Flum and Milkit listened silently to the voices coming from the communication device.
“Is there any way to stop this fortress other than destroying the power source?” Gadhio’s voice, when he asked that question, was even lower and scarier than normal. Even over the communication device, his anger seemed to come through.
“You could, for example, go to the fortress’s central control room and take command of it yourselves.” In short, what Echidna what saying was…
“So ultimately, it looks like our only option is to fight and defeat the captain of the Church Knights.” From the sound of it, the plan was to take over the fortress by striking at the head.
“We don’t know where that is, though, so it may be better to join up with the others.”
“Yeah. For starters, though… Hey, everybody. Flum here. I’ve been revived.” When Flum called out through the communication device, the first one to respond was Eterna.
“Flum! It seems like you’re okay. I’m glad. How did your battle go?”
“I defeated Rischel. The two of us are unharmed.”
“Thank goodness…” They could tell from Eterna’s voice that she was quite relieved. Flum felt sorry for having caused her so much worry. Then a cheerful voice that she hadn’t heard in quite a while came through the device.
“Flum, it’s been so long!”
“Hey, it’s been a minute, Sara. You seem well. I’m glad.”
“I am protecting her, after all. Of course she’s well,” Neigass said boastfully into the device.
Then Sara grumbled, “You always get carried away so fast.” Still, that alone conveyed just how good their relationship was.
“Hmph. Let’s suspend the pleasantries there. Flum, let’s meet up.”
“Where should we go, Gadhio?”
“Yes, I suppose in terms of landmarks…”
“Yeah, it’s gotta be that thing, right? Flum, can you come to that tower in the center of the city?”
“There is a core there that only you can destroy, Flum.” A core that only she could destroy. While it meant that it had that much power in it, still, Flum was slightly relieved to understand clearly that she wasn’t yet useless. She agreed to the plan and moved her face away from the communication device for a moment.
“By the way Milkit, what about Cyrill?”
“She hasn’t regained consciousness yet because of the recoil from Brave. She is resting in the demon realm now.”
“Well…I can’t say that’s good to hear, but I am relieved, at least. Anyway, let’s head for the ground level for now.” From the room where Flum had been held captive, she had been able to see the tower called the underpillar. Once they got outside, she should’ve been able to find that location immediately. The pair began walking hand in hand…but they soon stopped in their tracks.
“Warning. Warning.” An alarm sounded with a loud breee, breee, and blinking red lights illuminated the surrounding area. Milkit anxiously wrapped herself around Flum’s arm.
“Attention, all personnel. Preparations for the launch of the special warhead missile will now begin within the facility.”
“Special warhead missile…? What is that?”
“All I know is that it isn’t anything good.” If the previous incarnation of Flum were here, she would’ve understood immediately, but what she had shared with Flum were only the memories of the experiences they shared while she was in control of the body; Flum hadn’t absorbed all of her past self’s knowledge.
“Personnel, move to the designated standby area. This is not a drill. Repeat. This is not a drill.” When the ominous alarm stopped, the blinking lights still remained on. Then a man’s voice came from over the speakers.
“This Tokyo houses a weapon that once destroyed the world.”
“That’s Huyghe’s voice!”
“So he’s the captain of the Church Knights…”
“When it hits its target, the demons will be vaporized in an instant and the Demon Lord’s castle will be destroyed. Nothing will remain except for Lord Origin. You have fifteen minutes until launch. I wish you the best of luck.” After making that unilateral announcement, Huyghe ended his broadcast.
“Master, that was…”
“A declaration of war, I guess. We don’t have any choice but to find where Huyghe is before time runs out.” The others seemed to share the same thoughts.
“Hey, Echidna, where’s the control room?!”
“I don’t know! I’m not a member of the Church Knights, I’m an outsider.” Linus and Echidna’s panicked back-and-forth could be heard through the communication device. Flum then spoke into hers.
“Let’s put meeting up on hold for now, and let’s split up and search for that control room. Milkit and I will search the underground!”
“I am in the underground level too, so I’ll search the area as well.” Even though it was ‘the underground,’ it was still a fairly large space, so Flum felt it was reassuring to have Eterna joining them in the search. And so, the search for Huyghe began, with all of their forces mobilized.