A few seconds passed, and the dust still hadn't settled.
The battlefield was unrecognizable—smoldering craters, melted wreckage, and twisted remains of mechanical lifeforms scattered everywhere. The air was thick, saturated with the acrid stench of burnt oil and molten metal.
2B was the first to move.
She dashed through the ruins, sidestepping molten metal plates and shards of debris still radiating heat. A2 followed close behind. When they reached the epicenter of the destruction, A2 suddenly stopped in her tracks.
There, amidst the smoke, Arthur was on his knees.
Koryuga was buried in the ground—completely unscathed—but Arthur's body told a very different story.
His left arm was shattered up to the shoulder; his clothing was scorched and torn to ribbons, revealing charred, lacerated flesh. Thick streams of blood trickled from his wounds, soaking into the cracked earth below.
Even so, he still clutched the sword's hilt tightly, his eyes half-lidded as he panted heavily.
For a brief moment, the only sound was the distant crackle of fire. Then he moved—slowly, weakly—coughing up blood before forcing a weary smile.
"Those bastards really got me good…" he muttered hoarsely.
2B stared at his battered form, disbelief in her gaze.
Arthur let out a short laugh that quickly turned into a painful groan.
"Surprised? I suppose this must be the first time you've seen a human in the flesh," he said.
2B grabbed him by the shoulders, trying to steady him.
"Stop talking. Your wounds are severe. We need to evacuate immediately."
"No need…" Arthur murmured, fumbling through the air and pulling a senzu bean from his system inventory.
As he chewed it, his injuries began to heal almost instantly.
2B's eyes widened in utter disbelief.
"Double surprise, huh?" Arthur chuckled, flexing his fully restored arm.
At that exact moment, a blinding flash tore across the sky like a blade of pure light.
The beam screeched overhead, flooding the battlefield with blinding brilliance before slamming into the massive Engels, shaking the ground beneath their feet.
"What the fuc—?" Arthur shielded his eyes with his arm.
Up above, hovering like a steel hawk over the chaos, he spotted a flight unit—and inside it, the focused face of 9S.
"When the hell did he get that?" Arthur muttered in disbelief.
Just moments ago, the android had been fighting alongside them on the ground.
But the attack didn't seem to have the desired effect.
The energy beam seared the giant machine's hull, but Engels merely staggered, turning its titanic head before letting out a thunderous roar.
A heartbeat later, dozens—no, hundreds—of openings bloomed across its chest, spewing a barrage of missiles and energy spheres in every direction.
The sound was deafening, like an endless storm of thunder.
"Shit—!" Arthur tried to pull A2 aside, but he was too slow.
Before he could react, a shadow streaked across the sky at supersonic speed.
A flight unit dove in a death-defying descent—its hull nearly scraped by the shockwaves—and in a precise maneuver, locked a magnetic hook onto both of them, yanking them skyward.
Arthur's vision spun. The G-forces tossed him violently as the flight unit executed impossible evasive maneuvers, weaving between missiles and beams of energy.
Their savior was 2B.
Or, to be precise, she had meant to save Arthur alone—but since the man refused to release A2's arm, both were taken together.
How the hell did she even get that thing? She was right next to me seconds ago! Arthur thought, dazed.
As the wind howled around them, he glanced at 2B's focused face within the cockpit. He could see the tension in her every movement.
Her motive was clear: the YoRHa androids were created to protect humanity.
And to them, Arthur—a living human—was the highest priority.
"2B, 9S," Arthur said firmly, his voice cutting through the rushing wind. "Provide aerial cover and drop A2 and me down there. We'll take care of that tin can ourselves."
As he spoke, he retrieved something from the Gate of Babylon and handed it to A2.
"This sword is made of a metal called Vibranium," he explained. "It absorbs shockwaves and dissipates energy. I think it'll serve you better than what you're using now."
A2 stared at the gleaming blade, but before she could reply, 2B's voice cut sharply through the comm channel.
"Proposal: Request denied!" she declared firmly. "You were just gravely injured. There is no need to expose yourself again!"
Her tone was cold, yet it trembled faintly—betraying the concern hidden beneath.
Arthur merely raised an eyebrow, answering with his usual calm defiance.
"Denied," he said coolly. "Your denial has been denied."
Before 2B could argue, he turned to the other flight unit.
"9S! Take aerial command and operate 2B's unit remotely!"
There was a brief pause. Then 9S sighed in exasperation through the line.
"You guys are seriously going to drive me insane…"
But before he could continue, 2B realized what Arthur was about to do—and her expression changed instantly.
"No—!"
Too late.
Arthur had already jumped.
So had A2.
Both plummeted from the aircraft, slicing through the air like twin comets ready to pierce the metallic titan below.
Seeing this, 2B didn't hesitate for even a second.
She released her restraints, dove from the open cockpit, and followed them into free fall.
From above, 9S's voice screamed over the comms:
"You're all insane! You're putting me in an impossible situation!"
Even so, his hands were already flying across the console.
Instantly, 2B's abandoned flight unit responded to his remote control—the sky erupting in light and fire as 9S unleashed a storm of covering fire for the trio of suicidal maniacs.
(End of Chapter)