The moment they notice Hetero-Creatures climbing onto the small transport, you and Haniff raise your weapons toward it.
Through the comms, Haniff's voice also joins in.
It's taking off again! We must... can't let it... leave the... island...
Actively destroying the transport means cutting off their own escape route, but if they don't attack... no one can guarantee the Hetero-Creatures won't spread beyond the island through this "oversight."
An overwhelming sense of risk weighs heavily on their chests. Now, the lives of both the people aboard the transport and the three on the island rest in their hands.
You call the pilot repeatedly, desperate for even a glimmer of hope, but only hear chaotic static from the other end.
Haniff sprints to the scene, his expression growing increasingly grim as he takes in the sight of Vera collapsed on the ground and the transport lurching erratically in the air.
No matter what, we have to make a choice now...!
You lower your gun with a heavy heart and turns to look at Haniff, who stands there panting for breath.
Both of them simultaneously hear eerie gnawing sounds through their headsets as the violently rocking transport suddenly "steadies" for a moment, as if someone has forcibly regained control and adjusted its position to point downward.
Then, it plunges into a steep dive.
！！
The two of them watch as their last hope—the transport that had barely taken off moments ago—trail black smoke as it plummets toward the ocean below.
Clearly, the pilot on board had also realized the severity of the situation and decisively chose self-destruction, sacrificing the vehicle.
The glow of the crash and explosion illuminates half of the night sky before being quickly swallowed by the pitch-black ocean waters.
Only the residual shockwaves from the explosion roll in from the distance, stirring up sand and dust from the island that strike your face with unforgiving force.
Self-destruction... the absolute last resort...!
Haniff reloads his weapon with gritted teeth, his voice filled with frustration at their situation—yet also with boundless admiration.
...but damn, they died like a true hero!
We won't get such a "glorious" death! Catch! Just found this new gun from the airdrop!
With our only support aircraft destroyed, we have no way off this island anytime soon.
As long as we're stuck here, Babylonia can't simply use the Longinus Arsenal to destroy the entire island—fortunately, you and Vera are valuable enough. If I were the only one left, Babylonia wouldn't hesitate for a second.
But on the flip side, every second we delay, that damned "evolution" on the island accelerates. This "Eve" the Ascendant mentioned will assimilate more and more Hetero-Creatures...
Easy for you to say! With just us? And a Construct who's already down?!
Haniff points at Vera, then irritably holds his head in frustration.
Let's check the tracker first. Where has that "Eve" creature gone now?
The Commandant takes out the tracking device Haniff handed over earlier. The red dot is still blinking, but it has moved to a dark structure at the center of the island.
Haniff lets out a loud, sharp inhale that screams "I knew it."
It's moving so fast...! I knew that gene bank was trouble! The scanner already showed the highest Punishing readings coming from in there—I bet all those "new humans" are gathered inside!
So are you getting what I'm saying?—In our current state, charging into the gene bank to hunt down that "Eve" might sound a bit more dignified than standing our ground in a desperate fight while waiting for the Longinus Arsenal to arrive, but it's still pure suicide!
Is there really no other way...
Two all-out battles have pushed her Garnet frame to the brink of total failure. Vital fluid has dyed her hair an even deeper red, with deep wounds covering her body that are painful to behold.
The situation has deteriorated into a dilemma, without even a moment's respite to think clearly.
Suddenly, you look once more toward the sea.
The shattered remnants of the transport aircraft still burn as they float on the sea's surface, reflecting as a faint ember in your eyes.
What the—! What are you doing now?
You suddenly scoop up Vera, who has entered standby mode, and sprints toward the sea with wild abandon.
The seawater rises past your feet, your knees... rapidly engulfing your entire body as you sink into the brine.
Bone-chilling waves crash against your face, even splashing into your mouth, but you don't dare to slow down. Supporting the Garnet frame, you make your way to the transport wreckage and search around with a flashlight.
Soon, you find your target—the seawater has extinguished most of the flames on the transport wreckage, and by some stroke of luck, the cargo area remains intact.
You struggle to drag Vera up onto the skeletal remains of the transport, then use the power of your exoskeleton to pull off the damaged outer shell.
Haniff follows behind, swimming with difficulty. He suffered numerous cuts during the recent battle, and the salt water is now stinging each wound mercilessly.
First running, now swimming... What is this, a triathlon...? Pfft, this water tastes awful—!
Watch out!!
Haniff suddenly raises his arm and fires at something behind you.
A Hetero-Creature that was about to launch a sneak attack shrieks as it falls back into the sea, creating a frustrated splash.
You barely glance at it before turning around to continue tearing at the cargo container's outer shell.
...You didn't even notice that Hetero-Creature behind you?! I get that you're looking for maintenance components, but you've got to keep yourself alive first!!
Haniff's expression turns serious. He had considered countless solutions, but never anticipated this kind of "surprise."
He quickly helps you by delivering several kicks to the cargo container. Fortunately, neither of you has neglected their physical training, and after a burst of exertion, the two of you actually manage to tear off the outer shell.
The Sleeping Pod inside the container immediately slides into the water, bobbing with the waves.
You lunge for the pod cover, using your authorization to initiate the startup sequence—the same procedure you followed back in Atlantis.
Meanwhile, Haniff's gaze catches a detail on the corner of the Sleeping Pod.
...Hey, why is this marked with Kurono's emblem?
You have no time for caution. After unlocking it, you fling open the pod cover and peer inside.
"Another" Vera lies in the Sleeping Pod. Her eyes are tightly shut, her hair resting peacefully on her shoulders, her Bionic skin unblemished and pristine.
—This is the ultimate "weapon," yet to be baptized by the fires of battle.
At the sight of this completely undamaged frame, you suddenly feel a pang of emotion.
But Haniff's gaze sweeps once more over the Kurono emblem at the pod's opening, and a certain serial number he's seen before.
...If Vera transfers to this frame, perhaps she really could wipe out every last one of those damn things.
As you prepare to carry the Garnet frame inside, you catch a hint of sarcasm in Haniff's tone.
Don't give me that murderous look. Yes, I know about the core design of these Constructs—they're powerful, but just "powerful," nothing more. Aren't you being overly cautious?
Besides, you don't have any cards left. If you don't help her transfer to a new frame, she'll simply die like this.
Haniff points to the red warning lights flashing on Vera's Garnet frame, then simply raises both hands in surrender, showing you that he has nowhere to run.
Sorry, but there's no time. This is the kind of pressure decision-makers have to bear, F.O.S. must have taught you that.
Your gaze returns to the Construct in your arms.
Just like in every mission before, Vera would claim she didn't care about anyone, yet she always kept everyone well protected.
Your fingers trace the outlines of countless wounds covering Garnet's body. Vital fluid seeps out, coating your hand, only to be washed away by the ocean waves.
The battle against countless Hetero-Creatures has completely drained all functions from this frame. In all your time together... you've never seen her in such a state, teetering on the edge of total system failure.
You take one final look at her, forcibly suppressing an inexplicable sense of familiarity and loss welling up inside.
How long will it take for her to successfully adapt to it?
You tie a rope around their waist and Vera's, hoisting her onto your back, and secure everything with a tight cross-knot.
You really are insane. Seeing someone so eager to die is a first... no, second for me.
You tighten the rope and look toward the building in the distance—that "Gene Bank"—with a different kind of fire flickering in your eyes.
Data Synchronization Progress: Initiating
