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Three Years After Reincarnation…

Nothing made Nariko more nervous than waiting inside the cockpit of a Cipher-Frame even after countless hours inside the SimOrb something about the enclosed space made her uncomfortable. Fortunately for her, the Federation tech-priests were able to construct a Cipher-Frame designed for a demon girl.

Never thought I’d be grateful to have a harness for my tail, to be honest, her tail had been fitting be fitted into a special harness inside her cockpit to allow for more comfort.

As she looked around inside a large projection screen showing her the visual of the dark murky forest that she and her squadron had been deployed to didn’t help with her nerves.

Her pink hair with red tips was tied in a braid that draped over her left shoulder, the skin-tight black and purple coloured suit that she wore had been designed to protect her through small amounts and damage to monitor her bio and manacule signs. Covering the front of her head just under her horns was a slim metallic head-piece.

“Everyone check your mana-fuel” a gruff voice of a man came over her earpiece.

Nariko tapped a button on the side of her headpiece, suddenly an interface appeared in her vision typing out the following.

Cipher-Frame activated…

Manacule-Signs: Stable…

Armaments: Online…

“Z-5, Z-6 prep light round sparks, everyone else ready yourselves for an assault!” In front of Nariko, two other Cipher-Frame’s got in position hoisting large launchers in front of them aimed at the pitch-black before them.

“Yes sir!” everyone replied.

The Cipher frames were at least thirty to forty feet tall, their metal exoskeleton was protected by a robust efficient mana conductive material known as Drea this allowed the Frame to perform actions without severely harming the pilot themselves.

Nariko’s hands started to shake she scared after all this is to be her first real battle, she only knew what Lucifer told her about the Forsaken. Just the thought of those memories coming back to her made it that she wanted to curl up into a ball and hide.

“Lieutenant, Z-8’s Frame hasn’t come online”

Suddenly an image of an older man with short pale black hair spiked her appeared in the corner of her projection screen, his mean chiselled look made him intimidating.

“Ensign, what’s going on?”

“Probably pissing herself like every newbie” another pilot injected.

“Malarkey, remember when I told you to shut the hell up?” the Lieutenant asked.

“Yeah?” the pilot responded.

“Consider that a standing order, otherwise I’ll shoot you myself!” the Lieutenant barked back. In the distance the sound of what seemed like a laser could be heard in the distance a thin white line could be seen in an instant the bright light vanished.

“Lieutenant, mana sensors are picking up signs five hundred metres and closing”

“Listen here Nariko if you want to get through this you better grow a backbone otherwise you’re gonna die here!” the Lieutenant stated.

Nariko’s heart rate started to increase gradually making it hard for her to breath. I’m scared I’ve already died once before by that was nothing but being killed by the Forsaken will surely be worse, Nariko thought to herself unable to remain calm.

“I’m not going to babysit you, either you pull yourself together or I’ll put you out of your misery myself!” the Lieutenant barked.

“Lieutenant, contact into T-Minus forty-five”

Nariko still shaking tried to grab both of her joysticks positioned on both armrests. Each one having multiple buttons and triggers eventually her hands gripped both of the joysticks then a small current of mana was extracted from her body into the Frame fully powering it up. She slowly placed her feet in both pedals then tried to control her breathing.

Suddenly the ground started to rumble beneath them as each second went by it got louder and the ground shook violently. Sweat started to pour down Nariko’s forehead.

“I have to get it together” she chastised herself biting her lower lip as she watched her projection screen this time the ground rumbled like an earthquake on the highest Richer scale.

“Hostiles are almost on top of us!”

“Prepare to fire!” the Lieutenant ordered.

The low hum of each Cipher-Frames firearms started as each one was being powered up by mana. Nariko unable to drain out the ringing in her ears, closed her eyes shut as her body also tensed up the constant ringing in her ears eventually stopped as the first wave of Forsaken came crashing down upon them.

Axiom’s Note

Manacule is a word I created basically in this universe it’s what mana turns into when living organisms absorb it into their bodies. It works in a similar way to how your blood transports nutrients around your body.

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