"December! Sensei!"
In a warehouse in the eastern district, connected to a large computer system, Rahn, who had kept her eyes closed while operating something, suddenly turned pale. She stood up abruptly, so quickly that her body swayed unsteadily.
Having always been linked to Itogami Island's network, Rahn could see clearly through surveillance cameras what was happening in almost every corner of the island—including the battlefield where Rozen and the others were.
Even though the clash of Beast Vassals had caused widespread destruction and damaged many cameras, Rahn could still monitor the situation via various electronic devices.
Now, watching December and Senga Takehito lying in pools of blood, brutally taken down, Rahn instantly panicked.
"No... I must save December and Sensei."
Rahn began frantically thinking of a solution.
However, because her attention was so focused on Rozen's battlefield, Rahn failed to realize—she had already been targeted.
"So this is how it is. So, you're the little girl operating the Rose?"
Along with that voice, the space inside the warehouse began to distort.
"...!?"
Rahn's expression changed drastically. She whipped around to look behind her.
There stood a petite, doll-like girl accompanied by a beautiful maid-dressed young woman, both emerging from the space ripple.
Of course, Rahn knew who they were.
After all, if it came down to it, one of them was technically her senior.
"Minamiya Natsuki...!"
Rahn couldn't help but retreat.
The one who appeared, accompanied by Astarte, was none other than Natsuki.
"I knew it. If Senga Takehito was going to strike Itogami Island, he wouldn't rely solely on the Eight Trigrams Formation."
Holding a lace fan and expressionless, Natsuki spoke as she stared at Rahn.
"And although you lot possess No. 10, due to its properties, it isn't strong enough to destroy all of Itogami Island. So, thinking it through, I could only conclude that Senga Takehito would use the Tartarus Rose spell—the one he once discussed with me while I was still by his side."
Even though back then, Senga Takehito only shared the theory of the Rose, Natsuki had remembered and concluded that if he really wanted to annihilate the island, he would use this spell.
Unfortunately, Natsuki arrived one step too late. The Rose had already formed, turning Itogami Island into a hellish battlefield.
Natsuki simply followed the clues and finally tracked the source of the spell activation to this very place.
She had no choice.
"The Beast Vassals summoned by the Rose are avoiding this place. Even an elementary schooler would know something's up here, don't you think, little girl?"
Her words made Rahn realize—she was in serious trouble.
"Damn it!"
At once, Rahn pulled a handgun from her chest and pulled the trigger, firing bullet after bullet at Natsuki, hoping to kill her.
But this level of attack naturally couldn't harm Natsuki.
Without even moving a muscle, the space in front of Natsuki distorted and swallowed the bullets, sending them who-knows-where.
"Astarte."
Then, in a listless tone, Natsuki gave her assistant an order.
"Accepting command."
Astarte lifted her head and responded with a mechanical, toneless voice.
"Execute — Rododaktylos."
Following Astarte's command, the back of her outfit burst open, releasing a radiant, rainbow-colored light.
The light became massive wings.
The wings became massive arms.
A rainbow-hued giant appeared in the warehouse, emanating overwhelming pressure.
Seeing this, Rahn was completely shaken.
"An artificial lifeform actually summoned a Beast Vassal...!?"
Impossible.
Rahn had no idea that Astarte, just like Rogi, was an experimental artificial lifeform—one who had a Beast Vassal implanted inside her.
That Beast Vassal possessed powers that could drain mana and even reflect it. In terms of strength, it was not far off from a Primogenitor-class Beast Vassal.
And now, thanks to the Philosopher's Stone implanted in her by her current handler, Astarte no longer needed to sacrifice her lifespan to use the Beast Vassal's power freely.
"Execute."
Astarte coldly ordered her Beast Vassal, causing the rainbow giant to stretch its massive arm toward Rahn.
"Ahhhhhhh...!"
Inside the warehouse, Rahn's scream echoed like thunder.
At the same time, outside the warehouse, on top of a massive cargo container, a black knight and a black witch descended.
"Already done?"
Artoria [Alter], holding a holy sword in one hand and the unconscious Carly in the other, looked down at the warehouse and muttered.
"What a wasted trip."
Jeanne [Alter], holding the cursed banner in one hand and the charred Rogi in the other, looked annoyed.
After rescuing Kojou, both Artoria [Alter] and Jeanne [Alter] had swiftly defeated Carly and Rogi, and followed the information Rozen had relayed to find this place.
Even if Rozen couldn't counteract the summoning magic circle caused by the computer virus, if he couldn't tackle it through the spell itself, he could trace it back to the spellcaster.
So, using both the Wise Eye and Mind's Eye, Rozen analyzed the Rose's magic circle and successfully traced the source to this location.
Then, through telepathy, he informed Artoria [Alter] and Jeanne [Alter].
But unfortunately, Natsuki had already arrived first.
"Well, this makes it easy. Let's leave these two to that sister of our Master."
Artoria [Alter] threw Carly at the warehouse entrance.
"Don't order me around."
Jeanne [Alter] still looked pissed but tossed Rogi in front of the warehouse too.
With this, including December and Senga Takehito, the entire Tartarus Lapse was defeated.
However...
"This whole incident... was it really just a terrorist attack?"
Artoria [Alter] suddenly said.
"What do you mean?"
Jeanne [Alter] frowned, startled.
"Nothing," Artoria [Alter] said coolly. "Just a feeling... like there's a greater malice lurking behind all this."
"Is that so?" Jeanne [Alter] smirked darkly. "Wouldn't that be interesting? I bet our dear Master's already noticed it too."
"You're right," Artoria [Alter] relaxed her expression. "In that case, let's just see what our Master plans to do. We just have to complete our mission."
"Heh, so loyal. As expected of the King of Knights, huh?"
Jeanne [Alter] sneered, but said, "Relax. I already grabbed a dragon-kind passing by and had it deliver the sealed vessel containing the God and his little lover to Mash and Serenity."
"That's actually thoughtful of you, tsundere girl."
"Ha? Who are you calling tsundere!? I'll burn you to ash, you cold-blooded woman!"
"Stop threatening to burn everything. If you have that much energy, go tame some of those dragon-kind instead, dragon girl."
"You're the one who should go tame some horses. Maybe you'll get to ride one like that Goddess Rhongomyniad, short-legged woman."
The two of them kept bickering like this while slowly turning into spirit form and vanishing.
Thus ended this destructive incident that brought unprecedented ruin to Itogami Island.