The laugh was so unexpected everyone turned.
“Hey! You, woman in a shiny uniform! [｡•̀ ⤙ •́ ｡ꐦ]”
She pointed at the admiral.
“Onii-sama just saved all of you!
And you show up all proud and start talking to him like that…”
She glanced at the space marines.
“Even brought your little toy soldiers with you.”
Airi smirked.
“Real… scary.”
Shiori immediately frowned.
“Airi-chan, yamete! Nani o shite iru no? Sonna fū ni furumatte!”
Airi shot her a quick look and answered quietly:
“Sumimasen, Shiori-sensei… [* •̯́ ^ •̯̀ *]
Watashi wa karera o Zerosu-onī-chan kara mamotte imasu.
Kare ga okottara… minna shinde shimaimasu.
Watashi o shinjite kudasai.”
She turned back. And suddenly shouted:
“TENSHI SENSŌ—KIDŌ…”
Her body ignited with light. Her form shifted instantly—combat mode. Taichō lunged forward and took position beside her.
The space marines raised their weapons in unison. Blindy yelled:
“WHA—WHAT THE GOOD FUCK’S HAPPENIN’?!”
Dick dropped back down and pulled Jackie behind him.
“We’re fucked,” he said quietly.
The Author turned and dove to the ground, covering his head.
“Kyōdai-tachi! Tatakai no junbi o seyo!” Taichō shouted.
And then—
white silhouettes ignited all around them. First dozens. Then hundreds. Then thousands. Rooftops. Balconies. The crane. Even the air between the soldiers. Seemed as if millions of SHIRŌ-KAGE emerged from invisible camouflage.
White shadows filled the entire space. Ready for battle.
Lissa stood motionless. Her hand raised. Fist clenched.
The space marines waited for her command.
Just like the SHIRŌ-KAGE waited for Airi’s. The world froze.
One more step—and the fight begins.
Zeros clenched his fingers so hard sparks spilled from his metal knuckles.
“I FUCKING HATE ALL OF YOU!”
He took a step toward Airi.
“Listen carefully…
I’M NOT YOUR BROTHER!
Stop saying that BULLSHIT! UNDERSTAND?!”
He shot a glance at Taichō.
“AND YOU—”
His voice caught for a split second, like the insult hadn’t loaded fast enough.
“YOU WHITE PIECE OF SHIT!”
He turned to the rest of the SHIRŌ-KAGE.
“ALL OF YOU.”
He snapped—then, almost like an afterthought, echoing Blindy’s little “third option”:
“‘GO. FUCK. YOURSELVES.’
BEFORE I DO IT FOR YOU.”
Then his gaze snapped to Lissa.
“Listen me carefully…
If I ever see your face one more time…”
He tilted his head slightly.
“I’ll finish that contract.”
He gave a small, dismissive wave of his hand.
“Go give orders somewhere else. Consider it the last warning.”
He turned and walked up to Blindy.
Blindy instinctively flinched, raising his arm like he was bracing for a hit.
Zeros loomed over him and barked:
“YOU. PIECE. OF. ROTTING. MEAT.”
“I—I…” Blindy squeaked—
“SHUT YOUR FUCKING MOUTH!” Zeros snapped, cutting him off. “I HATE YOU MORE THAN ANYONE!”
He grabbed him by the collar.
“What are you standing there like an idiot for?
Let’s go already.”
Zeros yanked him forward.
“TO THE BAR!”
He dragged Blindy toward the bar “Three Tits.”
“You all can rip each other’s throats out if you want,” he threw over his shoulder as he walked away.
“I don’t give a fuck! I’m done with you all.”
The SHIRŌ-KAGE and the space marines silently parted, clearing a path. No one dared to stop him. Dick swallowed. Then, in a low baritone, said:
“Something tells me…”
He looked after the retreating Zeros.
“…Zeros isn’t going to be your main problem.”
He shrugged.
“Well—not any more of a problem than the usual shit the Federation deals with every day.”
Dick gestured up at the sky.
“Orbital stations blow up all the time up there.”
He looked back at Lissa.
“And like you said…
cleaning up the mess is your job.”
He cleared his throat, composure snapping right back into place.
“Paid for by the taxpayers.”
Airi spun in place like a ballerina, her form snapping back to normal.
“Well… I’ll go after Onii-sama too… ٩[ˊᗜˋ]و ♡”
She skipped after them toward the bar, and as she went, she called out:
“Onii-chan-tachi, mō ie ni kaerō? ◝[ᵔᵕᵔ]◜
Kondo wa hontō ni… ie ni kaerō.”
In that moment, the white shadows slowly began dissolving into the air. Shiori gave the admiral a nod—and followed after them.