“Even the thrusters have been destroyed…”
“Lord Pure White Storm, instead of dying here as a hero, why not accept the ‘Fourth Calamity’s’ modification? Become a freak, and together, let us conquer this world…”
“I refuse to stoop to the level of monsters.”
“That’s truly a pity. If the new Sigma series hero were to join the ‘Fourth Calamity,’ it would definitely cause quite a stir, right? Then we could officially announce our romance…”
“Romance? Where?”
Though Squall stood not far away and could hear the two’s conversation and the sounds of their struggle, she couldn’t make out anything clearly. She only knew that Pure White Storm’s mechanical wings seemed to have been damaged.
Everywhere within her line of sight was a patchwork of pixelated blocks, so dense it was impossible to distinguish even Pure White Storm and Ps·ycho—they were tangled together on the ground, writhing, their outlines barely recognizable.
Still, Squall didn’t need to see clearly.
As long as she escaped this energy field, everything would return to normal. Everything here would become irrelevant to her. So, she slowly retreated toward what looked like a mosaic-covered passage…
But after taking just a few steps, a sharp voice stopped her.
“Wait! Hey, girl over there! Who allowed you to leave?”
Squall’s heart skipped a beat. It had to be Ps·ycho shouting at her. She frowned and asked back, “Hey, sis? What business do I have here?”
Ps·ycho screamed hysterically, “No matter what I think, you still have to die! Stand right there and wait. After I bring Lord Pure White Storm back, I’ll come back and kill you!”
Wait around for you to come kill me?
And you’d bring him back only to come back specifically to kill me? What kind of grudge is that?
Ps·ycho’s mind was definitely broken.
But Pure White Storm shouted anxiously, “Don’t just stand there foolishly! Run!”
Squall felt the same way without needing to be told. She immediately turned to flee.
But the moment she turned, she ran into an invisible wall—maybe it was a public restroom?
Things erased of color didn’t turn into mosaics; instead, they became obstacles and traps. That collision wiped out Squall’s last sense of direction.
Where was the exit to the plaza?
Was that big cluster of mosaic blocks in the distance the path to freedom?
Or was it the monument?
The coding was so thick that even Squall’s spatial and distance perception had been distorted.
Ps·ycho clearly noticed how helpless she looked and sneered with satisfaction.
“Ha! In my domain, you’re just a lamb waiting to be slaughtered!”
[Don’t you plan to resist?] Nyx Drive asked.
Resist?
Squall wiped the tears welling from the stinging pain in her nose caused by the collision.
Resistance was impossible—the opponent was a cadre-level monster, and she wasn’t the Phantom Thief Group who could summon mysterious Stand-like entities by removing a mask.
Besides, this riot was originally a mission carried out by monsters from other companies. She was just a bystander caught in the crossfire.
As for what fate awaited the defeated Sigma hero, it had nothing to do with her, who was currently on leave.
She had just been holding back, unable to escape, finally unleashing those “burdens.” Now, she had no reason to stay here.
However…
Even if just for a moment, the thought of staying behind to help did flicker through Squall’s mind.
Why?
Pure White Storm had done her several favors. Squall also wanted to get revenge on the threatening Ps·ycho. But what could a low-ranking monster like her accomplish by staying here?
With the Azure Cavalry still present, she couldn’t turn into “Magical Girl Clara” at a time like this. As “Squall the Squid Monster,” she was nothing more than cannon fodder—at best able to help take down some grunts, but that wouldn’t change the outcome.
[Suggestion: Extract the enemy’s power, then use the same power to destroy the energy field.]
Nyx’s suggestion was as useless as ever.
Squall snapped irritably, “Whether it’s transparency or mosaics, that perverted woman herself isn’t affected. I can’t see anything! Under these circumstances, forget about using the extractor—I can’t even dodge her attacks!”
[You just need to get close to her. I’ll figure out the extraction method.]
“Ah?”
[Go hug her. Extraction will be handled through contact with the combat body.]
“If I rush in, I’ll just end up shredded by a single claw and then skewered on sticks!”
[Pure White Storm is still here. They’re currently tangled up. Pure White Storm is holding Ps·ycho down so you can escape; otherwise, she would have torn you apart already.]
The mosaic cluster was a mix of white and blue—white being Pure White Storm’s armor, blue being Ps·ycho’s hair and tight leather suit.
But beyond the colors, Squall couldn’t make out any other information—not even their current posture.
“…Is this plan really going to work?”
Squall hesitated, retreating. She didn’t want to risk her life.
[Risk assessment from a benefit perspective: If you can obtain the ‘Fourth Calamity’ senior monster data and submit it, your standing within the company will improve.]
Though logical, Nyx’s words felt like a question to Squall:
This is your chance to perform. Are you willing to seize it?
Nyx’s encouragement made Squall stop retreating, hesitating in place.
So that was it. The “Fourth Calamity” and “Nightmare” were competitors. Getting their monster data would count as a meritorious deed. At least Fran would be happy to receive it.
The modification programs of different companies were all confidential—like Nightmare’s modification department, which favored classical methods using animal and plant factors.
The “Fourth Calamity” had their own secrets, too. Directly capturing a cadre from them for study would be impossible—it would spark an all-out war between companies.
However, with Nyx Drive’s data extraction, it was possible to steal their modification secrets without them noticing…
For a corporate monster who had been stuck in mediocrity for years and almost lost the will to fight, the temptation of a promotion and raise was enormous. After all, who works just for fun?
With that, Squall decided to take the gamble.
“Lord Pure White Storm~! I’m here to help~!”
Her voice rose again, seeking Pure White Storm’s assistance.
“…Wait, you’re still here?”
Pure White Storm hadn’t expected Squall to still be lingering nearby.
“Could you please restrain that crazy woman? I might be able to find a way to disable this energy field!”
“Restrain her?”
“Please bind her movements! Hug her tight!”
Their conversation naturally drew Ps·ycho’s furious attention.
“What are you conspiring about right in front of me!?”
Though Ps·ycho didn’t know what Squall was planning, her conviction was so absolute that Pure White Storm had no choice but to comply…
With arms spread wide, Squall lunged at the mosaic in front of her.