Chapter 117: Intelligence

“You can’t maintain the most up-to-date intelligence flow from the rear, you know that, right?” Masaki Hinaki said nonchalantly.

“Besides, you Agents deal with Erosion, while we and the Special Disaster Division deal with people. That’s perfectly normal, isn’t it?”

“If something were to happen to you two, both organizations would be thrown into chaos…”

Ephnel sighed.

“So, is there any intelligence on the ‘Angel’?”

“Come this way.”

Masaki Hinaki stood up and led Ephnel towards a room on the other side.

“Speaking of which, I don’t see your sister. I was hoping to have a word with her in person.”

“The Erosion Organism subjugation is complete, isn’t it? This isn’t part of an Agent’s duties, so I had her return to Fushihara Ayaka’s side to await orders.”

“After today, will you continue to let her stay by your side? I mean, by ‘Ephnel’s’ side.”

Ephnel’s expression flickered slightly as the images of Saori and Rin flashed before her eyes.

In the matter between Saori and Rin, Ephnel was an observer, or rather, a supporting character and participant.

From Saori, Ephnel sensed a genuine emotion, identical and in no way inferior to what she herself felt for Yukina.

Without a doubt, Saori’s feelings for Rin were no different from her own feelings for Yukina.

By that same token, if Ephnel stubbornly continued down the path her old self had chosen, she would likely be met with Yukina’s disappointment and hurt expression in the end.

“I don’t know…”

Ephnel didn’t answer Masaki Hinaki directly, instead burying her true thoughts deep in her heart.

Just then, Masaki Hinaki pushed open the door in front of them.

The figures of Yonomori Nami, Ayse, and Erincia appeared before them, huddled around a computer, looking at something.

Upon seeing Masaki Hinaki and Ephnel, they each offered a greeting, and then Ephnel and Masaki Hinaki approached the computer.

An image was displayed on the screen.

“Commander, this is the clearest photo we’ve been able to capture so far.”

Yonomori Nami sat in front of the computer, her fingers tapping rapidly across the keyboard.

The image on the screen refreshed frame by frame, becoming clearer.

Ephnel, Erincia, and Ayse stood to the side, watching quietly.

Masaki Hinaki squinted, glanced at Ephnel, and said softly.

“Zoom in.”

“Okay…”

Soon, the image on the screen was magnified significantly.

Looking at the enlarged, blurry image, Masaki Hinaki frowned.

On the screen was a slender girl in white.

This was the entity currently standing guard outside the “defensive line” between the “Outer Boundary” and the “Boundary Monument,” the one known as the “Angel.”

“She’s wearing a mask… this one.”

Ephnel furrowed her brow, then looked at Yonomori Nami.

“So this is the so-called ‘Angel’? Can we track her signal?”

“We can’t. She seems to be able to block the Boundary Monument’s ‘feedback.’ All we have right now is information on the type of energy she uses.”

“Energy type? Any clues?”

“It has to do with the fact that the ‘Angel’ uses Erosion energy.”

Masaki Hinaki explained, and Yonomori Nami added, “Yes… what she uses is the very same Erosion energy that constitutes Erosion Organisms, the kind born from the appearance of the White Hole Erosion. Thanks to this, her attacks are unable to penetrate the Boundary Monument’s ‘barrier net’…”

“But in the area outside the ‘net,’ there’s nothing we can do.”

Masaki Hinaki spread her hands.

Yonomori Nami promptly brought up a photo taken from a helicopter.

Looking down from the sky, one could see that the area outside the protection of the “barrier net” had already been reduced to a pile of ruins.

The numerous defensive fortifications that had once stood there had been completely obliterated by the “Angel.”

Ephnel took a deep breath.

“So, although she’s troublesome, she can’t do anything to us for the time being. Is that right?”

“You could say that, yes… but if this continues, we won’t be able to maintain or rebuild the outer facilities. In that case, the western line will become Seikyo City’s weakest point… it would be very bad if things stay like this.”

“Play the previous recording again.”

Masaki Hinaki said.

“Understood…”

With a few clicks, Yonomori Nami typed with her fingers, and a video began to play.

The video was blurry.

The girl called the “Angel” could be vaguely seen descending from mid-air.

Then, a blinding beam of light erupted from her palm, piercing through a thick protective wall in a single strike.

This attack continued to strafe the defensive fortifications in the garrison’s outer perimeter.

In just a few minutes, the large area was utterly destroyed.

The video ended the moment the white light fell upon the camera processor.

“It’s nothing to laugh about… no matter how many times I see it, it’s just outrageous…”

Masaki Hinaki sighed and looked at Ephnel.

“This level of attack is completely beyond human capabilities, isn’t it? Not even an Agent can utilize energy like that…”

Ayse and Erincia glanced at each other, then both looked at Ephnel.

Ayse raised her right hand and said, “Senior Ephnel might be able to do it… Her ‘Stairway’ far exceeds our level in terms of duration, maximum force it can withstand, and the number she can generate at once. Plus, the time interval between each generation is also remarkably short.”

“But isn’t that a ‘fundamental’ use set by the ‘Beacon’ program? It’s completely different from the energy beams that Angel-thing uses…”

“That’s true…”

There is a limit to the amount of Order energy an Agent can call upon at any one time.

The utilization rate is also limited.

This limit varies between Agents.

Simply put, each Agent has a different “output energy level,” which is reflected in their “aptitude.”

A very important reason why Ephnel became one of the top Agents is that she possesses an astonishingly high level of aptitude.

Because of this, her combat style differs significantly from that of other Agents.

This was why Ayse would say such a thing.

“‘Angel,’ huh… I don’t find that name amusing at all.”

Ephnel frowned, looking at the scene in the video.

“Right? To brazenly call itself an ‘Angel.’ If ‘God’ is something like this, that’s just too disgusting.”

Masaki Hinaki smiled.

“But I’m an atheist, you know.”

“Is the ‘Angel’ still out there? Hasn’t it left?”

“Correct.”

Yonomori Nami typed on the keyboard. “Ever since she destroyed the outer defenses, she hasn’t moved a single inch.”

“Just staring in the direction of the Boundary Monument?”

“It seems that way…”

“Tsk…”

Ephnel took a deep breath and rubbed her chin.

“The ‘Angel’… hasn’t it already been confirmed that she can’t cross the ‘barrier net’? In that case, I have a proposal.”

“I know what you’re thinking. You plan to go test her out, don’t you?”

Masaki Hinaki put on a poker face, but she didn’t hide the profound meaning in her eyes.

She looked at Ephnel and asked, “The intelligence we have indicates that the ‘Angel’ is completely immune to our firearms and artillery. Her effective attack range is over 200m, and her energy beam attenuates and completely disappears within 50m after being intercepted by the ‘net’—so here’s the problem. Any deployed personnel must maintain a sufficient attack distance to be considered safe, but Agents don’t have a freakish skill like an energy beam attack. Moreover, if an Agent is defeated, they will be completely cut off from our artillery support, which could lead to unforeseen consequences.”

Masaki Hinaki quickly laid out the intelligence and added.

“In other words, for an Agent to engage, they would be facing a considerable degree of danger. Are you still willing to try, even knowing that?”

“I’m just going to throw a spear at her. It won’t be a problem.”

Ephnel gave a noncommittal response to Masaki Hinaki’s words, her eyes fixed on the computer screen.