"No one can leave. You all have to die!"
The blade pointed toward a group of survivors, and in the next moment, Zeroy swung her sword down without hesitation.
Zombies, Company forces, or survivors who attacked other survivors—Zeroy treated all three the same: kill!
No mercy, no kindness. They were all threats to human life, all nonhuman, all evil.
Against them, only heavy blows, again and again!
Even a second's doubt was disrespecting others, disrespecting life.
This was Zeroy—though she killed, she did so out of love.
What drove her to keep fighting wasn't just the Points granted by the Main God, but the burning love in her heart! Love for humanity!
But by now, Zeroy had been cutting down heads for nearly half a month.
From the very moment she arrived in this world, she had been swinging her blade, beheading without end, day and night.
If she wasn't cutting off heads, she was on her way to cut off heads.
Counting today, it had been thirteen days straight.
If not for her Striker Unit being no ordinary weapon, who knew how many times the edge would've dulled by now.
It was, to some degree, exhausting.
Though Sky Striker Aces were created as war machines, even war machines needed rest.
And since Saeko Busujima and the others had invited her, for this final day, Zeroy decided to rest a little, to adjust her state of mind.
Her essence might be that of a war machine, but now she was also someone with an independent will.
If she kept going without sleep or pause, she really would turn into a carnage machine that thought only of decapitation.
…
Night fell, inside the shelter—
"..."
Zeroy slowly lowered her body into the artificial hot spring, the water caressing her pale skin.
Leaning back against the edge of the pool, her hair spread out across the water's surface. In the mist, the soothing warmth made her eyes narrow unconsciously.
A moment later, her gaze dropped, landing on the wavering reflection in the water.
Thirteen days ago, back in the Main God Space, she had studied her own face carefully in the mirror.
At that time, she still carried the freshness and vitality unique to a young girl.
Every smile, every frown, was filled with youth, her features glowing with softness.
But now…
The reflection made her pause.
Frost-like coldness covered the face that had once been gentle.
Her features were still exquisite, but those emerald eyes had lost their warmth, replaced by indifference and distance.
The cold-blooded ruthlessness in them felt unfamiliar even to her.
This was the mask shaped by circumstance, forged through countless acts of slaughter.
Quite a lot had happened in these two weeks.
Zeroy sighed.
And she realized something—kill often enough, even fish, and you might actually develop killing intent?
After all, though she had slaughtered countless times, beheading who knew how many, she hadn't been killing people. What she killed were beasts and nonhumans.
Not a single human.
Well, in any case, she didn't need to keep the mask on now.
She scooped up warm water to wash her face, rubbing her cheeks.
When she looked into the water again, the reflection had returned to its original form—the one she'd seen in the Main God Space.
This version was easier on the eyes.
Because, though born as a weapon of war, she was at her core still a kind, gentle Sky Striker Ace.
At that moment, a knock came from the hot spring entrance.
"Lady Zeroy, may we come in?"
"Big sister Zeroy!"
It was Saeko's voice, along with Alice's.
Though when Zeroy turned, she saw three figures outside the door. One of them had not spoken, but stood respectfully like Saeko.
"Come in."
The door slid open, and three entered: besides Saeko and Alice, there was Saya.
"Good evening."
Mist condensed into droplets on the walls. Zeroy leaned against the pool's edge, chin propped on her hand, damp golden hair falling over her shoulder.
As Saeko and Saya stepped in clutching towels, they were struck by a scene unlike any before—Zeroy's fingertips traced the water's surface, ripples reflecting a gentle, almost lazy smile.
"Uh… good evening, Lady Zeroy."
Saeko froze for a beat.
"G-good evening?"
Saya adjusted her glasses, shock behind the lenses.
For a moment, they wondered if it was an illusion. But they hadn't eaten anything strange.
The Zeroy they remembered was always wrapped in a chilling aura. Yet now she tilted her head at them, her eyes free of any killing frost, softened by the hot spring's steam.
Saeko remembered Zeroy's tenderness earlier when comforting Alice, but that had felt more like the pity of the strong for the weak.
While this smile… it reminded her of a classmate handing her an ice cream cone during the school festival.
Like… a hardened warrior had become an ordinary girl.
"Big sister Zeroy!"
The child's clear voice broke the strange silence.
Alice had no such thoughts—she noticed no change in Zeroy.
Seeing her, all Alice felt was joy. She ran straight to Zeroy.
"Careful, don't slip."
Zeroy quickly rose, catching the little one in her arms, her fingertips still warm from the spring. "Next time, walk slowly, alright? Falling hurts."
"I'm sorry, big sister Zeroy."
"It's okay. Let me hug you, and I'll forgive you~"
Children were always adorable, though usually too mischievous.
And, a child as thoughtful as Alice—that was truly endearing.
Zeroy had long wanted to hug her, but before she had suppressed it for the sake of her cold persona. Now she no longer needed to.
"Why are you two still standing there? Weren't you coming to bathe?"
With the girl in her arms, Zeroy curiously looked at Saeko and Saya, still lingering at the entrance.
"By the way, what about the others? Are they not interested in the hot spring? Or have they already been in?"
"Uh…"
Not only her demeanor, but even her words had changed!
Saeko pushed down her astonishment and said, "Lady Zeroy, we didn't come to bathe. We wanted to help you relax."
"Hmm…"
Zeroy thought for a moment, then understood they were expressing gratitude.
"Alright. How do you plan to do that?"
...
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