyone held their breath.
The destroyer's lavender eyes stared silently toward the distant voices.
Nothing changed.
No recognition appeared.
No hesitation.
The corruption buried everything beneath absolute obedience.
Without speaking...
She tightened her grip around the greatsword.
Then—
She sprinted.
The damaged rigging screamed under the strain.
Her broken cannons no longer fired.
Her missile launchers were empty.
Her armor had been shattered.
She had exhausted nearly every weapon she possessed.
Yet she continued charging straight toward Yuuki.
Sword held firmly in both hands.
Determined to complete the only order left within her.
Yuuki sighed quietly.
"...I understand."
He slowly lowered his own sword into a ready stance.
"...This isn't Ayanami."
His eyes never left the approaching destroyer.
"...This..."
"...is Leviathan."
Even stripped of her artillery.
Even robbed of her freedom.
Even after losing almost everything...
She continued to fight.
Not because she wanted to.
But because the corruption left her no other choice.
The sea erupted once more.
CLANG!!
Yuuki met Leviathan's descending greatsword head-on.
A shockwave blasted across the waves.
With a twist of his wrist, he redirected the heavy blade and struck with the pommel of his sword.
THUD!
Leviathan was thrown backward once again.
She skidded across the water before forcing herself upright.
Her breathing had become uneven.
Her rigging sparked violently.
Fragments of corrupted armor continued falling into the sea.
Yet...
She still raised her sword.
Yuuki frowned.
"...How much punishment are you willing to take?"
Without warning—
A voice echoed inside his mind.
Not through his communicator.
Not through JARVIS.
Not through any radio channel.
A whisper.
Weak.
Broken.
"...Save..."
Yuuki's eyes widened.
"...What?"
Another clash.
Their swords collided once more.
CLANG!!
Leviathan pushed him back before stumbling herself.
The whisper returned.
Clearer this time.
"...Save... me..."
Yuuki froze for the briefest instant.
"...Who's there?"
The voice trembled as though every word required tremendous effort.
"...I... tried..."
"...I..."
"...can't..."
"...control..."
"...my body..."
Yuuki stared at the young woman before him.
Leviathan continued advancing.
Her expression remained empty.
Her blade never wavered.
Yet the voice continued inside his mind.
"...Please..."
"...just..."
"...end me..."
Another painful pause.
"...Kill..."
"...me..."
Yuuki's grip tightened around his sword.
"...Ayanami..."
The answer came almost immediately.
Filled with despair.
"...Cannot..."
"...live..."
"...like this..."
Leviathan suddenly lunged.
Her sword descended without hesitation.
Yuuki blocked instinctively.
CLANG!!
The force split the sea beneath them.
Inside his mind...
The whisper became even weaker.
"...If..."
"...you..."
"...can hear me..."
"...please..."
"...put..."
"...an end..."
"...to it..."
Yuuki looked directly into Leviathan's lavender eyes.
For the briefest moment...
Beneath the corruption...
He thought he saw tears.
The final plea reached him.
"...Before..."
"...I hurt..."
"...Nimi..."
"...Laffey..."
"...and..."
"...Javelin..."
Silence.
The voice vanished.
Only the relentless clash of steel remained.
Yuuki slowly lowered his gaze.
"...No."
Leviathan swung again.
He parried without looking away from her face.
"...I'm not going to grant that wish."
He forced her blade aside.
"...Because you're still in there."
Another strike.
Another parry.
"...As long as I can hear your voice..."
"...I haven't lost you."
His eyes hardened with resolve.
"So I'm changing the objective."
He pointed his sword toward the corrupted destroyer.
"I won't kill Leviathan."
"...I'll bring Ayanami home."
"Commander!"
Javelin's desperate voice echoed across the battlefield.
"Please..."
"Don't hurt her!"
Yuuki never took his eyes off the corrupted destroyer.
"...I'm not going to."
A brief silence followed.
Then Neon's confused voice came over the communications.
"Then how are you going to bring her back?"
Yuuki slowly exhaled.
"Do you girls remember what you told me about Vapaus?"
Rapi answered immediately.
"...Yes."
"It was developed to counter corruption."
Anis added,
"Your blood isn't Vapaus..."
"...but it's something else entirely."
Yuuki gave a small nod.
"Exactly. Nayuta said, my blood also cures her clones' corruption."
Without another word...
He stored his longsword upon his back.
Instead, he drew the katana hanging at his waist.
This time...
Not as a weapon.
But as a scalpel.
The armored gauntlet covering his right hand disengaged.
The Mark 86 nanomachines folded away, exposing his bare skin.
He wrapped his fingers around the katana's blade.
The sharpened edge sliced across his palm.
Blood flowed immediately.
He calmly ran the tip of the katana through it, coating only the point of the blade in crimson.
A heartbeat later...
The wound closed.
His skin regenerated completely.
Not even a scar remained.
Only the blood staining the katana's tip remained untouched.
Yuuki lowered the blade.
"...Here I go..."
"...Ayanami."
A faint smile crossed his face.
"This might sting..."
"...but I'm hoping it'll cure you."
The battlefield fell silent.
Even the fighting aboard the Mother Whale seemed distant.
Kaguya paused her pursuit of Anachiro for the briefest moment.
Every eye turned toward the lone duel unfolding upon the sea.
Leviathan lowered her stance.
Her crimson optics locked onto Yuuki.
Without hesitation—
She accelerated.
Yuuki moved at the exact same moment.
Both figures skimmed across the ocean's surface.
Faster.
Faster.
Closing the distance in seconds.
Javelin squeezed her eyes shut.
"...Please..."
Yuuki raised his katana.
Leviathan's greatsword descended.
Just before the blades could collide—
Yuuki suddenly shifted his grip.
Rather than meeting her strike...
He slapped her greatsword aside with the flat of his blade.
The opening lasted only an instant.
It was enough.
He stepped inside her guard.
"Ayanami..."
His voice rang clearly across the silent sea.
"...Open your eyes."
The blood-coated tip flashed.
STAB.
The katana pierced cleanly into her side.
Not deep enough to be fatal.
Only enough to deliver what coated its point.
Leviathan's body froze.
Her crimson eyes widened.
For the first time since becoming a Heretic...
Her expression changed.
"Ayanami!"
Javelin screamed.
Nimi's voice followed immediately.
"Ayanami!"
Even Laffey, usually so composed, shouted across the communications.
"...Ayanami!"
For one terrifying second...
Nothing happened.
Then—
A brilliant white light erupted from Ayanami's body.
Her entire frame trembled violently.
Her lavender eyes widened.
"AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!!"
Her anguished scream echoed across the sea.
Yuuki immediately stepped back.
"What...?"
Dark veins suddenly spread beneath her skin.
The corruption reacted violently.
Then—
Black sludge burst from beneath her armor.
It seeped through every joint.
Every crack.
Every wound.
Ayanami doubled over.
"AAAHHH...!"
She vomited thick black fluid onto the ocean below.
The sea hissed as the viscous substance spread across the surface like oil.
Yuuki carefully withdrew his katana.
The moment the blade left her body—
Even more black sludge poured from the wound.
The corruption wasn't blood.
It was something else entirely.
His helmet HUD immediately began analyzing it.
Unknown Nanomachine Colony Detected
Status: Corrupted
Cell Activity: Rapid Failure
Cause: Contact with Commander's Blood
Yuuki watched the readings update in real time.
"...They're dying."
The corrupted nanomachines convulsed before rapidly breaking apart.
Their structure collapsed.
One after another.
The black fluid continued pouring from Ayanami's body as the dead nanomachines were expelled.
Minutes seemed to pass.
The sea around them became stained with the lifeless corruption.
Then...
The flow stopped.
Silence.
The crimson glow lingering within Ayanami's eyes slowly faded.
Her body swayed weakly.
"..."
She lost consciousness.
Yuuki caught her before she struck the water.
He gently lowered her into his arms.
"...Easy."
His free hand rested over the wound.
A soft blue healing light spread across her side.
The puncture closed almost immediately.
Not even a scar remained.
Another notification appeared.
Corruption Scan Complete
Hostile Nanomachine Activity: None Detected
Corruption Status: Cleared
Yuuki let out a quiet breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding.
"...It worked."
Behind him...
The detached Mark V War Machine came to life.
Its optics illuminated once more.
Yuuki dismissed the remaining armor attached to his body.
The modular forearms and legs detached, flying back toward the waiting War Machine before locking into place.
Within seconds...
The heavy armor stood fully reassembled.
Yuuki carefully transferred the unconscious Ayanami into its arms.
The War Machine cradled her with surprising gentleness.
Javelin's trembling voice came over the communications.
"...Commander..."
"...Is Ayanami...?"
Yuuki looked at the sleeping destroyer one last time before giving a reassuring smile.
"She's unconscious."
"...And she's going to be fine."
He turned toward the War Machine.
"Take her back to the Daedalus."
The armored suit acknowledged with a quiet mechanical chime before igniting its thrusters.
It lifted gently into the sky, carrying Ayanami safely away from the battlefield.
Yuuki switched to the fleet-wide channel.
"Hana."
Yorktown answered immediately.
"Yes, Commander?"
"The Mark V is bringing Ayanami back to you."
"She's free from the corruption."
"Watch over her until I or Vestal return."
Yorktown smiled with visible relief.
"...Understood."
"We'll protect her."
As the War Machine flew toward the Daedalus...
Countless eyes followed it.
For the first time since Leviathan had appeared...
There was no Heretic leaving the battlefield.
Only Ayanami...
Finally coming home.
Inside the lead Steel Fortress...
Silence filled the cockpit.
Nimi quietly wiped away the tears in her eyes.
"...Ayanami..."
Javelin covered her mouth, trying to steady her breathing.
"...She's alive..."
Laffey let out a long, relieved sigh.
"...Commander really did it."
"...He brought Ayanami back."
For several seconds, none of the three spoke.
Years of uncertainty...
The shock of seeing their friend as Leviathan...
And now...
The relief of seeing her freed.
It was almost too much to process.
Neon finally broke the silence.
She smiled as she slammed another shell into the loading chamber.
"Hey."
She glanced back at the three destroyers.
"We still have work to do."
The Steel Fortress fired another thunderous broadside.
BOOOOM!!
A line of Raptures disappeared beneath the exploding shells.
"We can see Ayanami later."
Nimi took a deep breath.
She wiped her face and nodded.
"...Right."
"Ayanami is safe now."
She firmly gripped the controls once more.
"Then..."
"...we'll finish what Commander started."
Javelin smiled through her tears.
"...Thank you..."
"...Commander."
Laffey leaned back in her seat.
"...Laffey..."
"...will give Commander a kiss later..."
"...for saving Ayanami."
A soft cough echoed through the communications.
"Laffey."
Belfast's composed voice came from the collider cannon controls atop the Fortress.
"We shall discuss that later."
Laffey blinked.
"...Eh..."
Belfast allowed herself the faintest smile.
"Our priority remains the mission."
"Master entrusted this battlefield to us."
"We shall not disappoint him."
"Yes, Head Maid," Ade replied over the communications.
"Roger that!" Neon laughed.
"Back to blowing things up!"
The Fortress advanced once more.
Its six massive legs crushed abandoned Rapture wreckage beneath them.
The triple 460 mm cannons roared.
The collider cannon rained destruction upon distant artillery positions.
Missiles streaked overhead.
Inside the Daedalus...
Yorktown watched the Mark V War Machine gently carrying the unconscious Ayanami toward the flight deck.
A quiet, relieved smile slowly appeared on her face, her shoulders easing as the tension she had been holding finally began to melt away.
"...Welcome home."
"Ayanami!" Akagi and Kaga hurried over, their usual composure slipping as concern overtook them.
"She's fine..." Yorktown assured gently, her voice steady and warm, offering reassurance not just to them, but to everyone gathered.
Houshou stepped forward with quiet grace, her expression softening as she reached out and gently patted Ayanami's head, her touch tender and full of affection—like a mother comforting her child.
"Thank heavens... you are safe."
Corrupted or not... Ayanami had always been like a daughter to her. The memory of seeing her twisted by that darkness had pierced her heart deeply. But now, feeling the warmth of her presence again, seeing her breathing peacefully—it was more than enough.
The assault resumed without hesitation.
Takao watched the Mark V War Machine disappear toward the Daedalus with Ayanami safely in its arms.
A small smile crossed her face.
"...She's safe."
She tightened her grip on the Toukuii's controls.
"Then there is nothing left to hold back."
Her mechanized samurai dashed forward once more, cleaving through another wave of Raptures.
Atago laughed as she followed close behind.
"That's the Takao I know."
Maya's expression remained composed.
"We advance. Stay focused."
Choukai nodded.
"The Commander entrusted this battlefield to us."
"Let's answer him."
The four Toukuii resumed their relentless advance.
Throughout the Mother Whale...
Alarm sirens changed tone.
WARNING
Security Override: 60%
Unauthorized Administrative Access Detected
Hidden turrets along the corridors suddenly rotated.
Instead of tracking the Steel Fortresses...
Their targeting reticles locked onto nearby Rapture forces.
Target confirmed.
Fire.
Hundreds of security cannons erupted simultaneously.
Autocannons.
Missile batteries.
Laser emplacements.
The Mother Whale's own defenses turned upon its occupants.
Rapture formations were torn apart from both sides.
Jarvis calmly reported.
"Sir."
"I have obtained sixty percent control of the Mother Whale's security network."
"I now possess authority over the majority of internal defensive batteries."
"Excellent," Vergil replied.
"Keep pushing."
"Understood."
"Estimated full control..."
"...twenty-three minutes."
Far away...
Inside the Rapture command network...
Behemoth stared at the tactical projections in disbelief.
"...Leviathan..."
"...Lost?"
She slammed both hands onto the command console.
"No!"
"It took us years!"
"Years to corrupt that Shipgirl!"
"And he reclaimed her..."
"...in a single day?"
Her breathing became heavier.
Then another realization struck her.
She replayed the footage.
Again.
And again.
Yuuki's blood.
The black corruption leaving Ayanami's body.
The corruption dying.
"...His blood..."
She whispered to herself.
"It destroys corruption..."
Her eyes widened.
"...Vapaus?"
"No..."
"It can't be ordinary Vapaus."
"But..."
"...it has the same effect."
She immediately opened a priority channel.
"Anachiro!"
"You are to disengage immediately if he attempts the same thing on you!"
"We cannot lose you."
"Do you understand?"
"The Commander possesses blood capable of curing corrupted Shipgirls."
"If that blood reaches you..."
"...we lose our First Heretic."
Elsewhere...
Ash had stopped firing.
She simply watched the Mark V disappear toward the Daedalus.
Her usually unreadable face showed unmistakable surprise.
"...He..."
Ember lowered her sword.
"...Actually did it."
Ash slowly looked toward her companion.
"We've spent years believing siren or Rapture corruption was irreversible."
Ember nodded quietly.
"...Because that's what everyone believed."
Ash folded her arms.
"But he..."
"...just proved otherwise."
A long silence followed.
Ember finally spoke.
"If he can save a corrupted Shipgirl..."
"...then..."
She hesitated.
"...the others..."
Ash understood immediately.
"The corrupted Shipgirls we've encountered."
"The ones we've been forced to destroy."
"...They may not have been beyond saving."
Neither woman spoke for several seconds.
The implication was staggering.
Ember slowly looked toward Yuuki in the distance.
"...Next time..."
"...we don't kill them."
Ash gave a firm nod.
"We capture them."
"We bring them back alive."
She looked once more at the battlefield.
"...To the Commander."
"If anyone can free them..."
"...it's him."
For the first time in years...
The META Shipgirls saw something they had long abandoned.
Not victory.
Not revenge.
Hope.
===========
Blue thrusters ignited.
Yuuki's Mark 86 streaked across the battlefield, leaving a trail of azure light as he accelerated toward the duel in the skies.
Ahead of him...
Kaguya had completely overwhelmed Anachiro.
The First Heretic desperately fired another barrage of crimson lasers.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
The beams illuminated the clouds.
Kaguya simply danced through them.
One graceful sidestep.
One elegant spin.
Every laser missed.
"My..."
"Still relying upon the same tricks?"
Before Anachiro could retreat—
Kaguya appeared directly in front of her.
With a single movement, she seized one of Anachiro's remaining shield-riggings and forced the Heretic downward.
The two crashed toward the ocean.
KRAAAAAASH!!
Anachiro barely recovered before Kaguya's ten fox tails surged forward.
Their tips had hardened into crystalline spearheads.
Each strike landed with terrifying precision.
BANG!
One tail slammed into the shield.
BANG!
Another.
BANG! BANG! BANG!
The remaining tails struck in rapid succession.
Each impact resembled a high-caliber armor-piercing round.
The crystalline tails failed to pierce the shield...
Yet the force behind every blow transferred directly through it.
Anachiro gritted her teeth.
"Ghh...!"
The shield vibrated violently.
Her arms trembled.
Every impact sent another shock through her body.
It felt less like blocking blades...
And more like being struck repeatedly by artillery shells.
She fired another desperate laser volley at point-blank range.
The beam engulfed Kaguya.
Smoke filled the air.
Then—
Kaguya calmly stepped through the fading light.
Completely unharmed.
"My barrier has already adapted to thy little lasers."
She drove another tail into the shield.
BOOM!
Anachiro coughed violently.
Blood escaped the corner of her mouth.
"Gah...!"
Her remaining shield-rigging flickered erratically.
One more impact.
Another spray of blood.
She was no longer keeping pace.
Kaguya's voice lost its playful warmth.
Golden foxfire erupted around her.
"Thou..."
Her tails struck again.
BOOM!
"...hast corrupted..."
Another strike.
BOOM!
"...mine allies."
The final words carried genuine anger.
Anachiro's body slammed backward through the air.
Blood trailed from her lips.
She barely remained airborne.
For the first time since becoming the First Heretic...
She looked genuinely battered.
At that moment...
Yuuki arrived beside Kaguya.
His Mark 86 slowed to a hover.
Kaguya glanced toward him without taking her eyes off Anachiro.
"My dearest."
"One hath already been saved."
Her golden eyes settled upon the wounded Heretic.
"Shall we attempt to save another?"
Across the battlefield...
Anachiro instinctively stepped backward.
For the first time...
The First Heretic felt something she had not experienced in a very long time.
Fear.
Not of defeat.
But of losing the corruption that had defined her existence for so many years.
Anachiro steadied herself in midair.
Blood dripped from the corner of her mouth.
Her shattered shield-riggings slowly floated back into formation.
Every remaining emitter began drawing in energy.
Crimson light intensified until it illuminated the clouds around her.
"This..."
She coughed another mouthful of blood.
"...ends now."
The three remaining weapon platforms aligned perfectly.
Every laser emitter synchronized.
The surrounding air trembled.
Yuuki instinctively moved forward.
"I'll stop it."
A gentle hand rested upon his arm.
"My dearest."
Kaguya smiled without taking her eyes off Anachiro.
"...No."
Yuuki looked at her.
"Surely?"
She nodded.
"This wife wishes to test something."
A mischievous smile appeared.
"I created a spell many years ago."
"...Yet I have never found an opponent worthy enough to receive it."
Yuuki stepped back.
"...Then she's yours."
Anachiro roared.
Every weapon platform discharged simultaneously.
A colossal crimson beam erupted from her formation.
The laser tore through the sky, vaporizing the clouds before it.
Even the sea beneath split apart beneath its tremendous heat.
Kaguya remained perfectly still.
She simply raised one elegant hand.
"My..."
Her voice remained calm.
"Thou truly art impressive."
She smiled gently.
"Ten years ago..."
"...thou wouldst have been a formidable challenge."
Golden lightning began gathering around her fingertips.
Unlike ordinary lightning...
It condensed instead of spreading.
The countless arcs compressed into a single impossibly bright point.
The surrounding air became silent.
Then—
A razor-thin spear of golden lightning burst from her fingertip.
It met the incoming laser head-on.
For the briefest moment...
Both attacks appeared evenly matched.
Then—
The lightning pierced straight through the center of Anachiro's beam.
The massive laser split apart as though sliced in two.
Golden lightning continued forward without slowing.
It struck Anachiro's shield-riggings first.
CRACK!!
One shield exploded instantly.
Then another.
Then the third.
The lightning ignored the shattered barriers.
It pierced directly through Anachiro herself.
"AAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!"
Electricity erupted across her body.
Every corrupted circuit overloaded simultaneously.
Her weapon platforms fell dark.
Smoke poured from every joint.
Her body convulsed before the lightning finally dissipated.
Anachiro dropped from the sky.
She crashed heavily onto the twisted metal deck of the ruined battleship.
BOOOOM!!
The wreckage shook violently beneath the impact.
Silence followed.
Yuuki blinked.
"...That..."
"...was one spell?"
Kaguya gracefully floated down beside him.
She lightly dusted off one sleeve of her kimono as though nothing extraordinary had happened.
"Ara..."
"This wife did not even use much power."
Yuuki looked between the smoking crater and Kaguya.
"...What exactly was that?"
She smiled proudly.
"My own creation."
"Laguna Blade."
She folded her hands behind her back.
"It is a spell designed for but one purpose."
"To annihilate a single target."
She glanced toward the unconscious Anachiro.
"When cast at its fullest strength..."
"...it consumes nearly twenty-five percent of this wife's mana."
"But in return..."
"...it can slay almost any Rapture or Siren unfortunate enough to receive it."
Yuuki looked at the smoking battlefield once more.
"And... just now?"
Kaguya smiled sweetly.
"This wife only used five percent."
Yuuki stared at the crater in silence.
"..."
"...I'm suddenly very glad we're on the same side."
Kaguya giggled behind her sleeve.
"As thou shouldst be, my dearest."
Before Yuuki could approach the unconscious Anachiro—
Warning alarms sounded across his visor.
MULTIPLE HOSTILE CONTACTS
The sea around the wreckage suddenly erupted.
Dozens of Rapture assault drones burst from beneath the waves.
Flying interceptors descended from the clouds.
Heavy recovery units rushed toward Anachiro's fallen body.
"They're trying to recover her," Yuuki said calmly.
The lead recovery drone extended massive mechanical claws toward the unconscious First Heretic.
It never reached her.
BOOOOM!!
A missile salvo descended from the heavens.
The recovery unit disappeared in a fireball.
Then another.
And another.
The sky darkened.
Orca gunships swept overhead in tight formation.
Their heavy cannons thundered relentlessly, shredding every Rapture attempting to reach the wreckage.
Moments later—
Firehawks screamed through the air.
Precision missiles struck the remaining drones with surgical accuracy.
One after another, the Rapture reinforcements exploded.
Those that survived the aerial bombardment met an even worse fate.
Harbinger gunships descended at low altitude.
Their rotary cannons roared.
Streams of armor-piercing rounds tore through the battlefield, reducing the remaining Raptures to twisted scrap before they could even approach Anachiro.
Within seconds...
The entire recovery force had been annihilated.
Smoke drifted across the shattered battleship.
Yorktown's calm voice came over the fleet-wide channel.
"They really believed..."
"...we'd simply let them reclaim her."
She let out a quiet sigh.
"Not while we're still breathing."
Another Orca formation circled protectively overhead.
Kaga's voice followed immediately.
"Shikikan-sama."
"My Orcas have secured the airspace."
"They'll continue patrolling."
"Nothing will reach you."
Akagi laughed softly, though there was unmistakable possessiveness in her tone.
"Ufufu..."
"No one..."
"...touches Akagi's Shikikan-sama."
Another wave of Firehawks streaked overhead, hunting down the last fleeing drones.
The skies rapidly became clear.
Enterprise's Harbinger banked overhead before climbing back toward the Daedalus.
Her composed voice carried through the communicator.
"Commander."
"Are you alright?"
Yuuki glanced around the now-secured battlefield.
Kaguya stood quietly beside him.
Anachiro remained unconscious.
The wreckage was surrounded by friendly aircraft.
He smiled faintly.
"...Yes."
He looked toward the Daedalus in the distance.
"Thanks."
Enterprise allowed herself a small smile.
"Good."
"We'll keep the skies clear."
Yorktown added,
"Focus on Anachiro."
"We'll make sure nothing interrupts you."
Above them...
The Orcas continued circling.
Firehawks hunted the horizon.
Harbingers stood watch overhead.
For the moment...
The First Heretic belonged to the GDI.
One of the shattered speakers embedded within the wreckage suddenly crackled to life.
Static filled the air.
Then Behemoth's furious voice thundered across the battlefield.
"BASTARD!"
"Return her to us!"
"She belongs to the Queen!"
Yuuki didn't even acknowledge the outburst.
Instead...
He calmly bit the inside of his tongue.
A single drop of crimson gathered upon his lips.
Kaguya immediately understood what he intended.
"My dearest..."
Yuuki gave a small nod.
"Watch my back, girls."
Across every communication channel, acknowledgements came immediately.
"We have you covered." Yorktown.
"Orcas maintaining perimeter." Kaga.
"Firehawks standing by." Akagi.
"No one's getting close." Enterprise.
Below them, Rapture reinforcements poured toward the wreckage.
"NO!" Behemoth screamed.
"Get her back!"
"All units!"
"Recover Anachiro immediately!"
Hundreds of Rapture drones ignored every other target.
Their sole objective had become the unconscious First Heretic.
They never came close.
Missiles from the Orcas erased the leading wave.
Firehawks intercepted every aerial approach.
Harbinger gunships descended once more, rotary cannons reducing the remaining recovery units into burning wreckage before they reached the battleship.
The airspace became an impenetrable wall of GDI firepower.
Satisfied...
Yuuki knelt beside Anachiro.
He gently supported her shoulders before carefully lifting her into a comfortable position.
Even unconscious...
Her expression remained tense.
As though still trapped within a nightmare.
Yuuki looked at the small drop of blood resting upon his fingertip.
"This should be enough..."
He leaned closer.
Several of the girls watching through the live battlefield feed instinctively looked away.
"...Commander..."
Javelin murmured awkwardly.
Akagi puffed out her cheeks.
"Hmph..."
Even Atago scratched her cheek.
"...Ara..."
"This is a little embarrassing..."
Belfast remained composed, though she quietly cleared her throat.
"If it is for Master's treatment..."
"...then it is a necessary procedure."
Kaguya merely smiled knowingly.
"This wife understands."
Yuuki gently pressed his lips against Anachiro's.
Only long enough to let the single drop of blood pass into her mouth.
Then he immediately pulled away.
Silence.
Nothing happened.
For one heartbeat.
Then—
Anachiro's entire body erupted in radiant white light.
Her back arched violently.
"AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!"
A scream echoed across the battlefield.
Dark corruption burst from beneath her skin.
Black sludge seeped from every wound.
Every joint.
Every corrupted conduit.
She coughed violently.
Thick black fluid poured from her mouth onto the ruined deck.
Yuuki immediately stepped back.
The corruption continued leaving her body.
More...
And more...
Until the black sludge began flowing across the metal deck before dripping into the sea below.
His visor rapidly analyzed it.
Corrupted Nanomachine Colony Detected
Status: Massive Cellular Collapse
Neutralization Progress...
41%
67%
89%
100%
Hostile Nanomachine Activity: Terminated
Yuuki exhaled.
"...It's working."
The brilliant light surrounding Anachiro slowly intensified.
Then—
The familiar sensation struck him.
His consciousness suddenly became unbearably heavy.
His vision blurred.
"...Again..."
The treatment was drawing him into the subconscious realm where corrupted minds were imprisoned.
His knees gave way.
Before he could fall completely—
Soft warmth caught him.
Kaguya gently lowered herself to the deck, guiding Yuuki's head onto her lap.
"There, there..."
She brushed several strands of hair away from his face.
"This wife shall keep watch."
Her golden eyes never left the surrounding battlefield.
Foxfire quietly danced around them, forming a protective barrier.
Nearby...
Anachiro continued expelling the last remnants of black corruption from her body.
The sea around the shattered battleship slowly darkened with lifeless nanomachine residue.
While Yuuki's consciousness...
Began descending into Anachiro's inner world.
===============
With Yuuki unconscious, the command network shifted automatically.
Yorktown's calm voice spread across every channel.
"Attention all units."
"The Commander is temporarily incapacitated."
"I am assuming battlefield command until he returns."
No one questioned the order.
"Acknowledged!" Enterprise.
"Roger!" Belfast.
"Understood." Rapi.
"Aye, Yorktown." Takao.
Deep inside the Mother Whale...
The three Steel Fortresses had already smashed through more than half of the colossal vessel.
Broken corridors stretched behind them.
Collapsed Rapture formations littered the deck.
The massive walkers continued advancing almost unopposed.
At the same time...
Jarvis continued its digital assault.
"Progress update."
Security Control: 68%
Vergil watched lines of code race across his holographic displays.
"Almost there..."
"Push harder."
Jarvis answered immediately.
"The Mother Whale's defensive AI is weakening."
"I have assumed control of all exterior weapon systems."
Outside...
Every anti-air battery mounted on the Mother Whale suddenly went silent.
Their barrels lowered.
Moments later...
The same cannons rotated inward.
Target locks appeared over nearby Rapture forces.
Then—
They opened fire.
Massive shells ripped through formations of combat droids.
Laser batteries swept entire corridors.
Missile pods launched into dense enemy concentrations.
The Mother Whale itself had become another ally.
"Almost there!" Ember shouted.
Her rigging unleashed another devastating barrage.
Entire platoons of Raptures disappeared beneath the explosions.
Ash calmly raised her bow.
Three radiant arrows left the string.
Before striking—
Each split into dozens of energy projectiles.
The explosions chained together, clearing another path through the endless swarm.
Above them...
Her aircraft completed another bombing run.
The assault corridor widened.
Blue thrusters descended from above.
Yuu landed lightly beside the advancing line.
Her Mark 49 shifted into its laser configuration.
Sweeping beams carved through another approaching Rapture formation.
Beside her...
Nayuta touched down.
Then...
Another Nayuta landed.
Then another.
And another.
Within seconds...
Twenty-one identical Nayutas stood assembled before the Toukuii squad.
The battlefield briefly fell silent.
Atago blinked.
"...What in the..."
"...Level twenty-one?"
Takao looked equally stunned.
"...She had no level when we entered."
Maya slowly counted the identical figures.
"...Twenty-one..."
"...There are twenty-one of her."
Even Choukai momentarily forgot about the surrounding battle.
"...How?"
The original Nayuta smiled politely.
"'Tis nothing, dear comrades."
She gave a small bow.
"I simply leveled."
Yuu landed beside her, shaking her head with a helpless smile.
"I was just as shocked."
She looked toward the assembled clones.
"When we began this operation..."
"...she was Level One."
She glanced at the battlefield timer displayed on her HUD.
"It's only been forty-five minutes."
"And now..."
"...she's Level Twenty-One."
Even the Steel Fortresses paused for a brief moment.
Neon remained inside her hatch, unable to lean out due to the fortress's massive size.
"Commander wasn't kidding..."
"That's insane."
Nayuta's clones merely smiled.
Each calmly reloading their rifles.
Not far away...
Ash and Ember exchanged stunned glances.
"...Levels?"
Ash asked quietly.
She had never heard of such a system.
Atago laughed proudly.
"We can level up now, Takao-chan."
She pointed toward herself.
"We're already Level Twenty-Nine."
"Another twenty-one levels..."
"...and we'll finally be able to spar with you properly."
Ember stared.
"...Impossible."
She slowly shook her head.
"Do you understand what Origin Cubes represent?"
"They took us years..."
"...countless battles..."
"...to reach our current strength."
Takao smiled from inside her Toukuii.
"Not exactly."
"But Shikikan-sama gave us another path."
"He allows us to grow."
"To become stronger."
"According to him..."
"You two are roughly fifty levels ahead of us."
She tightened her grip on her controls.
"So..."
"Another twenty-one levels."
"We should finally be able to fight you toe-to-toe."
Silence.
Ash said nothing.
Ember lowered her sword slightly.
Years.
Decades of battle.
Endless hardship.
That was the price they had paid for their strength.
And these girls...
Could potentially reach that same level...
In only a few months.
Neither META Shipgirl knew what to say.
For the first time...
The Leveling System no longer sounded like wishful thinking.
It sounded terrifying.
For the first time since entering the Mother Whale...
The assault force finally had a moment to breathe.
The redirected security cannons and machine guns continued tearing through wave after wave of Raptures, preventing them from regrouping.
The three Steel Fortresses halted their advance.
Their six massive legs anchored firmly to the deck, forming an armored wall.
Inside each cockpit, the occupants finally relaxed for a few precious moments.
Even the Toukuii mechas lowered their swords.
Ash broke the silence.
She turned toward Yuu.
"...Is it possible..."
"...for us to obtain this Leveling System?"
Everyone nearby fell quiet.
Even Ember looked toward Yuu with curiosity.
Yuu adjusted her glasses.
"Perhaps."
She looked between the two META Shipgirls.
"But first..."
"I'll need to examine both of you."
Ash nodded without hesitation.
"I expected as much."
Yuu smiled.
"Joining the GDI would also be the first step."
"We don't simply install our technology into strangers."
Ash and Ember exchanged a glance.
Then both nodded.
"...Fair."
Yuu crouched beside one of Nayuta's clones while speaking.
"META Shipgirls are structurally different."
"Outwardly you appear to be the same Shipgirls..."
"But internally..."
"Your energy circulation."
"Your cognitive core."
"Your Origin Cube integration."
"Everything differs from ordinary Shipgirls."
She pointed toward Ember.
"If I understand those differences..."
"I should be able to adapt the Leveling System to your bodies."
Ember's eyes widened.
"...Adapt it?"
"Exactly."
Yuu smiled confidently.
"And while I'm researching your bodies..."
"I'll also be studying your Origin Cubes."
Ash folded her arms.
"...To what end?"
Yuu answered without hesitation.
"I want to eliminate the drawbacks."
She looked directly at both META Shipgirls.
"If I can understand how Origin Cubes awaken Shipgirls..."
"...perhaps one day..."
"I can awaken ordinary Shipgirls without forcing them to suffer the same burdens you two endured."
Silence followed.
Neither Ash nor Ember spoke.
The possibility alone sounded almost impossible.
Yuu continued.
"But..."
Her tone became more serious.
"Before any of that happens..."
"I need certainty."
She looked at them calmly.
"I need to know that you're committed to the GDI."
Ash nodded slowly.
"...Understandable."
Yuu folded her arms.
"The Leveling System is one of our faction's greatest strategic assets."
"We can't simply hand it over because someone asks."
"It has to be earned."
Ember gave a faint smile.
"So..."
"We're being recruited."
Yuu chuckled.
"Technically..."
"You've been invited."
Ash looked toward the distant battlefield where Yuuki remained unconscious beside Kaguya.
"...That Commander..."
"He trusts remarkably easily."
Yuu shook her head.
"No."
"He trusts people."
"But he protects his family."
"There's a difference."
She glanced back at the two META Shipgirls.
"If you become part of the GDI..."
"Then you'll be family too."
Ash remained silent for several moments.
Finally...
She smiled.
"...Perhaps..."
"...joining wasn't such a bad idea after all."
Beside her, Ember quietly nodded in agreement.
"...Perhaps joining wasn't such a bad idea after all."
Ash, however, slowly shook her head.
"It won't be that simple, Ember."
The older META Shipgirl looked toward the burning corridors ahead.
"We're still undercover."
"The Sirens still believe we work for them."
Her expression became serious.
"We have to get the other META Shipgirls out first."
She turned back toward Yuu.
"We give you our word."
"When the time comes..."
"...we will join the GDI."
"But until then..."
"...our first responsibility is to our own people."
"If the Sirens discover we're defecting..."
"...they'll begin hunting every META still under their watch."
She clenched her fist.
"And if they discover this Leveling System..."
"...I don't even want to imagine what experiments they'll perform."
Silence settled over the group.
Yuu nodded in understanding.
"That's a reasonable concern."
She reached into a pouch attached to her armor.
"Chief already gave you encrypted communicators, didn't he?"
Ash nodded.
"...He did."
"Good."
Yuu smiled.
"Use them."
"When you wish to send the METAs to us..."
"Contact Chief."
"We'll arrange a rendezvous."
Ash listened carefully.
Yuu continued.
"Chief is good at creating convincing battlefield reports."
"If necessary..."
"He can stage an engagement."
She looked toward the burning battlefield surrounding them.
"The Sirens can believe the META Shipgirl was destroyed during combat..."
"...when in reality..."
"...we quietly extract her."
Ember slowly raised her head.
"...A fake casualty report."
"Exactly."
Yuu nodded.
"It keeps suspicion away from both you and the rescued META."
Ash folded her arms.
"...That could actually work."
"But..."
Yuu's tone became firmer.
"There's one condition."
Ash looked at her.
"We don't force anyone."
"If a META chooses not to join the GDI..."
"...that's her decision."
"We'll explain who we are."
"We'll offer sanctuary."
"We'll tell them the truth."
"But the choice must remain theirs."
Ember smiled faintly.
"...Shikikan said the same thing."
Yuu chuckled.
"Exactly."
Ash looked down at the encrypted communicator resting in her hand.
For years...
It had represented nothing more than a lifeline.
Now...
It represented something entirely different.
A path out.
She quietly closed her fingers around it.
"...Very well."
"We'll begin contacting the others."
"One by one."
"And if they're willing..."
"...we'll bring them home."
Yuu smiled.
"We'll be waiting."
Nearby, one of Nayuta's twenty-one clones looked up from reloading her rifle.
"The more allies..."
"...the stronger the future."
None of them disagreed.
Yuu clapped her armored hands together.
"Now then..."
She looked down the corridor where Rapture wreckage continued to burn.
"Let's continue."
She smiled.
"We'll surprise him when he wakes up."
The assault force laughed.
The Steel Fortresses started moving once again.
The Toukuiis resumed their advance.
Twenty-one Nayutas marched alongside them while Yuu's Mark 49 hovered overhead, its laser cannons sweeping the corridors clean.
Behind them...
Ash and Ember remained standing for a brief moment.
Neither spoke.
They could literally sense the change.
Every few minutes...
Atago.
Takao.
Maya.
Choukai.
Even Nayuta.
Their energy signatures continued rising.
Level after level.
It wasn't imagination.
It was measurable.
Ash quietly exhaled.
"...They're actually getting stronger while fighting."
Ember nodded.
"I can feel it too."
"If this continues..."
She watched Takao's Toukuii effortlessly cleave another Heavy Rapture apart.
"...they'll surpass us."
Ash slowly closed her eyes.
"...Then we need to move faster."
"We have to get the META Shipgirls out of the Siren Dimension."
"The longer they stay there..."
"...the greater the risk."
She already knew who she would contact first.
Those most vulnerable.
Those she trusted.
Once they were safe...
Only then...
Could she think about herself.
"...Doctor Yuu."
Yuu looked over her shoulder.
"Yes?"
Ash hesitated for a moment.
Then finally asked the question that had weighed on her for years.
"...Does your Commander..."
"...know how to revive Shipgirls?"
Yuu became noticeably more serious.
"...We're working on it."
She nodded slowly.
"The data recovered from Azur Lane Headquarters has given us a foundation."
"If we can improve upon their design..."
"...then as long as a Shipgirl's cube remains intact..."
"There is a chance."
Ash immediately asked,
"...Would an Origin Cube work?"
Yuu folded her arms.
"It depends."
"Do you have one?"
Ash slowly shook her head.
"...No."
"But..."
"One of the META Shipgirls..."
"...has two."
Everyone nearby stopped listening to the battle for just a moment.
Ash continued quietly.
"She has carried them for years."
"Searching..."
"Hoping..."
"Trying to find any way..."
"...to bring them back."
"Their bodies were destroyed during the failed META experiments."
"But their cubes survived."
"She has never let them go."
Yuu smiled faintly.
"...Why do I have the feeling..."
"...she reminds me of someone I know?"
Atago tilted her head slightly.
"...Akagi?"
Ember blinked in mild surprise.
"...How did you guess?"
A faint, knowing smile crossed her face.
"We were there."
"When Shikikan-sama fought her during the Orochi incident..."
"She bore a striking resemblance. Perhaps... a touch more unhinged."
Instantly—
Akagi's voice burst across the fleet communications.
"I most certainly did not!"
Several girls laughed.
Ember chuckled.
"I wasn't referring to your Akagi."
"I meant..."
"...META Akagi."
The laughter stopped.
Ember's voice softened.
"She isn't driven by madness."
"But..."
"...she has spent years searching for a way to revive..."
"...META Kaga."
"...and META Amagi."
Silence.
Then Kaga's quiet voice came over the communicator.
"...I died..."
"...in your world?"
Ash nodded solemnly.
"...Yes."
"You didn't survive the META incident."
"Only your cube remained."
The Sakura carrier fell silent.
Yuu looked back at Ash.
"If you can convince her to come here..."
"...Chief will do everything he can."
"We won't fail."
"Chief will make it happen."
Ash slowly nodded.
"I believe..."
"...that will be enough."
She looked at the encrypted communicator in her hand once more.
"...We'll bring her."
"We'll bring all of them."
Yuu smiled warmly.
"Then we'll prepare a place for every one of them."
Around them...
The Steel Fortresses continued advancing.
And for the first time in many years...
The META Shipgirls finally had something more powerful than hope.
They had...
A destination.
A home.
=====================
Darkness.
Unlike Nayuta's inner world...
There was no peaceful garden.
No sky.
No stars.
No ground that truly existed.
Only an endless black void stretching beyond sight.
The silence was suffocating.
Yuuki slowly opened his eyes.
"...So this is Cinderella's world."
He took a cautious step forward.
His footsteps echoed despite there being no visible floor.
Far away...
He heard it.
"...Kuu..."
A quiet sob.
Another.
Someone was crying.
Yuuki followed the sound through the darkness.
The farther he walked...
The stronger the feeling became.
Loneliness.
Regret.
Despair.
Eventually...
A faint white light appeared.
At its center sat a young woman.
She hugged her knees tightly against her chest.
Her long white hair concealed her face.
She looked nothing like the proud First Heretic who had fought Kaguya moments before.
She looked...
Fragile.
Yuuki stopped several steps away.
The crying ceased.
The girl slowly raised her head.
Beautiful crimson eyes met his own.
For a heartbeat...
She simply stared.
Then tears welled within her eyes.
A gentle smile appeared.
"...My prince..."
Her voice trembled.
"...You finally came."
Yuuki blinked.
"...Prince?"
She slowly rose to her feet.
Her movements were graceful despite the exhaustion in her eyes.
"I have waited..."
"So very long."
She placed a trembling hand over her heart.
"You cannot imagine..."
"...how long I have cried."
She looked around at the endless darkness surrounding them.
"...This prison."
"...The prison of my own mind."
"I have watched everything."
She lowered her gaze.
"I watched my own hands slaughter humans."
"I watched my body attack my comrades."
"I screamed."
"I begged."
"I fought."
"But..."
She closed her eyes.
"...No one could hear me."
Fresh tears rolled down her cheeks.
"I remained here..."
"...while something else wore my face."
She looked back at Yuuki.
Unlike Anachiro's cold arrogance...
Her expression was warm.
Gentle.
Almost innocent.
The complete opposite of the Heretic outside.
She took a hesitant step toward him.
"...You know..."
"I always dreamed..."
"...of meeting someone beautiful."
A small laugh escaped her lips.
"What a silly dream."
She shook her head.
"Then..."
"You appeared."
Her smile became brighter.
"...My prince."
"In all my years..."
"...you are the most beautiful person I have ever met."
Yuuki scratched the back of his head awkwardly.
"...I'm not sure anyone's ever introduced themselves like that."
Cinderella giggled softly.
It was the first genuine laugh to echo through the empty void.
She performed a graceful curtsy.
"Forgive my manners."
"I am Cinderella."
"One of the Second Generation Grimm Models."
"I was meant to stand beside the Goddess Squad."
Her smile slowly faded.
"...Instead..."
"I became the first Heretic."
Silence settled between them once more.
Then Cinderella looked at him with quiet hope.
"...Tell me..."
"...Did I hurt anyone important to you?"
Yuuki smiled gently.
"No."
"You never did."
He looked at Cinderella with reassuring eyes.
"Your body fought Kaguya..."
"But..."
"Not you."
"The one outside wasn't Cinderella."
"It was Anachiro."
At the mention of that name...
The darkness surrounding them began to tremble.
Tiny rays of golden light pierced the endless void.
The black floor beneath them slowly transformed into white marble.
The oppressive air became lighter.
The corruption imprisoning her heart was fading.
Cinderella looked around in astonishment.
"...It's disappearing..."
She slowly placed both hands over her chest.
"My prince..."
Her voice trembled.
"...Am I..."
"...finally going to be free?"
Yuuki nodded.
"Yes."
"You are."
"And..."
He smiled.
"Our hearts are connected now."
Cinderella closed her eyes.
The warmth flowing into her heart spread throughout the empty world.
"...Connected..."
A brilliant golden light bloomed within her chest.
She gasped softly.
"...Ah..."
"This warmth..."
"So gentle..."
"So bright..."
She smiled through fresh tears.
"...So..."
"...beautiful."
She opened her crimson eyes once more.
Looking only at him.
"My prince..."
"I..."
"I don't think I can let go of this warmth."
She slowly stepped closer.
Her hands rested over her own heart as if afraid the feeling would disappear.
"For so many years..."
"I only knew darkness."
"Hatred."
"Corruption."
"But now..."
"...there is warmth."
She smiled timidly.
"...Please..."
"...take me with you."
Her voice became barely above a whisper.
"...My prince."
Memories suddenly surfaced around them.
Broken fragments of her past.
Cities burning.
The Goddess Squad retreating.
Humans screaming.
Her own hands stained with blood.
She looked away.
"...Those memories..."
"...They're hideous."
She clutched her arms tightly.
"I remember everything."
"Everything Anachiro did."
"Every life she took."
"Every friend she betrayed."
"I..."
"...I'm no longer beautiful."
Her shoulders trembled.
"If I'm no longer beautiful..."
"...you won't look at me anymore."
She slowly raised frightened eyes toward him.
"...Love me..."
Yuuki quietly walked forward until he stood before her.
He gently placed a hand upon her head.
"Cinderella."
She looked up.
"You're really obsessed with beauty."
A small embarrassed smile appeared through her tears.
"...I am."
Yuuki smiled back.
"But you've misunderstood something."
He looked toward the fragments of darkness still lingering around the world.
"We all begin in darkness."
"I did."
"The Shipgirls did."
"The Nikkes did."
He let out a quiet laugh.
"I've survived three different lives."
"Three different worlds."
"I've seen more darkness than I ever wished to."
He gently brushed away one of her tears.
"So don't hate yourself."
"The sins committed by corruption..."
"...are not the measure of who you are."
He looked directly into her crimson eyes.
"In here..."
He lightly touched the center of her chest.
"...your heart."
"...you are the most beautiful you've ever been."
He smiled warmly.
"You're not Anachiro."
"You never were."
He spoke her true name.
"...You are..."
"...Cinderella."
The moment those words left his lips...
The last remnants of darkness shattered like glass.
The endless void disappeared.
Blue skies spread overhead.
Warm sunlight bathed the world.
Flowers began blooming beneath their feet.
For the first time in countless years...
Cinderella's prison...
Had become a garden.
Cinderella lowered her head.
Her smile disappeared.
"...But..."
She looked at her trembling hands.
"My beauty..."
"...had been irreversibly defiled by corruption."
Her voice became quieter with every word.
"When humanity speaks of me..."
"They do not call me Cinderella anymore."
She slowly closed her eyes.
"They call me..."
"...Traitor."
"...Heretic."
"...Murderer."
Each title felt like another chain around her heart.
"I was supposed to become hope."
"Instead..."
"...I became their nightmare."
Yuuki quietly stepped closer.
"...Shhh."
He gently placed a finger against her lips.
"That wasn't you."
"...It never was."
Cinderella's tears began flowing again.
"But humanity hated me..."
Yuuki smiled gently.
"They hated the one controlling your body."
"...Not the girl standing before me."
She stared at him in disbelief.
"I was a helpless passenger..."
She clutched her chest.
"I watched Anachiro cripple my squadmates."
"I watched her slaughter people while I screamed."
"I remember every second."
"I couldn't stop her."
"I couldn't even close my own eyes."
She collapsed to her knees.
"When I was finally free..."
"I could only cry."
Yuuki knelt before her.
She looked at him with desperate hope.
"...My prince."
"This pain..."
"It will never disappear."
"But..."
She took a deep breath.
"Please..."
"...take me with you."
"Let me join the Diving Eagle."
"I want to atone."
"I want to repay the lives lost because of me."
Yuuki slowly shook his head.
"Cinderella."
"If you join us..."
"...don't do it for atonement."
She blinked.
"...Then why?"
He smiled.
"Join us..."
"...to protect your new comrades."
"Protect the people beside you."
"Protect the future."
"Not because you're trying to erase your past."
He gently rested his hand upon her shoulder.
"You were never in control."
"The one who committed those atrocities..."
"...was the corruption."
"It was the machine."
"It was the darkness that imprisoned this world."
He slowly looked around.
The endless void had vanished.
Blue skies stretched overhead.
Flowers bloomed around them.
Warm sunlight illuminated everything.
"Look around you."
He smiled.
"The darkness is gone."
"So are the chains."
"You are no longer corrupted."
He gently squeezed her shoulder.
"And..."
"I'll walk beside you."
"Every step of the way."
Cinderella covered her mouth.
"...My prince..."
Her heart trembled.
Yuuki placed a hand over the center of her chest.
"I've seen your heart."
"It isn't stained."
"It isn't ugly."
"It isn't broken."
He smiled warmly.
"It's beautiful."
"...Truly beautiful."
Cinderella could no longer hold back her tears.
She threw herself forward.
Wrapping both arms tightly around him.
She buried her face against his chest and cried.
Years of fear.
Years of loneliness.
Years of guilt.
Everything she had carried alone...
Finally escaped.
Yuuki gently patted her back.
"There, there."
He let out a quiet sigh.
"...Why do I keep meeting girls obsessed with one thing?"
He smiled to himself.
"Neon is obsessed with firepower."
He looked down at the crying Cinderella.
"And you're obsessed with beauty."
Cinderella laughed weakly through her tears.
"...Can you blame me?"
Yuuki chuckled.
"...No."
"Not anymore."
For the first time since becoming the First Heretic...
Cinderella cried...
Not from despair.
But from relief.
Cinderella remained in his embrace.
The warmth surrounding her heart refused to fade.
For the first time in years...
She felt safe.
She slowly looked up at him.
"...My prince."
Yuuki smiled.
"Hm?"
"If..."
She hesitated, almost embarrassed by her own question.
"...If I need you again..."
"...may I embrace you like this?"
Yuuki chuckled softly.
"Anytime you want."
Her crimson eyes widened.
"...Anytime?"
She tilted her head innocently.
"...Even now?"
Yuuki laughed.
"...You really don't waste any time, do you?"
"...Okay."
He opened his arms once more.
Cinderella immediately stepped forward.
She wrapped her arms around him again, resting her forehead against his chest with a contented sigh.
The bright garden around them seemed to glow a little warmer.
Yuuki gently patted her head.
"Shh..."
"There..."
"There."
Cinderella closed her eyes.
"...Don't ever leave me, my prince."
She tightened her embrace ever so slightly.
"Your warmth..."
"Your light..."
"...has become my beauty."
"Please..."
Yuuki smiled reassuringly.
"I won't."
"...Okay?"
She nodded slowly.
Then Yuuki added with an amused smile,
"Still..."
"You'll have to share that light with quite a few girls."
Cinderella looked up at him.
There wasn't even a trace of jealousy on her face.
"...I don't mind."
"As long as..."
"...you still see my beauty."
She placed a hand over her heart.
"The beauty you found here..."
"It exists because you reminded me who I truly am."
Her gentle smile returned.
"I shall protect it."
Yuuki smiled back.
"That's a much healthier reason. You shouldn't say that to a man you just met."
Cinderella laughed quietly.
Then, with quiet sincerity, she whispered,
"...No."
"You are mistaken."
Yuuki blinked.
"...About what?"
She met his gaze without hesitation.
"You said I shouldn't say such things to someone I just met."
She slowly shook her head.
"That isn't how it feels."
Her voice remained soft.
"You are the only one who entered this place."
"The only one who heard my cries."
"The only one who called me Cinderella after years."
She smiled with quiet gratitude rather than desperation.
"So..."
"...to me..."
"...you are my only prince."
Yuuki scratched his cheek awkwardly.
"...You're going to make conversations difficult if you keep saying things like that."
Cinderella giggled.
"It is merely the truth."
The flowers around them swayed gently in a warm breeze.
The once-empty prison of her heart had become a place where laughter could finally exist.
Still wrapped in Cinderella's embrace...
Yuuki suddenly felt warmth spreading through his chest.
"...Hmm?"
The world around them shimmered.
Petals drifted into the air.
One after another...
Fragments of light began floating around them.
"...These are..."
Cinderella smiled sadly.
"...My memories."
"I suppose..."
"...my heart wishes to show them to you."
The light expanded.
The peaceful garden disappeared.
A frightened little girl ran through ruined streets.
Buildings burned.
Smoke covered the sky.
People shoved one another aside.
Parents abandoned strangers.
Children cried for help.
The little girl could only watch.
The Raptures advanced relentlessly.
Humanity wasn't just losing the war...
It was losing itself.
Yuuki silently watched.
"...So this was your childhood."
The memory shifted.
Gunfire erupted across another battlefield.
A squad of unfamiliar Nikkes fought desperately against an overwhelming Rapture force.
Their uniforms were torn.
Their weapons scorched.
Their faces exhausted.
Yet...
They continued fighting.
Eventually...
The final Rapture fell.
Silence returned.
The young girl hiding behind broken concrete stared with shining eyes.
"They're..."
"So beautiful..."
One Nikke laughed while wiping dirt from her face.
Another complained about the mission.
A third immediately started checking on civilians.
They weren't elegant.
They weren't perfect.
They were simply heroes.
The little girl smiled.
"...I want..."
"...to stand beside them."
Yuuki quietly smiled.
"...The Goddess Squad."
Cinderella nodded against his shoulder.
"...They became my dream."
The memory shifted again.
A laboratory.
Scientists hurried between consoles.
A woman with weary eyes stood beside a capsule.
"Abe..."
Cinderella whispered.
"My mother."
The capsule slowly opened.
A young white-haired Nikke stepped forward.
Healthy.
Beautiful.
Full of hope.
Abe gently smiled.
"My masterpiece."
"The finest of the Second Generation Grimms Models."
"You will surpass even Goddess."
Yuuki watched Cinderella's younger self smile with excitement.
"I'll fight beside them."
"I won't disappoint you."
Another memory.
Training.
Laughter.
Hope.
The future seemed limitless.
Until...
Everything shattered.
The next scene arrived.
Warning sirens.
The day of the Lift operation.
Cinderella stood proudly in pristine white armor.
She smiled.
"...Today's the day."
"I finally get to fight beside Goddess."
Yuuki already knew what came next.
A sudden betrayal.
Someone stepped behind her—silent, unseen.
A sharp pain pierced her back.
Before she could react, something cold flooded into her body.
Corruption nanomachines.
Injected directly into her core.
Her vision blurred.
Her limbs froze.
And then—
Darkness.
A single command.
Corruption.
Cinderella suddenly froze.
"...No..."
Her body stopped responding.
She tried moving.
Nothing happened.
"No..."
"...Please..."
She screamed.
Her own hands raised their weapons.
The first shots rang out.
Her squadmates looked toward her in disbelief.
"Cinderella?!"
"...Run!"
"I can't stop!"
The corruption ignored her pleas.
Yuuki watched in silence.
The memories became unbearable.
She watched herself mutilate her own comrades.
She begged her body to stop.
It never listened.
The vision changed again.
The Goddess Squad.
The heroes she admired most.
Instead of standing beside them...
Her weapons turned toward them.
"I'M SORRY!"
"I'M SORRY!"
"I'M SORRY!"
Her voice echoed through the battlefield.
But no one could hear the real Cinderella.
Only Anachiro.
Yuuki felt Cinderella's grip around him tighten.
"I ruined everything..."
She whispered.
"I destroyed humanity's hope."
Another fragment followed.
The corruption seeped deeper.
Its whispers became louder.
"They are your enemies."
"Kill them."
"Protect Goddess."
"They are unworthy."
The lies repeated endlessly.
Again.
Again.
Again.
Until...
The real Cinderella's voice became quieter.
Eventually...
Only Anachiro remained.
The battlefield disappeared.
The final memory showed humanity fleeing from the white-haired Heretic.
Children hid behind their parents.
Soldiers raised trembling weapons.
They no longer called her Cinderella.
They screamed another name.
"ANACHIRO!"
"THE HERETIC!"
"MURDERER!"
"TRAITOR!"
The memories finally ended.
The peaceful garden returned.
Cinderella buried her face against Yuuki's shoulder.
"...That..."
"...was my entire life."
She smiled sadly.
"...Now..."
"...you've seen everything."
Yuuki remained silent for a long moment.
Then he gently wrapped one arm around her shoulders.
"I did."
He looked toward the clear blue sky above the garden.
"And after seeing all of it..."
He smiled warmly.
"I still don't see Anachiro."
He looked back at the girl in his arms.
"I only see..."
"...the little girl who wanted to become someone's hero."
Fresh tears welled in Cinderella's eyes.
This time...
They weren't tears of guilt.
They were tears of finally being understood.
The memories were not over.
The warm garden faded once more.
Another fragment emerged.
Cinderella instinctively clung closer to Yuuki.
"...There's still more."
The peaceful colors dissolved into smoke and fire.
A battlefield.
Broken Nikkes lay scattered across ruined streets.
At the center stood Anachiro.
Elegant.
Terrifying.
Untouchable.
Opposing her...
The remnants of Old Tales.
Yuuki quietly watched.
"...Your old squad."
Cinderella lowered her head.
"...Yes."
"They never stopped trying to save me."
The battle unfolded.
Every attack they launched was answered with overwhelming force.
One by one...
They fell.
Until only one person remained.
Abe.
The woman who had created Cinderella.
The woman she lovingly called her mother.
Abe staggered forward despite her injuries.
She looked at the Heretic before her.
"...Cinderella..."
Her voice was gentle.
"...Come back."
For the first time...
Anachiro hesitated.
Only for a heartbeat.
Then—
Her blade moved.
The memory blurred.
Yuuki did not need to see every detail.
When it cleared...
Abe had fallen.
Cinderella covered her mouth.
"...Mother..."
Her entire body trembled.
"I watched..."
"...everything."
"I screamed until my voice disappeared."
"But she..."
"...couldn't hear me."
Within the memory...
Anachiro silently stared at Abe's fallen body.
Something changed.
For the briefest moment...
Cinderella's consciousness broke through.
"...Why?"
She looked at her own bloodstained hands.
"...Was any of this..."
"...ever for Goddess?"
The corruption answered immediately.
Its voice echoed through the void.
"Question me again..."
"And I shall slaughter every member of Old Tales."
"Accept your place."
"Become the Queen's blade."
Cinderella's tears stopped.
Instead...
She smiled.
Not from happiness.
But from resolve.
"...Very well."
She quietly answered the corruption.
"I have one condition."
The corruption laughed.
"Speak."
Cinderella slowly raised her head.
"When every member of the Goddess Squad lies dead..."
"...before me..."
"...then..."
"...I shall accept becoming your Heretic."
The corruption laughed louder.
It believed her spirit had finally broken.
But Yuuki saw the truth.
"...You lied."
Cinderella nodded.
"I did."
"My plan..."
"...was never to serve the Queen."
She looked toward the distant figures of the Goddess Squad.
"I would force Anachiro to confront the heroes I admired."
"They would defeat her."
"They would destroy my body."
"And..."
A peaceful smile appeared.
"...they would finally free me."
"Through death."
Silence followed.
Another memory appeared.
Years later.
A battlefield unlike the others.
Golden foxfire illuminated the sky.
A majestic nine-tailed woman stood before Anachiro.
Kaguya.
Cinderella smiled sadly.
"...Ten years ago."
"I hoped..."
"...she would succeed."
The memories showed Anachiro fighting desperately.
Not to win.
But constantly creating openings.
Drawing Kaguya's strongest attacks.
Inviting death.
Yuuki immediately understood.
"...You wanted her to kill you."
Cinderella nodded.
"...Yes."
"But..."
She looked away.
"Anachiro fled before the battle could end."
"My final chance disappeared."
She quietly laughed at herself.
"So I continued waiting."
"Waiting for someone..."
"...strong enough."
"...kind enough."
"...to finally end it."
She turned toward Yuuki.
"But then..."
Her crimson eyes became warm.
"...You appeared."
"You didn't come to kill me."
"You didn't call me a monster."
"You didn't call me Anachiro."
She smiled through quiet tears.
"You called me..."
"...Cinderella."
She gently took both of his hands.
"I expected death."
"Instead..."
"...you gave me life."
The garden returned one final time.
No darkness remained.
No corruption.
Only flowers dancing beneath a clear blue sky.
Cinderella rested her forehead against his.
"My prince..."
"I spent years waiting for someone to grant me a peaceful death."
She smiled with genuine happiness.
"...I never imagined..."
"...someone would instead give me a reason to live."
Yuuki gently held Cinderella's hands.
They no longer trembled.
The warmth flowing between them had replaced the cold darkness that had imprisoned her for so many years.
He smiled.
"You're free, Cinderella."
She looked at him in disbelief.
"...Free?"
"You can't hurt anyone anymore."
"The corruption is gone."
"Once your mind fully recovers in our Med Bay"
"...you'll be exactly who you were always meant to be."
He gently brushed a strand of white hair behind her ear.
"Beautiful."
"And free."
Fresh tears filled her eyes.
"...What if..."
Yuuki slowly shook his head.
"No."
He softly tapped her forehead.
"Shh..."
"No 'what ifs.'"
"You're free."
"My blood didn't just purge the corruption."
"It bound our hearts together."
He rested his hand over her chest.
"If they ever try to corrupt you again..."
"...those nanomachines will die the moment they enter your body."
"They'll be destroyed..."
"...and expelled just like before."
Cinderella slowly looked down at herself.
She could no longer feel the chains.
No whispers.
No Queen.
No Anachiro.
Only silence.
Warm...
Peaceful silence.
"...I..."
She placed both hands over her heart.
"...I'm truly free."
Her voice cracked.
"...Truly..."
Yuuki nodded.
"Yes."
Without another word...
He leaned forward.
And gently kissed her forehead.
"There."
She closed her eyes.
"...Truly..."
"...Thank you..."
Her voice became barely a whisper.
"...My prince."
"...Thank you..."
For several quiet moments...
Neither of them spoke.
The wind carried flower petals between them.
Then—
A golden light suddenly began surrounding Yuuki.
His body slowly became translucent.
Cinderella's eyes widened.
"...My prince?"
Yuuki looked down at his fading hands.
He smiled apologetically.
"I have to go."
"The outside world is calling me back."
Cinderella instinctively reached for him.
"...Already?"
He nodded.
"But..."
"We'll meet again."
"You'll wake up soon."
"And next time..."
He smiled.
"I want to fight beside Cinderella."
"Not Anachiro."
"But the beautiful girl standing before me."
Cinderella gently took his fading hand with both of hers.
She lowered her head respectfully.
Then looked back up with unwavering conviction.
"My promise to you..."
"...Sweet Prince."
She placed a hand over her heart.
"I dedicate..."
"...my beauty."
"...my strength."
"...and my life..."
"...to your cause."
She smiled more brightly than she ever had.
"May the heavens forever guide me..."
"...along the path of devotion."
Yuuki couldn't help but laugh.
"...Pff."
He rubbed the back of his neck.
"Wake up first..."
"...Cinderella."
"I'll be waiting."
His body dissolved into countless particles of golden light.
Just before he vanished completely...
He saw Cinderella smiling.
Not the lonely smile of someone waiting to die.
But the hopeful smile...
Of someone finally looking forward to tomorrow.
She gently waved toward the fading light.
"...Until we meet again..."
"...My prince."
The garden remained.
Bright.
Peaceful.
And for the first time since her corruption...
Cinderella stood beneath its blue sky...
Completely free.