Hybrid x Heart Magias Academy Ataraxia Volume 8 - Ch 5

Hokuto was lying down on the bed in her room. In the short while of a fine afternoon, Hokuto liked to drift about in a peaceful nap.

Hokuto-sama. Please stop being irresponsible and wake up.

A female that was taking personal care of her called out with a gentle voice.

UunI dont wannaa

You are not someone who can talk selfishly. If Homura-sama dont get a hold of yourself, our world will be ruined.

Hokuto woke up reluctantly.

You are really exaggerating.

She changed clothes into the one prepared for her and exited her room. When she walked inside the palace, she passed by various people. The people working in the palace showed happy smile when they saw Hokutos figure and bowed their head. Hokuto liked seeing the smiling face of such people. Moreover, the fact that they made her smiling further made her happy and proud.

For that reason, she could endure even the long distance from her room until the throne.

However actually she was thinking that if she had to walk all the same then it was better to do it in the city. There were a lot of store in the city, there were a lot of delicious thing in the city, everyone was smiling joyfully.

I want to be taken along to city again.

She pestered to the people around her for that, but the chance for her to go outside was not many. Even her meal, she was told that the food of the mass was bad for her, she wasnt really let to eat those kind of foods.

But, the next time she went, she would absolutely want to try to eat the food in that stand. Thinking of that made her getting excited. While she was thinking of such thing, she arrived at the hall of the throne. She jumped and sat on the throne, then an old man with splendid clothing came along. Who was this person. Hokuto felt like she knew well who this person was, but she couldnt recall no matter what.

Come to think of it, the faces of the many helpers and officials around her were hazy, she also didnt know their name. She didnt know who they were. However, since Hokuto was born they had be of assistance to her all along, she had good relationship with them and they should be in a manner of speaking a family for her.

That family of her was gathering in succession. In the blink of eye the room was filled with many peole.

And then when the door of the throne hall was left open, a vast courtyard entered her eye. Several thousand of people were gathering there.

Just why is everyone here like this?

When Hokuto asked that, the old man in the most front row raised his head reverently.

Today is the day of farewell, so we are offering our parting salutation with all of us present like this.

Farewell?

Its a little different from farewell. We are becoming a part of Hokuto-sama. Everything in this world is going to be entrusted to Hokuto-sama.

Then this is not a farewell? We can meet again after this? Playing together?

Thereupon the old man made a disturbed face. Even the people lining up behind him were making sad faces.

No wayI dont wanna! I dont want any farewell.

This star is already on its end. There is no other path for us except ruin. We are entrusting the future to Hokuto-sama in our final moment, there is no one but you who can do this. Thats why, Hokuto-sama

I dont wanna!

Hokutos eyes opened.

Eh?

Hokuto was on top of the bed in her room.

She had no need to sleep. That was because her body was one that wouldnt have any problem even if she didnt take rest. Even maintenance was carried on without any suspension on her body.

That was why she wasnt supposed to see anything like dream.

However when she checked the data of the past, something like this happened sometimes.

Everyone

People that she awfully missed.

The people living in the world of the far past.

This uninhabited city was the same like that.

This space was something she created with her ability to generate natural matter by relying on the her slightly remaining memory. The objective this world was created for was different from Lemuria and Atlantis.

She wanted to reproduce the appearance of the days of yore of the world that she once lived at.

She understood that such an act had no meaning whatsoever. Thinking logically, it was a really pointless waste of energy. However she couldnt help but doing it.

The people she loved and missed.

She had to protect those people.

She had to protect the world those people lived at.

This world she created was a mere copy. A fake that she created as imitation. A modest miniature garden.

She missed those people so much her chest felt pained. Those people whose faces she couldnt even remember, just who and where in the world they were. She couldnt even remember their name anymore.

But.

Everyone lived inside her.

Thats whyeven though for everyones sake, its no goodif Im not feeling happy.

Hokuto forcefully made a smiling face and jumped out from the bed.

Now then, what to do today

At that moment, she felt an abnormal presence.

This feeling!?

Someone arrived in this world.

Thanatos? Or else Osiris, dont tell me its Odin

The presence she felt was different from any of those.

Something she didnt know, something other than herself.

An uninvited guest arrived in this world.

Not a single soul is here

It seems so. Even though there is sign of livingwhat a mysterious feeling.

Kizuna and Himekawa, also Nayuta stepped their feet toward the city of the alternate world they had emergency landing in.

This city appeared to be a city of the masses. There were orderly lined up districts, but the inside was actually a mess. The red bending tile roof and the white wall had commonness, but the buildings with various sizes were built up without any sense of unity.

{Is there no danger?}

Communication window from Reiri opened in front of Kizuna.

Yeah, it seems there is no problem for now. There is no trap or anything, there is also no existence of living thing or machine at all.

The inspection of battleship Ataraxia was finished and flew away from this island. If Hokuto was in this island, in that case they wouldnt know what kind of danger would there be. Right now the battleship had chose one of the floating island with slight distance and in the state of hiding at the shadow of that island.

{Immediately report if anything happen. Dont do anything rash no matter what.}

I understand already. It will be troublesome if the communication is detected, so Im cutting it off now.

When the window was closed, silence arrived once more. Kizuna once again looked around the surrounding.

Any of the buildings facing the street seemed like shop, they put up colorful billboard and attached decoration as they pleased. The letters were different, but the place like shopping district somewhere in earth. It had the atmosphere like a really bustling and lively town, but because there was no a single person, it instead drifted off an eerie atmosphere.

The shopfront of the stores lined up their products, and there was steam rising up from the pot of the stand. The situation felt like there were people here until just now, but something happened and all of them went somewhere all at once.

Actually this is really interesting.

It was only a little, but Nayutas voice felt a little cheery from delight. It was rare for Nayuta who usually didnt show her emotion to be like this. Kizuna looked at Nayuta who was walking ahead and spoke to her.

Did you understand something?

Nayuta stood still and twirled to turn at him. Her cheek was slightly blushing, telling him that his mothers excitement was the real thing.

I think this place is unmistakably the world that Hokuto created. I feel her existence.

Nervousness ran through Kizuna and Himekawa.

Its just, there is no mistake about that butthere is something that is a little strange.

I understand that its strange looking at his. Even though its a city that look this lively, there is not a single person here. Its strange enough, even eerie.

There is that but

Nayuta entered the shop they happened to pass as if she thought of something. Looking from the many clothes lined up there, it seemed that it was a shop that handled clothing.

Oi, where are you going?

Perhaps she didnt hear Kizunas voice, Nayuta kept advancing deeper without paying it any notice. Kizuna and Himekawa looked at each other and entered into the shop following behind Nayuta.

This is

When they entered inside the shop, there were clothes in China style lined up. But, it was a little unusual.

There are only the same clothes here

Besides the sizes are all almost about the same arent they.

When Himekawa took the clothes in her hand, she also tried lining up several of them. Thereupon, certainly all of them had about the same size. Kizuna suddenly thought, if Hokuto was in her human size without the Gear, wouldnt these clothes fit her just right?

Both of you, please try to come here.

There was a door inside the shop, Nayuta was beckoning them from in front of that door. They guessed that likely there was a warehouse or office there. Kizuna opened that door.

What, is this?

Inside there was no room or anything, only wall of rock was soaring up.

They tried to peek at the other shops and buildings, but they all had mostly the same feels. Looking from the outside, the outward appearance was properly arranged, but at the inside there were only rock surface or door or window that was fixed still.

For some reason, this is like a movie set.

Its something similar isnt it. This is the world Hokuto createdno, a fake good that is created to imitate something. In addition it is also like a bad copy with quite a bad make.

Copywait, what does that mean?

For example, the Ataraxia that I created is something reproduced from the data of the real thing in Lemuria. However this city is something created in imitation by looking at the real thing.

At first it looked like a gorgeous and splendid city, but they gradually came to look at the city like something flimsy. When they looked even closer, there were several shops with the same construction. Himekawa tilted her head with a complicated face.

However even if you say that this is imitationwhat is this imitating of?

Most likely, the world she once existed at. And in addition, perhaps it was before she became god.

Before she became god?

Kizuna once again looked around at the deserted townscape. Its gorgeous adornment caused its emptiness to be even more highlighted instead. His eyes caught a single poster pasted at a street corner.

Is something the matter Kizuna-kun?

Nothis picture photographed there.

Himekawa and Nayuta also approached that poster.

This, is itHokuto?

The photo had a great number of people with a single girl at the center. It was like a commemoration photo, but they didnt understand what the poster was for. The face of that girl was exactly the same with Hokuto. But her body was not that of the machine gods appearance, but that of a human. She displayed a smile that was happy from the bottom of her heart, just from looking they could feel how happy she was.

However what was curious, was the people around her, their faces. One person had gradation on the face, other person was painted off, another one had only the face part torn off, there was no human inside the picture that had their face pictured.

Somehowit looks scary.

Yeah. Just what in the world, this means

Fierce explosive sound thundered, tremor was transmitted underneath them.

Kizuna took off his eye from the poster and out his guard toward the direction where the sound came from.

You allhow did you come into my world?

The ground caved in and a fissure traveled along the ground. Vapor and dust cloud were rising up from the ground. Inside that mist, there was a girl in red China dress at the center of a depression on the ground.

Deus ex Machina Hokuto.

However her figure was without armor. She looked exactly like human.

She was similar.

With that girl in the poster.

And then she showed the same smile like the girl in the poster. But, even though it should be the same it looked different somewhere. That smile had a hidden side that was different somehow.

This saves the trouble of looking for you all, is what I want to say butjust how this happen? Before this too you all suddenly vanished and I couldnt even chase after you, how did you come here

Hokutos eyes stopped at the little girl with the smallest body among them.

I see. This is your doing isnt it.

Yes. Its an honor to be noticed once more.

Hmph, Hokuto sniffed her nose.

To use that Genesis and trying to becoming the same like us

However my completion rate is still lacking. I will have you hand over your data for reference together with the data of our worlds.

I wont return that data just so you know. Because the experiment failed we cannot continue, but with the harvested data as the base, it will serve as the clue to restore my world.

Restoringyour world?

Kizuna couldnt understand the content of what Hokuto was talking about. But, they could understand that different from Kizuna and others, the world where Hokuto once existed at was unable to be restored because of some kind of reason. This world was also this badly made because of that.

Thats why, it helped that you all come here by yourself! Ill also turn all of you into data here and retrieve it cleanly!

Lines of light ran over Hokutos body. Metallic lump and complicated machines materialized from there. That was a sight that ignored law of physics. From Hokutos slender body, machine and armor that no matter how one saw it couldnt possibly be stored inside there were pouring out. The materialized machines interlaced mutually and became enlarged. It was like unseen hands were performing assembling work. And then in the blink of eye Hokutos body was wrapped in an armor that was shaped after Kirin.

Looking up at that figure, Kizunas breath got caught. He was overwhelmed by Hokuto who displayed her figure as Deus ex Machina. Originally they planned to invest all their battle strength in an all-out battle including Vatlantis and Izgard. But the fact was currently they were in a situation where they had to fight with only Kizuna and Himekawa. Nayuta too if she exerted her strength as machine god then she would become a battle strength, but it was unknown how much useful she would be in the current state. Besides, she was someone they couldnt trust in the first place.

But, there was no other choice but to fight.

Here we go! Eros!!

Kizunas body was wrapped in jet black armor. It was the Heart Hybrid Gear that was just like usual. The black armor that already became completely familiar to his body had pink lines of magic power running over it. Although his Core had been reinstalled, the appearance didnt change at all. But,

Neros!!

The radiance wrapping Himekawas body made Kizunas eyes almost got blinded. The strength of that brightness was displaying sublimity, it had the meaning that the level of what she equipped was different from anything until now. Even the radiance of the magic power Himekawa emitted, and the thickness of the light particles also had wide difference than before. The brightness enveloping her body didnt shrink and expanded widely like wings.

The beautiful dazzling light spreading several times bigger than Himekawas body finally stopped expanding and instead the magic power condensed and increased in thickness.

And then when the veil of light was cleared away, a new Heart Hybrid Gear manifested.

This is!?

After the brightness cleared up, the first thing that Himekawa felt out of place about was the difference in scenery.

The location of her point of view was high. Kizunas face that looked up at her in shock was located around her waist. And then when the armor wrapping her body entered her eyes when she looked down, she opened her eyes wide.

Amazing

Himekawa breathed out a sigh of admiration. The armor she equipped wasnt the Neros that Himekawa knew. Red large fuselage. It was as though it was a fuselage of the same rank with the Deus ex Machina floating in the air, however it also had the trace of Neros in it.

A sharp silhouette even with its large scale. Form with a close resemblance like a polished Japanese katana. If the previous Gear was like a casual outfit, the armor attached on her body right now was like a battle outfit with heavy armament. No, perhaps it was more fitting to say it like an infantry turning over into jet fighter.

While the fuselage itself was large, there was no pointless protector attached on the body of Himekawa herself. It could even be thought like an expression of confidence, that no harm would reach the pilot. Because of that, her beautiful body line looked even more emphasized.

Armor was increasing little by little from her visibly exposed shoulders until her elbow before the armor was changing into a tough mechanical arm that extended the length of Himekawas arm.

Her point of view became high because the armor part of her leg was large. The armor enveloping her thigh stretched until her toe and underneath it there was mechanical knee joint. A blade was mounted around her waist like a Japanese katana that was mechanized, on her back four sharp blades were floating like wings. Their whole length was less than two meter, there were thrusters in each part while radiance of magic power was flowing on the blade. In a glance, rather than calling them sword it was more fitting to call them as outrageously slender aircraft. It was like they were impatiently waiting for Himekawas order anytime that they were hovering while moving up and down.

There are, the new Blades.

Regardless that what she wore was a completely new Gear, Himekawa could comprehend everything of it.

This isthe rebirth Neros.

Looking up at the new Neros, Nayuta nodded in satisfaction.

Great craftmantship. With that, surely its possible to oppose even Deus ex Machina.

Himekawa looked down at Nayuta.

Can I reallyfight against that Deus ex Machina? Before this I cannot do a single thing against her.

To Himekawa who directed anxious eyes at her, Nayuta replied back kindly.

The reinstall is for that sake. I dont do anything meaningless. Saying it in reverse, the only one who can protect this world right now are only you and Kizuna.

However Kizunas appearance looked exactly the same just like before in Himekawas eye. Could he really fight against Deus ex Machina? Even Kizuna might be anxious, he was showing a grim expression and faced Nayuta.

Hey, do I really have to test that you-know-what?

Yes. I was convinced after looking around