Ch.298IF Side Story: From the Beginning (66)

# “Alright, where should I start breaking things?”

I looked up at the generator, which was as large as a decent-sized building.

“Between the antennas,” Ju-a answered immediately.

“I can’t say it’s exactly the same as what we made. But at least, that’s how the Federation built theirs.”

I’m not entirely sure, but sometimes products made in different places end up looking remarkably similar, like convergent evolution, even without referencing each other.

Fighter jets and space shuttles are like that. Some might call it plagiarism, but even without any reference, when you pursue extreme efficiency, designs naturally evolve to fit their purpose.

“…Probably, to gather energy…”

That’s right.

Ju-a seems to be catching on. Perhaps the Federation isn’t fighting solely for Earth’s sake either.

Whether it’s the Federation or Noir Corporation, generators made by aliens operate through human emotions.

Nothing comes free in development. If the Federation does something for Earth, they take something in return.

It’s just that right now, the government seems to favor corporations over the Federation.

“…”

Someday, we might need to operate the generator ourselves. Right now, the Federation is helping us, but who knows what will happen later.

Will I be able to fight then too?

…No, now isn’t the time to worry about that.

Right now, I just need to solve the problem in front of me. Whether it works out or not, if we keep hammering at Noir Corporation, we’ll surely find where Pang Pang is.

“Jieun. Let’s go together,” Hayun said.

I nodded.

We both jumped up together.

As always, I felt that floating sensation like gravity had disappeared. The hammer in my hand felt a bit heavy though.

“There!”

Hayun pointed to the middle of the U-shaped split at the top of the antenna.

In the middle of the smooth surface, there was a round section.

Like a lid.

I couldn’t tell exactly what it was for, but our job was to either break the antenna or somehow bring it back.

I raised the hammer high above my head and fell quickly downward.

BANG!

The tips of my fingers holding the hammer tingled. Even to me, it was a powerful strike that left a dent below.

Hayun landed gracefully beside me and drew the blade from her staff.

She thrust the blade into the gap where the metal plate had been dented.

Unlike when Hayun usually wielded it, it didn’t open immediately, perhaps as a countermeasure against magic.

We heard gunshots aimed at us, but then—

BOOM BOOM BOOM.

Though we were inside a building, thunder-like sounds echoed, followed by screams from below. Voices distorted like they were processed through voice modulators. Clearly voices coming through helmets.

Without some identity protection, probably few people would fight like this in such a company.

Pang Pang had fought without making even those sounds.

That was probably to avoid detection too.

Hayun cut a larger gap with her knife, inserted the handle of my hammer, and used it as a lever, stomping hard on the protruding part with her foot.

BANG!

Perhaps because Hayun had already pried it open and cut through whatever locking mechanism was inside, the door flew back with a loud noise. The hammer handle didn’t bend or break. I wonder what material it’s made of.

And inside…

“…Is this it?”

I picked it up.

It was a sphere slightly larger than a fist. Not just a simple metal ball, but its outer surface was complex enough to tell it was an important and delicate device.

As soon as I removed it, the low humming sound around us stopped.

The fighting sounds briefly quieted.

Looking down slightly, I saw everyone staring at us.

“Looks like this is it.”

“Yeah, seems so.”

“…Good.”

I gripped it tightly in one hand.

“Then, let’s bolt.”

“Yes!”

When I said that with a somewhat relieved feeling, Hayun nodded with a bright expression.

We jumped down from the generator.

The surroundings quickly became noisy again. Even in a large space, an enclosed area is still enclosed. The gunshots seemed to echo off the walls.

As we both moved around trying to dodge bullets, Chaeyeon swung her staff. The pages of the book in her hand turned by themselves, and blue magical energy surged around us.

Wind blew.

Despite being in a completely enclosed space without windows, the whirlwind centered on us was enough to throw the combatants into disarray.

“…Let’s go.”

Chaeyeon, who had somehow flown to us, said.

Hayun and I nodded. After confirming that Seo-hee, Yeonwoo, and Ju-a had approached, we immediately flew upward.

*

We rushed out through the door we had broken earlier, but…

“Haah.”

I let out a long sigh.

A barrier wall had come down.

Not just a simple fire barrier. A very thick one that would take some time to break through—

BANG!

I hit the wall beside it. The concrete cracked, revealing the steel frame inside.

“Well, they couldn’t make the entire building out of solid metal.”

Seo-hee looked at me with bewilderment as I muttered this.

But that didn’t mean she wouldn’t help. She just shrugged as if there was no choice, then immediately drove her fist into the spot I had cracked.

As Hayun cut through the wall’s steel frame with her staff, and Seo-hee and I gradually widened the hole…

Click, click. The sound of dress shoes approached.

“…”

We paused briefly and turned around.

Curious about who would approach us so leisurely in this situation, I couldn’t help but frown when I saw the face of the approaching person.

Actually, can I even call them a person? From what I’ve heard, they’re not from Earth.

“I didn’t expect to see you here.”

The guy who said this was an executive I’d seen occasionally.

A white man with neatly arranged blonde hair parted exactly 2:8.

But in reality, he was a robot, wasn’t he?

Yes. He’s the one who sent me that “fake mother.”

“…You’ve got some nerve. Well, I guess since it’s riding in that head of yours, it might actually be smaller than a fingertip.”

“I understand what you’re trying to say, but perhaps you’d like to hear me out first?”

“What is there to talk about?”

I said, suppressing my anger.

It’s been a while since I met this guy. He used to appear wherever we fought, but after his robot was half-destroyed by my friends and beaten by Pang Pang, he hadn’t shown up for a while.

Who took Pang Pang? I don’t know for sure, but…

The “most likely suspect” we deduced was this guy.

Isn’t that right? After getting beaten up, he must have developed quite a grudge.

When I raised my hammer, the executive maintained his expression but stepped back. Other combatants hesitantly emerged beside him.

“No matter who tries to stop me, I can smash you to pieces.”

“…Well, you might think differently after hearing what I have to say.”

The executive said this and, seeming to know I wouldn’t listen to any negotiation, displayed a hologram.

In that hologram was the face of a child I knew well.

Sitting in a well-furnished room, wearing comfortable clothes.

Her skin was blue. She had a pair of antenna-like appendages on her head. She looked like an alien a elementary school student might imagine, but she wasn’t too simplistic or creepy. If anything, she was rather pretty.

Despite being in such a nice situation—much better than the semi-basement where she used to live—her face was very dark.

“…Pang Pang.”

“Is that her name?”

The executive said.

“We’re just keeping her because we thought she might be useful.”

I stared at the executive.

How should I put it—my anger surged so much that it overflowed, making me paradoxically calm.

“…So?”

Thinking I was finally ready to listen, the executive said:

“That core, please hand it over.”

Pointing at what I was gripping tightly in one hand, he said:

“I don’t know how you found out about it and came here—”

“They probably tracked the energy,” Ju-a interjected. Seeing her frown at him, she seems to dislike this executive as much as I do.

“The Federation has that level of technology, after all.”

Plus, we could secure more energy than in the “original.” We had one more person running the circuit than in the original.

And the output of each magical girl is… probably very high. That’s why they made generators that run on just a few magical girls.

I see. The reason there are so many combatants here isn’t simply to “protect” it.

To generate energy somehow, they need many people around.

…I wonder if there’s something similar at the magical girl headquarters?

“Well, fine.”

James said with a not-so-pleased expression.

Shrugging his shoulders, his demand was predictable.

“If you hand that over to us, we’ll guarantee the safety of this Pang Pang.”

“…”

I stared at the executive.

I thought this kind of offer might come, but it feels strange that they’re being so predictable.

“Let me ask you something.”

I said.

“If you wanted to take this from me, you could just kill Pang Pang.”

“Jieun!?”

Hayun beside me was startled, but I continued.

“You know that, don’t you? You’ve done similar things before.”

“…”

“So, in other words, it’s like this.”

I raised my hammer and pointed its head at the executive.

“In reality, you have a reason why you can’t kill her, right?”

I smiled.

Yes. Pang Pang is safe.

I don’t know what’s going on behind the scenes. Maybe she really did betray me. But at least she’s safe.

In other words, it means there’s plenty of opportunity to talk.

“Then, I have no reason to grant such a request, do I? You seem to have been too hasty.”

My left wrist trembled.

The circuit was truly running powerfully.