Date a Live:This is not the date I wanted! Chapter 348 348: Launch! Fraxinus—EX!!!

—The fierce sounds of gunfire and earth-shattering explosions echoed in Westcott's ears.

The footsteps of destruction, the on of a fallen castle, the continuous collapse of accumulated things, played a beautiful symphony leading to the end.

With a mood like taking a stroll in a backyard garden to admire the scenery, Westcott cheerfully observed the smoke and flas of war staged inside Ratatoskr.

At this mont, he was standing on a helicopter helipad inside the base. Although the helicopter behind him had long since started its engines, he wasn't planning to board the helicopter and leave. On the contrary, he was waiting for the people who were supposed to take this helicopter.

He didn't destroy the helicopter, rely not wanting the other party to notice the changes here through so ans and change their minds to choose another escape route.

The sea breeze brushed past his nose, carrying a hint of dampness and saltiness. This air, which he couldn't experience at all sitting in his office, felt very fresh to him.

Although the people he was waiting for hadn't appeared yet, he wasn't anxious at all. Abundant patience was a specialty Westcott had always been proud of.

"Oh?"

Suddenly, Westcott let out a sowhat surprised sound. The reason was simple: according to the information fed back by Beelzebub, Itsuka Shido and the others had successfully escaped from the Phantom Library.

"Although I only intended to trap them, to actually be able to co back alive from there, that's truly impressive."

Without any falsehood, Westcott expressed genuine admiration from the bottom of his heart. After all, according to his settings, it wouldn't have been strange even if Itsuka Shido and all the others had died inside the Phantom Library.

However, to Westcott right now, this was nothing more than a trivial interlude of no consequence.

If you ask why? Because soon, he would et his old friend he hadn't seen in a long ti.

Honestly, the reason he kept it a secret from Ellen and went alone to the enemy's headquarters, making a ss of this place, was also very simple.

He just wanted to show off his newly acquired toy to his old friend, it was as simple as that.

The sound of high heels approached continuously, and the sound of a wheelchair being pushed could also be faintly heard. Hearing this, a smile involuntarily rose on the corners of Westcott's mouth.

Soon, Westcott saw his targets in the passageway leading to this helipad—Woodman and Karen.

Just as Westcott saw the two of them, Karen clearly noticed Westcott's presence as well. A hint of panic flashed in her eyes, and she subconsciously stopped in her tracks.

"—Hello, Elliot. It's been a long ti since we faced each other like this."

Westcott greeted him with a friendly face.

"Yes... it has been a long ti, Ike."

Hearing Westcott's voice, Woodman narrowed his eyes and spoke slowly.

"I didn't expect you to be waiting here. I clearly prepared quite a few disguise escape routes. Is this also the power of Beelzebub?"

"Unfortunately, Beelzebub beca a bit difficult to use after the Spirit on your side scribbled all over it. But after all, we were colleagues who worked together, I understand your way of thinking sowhat. After eliminating most of the likely disguise routes, the rest was left to intuition."

"I see, as expected of an old rival, it's not that easy to fool you."

After exchanging glances, the two laughed with tacit understanding.

"So, is there sothing you need? If it's to visit an old friend, this way of knocking on the door is a bit wild."

"I'm truly sorry about that. Well, it's actually nothing major. —I just wanted to take you and Karen for a tour around DEM."

Listening to Westcott's tone, soone unaware might think he just wanted to invite a good friend over to his house for dinner. But Woodman and Karen both knew clearly that the aning of Westcott's words was practically trying to completely destroying an organization.

That's right, Westcott is precisely this kind of person. If you throw him into the control room of a nuclear bomb detonation, he might just press the detonate button out of pure curiosity.

Of course, if it were only that, it would be fine. The problem is, even if Westcott were caught in the explosion he caused, he would have a way to walk back safely from the explosion site, and then utter a sentence like "The mushroom cloud from the explosion is really beautiful"—an impression as if returning from watching fireworks at a festival, and then continue to look for the detonation button of another nuclear bomb.

"What if I say no?"

Showing neither surprise nor anger, Woodman asked very calmly after hearing Westcott's words.

"You're not going to just kill and Karen directly, are you?"

"How could I~ If I were going to do that, I would definitely call Ellen over too. This is also a show of sincerity, my friend."

Hurriedly waving his hands, Westcott said with a wronged face.

"You have to understand, I absolutely have no intention of forcing you. Even if you refuse, I will let you board this helicopter and leave, and I will have the attacking Wizards obediently retreat. However—"

Narrowing his eyes slightly, Westcott reached his hand forward and called out softly.

"Beelzebub."

As soon as his voice fell, a dark vortex gathered in Westcott's hand, ultimately forming the shape of a book.

"Before you leave, how about—playing with for a bit?"

His eyes revealing a gaze of anticipation like a child, Westcott asked with a smile.

"You've finally revealed your true colors... Forget it, you've always been a man who doesn't listen to what others say anyway."

Looking at the object ford by ominous miasma before him, Woodman stroked his beard and sighed very helplessly.

Although he didn't want to fight a Demon King, based on his understanding of Westcott, if they didn't have a fight here, he would absolutely not back down.

"Elliot!"

"It's fine, Karen."

"But."

Gently brushing Karen's hand aside, Woodman smiled and shook his head.

Slowly standing up from the wheelchair, Woodman took faltering steps and arrived in front of Westcott.

"Let's begin then. Co to think of it, Ike, this is probably the first ti I'm facing off against you like this."

"Isn't it? After all, I'm very weak. Just standing in front of you makes my legs tremble incessantly, Elliot."

Hearing Westcott's teasing joke, Woodman chuckled softly.

(At most... maybe two more tis.)

Muttering silently in his heart, Woodman took a golden naplate from his chest.

————————————

[Commander! Shido-kun! Hurry and co in!]

Kannazuki's urgent urging voice ca from the hangar.

Running through the corridor crisscrossed with artillery fire, Shido and the others fended off the second wave of attacks from Wizards and drones while rushing beneath the Fraxinus EX.

Subsequently, the surrounding scenery suddenly changed, and Shido's group was teleported inside the airship.

[—Commander! It's so good that you're safe!]

"Mhm, sorry for the wait."

Catching her breath slightly, Kotori nodded. She led Shido and the Spirits to the bridge's command room.

"—What's the situation?"

Upon entering the command room, the aura around Kotori instantly beca serious. She put on her military uniform coat, took the Chupa Chups handed by Kannazuki, and asked her subordinates.

"Yes. Right now, in the sky above the base, there is one 'Arbatel' class airship. The number of Wizards and Bandersnatch that have invaded the base totals around two hundred and thirty. Technical staff have all evacuated. Seven injured. Thanks to Yutsuki-san's restraint earlier, there are currently no severe injuries or fatalities."

"Is that so... Thank you, you've been a huge help, Yutsuki-nee."

Hearing that the casualties were fewer than she expected, Kotori couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief and shot Yutsuki a slightly grateful look.

"It's nothing. If I can save people, I naturally have no reason not to."

Yutsuki shrugged, indicating it was no big deal.

Just then, Arusu Maria appeared on the command room's large screen.

[Kotori, Airship—Fraxinus EX. Preparations for launch are complete. Do you wish to depart?]

"Excellent."

Hearing this, Kotori held the Chupa Chups in her mouth, a hint of a smile appearing on her lips.

"Attention everyone! Open the hangar doors! Fraxinus EX—Launch now!"

"Yes!"

Hearing Kotori's order, the crew mbers responded in unison.

The launching catapult engaged, the engines ignited. Just as the airship was about to take off, an alarm suddenly blared.

[Warning! The hangar has suffered a malfunction due to enemy attack and cannot open normally. Switching to Plan Two—Basic Realizers parallel drive, Territory deployed, Invisible Camouflage automatic evasion activated!]

"Um, Kotori... just now Maria said Plan Two sothing parallel drive, Invisible Camouflage—what does that an?"

Feeling the sound of so machine starting up inside the ship growing louder, Natsumi asked sowhat uneasily.

"Ah—that! Simply put, it ans—"

After thinking for a mont, Kotori summarized the answer with a smile on her face.

"The enemies blocking the launch port are in the way, so we're going to force our way through next."

"Eh?"

"Everyone, hold on tight!"

Hearing this, everyone hurriedly found suitable things in the room to hold onto tightly. Nia and Origami originally wanted to hug Shido's back tightly, but were forcibly pulled away by Tohka and the others.

Once everything was ready, Maria's voice rang out again in the command room.

[—Fraxinus EX! Launch!]

Accompanied by the startup of the airship, the inner walls of the hangar were instantly crushed into a circular shape by an invisible pressure.

Subsequently, a strange floating sensation enveloped their whole bodies. After a series of fierce collision sounds, the scenery on the main screen switched to the sky.

[Report! Enemy craft confird above the base. How to handle?]

Regarding Maria's question, Kotori smirked and answered without hesitation.

"Shoot it down within one minute!"

[Understood. Leaves of Yggdrasil—Numbers 1 to 3, switching from Reconnaissance Mode to Mine Mode.]

"Kannazuki!"

"Understood, leave it to , Commander!"

Then, the auxiliary monitor displayed the external structural diagram of the Fraxinus EX. The rear part of the ship, resembling branches, began flashing with crimson light.

Subsequently, under the cover of the Invisible Camouflage created by the Territory, "certain things" sharply detached from the hull and surrounded the enemy craft at an astonishing speed.

A few seconds later, accompanied by a series of explosion sounds, this DEM ship, without even being able to understand what happened, plumted towards the ground trailing thick smoke.

[52 seconds.]

Hearing Maria's ti report, Kotori couldn't help but whistle.

"Hmph~ So-so. —Now! We have to make up for the ti we lost. Increase altitude, we're breaking through the atmosphere in one breath!"

"Yes!"

Then, as if it were a joke, the scenery on the monitors changed rapidly as if a 10x fast-forward button had been pressed.

Like an indestructible arrow of light, driven by the full power of its engines, the Fraxinus EX broke free from gravity's constraints, pierced through the atmosphere in just a few minutes, and arrived in the world beyond the definition of sky.

—The Space.