Previous Chapter: Chapter 7: Surprise Attack Next Chapter: Chapter 9
Chapter 8: Faith and Doubt
Godel: You’re the only ones who returned?
Chien: At least on our side. The enemy’s squad is following us pretty close.
Godel: (The orders from above are to do a surprise attack, but that seems reckless…) Well then, we’ll handle it from here. You should retreat.
Chien: No, until the battle is done, I’ve still got a job to do. As long as those Steel Dragon bastards are around, my work won’t end.
Chienne: Don’t overdo it, Chien. Your mech’s taken a fair amount of damage.
Chien: Chienne, you came this way too?
Chienne: Yeah, after I finished up earning some extra income.
Chien: Extra income?
Chienne: I just met up with that shady old man of ours. He asked me to check out a certain temple.
Chien: But you’re over here now? Are you sure that’s profitable?
Chienne: Eh… It’ll only be a minor deduction. Anyway, leave this to me. If you died here, things would get boring.
Chien: You’re only thinking about how that might affect you later.
Chienne: And here I was worrying about you. Now get out of here. If all 3 of us don’t go back together, there’s no point, right?
Chien: Yeah, yeah.
*poofs*
Chienne: And now… they’re here.
*Squad deploy*
Chienne: Heheh… Seems like they still aren’t a large group.
Katina: That mech… It’s that kid from before!
Russel: But wait, the shape is a bit different…
Chienne: I am Chienne Argent. Like Chien, I’m one of the Boosted Children.
Lune: You guys are siblings?
Chienne: Of the three of us, I’m the oldest. I guess you could call me the leader.
Kyosuke: There’s 3… so there’s one more of you, then.
Chienne: Bronzo 27… Or I guess she goes by Seolla now… Is she with you?
Kyosuke: …See for yourself.
Chienne: Meh, both those dropouts will probably get summoned sooner or later.
Lune: If Arado and her were here, what would you do?
Chienne: I’d kill them, of course.
Lune: But aren’t they your friends?
Chienne: Psh, Friends? Don’t be retarded! They wish they were like us! We’re trying to take control of the Boosted Children brand. They’re ruining our business, those dropouts!
Tasuku: Brand?
Kyosuke: Guess they see things differently than Arado and Seolla.
Russel: Th-those guys are proud to be Boosted Children?!
Chienne: Well, at the School, we did see some pretty fucked up stuff… but we also found our way of getting enough to eat. And now, our lives are interesting! Hell, even hilarious! We’ll make our names known, make our debut onto the world, and get as much as we can!
Tasuku: They’re completely different from Arado and Seolla!
Kirkus: Attention, Shutedonias forces. I, Kirkus Zan Valfarbia, will take revenge for your aggression.
Godel: General Kirkus… I am Major Godel Noland. We have met once before, when I was in Langran.
Kirkus: …
Godel: For my country’s sake, I cannot back down! Even at the cost of my life, I will face you!
Kirkus: I understand your noble conviction. But don’t think it will stop me.
Yang: This is the battle that will turn the tides of this war… We can’t lose this!
Chapter 8: Faith and Doubt
Victory: Destroy the Sodium Class Mobile fortress.
Defeat: Hiryuu Custom is defeated, Kirkus is defeated
SR point: Destroy ten units other than the Sodium class and the Kerberion Present in 3 turns.
*turn 2*
Eun: There’s an unknown reading from 9 o’clock! It’s one unit… We’ve received IFF codes! It’s a federation code!
Lefina: !
Kyosuke: It’s… the ART-1!
Ryuusei: Yo, Kyosuke. I guess you were also sent to this world.
Tasuku: Ryuusei!
Ryuusei: I roughly understand what’s going on here. I’ll help out!
Kyosuke: Tasuku, I won the bet.
Tasuku: Ahaha… This is going to be expensive, isn't it...[1]
*Lune Vs. Chienne*
Chienne: Hmm, the Valsione…I’ll crush that stupid looking mech!
Lune: I’d like to see you try!
*Yang Vs. Chienne *
Chienne: I wonder if you’re stronger or weaker than Cybuster… But whatever the case, An Elemental Lord is a profitable target in La Gias!
Yang: Meaning you fought Cybuster already?
Chienne: Jeez, I wonder?
* Chienne fights Kyosuke*
Chienne: If I bag the Steel Dragons’ ace, I’ll be famous!
Kyosuke: Before that, I’ll rip apart your mech.
*Tasuku fights Chienne *
Tasuku: So there’s a strong-willed woman and a body building dude… Is last of your siblings… a beautiful young girl?
Chienne: Ha! Who knows if you’ll even meet them?
* Chienne Fights Katina*
Katina: If you’re only as good as Chien, you’re still just a kid!
Chienne: Hah! Are you getting flashbacks from, long, long ago?
*She blows up (I KILLED HER AND ALL I GOT WAS A LOUSY 12k MONEY)*
Chienne: Grr, now I see why Chien needed repairs! I’ll pull out for today, but I’ll remember this!
*Kirkus V Godel*
Godel: Kirkus! If I defeat you, this war will be over!
Kirkus: It won’t be that easy. I have no intention of backing down!
*blow up the ship*
Godel: Th-this is it…
Kirkus: Surrender, Major Nolan.
Godel: !
Kirkus: Our fight has been decided. Even you have a family… And you have friends even in Langran.
Godel: But… I!
Kirkus: We need to spare lives. After this war ends, there’ll be a lot of work to do. And not just in Langran and Shutedonias… But the whole of La Gias will be relying on us for peace and prosperity.
Godel: …
Yang: …
Sean: (Kirkus Zan Valfarbia…He doesn’t seem like a mere war monger.)
*battle end*
Kyosuke: It’s good to see you’re alright, Ryuusei.
Ryuusei: Yeah, you too. It’s good to see you’ve returned… And that means… Masaki’s in La Gias somewhere, too.
Kyosuke: Yeah, and probably the Hagane, too.
Ryuusei: That’s true… I hope everyone’s okay.
Katina: We’ve been through a lot up till now and always came out okay. Nothing around here is gonna make them kick the bucket.
Ryuusei: …Yeah, that’s true.
Tasuku: Hey, Ryuusei, loan me some cash… All you can eat is expensive…
Ryuusei: What are you talking about, out of the blue?
Tasuku: It’s your fault, anyway! C’mon, please!
Ryuusei: Wha?
Russel: Tasuku and Kyosuke had a bet… Whether you had been returned to the surface, or were sent to La Gias.
Ryuusei: You guys will really bet on anything, huh…
Lune: By the way, you said you roughly understood the situation, but… why?
Ryuusei: Well, when I came to La Gias, the R1 wasn’t in great shape. But I met someone named Demexa Shie, and he fixed it up. While that was happening, I heard quite a bit.
Yang: Wait, seriously?
Ryuusei: Do you know that person?
Yang: Yeah…
Lune: Who is it?
Gennacy: He’s a surface dweller, and an Elemental pilot.
Ryuusei: I knew he was from the surface, but I didn’t know about the Elementals…
Yang: Where was he?
Ryuusei: I could tell you, but he’s not there anymore. When we went our separate ways, he left too.
Yang: …
Ryuusei: He said he had some order to follow from General Kirkus, but I didn’t hear what it entailed.
Yang: So you heard about us from him, and then you came here.
Ryuusei: Yeah. He said it’s reckless to run around the middle of a warzone, but I told him I wanted to help my friends, so he told me your location.
Tasuku: Did that Demaxa have any information about the other members of the Steel Dragons?
Ryuusei: No, he only knew about you guys…
Yang: …Gennacy, where’s General Kirkus?
Gennacy: I think he’s outside of the Hiryuu Custom.
Yang: Got it.
*outside*
Kirkus: You wanted to talk in private?
Yang: Before that… It seems Demexa is moving under your orders.
Kirkus: Yeah, I didn’t tell you. He’s investigating where the scattered priests are.
Yang: So the Surface dwellers can return after the war?
Kirkus: …That’s right.
Yang: Then let’s move on to what I wanted to talk about. I have information that Prince Feil is still alive.
Kirkus: …
Yang: Why did you keep this from me, General?
Kirkus: …There’s no use hiding it now. Yes, the lord still lives. And he’s fighting against the Shutedonias forces, too.
Yang: Then why haven’t we been working with Prince Feil?
Kirkus: …I have reason to doubt him.
Yang: What do you mean, doubt…?
Kirkus: This mass summoning from the surface… I think it could have been a plot by Feil.
Yang: Wh-why would you think that?
Kirkus: First, the people with the power to perform a summoning like that are extremely limited. The prince is one of those people. Second… I understand his temperament. Though it’s not known to the public, the lord failed a magical power test just once… But after exhaustive training, when he restarted the test, he was able to complete it easily.
Yang: But that’s…
Kirkus: From that moment on, he’s had a complex about his own power… Both authority and military force. Prince Feil desires more and more power. He wants the power and technology of the world above… That’s why I think he planned this large scale summoning.
Yang: From only that….
Kirkus: Of course, I can’t confirm it. But if it’s true, the consequences would be grave. Calling that many surface dwellers and weapons into our world en masse can only lead this world into havoc.
Yang: Certainly… I also don’t think this summoning was an accident…
Kirkus: The lord didn’t use regular channels in pursuit of his objectives. And he's acquired more than he needs for this task. That’s why I’m uncertain. I would have lent my power to him if he had asked….
Yang: …
Kirkus: And to be honest, I have my own ambitions, too. In this confusion, I want to see how far my own power can take me.
Yang: I understand your doubts about the Prince. For now, I’ll trust you.
Kirkus: …
Yang: But I am the pilot of an Elemental Lord. If your ambition goes unchecked, and you throw the world into further confusion…
Kirkus: I understand. I’ll return to my camp. You should wait here with the Hiryuu Custom. When we’re ready to leave here, I’ll request your assistance again.
Yang: Understood, sir.
Previous Chapter: Chapter 7: Surprise Attack Next Chapter: Chapter 9: Volkruss's Shadow
[1] Kanemedai. It is also known as the Splendid Alfonsio. Which is a rad fish name, but who the fuck knew that?