As dusk deepened, night was fast approaching.
The escape route from Nagazora City was blocked by an unidentified object that had fallen from the sky. Flames still burned on its surface, radiating intense heat from friction with the atmosphere. Everyone hesitated to approach for a closer look, waiting for the surrounding temperature to cool before venturing forward.
Li Xuan simply sat down on the ground, patiently waiting for the object to cool. Kiana, Mei, and Bronya followed suit without a trace of ladylike restraint.
"What a beautiful moon tonight," Li Xuan murmured, gazing up at the sky. The full moon, as round and radiant as a jade plate, reminded him of the moon he had seen as a child, lying on the grass in his village. A longing for home surged within him, but... he could never return to the world that once belonged to him.
Mei and Bronya, sitting beside Li Xuan, also stared at the moon, lost in their own thoughts. Kiana, however, couldn't stand the melancholy atmosphere. Though she desperately missed her jerk of a father, she was determined to find him!
*Hmph, I'll definitely find him!* Kiana puffed out her chest with unwavering confidence, then turned her curious gaze toward the fallen object.
"It's like the cockpit of a spaceship," Li Xuan remarked, noticing Kiana's gaze. He stood up and walked towards the fallen object, followed by the others. By now, it had completely cooled down.
"Why would a cockpit crash here?" Kiana asked, peering closely. The prototype cockpit was made of a translucent, unknown metal. "There's someone inside!" she exclaimed.
She charged forward and grabbed what appeared to be the cockpit door. "Be careful!" Li Xuan cautioned, watching her reckless actions.
"Heave-ho! I got it open!" Kiana cried out triumphantly, like a child.
The others quickly gathered around to watch.
"She's such a cute little girl~" Raiden Mei said, her maternal instincts apparently awakened by the sight of the person inside.
"?!" Li Xuan, who had been watching from the sidelines, suddenly widened his eyes. Inside the cockpit sat a young girl who appeared to be asleep. Her head was slightly bowed, but it was still possible to make out her delicate features and snow-white skin. She wore a sailor suit with long, wide sleeves, her hair the color of laurel blossoms, adorned with crystal-like hair ornaments on either side of her head. She clutched a long spear in her arms. She looked to be about the age of a middle school student.
Kiana opened the hatch, as if waking the girl from a deep slumber. Under the gaze of the crowd, the girl slowly opened her eyes, revealing clear golden irises as pure as golden Amber.
"W-What?! How?!" Li Xuan froze in place the moment he saw the girl's face. She bore an uncanny resemblance—nearly eighty percent—to someone he knew intimately. It felt as though the world was playing a cruel joke on him.
"...Mental Carrier survival confirmed. Threat assessment updated." The girl opened her eyes, her gaze sweeping indifferently across the group before she spoke emotionlessly.
"Huh?!" Bronya, standing nearby, was startled by the girl's self-monologue. She felt an inexplicable sense of familiarity toward her.
"Little sister, are you alright? You passed out earlier," Mei asked in a gentle, friendly tone.
"...System connection rejected. All command authority transferred to the Mental Carrier..." The girl, who had been staring blankly ahead, suddenly spoke. The stiffness in her expression softened, replaced by a newfound vitality.
She watched the crowd gather around her, their eyes fixed on her. A flicker of panic flashed in her golden eyes, and she tightened her grip on the long spear in her hand.
"Don't come any closer!" The girl, clearly startled by the crowd's curious gazes, suddenly cried out like a cornered rabbit, "-Valkyrie System activation!" The dormant machine obeyed her will and awoke from its slumber.
"...Sister Mei, danger!" A memory buried deep within Bronya's mind suddenly resurfaced. She shouted and yanked Mei, who was standing closest to the girl, away. The others instinctively followed, hastily retreating.
Under the moonlight, the circular machine cabin emitted a beautiful yet deadly white glow. Several detached components formed a luminescent flying body that floated around the girl.
Standing in the moonlight, the girl's golden eyes flashed with murderous intent, yet remained both beautiful and holy.