Until present time, the biological reaction has been hidden by some method. It has probably been concealed in Mabase. 13:37.
Emergency security measures. 13:37.»
The approaching flying object that soared through the blue sky was Haruko, in display mode, made over in a red leotard suit, high heels, a butterfly tie choker, and bunny ears… in other words, her display-mode transformation had resulted in none other than a bunny-girl outfit! [Ha ha ha ha. Here's where you laugh. I'm laughing as I write this, so you all should laugh, too.]
Using her signature guitar as a flying surfboard, Haruko zipped through the air like she was sky surfing. And to keep her balance, the flying bunny girl stuck out her butt, which had a bunny tail attached. It was a cute sight.
"DAICON V!" With those cryptic words, Haruko fired the weapon in her hand. Her time-space interference weapon guitar was currently under her feet, so she was using the Y-shaped stick that she'd pulled from Amarao's head as a weapon. By attaching a string to the top end of the Y, she'd turned it into a makeshift slingshot.
Her target was huge, so the slingshot bullets—the bullets she'd fired from those plastic BB guns earlier—all found their target.
And when peppered by those plastic BBs, the gigantic robot suffered damaging blows equivalent to cruise missile strikes. It lost its balance, tipped over, and fell.
Because it was so huge, the buildings it collided into were destroyed, and concrete was shed everywhere. In other words, as a direct result of Haruko's attack, the damage to the town was increasing manifold.
"Look out!"
Next to Mamimi and Naota, wreckage fell to the concrete, including pieces that were the size of cars. If they were hit by debris that size, they'd be beyond saving.
Naota instinctively covered Mamimi in his arms. She was trembling with fear—but she was nothing more than an ordinary high school girl, so it was normal for her to be frightened and trembling when caught up a catastrophe of this magnitude.
Naota was outraged. Damn! What is this?! But Naota's rage wasn't directed at the enormous robot destroying the city, rather at the shuddering Mamimi.
In Naota's arms, Mamimi had her eyes shut and was repeatedly muttering as if it were a chant: "Help me, Tasuku, Tasuku, Tasuku…"
For the moment, the rain of debris had stopped. But the fallen robot was getting up again.
Hell, I was the one who saved the city! She knows that! So why doesn't she see how amazing I am?!
"I'm not my brother! Got it? I'm the one who's going to save you!"
Mamimi looked at Naota with a surprise expression that indicated she didn't understand what Takkun was saying.
That made Takkun angrier. Mamimi, this girl, she really thinks of me only as some pet, as my brother's substitute. She doesn't see me as a man.
"Look at me. I'm going to save you."
I'm going to save you!
From above them came a violent gust. At some point, Canti had arrived, and it now hovered over Naota's head. Apparently, it had come for its pilot. It was a smart robot.
Good, Naota thought. This is my opportunity, my chance to show Mamimi how great I am. I'm going to show her that I can pilot Canti and defeat this giant enemy.
With that resolve, Naota shouted as loud as possible: "CANTI!"
As ordered, the robot landed next to Naota, and its abdominal area opened up wide like a cockpit hatch.
Naota looked at Mamimi and asserted, "You got it? I'm Naota. Never call me 'Takkun' again!" And then, he jumped inside Canti.
As soon as the gap closed, the robot's body changed to a crimson color.
"Uraagh!" Not letting up, the bunny-outfitted Haruko let loose another slingshot barrage.
The bullets once again found their target—but with just a slight shift in stance, the robot was able to easily withstand the slingshot bullets that had caused such an impact earlier.
At some point, the metallic sheet poncho that covered the robot's body had changed color subtly, and the slingshot bullets probably had stopped working because of something to do with that.
MM used a seventh generation alloy in the bodies of its products, the culmination of human-subject testing wherein the alloy had been transplanted into joints, organs, blood, and living bodies. The final product was a miraculous metallic material than could become plasticlike and, in response to neutrino signals, could change into several patterns based on heat, electricity, conductivity, insulation, acid resistance, luster, solidity, catalysis, and mass. It was the same type of metal that made up Canti's body, allowing it to change color.
When the giant robot had taken Haruko's first attack, it had instantly devised a countermeasure based on the weapon's makeup, sending the data to its covering sheet.
"Drat." Realizing that it was having no effect, Haruko threw away the weapon in her hand without a second thought.
Conversely, the enormous robot had taken what looked like a handgun from under its sheet. Although the weapon held by the arm manipulator was in the shape of a gun, because of its size, it was more like a missile launcher, with a gun barrel that measured almost two meters wide.
Surprisingly quick on the trigger, the giant took aim and fired at the soaring Haruko. Twice. Thrice. The gunshots shook the air above the city, but they did not hit. Haruko's movements were just a little faster. And aiming at her was much like trying to shoot a fly with a gun.
"Heh, you suck." Haruko laughed boldly, but without a weapon, all she could do was run away. Just when she thought she would have to call for her Vespa, the bracelet on her left arm started to react again.
Something red was flying her way—Canti.
"Just my luck!" Haruko approached and leapt on top of Canti in midair; then, she took the guitar, which had been under her feet until now, in her hands. It was the guitar-shaped time-space interference weapon, an ideal choice in this situation.
The robot swiftly aimed for the approaching bunny girl riding on top of Canti; it fired, but could not hit because of the nimble, zigzagging flying maneuvers. Haruko had been amazing, but with its ability to close in and dodge bullets, Canti's flying skills were godlike.
Is that Takkun? Mamimi wondered as she watched this battle. Is Takkun really piloting that?
When they reached a close range, Haruko jumped from Canti's back. Her bunny ears streamed against the sky. She then fearlessly landed on the gun that the giant robot was holding—or rather, she landed on its barrel. Using the momentum of the speeding Canti, she had leapt over fifty meters.
Haruko calmly ran up the robot's manipulator arm and unleashed a blow on its chest area with all her strength.
White sparks flew out and the smell of ion filled the air.
Haruko kicked off the robot's body and retreated, placing the guitar underneath her feet, and once again sliding through the air as though riding a surfboard. With one guitar alone, she'd been able to engage in full aerial combat.
Haruko's attack did not result in victory, though. Indeed, the sheet area around the spot she'd hit had burned away, but that was all. The opponent was simply too large.
As Haruko tutted, Canti, who had been circling around, signaled with its thumb as if to say my turn to attack.
In midair, Canti transformed into a crimson cannon, its autonomic gun mode. Apparently, judging that there was no way to miss an opponent of that size at that distance, it didn't even use its laser sight, instead firing immediately. Of course, the result was a direct hit. Though the robot avoided getting pierced straight through by the bullet, it sustained heavy damage this time, staggering backward. The strike seemed be have been effective.