Zack couldn't react…
The slash… had split him in two, diagonally.
W-w-what…? His body crashed to the ground in two separate pieces.
Ayato managed to push Ghost back with a swift attack… but it was already too late.
Just then, a light appeared beyond the rear city gate.
"Huh?" Ghost turned his head.
It was a car—Krauser, Denis, and Bıfrat's vehicle.
With a sharp turn, it passed by Ghost at high speed.
Krauser slammed the brakes.
"ZACKKK!!" he screamed.
They jumped out of the car and sprinted toward him.
Ayato was suddenly hit by a surprise strike and thrown back.
Ghost calmly grabbed Zack's head.
He held it with one hand and lifted the limp body off the ground.
Then, something strange happened…
Zack's body… began to merge back together.
Black, tentacle-like energy started connecting the two halves, slowly reuniting them.
"Th-this is… Helios…" Bıfrat murmured.
"You bastard!" Krauser shouted, lunging forward—but Liv appeared just in time to stop him.
Moments later, a group of NWC members arrived and seized Krauser.
"Hey! What the hell do you think you're doing?!"
Ayato prepared himself.
"Satellite: NEMUTTE IRU YORU NO IBUKI!"
Countless transparent swords appeared in the air. Ayato grabbed two of them.
He charged forward—vanishing in an instant.
Ghost, holding Zack with one hand and his massive sword with the other, began dodging Ayato's attacks.
From time to time, he swung his blade to keep Ayato away from Zack.
Then suddenly—
"OTTO! PHOBOS AND DEIMOS—ANNNIHILATION!!"
The ground shook violently.
It felt like a powerful earthquake.
Structures nearby started to collapse one after another.
Liv:
"To all units: FALL BACK IMMEDIATELY! This is a direct order! I repeat—FALL BACK!"
Denis:
"NOOO!!"
He dashed forward—but Liv caught him.
"Pointless, boy… you know it too."
The right side of the rear gate began to crack—then crumbled apart.
Ayato used his speed again to attack Ghost.
But this time… his strike was effortlessly blocked.
Ghost stared deep into Ayato's glowing blue eyes.
"You're just a kid. You have limits."
He spun and delivered a brutal kick to Ayato's chest.
Ayato flew back, but managed to stay on his feet.
At that moment, emergency sirens started wailing throughout the city.
A formation of OptiPax helicopters appeared in the sky. Some were leaving the city—but one was clearly approaching for Ghost.
As Ghost sheathed his sword, the cut on Zack's body had completely healed.
"Interesting… There's something different about this Carrier."
He reached up and grabbed the metal rope ladder hanging from the helicopter.
Just then, one of the NWC members tried to fire a rocket at the chopper—but was immediately shot dead from above.
The helicopter rose into the air.
Ghost gave Ayato one last look.
Eyes filled with hatred and rage.
Just the scene he longed for.
Zack's unconscious body was pulled into the chopper—his arms, legs, eyes, and mouth were restrained with thick iron chains.
As the helicopter flew away…
10% of Dragonomica was left in ruins—shattered by the artificial "earthquake" caused by Helios.
⸻
End of Volume 2: Memories of the Past
(過去の記憶)