Because I Don't Want to Give Up a Single Thing (5)

“So this is something they absolutely can’t let get out. At this rate, they’ll definitely track us down and eliminate us later.”

Kagami’s health was gradually recovering thanks to treatment from Kururu and Alice. Even after being driven into a hopeless situation, he was still alive, and once again he felt grateful for his companions.

“Where are Merry and Yuki?”

“No... I looked, but couldn’t find them. Looks like they either got away... or are hiding somewhere.”

Kagami and the others had taken shelter in a place surrounded by concrete rubble, with no ceiling overhead. Fearful that they could be found at any moment, Kagami sank to the ground as if utterly exhausted.

“We’re right here.”

As if they, too, had been planning to regroup, Merry and Yuki appeared at just the right moment. Wearing grim expressions, the two strode straight toward Kagami.

“There’s no point hiding here. I was a little late analyzing them, but those things pinpoint your location by body heat.”

Hearing that, the others understood. No matter how much they hid behind cover, the machines had fired with pinpoint accuracy, as if they knew exactly where they were. In fact, that was precisely why they had chosen to wait outside, surrounded only by concrete where they could move freely, rather than inside a building.

“And that one that showed up at the end... It’s on a completely different level from the ones we took down earlier. It has the same power and tough armor, but its mobility’s been boosted. It’s definitely an upgraded model. You could call it a Small Messiah Mk. II.”...