Sky Striker Princess, but the swan song of Valkyrie.

[We can't let Miss Tsubasa down, let's go!]

[Yes, let's bet everything here, and then explode!]

[Sword drawn, full insurance month & ripples^ first release~ mode deactivated!]

At the same time, the double insurance of Ignite mode was deactivated, exchanging a greater burden for a moment of immense power. The combined attack of the two cut through the Ripple's defenses.

The three consecutive slashes—a circular saw, a scythe, and a sword blade—simultaneously sliced ​​through Zero's body, completely severing the core within him into six pieces. The next moment, a massive explosion erupted from the water.

"Pfft—does this count as a victory, Death?"

"I don't know, but Chess is already out of strength."

"Don't let your guard down, there might be follow-up attacks."

Having narrowly escaped the explosion at the last second, the group surfaced one after another, watching the lake begin to shrink at a visible rate, and couldn't help but wonder and worry.

[Hey everyone, how's it going? Our communications were inexplicably cut off earlier. What's the situation on your end now?]

But then, the reassuring words of Elfnein appeared in their hearts, declaring that the three present had won the battle.

P.S. Good evening.

Chapter 41 Capture and Combat

After losing contact with this side, Elfnein had been trying to contact Kazanami, but the signal was being interfered with by something, and they only managed to get back in now.

"Elfnein, now that communication has been restored, does that mean the battle here is over?"

[Yes, according to the detection here, three of the four elemental nodes have been destroyed. The fire has been extinguished, the wind has stopped, and the water was just cut off by Miss Yi and your team.]

Although she had her suspicions, Kazanari still wanted confirmation, and thankfully the answer she received from Elfnein put her mind at ease.

"Great, finally... This is the first time I've overpowered Zero-chan in a head-on battle. If this continues, maybe we can..."

Upon learning this news, Tsukuyomi's vigilant expression relaxed, and she felt a sense of joy involuntarily.

"That's true, but don't relax too much. According to Finney and Elfnein, it's probably because the other side isn't in good condition right now."

"We must hurry, the situation is still not optimistic."

Although she was equally delighted by the victory, Kazanari Tsubasa's calm personality made her understand that the current situation was only possible due to the special circumstances at hand.

If we don't continue to expand our advantage and press our advantage, giving Lingyi a chance to catch her breath, then the scales of victory will eventually tip to the other side.

"Yes, I understand. So we need to continue preparing for battle. Elfnein, is there anywhere else that needs our support?"

Tsukuyomi understood this principle, so after confirming that her side still had the ability to fight, she proposed to provide support to the other sides.

[If possible, please go and support Hibiki-san's side. The battle there is the only one that hasn't ended yet... Ah, it's almost over. Wait a moment, I'll show you the exit.]

After reviewing the current battle situation in various locations, Elfne realized that the battle was nearing its end and began preparing for the next one.

"Well then, Kiri-chan, let's go... Kiri-chan, what's wrong?"

Upon learning of the situation, Tsukuyomi nodded, then turned to her friend, Akatsuki, without much thought, intending to pull her away.

However, at that moment, she noticed that Xiaoqiege's face had turned deathly pale and he looked pained.

"Waaah... Tiny, Tiny's gone!"

..........

While the musicians were working to break through the protective barrier created by Zero Clothes, a container bearing the same water element symbol and radiating blue light was being transported to the core of the massive ship encased in the barrier, escorted by the diligent Bumblebee drones.

After being transported here, the cables were quickly connected to the container. Phine, whose senses were bound inside the container, realized that something had appeared outside this mental prison.

"Long time no see, Finney. How about this cell I've prepared for you as compensation for all the trouble you've caused me?"

In the realm of the mind, separated by a cell door, Lingyi squatted outside the cell, asking in a seemingly concerned tone with a blank expression.

"That's really luxurious. I didn't expect your research in the soul realm to be so in-depth that you were able to separate me from Xiaoqiege."

"After all, we suffered a lot in this area, so we put a little more effort into research."

In just a few words, the reason why Finney ended up in such a predicament became quite clear.

As an electronic warfare specialist specializing in water-element armor, Zero Void is more commendable for its functionality than its combat capabilities. Like pure water, it can harmonize well with any function added to it.

Rather than turning away the performers, Zero was more interested in taking this opportunity to capture the elusive rat, the ghost of the prehistoric civilization, Finni.

Taking advantage of the battle between Xiaoqiege and Junkong, she used Junkong to separate Fini's soul from Xiaoqiege and seal it into a container specially used for sealing souls.

"So, what do you plan to do with me?"

"Don't worry, it's not time to end your life yet. I need the knowledge of your ancient civilization and heretical technology."

Although from Adam's body = moon ripple zeroer I umbrella 0i near

"Is that so? So, is there anything you want to ask me?"

"I'm sorry, no. Rather than trusting your words, I'd rather use technical means to carefully extract information from your soul later."

Despite saying that, on the one hand, Lingyi didn't trust Finny's words, and on the other hand, it would be more convenient to directly search the soul and extract all the data.

"Now, please take a nap in my cell for a while. I'll make sure the prison is very luxurious for you."

With that, following Zero's instructions, the container storing Finnie's soul was taken away by the Wasp Unit and would soon be sealed in the cell Zero had specially prepared for her.

"So, next... well, the outer defenses are about to be breached. The combined power of the Demon Sword and the relic is slightly stronger than expected, and it still came to this. Tch, Finney's trouble."

After seeing Finney off, Lingyi looked at the light screen displaying the outer battlefield. The battles on the three light screens had ended, which stirred a sense of unease within her.

Although she didn't have high expectations, the fact that the armor's defenses were breached so quickly was still a bit unexpected. This situation could only be attributed to the technical enhancements that Finni had given to the Symphogears of the musicians.

"There's no other way. Although we couldn't find a replacement that could fully activate the Moon Ripples Weep, limiting its activation should be enough in terms of numbers... And if limiting its activation still doesn't work, there's a final solution."

"No matter what, the final victory will definitely belong to me, and there is never any doubt about that."

Relaxing herself, Lingyi looked at the screen in front of her in her mental space. Although she felt a little heavy-hearted, she wasn't too panicked.

.........

A dozen minutes ago, Maria passed through a thin membrane-like substance. When she opened her eyes again, all her companions who had come in with her had disappeared. All that remained was a vast, lifeless wasteland composed of yellow sand, dry soil, and heavy rocks.

"We need to destroy the node... but where is the node?"

Maria cautiously surveyed her surroundings, her mind searching for information about the place.

[Be careful, Miss Maria. This is the space created by the Earth Element Construct Machine. Judging from the situation with Miss Hibiki, there will probably be Miss Zero's armor stationed here.]

“I understand… huh?!”

Elfnein gave a timely warning, and immediately after Elfnein's warning, Maria suddenly sensed something, leaped into the air, and barely dodged the earthen-yellow mechanical hand that suddenly rose from the ground and reached out to grab her.

"Phew, that was close. Luckily, we were prepared underground."

After narrowly avoiding a collision, Maria landed back on the ground. She watched as Zero, dressed in khaki armor with four mechanical arms extending from his back, slowly crawled out of the ground like water. Maria became more vigilant.

[Miss Maria, once we destroy this armored vehicle in front of us, we should be able to destroy the core of this node, and the mission to open the gate will be complete.]

"I see, I understand..."

Elfnein's words entrusted the current main quest to Maria, and Maria, knowing this, immediately prepared for battle.

bang——

Just as Maria was ready for battle, a heavy, earth-yellow mechanical fist, moving with a speed disproportionate to its massive armor, slammed into the short sword Maria hastily raised in front of her.

"So strong!"

Maria, whose hands were numb from the shock, tried to regain her balance by leaning back, but suddenly, a pulling sensation accompanied by a restraint came from her lower abdomen.

While the mechanical fists of the upper limbs were striking, the chain-linked blades of the lower limbs also flew out, pulling Maria, who had just been sent flying backward by the heavy punch, back in front of him.

Then, the other mechanical fist, which was free, swung down.

"Well……"

Realizing that she would fall into her opponent's rhythm if things continued this way, Maria gathered her energy, and three short swords appeared in her right hand. She swung them out, forming a triangular light barrier that slightly delayed her opponent's punch.

At the same time, the short sword in his left hand, propelled by the armor on his left arm, forcefully broke free from the restraints on his body, barely dodging the direct hit from the mechanical arm.

However, the impact of its impact on the ground still sent Maria flying into the air.

[Adjust your posture, hurry up!]

Maria, suspended in mid-air, was extremely anxious. She desperately adjusted her posture in the air, gripped her short sword tightly with her left wrist, and spun around in the air to block it from the following uppercut.

"Pfft—the attack was so heavy, it felt like fighting a small mountain."

The successive heavy blows left Maria breathless. She finally landed on the ground and saw that yellow figure bracing itself with one arm and launching itself towards her like a rocket, giving her no chance at all.

"Even so, I will not yield. Though my body is weak, these fists will strike with all their might!"

[INFINITE! CRIME]

Seeing this, Maria pulled on her left wristband, and a row of short swords appeared out of thin air, flying towards the truck-like Zero Suit rushing towards them, but were immediately scattered by the armored fist.

[EMPRESS t REBELLION]

However, the move achieved its intended purpose of disrupting the rhythm. As Maria swung her fist to scatter the flying swords, she flicked her short sword, and the serpentine sword wrapped around the mechanical arm.

"Phew, so it really is an armor that excels in close combat but not in ranged combat."

Realizing the type of armor she was facing, Maria devised a tactic. As she moved, she swung her snake-belly sword, and in an instant, the iron whip transformed into binding ropes, wrapping around the Zero Armor.

"That's it!"

Seeing that her movements were already restrained, Maria did not hesitate. As she struggled to break free of the silver whip, she plunged her short sword into her silver left wrist, and the armor transformed into a cannon sword. A cluster of silver light struck Quesnay.

As the light faded, Maria saw the results of her battle: the two mechanical fists on her armor had been destroyed by the light cannon when they were used for defense, and even the chest of her armor had a large hole torn in it.

"That works, we can use ranged attacks to... what?"

Just as Maria was contemplating her fighting style, an unexpected scene unfolded: the armor she had just damaged surged with earthen-yellow energy and instantly returned to its original state.

"Just now, it was destroyed, it was absolutely destroyed!"

Maria was momentarily confused about what was going on. She had clearly aimed her attack at the opponent's core, yet the opponent had recovered immediately.

[Miss Maria, according to the analysis, this earth-elemental armor, after its core was destroyed, directly drew power from the earth's spiritual veins to regenerate.]

Elfnein's reminder revealed to Maria the principle behind the phenomenon that had just occurred.

"You must be kidding me!"

Maria understood what Elfnein was saying, and then she realized that the armor in front of her did not seem to have a true core.

"Miss Maria, hold on! Reinforcements are on their way. Just hold on..."

"...Spell activated, Flash Blade Spell? Scissors Cross Blade."

Faced with the shocked Maria, Zero, clad in the Quesnay armor, simply watched her silently, then whispered a command, and yellow light gathered from the earth, converging on her.

Without saying much, Lingyi repeated her initial action, approaching in a simple and unpretentious manner and punching him.

Maria activated a light shield in an attempt to block the attack, but this time, she was completely unable to withstand it; the violent impact nearly shook her entire body apart.

[This attack is many times more powerful than the previous one.]

Maria, who was thrown backward, was stunned by the force of the impact.

But she didn't have time to be shocked before the next punch landed on her, this time hitting her in the abdomen. The short sword she was using for defense was shattered into pieces by the blow.

【Ugh...no, this can't go on.】

Pain overwhelmed her senses, and Maria realized that the onslaught that was about to begin was something she simply couldn't withstand.

While she was thinking, Zero, who had unleashed two consecutive punches, was already gathering her strength again, and her next punch was about to be thrown at Maria, who had an open goal.

"Gangniel!"

A ferocious orange-yellow light appeared, striking from the side with the same punch, interrupting the relentless attacks of the gleaming khaki armor on Maria. Gungnir's Hibiki Tachibana was used to provide support at this moment.

"I'm sorry, Miss Maria, I'm late. It's so messy here that I couldn't figure out which way to go."

After exchanging punches, Hibiki Tachibana stepped back to Maria, who had fallen to the ground, and spoke to her with a hint of apology.

P.S. Good afternoon.

Chapter 42 Towards the Goal

On the desolate land, the cracks on the fist of the Quinei Armor quickly gathered and healed. Looking at the scene in front of her and feeling her slightly trembling hand, Tachibana Hibiki felt a little solemn.

In a brief collision, her almost full-force punch, delivered in her normal state, only managed to create a small, easily healable crack on the side of the armor.

"Miss Maria, what abilities does Zero-chan in this armor possess?"