The familiar squid-shaped staff—Ink-Stained Staff—materialized before Clara.
Then, the staff’s shaft rapidly shortened, while the gem at the tip grew, turning into the barrel of a cannon. Three crystal tentacles drilled deeply into the ground, forming a fixed gun mount. The main cannon could rotate 360 degrees, and on both sides, two butterfly-shaped shields unfolded.
Simply put, this was a magic-powered artillery piece.
If magic is the romance of girls, and cannons are the romance of men, then a magic cannon is the ultimate romance that transcends gender.
[This form was inspired by the positron secondary cannon of the cruiser Odobimos, completely abandoning mobility to maximize long-range firepower delivery.]
The very thing that could level a building with a single shot?!
[However, its power hasn’t quite reached that level.]
Nyx introduced it like that, but Clara, confused, asked, “But right now, our target is underground, isn’t it?”
It looked cool, but it clearly didn’t fit their current needs.
Sista, too, circled this “romantic” main cannon with a stunned expression, asking, “Miss Clara, what are you planning to shoot with this cannon?”
Clara herself wanted to know the answer to that question.
Nyx chose to respond with action.
The tentacles forming the gun mount continued to extend, growing even taller than Clara and Sista. The gemstone cannon barrel dropped straight down, aiming directly at the ground beneath the cannon.
Calling this a main cannon, it looked more like a pile driver now.
Wait, are you seriously planning to drill right into the rabbit hole? Isn’t that a bit too brutal?!
Realizing what Nyx was about to do, Clara hurried to intervene.
If they just blasted their way in, they’d likely be surrounded by rabbit soldiers.
Those rabbit soldiers must be much stronger than the normal fighters. Even if they were like Clara in the past—the squid mutant Squire—facing over two hundred trash mob mutants at once would still be tough for Clara and Sista.
For the Pure White Storm’s exoskeleton, prolonged battle is its weakness; excessive focus on lightweight design leaves its energy storage extremely limited, so it can only rely on its mobility for swift, decisive action.
[No, there’s a more efficient way.]
A small tentacle reached into Clara’s pocket and pulled out the syringe Fran had given her.
[After penetrating the ground, immediately inject the Doctor’s toxin. Use the fleeing Moon Rabbits to spread the virus throughout the entire underground warren.]
Nyx’s plan sounded flawless, but Clara hesitated.
[What’s there to consider? You’ve seen how fast the Moon Rabbit population expands. For the natural world, they’re like a cancer—an incurable blight that must be eradicated.]
Of course I know that…
Clara muttered inwardly.
But isn’t there a way to render these harmful species harmless? Can’t they evolve, adapt to the environment? Then why not let them change into a form that can coexist harmoniously with this land?
[Dr. Fran’s virus must be released, Clara. You are a hero, not a saint. Don’t let being welcomed by the Mother Rabbit shake your resolve. You must make this choice.]
Huh? That’s not the reason at all!
Inside her mind, Clara wrestled fiercely with Nyx.
Sista didn’t understand her turmoil, until Clara looked up and asked, “Sista, do you think the Moon Rabbits really need to be exterminated?”
Clara asked, wanting to see what kind of compassionate answer this young artificial being might give.
“Of course. Their existence is harmful.”
Even Sista said that, and yet she’d enjoyed squishing Moon Rabbits so much before.
Hmph, I won’t let her pet them anymore!
“F-fine! Let’s do it!”
Perhaps it was compromise, perhaps it was frustration. Clara reached out and injected the necessary mana into the squid cannon. An invisible line of ink connected her fingers to the gemstone, and as she continued channeling power, the squid gem aimed at the ground began to glow darkly.
…
It held magic power far surpassing the “Ink Sky Burst.” Clara took a step back.
[Charging… 70%… 80%… 90%… 100%]
[Charge complete. Ready to fire.]
No one knew how many Moon Rabbits would die from this shot.
Even if they were a plague like cockroaches, they were still living beings.
Her experience as a Moon Rabbit combat unit had softened Clara’s heart. Rather than erasing their existence so crudely, wasn’t there some way to change them, make them harmless—or even beneficial?
[Clara,] Nyx reminded her.
…Tsk, fire!
Clara activated the main cannon. A thick, black beam of ink blasted the ground, shaking the earth, making the forest tremble. Clara herself nearly toppled from the recoil, but thanks to Sista bracing her from behind, she didn’t end up rolling away.
[Given the danger of close-range discharge, it’s recommended you both move at least 30 meters away.]
You say that after firing the cannon?!
The bombardment lasted over ten seconds. The soil was blasted open by magic energy, leaving a deep shaft more than a meter wide.
Well, the power wasn’t bad.
But compared to a battleship’s secondary cannon, there was still much room for improvement.
Suddenly struck by this “air raid” from underground, the Moon Rabbits reacted violently. Rabbit soldiers from the main base began to gather, swarming up the freshly burned shaft.
The lingering heat of the shaft scorched their fur, but the soldiers seemed unfazed by pain, charging directly for Sista and Clara.
The main cannon couldn’t fire again immediately, so Nyx reverted it back to the Ink-Stained Staff.
“Sista, prepare for battle!”
Clara gave the order, and Sista silently tossed two grenades down the shaft, trying to halt the Moon Rabbit soldiers’ climb—but it was useless.
Even if two were blown back down, the rest continued their relentless ascent, completely disregarding their own lives. The safety of the group outweighed everything.
[Different creatures have different views of life’s value, it seems,] Nyx remarked lightly.
“These guys are definitely going to abandon this base. We need to catch a big rabbit before they evacuate!”
For Sista and Clara, escaping would be easy.
They could both fly, while the rabbit soldiers clearly lacked that ability. But if they just ran, this whole operation would only have served as a warning. Next time, there’d be no rabbits to find.
After all, the so-called main base could be anywhere; there was no reason it had to be here, and the Moon Rabbits could relocate with ease.
[Now is the best time to act.]
No way, the hole’s completely blocked with muscle! There’s no way down!
[You have another identity.]
The Moon Rabbit combat unit? You think that tiny thing can move such a huge fatso?
Right now, the main base was like an overturned cockroach nest—rabbits jumping everywhere in chaos. Even if Clara (as a Moon Rabbit) slipped into the “Big Rabbit’s Tunnel” or “Soldiers’ Barracks” amidst the mess, her little paws could never drag a fat rabbit out.
That thing is seriously huge.
How could a little girl drag out a two-hundred-pound fatty?
[These big rabbits don’t just appear from thin air. They must have an origin. Find the source, and you’ll find the answer you can take away.]
[But first, drop the virus in.]
Nyx manipulated a small tentacle to take out the syringe with the virus—only to have it snatched away by Clara…
“No, it’s not time yet!”
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Her morals are growing.