Exkaribur

 

The group returned to the combat command center of the Mobile Arsenal Platform Astraea to discuss their next steps. Morgan was also present, using her physical avatar, as was Astraea.

「Morgan, our priorities will be as follows: First, we will try to remake Seth into a Kryptos. For that, Arthur must be fixed completely to act as a deterrent. We will craft a dedicated weapon for him. After that, we will enhance existing Mythology Weapons and arrange for the relocation of the people of Planet Libya who want to relocate to Realm. Additionally, we will develop combat weaponry for them. Is that acceptable?」

「There are no issues. Thank you for considering my wishes!」

Morgan’s voice carried a hint of excitement. It was clear that she was pleased with Arthur being prioritized.

「We asked you to lend us space for an absurd experiment—turning Seth into a Kryptos. We will take into account the desires of the owner of the facility as much as we can.」

「Arthur and Realm are also owned by Outis, you know.」

「Wha—?」

Kou was momentarily speechless but quickly shook his head.

「No… I suppose that makes sense. The first discoverer of ancient ruins is recognized as their owner. That’s the law established by Okeanos.」

「Indeed, the organization that originally enshrined the Silhouette that became the basis for Arthur no longer exists in this world.」

「Understood. I have no objections to being recognized as the owner. As for the next individuals with authority, let’s designate Libya and Abel.」

「Acknowledged. No objections.」

Morgan replied, smiling seductively. Perhaps it was because she felt at ease knowing Arthur was going to be restored soon. Choosing Libya and Abel as proxies was also an appropriate decision.

「Establishing a proper system comes first. We can’t stay on Planet Libya indefinitely…」

「We can maintain contact through Eirene-sama. That should not be an issue.」

「That doesn’t solve the fundamental problem. We still need to reclaim Libya’s core. Echidna, huh…」

「Our time here is limited. It may be difficult to resolve within such a short period. The second wave of reinforcements is coming, so the priority should be building a long-term military force.」

Astraea said, advising Kou.

「You’re right. Rushing things won’t necessarily improve the situation immediately.」

「With this expedition, humanity has secured a foothold in Planet Libya. We even managed to defeat one of the strongest Teras, Vritra. That alone is a significant achievement.」

「If you, Outis-sama, had not arrived, this Realm would have remained abandoned, and we wouldn’t have been able to counter the impending attacks from the Teras. Most importantly, Arthur would have never been reactivated. Then there’s the unprecedented attempt to capture Seth and transform it into a Kryptos. That, in itself, is already a remarkable feat.」

「The victory against Seth was thanks to Arthur.」

Kou said with a wry smile.

It hadn’t been Unit 5 that defeated Seth. Even so, the fact that they had managed to turn the situation around was something to be celebrated.

「What about you, Libya? Are you satisfied with how things are?」

「I feel nothing but overwhelming gratitude. No complaints at all. My people walk alongside you now. After everything you’ve done for us, what more could we possibly ask for?」

It seemed that Libya truly meant those words.

「I see… The only real issue is weather control, but that’s a tricky one…」

「Humanity is necessary for the Teras as well. They won’t deliberately worsen environments that are habitable for humans. That’s the key difference between them and the Stones.」

Murders killed indiscriminately. Worse yet, they prioritize slaughtering Familias and Therianthropes above all else.

Teras, on the other hand, targeted Development Engineers and humans for a different reason—to strip them of their will and assimilate them, ultimately enhancing their own capabilities. Their objectives were entirely different.

「So the real danger is that large-class Murders like Enyo are now being manufactured as part of Teras forces?」

「The large-class Murders were originally supplied from Libya, right?」

「Yes, but even with their numbers, they’re no match for Aural-sama. In the end, they’re based on outdated weaponry that can still be produced under technological restrictions.」

「Even at silhouette size, Teras based on weapons from the Interplanetary War era are still incredibly powerful.」

「There’s a reason why the Teras outnumbers us so overwhelmingly. Echidna controls a vast disposal site from the Interplanetary War era.」

「I see… That means there’s plenty of material available to manufacture more Teras .」

「Exactly. That’s why we must restore Arthur to his full power as soon as possible and defeat Echidna.」

「Understood. First, we bring Arthur back to operational status, and then we prepare his weaponry.」

Kou nodded resolutely.

Morgan’s guiding principle was prioritizing Arthur. Astraea, Asia, and Kou had already decided that cooperating with her would make negotiations proceed more smoothly and amicably.

「You are aligning with my wishes more than I expected. It’s almost frightening,」

「If Mythology Weapons operate based on legends, then considering the origins of Morgan, Arthur, and Realm, this outcome is only natural. Especially for a being that carries the name of King Arthur. Not to mention that Flack is currently Arthur’s pilot.」

「Thank you. As expected, you truly are someone in whom Prometheus-sama places his trust.」

Morgan said with gratitude.

Kou inwardly marveled at how well-informed she was, she even knew his relationship with Prometheus.

「I’ll do everything I can for Arthur, with Polymetis’s assistance. Fortunately, his energy output is tremendous. For now, using recovered parts from defeated Teras, we’ll craft a portable charged particle cannon—Exkaribur.」

「Oh? Why name it after a sword that was once lent to Sir Gawain?」

「I can’t just give Arthur a strange weapon, can I? The name is a play on words—the ‘Excalibur’ in Japanese is sometimes written with a prefix that implies ‘temporary,’ so I combined ‘temporary’ (kari) with ‘Excalibur’ to form Exkaribur.」

「So that’s the meaning. Understood. The origin of a name is important, and even if it’s a temporary armament, as long as it carries significance, there is no issue.」

「If you ask Polymetis, you’ll see that it’s impossible to mount a positron cannon in a Silhouette-sized weapon anymore. We don’t have any parts from the Pioneering era left.」

「Then what you plan to do as his definitive armaments?」

「I plan to give him a charged particle cannon with the power of a battleship—Excalibur. If he doesn’t like the name, we can go with Caliburn, Calliborc, or any of its other variations.」

There were countless alternative names for Excalibur—whether in Welsh, Cornish, Latin (including transcription errors), or French, the pronunciation varied. Kou had already consulted Abel about these linguistic nuances.

「So, in the end, he can’t get a positron cannon anymore…」

Morgan seemed somewhat disappointed. It was clear as day—she wanted Arthur to be the absolute strongest, no matter what.

「Morgan, if Kou were capable of constructing such a weapon, that would mean there are Teras out there that would use positron cannons. That would significantly increase the risk of Arthur being severely damaged.」

「You’re right… That was thoughtless of me. My apologies, Outis.」

Morgan said, bowing her head.

She couldn’t go against Kou too strongly. If Kou refused to cooperate, Arthur’s restoration would become impossible. As someone with one of the highest levels of authority in humanity and a willingness to collaborate, he was an irreplaceable ally to them.

Kou waved his hand dismissively.

「I get it. That kind of firepower is tempting. If we ever get the parts, we’ll see about it then.」

He understood the dangers, though he kept that thought to himself. Kou had never concerned himself with power balances between factions, but there was no doubt that positron cannons would greatly disrupt the equilibrium of the Nemesis star system.

Power struggles weren’t his concern. Or at least, they hadn’t been—until now.

「Understood.」

Morgan said with a nod.

If that time ever came, would Kou still be able to issue commands from Planet Asia? No one knew the answer to that.

◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆

Due to Realm’s vast size as a factory, using a Silhouette was essential for travel.

Kou piloted Unit 5 and headed toward the central hub of the Realm Factory.

「I’ve been waiting forever, Outis! Hurry and give me my new weapon—Exkaribur!」

Arthur was already there, sitting in place, impatiently urging him on.

「Before that, we need to get you back to operational status. Has Seth already been moved to the dock?」

「Garuda transported it. Right now, it’s soaking in Hyloi-Skoria.」

「Got it. Let’s hope for good results. But first, we need to repair you.」

「I’m counting on you. I must serve as a deterrent myself.」

At that moment, Kou received a transmission.

「Kou-niichan, Silhouettes sure can talk, huh?」

「Yeah, they can communicate. But Arthur is in a league of his own.」

「Sometimes he’s got this sharp wit and even a bit of a venomous tongue. Is he really based on the legendary Knight King?」

「He should be… but now that you mention it…」

Kou couldn’t help but feel a little doubtful himself.

「Flack, I’d appreciate it if you stopped badmouthing me from inside my own body.」

「I’m just stating the truth. If you feel attacked, that means you’re aware of it.」

Flack shot back.

Kou burst out laughing. Flack was far more sharp-witted and reliable than Arthur. Perhaps this straightforward boy was the perfect pilot for Arthur.

「Arthur went silent. Well done, Flack. —Help me out. We’re heading to Steropes now. Arges should be there too. We’ll need both of them to repair Arthur.」

「Oh yeah! Arges and Steropes haven’t seen each other in tens of thousands of years!」

As Flack climbed down from Arthur, something suddenly came to mind, and he turned to Kou.

「Hey, Kou-niichan. I made a friend here, and they want to talk to you. Would it be okay after we finish up?」

「You already made a friend? That was fast. I don’t mind.」

「Thanks!」

Kou thought to himself how quickly kids adapted to new situations. Still, he wasn’t entirely sure what he’d even talk about with this new friend.