The helicopter bearing the snowflake insignia cut through the ceaseless artificial rain as it flew. After taking one look at the emblem, the other armored helicopters that had gathered to intercept the walking fortress that had appeared in the Tower Capital’s city center moved aside.
“Looks like you have quite the reputation.” Dill left the door to the helicopter open and leaned halfway out of it to inspect the situation outside.
“Indeed. Our parent company, Panopticon Security Complex, is the leading company in this society of suppression and surveillance. They must be afraid of getting in our bad books.” The pilot, who wore the Panopticon logo, shot a silent glance at Starlight, who was currently riding with Dill. Starlight shrugged his shoulders. “Did I touch a nerve? It’s this guy’s fault that your previous company went under. Although at that point I had long since been dishonorably discharged.”
The Panopticon pilot showed no reaction, but Dill showed interest in his place. “Were you in the army?”
“Well, something like that, I suppose. It was actually quite different from what you’re thinking, but...it would take too much effort to explain. Yeah. Close enough. We protected people, so it’s basically the same.”
“Starlight. I’ve started to trust you once again, and you...”
“Cut it out. Don’t lie to my face. I might throw up.” Still looking squarely at each other, Dill and Starlight fell silent. The helicopter’s rotors were noisy. The giant, along with their destination—the castle atop its head—was now close. Dill, leaning out of the helicopter, glared steadfastly at the giant’s vacant face. Soon after, the helicopter began its ascent.
The two men stood silently at the same door of their vehicle. Without needing to signal to each other, they both crouched low. The helicopter increased its altitude...and finally reached ground level of the ruins of Krios! They both jumped out simultaneously and landed, immediately scattering without a moment’s pause. Barely a second later, a spear of flames landed at their feet and exploded.
“What do we have here? Looks like this time there’s someone who can fight!” They were greeted by a diminutive hero—the blue-eyed Nefritis. Behind Dill, a series of Panopticon helicopters rose into view and deposited their passengers upon Krios.
There was no way the heroes would overlook this invasion. Nefritis summoned another spear of flames and hurled it at one of the helicopters—but the spear was stopped in its path by a curtain of phosphors and turned aside. Sid, who had already touched down on Krios, raised his hand wreathed in phosphors, a triumphant expression on his face.
“Might I suggest you not get in our way?”
“Oho. There are too many of you to choose from! You look to be the youngest here—you will be a suitable opponent!”
“You’re pretty impertinent for such a shrimp. Weren’t you ever taught to respect your elders?”
“You talk a good game! How wonderful! What fun!” The boyish smile vanished from the hero’s face. “Have at you! My name is Nefritis!”
Sid, not wishing to be outdone, announced his own name. “My name is Orestes! I will be your undoing!” The two heroes, new and old, crashed headlong into one another and crossed their weapons.
“Stand back, you moldy old mummies! The man before you is the hero of the age, Dill Steel-Link! At the hands of Steel-Link, the likes of you are nothing more than...” Dill, who was about to follow Sid in announcing himself, was baffled by this cry from the Reincarnator Blusterer.
The mail-cloak Rick arrived and scratched the back of his neck sheepishly. “Sorry, guys, so sorry. I was telling stories of Steel-Link’s glory in the helicopter, and I guess I got carried away. I’m good at talking, after all.”
“I’d rather you saved them for later. I’m going to keep heading straight for Prodotis—can I leave things here to you?”
Rick, who understood Dill well, agreed readily and twirled the crossbow he held in his hand. “Roger! You run in there, cloak jangling, snatch Nue up, and then come back, Steel-Link! We’ll do something about the three dreaded stars staring at us right now.”
“...That’s right, damn it! We’re more than enough to take you small fry on! Isn’t that right, Steel-Link?”
“Thanks...I’m counting on you.” With a swish of his chain mail cloak, Dill crossed the courtyard of Krios. Meanwhile the heroes’ weapons all flew wildly across the battlefield—a maelstrom forged of flame, the Skills of the Reincarnators from the Project, Rick’s crossbow bolts, and covering fire from the Panopticon helicopters hovering overhead.
Those who had been selected earlier to join the infiltration party managed to meet up at the entrance to the underground complex.
Sid, however, was not with them. Nefritis’s spear of flames knocked Sid’s sword aside. Without losing momentum, the searing tip approached Sid’s face. The hero Orestes dodged the spear by a hair’s breadth. He smiled broadly, showing his white teeth, and with the shield he held in his left hand he delivered a cross counter to Nefritis’s jaw. In imitation of Aegisthus, he utilized his shield in an offensive defense.
“Orestes—” Dill opened his eyes wide, then narrowed them sharply. “...I’ll leave Nefritis to you! When you’ve finished him off, come and join us.”
“Yes, Master!”
Dill did not turn back again. Instead, he headed toward the circular amphitheater in a corner of the ruins of Krios, which had been constructed to be almost nestled against the now-ruined temple.
“I won’t allow you to stand in the way of father’s supremacy. You accursed insects!” A hero armed with a shield and spear of flames emerged from the shadow of one of the temple’s pillars, glaring at the intruders from beneath his solid silver helmet, his face contorted by rage. He was the last and mightiest of the Seven Generals of Krios. Kranos of the shining helm, son of Prodotis.
“A man with unbridled hatred. A valiant warrior, said to even surpass his own exalted father. Just how true are the legends of the shining Silver Age...?!” Grinning from cheek to cheek, Halberd kicked off from the muddy earth and lunged toward Kranos.
“Legends? Don’t be foolish... Behold Prometheus, the gods’ favor that illuminates all.” Kranos’s body was enveloped in flames that blazed like the sun. The flames proceeded to condense, forming a glowing suit of full-body armor. As the rain that covered Tower Capital fell upon the armor, trails of white smoke rose up from its surface.
Kranos now stood nearly as tall as the giant, Halberd, himself. He thrust forward his spear of flames, which burned with such intense heat that it stifled the air around it, and it collided with Halberd’s lump of iron...pushing it back. Following through with a single blow from his shield, he knocked Halberd to the ground.
“This is the true extent of the new power father has obtained. All people will be illuminated equally as his mercy rains down upon them. My valor is only a shadow of that possessed by the great hero Prodotis.” Kranos’s voice resounded through a gap in his helmet. As he brought down his spear to deliver the finishing blow to Halberd, Starlight darted past it. Kranos made to hurl his spear toward Starlight—but he failed. Halberd’s lump of iron, transformed so that a hook now protruded from it, had slipped into a gap in Kranos’s gauntlets of flame and pulled his arm back. Halberd smiled triumphantly.
“You are truly foolish.” The armor on Kranos’s right arm transformed back into shapeless fire. With the hook released and his arm freed, he proceeded to hurl his spear as he had originally intended. The searing spear pierced Starlight’s back, exiting through his flank and pinning him firmly to the ground. A groan of agony escaped the Reincarnator’s lips as the heat from the flames that formed the weapon scorched Starlight’s wound.
“Now you’ve done it. This time...I’m not even prepared to respawn and deploy again...!” Starlight struggled, paying no mind to his widening wound, and opened his camouflage coat on one side. With some effort, he made enough space for one person to pass through.
“Go, noble hero.” Starlight’s coat swelled up from inside, and Dill leaped out of the gate Starlight created and ran straight for the circular amphitheater next to the temple. There was an opening in the low stage, surrounded by audience seating—without a doubt the entrance to the hidden labyrinth beneath Castle Krios.
“Another company has already finished mapping a route through the underground. I will guide you to the deepest segment.” Red Lotus, one of Starlight’s subordinates, ran after Dill, took the lead, and entered the opening in the stage. Dill took one look behind him. No one else followed. Halberd, Spiralblade, and the wounded Starlight fought to hold back the valiant general, Kranos.
“Go right on by if you wish, foolish Terean. You will not change your fate. Although it looks like I’ve given you the undeserved honor of being killed at father’s hand.” Kranos no longer pursued Dill. Armed once again with a spear and full-body armor wrought from flames, he approached Halberd and his allies to deliver certain death to them.
The giant sneered. “Why so subservient, O Kranos the fierce? Surely you are no less of a hero than your father. Whether we fall at your hands or his, the honor we receive will be the same.”
“...Is it truly the same? My father is not a mere hero of men. He is someone who aspires to godhood.”
“Ga hoo ha ha ha...! Very good! Only a real hero could spout such grandiose words with a straight face! Now, let us introduce ourselves! My name is Halberd! Descendant of the Gigas clan, and the commander who defends Terea!”
Beneath his helmet, Kranos let out a sigh. “Kranos, of the Seven Generals of Krios, son of Prodotis. Here I come!”