Right now, Akame looked at the two opponents before her and felt an immense headache.
Her assassination arts were exquisite, but against Aaron, who was clad in [Demon Armor: Incursio], her slashes and joint locks were useless.
And if that was all, it might have been fine. Akame figured that if he was the only difficult one, she could hold him off while Bulat, Sheele, Tatsumi, and Lubbock finished off that white-haired girl first. A five-on-one fight afterward wasn't unwinnable.
But now she realized that the easily-provoked girl was no pushover either.
Sheele might be a bit of an airhead normally, but she was extremely focused in battle.
It wasn't just Sheele; even Akame, who had been clashing with Aaron, had caught a few glimpses of the girl's firearm attacks out of the corner of her eye.
That girl's black and white pistols looked far stronger than standard-issue military weapons.
But for Lubbock and Bulat, the attacks weren't impossible to dodge.
After Sheele used her Trump Card: Flash, it should have stolen the enemy's sight, making it impossible for her to aim.
This was one of the reasons Sheele dared to rush to the front line at a time like this.
But now, after the light faded, Akame realized—they had all been deceived.
The attacks from the girl that everyone had dodged earlier were, in reality, the result of her holding back.
After injuring Sheele, the white pistol in the girl's hand was like an Imperial Gatling gun, firing at an extreme speed with seemingly infinite ammo.
Meanwhile, although the black pistol in her hand didn't fire fast, its power was immense.
After the Night Raid base behind them was hit several times by bullets from the black pistol, it was even showing signs of collapsing.
"Tatsumi, get Sheele off the battlefield! Don't go back to base!"
After glancing at Kiana, Bulat immediately said to Lubbock beside him.
"Lubbock, pin her down!"
"Sigh, that's a tall order."
Damn it, I thought that guy was the main threat.
But looking at it now, he's here to play support.
He tied down Akame, our best anti-personnel fighter, and let that girl attack us and the base.
These black and white pistols... are they Teigu?
Whatever. If this continues, we're all dead.
She didn't use the full power of her pistols from the start, just to bait us.
And after the five of us were counter-ambushed, we lost two members in an instant. We're in a desperate situation now.
If this keeps up, Bulat will be suppressed by the white gun, unable to aim, while I'm forced to evade the black gun.
Even if we can keep dodging, we can't get close to her. We have no way to overwhelm her with close combat.
If the base is destroyed, the boss... it's impossible to expect her to retreat with Mine in her current state.
I don't know if this girl actually plans to tear down our home, but she really has us in a checkmate.
And Akame's defeat is also just a matter of time. If this continues...
"Ha, still looking away?"
Seeing Akame get distracted for an instant, Aaron dashed right in front of her and blasted a punch into her abdomen.
"Whale-Slaying Tyrant Fist!"
Distracted by the base being destroyed, Akame didn't have time to dodge or defend at all and was sent flying by Aaron's punch.
As she flew, [One-Cut Killer: Murasame] fell from her hand, landing on the ground in front of Aaron.
"Akame!"
Watching Akame get punched into the base wall, Bulat felt an uncontrollable rage surge within him.
"You bastard...!"
"Hehehe, why are you glaring at me so fiercely?"
Pulling [Extase: Omnislice] and [One-Cut Killer: Murasame] from the ground, Aaron looked at Bulat indifferently.
"Have you forgotten? [100-Man Slayer] Bulat. You were the one who attacked me first."
"In the end, while I don't like the Revolutionary Army, I also said I don't hate you guys in Night Raid. It was your over-the-top reaction that forced me to stand against you."
"Whether it's you losing your Teigu or your companions being injured by me, it's all because of the 'safe' move you chose to make."
"This is all your fault, Bulat. You shouldn't have provoked me."
"Ha, that makes sense."
Watching Kiana stop her attack, Lubbock suddenly looked at Bulat irritably.
"Bulat, this is all your fault."
"Huh?"
Lubbock, you're winking at me like crazy. Is this...
"Big Bro, there's no way we can win if we keep fighting."
Placing [[Infinite Uses: Crosstail]] on the ground, Lubbock said to Aaron with a fawning smile.
"You already have Sheele's and Akame's Teigu. I'm willing to hand over mine—Bulat, what are you waiting for? Get over here!"
I knew it, Lubbock. Your plan is...
"Oh, little brother Lubbock, you're so perceptive. I have to say, you've got a much brighter future than those thick-headed companions of yours."
After strolling over to Lubbock's side, Aaron looked at Bulat and said.
"If you want to continue, I'll play along. But... do you think you're qualified to fight me while holding a Teigu that doesn't suit you?"
"How much of your mental energy do you have left, anyway? Forcibly using an incompatible Teigu isn't exactly a recommended behavior."
"Ha, you saw through everything... If only that were true!"
As Aaron walked into his trap, Lubbock, maintaining his humble posture, suddenly stomped on the ground.
The net of threads Lubbock had been laying out this whole time erupted from the dust, completely enveloping Aaron's body.
"At this distance, there's no problem with power or accuracy!"
At the same time, Bulat, who had looked like he was about to surrender his Teigu, aimed the muzzle directly at Aaron's head and fired a second shot.
After completing this move, Bulat endured the needle-like pain in his brain and immediately looked at the white-haired girl in the distance.
But at this moment, the white-haired girl didn't have the slightest hint of worry on her face.
Wait, could it be...
"Aah, that hurts. If you blast me in the head, it seems you really could kill me."
"However, what a pity."
In the instant he was struck in the head by the blast, the two of them indeed saw Aaron release his transformation in front of them.
At this moment, Aaron had blood streaming from his head, and even his body was covered in terrifying wounds.
But now, looking at the ring in Aaron's hand, the two of them suddenly felt that something was wrong.
"This move looks pretty good. Well then, let's play with it. At this distance, it should be pretty hard for you to dodge—right?"
Aaron, wearing the ring Teigu [Water Dragon's Possession: Black Marlin], manipulated the blood from his own body, coalescing it into numerous short blades, and launched them from blind spots the two couldn't defend.
"Secret technique—Blades of Blood."
Bulat was wearing his dark green armor, but in front of Aaron, who had long been prepared, the exposed skin on both sides of Bulat's neck was actually a perfect target.
As for Lubbock, that goes without saying. He had used all his threads to bind Aaron, so he obviously couldn't weave them into defensive armor.
And his hoodie offered no defense whatsoever against the Blades of Blood.
With one strike, Aaron, at the cost of grievous injuries to himself, instantly robbed the two of their ability to fight.
[Spirit Commands—Guts.]
After using the Spirit Command, which was extremely taxing for him, Aaron first felt a sharp pain in his head.
But at the same time, his injuries and the strength he'd used for the Whale-Slaying Tyrant Fist were all restored.
Whew, test complete.
Although I didn't test the cost of Valor, I can judge the general situation from Guts.
The low-cost commands, I can basically use twenty or thirty times without getting mentally exhausted.
But for a high-cost command like Guts, two uses is the limit. If I use it a third time, I'll definitely pass out.
And now...
"Ha, four down."
Looking at the two unlucky bastards on the ground, Aaron slowly walked out of the net of threads.
Because Lubbock had lost consciousness, the net of threads he wove had also lost its ability to bind anyone.
[[Infinite Uses: Crosstail]] and [Roman Artillery: Pumpkin], also acquired.
With this, I've taken all six of Night Raid's Teigu.
As long as I get out of combat, the mission is complete, but...
It seems things aren't over yet.
Aaron, who had just stored the two Teigu, stomped on the ground and dodged an attack that fell from the sky.
At this moment, Najenda, in the air, looked at Akame slammed into the wall and the fallen Bulat and Lubbock, her mind went completely blank.
She hadn't even been gone from the base for twelve hours!
Honestly, she had made the round trip as fast as she could. If she hadn't applied for new reinforcements right after Bulat was injured last time, she definitely couldn't have returned to the base so quickly with her companion and the Teigu.
And now that she was back...
The base, on the verge of collapse.
Her subordinates, completely wiped out.
Although she could see that Akame, Bulat, and Lubbock were still breathing, if she hadn't made it back in time, their deaths would have only been a matter of time.
And the man and woman standing on the ground... I see. Are they the two unnamed Teigu users Mine and Lubbock mentioned?
The Teigu aren't on the ground, so they must have stored them.
At this point, Najenda naturally had no intention of talking peacefully with Aaron, who had injured her entire team.
The enemy had already come to their door and stolen their Teigu. There was only one thing for her to do.
Whether it was to reclaim the Teigu or to eliminate these two threats for the Revolutionary Army, she had to defeat them.
"Chelsea, find a place for the sky-bat to land."
"Yes, but..."
"It's nothing. Leave it to me and Susanoo."
Leaping down from the low altitude, Najenda landed smoothly on the ground and coldly stared at Aaron, who had just dodged the attack.
Any more talk was pointless. Regardless of why they had become enemies in the first place, the opponent's actions now meant Najenda had to treat them as Night Raid's greatest foe.
Moreover, even without Bulat's Teigu, the two of them had faced three Teigu users at once.
The result of the battle was that the man looked injured, but the wounds didn't seem that severe.
As for the girl, she was clearly unharmed.
Unscathed... they defeated Bulat and the others while unscratched?
In that case, this enemy must be faced with full power.
Damn it. I was saving this move for Esdeath.
"Susanoo—I permit you to use your secret technique!"
"...Right!"
As the magatama on his chest glowed, Susanoo instantly drained one-third of Najenda's life force.
This secret technique, Magatama Manifestation, was how Susanoo went berserk by absorbing his master's life force through the magatama on his chest, pushing his power to the limit and gaining powerful new skills.
After going berserk, Susanoo possessed three special abilities: 'Ame no Murakumo' (super-strong attack), 'Yata no Kagami' (reflective defense), and 'Yasakani no Magatama' (high-speed movement). But because his strength after rampaging was too great, this secret technique had a fatal limitation compared to [Magical Beast Transformation: Hekatonkheires].
Just three uses would completely exhaust the master's life force, which is precisely why Najenda didn't want to use this move on any Teigu user other than Esdeath.
"This pressure...!"
Kiana, who had been holding back ever since Lubbock's fake surrender, hadn't attacked because she already knew Aaron's general plan through their Perfect Attunement.
Aaron, of course, had no trust in those two. The main reason he chose to walk over was, in fact, the same reason Lubbock and Bulat had for luring him—purely to close the distance.
Because the distance was too great, the accuracy of both Lubbock's threads and Bulat's energy cannon was highly questionable. So Lubbock, after a moment's thought, decided to try faking a surrender to lure him closer, then have Bulat fire at point-blank range, aiming straight for Aaron's head.
However, not much time had actually passed since Aaron blocked Bulat's first attack, so...
Aaron's [Spirit Commands—Wall] effect was still active on him.
The Night Raid duo had indeed completed their plan. At point-blank range, they used Lubbock's threads to immobilize Aaron, and then had Bulat blast his head with Pumpkin to deal massive damage.
But what the two didn't know was that in the less than twenty-four hours since Aaron had defeated the Three Beasts, he had already grown much stronger.
Relying on Black Marlin's liquid-manipulation function, Aaron used the bizarre and hard-to-defend move, Blades of Blood, at close range to directly injure the mentally-drained Bulat and the ridiculously low-defense Lubbock.
And the injuries on his own body were conveniently healed as a way to test the cost of [Spirit Commands—Guts].
The current Aaron, aside from consuming some mental energy, was in perfect condition.
Kiana shouldn't have been worried.
But now, she could actually feel it from Aaron's emotions—Aaron intended to fight seriously???
The pressure from this enemy... she was right. From the beginning until now, Aaron had been using these people to test his new abilities, not fighting with his full strength.
In other words, this new enemy was so powerful that it raised Aaron's vigilance to the maximum?
Aaron once told me during a casual chat that the next time we encounter a biological Teigu, we can use [Spectator]'s X-ray vision to see where their core is.
These biological Teigu will keep regenerating as long as their core isn't destroyed... but on the flip side, as long as their core is destroyed, they will perish completely.
This big guy... is clearly a biological Teigu, just like that stupid dog!
"Ha, Susanoo. I didn't originally plan on facing you."
Looking at the enemy exuding this incredibly strong pressure, Aaron took off Black Marlin while simultaneously strapping [Lion King: Lionelle] to his waist, activating Lionelle's secret technique.
"This is perfect. The low-tier match already helped me complete one test. So now—let's try a high-tier match and test my limits!"
Najenda, having just had a third of her life drained, had no idea what he meant by 'testing limits.'
But watching Aaron activate the [Lion Never Perishes] secret technique and undergo a completely different transformation than Leone's, Najenda felt that something was very wrong.
But at this moment, Kiana clearly wasn't going to give her much time to think.
Sensing Aaron's irritating thoughts, Kiana, while seemingly not aiming, pulled the trigger of [Ivory], while simultaneously locking onto Najenda's head with [Ebony] and firing.
"Tch...!"
Najenda leaped back, dodging the powerful bullet, and glanced at Susanoo.
If it were one-on-one, Susanoo absolutely would have had a chance to use 'Yasakani no Magatama' to dodge these attacks at high speed.
But the Susanoo at this moment had to face two people.
Even more troublesome, the other person was clearly far more dangerous than the girl with the tricky attack angles!
Aaron, mobilizing the Meta-Morph Factor with [Lion Never Perishes], instantly entered a half-Honkai Beast state.
But at this moment, Aaron could feel that this still wasn't his full strength.
Last time he used [Lion Never Perishes] to enter a Honkai Beast state, his body was in bad shape, and after healing his injuries, he actually became weaker.
But now, although he had been tracking Leone for over ten hours, his body was still, relatively speaking, in a [Rested State].
It was already past midnight. The cooldown for Ittou Shura has reset.
And a weak body... ha. Guts has already restored my body to its peak condition.
Well then, let's give it a try.
Ittou Shura—Activate!
As Aaron activated Ittou Shura, Susanoo could feel the pressure coming from him intensifying.
At the same time, because Kiana's bloodline had once again increased its awakening level, Aaron, who was in a state of Perfect Attunement with Kiana, naturally found his 'Kaslana Bloodline' had also grown stronger.
The increase in awakening level, aside from improving physical stats, naturally brought other enhancements as well.
For example, the current Aaron...
—From his appearance, he clearly looked even less human than when he'd used the Meta-Morph Factor before.
Aaron, using raw power and speed to overwhelm Susanoo, had undoubtedly turned into a rabid beast trying to devour everything in the eyes of the others.
Meanwhile, the storm of bullets Kiana fired from [Ivory] actually struck the Honkai Beast Carapace on Aaron's body, instantly creating a shower of sparks.
But Najenda, who had just been dodging, suddenly felt something was wrong when she saw Kiana 'friendly firing.'
No, that girl's accuracy when shooting at me was perfect.
For her to hit her teammate in this situation... did she misjudge her teammate's movements?
That's not right either. I know the ability of [Spectator]. Unless a complete idiot is using it, there's no way she'd hit her own teammate while wearing it.
Something's fishy. There's definitely something fishy.
"I see, I get it. It's in this position."
Feeling the pain in his back and the throbbing in his head, Aaron looked at the warrior trying to activate 'Ame no Murakumo' to kill him, gave a savage grin, and blasted a punch at the enemy's body.
[Spirit Commands—Valor, activate!]
Aaron, now almost fully in his Honkai Beast form, stacked the damage of this blow with Valor and unhesitatingly threw his strongest punch.
Under these circumstances, Susanoo, who had intended to tank the blow and rely on his regeneration to trade injuries, saw his expression change instantly as he was frozen solid by the power exploding from Aaron.
As Susanoo's master, Najenda also seemed to understand what had just happened.
"Ha, just as I thought. Here it is."
Punching straight through the enemy's body and pulling out his core as a biological Teigu, Aaron crushed it on the spot, right in front of everyone.
Susanoo was undoubtedly a powerful warrior, and from the very beginning, Aaron had no intention of making this guy a target for his [storage space] mission.
The reason was simple—this thing was too dangerous.
When you can't guarantee an enemy's loyalty, the only true path to peace of mind is to completely destroy them.
Of course, Aaron himself didn't have the ability to 'see a biological Teigu's core in an instant.'
But he wasn't fighting alone. Kiana is still wearing [Spectator], after all.
Kiana used [Spectator]'s X-ray vision to see the location of Susanoo's core.
Then she fired that volley specifically to tell Aaron—Susanoo's core is in that spot.
Whether Aaron blocked those bullets for Susanoo, or Susanoo dodged or tanked them, with the two in Perfect Attunement, it was easy for Aaron to guess Kiana's general idea.
And because of this, Aaron trusted his teammate's judgment, cross-referenced the spot he was hit in the back, and delivered his strongest blow to that exact spot on Susanoo's body.
In the original story, even after Susanoo's core was destroyed, he could still be forcibly activated by Najenda burning her life force a second time to fight.
But now...
She was having a hard enough time just dodging the little girl's bullets. She had no chance to focus her mental energy to activate the secret technique a second time!
She couldn't even find an opportunity to burn her life. Najenda truly felt like her world was ending.
Because of the injuries Esdeath had inflicted on her, her combat power had dropped by about forty percent.
And her combat power after that drop... tch. One mistake and she'd be dead. Can you burn your life force while you're dying?
It's hopeless.
No matter how she looked at it, this situation was absolutely hopeless.
Susanoo might have had some fight left after his core was ripped out, but Aaron's Whale-Slaying Tyrant Fist had clearly utilized an even stronger Meta-Morph Factor.
Under the effect of the Meta-Morph Factor, that punch contained a freezing power far greater than before. Even with Susanoo's rampaging strength, he could only barely struggle to break free.
Unfortunately, before Susanoo could break free, Aaron had already taken off the Lionelle and used [Extase: Omnislice] to cut Susanoo's body apart.
"Ha, battle over. Next..."
The moment Aaron's gaze fixed on her, Najenda seemed to recall a terrible memory.
That's right.
When Esdeath targeted me... I felt this exact same way!
This guy... is he really that terrifying?
And then, Aaron just collapsed.
If Kiana hadn't dashed forward to catch him, Aaron would have definitely face-planted on the ground, completely immobilized.
"That's enough! Why are you always so reckless!"
"Ha... I told you, I needed to test my... strength..."
"Forget it, just shut up! I don't want to hear your excuses!"
Kiana, pulling out a spare motorcycle, fiercely interrupted Aaron and glanced back at Najenda.
In the end, she chose to get on the bike and leave with Aaron.
Watching the two enemies retreat into the distance, Najenda suddenly collapsed to the ground, gasping for breath.
Just seconds before, she had felt that the young man who could transform into a bizarre beast was far stronger than the white-haired girl.
But just as the white-haired girl was leaving, Najenda saw a flash of molten gold in her eyes and suddenly had a terrifying thought.
Why... why couldn't I move just now?
That gaze... that gaze that looked like it had killed countless living beings... what in the world is her story?!
Not even Esdeath has killed that many people. That white-haired girl, who is she?!
And now...
Looking at Chelsea emerging from the forest, Najenda had no idea what to do.
Night Raid had eight Teigu users in total. Now, six have had their Teigu stolen, one has had their Teigu destroyed, and the last one, Chelsea, is a non-combat assassination-type Teigu user.
Although her assassination skills are top-notch, with the Teigu users Esdeath is gathering... Najenda couldn't possibly expect Chelsea to assassinate them one by one, could she?
Night Raid's power has been crippled, while the Empire's strength remains so great...
How are we supposed to fight this war?
With such a massive gap in power, how are we ever going to deal with Esdeath?!
...........................
Riding the motorcycle down the road, Kiana felt her heart grow heavier.
During this time, she had undoubtedly become much stronger than before.
But... after she got stronger... did Aaron's plan of action change at all?
No.
From the start, Aaron has always preferred to risk his life, trading his own safety for massive bursts of power to end battles quickly.
With his cautious personality, he shouldn't be the type to favor these tactics.
Kiana wasn't stupid. It only took a little deduction to reach a simple conclusion.
I'm the one dragging him down, so he's forced to use these terrifying moves to finish off enemies.
Even knowing the price of using these moves is huge, Aaron still habitually chose to use them in battle.
Moreover, since she'd crossed over into this world, the two of them had seemingly been in constant danger, but...
—Was that really the case?
Aside from losing consciousness at the very beginning for unknown reasons and feeling some pain in her body and face, Kiana had barely been injured at all.
But Aaron, on the other hand, had not only tanked a massive amount of damage but had also repelled almost every enemy.
In other words, Aaron wasn't just the spear of their two-person team, driving back enemies; he was also the shield, protecting his partner.
It was only because he was always standing in front of her that she had been able to fight until now almost completely unscathed.
The strength and reliability of her teammate didn't put Kiana at ease. Her personality wasn't suited to being dead weight.
At this moment, Kiana just felt an overwhelming sense of heartache and helplessness.
Why do you have to push yourself so hard!
Why can't you trust me more!
I'm already so much stronger than before!
If she weren't worried that these words would agitate Aaron, Kiana really wanted to demand if he even saw her as a partner.
Or... in your eyes...
Am I just a burden that needs protecting?
"What's wrong..."
Aaron, sensing Kiana's unhappiness through their Perfect Attunement, spoke weakly.
"We've obtained ten Teigu. As long as we leave the battlefield, you can go back to your original world."
"This is a time... for celebration..."
"Celebrate my ass!"
Stopping the motorcycle, Kiana roughly dragged Aaron off the bike and threw open his cloak.
"You're always covered in blood! Have you ever thought about how scary that is?!"
Taking out the hemostatic spray, Kiana irritably ripped open Aaron's blood-soaked clothes and sprayed it on his body.
"Using these overloaded moves hurts your body every single time! Even if you can shrug off the side effects now, these internal injuries will definitely cause you unbearable pain later!"
"And after you got those Teigu, why did you have to fight that big guy? If we had retreated then..."
"If we retreated, he definitely would have caught up. Rather than be hunted down, it's better to find a chance to cripple him while he doesn't know what we're capable of."
"That doesn't mean you had to be so reckless!"
"Isn't it because I have you here?"
Taking a deep breath, Aaron took the hemostatic spray from Kiana's hands and said with a wry smile.
"It's because you're here that I dared to test my limits. By testing my limits, when I face other strong enemies in the future, I'll at least know my own strength and be able to make a more accurate judgment about whether I can defeat them."
"...So you just think of me as your transport, huh?"
"What transport? You're my strong support."
Tch. As I thought, he still thinks I'm unreliable.
Forget it, I'm done with you!
Sensing that Kiana's mood seemed to have gotten even worse, Aaron didn't know what to say.
He didn't have the ability or skill to read people's minds. At a time like this, when she was already angry, the more he said, the more likely he'd be wrong. It was better to just shut up.
Yo System, you there?
[Nope! ***!]
Looks like it's here. By the way, what's with the three asterisks?
[Oh, while this System is omnipotent, in the face of a certain divine beast, even the most powerful system can't resist. So when this System wants to curse but knows it will be dealt with by said divine beast, it just types three * instead.]
[Anyway, those who get it, get it. And if you don't... what the hell does that have to do with this System?]
[In short, beginning to update quest progress.]
[Main Quest 1—Teigu Plunderer (10/10). Progress detected at 100%. This main quest is complete.]
[Hidden Quest—Slay the Teigu User (3+1+1+3+3+3+1+1+1+1+1/???).]
Hang on, why did the hidden quest only add three points this time?
[The quest requires defeating or killing Teigu users. You defeated Akame, Sheele, Bulat, and Lubbock, but you already defeated Bulat once, so it doesn't count.]
So I take it Susanoo doesn't count?
[Duh. Slay the *Teigu User*, not the *Teigu*. Is it this System's fault you didn't have the strength to finish off Najenda?]
True. Sigh. I can't expect that girl to just gun down the remaining Night Raid members.
Even if she's seen a darker world, I can't expect her to immediately become a decisive killer... Mmm, from this perspective, the fact she didn't stop me when I was killing people means she was surprisingly respectful of my actions.
[If you please, do not treat Miss Kiana as an idiot, Tester 233. This System must remind you that in this System's judgment, her talent is far superior to yours.]
[If you treat her as an idiot, Tester 233, you will regret it one day.]
Is that... a warning?
[That's an admonition.]
[Chat time is over. It's time to make a choice.]
At that moment, a notification box that only they could see popped up in front of both Aaron and Kiana.
[Ding! Main quest for this dungeon has been detected as complete. Please consult with your teammate and make a choice.]
[Option 1—Return to your original world. You will receive 100%! of the main quest reward.]
[Option 2—Remain in this world and continue Main Quest 1.]
[Note: As you are a team, you must both arrive and leave this world at the same time. Therefore, a situation where one person leaves while the other remains in the dungeon is not possible—of course, special situations will be handled specially. This System will provide prompts if such a situation arises.]
[Additionally, if you choose to continue the quest, the Tester and teammate can still only receive rewards after leaving the dungeon. Subsequent main quest rewards will be calculated as 1 Teigu = 10%! quest completion. The maximum reward is 200%!.]
[If you wish to leave this world during this period, please follow the old rules and notify this System to complete the transfer after you have left the battlefield.]
After reading the prompt, Aaron glanced at Kiana.
"Otherwise, let's bounce?"
"I refuse."
Kiana looked at Aaron, clearly displeased.
"Did you forget? Because of [Perfect Attunement], we can roughly sense each other's thoughts. Aaron... you still have some regrets, don't you?"
"...Ha. What a troublesome ability."
Under Kiana's gaze, Aaron recalled the history that was supposed to happen in this world and said flatly.
"There are still many powerful Teigu in this world. There are a few with useful effects that I still want to get my hands on."
"Then go get them! What's—"
"But staying in this world means facing danger. Don't forget, we're wanted criminals."
"Ha? What's there to be afraid of?"
Seeing the hesitation and worry on Aaron's face, Kiana said irritably.
"If the Empire's wanted posters were actually useful, would Night Raid have been left for us to clean up?"
"Besides, even if we go back to our original world, will it really be safe? You know as well as I do, the 'Honkai' could erupt at any time."
Recalling some things from the past, Kiana's voice dropped to a lonely whisper.
"I want to become stronger. Whether it's for the Kaslana family's mission or for the friends around me, I have to become stronger."
"Only by becoming stronger can I protect the companions who are important to me."
And that includes you, Aaron.
"...You're right."
[Looks like you're the one who got checkmated, Tester 233.]
Shut up. What are you chiming in for now?
[Because this System senses that you two have, in fact, already made your decision.]
Tch. Then what's with all the nonsense?
Hearing Aaron's dissatisfied words, the System seemed to understand and cut off the conversation.
[Ding! Detecting Tester 233 and teammate have selected Option 2. This System will temporarily save the main quest completion rewards. When you two return, the quest completion level will be re-evaluated, and rewards will be distributed then.]
[Note: If any Teigu are destroyed or lost in the meantime, figure it out yourselves. This System only counts the final number of Teigu saved in the storage space.]
Does that last sentence mean... we should be careful about our items being stolen?
[After all, there really was an unlucky bastard who didn't leave after completing the mission, and ended up having his quest items stolen while continuing, leading to the main quest being incomplete in the end.]
You're not going to drop an emoji, are you?
[No. That tester didn't end up... ahem... because of *that* mission.]
...That's a very ominous ellipsis.
[Also, side quests can still be completed. Anyway, during the final calculation, this System will factor all points into the completion total.]
[Well then, if there's nothing else, this System will take its leave.]
Yeah, bye.
"Alright, it's settled. We're staying. Now..."
Watching the fresh blood gush out again from the wounds Aaron had just sprayed, Kiana said with utter exasperation.
"Let's find a place to rest first. Next time, can you please not be so reckless? Even if I'm used to this state, it's still really disturbing to see at the end of a fight."
"We'll analyze each situation as it comes. But..."
"Forget it. We're exhausted today. Let's find a place to sleep first and think about the rest later."
.........................
One month later. Imperial Capital. Jaegers meeting room.
Inside the meeting room, Esdeath glanced at her six subordinates and motioned for Run to begin reporting on the recent situation around the Imperial Capital.
"Yes. First, the security situation around the capital. The bandits have basically been cleared out. Our next step should be to hunt large-scale Danger Beasts."
"However, we must also be careful of one thing—Night Raid hasn't made a move in the Imperial Capital for a month."
In reality, even without Run's reminder, everyone was well aware. Ever since Esdeath had the Minister find six Teigu users to form the special forces unit [Jaegers], Night Raid, which had previously conducted daily assassinations in the capital, seemed to have vanished completely, leaving no trace of their activities.
According to the interrogations of Night Raid's outer members that Esdeath had captured this month, Night Raid had actually chosen to abandon their old base a month ago and relocate.
During this time, the Jaegers had mobilized multiple times to search for Night Raid's new base, but Night Raid truly lived up to their reputation as 'rats' that had plagued the capital for so long. They were truly skilled at hide-and-seek.
They were hidden so deep that the Jaegers, originally formed to deal with them, had to resort to clearing out nearby bandits and targeting those terrifying, powerful Danger Beasts instead.
But Esdeath knew very well that they would come knocking eventually. After all, Night Raid's leader was Najenda.
Back when she was hunting Najenda, she had only wounded her, not killed her. It wasn't because Najenda was too weak, but because Esdeath considered her too strong.
Letting strong warriors live and grow stronger might bring her more entertainment—for that reason, Esdeath had spared Najenda, whom she could have killed at the time.
And, Night Raid had indeed counter-attacked previously.
Daidara, Nyau, Liver... the Three Beasts, the strongest in Esdeath's army besides herself, had, as expected, been killed at the hands of Night Raid.
Although the bodies were burned too badly to see details, the surrounding clues were enough to show that the battle hadn't been intense.
To be defeated in a non-intense battle and have their Teigu taken... it meant that the Three Beasts had encountered superior opponents and were killed while at a complete disadvantage.
And Night Raid certainly had experts capable of this. [100-Man Slayer] Bulat and the former Imperial elite assassin Akame, wielder of [One-Cut Killer: Murasame], both possessed the strength to kill the Three Beasts.
Night Raid's inaction this past month didn't mean they feared the Jaegers.
A month's time allowed the Jaegers to lower their guard, while Night Raid could secretly gather intelligence on the Jaegers' members.
And after formulating a plan based on that intelligence, they would choose the right tactics for battle—this was the Najenda that Esdeath knew, her typical operational style.
In other words, in Esdeath's eyes, an attack from Night Raid was inevitable.
The enemy was in the dark while they were in the light. For now, other than being careful, there was nothing else the Jaegers could do.
For the next few minutes, Run reported some information that was important to the Jaegers, but which no one seemed very interested in.
Seeing everyone's lack of interest, Run sighed softly and turned to Esdeath.
"Captain, I'll skip the rest of the trivial matters. In truth, I believe everyone's minds are on Night Raid."
"If they won't come out, I have an idea."
"Oh?"
Esdeath raised an eyebrow, immediately intrigued.
"Continue."
"It's simple: 'show weakness.' The reason they don't dare to attack us, besides us patrolling the capital's outskirts, is for another reason."
"Among us Jaegers, apart from Dr. Stylish, the other six are all formidable, and you, Captain, are one of the Empire's strongest. If I were Night Raid, I wouldn't be foolish enough to attack directly."
"This time, when we go out to hunt Danger Beasts, if we proactively split into two groups, Night Raid might take the bait. We don't need to worry too much about information leaking, since..."
"—The Imperial Capital is already full of their spies. As long as we openly broadcast our movements and throw out a big enough bait, they will naturally bite."
After Run finished explaining the plan, Esdeath nodded slightly.
"Mm, this plan is indeed good."
"As for splitting the troops, I won't offer my own foolish opinion. After all, military strategy is your profession, Captain. You will certainly be more thorough in this regard than I."
Esdeath scanned the group and then said to Run.
"Run, you, Seryu, and Wave will come with me."
"Kurome, you and Bols will move together. If your side encounters the enemy, don't force it. Just fire the signal flare immediately."
"Stylish, you stay here. Although your enhanced soldiers are strong, your personal experience is lacking. You might become an opening for the enemy."
"I won't require you to defeat the enemy in this battle. Night Raid may be a group of rats, but I must admit their strength is impressive."
"I have only one order—if you find yourselves outmatched, do not force it. Survival is your number one priority."
"Yes!" *6
Looking at her subordinates, each with a different expression, Esdeath pushed down the brim of her military cap, a cold smile touching her lips.
*One group of two, one group of four. Najenda, even if you know this is bait, you'll still choose to step on it, won't you?*
*After all, you are so rational. Once you analyze that the odds of winning aren't low, you will inevitably choose to mobilize all your forces, using six Teigu users against two, then quickly take down the enemy and retreat.*
*Now, let's see whether you kill my subordinates first, or if we reach you first and wipe you all out.*
*When we meet again, I'll be sure to catch up with you properly—in my interrogation room.*
.....................
Next day. New Night Raid Base.
Inside the new Night Raid base, Najenda looked at the intelligence sent by her comrades in the capital and lit a woman's cigarette.
It had been about a month since the last battle.
And now, Night Raid, despite having one replacement member, hadn't gone on a single mission in that month.
The reason was simple—aside from herself, Chelsea, and Tatsumi, the two new members, everyone else was carrying injuries.
Although everyone was physically tough, and physical wounds would heal over time, mental wounds were another story.
Total defeat—that was the outcome of their confrontation with those two Teigu users.
The fact that all of Night Raid combined couldn't beat those two was a massive blow to everyone's pride.
Besides everyone's poor mental state, the appearance of the Jaegers was another reason Night Raid wasn't taking missions.
If everyone was in perfect condition, the Jaegers' appearance wouldn't stop Night Raid's actions—at most, they would just be more careful.
But the current situation was awkward...
Aside from Chelsea, who had never even met that black-haired young man, the other seven Teigu users... well, besides Susanoo, who was completely destroyed, the other six had their Teigu stolen.
Everyone knew how much a Teigu enhanced a warrior's strength.
Against an ordinary Teigu user, they might still be able to eke out a victory relying on their own skill, technique, and experience.
But among the Jaegers, besides Esdeath, five of the other six Teigu users possessed formidable combat power.
Given Night Raid's current mental state, if they encountered those Teigu users without their own Teigu, Najenda felt it was 99.9% likely they'd all be wiped out.
Esdeath had a twisted personality and might let a strong enemy go for her own amusement, but the others clearly weren't like that.
Normal people, knowing you're from the opposing faction, would, if not try to kill you on the spot, at least try to arrest you.
With their criminal records, if they were caught... not dying... not dying would be impossible.
The Empire had already discovered Night Raid's connection to the Revolutionary Army. In other words, what Night Raid was doing had changed from [killing high officials and the rich] to treason.
Treason, in any country, is a capital offense. If they were caught, a clean death would be a victory.
"Sigh, this is tough. If everyone still had their Teigu, we could consider taking this bait Esdeath is offering."
Looking at the intel, Najenda felt utterly helpless.
Esdeath was having the Jaegers spread the news that, for the safety of the surrounding populace, they were preparing to split into two groups to eliminate the powerful Danger Beasts in the area.
Although Najenda knew Esdeath herself didn't care about that, the problem was that the person who released this news clearly understood propaganda.
After making it a public announcement, he had embellished it, describing how Esdeath, upon returning to the capital, had immediately set the Jaegers to work eradicating bandits and protecting the peace.
In the eyes of the Imperial Capital's citizens, Esdeath had clearly become a guardian deity.
And now that the capital had a [Guardian Deity], in a sense, Night Raid's reputation was suppressed in the eyes of the people.
Under these circumstances, the citizens would subconsciously feel that as long as Esdeath was around, their lives were not in danger.
After all—a national hero who protected the country and slaughtered its enemies was much more trustworthy than a group of assassins of unknown origin.
This is bad.
If Esdeath keeps this up, Night Raid's work will be impossible.
If we don't have enough Teigu, we'll never be able to reverse our disadvantage.
Sigh, why did we have to provoke that man?
And now that man has vanished. Even if we wanted to make a deal with him, we can't find him.
The only good news now is that the man doesn't like the Empire either.
And now, the only thing I can do is let everyone recover and... pray that the man and the Jaegers fight each other?
How utterly frustrating.
What's even more frustrating is that Najenda has tricks she dares not use.
In the past, Najenda would have already started having her outside agents manipulate intelligence to induce those two and the Jaegers to fight.
But now, Najenda doesn't know where those two are, and considering their personalities and combat power, she truly doesn't dare take the risk.
Just because Night Raid provoked them, they came and stole all their Teigu.
This time, if they discovered someone was scheming in the shadows... those two terrifying Teigu users would definitely find a way to come knocking again.
As for whether they have evidence... Heh, evidence. Is that important?
No one's a fool. If one side gets tricked, they'll immediately think, 'It must be my enemy trying to screw me over.' In that situation, it's not about them needing evidence to attack; it's about Najenda having to figure out how to explain she had no part in it *after* they attack.
After all, having the bigger fist really works. If you can't beat them, you can't beat them. It's better to just lie low.
Many past tactics and plans were now impossible because their strength had plummeted after losing their Teigu.
And when the higher-ups learned that Night Raid had lost almost all its Teigu, they began to doubt Najenda's loyalties.
Najenda didn't blame them for their suspicion. This whole thing was truly outrageous.
If someone else were leading Night Raid, and Najenda heard they had managed to lose six Teigu, with the remaining biological Teigu beaten to death...
Heh. Najenda would definitely suspect that person of being an Imperial spy.
Now they can't carry out assassinations to get funds. The higher-ups were already short on money, and now Night Raid isn't bringing any in *and* has lost its Teigu. In the eyes of the higher-ups, they're already useless.
What made Najenda feel even worse was that she had no way to reverse this situation. She could only wait, glaring, waiting...
Waiting for Esdeath and that man to fight, for both sides to be grievously wounded, and then pop champagne and pick up the scraps.
Sigh, I'll just have to send everyone to check the situation nearby.
At this point... we can only hope Night Raid's luck is good.
...........................
Later that day.
After the two finished breakfast, Aaron threw all the dishes into the dishwasher, glanced at Kiana, and ultimately chose to say nothing.
In this past month, he could feel it. Kiana...
—was clearly eating more.
After a rough calculation, Aaron found that Kiana's food intake during this period had become 2-3 times what it used to be.
Sometimes he really suspected that Kiana had awakened some of the Herrscher of the Void's Authorities without even realizing it.
Otherwise, he couldn't explain how the girl next to him could eat so much food and still maintain such a perfect figure.
If anyone else ate Kiana's portions for a month, even disregarding the load on their stomach, Aaron was sure they would have blown up like a balloon.
Of course, because of this, Aaron felt he really had to plan for the future, because...
—his constant joke about [running out of food] was, at this point, no longer a joke.
Kiana was truly about to eat all their food.
As for buying food in the vicinity... Aaron hadn't considered it.
Don't ask. If you ask, it's because he's afraid that, as people from another world, they might have a bad reaction.
He also had to consider the possibility that if an enemy discovered they were nearby, they might poison the food.
Although Night Raid's bottom line probably wasn't *that* low, until he was absolutely desperate, Aaron didn't want to take the risk.
As for why Kiana was eating so much...
Through Perfect Attunement, Aaron could feel that Kiana's emotions were a bit off lately.
Although she didn't show it, Aaron could feel she was sulking.
No matter whether he hinted at it or asked directly, Aaron couldn't get a reason for her anger out of Kiana.
Sigh, what a headache.
She was usually such a straightforward person, but now she was sulking.
The new intelligence has arrived. In that case... should we really make a move?
The matter of Esdeath leading the Jaegers out to sweep for Danger Beasts had been publicized by that administrator, Run, to the point where the entire capital knew.
The intelligence Aaron had paid for this time barely differed from the public information.
From this, it was easy to see that Esdeath's group was really planning to bait Night Raid.
But now, thanks to Aaron's actions, Night Raid was basically half-crippled.
The probability of Night Raid showing up wasn't zero, but it likely wasn't high either.
This time, with the Jaegers splitting up, it was clearly a good opportunity for Aaron and Kiana to acquire Teigu.
Although none of the Teigu the Jaegers had were Aaron's target, if there was a chance to seize Teigu, Aaron would naturally choose to take it.
But in Kiana's current state, was she really fit for battle?
"You're worrying again, aren't you?"
Sensing the fleeting worry in Aaron's heart, Kiana spoke indifferently.
"I already said, whatever you want to do, just do it. I'll back you up."
"If you really want to back me up, you can start by stop sulking."
Looking at the girl before him, Aaron felt a sense of helpless frustration.
"Bringing emotions onto the battlefield will get you killed."
"...It's fine. I'm just thinking about that damn old man."
Under Aaron's gaze, Kiana averted her eyes.
"You know he's missing. Is it strange to be angry at a father who abandoned his daughter?"
*There it is again.*
*Sigh, I used to be the one tricking you like a total idiot, and now you're trying to trick me.*
*You've really turned the tables...* Aaron wanted to say, but in the end, he said nothing.
He and Kiana had only known each other for two months. Although their relationship had grown closer, Aaron didn't feel he had the right to expect her unconditional, complete trust.
Even those two detectives in Fuuto had their own little secrets after fighting together for a year. Aaron knew his relationship with Kiana was nowhere near as close as theirs.
"Fine. If you don't want to talk, I won't force you. But once we're on the battlefield, get your emotions in check. I don't want..."
"Relax. I won't drag you down."
"...Right? In that case, I've got nothing more to say."
He pulled out the intel he'd gotten from the capital.
"The Jaegers I mentioned have thrown out bait to lure Night Raid. But the chances of Night Raid fighting them are low, so what we have to do is simple."
"We're going to rob these two—[Flame Teigu user] Bols and [Death Teigu user] Kurome—of their Teigu, and then retreat."
"We'll put on masks, I'll transform, and they'll never know new Teigu users have appeared. Night Raid will take the blame anyway."
"Mm. Your call."
"The goal this time is a swift battle. We don't know when Esdeath will arrive. So..."
Looking at Kiana, who wouldn't meet his gaze, Aaron sighed softly, sat down, and spoke to her with complete seriousness.
"Promise me, get your head straight. I really don't want you getting hurt just for two Teigu."
"...I promise, okay?"
*In the end, you're still worried about my safety...*
*Is this just over-protectiveness?*
*Or is it because... I'm too weak? Is that why this is your habitual thought?*
*Power... I need more power.*
*I need the power to protect him, to make him see me as an equal, so...*
A glint of gold flashed in her eyes. Kiana, head down, was completely unaware that certain unsettling thoughts had already appeared in her mind.
At that moment, neither she nor Aaron, who had already stood up, noticed the fleeting golden flash in her pupils.
.............................
After arriving at the location the Jaegers had publicized, Aaron and Kiana crouched in the forest, watching their targets through binoculars.
"It really is just Kurome and Bols... Hah. Should I say skill breeds confidence, or are these guys just not afraid to die?"
"Be careful. Don't forget Kurome's Teigu. If we can't end this quick, we'll be facing an elite assassin and a super-class Danger Beast."
"And the corpse puppets Yatsufusa summons will keep moving even if you take their heads. In other words, all our tactics and experience against living people are useless now."
"It's fine. Even the strongest Teigu needs someone to control it. As long as I find a chance to wound her with [Ebony], taking her Teigu won't be a problem."
*Sure enough, Kiana's mindset hasn't changed.*
*In her mind, the approach to an enemy isn't 'kill,' it's 'wound.' I don't know if this naivete is a good or bad thing for her.*
*Whatever. What happens to Kurome after we take her Teigu isn't our problem.*
*Same for Bols. Judging by his willingness to use his Teigu as a bomb, he probably doesn't think [If my Teigu blows up, I'm dead].*
*Sigh. I didn't hesitate this much with the Three Beasts... Tch, I'm getting soft, too.*
*I've already killed people to steal their Teigu, and now I'm actually thinking 'these two aren't evil to the core, maybe I shouldn't kill them.'*
*What a hypocritical thought. A person with already dirty hands is still thinking such sanctimonious crap.*
*I just lectured Kiana about getting her mindset straight, and it turns out I'm the one with the problem?*
Feeling the chaotic thoughts bubble up, Aaron shook his head and took out the [Demon Armor: Incursio] key.
But at that very moment, the two in the forest, as well as Kurome and Bols nearby, simultaneously felt the energy wave that only erupted when a powerful Teigu was activated.
*Damn it, an ambush?!?*
*But Esdeath shouldn't be nearby... This light is...!*
Aaron transformed instantly, used Knight of Owner to enchant Kiana's cloak, and pulled her into his arms.
"Eh, what's this?!"
The moment the light fully erupted, they both felt space itself distort.
The next moment, when the light faded, Aaron and Kiana opened their eyes to see a dumbfounded Esdeath, Run, Wave, and Seryu.
"Hoh... [Demon Armor: Incursio]."
Looking at the transformed Aaron, Esdeath's face broke into an interested smile.
"[100-Man Slayer] Bulat. Liver mentioned you. He once begged me to help clear your name."
"But those blockheads couldn't catch you, so the matter was dropped. How about it? Want to join my side?"
"A man acknowledged by Liver can't be weak. The Esdeath Army needs a new second-in-command... Heh. That killing intent. Looks like this conversation is over."
"Captain, let me at 'em!"
Seryu, glaring daggers at Kiana, spoke with a ferocious expression.
"This woman... this woman is one of the villains who tricked me!"
"Ah, if I'd had a decent weapon back then, I'd have put a few more bullets in your body."
Sensing Seryu's malice and killing intent, Kiana, having realized she'd been played, replied with a cold laugh.
"Speaking of, I'm still curious. How did it feel to take a wheel to the face?"
"You bastard! Koro! Number 5!"
"ROAR!"
Hearing its master's command, [Magical Beast Transformation: Hekatonkheires] instantly bit down on Seryu's right arm, using the opportunity to switch the weapon on her right prosthesis.
At the same time, Esdeath spoke to the other two beside her.
"Targets confirmed: Night Raid's Bulat and one other unknown assassin. Since we've caught the big fish, let's go all out."
"Yes!"
Taking out the key for Grand Chariot, Wave immediately unleashed its power, covering his body in armor.
"Heh, [Demon Armor: Incursio]... I've always wanted to fight the prototype."
On the other side, Run looked at his comrade on the ground and said to the overly-agitated Seryu.
"Seryu, don't rush in too far. I'll support you from behind."
"We have enough firepower. Staying safe is the best way to execute justice."
"I know, Run."
Seryu, not yet completely frenzied, turned to Kiana.
"Hmph, I don't know where that man who hit me ran off to. But you, you white-haired girl, dared to deceive my pure feelings. You villain, I will never forgive you!"
"Whatever. I don't need your forgiveness."
Pulling out [Ebony] and [Ivory], Kiana scanned her surroundings, confirming that she and Aaron were no longer in their previous position.
From the looks of it, they were still some distance from where Bols and Kurome were.
So, the good news was they didn't have to worry about being ganged up on by six Teigu users.
But the bad news... Damn it, damn it, damn it! Facing that constantly smiling woman *was* the biggest bad news.
At that moment, Kiana could feel the killing intent coming from all four of them.
But, ignoring the birdman in the air who exuded no pressure, of the remaining three... the pressure from *that woman* far surpassed the other two.
*I'll die.*
*If I'm not careful, I'll definitely die.*
"I've got Esdeath. The others... just manage."
"We're outnumbered. Be careful. I'll beat her as fast as I can and come help you."
"'Beat' me?"
As if she'd heard something fascinating, the smile on Esdeath's face widened.
"It's been a long time since anyone dared to stand before me and make the bold claim that they would 'beat' me."
"Interesting. So interesting. And from your voice, you sound several years younger than Bulat. Judging by your poor fighting stance, your experience and skill are also far inferior to his."
"I'm curious, what gave you the 'delusion' that you could beat me?"
"Delusion? Ha. Good. If you underestimate me, that's great for me, Esdeath."
[Spirit Command: Intuition, activate.]
After activating [Intuition], Aaron charged his enemy, brandishing Neuntote.
"Hehe, my interest is piqued. I'll play with you for a bit. Seryu, Wave, Run, the little girl is yours. Don't kill her. She's such good material, I must take her back to the interrogation room."
"As for you... Hmph. It's been a while since someone acted so foolishly. For me, perhaps this is also a rare experience."
Parrying Aaron's attack with her weapon, Esdeath said.
"I heard from Seryu, you and that little girl seem to be lovers, right? Mm-hm. After I defeat you both, torturing one of you in front of the other... that seems like a good plan."
"Ha, already thinking about how you'll amuse yourself after you win? The confidence of the strong? Or a fool's fantasy?"
"Say whatever you want. If I lose, then it means I am the weak one. At that time, whatever you want to do to me is your business. But now..."
Forcing her opponent back with a single blow, Esdeath condensed countless ice spears and shot them at him.
"Unfortunately, from your movement, which is full of wasted motion, I cannot see a single possibility of my defeat."
In Esdeath's eyes, this enemy's speed was decent, but his techniques were unpracticed, his movements filled with superfluous and unnecessary actions.
A person like this, in Esdeath's eyes, was like a Danger Beast with an empty physique but no hunting experience. He posed no threat to her at all.
She had been hunting Danger Beasts since she was a child; she had decades of combat experience. And those decades of experience told her that against an inexperienced person, someone with sufficient combat experience could seize an opponent's flaw and defeat them in one blow, even if their physical abilities were inferior.
What's more, Esdeath didn't feel her physical abilities were in any way inferior to his.
This guy is full of openings. If it were the real [100-Man Slayer] Bulat, he might have provided me with more entertainment.
Ha, how boring. I actually had the fleeting thought that 'this guy might be able to please me.' It seems I was thinking too much.
Watching the ice spears about to hit the enemy, Esdeath suddenly felt a pang of boredom.
But speaking of which, why did they appear here?
That Najenda isn't that stupid, and these two didn't seem prepared...
Wait, what is this?
This guy... he dodged all of them??