Unlimited Fafnir:Volume 10 Chapter 3

Chapter 3 - Inherited Lost Code

Part 1

"—Someone powerless huh. Seriously... That's quite a painful jab."

Rewinding to an hour or so earlier, inside the Naglfar's operations room... Loki Jotunheim was smiling wryly at the screen after the call disconnected.

Ariella Lu was completely on the mark. Discovering the opponent's weakness in an instant was part of a killer's essential skills. In that sense, her talents were clearly evident.

"Just as you say, Ariella Lu, I have never seen anyone as powerless as I am."

This was neither humility nor self-deprecation. Loki was simply stating the truth calmly.

Power was that which was required to do certain things.

To stand up, to walk, to obtain food, to earn money, to plunder, to fight, to flee—All this required power.

Muscle power, physical power, military power, financial power, power of intellect, power of authority... There were more types of power than one could count.

Holding power unsuited to the target would be useless. There were also situations where necessary power was impossible to obtain due to incompatibility. From this perspective, the man named Loki Jotunheim was a powerless human, lacking in the power required to attain his own goal.

"However, I have never envied you lot. Not even once."

Loki raised his head and looked at his subordinates in the room.

They were nameless soldiers clad in silver armor. Even if they heard Loki, they remained standing motionlessly without any reaction.

However, Loki did not hold them responsible for displaying such an attitude because all they were capable of recognizing were commands from Loki. That was how they had been tuned.

Loki slowly stood up and stopped walking in front of them.

"Rather, I'm grateful for this from the bottom of my heart. Because I am powerless, I did not end up as a tool for those NIFL geezers. Instead, I became a person who works hard and struggles for my goals."

Using his hand to touch an armored outfit's cold and hard exterior, Loki quietly continued.

"Were I perfect and flawless, I never would have mastered the art of controlling others. My superior power would have turned me into something to be exploited, a disposable weapon—Just like you lot and my father."

Loki narrowed his eyes and spoke. With his hand, he knocked on a motionless soldier's chest armor.

"However... There are times when humans have no choice but to take action personally. What times are those, would you say?"

The armored soldiers said nothing, but a faint metallic sound could be heard. Loki knew they were trembling. Trembling in the face of lethal threat was a living organism's natural response.

"Here's the answer: when no one but yourself can get the job done. My remaining trump cards were Sleipnir and 'Fafnir,' two of them. Now that neither of them could respond to my expectations—"

At this moment, Loki paused. Pointing at an armored soldier's throat with his finger, he smiled.

Then as though carving these words into himself, he continued in a sinister manner.

"—I shall abandon this lovely powerlessness."

Part 2

In order to reach the ground surface from the underground passage where the battle against Ariella had taken place, it was necessary to move to the clock tower's underground level then take the elevator there.

But before we left the building—the instant we got off the elevator—we were greeted by the sight of calamity.

"This is..."

I took a deep breath and examined the ground floor. There were several women collapsed, apparently Midgard staff. A mildly rusty smell greeted our noses.

"—It's the smell of blood."

I frowned and said to Ariella and the girls who were getting off the elevator after me.

"Eh!? Are they already—"

Iris cried out and looked at the people who were collapsed on the floor with pallid faces.

"No... They do not appear to have external injuries. I believe they are only unconscious. However, I have not been able to establish communications since a while ago. What on earth happened...?"

Mitsuki approached the collapsed women and refuted what Iris was about to say.

"Anyway, this doesn't look minor. We have to clarify the situation as quickly as possible."

Kili suggested while staying vigilant of the surroundings. Tia nodded firmly in agreement.

"Go to Lisa and the others! Tia is very worried!"

"Mm."

Ren also grabbed my shirt and urged me to hurry over.

"—Got it. But let's be careful, everyone."

Standing in the lead, I went through the automatic door at the entrance to exit the clock tower.

The smell of blood grew stronger and stronger.

It was currently late at night. Normally, all lights would be off in school, but due to the emergency situation, the entire campus was illuminated. What the light reflected was a red color covering the entire sky.

"Crimson... mist?"

Iris murmured.

"Generate squall!"

Almost at the same time, Ariella raised her gauntlet fictional armament and yelled. After a strong gust of wind blew, the scent of blood became lighter.

"Onee-chan?"

Ren looked at her in puzzlement, prompting Ariella to answer with a stiff expression.

"Best not to inhale this mist. Well... I guess it might be too late by the time you smell it."

"...You think it's something like poison gas?"

Kili asked Ariella after cautiously checking the surroundings.

"No, rather than poison gas... This is surely—"

Did something occur to her? Ariella hesitated.

"Oh, it's Lisa and Firill."

However, Ariella was interrupted by Tia's joyful voice. Despite my concern about what she was going to say, I still went up to greet the two girls descending from the sky.

They looked relieved to see Ariella, who was scratching her cheek in embarrassment.

"Ariella-san—Allow me to say this to you first, welcome back."

"Umm... Yeah, I'm back. Sorry."

Ariella lowered her head after nodding at Lisa.

Firill tapped Ariella on the shoulder, causing her to look up.

"Welcome back, Ariella. I've got things to say to you, but let's have a proper chat later."

Firill motioned to the crimson mist with her eyes.

I followed her gaze to check out the situation.

"I'm glad you two are okay. What the heck is that red mist...?"

Lisa gazed at me gravely after hearing my question.

"We are the only ones who are fine. While that red mist was in the process of spreading, the members of the Dragon Subjugation Squad lost consciousness successively. It is now impossible to sustain the barriers."

Firill continued after Lisa's answer.

"However, it's the same for NIFL, so the school grounds haven't been breached yet. Apart from those hacked by Tia, the majority of unmanned weapons have been destroyed too, so no worries there."

Listening to these reports, Mitsuki showed surprise in her expression.

"In other words, this mist is not an attack launched by NIFL?"

Hearing this question, Lisa nodded with a serious look.

"Indeed. Rather—The effect on NIFL has been very severe. According to what I could observe from the sky... This mist is also spreading around Midgardsormr's final defense line and has covered NIFL's fleet."

"..."

I gasped after listening to Lisa. What Ariella was about to say earlier—was most likely the same as what I was thinking now.

A red mist with the smell of blood. Neutralized NIFL soldiers and the mist-covered fleet.

Although the presence of victims on our own side raised questions, the most logical conclusion was that "she" had caused the current situation.

"Yuu, someone is coming."

Just at at that moment, I was pulled back from deep thought by Kili's voice.

I looked where Kili indicated. A figure came into view, walking along the path leading to the gym. Due to the excessive brightness of the surrounding illumination, all I could tell from the figure was that it belonged to a woman. She was currently approaching us.

I reflexively raised my guard but I realized her identity as soon as I got a proper look at her clothing.

She was wearing an old-fashioned maid outfit. Only one person dressed like this on this island.

"Mica-san!"

I called her name while running over.

"Mononobe... -san."

Mica-san sank to her knees after calling my name hoarsely. Upon closer examination, I saw that her maid outfit was tattered.

Stained with blood all over, there also seemed to be bullet holes left behind from gunshots.

"Did you get shot!? We'll treat your wounds immediately—"

I reached out to check her injuries, but Mica-san refused me politely.

"...Do not worry. The wounds have already healed. I am one of Charlotte-sama's followers who have been bestowed with her blood..."

"But why are you in such pain?"

If it was the same as Shinomiya-sensei's case, she would not die from such wounds. However, Mica-san was sweating profusely from her forehead and too weak to stand up.

Following me to approach, Iris and the girls looked at Mica-san in worry.

"This... This is not my pain. It is Charlotte-sama's."

"Charl?"

I frowned. Mica-san nodded feebly.

"This situation... was caused by Charlotte-sama. The vicinity has been shrouded by a large volume of stored blood in the form of mist, thus placing all of NIFL's people under control in one fell swoop."

Listening to Mica-san, everyone had questions.

"Since the principal did it, why are the staff and the Dragon Subjugation Squad also...?"

Iris asked in puzzlement.

"Due to controlling too many people simultaneously... Detailed adjustments are impossible. It might be more apt to call it going out of control. I am about to lose consciousness too..."

Mica-san pressed on her forehead in pain and finished. Firill cocked her head in puzzlement.

"If the principal's power has gone out of control... Why are we okay?"

"Because... Well, allow me to confirm first. All of you have chosen to make contact with Mononobe-san, haven't you?"

Confronted with Mica-san's question, Firill nodded in a slight fluster.

"Huh? Hmm, umm... Well, in a way... I guess?"

Blushing, Firill sought everyone's agreement.

"Y-Yes—everyone here... including Ariella-san, has already made contact with Nii-san."

After Mitsuki answered on everyone's behalf, Mica-san said "I see" quietly.

"In that case—therein lies the reason. Having transformed into Mononobe-san's kind, all of you became more 'superhuman' existences than ordinary Ds. As such, Charlotte-sama's power to control mankind has not affected you."

"'Superhuman' existences..."

I was shaken by these words but Iris seemed unaware. She continued to ask:

"Then we'll be fine?"

"No... Charlotte-sama's power worked properly when healing Mononobe-san's injuries. In other words, the effects are simply delayed instead of not taking action at all."

Mica-san shook her head and refuted Iris.

Charlotte's power had definitely helped me out a lot. In other words, the fact that we were considered human beings despite our transformations was a disadvantage in this situation, but I felt slightly relieved. At this moment, Iris looked up at the clock tower in worry.

"—If that's the case, Shion-chan, who's nearer to the principal... and Vritra-chan, who's a dragon, should be fine. But Jeanne-chan is definitely..."

As an ordinary person, Jeanne had likely lost consciousness like the staff and the girls of the Dragon Subjugation Squad. Was Mitsuki picturing the situation? Her face was clouded by uncertainty.

"I am quite worried... The principal's situation needs to be verified. Perhaps it would be better if we returned."

"Wait, Mitsuki."

The one who disagreed was Ariella, who had been showing a somber expression the whole time.

With everyone's gaze gathered on her, Ariella looked sharply at Mica-san.

"Detailed adjustments are impossible due to controlling a large number of people—That's what you said just now. But isn't this situation actually the true nature of the principal's authority?"

"..."

Questioned by Ariella, Mica-san silently averted her gaze. Suspicious of how the two of them were acting, I interjected.

"Ariella, what is the meaning of this?"

"A similar phenomenon happened when the principal's father exerted control on a wide scale to prevent nuclear war. It seems he forcibly stopped the phenomenon at the time, but a group of people felt greatly threatened by his authority. Rather than dominance, isn't that power something else?"

"—"

Mica-san gripped her fist silently. This expression conveyed a kind of suffering different from pain.

"It was also to prevent her from controlling the world that I betrayed everyone to go kill the principal. If what I heard from NIFL was true, then it's definitely not simple dominance. What's happening here can't be described simply as the authority going out of control. So right now, it's extremely dangerous to approach the principal."

Ariella warned us strongly while waiting for Mica-san's response.

"...What you say is indeed correct. Until now, Charlotte-sama had been using all her effort to suppress her authority from operating with full functionality."

Mica-san lowered her gaze and spoke while avoiding eye contact.

"I knew it. So—If she fails, what will happen exactly?"

"Well..."

Mica-san hesitated. When Ariella urged her to continue, the air shook.

BOOOOOOM...!

"What happened—?"

With the sound of a heavy explosion, black smoke began to rise on the opposite of the school building.

"It is in the front gate's direction. Judging from the distance, the explosion should have happened outside the campus..."

Lisa looked up at the smoke and remarked, but her face was filled with puzzlement. Firill was also frowning and tilting her head in disbelief.

"But NIFL's people have lost consciousness... And Tia should've hacked all the remaining unmanned weapons near the school... So who on earth—"

Listening to the two girls, Mitsuki crossed her arms and spoke with a troubled look:

"Capable of moving under such conditions, the other party must be 'superhuman' like us."

"—"

I held my breath. In other words, the other side consisted of humans transformed by an authority.

Like how Shion had gone on a rampage as Kraken Zwei or Iris had Basiliskified.

Earlier, Ariella and the members of Sleipnir must have been transformed by Code Lost. Ariella had swallowed a capsule and I would assume the young soldiers of Sleipnir had done the same. Naturally, the one who gave them these capsules was my former superior officer, Major Loki.

In that case, it would not be surprising if Major Loki had dispatched more forces powered by the scrapped authority.

"Don't worry, Mononobe-kun."

Ariella's voice interrupted my thoughts. It looked like she was thinking of the same thing but she was smiling with confidence.

"No matter what comes, nothing can be stronger than I was earlier. That level of combat potential would've been deployed in battle together. There's no reason to hold it in reserve."

"...True. Okay, then let's—"

I was about to suggest hurrying over to that side, but Ariella stopped me in a sharp voice.

"But Mononobe-kun, are you still sure you want to protect the principal after seeing the current situation? Handled poorly, it might become impossible to revert things for everyone on this island, you know?"

This viewpoint was perfectly natural for Ariella, who saw Charlotte as dangerous. However, I was firmly set in my conviction.

"Since something similar has happened before—Charlotte must have predicted this. Despite knowing that, she still skirted the boundary, forcibly trying to protect Midgard. In that case, I trust Charl will succeed."

"Then... Mononobe-kun, are you planning to do nothing and leave fate to her?"

"No, I'm not planning to do nothing. If a threat approaches Charl, I'll protect her. If she's feeling discouraged, I'll cheer her on by her side. This is what I can do as her friend."

Hearing my answer, Ariella showed surprise on her face.

"Cheer her on... I see. Fufu. That's my Mononobe-kun. Oh well... Since I've already decided to follow you, I won't complain a single word."

Apparently reassured, Ariella accepted my approach.

Next, Mitsuki approached me and said:

"—Then it is settled. No one has any objections regarding the matter of protecting the principal, right?"

Mitsuki asked the group. After everyone expressed agreement, Mitsuki turned her gaze back to me.

"Well then, Nii-san, let us go check what the explosion noise earlier was about, shall we? Mica-san, please stay put here."

"...Very well, thank you."

Mica-san replied in a pained voice and bowed her head deeply at us.

When she looked up again, she made eye contact with me and smiled.

"Charlotte-sama... truly has a wonderful friend..."

Part 3

As we neared the front gate, we were greeted by the sight of burning red flames mixed with dust and smoke.

Explosions were heard one after another. Ariella had deployed an air barrier against the red mist, so the burning smell could not reach us—But the quantity of smoke rising into the sky was clearly unusual.

"That hue of the flames... It's the color of when the special fuel used in unmanned weaponry burns. What exploded was probably a large unmanned weapon."

I ran while telling everyone my deductions. Using her fictional armament to fly, Tia frowned.

"That probably is an unmanned weapon that Tia hacked. Tia will fly higher to confirm."

"Don't, carelessly increasing your altitude is very dangerous. If unmanned weaponry is getting destroyed, the enemy likely has high-power weapons. Everyone, focus on protecting yourself."

I called out to Mitsuki and the girls behind me while summoning Siegfried, my fictional armament in the form of an ornamental gun. Tia was the only one flying but everyone else had their respective fictional armaments wielded. The only exception was Kili who treated the surrounding space itself as a weapon.

The smoke source was outside the front gate. What appeared to be a giant plate of armor, presumably sent flying by an explosion, was embedded in the automatic security gate that we normally passed through using our portable terminals.

We cautiously went over the destroyed main gate and exited the campus.

Several multi-legged unmanned weapons were burning intensely on the road where lively crowds of students would pass through on their school commute in the mornings and evenings.

Next, three figures appeared before us. Accompanied by a large explosion, they were illuminated by the flames.

"What—"

I could not help but doubt my own eyes.

The two people standing on the left and right were soldiers clad in armored outfits, the same as the Hreidmars whom I had fought many times, but could also be humanoid drones too.

Reflecting red light from the flames, the armored soldiers were each wielding all kinds of ridiculous heavy weapons. They were surely the ones responsible for destroying the unmanned weapons.

However, the problem was the slender man flanked by the two armored soldiers.

Dispatching Hreidmars and unmanned weaponry was foreseeable to a certain extent, but I never expected "him" to head to the frontline himself—

"Major Loki..."

When I called out his name, he—Major Loki—grinned. Although it was too far for voices to be heard, he must have read my lips.

"Heh... So that's him? I feel a different vibe from him compared to our conversation over the communicator. He doesn't seem like the type to be on the frontlines..."

By my side, Ariella showed a slightly doubtful look.

It seemed like she was getting the same feeling as me. However, having worked with him for so long, what I felt was not limited to a sense of dissonance. There was also a terrifying feeling somewhat different from before.

Something... was off.

Leading two armored soldiers, Major Loki was giving off an extremely fearsome aura. What intimidated me was surely more than the frightening and terrifying feeling coming from him.

A lethal situation that my current self was unable to oppose, my instincts warned intensely.

"Nii-san, what is the matter? Although the enemy is equipped with heavy weaponry, there are only three of them. At this distance, we can deploy barriers while overwhelming them unilaterally."

Controlling her voice, Mitsuki sought my opinion.

It was indeed as she described. With a sufficiently wide open space, Ds were able to make full use of their powers. Bombarding enemies from this distance without approaching recklessly would be the best tactic. Since Major Loki's objective was to kill Charlotte, there was no point in wasting words with him now.

However—Despite knowing all this, I could not issue the order.

My heart was filled with a sense of foreboding that something irrevocable might happen if we made a move carelessly.

"Mononobe?"

Iris and the girls looked at me in puzzlement but I remained stuck in hesitation.

"Yuu—Tia's is coming."

At this moment, hovering overhead, Tia whispered quietly to me.

Although I could not understand what she meant, soon enough—I figured it out after seeing the multi-legged unmanned weapon rushing out from the side of the main road. She was referring to the unmanned weapon she had hacked.

However, the soldiers equipped with heavy weapons and armor did not move. Neither did Major Loki show any intent to evade the unmanned weapon charging at him. He simply looked at it in irritation.

—BOOM!!

Instantly, without any prior warning, the unmanned weapon exploded.

"What...?"

I totally had no idea what happened. No one had attacked, yet this powerful weapon was suddenly rendered into wreckage.

"Tia-san, do you know what happened?"

Lisa asked Tia who had the unmanned weapon under her control, but Tia shook her head in shock.

"Dunno... It suddenly exploded."

"It's almost like my Muspelheim... But it's not. He shouldn't be a D and in this dusty environment, tiny particles of dark matter cannot be sustained at all."

Kili looked gravely at the destroyed unmanned weapon and Major Loki. Everyone else had trouble hiding their surprise but another scene took place to further deepen our puzzlement.

One of the armored soldiers suddenly lost strength in his knees and collapsed on the ground.

"What's with... that guy?"

Firill murmured in doubt.

"...Was he injured by shrapnel from the explosion?"

Ren brought up the most likely possibility but I had seen clearly that the armored soldiers were unharmed.

Watching us react, Major Loki smiled with delight. Then he walked slowly towards us.

"Nii-san!"

Mitsuki pleaded with me again to issue orders. There was no time for hesitation.

"I'll go. Before we find out what Major Loki—that man, in other words—has done, don't any of you make a move."

I ordered the girls in forceful tone of voice then started walking forward.

"Wait, Mononobe-kun. If you do this in this kind of situation, he'll surely—"

Ariella stopped me frantically but I shook my head lightly.

"...I know. But that's why I must go."

The fact that he was standing in Charlotte's red mist without behind controlled stood as evidence that he was no ordinary person. In other words, it was very likely that Major Loki also possessed Code Lost.

I walked forward while paying attention to the armored soldier behind Major Loki. The other armored soldier remained collapsed on the ground, unmoving.

Major Loki halted when our separation had shrunk to five meters. I stopped accordingly and stood face to face with him.

"Hello, 2nd Lieutenant Mononobe."

Major Loki spoke with his usual tone and expression but there was something different about his gaze towards me. Until now, he had looked at me as though facing livestock—a downward gaze—together with a sense of pity towards one of his own. But now, his eyes contained cold mercilessness as though looking at prey he was about to hunt.

"Major Loki..."

I focused my mind to prevent my wavering from causing my fictional armament to disappear. At the same time, I stared at Major Loki.

"I already know of Sleipnir's defeat, but never did I expect her to show up with you. Sleipnir is supposed to be impossible to stop by any means except killing them."

Major Loki glanced behind me and smiled. He was probably looking at Ariella.

"2nd Lieutenant Mononobe choosing to stay on Gray's side, defeating Sleipnir then showing up to obstruct me—Under such conditions, you were supposed to be filled with murderous rage towards me due to being forced to dispose of Ariella Lu by your own hand."

With an expression conveying his surprise at the unexpected turn of events, he shrugged.

"Do you... wish to exact revenge from me?"

Informed of Major Loki's intent, I asked cautiously.

"No—It simply saves me a bit of effort. Besides, it allowed me to talk to you. If anything, I might say that this current meeting is what I hoped for."

"By this point, what is there for us to discuss?"

Our positions were in complete opposition, which meant that there should be no point in negotiating. Although that was what I thought, Major Loki nodded.

"Indeed, this is the end, which is why I have things to tell you. Relax, this isn't my last wish. I don't do useless stuff like that. What I'm about to say is for insurance. For the sake of leaving a complete successor behind regardless of fate's machinations."

"Successor?"

When I frowned and repeated what Major Loki said, he nodded deeply.

"Indeed, the successor of the clear dragon—'Colorless' Fafnir—is essential to the current world."

"..."

This was the what Charlotte had told me, the name of the dragon holding "the power born to kill humanity."

"Judging from this reaction of yours, you've already heard the gist from Gray. That makes things easy. Fafnir is the name of the one who scrapped the killing authority. The being capable of killing even the immortal Gray. In the past, that was what my father called it."

"The one who assassinated Charl's father... I heard that NIFL treated him as a 'hero.'"

"—Indeed. And hopes were placed in me as the 'son of the hero.' I received the best education and greedily absorbed knowledge and skills, distinguishing myself with various accomplishments. And I intended to respond to their expectations, but... I lacked the most crucial talent."

Major Loki continued in self-deprecation.

"The day my father died, I was still in my mother's womb... and did not inherit the authority."

"Huh—"

His unexpected words made me exclaim in surprise.

Part 4

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