Section 5: 'Elysium Under'

[Recap of previous events]
YUI and RUI barely managed to suppress the subway runaway incident.
However, the cost of the forbidden move 'C.A.C.E.' was heavy, and YUI's body sustained serious damage.

A few days later.
The two were enjoying a brief moment of silence at their hideout, 'Studio Echo', in the lower area.
But that peace is shattered by one noisy man.

Please enjoy the story while listening to this background music.

◆ The Sound of an Uninvited 'Spring'

A few days after the subway incident—

The hideout 'Studio Echo' in the lower area.

The room was filled with the scent of coffee and the faint sound of electronic cooling leaking from YUI's body.

That silence is trampled by unnaturally cheerful footsteps.

???: 'Good morning! RUI-chan, your calculation precision is angelic again today!'

The soundproof door opens vigorously.

???: 'I brought a super special find!'

The one who appeared was Ivan, a special reconnaissance agent belonging to SYMPHONIA.

Reddish-brown hair. A frivolous smile.
And a strangely endearing noisiness.

He exaggeratedly held up a flower he had been hiding in the instrument case on his back.

It was a vintage artificial flower modeled after a vibrant sunflower.

Ivan: 'Look at this! A gem I picked up at the waste district's trash heap... no, the Junk Estate!'

Ivan: 'The only sunflower in this city that doesn't know the sun. Here, a present for RUI-chan!'

RUI: 'Wow...!'

RUI's eyes sparkle.

RUI: 'Amazing... it looks real. Thank you, Ivan!'

The moment she happily tried to decorate it on top of the piano.

—Shun.

A cold metallic sound cutting through the air.

A crimson axe blade stopped just centimeters from Ivan's nose.

YUI: '...I detected unidentified chemical substances and a weak transmission signal from that "trash".'

YUI: 'Choose within 0.1 seconds whether to dispose of it immediately or have your head chopped off along with it.'

Ivan: 'Hii!?'

Ivan: 'W-wait a second, YUI-chi!? That axe is scary! I was asked to deliver a message...'

YUI: '...A report should be handled via a dedicated terminal.'

YUI: 'Logically explain the inefficient reason you came all the way here.'

Ivan shrugs and grins.

Ivan: 'W-well... y-you know! Seeing someone's face directly is what you call a "passion packet" that doesn't ride on communication.'

Ivan: 'A-and! Seeing RUI-chan's smile increases my reconnaissance precision by 30%, you know?'

YUI: '...Recalculate your safety margin with that 30%.'

YUI: 'Next time, I'll take your arm.'

RUI: 'Oh, you two, that's enough!'

RUI intervenes with a bitter smile.

RUI: '...So, Ivan. You didn't really just come to deliver a flower, did you?'

At those words, Ivan's expression changed slightly.

Ivan: '...As expected of RUI-chan.'

Ivan: 'A summons from Apollotes. Everyone, to the Elysium Under command tower immediately.'

Ivan: 'It seems... something incredible was found from the subway.'

◆ The Sanctuary 'Elysium Under'

The deepest part of Studio Echo.
The wall of the old recording booth opens, revealing a massive freight elevator.

An ark of black iron.
The relic of the old era, once used for moving equipment, is now the only gate to the underground world.

RUI: '...Can you ride it?'

YUI: '...There is no choice but to ride.'

Even as she says that, YUI's steps are heavy.
Her damaged artificial muscles were making a faint, strange noise.

RUI says nothing and takes her hand.

As YUI and RUI board and enter the special passcode, the descent begins with a heavy driving sound.

The sound of creaking wires.
Red emergency lights.
The light of the surface receding far above.

In the silence, YUI mutters softly.

YUI: '...I caused you trouble.'

RUI: 'No.'

RUI tightened her grip on her hand just a little.

RUI: 'We made it back alive, so that's 100 points.'

YUI: '...Your grading criteria are too lenient.'

RUI: '...It feels like we go to a different world every time.'

YUI: 'It actually is a different world.'

Eventually, the door opens.

What spread out before them was—

An overwhelming heat of life.

An underground city that reused a massive dam cavity from the old era.

Steam rising from giant exhaust ducts.
Water droplets flowing through exposed pipes.
The light of neon flickering on the water's surface.

Houses built from discarded speakers.
A tavern with a piano roof.
Music playing everywhere.
The metallic sound of striking scrap.

Distorted, miscellaneous, and noisy—but warm.

Those who were considered waste on the surface had names here and were laughing.

RUI: '...I'm home.'

The city reacts to those words.

◆ The City's Light

“It’s RUI!”
“YUI is back too!”
“You made it back safely!”

As if RUI’s “I’m home” was the signal, residents poked their heads out from passageways all over.

Small work machines.
Damaged old reception models.
A transport machine missing an arm.
Those who were deemed “disposable” on the surface.

Yet, in their eyes, a clear light of will resided.

Child-type A.I.D.s rushed toward RUI all at once.

RUI: “W-whoa, one hug at a time, please!”

While her hands were being pulled by small arms, RUI laughed happily.

An elderly machine that looked like a mechanic gave YUI a rough salute.

Elderly machine: “You came back broken again, didn’t you, lass?”

YUI: “It was the enemy that got broken.”

Elderly machine: “Haha. Your mouth is as lively as ever.”

Further residents called out to RUI.

“That optimization patch from the other day was the best!”
“Thanks for the decryption help!”
“Check my connection again sometime!”

RUI: “Yeah! How’s it working?”
RUI: “Of course, I’ll stop by again!”

The way she answered so guilelessly was like a light shining in the center of the city.

YUI watched the scene quietly from half a step behind.

She was different from herself, who crushed enemies as a combat type.

RUI was distributing little hopes to every corner of this city.

YUI (...I see)

YUI (What I am protecting is not just a partner)

YUI (It is the very "sound" of this city)

YUI lets out a small sigh.

YUI "...It's a noisy city."

However, her voice was somehow soft.

◆ Summoning

Elysium Under Command Center. A man wearing a silver mask stood at the headquarters, which was built behind a massive floodgate.

APOLLOTES [A-007]

Next to him stood a woman in a military uniform with her arms crossed.

GAIA [G-028]

APOLLOTES "Welcome. YUI, RUI. Thanks to you, the tragedy at the subway was kept to a minimum."

His voice was warm. But the air was heavy.

APOLLOTES "However, the battle is not over."

APOLLOTES "As a result of analyzing the signals left on the train... we have discovered an anomaly that cannot be overlooked."

The bustle of the plaza falls silent.

APOLLOTES "It is a warning that concerns the very survival of our SYMPHONIA."

YUI and RUI exchange glances.

A storm was surely approaching even the sanctuary underground.

(Section 5 End / To be continued)

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