Nikke, something’s seriously wrong with this evacuation point! Chapter 108 108: So You’re Red Hood?

"What's that thing up in the sky?"

Charon sprinted through the forest, though the corner of his eye remained fixed on the air above.

"Professor Abe?"

[That's the Wings of Victory. Haven't you heard anything about it all these years?]

There seed to be a trace of disdain in Abe's voice.

[Seriously, what have you even been doing? Don't tell you've literally been hiding in the middle of nowhere this whole ti.]

"True enough."

Charon sounded oddly proud instead of embarrassed.

"I've already fallen out of touch with this world, so I'll need the all-knowing Professor Abe to explain it to . Pretty please?"

[You really are sothing…]

[Anyway, that thing's basically the Goddess Squad's ride. Otherwise, how do you think they're supposed to move quickly across battlefields with just their own legs?]

Right.

"So… the Goddess Squad has already arrived, then."

[Relax. Liliweiss isn't there. She's currently undergoing body maintenance at one of the Big Three corporations' research facilities. Right now, the battleship should only have Units Two through Five aboard.]

Dorothy.

Rapunzel.

Snow White.

Red Hood.

The Goddess Squad really moved fast.

But as long as Liliweiss wasn't there, Charon had nothing to fear.

[Oh, and one more thing. You've probably already been spotted by now. Don't underestimate the Wings of Victory's reconnaissance capabilities. So hide the drone for now. Good luck.]

Abe's voice cut off.

Clearly, she had no intention of stepping into this ss any further.

Charon didn't complain.

It wasn't like he absolutely had to rely on her.

Still… honestly speaking, having Abe chat with him throughout the trip kept the journey from feeling boring at all.

That woman really was loyal to the core.

Charon was starting to think that the joking "Mom" nickna he'd called her before might actually have sunk into her subconscious.

…Well, not that he'd necessarily mind.

Wait, what the hell am I even thinking?

The base was already within sight.

Charon stopped conserving stamina and burst forward at full speed, rushing straight into the lee Squad's training grounds.

The mont the door opened, a sword instantly swept toward his throat–

–only to snap back at lightning speed when it stopped thirty centiters away.

"Lieutenant!"

Voices of surprise and joy erupted all around him.

"Waaah, Lieutenant, you're back!"

"Uuuugh, Lieutenant, I thought you abandoned us…!"

"Lieutenant! Lieutenant! Did you bring anything tasty? I'm starving!"

"Get lost! You already ate the most beef cans earlier!"

"Lieutenant… sorry. That was just instinctive."

Rose awkwardly withdrew her weapon.

Her face was slightly flushed, though her eyes were overflowing with relief and happiness.

Among the entire squad, she had been the one most firmly insisting that Charon would return.

But in truth… she had also been the one most afraid.

What if the Lieutenant really ran away?

No. I need to think of a way for us to survive.

If he betrayed us… it wouldn't really be unforgivable. After all, none of us can see a future anymore.

No, what are you thinking, Rose? The Lieutenant isn't that kind of person!

Scarlet's been dragging things out with Red Hood on purpose just to numb herself for a while.

Those thoughts had been circling endlessly inside her mind.

The pressure of "what if he never cos back?" was exactly why she'd exploded at Rapunzel the other day and hurled those questions at her.

But now, all of that anxiety had completely vanished.

The Lieutenant had returned.

Wasn't that enough?

...

Wings of Victory

"He entered the lee Squad's territory directly… then there's no mistake. He's the lieutenant Rose ntioned before–the human officer besides Lieutenant Barnes."

Snow White analyzed the situation calmly.

"If nothing unexpected happens," Dorothy said with a faint smile,

"then this man is the true culprit who encouraged the lee Squad to use Rapture parts. The man who sullied the very na of Nikkes."

"S-So… should we arrest him?" Rapunzel asked nervously.

At this point, she didn't even dare look directly at the screen anymore.

Just seeing a photograph of Lieutenant Ron for the first ti had already made her feel… strangely unsettled.

"Let's first see how Red Hood's conversation with him goes."

Dorothy paused briefly.

"Oh right. How much of the information I told her to morize did she actually rember?"

"..."

"..."

"I see."

Dorothy pressed a hand against her forehead.

"Snow White, guide her through communications later."

"Understood."

...

"So where's Scarlet?"

Charon looked around but couldn't spot her.

Everyone exchanged glances before Rose finally stepped forward to explain.

After hearing the entire story, Charon laughed helplessly.

"So they've basically just been passing ti through fistfights?"

"I think Scarlet's been using this thod to wait for your return, Lieutenant," Number 3 raised her hand and said. "If you never ca back, she probably would've kept dragging things out forever."

"…That's not good."

Charon shook his head.

"Liliweiss hasn't been away for long. If things drag on until she returns, negotiations beco impossible. The difference in leverage between both sides would be overwhelming."

He exhaled softly.

"Anyway, point in the right direction. I'll go et this Red Hood myself."

"We're coming too," Rose imdiately said.

"No need."

Charon patted her shoulder.

"Just keep your comms on and listen in."

"I literally just explained this: if too many people show up, the balance of power becos uneven. At that point, it stops being negotiation and turns into intimidation."

Then he stepped outside and headed toward the place where Scarlet and Red Hood had been "communicating."

Rose forcibly suppressed the urge to follow after him.

After all, Scarlet was already over there.

In the end, she restrained herself.

"Be careful."

"Yeah. Don't worry."

...

At that mont, Scarlet and Red Hood were fighting–

…Well, not exactly.

Both of them had already received ssages from their respective sides, so the fight had temporarily stopped.

Though their current positions looked anything but dignified.

"You… you should let go already. If this stalemate keeps going, neither of us benefits."

"Heh. You let go first, then I'll let go. Tsk–ow ow ow!"

"The second your grip loosens, I'll release you too."

"Like hell I'd believe that! If I actually let go first, you'll definitely rip out half my hair!"

Yes.

The two of them were still pulling each other's hair.

Despite all the trash talk, neither had actually gone as far as tearing chunks out, but at this point they were basically just rolling around on the ground like lunatics.

"What exactly are you two doing?"

A puzzled male voice suddenly rang out nearby.

Scarlet reflexively let go.

Red Hood had instinctively been about to yank harder, but after hearing the man's voice, curiosity got the better of her, and she released her grip as well.

The two separated smoothly and imdiately widened the distance between them.

"Lieutenant!"

There was unmistakable joy in Scarlet's voice.

Even she had shared the sa worries as her sister.

But now those fears had completely disappeared.

"You're back."

"Yeah."

Charon patted her shoulder.

"I'll handle things from here. You've done well."

Scarlet unconsciously snapped upright.

For so reason, it had never affected her much before, but today, just that light pat on the shoulder made her emotions surge.

It felt like recognition.

Like approval.

"Goddess Squad. Red Hood, right?"

Charon turned toward the red-haired woman sitting on the ground in a thoroughly unrefined posture.

"You're a little different from what I imagined."

After all, she was Ana's idol.

Charon had never expected her to feel this… down-to-earth.