38. Full-line bypass, and, free fall

"Why?" 2B asked. She had been watching coldly from the side the entire time.

She did not know what Li Nuo was doing, what he was saying, or what he was thinking. World fusion, dusk and dawn, tidal locking—she was merely an android that had just been manufactured. She had no feelings. She had no understanding. She had only obedience to the YoRHa squadron and the mantra: "Glory to mankind."

"For a better future." Li Nuo took off his mask, flashing a smile on that harmless-looking face.

[Summoning Materia]
[Quality: Epic]
[Minimum Requirement: Spirit Power 30]
[Effect 1: Randomly determines the available summon; duration varies by summon.]
[Effect 2: Allows selection of a previously encountered and interacted-with summon, though the summoned creature will not be under the user's control.]
[Effect 1 Available Summons: Diablos, Juvenile Leviathan, Tonberry, Cactuar, Moogle, Chocobo.]
[Summoning Condition: Mana costs vary; if the summoner’s spirit power is insufficient, 99% of their maximum HP will be deducted.]
[Description: As everyone knows, on a journey to challenge eight gyms and become the League Champion, there will always be six little monsters by your side.]

The Materia could not be used when first obtained due to environmental restrictions. But now, as the shroud over the sky had been torn open, the night sky from "Final Fantasy" invaded the daylight, and magic flowed into this world along with the night. The [Summoning Materia] had been awakened.

The primary condition for using the [Summoning Materia] was a Spirit Power of 30. Of everyone present, only 2B likely possessed it.

"Li Nuo... can you tell me what your goal actually is?" Chen Shou asked from the side. "Hasn't the mission already been completed?"

"During the five minutes after the main quest is finished, while players prepare to return to the train, we can accomplish a lot." Li Nuo pointed toward the center of the Flower of Destruction, at the female "human body" that was growing larger and larger, reaching out to stroke the night sky. "For example, destroying it."

Chen Shou felt his brain had short-circuited. He had even forgotten the rule that players could earn gold coins by attacking each other at this time. He just felt it was too insane. What for?

Li Nuo looked down. A hundred meters below, some resistance members were running out of the factory. Looking down from the top of the tower, the resistance members were as small as ants, just like their status in their native world: cannon fodder that had been abandoned, bellflowers that would topple at the slightest gust of wind.

At the convenience store, he had told that injured resistance member, "No one will die." He couldn't guarantee it, but he could at least try. If he succeeded, wouldn't there be more rewards?

The root of the tragedy began with "Drakengard 3," but that story was too long, and Li Nuo didn't want to recall it. He only knew that the Flower of Destruction was the beginning and end of all tragedies in the Nier world. Whether it stayed here, was transported to other worlds with the resistance, or returned to the original Nier world, as long as the flower existed, it would bring about a new round of destruction.

Unless, he destroyed it!

"2B, stop asking, please," Li Nuo said.

"Bahamut, is that it?" 2B asked.

Li Nuo nodded.

"Understood."

2B raised the Materia, holding it level with her eyes. If she were a player, she would have heard a series of system verification prompts.

[Spirit Power has reached 30.]

[Please select your summoning method.]

At the same time:
[Countdown: 1 minute. Players, prepare to board the train.]

"Repeat after me, 2B." Li Nuo stood opposite her, the glowing Materia between them. He said word by word: "Please summon the Bahamut I have encountered."

2B: "Please summon the Bahamut I have encountered."

Li Nuo: "Let It destroy the Flower of Destruction."

2B: "Let It destroy the Flower of Destruction."

2B suddenly felt a sensation she had never experienced before. She felt her breathing become difficult; an extreme excitement and loss spread through her heart. Androids were not supposed to have emotions. However, as the power of the Materia, laden with magic, was awakened by her, the source of that magic was rousing the dormant feelings of the android.

Her entire body suddenly went limp. What 2B did not know was that the strength of the creature summoned by the [Summoning Materia] was too high, and it was draining her "HP." According to the settings, she would soon be reduced to only 1% of her health.

As her consciousness drifted, a burst of intense light woke her. A dazzling beam shot from the Materia straight into the sky.

The sky changed.

The night sky shone with a radiance as bright as day. Amidst churning clouds, a circular sun composed of countless eerie magical lines slowly condensed and rose. This strange sun grew deeper, its color darkening until a black sun eclipsed the moon, gradually manifesting into a colossal entity.

It returned the night to the heavens and cast fear upon the earth.

A six-winged dragon stood in the sky. The Dragon King, Bahamut, had descended.

"What is that!!!" the girl with the ponytail pointed at the sky from below the factory.

"Hurry, ignore that for now!"

"But they're still up there, Commander!!"

Commander Anemone: "Retreat first..."

Before she could finish, Bahamut let out a fierce roar. As it suddenly spiraled in the air, the wind pressure from its wings rushed forward like an invisible tidal wave. The silent storm tore everything apart; dust, metal plates, machine lifeforms, androids—everything was as insignificant as paper scraps before it.

The scenery rushed backward. The view passed through one abandoned skyscraper after another. Looking down from the top of the giant city, the girl stared at the creature in the distance, radiating an eerie, holy interweaving. The girl with long white hair brushed her bangs aside, her gray-blue eyes fixed on the sight.

"What is it...?"

At the top of the factory tower, 2B had collapsed into a coma, her health drained by the [Summoning Materia]. The giant creature at the heart of the Flower of Destruction reached out toward Bahamut, but its hand was instantly engulfed in flames. Two strange and powerful beings began to clash under the night sky.

But there was no suspense in this conflict from the start. How could a flower that destroys worlds compete with the dragon that destroys worlds?

[Countdown: 20 seconds. Players, prepare to board the train.]

Li Nuo used the [Emil Mask] to scan Bahamut’s data, but the result was a splitting headache; the gap in power was too vast to be probed. The night sky was illuminated by flames, and Bahamut held scorching fire in its jaws.

"I, I, I, I'm done for!!!" Chen Shou wailed, clutching his head.

At the same time, 9S looked at Li Nuo calmly and asked, "Was this part of your calculation?"

"Obviously, a single fire blast from Bahamut could destroy this entire factory," Li Nuo said, his voice steady, as if speaking of something completely unrelated to him.

What Li Nuo had done was nothing more than a gamble. If he timed the summoning of Bahamut perfectly, it would work. If the Dragon King appeared after the players had already left, he would simply have to abandon the possibility of triggering new rewards for killing the Flower of Destruction. If Bahamut appeared quickly, it would still take 5 to 10 seconds to manifest, and after appearing, it would certainly pose; using a high-power breath attack would also require a wind-up, totaling at least 10 seconds. In total, about 25 seconds. Plus 2B’s 15-second chant for the Materia, that was about 40 seconds.

Li Nuo: "Jump off the building in the last 5 seconds."

Chen Shou: "Huh?"

9S grabbed Chen Shou and shouted, "Listen to him!"

"And... 2B." Li Nuo took out the [Random Value MOD Poké Ball], counted down the final seconds in his heart, and threw it at 2B. When the ball touched her soft waist, with a "pop," it seemed to open its mouth, and 2B was sucked in as a red light.

Li Nuo ran over and quickly picked up the ball. After letting it wobble three times in his hand, he suddenly and uncontrollably raised it and shouted, "I caught you!"

"What are you doing!!!" 9S roared, having already dragged Chen Shou to the edge of the tower roof.

Li Nuo ran over, feeling ashamed. I don't know what happened either...

Just then, the sky exploded with radiance!

Bahamut roared, its dragon breath releasing scorching flames that swept across the area. The top level of the tower was instantly destroyed by the incoming heat!

[Hidden Boss "Flower of Destruction" has been killed.]
[Special quest line fully completed.]
[Main quest fully completed.]
[True main quest "This World is So Wonderful" has been completed.]
[All players who passed the scenario mission will be granted special...]

Amidst the dust and metal debris, the three of them lunged out. They had no mind to look at the settlement panel popping up from the system; they only stared at the hundred-meter drop to the ground!

"Ahhhhhhhhhh!" Chen Shou missed home.

"Don't panic!" Li Nuo shouted from behind, holding the Poké Ball. "It takes 4 seconds to fall a hundred meters!"

The smoke and scorching explosions followed them. The hard earth waited below.

They were going to die... they were going to fall to their deaths! Chen Shou panicked, his pupils dilating in an instant.

Li Nuo smiled happily. The explosive flames and collapsing building wreckage were already closing in behind him. He opened his arms, relaxed.

The system would never be late.

"One."

Ten meters from the ground.

A train whistled, and in an instant, it tore through the dimensional wall and scooped them inside.

[Players have boarded the train.]
[Mission complete.]