[Report, Yutsuki has entered cyberspace to prepare.]
"Mhm, understood."
Hearing Maria's report, Kotori nodded gently.
"Kotori!"
"Kotori."
Standing on the bridge of the Fraxinus EX, Yatogami Tohka and Tobiichi Origami spoke up simultaneously.
Not just the two of them; Kotori could feel that the Spirits present were basically brimming with fighting spirit.
Kotori naturally understood their thoughts at this mont. Shido was currently confronting a Spirit, and Yutsuki had gone to prepare for the upcoming battle. If she were in their shoes, being told to stand by in this situation, she absolutely wouldn't accept it either.
"It can't be helped..."
After hesitating for a mont, Kotori sighed helplessly.
"Everyone, Yutsuki-nee and I have a plan. I hope to get your assistance."
"I... will help!"
"Kuku—Naturally. With my comrade and property fighting, as the Child of the Typhoon, I have no reason to sit back and watch."
"Nod. If I can be of help, Yuzuru will naturally agree."
"Yeah, yeah! How could I possibly leave Darling and Honey alone."
"Um... if Yoshino is going... I'll go too..."
Without hesitation, everyone nodded in agreent.
"Thank you, everyone."
After receiving everyone's answers, Kotori took a deep breath and explained the plan's details and personnel deploynt to them.
"Everyone, finally, there's one thing I must make clear."
Sweeping her gaze across everyone, Kotori instructed seriously,
"Whether it's Shido, Yutsuki-nee, or yourselves, my stance is that your safety is the top priority. If you encounter danger, please do not hesitate to abandon the tasks I've assigned and choose to retreat."
"Mhm, I understand."
Nodding to show they understood, Tohka, Yuzuru, Kaguya, Miku, Yoshino, and Natsumi stepped onto the teleportation pad one after another and disappeared from the bridge.
"Origami, keep this safe."
Before Origami was about to leave, Kotori handed her a silver naplate.
"?"
Taking the naplate with confusion, Origami stared at it for a mont, a hint of surprise flashing in her eyes.
"Is this... an ergency equip device?"
"That's right. A Tactical Realizer Unit manufactured by Asgard Electronics, codena AW-111, official na Brunhild. I believe you're not unfamiliar with this na."
"..."
Origami naturally couldn't be unfamiliar with this na.
Brunhild was the very CR-Unit Ryougi Yutsuki used to defeat the inverted Origami in the previous world.
"...I understand. I'll accept this."
Clenching the naplate in her hand slightly, Origami left the battleship, burning with ignited fighting spirit.
"Nia, you stay here and handle rear support."
"Understood. Thanks, Imouto-chan, for giving face and not just saying I'm useless."
Nia nodded with a bitter smile. She wasn't a Spirit skilled in combat to begin with, not to ntion that almost all her Spirit power had been taken by Westcott. Right now, she wasn't necessarily much stronger than an ordinary person.
She knew her limits; sending her to the battlefield outside now wouldn't just be holding them back, it would be sending her to die.
—Boom!
Accompanied by a roar, the Fraxinus EX shuddered violently.
Kotori and the other crew mbers sitting in their seats were fine, but Nia, who was standing on the bridge, instantly lost her balance and fell to the floor.
"Ow, ow, ow... what happened?"
Rubbing her reddened forehead, Nia asked dissatisfiedly.
"A bombardnt... an attack from the Goetia."
After answering Nia's question, Kotori clicked her tongue in displeasure.
This wasn't from the battleship's main cannon, but an ordinary magic cannon. An attack of this level naturally couldn't penetrate the Territory's defense; at most, it caused the battleship to shudder slightly.
Rather than an attack, it was more like knocking on the door.
"To think she dares to look down on us, Ellen Mathers..."
Then, as if anticipating Kotori's reaction, the notification sound for an incoming communication rang out on the bridge.
Kotori didn't even need to think to know who it was.
"Connect."
"Yes, Ma'am."
Following the crew mber's reply, a young woman appeared on the screen.
It was a Nordic blonde beauty with fair skin, so pale she almost looked sickly. Her entire body was draped in the white gold wiring suit of a Wizard. From the screen, her neck and limbs looked so slender that they seed like they would snap with just a little force.
But unlike her frail appearance, in her azure eyes, Kotori saw absolute confidence in her own strength.
[It's been a long ti since we faced each other like this. Itsuka Kotori.]
"Ellen Mira Mathers. You really are endlessly getting in the way."
Facing an enemy, one naturally couldn't lose out in terms of montum. Kotori arrogantly crossed her legs and said.
"This ti, things won't go your way."
[Hmph—]
Regarding Kotori's threat, Ellen let out a disdainful snort.
[Is this battleship the source of your confidence? It looks like a new model, but it's useless. I have nothing to fear from a coward who couldn't even launch an attack last ti.]
Hearing this, Kotori couldn't help but frown slightly.
The "last ti" the other party ntioned referred to a battleship firefight between Kotori and Ellen before Shido and Yutsuki changed history. Logically speaking, the Ellen of this world couldn't possibly know about that.
(Is this also a blessing from Beelzebub?)
Kotori thought silently in her heart.
"Tch, this ti won't be like last ti."
Seemingly poked in a sore spot, Kotori glared at Ellen unhappily.
Of course, this was just an act she put on intentionally; she had no need to show her changes to the enemy. The more Ellen underestimated her, the more she could catch her off guard in battle.
"Speaking of which, is it really okay for your boss to be like that? The leader suddenly charging into the enemy's stronghold, like a brat who just got a new toy. Even in a manga, a character wouldn't make such a choice."
[A brat, huh. What you say might not be far from the truth.]
Hearing Kotori bring this up, Ellen not only didn't refute it but nodded, sighing very speechlessly.
[Well... Ike acting on whims isn't a one-ti thing. After I finish you off, I'll naturally go and lecture him. I've finished the pleasantries for an enemy. Now, please struggle to your heart's content, and then turn into space dust, Itsuka Kotori.]
Simultaneously, the communication was cut off. The image on the screen switched back to space, only to see the three ships originally flying in the front line already splitting to the left and right, clearing the way for Ellen's Goetia.
"Not ordering her subordinates to attack first, but directly taking the field herself... How bold."
Kotori couldn't help but sigh with emotion.
Of course, Kotori naturally knew that Ellen wasn't a kind boss who didn't want her subordinates to beco cannon fodder; she just didn't want them getting in the way.
"Everyone, prepare yourselves! The ti to wipe away our past humiliation has co! Target enemy craft—Goetia!"
"Understood!!"
Sonorous and forceful replies echoed from the lower section of the bridge. Kotori stared at the approaching white-gold airship on the main screen and said softly.
"Then let's begin—our date (war)."
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