Part 28: Mission 14 (America Route) - I, Robot
And, with that, we’re back at the intermission menu. Richard and Soushi have both joined as tacticians, providing, respectively, Spec Down Debuff Immunity and Accuracy +5%. Nothing too exciting here and Sumeragi isn’t that much better, either, so I just flip a coin and go with Richard.
Kazuki’s deploying as an event and we haven’t that many troops to play with, so, again, I don’t worry too much about squad makeup.
Aside from Arnie/Saya and Eida/Luna, everyone else will be flying solo.
Off we go.
Location: Arkham City – Back Alleyway
: Heromaaaaan… ATTACK!
: Hmm!*Boom!*
: She’s headed your way, Kurou!
: Take this! Magius Wiiing!*Sound of spider lady getting torn apart.*
: And access! : Decipher Aethyrs encryption! Overwrite program! Return to thy true shape, mine fragments!
: And there we have it. I have recovered the pages depicting Atlach-Nacha!: Whew… Didn’t think finding the pieces of a grimoire would be this difficult.: Those are all pieces of me, mightiest of all grimoires, remember? Though they are but lone pages, each houses appropriate magical power. : That is to say, you should be prepared for anything – no matter how impossible it may seem – when facing these. Do try to remember that in the future!: Psh, always with the lectures…
: But, in any case, now you have a part of your original power back, Al?: Aye. Having recovered the spell of Atlach-Nacha, I am now capable of conjuring an arresting field!: But, of course, this is still a far cry from my full, almighty capabilities…: Guess we still have a long way to go…: Still, thanks a bunch, Joey. You’ve been a world of help not just with my training as a Magius, but also getting Al’s pages back.: Aw, no… You’re the one who’s always helping us out… Besides, this is good training for me and Heroman too.
: OH, bravo! Such a beautiful friendship between you boys!: …?! This fishy way of talking sounds just like…
: Guten morgen, Monsieur Daijuuji.. And to you too, little Joestar.
: It’s been a while.: Richard! Saya!: Old man, we haven’t even gotten past “how do you do” and you’re already screwing with us…: I apologize for him. I’ve stopped with that, but the Major wouldn’t take no for an answer…
: Hey, now, that was just a little joke between old friends. Right, Jonathan?: Joseph…
Location: Dr. West’s Lab
*THUNDER!*
: Hmhmhm… Hahahahaha! I’ve done it! It’s complete! It’s perfect!: I, Doctor West… have finally, finally achieved what magic cannot!: …: Now come on, Elsa! That despicable Kurou Daijuuji and his gang won’t even know… Huh?: … Robo!*Elsa runs off.*
: W-Wait, Elsa! Where are you going?!: MY FAIR LADY ELSA! COME BAAAAAAACK!
Cut to Ruri’s underground base, she’s explaining the situation to Lux: Center City has been fully occupied by the Skrugg and has become the centerpiece of their invasion. They had been held back by the nonstop efforts of the Federation’s Alien Interception Squadron… but it seems that squadron was dissolved recently. She can’t tell Arnie much, but the fact is damage is spreading with Graham and Jin’s team gone.
Arnie is appalled – just what is the Federation brass thinking?! Worse, the Skrugg are already being sighted around Arkham City. While they have the Demonbane and Heroman around to defend the place, they alone can’t hold back the veritable tide of forces the Skrugg boast by themselves.
Richard sees where this is going and promises that the bugs won’t be running roughshod around town with us here. Soushi reports that the Siegfried System’s already up and running aboard the Ptolemaios, so the Fafner team will also support the UX in the city’s defense.
Ruri appreciates their assistance, and promises she and her organization will work just as diligently to support us. And, as part of that, Winfield relates that they’ve called in a genius scientist to assist. She’s a bit on young side, but Ruri assures us that her intellect is second to none.
Over by the manor’s underground hangar, Denton’s putting together a battery for Heroman. He’s learned from his research that the bot runs on good, old electricity, so he figured furnishing it with an extra battery should work to give it a temporary power boost in a pinch. It’s a power booster, Psy surmises. And it’s pretty decently made, says a young girl who enters the room.
But, she notes there’s room for improvement and swaps some circuits around – and immediately Denton sees a huge increase in the battery’s performance. Unbelievable! Did Denton just get one-upped by this girl? N-No, he swears he wanted to do this before but had to make do with cheapo materials due to cost constraints… only, as Psy notes, the girl didn’t replace any of the stuff that was already in there.
But just who is she? Ruri steps in and introduces her: it’s PROFESSOR Rachel Calvin, a technological advisor at Sighted Marshal Technologies, a company financed by the Hadou Financial Group. Kurou’s blown away and, from what Lockon’s heard, the girl’s a world-class genius who got her PhD at MIT when she was thirteen-years-old!
Rachel bids us all good day and says we can leave all tech-related matters to her, no prob. And Al’s eager to put her to work, as the Demonbane has some damaged bits she needs help fixing. “Wh-What is the matter with you?! Prof. Rachel isn’t some mechanic! And, more importantly, the Demonbane isn’t yours to fix!” Ruri stomps and Kurou gulps.
Ruri’s only allowed them to handle the bot because she’s found no one else who could do it better; if they cause any problems at all, she’ll just as easily take it back! “Hmph! There are none in this world who could control the Demonbane other than Kurou and I!” Al sniffs, and Ruri stomps off right away. Insufferable, vulgar, lousy paper witch!
Aesap’s rather stunned after that explosion – is she alright? Yeah, Psy says this is pretty much how it usually goes. While Kurou groans at Al’s big mouth (she’s still not fazed), Denton gets back on topic and says that, yes, Joey can use this battery to give Heroman a power boost. He’ll try it out later.
Location: Hadou Manor – Courtyard
: Look at how big this place is. It’s even got a huge rose garden in its courtyard…
: Yeah. There’s so much here we never saw at Tatsumiya.
: Turns out we didn’t know anything, not about the secrets our island had or even about the whole world outside of it. Everyone else did, but not us… and, so, we convinced ourselves Tatsumiya was heaven on earth…!
: Koyo…: But the only reason we’re able to learn all this is because we’re alive today. : We’re here, but… but Shouko is…!: …
: Okay, you really need to stop with that. Do you think that girl would be happy to see you fighting with each other? : And what the hell do you think you know about her, huh?!
: That’s enough, Koyo!: You’ve just been officially appointed as a Fafner pilot, right? Then you can’t let the past hold you prisoner!: Are you telling me to forget about Shouko?!: I didn’t say that. But holding onto someone’s memory and being consumed by it are two very different things. Don’t forget those who’ve died, but make sure you’re always moving forward.: Otherwise, you’re bound to bring about even more sorrow…: …
: Hey, do you know that the souls of those who die in the Overword are reincarnated in Byston Well?: Reincarnated…?: Right! I’m sure your friend’s going through it as we speak…: …: (But… none of that erases Kazuki’s fault in all this!)*ALARM!*
: Huh? Is that an emergency alert?!: Can it be the Skrugg…?! Let’s go, quick!
Mission 14 (America Route) – I, Robot
: No humans in sight… Where could they be hiding?: Those are the Skrugg, the alien lifeforms…: Highly intelligent, powerful beings that communicate with one another by way of high frequency sounds.: …! Found one!*Two Skrugg move after the hidden girl!*
: ?! They saw me-robo! 
: We got a straggler over there!: Blast…! Kurou, Joey, we shall set forth by ourselves!: Yeah, we gotta stop them!: Heromaaaaan… ATTACK!
: Magius Wiiiiing!*Slash, slash!*
: Gwaaaaaaah!
: Hey! Are you OK?!: Hmm, I see… So this is “love”-robo.: Huh? “Robo”?
: I’ve never been held by a man before-robo. Yes, I understand…! I am experiencing “love at first sight” for you-robo!: Bwhuh?! How’d she come up with something as insane as that?!: Do not ask me...: Love blooms at the edge of life and death-robo! You saved me from the clutches of the enemy, so now I’m madly in love with you… I think.: Ha-Hahah… Love?: Gaah, gimme a break…
: Eeh… what’s going on over there?
: I’ve… no idea.
: Joey, Kurou, you get that civ out of here! We’ll deal with the Skrugg!: G-Got it!: Come on! We’re getting outta here, Robo Girl!: D-Darling, don’t pull me so hard-robo!
: Everyone deploy!
: Kazuki, Koyo? Do you hear me? : E-Erm… Nibelung, activation confirmed. Connection between pilots and Minashiro is…
: Relax, Maya. Your job is to relay precise information to them, okay?: O-okay… I understand, mom…
: I’ll be assisting here as well. We’ll help them together, okay?: Thank you, Princess Lux.
: Don’t worry, Toumi. We’ll be fine!
: Listen, you two, this is our first time operating the Fafners out of the Ptolemaios, so don’t try anything too risky!
: … Roger.: (Just you watch, Kazuki. I’ll show that I’m way different from you!)
: We’ve no idea how many forces the enemy has. More of them may crop up soon, so take care of these ASAP!: Troops, mission start!
Destroy everything, don’t lose the Ptolemaios. The Skrugg aren’t a whole lot stronger than they were before (only a bit more HP) but there’s quite a lot of them, which can lead to evasion decay building up if they decide to gang up on someone. Keep an eye out for that, leave Support Defenses on as a safety measure, and you won’t have any trouble.
Depending on the secrets you want, Kazuki and Setsuna are priority killers here, so lead with them – especially the former, since he needs 100 by the end of mission 26.
Fafner Mark Vier (Koyo Kasugai)
Pilot Skills:
Synergetic Code L2
Support Attack L1
Support Defense L2
All Attack
Spirit Commands:
Focus
Alert
Mech Features:
Gun
Norn System
Siegfried System
Squad Bonus: EN +50, Ranged weapons’ attack +100 (EN +100, Ranged weapons +200, Accuracy +10)
Koyo’s voice actor: Miyu Irino (other roles: Sora in Kingdom Hearts, Saji in 00 Gundam, Akito Hyuga in Code Geass, Akito the Exiled and several more),
Another squaddie Fafner, but still a pretty good unit. As a matter of fact, the Mark Vier is outright stronger than the Mark Elf right now, though Kazuki’s a better pilot (especially due to his superior Synergetic Code).
Regardless, that’s a very nice Squad Bonus for long range attackers, even more so if they’re EN hungry, so Koyo’s an easy fit in many teams.
SRW UX - Shangri-La
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4zG9_V6KXQU
SRW UX - Envoy from Jupiter
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=flyZL8tvVhc
Keep on killing and, eventually, the plot continues...
: Gch… their backup was already here?!: Behold our power, worthless—
: Hrk… Th-That’s?!
: What…?! Who took out that Skrugg?!: It looked like he was cut down by something moving at blinding speed…: It’s… a flying sword?!
: A what?!: I know what that is…! 'Tis more of my pages, the ones depicting the spell for the Scimitar of Barzai!: Th-That sword is a manifestation of your pages, too?!: Aye, and it seems the Skrugg’s offensive has roused it from its slumber!: Yeah, that’s great, but how’re we gonna deal with it?! That sword’s crazy fast!: Mr. Daijuuji! It’s headed your way…!: Crap, everyone down!: You won’t hurt my darling-robo!: Elsa, get back!
: Battle mode: switching to anti-magic armament!
: Spell Cannon… “Dig Me No Grave”! FIRE!*Blaaaaaast!*
: Hrm… I couldn’t destroy it-robo.: Elsa, you’re…?!: You’re an actual robot…?!: Yes, I am-robo… But even if my body’s a machine, my love for you is very real, darling-robo!: The rise I’m detecting in my internal temperature proves it-robo!: I’m pretty sure anyone would get that way if they had to stare down a giant flying sword...: This is hardly the time for levity! My pages, the Scimitar of Barzai, are still active!: We shall need their assistance to recover them!: You got a point – we won’t be getting anywhere by ourselves. You two mind lending a hand?!: Of course!: Leave it to me-robo!: Our local experts will take care of that sword. Meanwhile we’ll continue focusing on the Skrugg!: But the thing is still flying about! We don’t know where it might come from next, so keep your heads on a swivel!And now we got a huge sword carving the city up, and can’t do jack about it. Take out the Skrugg, and soon, because…
: That was… another attack from that flying sword?!: Tsk, and we can’t even see it coming with how fast it moves. What pain in the neck…!: We’ll do something about it! Just take care of the Skrugg!The Scimitar of Barzai will shave off 10% HP of all your units at the start of every turn. It’s not THAT much, but the damage might take you by surprise if you let it build too high and, then, the Skrugg will only need a couple lucky hits to down something frail.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WuB5eimh3zs
And here’s Koyo’s best weapon. Pretty powerful, especially considering chain-attacking reduces damage done across the targets.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8tFCUwtD_ic
Also, the Impulse’s best weapon. Not a whole lot of enemies remained, so we clear the rest of them in just a couple of turns.
: Was that all of the Skrugg?!
: Yes, only the flying sword remains!: We gotta wrap up our end too, then! Come on, Joey, Elsa!: Okay!
: Heromaaaan… ATTACK!: ROBOOO!
*Crack!*
: Access! 
: Phew, 'tis over. The pages inscribed with the Scimitar of Barzai spell have been recovered!: We did it, Al!: Indeed. And recovering two of my pages in a single day is quite the good sign, if I do say so myself.*Surprising guitar solo!*
: But I’m afraid your happy times are about to come to an eeennnd!: That guitar noise… Is it?!
: Is that the Demonbane…?: Mwahahahaha! It is my newest creation… the Super West Invincible Robo Type-28DX!: A.k.a., the Demonpain!: You just barely changed its name… Yeesh, the thing reeks of “knock-off”... (Even worse in the original Japanese, where all West did was switch a single letter of its name 
): Doctor, why are you here-robo?: Huh?! “Doctor”…?!: Ah, so this is where you were! My dear friends, she is the embodiment of years of research! The fruit of my blood, sweat and tears…: The amalgamation of ultimate power and flawless beauty! Her name is… Elsa, the android!: They say it’s a fine line that separates genius and insanity… but I didn’t think that creep would be into building little robot girls.: Now come back to me, Elsa! We’ll crush that despicable Kurou Daijuuji together!: …: Like a modern Romeo and Juliet-robo…: Elsa…: Forgive me, Kurou Daijuuji. I am truly, madly, in love with you but…*Elsa jumps into the Demonpain.*
: You are my enemy, and I must kill you as such-robo!: Damn it, make up your mind already!: Kurou, we must answer them in kind! : Okay!: From the hate-scorched sky, with righteous anger in our hearts, we draw forth the sword that smites Evil!: Thou art the innocent blade… DEMONBANE!
SRW UX - Deus Machina
: Kurou, you can unleash the power of Atlach-Nacha through me even whilst we are manning the Demonbane… That is to say, you can conjure an arresting field at will!: Look for the right moment to unleash it and I am certain it shall be of great benefit to us in battle!: Got it. We’ll show this knock-off a power he could never mimic!: Mwahahaha! Oh, it won’t be that easy!
*Smug guitar solo!*
: Aah?! He’s this many of them...?!: That creep mass-produced his knock-off!: Nay! I sense the faux-Demonbane’s inner magical energies growing! Are those…?!: Indeed! Indeed! Indeed! I’ve incorporated both magic theory and some of your pages that I’ve found into my Demonpain!: And I am the one tasked with relaying it all as data into the magic circuitry-robo! : O-Oh no…! The enemy’s managed to get their hands on Al’s pages…?!: A spell that blurs the lines between fiction and reality, allowing one to conjure tangible illusions… : The pages they have must be the ones depicting the Mirror of Nitocris! : Illusions or not, the radar’s reading them all as real units…!: The Scimitar of Barzai should be capable of tearing through our foe and its magical energies both… but we must first ascertain which of those the real one is!
: Then we just need to attack all of them until we find the right one!: That’s about the only way I see, too! Let’s go, Al!: Aye. He may be wielding a portion of my pages’ power, but it will ultimately be for naught!: I shall make him realize the magnitude of millennia worth of knowledge… and how he is found wanting face it all!
And now we need to destroy all the Demonpains without losing either Kurou or Joey. As Feldt said, all of the bots are exact copies and even come with a skill-loaded Dr. West aboard, so you really need to wreck everyone.
The Demonpains hurt a lot more than West’s previous bot and got much better range than the original, but they aren’t too accurate or bulky, so big weapons will make short work of them.
Finally, as Al mentioned, Kurou now has access to his Atlach-Nacha special command which will immobilize all enemies within a 5x5 AoE around him. Very nice in setting up MAPWs, provided you stop Kurou from wrecking all those immobilized enemies who will likely go after him.
SRW UX - Deus Machina: Now you’ll crumble to teeny-tiny pieces before my masterpiece, Kurou Daijuuji!: What “masterpiece”?! All you’ve got there is a knock-off and it’ll be a cold day in Hell when I get beat by something like that!https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5RH7AveYFxE
SRW UX - Envoy from Jupiter
: Black Lodge, they who sow chaos into the world… Your group is a menace and we’ll see that it is destroyed!: So these are the famous Celestial Being and its Gundams!: Good! I’ll prove to the whole world that my glorious science is superior to even these bots!
SRW UX - JOEY AND HEROMAN: So you’ll bug Dr. West not once, but twice! Well, you know what I say: fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice and I’ll squish you like a grape!: I’ve no idea if this is the real one… but all we can do right now is fight on!
SRW UX - Future-Bound Fighting Spirit: Oho, lookie here at these readings! That’s a really interesting engine your mech’s running!: Hand it over, boy! I’m sure that thing will be mighty useful for my research after I’ve picked it apart!: And you think I’d ever agree to that?! Maj. Richard entrusted the Orphes to me – it’s too important to let someone like you get his hands on it!
SRW UX - Shangri-La: Get a load of the most perfect union of magic and science! : Magic, aliens… What the hell’s been going on in the outside world?!
And once you kill three Demonpains…
: Look, more Skrugg!
: Jeez, they don’t know when to quit! The phrase “when it rains, it pours” fits them to a T.: Aaah, excellent! These aliens will also get to see the amazing might of DR. WEST!: Come closer and take a look! OK! I AM ROCK AND ROOOOOLL!!*Elated guitar solo!*
: …?! G-Ggch… What is?!
: WHAAAAAAT?!: The Skrugg retreated?!: I bet they got so scared of me and the doctor that they ran-robo!*Outraged guitar solo!*
: W-H-A-T?! And just how is my grand intellect so abominable that it’d scare even aliens?!: Quit strumming that guitar every time you open your mouth!
: (What happened? Why did the Skrugg retreat that quickly…?): (…! Can it be that…!) SRW UX - My Fate: Your mech’s construction is fascinating! I’ll enjoy poking through it!
: (This man’s also fighting just for his self-interest? I can’t let myself be beaten by someone like him..!)
SRW UX - Life Goes On: Everyone already has their hands full fighting the Skrugg! What the hell are you thinking?!: Oh, don’t you worry! Once I’ve beaten the snot out of all of you, I’ll zap those roaches too!
Dr. West does have a special trick with his Demonpain, mind…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=54ZYwFU94L0
: No way! It can even do the Atlantis Strike?!: Gyahahahahaaaa! How do you like that, Kurou Daijuuji, Al Azif?!: Kch…! He is also using my stolen pages as a source of magical energy…!: That’s right-robo! Kurou Daijuuji, I’ll defeat you and claim your love! SRW UX - Deus Machina
And there goes the last one.
: Woohoo! They beat all the fakes!: Huh? Where’s the real one, then?
: Right heeereeeee! Mwahahahahaha!: There’s the slippery bastard! You were hiding from the get-go?!: But all your copies are gone, so you better grit your teeth!: Tsk, tsk, Kurou Daijuuji! You’re in for a rude awakening if you think this is even close to over! Do it, Eeeelllsaaaaaa!: Roger-robo!*Flash!*
: I-It’s…?! Another batch of copies has shown up!
: Urgh, is there no end to this?!: And now it’s our turn-robo! Dig Me No Grave!
: Gwaaaaargh!
: Direct hit on the Demonbane!
: Magical circuits #13 through #54 have gone silent! Anomalies detected in the left arm’s motor components!
: This is real bad! Not even the Demonbane can take this…!
: Rrgh… Isn’t there anything – anything at all – that we can try?!
: Well, however much magic theory has been applied to that robot, it’s still another piece of machinery…: So if we could just cut off its magical circuitry from the rest of its systems, then…! : Cut off its… Aah, eureka!: Joey, your battery! Use the battery I gave you before and have Heroman discharge it on the enemy!: The battery?! But we’re fighting someone using magic…!: It’s fine, please trust me! I swear I won’t let you down!: Professor… SRW UX - Roulette: Alright, we’ll give it a try! Here goes, Heroman!*Bzzzzt!*
: Hmmmm!: Heromaaaan… BLAST!
: Look… the illusions!: They all disappeared…?!: I-Inconceivable! Where did the pages’ power go?! It’s gone!: Doctor, that electrical discharge crippled all mechanical systems-robo…: WHAAAAAAAT?!: Go, Kurou!: Kurou, 'tis time! Bring out the Scimitar of Barzai and tear it all apart!: Aye, aye!https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p9BesawVS1U
: Heh, that’s what you get! And now they…: Nay, look there…: Hm?: Hmhmhmh, yes, I’d—: I’d expect nothing less from you, Kurou Daijuuji-robo. My love for you grows by the minute-robo.: That’s, um… what? Elsa…?: I’ll admit defeat today-robo. But you will be mine someday-robo!: And until then, adioooooos… robo!
: Gaah! Elsaaaaa, wait for meeeeeee!: A big explosion like that and they don’t even get a scratch. What are those two made of…?: You did it, Kurou!: Only thanks to your and everyone’s help, Joey. Thanks a bunch!: Kids really do grow up so fast… They’re both really dependable men now. : (My grandfather’s Demonbane… My Demonbane has been hurt so much once again…) #1: So those are the warriors of this world… #2: They are quite the mighty group, indeed. #2: If the clashing of powerful forces at the Battle of Red Cliffs was what sent us into this world… then it may be possible to replicate that scenario if we have their strength available… #1: Hm...
: But will things go as swimmingly as you hope, I wonder? #2: ?! Who goes there?!: Oh, who I am doesn’t matter. More important than that is the fact that what you two seek to grasp is the truth, the underlying principle of this world, hm? : Isn’t that right, general Sima Yi... and warlord Cao Cao, conqueror of Mirisha?
: … 
: What is it that you know…?: “Behold, for that light is nigh. Woe unto your accursed land.”: …?! Th-That’s written in the Legend of the Mirisha, the G-Records…!: Indeed… it was a phrase in the final chapter – “Apocalypse” – yes? : In truth, this world also has several pieces of scripture quite like it, prophecies relating the End Times…: And…?: Do you not find it curious? Both worlds’ histories are so very similar, yet there are also subtle differences… : All of Creation possesses two sides to itself. However, we can never see beyond one side…: …: “What should we do? What should we become?!” we wonder! Still, one thing is certain…: It is the heavens that impel all…!: …!: Hmhmhm… Ahahahahahaha!*Swoosh.*
: Sh-She vanished?! Cryptic wench…!: Hmph, leave her – she matters not. I have reached a decision, Sima Yi.: Indeed, what I should do in this world is…!
: It seems Al Azif has recovered several of her pages, including the ones depicting the Scimitar of Barzai…
: Well, well. Kurou Daijuuji is doing quite nicely, I see.: Then I suppose it’s about time to raise the difficulty of this game.: Will you send them… the Anticross?
: Indeed…: You appear to be enjoying this, Master.: I am. I am quite enjoying this, Etheldreda.: That one is unique: none other can make me burn with joy as I lie amid this endless spiral into the abyss.: This burning in my soul… However many times pass, I never tire of it. 
Cut to the Hadou manor, Psy and Rachel have to give Denton credit for his ingenious solution to the previous problem. All due to his nonstop hard-work! As Joey approaches, Denton praises his masterful use of his battery – the Skrugg’s days are numbered now! Problem is… the battery broke.
As Rachel sees it, the thing couldn’t withstand Heroman’s voltage and all circuits within got fried. Seems to Psy that the battery was kind of defective goods, then… Oh. But Rachel tells Denton to keep his chin up – failure is the father of success, and defeat is the mother of victory!
And, in fact, Rachel would be happy to help him: Denton’ll have the ideas and she’ll brush them up. She’s certain that with their two brains working together, they’ll cook up some wonderful inventions. Sounds good to Denton, and Lina approves of the birth of a tag-team of geniuses.
Speaking of tag-teams, Aesap is still blown away by Kurou and Joey’s amazing coordination in today’s battle. Goes to show the level of trust that exists between them, Lux sees, and Soushi notes that the Fafner team must also aspire to bolster their teamwork in preparation for future battles.
Koyo isn’t down with that, though: he doesn’t need to work with Kazuki because he can save people without any help. And then he walks off, leaving Kazuki to ponder if he could ever come to trust Koyo and Soushi the way Kurou and Joey do with each other.
Nearby, Chiaki is bossing around Sonya and Makoto, having them haul materials around. Yes, their primary occupation is as operators, but this last battle was so rough on the Demonbane that all staff’s been ordered to help fix it up. And Chiaki tells Sonya to quit grumbling as she manages to work as both an operator and a mechanic just fine!
Kurou is kind of worried, as the princess has just warned him to be more careful with her bot, and now he went way overboard again. Sonya figures Ruri must be livid right about now, and, speak of the devil, the girl arrives soon after. Kurou tries giving her an embarrassed “my bad”, but is quickly silenced by a BIG slap. That looks like it hurts a lot, Sonya notes!
Ruri doesn’t say anything, though, only giving Kurou a tearful glare before walking off.
And over by the White House, the Union president is being visited by a rather odd man, who presents her with footage he and his peers collected from the battle at Arkham City. You can clearly see the infamous UX to have also taken part in it.
The man identifies himself as Dr. Minami of Generous Industries, director of all R&D divisions and also the leader of their weapon development project with the Union army. Now, what is his purpose here today?
Well, he points out that a group as questionable as the UX can’t be allowed to run unchecked. They are terrorists, remember? And now that the Alien Strike Squadron has been dissolved, the defense of their country should return to the capable hands of the Union Army!
The president looks ill at ease but, at length, asks Minami what he has in mind. Aah, he was waiting for her to say that!