Editing City Series:Volume3b Opening (section)

===Part 4===

Hong Kong’s destruction was approaching its conclusion.

The red dragon writhed along the earth from the unexpected attack, Akira did not lose her life, and Gunmal held her in his right arm.

His blue eyes looked at her and he finally smiled bitterly.

“You should’ve called me sooner. How else am I gonna know where you are?”

“…”

She looked silently at his face.

He started to say something more, but tilted his head at the awkwardness in her gaze.

He then jumped from the raised earth below his feet.

He landed lightly and immediately began running.

Finally, Akira managed to speak.

“Wh-what about the dragon?”

“It’s no use. It’s gotten even bigger than before. I was trying to blow off its head, but it didn’t work.”

“It’s no use?”

“I’m still a little rusty. And personally, I think knocking that thing away is a pretty amazing feat.”

“That’s true,” she agreed.

He glanced behind them.

“I guess it’s about over.”

“Eh?”

In the same breath as her question, the earth around them began rising.

It was time for the dragon’s ascent.

The earth came from the crust and was Tuned.

“The Tuner’s ability, the Devices, the Tune Emblems, the blood of an Archs, and dragons that destroy the earth to further develop themselves. They’ve used a ton of methods to increase the Octave they can control.”

“This is no time for casual commentary. A-are we going to make it?”

The earth was torn deeply next to them and it flew up toward the sky.

He looked down at her.

“We will. I created a path before the destruction resumed.”

“A path?”

“It’s just like making a Device. I just forged the earth a little.”

“Enough to keep that dragon from destroying it? You have to be joking.”

But she could decide whether he was joking or not after they safely escaped Hung Hom.

She sighed and he asked her a question.

“Why didn’t you escape right away?”

“Eh?”

“You had time after I cut the red dragon, right?”

“Well…” She hesitated and lowered her eyes. “I was held up by some things.”

He then spoke to her.

“Hey.”

“Hm?”

She looked up to ask him what he wanted and he kissed her.

“…!”

She was surprised, but before long…

“…”

She fell silent.

She felt it was inappropriate, but she closed her eyes and surrendered herself to him.

The contact between their lips allowed him to forcibly read her Live.

That irritatingly pleasant activity ended after only two seconds.

Perhaps due to having her vision cut off, the wet sensation of his parting lips seemed especially distinct.

When she heard his voice, it was too close for any other sounds to get in the way.

“I see.” He took a breath. “So you were saving a kid. You can tell people about that kind of thing, you know? And I’m not talking about what suits you or not. I guess…well…I sort of like that kind of thing.”

“Yeah.”

“And I also wanted to know why you’re dressed so sexily.”

“Eh?”

“That torn clothing is pretty erotic, you know?’

“What are you talking about?”

She frowned and opened her eyes.

He was looking straight forward.

''Huh?'' she thought.

…''Didn’t he just say something?

There was no sign of that left in him, but he looked down at her a bit.

“Go to sleep,” he said. “You’re tired, aren’t you? Then go to sleep. Once you wake up, you’ll probably be in a hospital bed.”

“But…”

“Don’t worry about it.” He smiled a little and picked up his pace. “It’s a straight shot from here, so get some rest.”

As if in response, the red dragon roared behind them.

That signaled the conclusion of Hong Kong’s destruction.