[425] The Definition of Life (1)
Reysis returned to the commander's office, draping a red cloak over her shoulders as she sank into thought.
The aide who had followed her in flinched and asked cautiously, "Commander, how should we handle Shirone…?"
If Shirone had shown Nephilim powers from the start, this wouldn't be an issue.
That was the nature of Nephilim.
But Shirone, simply by existing, had already surpassed what Reysis could manage.
That would inevitably influence the Nor rebels, who blindly worshipped spirit force.
For Reysis, it was a thorny problem.
'I knew they didn't trust me, but I never expected them to stab me in the back like this.'
"Um, Commander? Orders…?"
The aide urged again, anxious.
Outside, people buzzed with curiosity about Shirone's status.
The longer they delayed, the more doubts would grow about Reysis's absolute authority.
"Kakakakaka!"
Reysis lifted her head and laughed, leaving the aide bewildered.
When she stopped, she turned to him.
"I've finally found it—the perfect element to make up for my flaw."
"So you mean Shirone—"
"Yes. I will absorb him. Shirone's immense spirit force will become a vessel capable of taking on any creature's traits. I can't pass up an opportunity like this."
The aide shifted his gaze, uneasy.
He had seen Shirone's spirit force with his own eyes, so he couldn't deny it.
Still, Shirone was the rebellion's symbol.
If public opinion turned against them, everything they had built could collapse in an instant.
Reysis' smile curled. "I know what you're thinking."
"I'm sorry. But this is dangerous even for you, Commander."
Reysis let her cloak billow as she turned.
"We'll culture genetic samples from Shirone and grow clones. We'll run clinical trials on those clones, and once we're certain, I will absorb him."
"Is that possible? Shirone isn't one of our citizens. Human cloning is a very sensitive field; even a slight difference in gene arrangement could cause failure."
Citizens and imitants were both human, but having developed independently for generations with no exchange, even if the chromosome count matched, gene arrangement could have diverged through evolution, making implantation in a cloning incubator unlikely to take.
"Even if it's possible, we might just waste Black Elixirs for nothing."
"Hoho, no need to worry. Humans are machines in their own way. With the right design, there are always ways. I'm already excited—what abilities could we graft onto Shirone?"
Reysis's face lit with rapture as her imagination ran wild, then she snapped back to a hard look.
"Contact the munitions community. We'll need genetic material from countless monsters to combine with Shirone's clones. But this time, only the powerful ones. Select only the strongest traits and combine them."
"Understood."
The aide bowed and left. Reysis sat on the sofa, crossed her legs, and flicked out her crimson tongue.
Experimenting on a Nephilim's body was unprecedented, but the rewards, if successful, were boundless.
"Hohoho, this will be very entertaining."
It was the gamble of Reysis's life.
* * *
Shirone was promoted to squad leader of the Special Mobile Unit, a heavy assault force under the Second Command.
The third mobile squad he belonged to, unlike the first and second, reported directly to the commander, and its members were elite operatives whose spirit force exceeded twenty percent.
Plu, now deputy commander to assist Shirone, glared at three squad members.
Being deputy commander was a rise in rank, but the feeling of being watched didn't go away.
"These guys are annoying. Those ones over there."
"It's what we expected. Ever since the Immortal Function opened."
Although Reysis had promised to ally with the First Command on the condition that Shirone join the Second, unease remained.
Rather than trust her completely, it was wiser to build foundations that could destabilize her if needed.
"Still…."
When Plu turned his head, the three men who had been watching Shirone abruptly averted their gazes.
That alone made it clear what orders they'd been given from Reysis.
'Hard to shake off during a mission. Maybe at night if there's a chance.'
Plu drifted into thought, and then a squad member approached.
Tall, with a long philtrum, he was technically Plu's subordinate but wore an overbearing look.
"Deputy Commander, high command has issued our first mission. At the Plateau of Corruption—"
"Wait. Why did you receive the order?" Plu cut him off.
"We hadn't heard anything. The reporting system's a mess. Shirone is clearly the squad leader."
The man kept his face expressionless, but when the silence stretched he bowed as if resigned.
"Apologies. It seems there was a mistake. I had been the squad leader until now. I will report to high command and correct this so it won't happen again."
He bent so obediently Plu couldn't press him further.
After all, they had to operate together for the time being; it was better not to create opportunities for backstabbing.
"Fine. Continue. Plateau of Corruption?"
A drone translated Plu's words.
For ordinary conversation it sufficed, but it wasn't fast enough to give orders in urgent combat.
"There's an ancient ruin on the Plateau of Corruption. The rebels call it the 'Angel's Tomb.' Perhaps angels once entered there, but it's currently abandoned."
Heaven's history was so ancient to humanity it bordered on myth.
Still, ancient sites existed even in Heaven, and Shirone and Plu were intrigued.
"Hmm. What are we supposed to do when we get there?"
"The ruins are sealed by angelic wards, so only angels or Nephilim can enter. And among the rebels, the only remaining Nephilim is Squad Leader Shirone."
"Ah, I see."
Reysis intended to surveil but exploit thoroughly.
Whether or not the Nor people and mages had a relationship, her approach was unmistakably mage-like.
"Good. Then let's depart."
If the ruins were ancient heavenly remains, they would likely hold information useful to the ongoing project beyond mere curiosity.
'I have to pull this off. My seniors are taking even riskier missions.'
The light spirit Elizer activated and carried the third squad to the Plateau of Corruption.
* * *
Armin, Shiina, Etella, Kuan—four who operated as a team—had camped in the forest and entered the mainland early that morning.
The mainland's first impression was like a world fair from the place they'd come from: no uniform standards, and bizarre creatures walking the streets.
Buildings lined the road in wildly varying styles. Like a timeline, huts, wooden houses, brick buildings, and mechanical structures followed one another.
"Wow, it's amazing. You couldn't see things like this anywhere else."
Etella said with an innocent smile, but she got no reply.
When all ten team members had gathered and chattered, the distance between Shiina and Armin hadn't been obvious, but with only the four of them left, the strain between Shiina and Armin grew clear.
Shiina was the restless one.
She had expected Armin to explain. At least she thought he would tell her how he'd managed to come to Heaven with her.
'Left the Ivory Tower?'
If it had been that simple, why hadn't he said anything beforehand?
Before she could finish the thought, Shiina lost her temper.
"Are you okay?"
Etella, trying to ease the mood, fell silent, and after a moment Armin answered.
"What do you mean?"
"I mean Keira. What happened?"
"..."
It was a story Armin could never tell Shiina.
Even aside from that, staying silent now was a courtesy to Keira.
"Leaving the Ivory Tower?"
Keira glared at Armin with terrifying eyes.
She wasn't surprised; she'd expected it. The problem was that Armin was bound to the Ivory Tower by a covenant oath.
The covenant oath, an ability outside the rules, activates if the document is torn, and the binder becomes forever unable to cast magic.
That was why Keira brought out the covenant oath.
At the document's edge, Armin's signature was clearly penned.
It was a signature extracted by taking Shiina as a hostage from the start, so Keira had hoped not to tear it—but if he was going to risk his life, tearing it was an option.
"If you leave, our ties end here. If that's fine with you, leave this room."
Armin offered a gentle smile.
He rarely smiled; Keira recognized it as a farewell.
"Thank you for everything."
Though he showed no expression, Armin knew Keira had borne a great deal for him.
"Hmph! Don't try to make me pity you. Don't act like you're the only one suffering! Or what—are you going to stop time and run away again?"
Armin shook his head.
"I can't use Time Stop like that. Having consumed the timeline, I'm just dead weight."
"What does it matter? If I tear the oath, you'll be nothing—a blind man who can't even go to the bathroom alone!"
"In that case, it can't be helped. You've caused enough trouble; for your finale, do as you wish."
Armin walked to the door.
As he grasped the doorknob and turned it, there came the ripping sound of paper—rip! rip!
Armin turned in surprise.
The oath's condition had been met, but the target was not him.
"Keira…"
One of the covenant oaths lay on the floor like a fallen petal, bearing her signature.
Another covenant oath.
Keira's covenant—the one the Ivory Tower had required so they could monitor Armin—had been destroyed.
"F-Fine. That settles it. If you like that woman so much, then go!"
"Keira, I…."
"Don't come near me!"
Keira shouted.
She didn't want to remain a pitiful object of pity until the end.
"Go to Heaven and protect her. But—"
Keira lifted her tear-streaked face.
"Come back alive. Protect her and make sure you come back alive too, you wretched bastard!"
Armin turned away without a word.
Keira was a mage recognized by the Ivory Tower. He didn't think for a moment that what she had achieved was inferior to his.
"I will repay you."
Armin cast Flicker and vanished in an instant.
Armin and his party arrived at the main gate of the munitions community on the mainland's outskirts, nicknamed "Yamang."
Fitting for a munitions complex, it was enormous; smoke rose from every smokestack towering above the walls.
"There's no need to ask further, I suppose."
Armin walked to the main gate.
He had brought a drone as a precaution, but he'd learned Heaven's language and didn't need to use it.
"Excuse me. Is this the—"
The guards flanking the gate narrowed the space and blocked the way.
They wore tight suits unlike anything from their original world and glasses inset with black beads.
"Stop. Who are you?"
"We've come to make a request. Could we speak to the person in charge?"
The gate opened and about ten guards in the same suits stepped forward expressionless, blocking Armin's path.
"Turn back. The boss isn't in a good mood today."
"That's regrettable. We don't have much time either. At least pass on a message."
A burly guard stepped forward, rubbing his knuckles.
"You must be kidding. Do you know where you are?"
When the ten guards all radiated hostility at once, a nasty, malevolent aura washed over Armin's party.
'This is…'
All four recognized it at the same time.
A temperament they could never have felt in their original world.
"Be careful." Kuan drew his sword. "These aren't human."