The helicopters roared through the desolate Abydos desert, the steel laboratory building now in sight.
As Dan Kuroto's armed helicopter force was spotted, the Kaiser PMC forces stationed there opened fire on the approaching helicopters.
Sentry machine guns spat fire, surface-to-air missiles roared into the sky, mechs armed with Stinger missiles aimed at the helicopters, and soldiers piloting large mechs also aimed their cannons at the sky.
Under Dan Kuroto's control, each attack helicopter unleashed its firepower to the limit. The dispersed helicopters perfectly overlapped, covering all the surrounding ground firing positions of the entire laboratory—attack helicopters were ruthless near-ground reapers; those weaklings in movies that could be taken down by a single infantry rocket were nothing compared to real attack helicopters!
"Those helicopters—damn it, they were supposed to be our air force!"
The Kaiser soldiers fleeing in terror were furious, their vacuum tubes practically exploding.
"How did the enemy do that? How can they have ace pilots who can fly helicopters like that?"
"We haven't been able to contact the director until now, and the troops ahead have lost signal..."
Another mechanical soldier hung up the communicator in frustration. Unbeknownst to him, the troops ahead had already been wiped out, so naturally no one answered his plea for help.
"Captain, our anti-aircraft firepower wasn't enough to begin with. What do we do now?"
"Now…"
The mechanical soldier captain was also stumped; his mind couldn't calculate how to break out of this situation. Completely suppressed by aerial fire, they only had one option left.
"Retreat inside the laboratory and contact Lord Black Suit immediately!"
While Dan Kuroto's armed helicopter was engaged in battle with the Kaiser forces, from the distant desert in the direction they had come from, an off-road vehicle was speeding forward. The dust it kicked up caught the attention of those on the helicopter.
"That's… a vehicle?"
With her excellent eyesight, Serika immediately spotted the convertible SUV heading their way.
The more she looked, the more familiar the driver seemed, though the distance was a bit too great for her to make out clearly—
"It's Nonomi-san!"
Shiroko recognized the hair immediately—the long hair billowing in the strong wind—it was the girl they had always known, the emotionally rich, gentle, and kind girl.
"It's Nonomi-san." Sensei, his hand resting on the windowpane, watched the figure rapidly catching up with the helicopter. "I've always believed that we are all good friends who will support each other."
"Great, it seems Nonomi-san received my email."
At Abydos School, Ayane breathed a sigh of relief and smiled. "At times like these, everyone should be together; that's the best outcome!"
The accelerator was floored, ignoring the SUV's groaning exhaust fumes; Nonomi no longer cared about anything.
"It's pathetic, isn't it, feeling sorry for myself..."
Just because she can't do it, should she give up entirely?
Nonomi slammed on the gas pedal. Her phone, clipped to the car mount, displayed the coordinates sent by Ayane.
"A miracle or a divine intervention!"
All that's needed is the courage to face all hardships.
The rest is the work of adults.
"Please lend me this power!"
This tragic ending needs the correction of a 'miracle'!
Having wiped away her tears, Nonomi no longer needed to hide in her room.
To avoid making a decision she would regret for the rest of her life, she resolutely defied her parents' objections and, with only a surge of courage, rushed to the heart of the desert to reunite with her companions!
"Nonomi-san!!"
A call popped up on her phone. Ayane answered, her voice choked with excitement coming through the receiver.
"—Welcome back!!!"
"Ayane-san!"
Like a scene from a youth drama, the clichéd yet heart-wrenching cry instantly filled Nonomi's eyes with tears.
"Yes! I'm back!"
"—Let me speak first!! Nonomi-senpai! Even though I don't know what happened, let's fight side by side again!"
"Nonomi-san, welcome back."
The familiar voices made her chest burn like fire. Long-suppressed pain seemed to vanish in that instant.
Finally, it was Sensei's voice.
"Nonomi-san, let's bring Hoshino-kun back together."
After all the Kaiser PMC ground forces were wiped out and all ground defenses were uprooted, the helicopter carrying Dan Kuroto and the others leisurely landed at the laboratory entrance, where Nonomi's SUV was already parked.
Dan Kuroto was the first to emerge from the helicopter. He had already realized that Nonomi was the one who issued the request. After stepping down from the helicopter, Dan Kuroto immediately examined the girl before him.
She looked more mature than expected, more like an upperclassman than the others, even a bit more mature than that. Her long golden hair fluttered in the desert wind, and the excitement on her face hadn't faded.
When she saw Dan Kuroto, she visibly paused.
"...Huh?"
"Hello, Miss Nonomi."
Dan Kuroto didn't extend his hand but instead put his hands behind his back. "This is our first meeting, isn't it? You're very lucky to have met me and to have had your request accepted."
"You..." Nonomi was taken aback, "You're the one who accepted my request!?"
From behind Dan Kuroto, Shiroko, Serika, and Ayane's drones leaped out of the cockpit one after another. Sensei also emerged, while Hanemi, after parking her drone, stood quietly behind Dan Kuroto.
"Nonomi-san!"
Before Nonomi could react, Shiroko was the first to rush forward, hugging her tightly. Ayane's drone swayed from side to side, its voice coming through the channel. "Great, Nonomi-san, you made it!"
"Mmm…" Nonomi hugged Shiroko tightly. "This time, it's something important that we can't be late for."
...
Kaiser Secret Experiment Base.
"Rider—kick!"
The heavy metal door was kicked open by the purple Rider, and students armed with guns filed in. Sensei, as their commander, calmly issued orders to the students, instructing them to eliminate the Kaiser soldiers blocking their path in the most efficient and perfect manner.
Three minutes later, only one room remained before reaching the center of the laboratory.
"It's time."
Boom—!
The man straightened his black suit, checking one last time that his attire was appropriate, tightened his collar, turned, and bowed politely to the group that had burst through the door.
"Welcome to the Abydos Desert Central Laboratory. My name is 'Black Suit,' and I have been waiting for you."
----