Inside a lab…
"Hmm. Your vitals are stable. Everything seems quite all right! What's this…hmm? Your heart rate is rising!"
"Ahh, yeah, there's a reason for that."
Inside the mysterious laboratory, Fujii was still strapped to the table, while the cloaked girl, Sirena, continued to analyze him. "My tests show that your Elemental Levels are off the charts, and you haven't even Unleashed! What's your secret?"
"Cardio?" he replied.
Sirena looked at him with confusion. "I don't believe that's sufficient enough for your level of physical capability."
"Seems she doesn't get a joke," Fujii thought. "Man, I need to get out of here. And fast too, before she drives me nuts!"
He cleared his throat. "Is there something you want from me in particular?"
She eagerly nodded.
"Well, what is it? Is it something that doesn't require me to be strapped to a table for?" he pleaded.
Sirena tapped her chin. "Well, if you want the tour, I can give you the tour! A prime specimen like you deserves it, after all!"
"Uh, what?"
With the press of a button, his straps came loose, and the table rose upright, allowing him to step off. "Go ahead! Follow me!"
Sirena hummed as she walked through a door. Fujii rubbed his arms and followed. "Alright…"
Past the door was a giant workshop factory, where tons of robotic arms moved metal and other pieces around, forming inventions such as ships, jets, and even robots.
"Isn't it wonderful?" she beamed. "I spend all my time here, building the best inventions I can muster!"
"That's…wonderful," Fujii remarked. "How the hell can you make all this stuff by yourself?"
Sirena laughed. "It's easy! Invention is a form of art, just like drawing or writing! You'll get better if you practice!"
She snapped her fingers, and a batch of robotic servants emerged, bowing at her feet and all repeating the same thing.
"Your orders, Lady Sirena?"
"Please clean this place up! We have a special guest here, and he needs to see this workshop at its best!"
They nodded and hurried off to tidy up. Fujii studied Sirena. "She looks so young, like a child! But she had a strong aura coming off her. I can already tell she's stronger than Runea. Can I take her in a fight, if it comes to that?"
Fujii stopped. "So, you didn't elaborate too much on yourself. You told me you're an inventor, but not much else."
She turned around, thinking. "Silly me! Of course, of course. I'm about…400 years old, I have a big family, and I'm Rank 8 of the Obsidian Order! Anything else?"
Fujii froze, stammering. "Rank…8?"
She held up her arm, and the lines forming "Rank: 8th" appeared on it. "Mhm! Pretty cool, right?"
"Aww hell…well, continue with your tour! Don't let me keep you!"
"Okay!"
Leading him along, they walked past various weapons of war, self-repairing clothing, and even a modified jetpack.
"One more thing!" she recalled. "I've got to show you my masterpiece!"
"Masterpiece?"
She brought him over to a giant pit, with bars over the entrance. "This is Kōryū! He's my latest creation."
"I don't see anything," Fujii told her.
"Give it one second! Kōryū! You have a visitor!"
Fujii could hear loud thuds coming from below the pit, and a pair of glowing red eyes cut through the darkness.
Meanwhile…
"Hmm, wonder how much they're gonna charge me for this. Bringing them 4 extra pieces better raise my pay tenfold!"
Akamon calmly drove his boat away from the dome, when suddenly the boat began to shake, and he stopped in his tracks. "Just great. Now what the hell is going on?"
He stopped, but it was too late.
A giant pillar of black and white energy burst through the barrier trapping the squad, ripping it to bits. "Shit—-!"
Before he could stand up, a blast of white energy hit him, knocking him into the water. When he activated his jetpack, he saw Akari standing there, glowing.
Aoki was next to her, the right side of her body covered in black energy.
"This ship has sailed," Aoki stated.
"Agreed," Akari added.
Akamon glared at them through his mask. "The hell is this? You two best buddies now or something?"
"Something," Aoki clarified. "I think it's time to kick your shiny metal ass."
Akari nodded.
"Haha! How cute," Akamon taunted. "You really think two little girls are enough to handle me?"
A rainbow blast nearly hit his face, and he turned to see Saori and Hikari, battle stances ready.
"It's not just two!" Saori announced. "It's five!"
Akamon pulled out his rifle, but Dachii jumped into the air and punched him, breaking his jetpack and sending him crashing into the boat.
"Ahh, hell, my back…"
Before he could get up, Akari and Aoki were both standing over him, weapons at the ready. "Hey…can't we talk about this?"
…Five minutes later, he was wrapped in his own chains, with Aoki's blade to his throat. "Guess not."
"I've got some questions for you," she ordered. "But first, we're gonna bring you back to the dome. We've got a mission."
"Yes, yes," Akamon sighed. "A noble mission to save the world."
"Mock me again, and I'll make you hurt. So shut your mouth."
Akari stood next to her. "You heard her."
"Uh-huh. No more peeps out of me, your Majesties."
"Good."
Aoki analyzed the boat's controls. "This bastard put us several miles away. Any of you know how to work this thing?"
"I can try," Akari suggested.
"Go ahead," Aoki replied.
Hikari looked between the two, a smile on her face. "Aww, this is perfect! It's great to see you both finally getting along!"
Both Akari and Aoki shared a look before quickly looking away.
"Yeah," Akari murmured.
"Don't mention it," Aoki insisted.
Saori grabbed both of their hands. "Hey, don't shy away! High-five!"
After a moment's hesitation, they both reluctantly gave each other a high five. "There! Awesome!"
They both quickly shifted focus. Akari grabbed the steering wheel. "Hold on, everyone. This might get bumpy."
She slammed on the gas, causing everyone to fall over.
"AHHH!"
Akamon struggled to sit up. "Stupid girl, have you ever driven a boat in your life?"
"Nope! First time for everything!"
Aoki grabbed onto the railings. "Keep it moving. We don't have any time to waste. Our General could be in danger."
While the two continued to pilot, Akamon nudged Dachii, who looked at him. "Must be nice having four powerful girlfriends who watch over you like a hawk, ehh?"
"It's not exactly that," Dachii confirmed.
"Then what is it?" Akamon questioned. "Where'd you find these little freaks, anyway? If there's one thing life taught me, it's never trust a Voltian. Some people don't follow that rule, and they end up dead for it."
He gestured to the axes attached to Dachii's waist, and Dachii immediately shifted demeanor. "What do you know?"
"A lot, actually. Morino Masato? Just call him a…close associate. That's all."
"Tell me, NOW."
Akamon shrugged. "There's a lot of secrets hiding in plain sight, kid. You'd best watch your back."
He wriggled through his chains. "No doubt I've been fired now, so if you want more information, you'll have to pay a price."
"A price…?"
"Yep. Ever heard of Inokuni?" he asked. "Mysterious place. Go there, and all your wishes will be answered. But it's not easy to find, and its people don't take kindly to outsiders."
"Why are you telling me this?"
Akamon chuckled. "Because if I can't capture you, then I'll have to use you. And I need to get there. Only an Elemental can light the way."
He looked up at Dachii. "So whatchu thinking, kid? Good deal or no?"
"I'll…consider it."
"Heh. You do that, then."
Saori walked over to Akamon, who quickly straightened up. "Can I help you?"
"Why did you want to take Dachii?" Saori wondered.
"Because I was hired, dumbass."
"Hey! If you're going to be a rude jackass, I can toss you out right now!"
"Ho-ho. When'd you get a mouth, young lady?"
Aoki whipped around. "Saori, don't bother talking to him. We'll deal with him aboard."
"That you will not," he promised. "That you will not."
A while later, they finally got close to the dome, but Aoki noticed something strange. "Hey…is it just me, or has that thing been moving?"
Akari paused, stopping the boat. Sure enough, the dome began to propel itself across the water. "It is! Someone must be steering it!"
"Then we can't lose it! Jet this bitch!"
"On it!"
The boat went as fast as it could, while Akamon sat there, laughing to himself the entire time. "What an interesting party."
Inside the dome…
Luca, Marachii, and the others all felt a surging motion, nearly falling to the floor.
"Are we in motion?" Luca asked. "Or is this another room trap?"
Kikai stood still. "No, not a trick. We're moving. That can only mean one thing…Lady Sirena is on the move!"
"Who is this 'Sirena?'" Yūsuke demanded. "And how does she control this entire machine?"
"She built it," Jirou admitted. "Technically Umego has claim over it, because she's willing to share, but it's hers. Just like a lot of the other stuff you see in the city."
"Wait…" Marachii paused. "Your tech haven is built by an outsider?"
Jirou turned red. "…Kinda."
Marachii shook his head. "Oh well! It's all still super cool! I wonder what Sirena is like! She must be a skilled inventor if she can build a tech dome like this!"
"Skilled is an understatement," Kikai assured him.
"What is the fastest way to her?" Naito asked.
Kikai paused, extending her arm, which displayed a holographic image of the layout of the dome. "We should probably head through the Synchronization Room, the Hangar, and the Scrap Yard. That will lead directly to the Central Chamber."
She pointed to a door. "That's the Synchronization Room. Be quiet and don't disturb the pilots, and no harm will come to you."
She walked up to the door, swiping her card, and it opened. Inside were a batch of pilots in mechs, practicing their movements and combat.
"Whoa!" Marachii gasped. "They've got mechs just like me!"
Kikai nodded. "In case we need to fight an army. Umego volunteers train here 24/7."
"Can I join?"
"No."
They walked through the room, and as Marachii tried to get close to a mech, Kikai grabbed his arm and pulled him along.
"Now for the hanger," Kikai explained. "All the vehicles ready for deployment are here. Don't fall out of the hatch."
She pointed to the open hatch, where jets and boats were exiting. "The door is that way."
"This doesn't seem so bad!" Naoki stated, relieved. "So, only one more room until we get to her?"
Kikai and Jirou stopped.
"Yeah, but I should warn you, it's not exactly a cakewalk," Jirou admitted.
"It's a scrapyard," Yūsuke pointed out. "What harm could it cause?"
"More like a terrain for looters and dangerous thieves," Jirou corrected. "But be my guest."
Jirou swiped the card, opening the door. Inside was an extremely large junkyard, which spanned for miles. There were buildings in the distance, and a garbage truck driving along the waste.
"Kikai, wanna do the honors?" Jirou suggested.
"Whatever," she scoffed. "Coward."
She entered the door, and the others followed behind her. "Now, everyone. The goal is to get to that door at the far end. We don't want any pillagers noticing us, so move with care."
But the moment Marachii stepped into the room, his foot pressed a button. "Uh-oh."
Kikai immediately turned around, her eyes wide. "Crap! Get down!"
A net ensnared both Marachii and Naito, and as Kikai tried to grab them, she too became trapped.
"Oh no!" Naoki exclaimed. "Hold on, I'll cut you out!"
Before she could reach them, a wire pulled the net away, far, far into the junkyard.
And once the wire stopped, Marachii, Naito, and Kikai found themselves surrounded by a bunch of masked thieves in torn clothing, with a burly man standing in between them.
"Well, well, well."
With one hand, he picked them up.
"What have we caught today?"
—-