Nikke, something’s seriously wrong with this evacuation point! Chapter 173 173: The Simulation Battle Begins

A week passed quickly.

The people of the base, who had been laughing and joking at first, began to feel a noticeable shift in atmosphere the mont Snow White announced that the machine was finally complete.

After all, nobody had forgotten what awaited them next.

A simulated battle against Liliweiss

This wasn't sothing they could casually muddle through.

By the final day, only Charon and Andersen were still loafing around in the lounge.

They didn't disturb the Nikkes.

After all, it was only a simulation battle. If their ntality collapsed, better for it to happen in a simulation than on a real battlefield.

So no matter what emotions they were dealing with, Chron intended to let them work through it themselves.

...

The day of the test arrived.

Charon pushed Liliweiss's wheelchair into the simulation chamber.

The other Nikkes had already gathered there.

"Everyone's here," Liliweiss said as she surveyed the room.

Her gaze paused on Dorothy for a few seconds.

Dorothy simply smiled and returned her gaze.

Her body and mind had been adjusted into peak condition.

She radiated confidence.

Liliweiss nodded in satisfaction.

Just as she had expected.

Dorothy was the most mature mber of the Goddess Squad.

At the very least, she understood how to adjust her own mindset.

...

"Aside from Dorothy, did none of you sleep well?" Liliweiss asked with a smile.

The gathered Nikkes looked miserable.

So were yawning constantly.

So looked half asleep.

Others looked as though they hadn't slept at all.

"..."

Nobody dared answer.

A single sleepless night couldn't make a Nikke look like this.

Charon could easily guess what had happened.

These girls had probably been too nervous to sleep properly for three or four days.

And honestly, he couldn't bla them.

Ever since becoming Nikkes, they had never stood opposite Liliweiss.

There had never been any reason to.

This was the first ti.

For the first ti, they would personally face "Liliweiss."

...

"If you can't even overco a simulation of ," Liliweiss said, her smile disappearing, "then how do you expect to face that imitation?"

"If your determination is only at this level, then there's no point in participating in the battle at all."

"Once I've fully recovered, Dorothy and I can handle it ourselves."

Even Charon could tell that Liliweiss was genuinely angry.

What she had always wanted was a team that could move forward even without her.

Even if they stood on opposite sides from her.

Not a loose alliance that relied entirely upon her existence.

If that had been all she wanted, she might as well have recruited only elite soldiers from the start.

...

"N-No, please wait!"

Snow White was practically on the verge of tears.

"L-Lady Liliweiss... at least... at least give us a chance!"

"Snow White," Liliweiss replied, "you're logistics personnel. You don't really need to fight directly."

"Haven't you always been bad at facing Raptures head-on?"

...

"No!"

"I want to fight too!"

Snow White was visibly trembling.

Yet she gritted her teeth and shouted, nearly crying.

"I don't want to see Big Sister lying on the ground like that ever again!"

...

That cry seed to awaken mories buried in everyone's hearts.

Liliweiss.

Collapsed on the ground.

Unable to move.

During that period, she had beco the Goddess Squad's nightmare.

Even Dorothy was no exception.

...

"If every battle can only rely on Liliweiss," Snow White continued, stepping forward, "then the Goddess Squad has no reason to exist at all!"

"So I'll work hard!"

"I'll work with everything I have!"

"Liliweiss!"

"I want to challenge you!"

...

Charon was genuinely surprised.

He had never expected the first person to step forward to be the shyest mber of the entire group.

Snow White.

But the scene in Snow White's mind was different from everyone else's.

She rembered Liliweiss leaning against Charon's chest.

Rembered the tears of joy Liliweiss shed after learning she would finally have a normal lifespan.

So even a goddess could be happy simply because she was allowed to live.

She could cry.

She could fear.

She could act spoiled.

She could long for a place to belong.

If that was true, then why should Snow White belittle herself?

Even soone with flaws could still beco a goddess.

Yet what truly pushed her forward was probably the trace of disappointnt in Liliweiss's eyes.

She didn't want Liliweiss to be disappointed.

...

[As expected of my precious Snow White!]

Rose(Sleeping Beauty) sounded extrely pleased.

[See, Senpai? Just as expected of the Snow White we carefully selected all those years ago. Are you satisfied now?]

"Hehe."

Liliweiss laughed.

"Rose, would you like to try as well?"

[I wasn't designed for direct combat in the first place.]

[Besides... are you sure you want participating?]

There was a hint of mischief in Rose's voice.

"Forget it."

Charon imdiately cut in.

"Lilith, that's enough."

"It's not like this simulation can only be done once."

What a joke.

If Rose actually participated, the entire thing would beco a complete stomp.

Inside a simulated world, Rose was practically cheating incarnate.

...

"Very well, Snow White."

Liliweiss smiled.

"Starting a battle while already talking pessimistically isn't a good habit."

"Since this is the first battle, all of you can fight together."

"Treat it as a chance to get used to things."

"What do you think?"

Everyone's eyes lit up.

A mont ago they had looked like condemned prisoners.

Now confidence had returned.

"However," Liliweiss continued, "I already said that the purpose is simulation."

"Each of you must think about how to survive my pursuit."

"Or how to kill ."

"The one-on-one battles afterward will proceed as planned."

"Before we officially begin Operation Ark Guardian, you may challenge in teams of any size."

She smiled.

"It's much faster to let your bodies learn than to keep talking about it."

...

Liliweiss instructed Rose to activate the simulation chamber.

Its operating principle was based on linking NIMPH units together.

As long as there was enough standing room, any number of Nikkes could participate.

The battle itself would be displayed on large screens for everyone to watch.

This was also why Liliweiss herself couldn't join.

She didn't possess a NIMPH.

...

Very quickly.

The first battle ended.

...

"That fast?"

Even Charon was shocked.

"We got instantly destroyed..."

Snow White, who had been delivering passionate speeches monts ago, was now kneeling on the ground in complete despair.

The battle had essentially been a classic first-encounter massacre.

Scarlet and Red Hood fought bravely.

But the simulated Liliweiss possessed an absurd level of mobility completely different from the Raptures they were used to fighting.

The two of them were killed almost instantly.

Even Dorothy, who survived the longest, ultimately died because she subconsciously tried to maintain her elegant posture and exposed an opening.

Basically everyone died during the very first exchange.

Most of them never even got the chance to launch a counterattack.

And this...

Was a weakened version of Liliweiss.