Editing City Series:Volume4a Chapter 11 (section)

===Part 3===

'''5:43 PM

Osaka was bright and busy on the surface, but there were a few differences below the surface.

First, it was pitch black as no light could get in.

Second, water calmly flowed through the sewers.

Those two things were always true below Osaka’s surface, but at the moment, something much like the surface was running through below the surface: noise.

“What’s with this salty-smellin’ sewage!? It’s up to my ankles.”

“They sent out some guards, so we had no other choice. Besides, my shoes are just as soaked!”

“Yer shoes don’t cost nearly as much as mine, ya moron!”

“Ah? Cost? How much could they possibly cost!?”

“79.8 thousand yen.”

“…Okay, I can see why you’re mad.”

“See?” Taeko sighed in the darkness. “But are ya sure yer ready? I know that glasses guy was real busy, but still.”

“Yes, Ikemaru was teaching me how to use his charms and the Discord Bombs.”

“Are you really gettin’ in to Ixolde from below ground?”

“According to the map Ikemaru had, I need to break down the wall two hundred meters ahead.”

“And meanwhile, I create a diversion on the surface? Ya sure ya trust me enough for that? I might betray ya for Osaka.”

“I don’t mind if you do. Once I have the Flame High, no one stands a chance against me. Not Nagoya and not Osaka.”

And…

“Hey,” said Taeko. “What’s yer connection with that guy from the Mountain who knew a lot about this sewer’s structure?”

“…”

“Ya don’t have to answer if ya don’t want to.”

“Iba was my sister’s boyfriend’s friend.”

“…That’s complicated.”

“Yeah. My sister and her boyfriend died after they were betrayed by their teacher, but Iba survived.” Hisahide’s voice rang in the darkness. “I think Iba might have had feelings for my-…”

He trailed off and his footsteps came to a stop.

“What is it?”

“Look up ahead.”

His voice and focus were directed toward the shadows of some metal bars in the darkness.

They were arranged like a window lattice and they ran from the ceiling to the floor to block the two students’ way.

“According to Iba, these have a high-voltage current running through them. Removing them will sound the alarm…but your Eighth Dragon Emperor should be able to neutralize that with its lightning attack. Try ignoring the current and bending one of the bars.”

“…You make it sound easy.”

The Dragon Emperor could be heard powering up.

“Dragon Emperor, release protection on the Third Activation.”

Before she had even finished speaking, the armor panel on the Dragon Emperor’s shoulder opened slightly and expelled white smoke and light.

The sewer grew bright and their silhouettes covered the wall as shadows.

A low, heavy noise slowly but surely sounded from the Dragon Emperor with a pulse-like Tempo.

“…!”

That was the roar of the Lightning High. It was the sound preferred by the lightning dragon.

The sewer wall trembled and the roar of thunder raced along below Osaka’s surface.

Hisahide spoke even as his voice was drowned out.

“I’d heard the Dragon Emperor is a false arm that only activates once a dragon eye has been placed inside it.”

“That’s right. The dragon’s armor is emperor-class and there are eight right and left pairs. Each of them has the power of a dragon inside.”

“Is it alive?”

“Want to test it out? Not even I have taken it to the final activation needed to wake it up.”

“Please don’t. …There’s no point in destroying half the city here, and that’s what I’ve heard the other Dragon Emperors did.”

“True enough.”

Taeko grabbed the metal bars with the Dragon Emperor’s fist and white smoke rose from between the metal claws and metal bars.

“Hold on. Are you sure you’re okay there?”

“It’s just the rubber on the palm melting. …There.”

—''Taeko – Boxing Tech – Take – Brute Force – Hit.

The metal bars bent quite a bit, creating a low sound like a root being pulled from the dirt.

A moment later, the bars and their frame came out as the Dragon Emperor’s fist held them.

In the pale light of the Dragon Emperor, Taeko looked back and forth between its shoulder and the bars.

“Did ya say removin’ it would sound the alarm?”

“You idiot!? Wh-what did you do!?”

“Well, I broke it…and it broke.”

“You’ve ruined all the worked we’ve been doing here!”

“I didn’t mean to, though. Ha ha ha.”

“This is no laughing matter!”

“Calm down, calm down. Don’t panic. I’ve just gotta create a diversion on the surface while ya head straight there, right?”

Taeko held the metal bars out toward Hisahide.

“So what should I do with these?”

He did not hesitate to answer.

“Throw them away, idiot!”