"For the glory of Mankind!"
The words echoed through the air with overwhelming intensity.
After proclaiming the slogan in a reverent tone, the YoRHa android launched forward, propelled by the energy of her flight unit. The sky burned in shades of orange and gray, filled with smoke, debris, and streaks of plasma. Below, the ravaged earth was illuminated by bursts of explosions — the reflection of a war that had consumed the entire surface of the world.
Ahead of her rose the target: a colossal mechanical mothership stretching for kilometers, covered in weapons and pulsating energy towers. It advanced slowly like a monster of steel and gears, spewing beams of light that tore through the sky.
The android dove toward the metallic titan with inhuman courage.
The impact of her flight unit against the enemy's hull resulted in a magnificent explosion — a white flash followed by a thunderous roar that shook the atmosphere.
She became a falling star of sacrifice and glory.
And that scene… was not an isolated incident.
Across the planet, hundreds of YoRHa units carried out similar acts of absolute devotion. The word "retreat" had long vanished from their vocabulary.
Each android fought with unshakable conviction.
[The target of the Kamikaze mission has been neutralized!]
A communications operator announced, her voice trembling with pride.
[Operation Excalibur is 80% complete!]
Another voice reported firmly, muffled by static and distant explosions.
[The target of Operation Judgment has been eradicated!]
A third voice added — colder, more methodical.
Total war was underway.
Dozens of simultaneous eradication operations were being executed under Arthur's command.
This would be the final clash.
The closing point of an era — the last breath of the war against the machine lifeforms.
But even amidst hope, digital chaos quickly seeped in.
[A cyberattack has been detected through a vulnerability in the Bunker server!]
Operator 6O's tense voice cut through the stream of reports.
[Fortunately, Scanner units have already neutralized the threat and restored security.]
Soon after, another transmission came through, this time soaked in panic.
[Enemy forces have exceeded our estimates by 30%! Five Goliath-class machine lifeforms detected! Requesting immediate reinforcements!]
Meanwhile, inside the command room of the Bunker, Arthur observed the countless holographic panels before him. Data, transmissions, and tactical images flickered like a swarm of chaotic lights. The constant noise of communications formed a digital symphony of war.
[This is Resistance Command!]
A voice came through — firm, but strained.
[Requesting the immediate deployment of Units 2B and A2 to carry out the purge!]
Arthur tore his gaze from the screens and looked at the two androids beside him.
"Do you want to go?" he asked in a neutral tone.
"I refuse," 2B replied, standing straight and composed. "This mission is not part of my designation."
"I refuse as well," A2 added without hesitation.
Arthur let out a short, ironic laugh. "You heard them, right? Squad 9 will provide support to the Resistance."
[Understood! Units en route!] a female android answered over the line.
The reason for the refusals was obvious: neither A2 nor 2B would allow themselves to be separated from Arthur.
Ever since he had taken command, they had become his shadows — always close, as if protecting him had become an extension of their very existence.
At that moment, Commander White entered, her metallic heels echoing against the steel floor.
"I see the two of you are still doing an excellent job," she said with a small smile, glancing at the androids flanking Arthur.
Arthur raised an eyebrow and gave a brief laugh. "If by 'job' you mean clinging to me all day long, then yes, they're performing exceptionally well."
"Fufufu~" White chuckled, handing him a stack of reports. "Here is the new operations dossier."
"Thank you," Arthur replied, already leafing through the pages, his mind immersed in numbers and statistics.
"Now, I must take my leave. Other priorities require my attention." White announced, adjusting her white gloves before turning away.
"Yes, see you later," Arthur said without lifting his eyes from the documents.
Before leaving, White cast one last look at the two androids.
"2B, A2… keep up the good work."
"Understood," 2B responded with a respectful nod.
"I don't need you to remind me," A2 muttered, her tone sharp, hiding a sting that never fully faded.
White said nothing. She simply kept her serene smile as she walked away down the corridor.
The silence that followed was brief, yet heavy.
Arthur knew A2 still carried resentment — and rightfully so.
In the past, she had been branded a traitor to YoRHa.
Her reintegration had only been possible thanks to his intervention.
Even so, the wounds of that time, though healed, still burned, and the mere sight of White rekindled memories A2 wished had stayed buried.
Suddenly, the communicator lit up once more.
[All operations have been completed,] a solemn mechanical voice reported.
[Operation Blackout: total success. All machine lifeform servers across the globe have been destroyed,] 9S added, unmistakable pride evident in his voice.
Arthur finally released a long breath. The brightness of the screens reflected in his eyes as he murmured to himself:
"So that's it... the end of the war."
He smiled.
For a few moments, silence reigned over the Bunker.
The screens before Arthur flickered gently, casting blue light over the faces of the androids around him.
The constant storm of transmissions, which moments ago filled the room like a cascade of voices, had vanished.
Everything was… quiet.
Then a new message appeared, broadcast across all YoRHa and Resistance channels.
[General transmission: all enemy servers have been completely destroyed. Repeating — all machine lifeforms have been deactivated. The war... is over.]
9S's voice — normally so firm and methodical — trembled at those words.
He paused for a moment, as if even he could hardly believe them.
And then it happened.
The Bunker, once dominated by rigid military order and the cold routine of commands and reports, erupted into a wave of pure emotion.
Shouts and laughter blended into an unprecedented symphony — the first collective display of genuine joy in decades of war.
Some androids embraced without speaking.
Others simply laughed awkwardly, as if they had forgotten the sound of their own happiness.
[We did it…] murmured one operator, her voice breaking. — [They… they really are gone?]
[It's over. The war is really over!] another android shouted, unable to contain his excitement.
The lights of the command stations began blinking in golden hues, reflecting the celebration echoing through the Bunker's speakers.
Even the small pods that accompanied the androids emitted softer tones, as if they understood the weight of the moment.
Arthur watched everything in silence.
A2 folded her arms and looked away, but the faint tremble in her lips exposed the storm within.
2B, meanwhile, stood completely still, staring at the panel before her with a distant gaze. The words echoed inside her, over and over:
"The war is over."
She whispered softly to herself:
"So… that's it. The purpose of our existence… has been fulfilled."
Arthur looked around — each android celebrating in their own way — and for a moment, a smile crossed his face.
"You all did well," he said aloud, firm yet calm.
Without any amplification, it seemed everyone heard him.
"You fought, endured, survived… and won. Against everything and everyone for centuries. Today, there is no more war. No more orders. You are free from your obligations as soldiers."
The word echoed like thunder: freedom.
It felt strange — almost foreign on their tongues.
For many androids, the concept had only existed in human records or ceremonial speeches.
But now, for the first time, they felt what it truly meant.
On the surface, the scene was even more profound.
The Resistance units still on the field looked around in confusion.
The enemies that had once charged with ferocity now lay still — their lights fading one by one like dying stars.
The wind swept through the ruins, carrying away the final echo of an era that had finally ended.
"They stopped…" murmured Anemone, leader of the Resistance, her eyes misty.
Behind her, dozens of androids knelt as they watched the sunset paint the ruins in gold and crimson.
It was the first time they had seen that sight without the sound of gunfire, explosions, or alarms.
It was… silence.
A silence that, for once, brought no fear — only peace.
Back in the Bunker, Operator 6O — openly crying — opened the voice channel and shouted with all the strength she had:
[For the glory of Mankind!]
And for the first time, the phrase did not sound like a command or battle cry.
It rang like a hymn of victory — a tribute to those who fought, those who fell, and those who could finally rest.
The response came in chorus, in unison, like an echo stretching from orbit down to Earth:
[FOR THE GLORY OF MANKIND!]
The voices melded into a wave of emotion, vibrant and powerful.
It was the final cry of a people who had fulfilled their mission — and who, unsure of what came next, celebrated the simple fact that they still existed.
Arthur turned to 2B and A2, who now watched him quietly.
"So that's it," he said with a serene smile. "We did it."
2B nodded, her eyes shimmering, and replied softly but firmly:
"Yes…"
A2 gave a small smirk, turning away. "Tch… never thought I'd live to hear myself believe that."
Arthur chuckled.
"Well, A2 — sometimes even the impossible… needs a happy ending."
Outside, the planet — for the first time in centuries — rested in silence.
A new dawn was about to rise.
(End of chapter)
"Hmph. If you really want to be useful, then entertain me, try to throw those pathetic power stones at me. Let's see if even your insolence can amuse a king."