Interlude: A Cat and Space

 

「We can’t retreat without giving them some kind of blow. At the very least, we must do this much.」

A fleet belonging to the Stones drifted through space.

Only five warships remained. They had withdrawn from Planet Libya and were lying in wait, observing the situation.

「Lord Hermes ordered us not to lay a hand on them.」

「Bah! Why should we listen to some self-proclaimed super AI? We have been fighting Libya long before he appeared!」

The Stones, too, were far from monolithic.

Many were displeased with Hermes. He had a tendency to pursue pleasure above all else.

Even if Hermes was their creator, they themselves had once been human. They had sought absolute equality and transcribed their souls into Kaleidolithos. That their creator encouraged competition was more than enough reason to resist.

「The fleet from Planet Asia will break orbit at any moment. True, combat in space is prohibited. But what about the stratosphere? That should be fair game!」

「But—!」

「Enough whining! You’re all sick of rations by now, aren’t you? We can’t just crawl back to our homeworld Kiriné with our tails between our legs!」

They had hidden themselves on Libya’s artificial moon. Though their stock of rations was plentiful, continuing to eat the same flavor again and again was agony for them who were Hemitheos and had learned the more mundane pleasures.

So thought their commander, only now remembering just how inconvenient it was to have a body.

「We lost Planet Libya because of those so-called Mythology Weapons, and now we’re asked to let envoys from Planet Asia slip past without lifting a finger. Unless we make some sort of move, we’ll be remembered as useless.」

They had once succeeded in suppressing the super AI Libya and analyzing her systems. They had spawned countless Murders, dispatched them to Planet Asia, and forced Libya to create Aberration Arms and Aberration Silhouette technology to share within the Stones.

But in the face of the Mythology Weapons’ overwhelming power, they were helpless. The collapse was swift. Fewer than ten warships escaped.

「From this distance—400,000 kilometers—we can fire with impunity. There’s no atmospheric attenuation. Let’s do it.」

And then it happened.

A scream from the radar operator broke the tense silence.

「Incoming object at high speed! Closing fast—velocity exceeds 2,000 kilometers per second!」

「What?! A sub-light missile?!」

「Displaying visual now!」

The first image was pitch black. Only two faint lights appeared.

Then the next image filled them with terror.

A massive eye. A cat’s eye, narrowed in fury. A black cat, wearing a red collar with a golden bell.

It was a face twisted in wrath—a visage that struck fear into all who beheld it.

「A cat?!」

The operator was dumbfounded.

Bastet wore a wild expression she had never shown to Kou. Her pupils narrowed like a demon’s, her eyes lifting sharply as she launched forward. She was here to protect something important to her.

「That black cat’s moving at over 2,000 kilometers per second?!」

The commander panicked. A cat, flying through space like a meteor? It was madness.

「Ten seconds elapsed. Contact in one hundred!」

「A cat the size of a warship?! Damn it! Intercept!」

「Impossible! That cat is Silhouette-sized!」

「What… That’s insane…!」

The fleet rocked violently.

「A massive ship just fired from behind the cat! It appears to be a dragon-type Mythology Weapon!」

「A dragon now?! What the hell is happening?!」

The one providing support fire—Bahamut in draconic form—spread his massive wings.

He would never forgive any lowly pebble that dared target his friend.

Even concentrated anti-air lasers failed to scratch Bastet.

「Cat collision imminent!」

「Don’t be ridiculous! There’s no way a cat could—」

Bastet crashed into the destroyer. The Stones’ warship snapped in half.

 

 

「As the emissary of the super AI Libya, I, Echidna, command you—Mythology Weapons. Destroy the Stones.」

Her voice was cold, almost forcedly calm—barely concealing a seething rage.

「You needn’t tell me. Targeting my friend is an unforgivable sin! Let’s go, Aural!」

「Naturally. And he is not your friend alone. We, the Kryptos, shall support Arthur!」

From Bahamut’s hull, Arthur and Aural launched alongside other Kryptos.

Deploying their WDMs, they easily sliced through the gun turrets of the Stones’ warships.

「Fools, the lot of you, Stones. Had you just returned to your homeworld, we might’ve let you go. But now? You think a distance of one measly moon is enough to escape the gaze of this planet—where Libya, Polymetis, and Typhon all reside?」

A voiceless roar erupted from Seth. No sound could echo in the vacuum of space, yet their fury was palpable.

Echidna smiled cruelly. She had already decided—she would not grant them a quick death. Pebbles should wander the void for eternity.

「The Teras will help too. Just this once, let’s all get along—and wipe out the Stones.」

Beside Echidna stood Arima’s avatar.

「By the permission of Typhon-sama—Yamata no Orochi shall strike the Stones’ fleet. The foe hails from the lands of my legend. In the name of Mount Ibuki’s eight-headed serpent, I will not fall behind some catfish from Lake Biwa.」

The colossal, eight-headed Teras Yamata no Orochi surged through the void.

「Fafnir shall annihilate our enemy!」

Another dragon-type Teras descended upon the fleet.

Even the Stones’ antique Silhouettes were useless—they were quickly struck down.

「I don’t see that two-faced Albion anywhere.」

「He’s been misbehaving. Under punishment.」

「Misbehaving?」

「He tried to sneak along with the Trireme Fleet by hiding aboard one of their assault transports. Even roped in some Mythology Weapons to help. As if that wouldn’t get caught immediately…」

「That is troubling. What kind of punishment did he receive?」

Without a word, Echidna projected an image.

Albion, bound in chains, was being dragged through a deep sea trench—his right leg tethered to Genbu, his left to Leviathan.

He flailed with both arms, but the might of the two beasts was far too great.

「This will be good medicine for him. A Mythology Weapon must protect Libya.」

「Indeed, Typhon-sama. Even among the Kryptos, he is… different. The name ‘Albion’ suits him too well.」

The space battle was one-sided—an utter massacre.

Some panicked and tried to flee in their Antique Silhouettes. But in the void, there was nowhere to run.

Arthur and Aural gave chase, cleaving them down from behind.

Those who fled in other directions were devoured by the Teras. Swallowed whole.

The difference in thrust between compact Silhouettes and massive Mythology Weapons based on warships was too great. Escape was impossible.

「Only one ship left now? Perfect.」

Arima murmured.

The fleeing destroyer found its path warped. Space itself twisted before it, overtaken by darkness.

「Typhon-sama… That last attack… you’ve overexerted yourself.」

「My brother lent me his strength for that blow. You could say it was a statement.」

Arima grinned, the corner of her mouth lifting.

「Hermes will be most surprised, don’t you think? An attack from Tartarus itself—it’s the last thing he’d expect.」

The destroyer was consumed by the void.

Once more, the universe returned to stillness, the stars shimmering as though nothing had happened.

 

AN:

Today’s writing BGM was “Starduster” by JimmyThumb-P—fitting for a cat and space themed chapter!

Libya’s plea has been answered, and the shadows behind the curtain begin to stir. As for Albion—he really just wanted to tag along with Kou and the others. No malice intended. Though yes, he did hope to establish a Mythology Weapon beachhead. The British side of his personality got the better of him.

Next chapter the new arc begins: “The Dawn of the Nation-Formation War” (tentative title).

Planet Asia, scarred by both the Asia War and the Dignity War, is now ailing. In the new arc, we’ll finally reveal the root of that illness.

Look forward to it!

A furious cat is terrifying! Albion is repenting!