Sky Striker Princess, but the swan song of Valkyrie.

"That's right, isn't it? In our previous encounters with Zero, we only managed a draw once thanks to Tsubasa's efforts. The rest of the time, she achieved her goal. Now, we're actually considering a draw as the premise for the next battle."

In response to Shinji Ogawa's question, Ryoko Sakurai emphasized this fact.

"So, I'm very curious, what kind of arrangement could give Genjuro-kun such confidence?"

Sakurai Ryoko adjusted her glasses to conceal her vision, and then asked the question.

"I understand. Ryoko-kun, are you worried that our operation will not only fail this time, but we will also lose Tachibana?"

Upon hearing Sakurai Ryoko's question, Kazanari Genjuro replied as follows.

"I guess so. So I'm curious, Genjuro-kun, what kind of preparations have you made? At a time like this, it's alright to tell me, isn't it?"

Sakurai Ryoko agreed with Kazanari Genjuro's guess and then asked further questions.

“The details are a bit complicated, and it would take a lot of time to explain them. Here’s what I’ll do: I’ll show you the list of people involved in this operation. After you’ve seen it, you might be less worried.”

After thinking for a moment, Kazanari Genjuro retrieved a document from the table in the command post and handed it to Sakurai Ryoko, whose eyes were filled with suspicion.

"Alright, let me take a look... Hey, seriously? This setup is more than enough for a small battle, right? All this military force, just for the next hour?"

After receiving the documents from Kazunari Genjuro, Sakurai Ryoko quickly began browsing through their contents. A short while later, she asked a question in surprise.

"An air regiment equipped with top-level fighter jets, an armored regiment equipped with the most advanced tanks, an artillery brigade with ammunition and artillery that could practically level this place, and even special operations forces adapted to special operations have been brought in, and some elite police officers have come to join the fun... You really think highly of her."

Sakurai Ryoko summarized the contents of the document in her own words.

Although she couldn't see the specific arrangements, just by looking at this list, she could already imagine how many rigorously trained human elites were hidden in the shadows of this small suburb, and how many dangerous weapons manufactured by humans were aimed at this small area.

"Yes, these are all assigned to me by the government. I don't understand why. Every time I emphasize the other side's strength, they think that my combat power is not enough, and then they increase their bargaining chips, which eventually leads to the situation we have now."

Kazanari Genjuro briefly explained the reason for this change, but he couldn't understand why the government officials valued Zero so much.

"With so many resources, plus the relic waveform detection device I designed here, and Hibiki who has matured after training, it's quite a luxurious setup. With such a setup, we might actually be able to capture Zero."

Sakurai Ryoko said with a smile, seemingly gaining confidence from Kazanari Genjuro's words.

[Yeah, right. Even if you have a lot of toys like that, you're no match for Rei.]

However, Sakurai Ryoko didn't think that way at all.

Honestly, having witnessed the power of this heretical technology, why do I still have the illusion that these fragile toys could work on Zero?

After learning about the arrangements for Section Two, Sakurai Ryoko's initially slightly fluctuating emotions completely calmed down.

What will it take for you to understand how utterly powerless you inferior toys are in the face of truly heretical technology?

Thinking this, Sakurai Ryoko casually picked up the hot coffee next to her, savoring its aroma while watching the members of Section 2 nervously monitor their surroundings.

Oh, right, and those foolish rulers who want to get their hands on the Sky Blade? Heh, the real treasure is the one who developed and used it, yet they only set their sights on the Sky Blade, which she merely made as a supplementary device.

Taking a sip of coffee, Sakurai Ryoko couldn't help but think about the ugly behavior of those in power she had witnessed in the past few days.

Honestly, it makes me laugh. Not only did they mistake the truly precious thing, but they also tried to use such petty, mortal cleverness to scheme against me. How could such a farcical drama unfold? Ah, I can't laugh, I can't laugh. For the sake of my dream, I can't reveal myself yet.

The rich aroma of coffee flowed down her throat, and Sakurai Ryoko suppressed the urge to smile.

Although I can delegate most of the work to Lingyi, the final step requires me to get her out of the way and do it myself. If Lingyi knew my true purpose, she would definitely stop me.

[If there's anyone who could stop my plans, it's probably only her... But let's consider that later. At least until Durandal is activated, we need to continue cooperating with her.]

Sakurai Ryoko suppressed her true thoughts and put on the same mask as always.

Now, I'm a little curious about how she'll achieve her goal. Even if these things are just fireworks toys, their sheer number will still harm her, who is no longer as powerful as before. So, what will she do?

After finishing her coffee in one gulp, Sakurai Ryoko returned to her seat and resumed her duties as a heretical technology consultant, beginning to wait.

And this wait lasted a full thirty minutes...

"Sound, concentrate, the meteor shower is about to begin."

Looking at her friend who had been spacing out for who knows how many times, Kohinata Mirai said with a hint of helplessness.

"Ah, I'm sorry, but I will in the future."

Hearing her close friend's reminder, Tachibana Hibiki answered while trying her best to relax.

Since she had no idea when or from which direction Zero would attack, Hibiki Tachibana had to be vigilant about her surroundings and watch out for any signals from Section Two.

"Hibiki, is something on your mind? But whatever it is, at least when the shooting star appears, put it aside for a moment and enjoy it, okay?"

Kohinata Mirai said in a slightly complaining tone.

"I'm sorry, Future. I promised to come out with you, but I was so distracted. I understand. I will concentrate from now on."

Realizing that her actions were inappropriate, the flaxen-haired girl assured her best friend.

[It's been so long, and Miss Lingyi hasn't come yet. Maybe she's already figured out the trap won't be there... Even if Miss Lingyi does come, Master and the others should have given me a signal beforehand... So, I guess it's okay for me to relax for a little while.]

With this thought in mind, Tachibana Hibiki smiled and began to focus her gaze on the sky, preparing to enjoy the beautiful meteor shower with her friend.

"Yes, it makes a sound."

Seeing her friend's change, Mirai also wore a faint smile and focused her attention on the upcoming meteor shower in the sky.

Then, just minutes after the meteor shower began, as countless points of light streaked across the night sky, a deafening alarm blared, shattering the tranquility of this suburb.

P.S. Good evening.

Chapter Ninety-Three Crushed to Death

A meteor is generally defined as a meteoroid traveling in interstellar space, in which the immense kinetic energy propelling it through the universe is transformed into a fleeting and beautiful burst of light and heat upon friction with the atmosphere.

This phenomenon, besides its scientific significance in astronomy or other disciplines, is also a rare and fleeting spectacle of light streaking across the deep night sky, attracting many enthusiasts.

"Shooting star...so beautiful."

Hibiki Tachibana gazed at the sky, at the bright night sky filled with beautiful streaks of light. For a fleeting moment, just a fleeting moment, she was captivated by this beautiful sight.

"I see, you took some great photos."

With a smile, Wei Lai adjusted the camera and began to appreciate the countless streaks of light that were scattered across the sky for the last remaining moment.

"Indeed, coming to see the meteor shower was the right decision. I would have been so disappointed if I had missed such a beautiful sight."

If Miss Zero is going to take action, she'll probably come from somewhere in the sky. What will she do? Will she hide in the meteor shower and launch an attack?

With her eyes fixed on the sky, Tachibana Hibiki said this, while thinking to herself.

"Hibiki, um, there's something I want to talk to you about. There's something I've been keeping from you, and it's been bothering me."

[In this place, I have no one else but Hibiki, so it's okay if I say a little something related to this, right? If you still want to be Hibiki's friend, you have to let her know the wrong things I've done.]

Bathed in the light of the meteor shower, Kohinata Mirai made a decision and turned to Tachibana Hibiki beside her, saying this.

"What about the future?"

Hibiki Tachibana was somewhat puzzled, not understanding why Future would say such a thing at this time.

"Actually, a few years ago, well, it was probably..."

In the future, he organized his thoughts and prepared to begin speaking.

Woo-----woo--

What was that sound?

Just as Kohinata Mirai had finished organizing her thoughts, a loud, penetrating voice rang out, drawing her attention and interrupting her narration.

Meanwhile, Tachibana Hibiki, Kagosaki, and Shizuka Etsuyoshi realized what had happened as soon as the alarm sounded.

The being she had always been wary of took some action that was noticed by others, who then used this alarm to remind her.

"I'm sorry, I have something to attend to and need to leave for a bit."

Tachibana Hibiki, her nerves on edge, said this to Mirai beside her and made a gesture as if to leave.

Where will the attack be launched, and how will it be launched? Will it be from the sky? Will they use the sky to unleash the same firepower as before?

At the same time, with this in mind, Tachibana Hibiki focused most of her attention on the sky, trying to find any possible offensives that might have already begun, following her usual approach.

"Sound, watch out!"

Suddenly, her best friend's voice rang out. The panicked and helpless yet worried voice attracted Tachibana Hibiki's attention, and her gaze shifted to Kohinata Mirai.

"future?"

When Hibiki Tachibana turned her gaze to Kohinata Mirai, she saw a black-haired, intellectual girl staring in horror at something behind her.

[There's something behind me. No, I need to get dressed immediately, but if I dress now, what will happen in the future...?]

Reminded by Kohinata Mirai, Tachibana Hibiki immediately realized that there might be something strange behind her, and it was very likely an attack from Rei.

Reason told her that she should immediately dress in Symphogear and fight back, but at the same time, her instinct to keep the future a secret made her hesitate for a moment.

In that instant, she lost her chance to escape, which she had previously had.

A heavy feeling crept over my entire body without me even realizing it. The immense weight stopped all resistance. A mechanical arm emitting a yellow glow appeared before me—no, it was a finger of an even larger mechanical hand.

[It was an attack from underground...]

Before Hibiki Tachibana could even realize this, the yellow mechanical arm completely shut down her senses of the outside world, and a feeling of falling even stronger than when she first rode the Second Division underground elevator invaded her senses.

"ring!"

Kohinata Mirai was completely baffled by what had happened. In her eyes, it was just an ordinary outing with friends, an ordinary day that couldn't be more common.

However, what is happening now makes Kohinata Mirai realize that the ordinary and taken-for-granted daily life she expected seems to have never existed in the first place.

She couldn't understand what Hibiki Tachibana had been doing lately, why she was undergoing strange training, and even less why a mechanical arm would emerge from the ground and take away her friend.

What should I do? What should I do?

Such a question crept into her mind, instantly throwing her thoughts into disarray.

However, the next moment, she realized that she didn't seem to need to be confused anymore.

At the same moment that Tachibana Hibiki was sealed by the tan mechanical hand, Kohinata Mirai saw two identical mechanical hands appear in front of her.

"Um?!"

Before Kohinata Mirai could react, she was subjected to the same treatment as Tachibana Hibiki: a huge mechanical hand enveloped her, and a violent feeling of falling over her senses reached her.

Soon, in just a few seconds, the two girls who were watching the meteor shower disappeared from the open space as if by supernatural means.

"The alarm's going off! What's happening?!"

The scene shifts to the Second Division's command post. As the alarm sounds, Kazanari Genjuro and the others realize that the battle has begun. Commander Kazanari immediately begins to inquire about information related to the battle.

"Commander, just now, there was a sudden and violent fluctuation of heretical technology, which triggered the alarm."

The person in charge of detecting reactions related to heretical technologies answered his questions.

"From which direction?"

Commander Fengming asked calmly.

"No, I don't know."

However, his inquiry received this response.

"From the monitoring equipment, the fluctuations of the heretical technology are everywhere. Just a moment ago there was nothing there, as if someone had set it up in advance."

The personnel in charge of monitoring nervously explained the unknown reason.

"What did you say? How is that possible?!"

Kazanari Genjuro said, somewhat puzzled.

It's important to know that, in order to prevent intelligence leaks, they arrived here in advance after the location was determined, and spent only one day setting up the monitoring system and scanning the area day and night, and the results were all safe.

He was told that the place he thought was safe had been infiltrated by the locals, which was completely unexpected.

"It's terrible, Commander! Just now, Tachibana Hibiki and Kohinata Mirai were suddenly grabbed by a mechanical arm that emerged from underground!"

As if things weren't going to go wrong, just as Kazanari Genjuro was wondering how the other party was working right under their noses, another piece of even worse news arrived.

"Tachibana was kidnapped, and from underground no less!?"

The worst news and the worst outcome sent chills down Kazanari Genjuro's spine.

“That’s right, it’s underground. I saw it with my own eyes. People are already searching the location where he was dragged down.”

That's what the person who brought the message said.

"Commander, the location of the heretical technology fluctuations has been determined. It's underground, covering an entire circular area centered on the meteor observation point, and we've just detected a significant amount of noise underground."

Meanwhile, the heretical technology detectives finally revealed the direction of the enemy's offensive.