Chapter 15 – Five Centimeters

Myrrh let out a fierce battle cry as she charged forward, her laser sword gleaming in her hand like a beam of pure light. She pointed its tip directly at the towering gorilla-type Cosmic Beast, the air around them thick with tension. The beast pounded its massive chest in a threatening display, bellowing with a roar that shook the ground beneath them. It raised a colossal fist and brought it crashing down with terrifying force.

In a flash, Myrrh darted backward, her mechanical limbs propelling her just in time to avoid the devastating blow. The beast’s fist slammed into the earth, creating a massive crater that sent dust and debris flying in all directions. The ground trembled under the impact, but the beast’s blow had landed on nothing but air and stone.

“Gotcha, bitch!” Myrrh shouted triumphantly, her voice dripping with confidence. She launched herself into the air, her movements a blur, and with a swift slash of her laser sword, she severed the Cosmic Beast’s right arm cleanly at the joint. The detached limb tumbled across the cracked ground, rolling to a stop in the desolate, abandoned park.

“HH(()%@NF!” The Cosmic Beast let out a distorted, guttural wail, its voice a mix of fury and pain.

“Shut the hell up!” Myrrh growled, leaping forward with lightning speed. Her mechanical legs coiled, then released, delivering a brutal roundhouse kick that sent the enormous creature flying through the air. The beast hurtled several blocks away, crashing into the distance with a resounding boom.

“I think Myrrh’s got this,” I muttered to myself, a small smile tugging at the corner of my mouth as I watched her dominate the battlefield.

Even so, I couldn’t shake the nagging sense of urgency. The hospital felt like a temporary sanctuary, but staying there wasn’t an option. I needed to relocate. Thankfully, most of the patients had already evacuated, leaving the halls eerily empty. Now, I could ride the elevator down without any interruptions, though the quiet felt oppressive.

The elevator descended quickly, but in the pit of my stomach, it wasn’t fast enough. Myrrh was out there, risking her life against that monstrous beast, and every second counted. I glanced at my watch’s display, pulling up the status of Myrrh’s Frame Unit. So far, she had only sustained minor damage to her right arm and left leg. Her laser sword and light shield were still fully operational—thank god for that.

“I just hope those weapons are enough until I get there,” I muttered under my breath, anxiety bubbling in my chest.

The elevator chimed softly, a sound that felt almost out of place amidst the chaos unfolding outside. Finally, the doors slid open, revealing the empty, sterile expanse of the hospital’s main lounge. It was deserted, eerily still, save for the flashing red alerts blaring from the hospital's PA system and the repeating warnings on every monitor screen. Despite the absence of people, the alarms continued their grim chorus.

I wasted no time, bolting through the vacant space, my footsteps echoing in the hollow silence. Once outside, I veered left, following the rumbling vibrations in the earth that pulsed beneath my feet. The tremors grew stronger with every step, a constant reminder of the battle waging just ahead.

When I reached the man-made park, my breath caught in my throat. There, amidst the devastation, stood Myrrh in her fully transformed Frame Unit form, locked in combat with the massive, hulking form of the gorilla-type Cosmic Beast. Dust swirled around them as they clashed, their battle shaking the very foundations of the ground.

“K^(KNBIK^^&()(!” The Cosmic Beast howled, its deep, garbled voice vibrating through the air as it pounded its chest with its remaining arm, fury blazing in its eyes.

“Oh, getting mad now, are you?” Myrrh taunted with a sly grin, her voice dripping with confidence. Without hesitation, she charged forward, her movements a blur of mechanical precision.

The beast roared in response, leaping high into the air, preparing to bring down its massive fist in a devastating hammer strike. But Myrrh was ready. With expert timing, she angled her light shield, tilting it just enough to catch the blow. The Cosmic Beast’s attack crashed into the shield, but instead of absorbing the full force, the slanted shield deflected the impact downward. The beast’s massive fist slid along the surface of the shield, its momentum redirected into the ground, sending shockwaves through the earth but leaving Myrrh unscathed.

“Smart move,” I thought, impressed by her tactical brilliance.

“Now, let’s take away that other arm!” Myrrh roared, her voice full of fire. She leapt into the air, spinning like a whirlwind, the laser sword in her hand gleaming with lethal intent. In a dazzling display of skill, she brought the blade down in a swift, clean slash. The sword cut through the Cosmic Beast’s left shoulder effortlessly, as though slicing through soft cheese, severing the remaining arm in one fluid motion.

The Cosmic Beast staggered backward, its grotesque form convulsing as it prepared to let out another distorted, inaudible cry. But Myrrh didn’t give it the chance. With lightning speed, she followed up her attack by ramming her light shield directly into the beast’s throat. The impact was brutal—so fierce that the Cosmic Beast choked, its monstrous form recoiling in shock and pain. Myrrh, showing no mercy, quickly jumped back, releasing her grip on the shield embedded in the creature’s windpipe.

Now free of the cumbersome shield, Myrrh’s hand was empty—too empty. Instinctively, I knew she’d need a new weapon to finish the fight. My fingers flew across my WEEB System interface as I hurriedly selected the [Beam Rifle] option.

“Beam Rifle, Equip!” I shouted, thrusting my left hand toward Myrrh as though guiding the command with my very will.

In the blink of an eye, Myrrh’s left hand shimmered, and a sleek, powerful beam rifle materialized in its place. She wasted no time, quickly aiming the weapon at the Cosmic Beast’s head. The rifle hummed ominously as it charged, and then—without hesitation—Myrrh pulled the trigger. A searing green laser erupted from the barrel, cutting through the air with lethal precision. The beam blasted straight through the beast’s skull, a brilliant streak of energy that left a smoldering hole where its head once was.

The Cosmic Beast stood frozen for a moment, as if the sheer power of the strike had stunned even its massive form. Then, with a slow, thunderous crash, it collapsed to the ground. The impact shattered the man-made park beneath it, leaving a trail of devastation in its wake. The ground trembled one last time as the beast lay still, its reign of terror finally over.

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We had won.

“I… I did it!” Myrrh’s voice rang out with excitement, her glowing blue eyes locking onto mine from across the battlefield. Her joy was contagious, radiating through her Frame Unit’s towering, twenty-meter-tall body. “No, we did it, Zaft! That’s our first Cosmic Beast kill!”

“Y-yeah, good job,” I replied with a smile, raising my hand in a thumbs-up gesture. The pride in my chest swelled as I looked at her.

Myrrh responded by pumping her fists in the air like an ecstatic teenager, her robotic form moving with a playful exuberance that seemed at odds with her giant, metallic frame. Even though she was currently a towering machine of war, the way she celebrated in that moment—gleeful and innocent—made her irresistibly cute.

However, our celebration was short-lived. The aftermath of the battle had drawn unwanted attention. From the shadows of the sky, another Cosmic Beast loomed—this one a monstrous, bat-like creature. Its towering, twenty-meter form sliced through the clouds as it soared, its grotesque features becoming clearer by the second. Its wings spread wide, leathery and jagged, with talons that resembled the deadly claws of a sloth. Eight glistening eyes, reminiscent of a spider’s, locked onto Myrrh, gleaming with a predatory hunger.

“Gya0000000aggh@$!!” The bat-type Cosmic Beast shrieked, a deafening, unnatural cry that sent chills down my spine. It angled its wings, gliding toward us with terrifying speed, the air vibrating from the force of its flight.

“Myrrh!” I shouted in alarm, my heart pounding.

“I know!” she responded, her voice sharp with focus. Myrrh quickly raised her beam rifle, adjusting the scope with mechanical precision as she aimed at the rapidly approaching threat. Just as her finger tightened on the trigger, something unexpected—something catastrophic—happened.

Out of nowhere, a powerful beam of energy shot across the battlefield from a different direction, tearing through the air like a bolt of lightning. It slammed into Myrrh’s right arm with devastating force. The explosion was instant and violent—her arm disintegrated, metal chunks and sparks flying in all directions. The blast shook the ground as her frame unit recoiled from the impact.

“Kyah!” Myrrh screamed, her voice filled with pain as she crashed onto the asphalt, her massive body hitting the city street with a sickening thud. The ground cracked beneath her, and dust rose into the air, obscuring her form.

“Myrrh!” Panic surged through me as I sprinted toward her fallen body, fear gnawing at my insides. I skidded to a stop beside her massive metallic head, my heart racing. “Are you okay?”

“I… I’m fine,” Myrrh groaned, her voice strained with pain. Slowly, she raised the remnants of her blasted arm, the sight of the twisted metal making my stomach churn. “As long as my core is intact, my human body is safe. But I can’t lie—it hurts… it hurts so much, as if it were my own body!”

Several beam rifle lasers rained down around us, sizzling through the air with deadly precision. Fortunately, Myrrh was already sprawled on the ground, her fallen position shielding her from the onslaught. The surrounding cityscape offered unexpected cover, the tall buildings absorbing the destructive energy of the beams as they streaked past.

“What the hell was that?” I shouted, my voice cracking under the tension.

“That came from a beam rifle, the same kind as ours,” Myrrh replied, her tone urgent as she pushed herself into a crouching position, her metallic frame shifting with a groan. “It’s another Frame Unit, about eight hundred meters southwest.”

“Friendly fire?” I asked, hoping for some kind of explanation.

Myrrh shook her robotic head, her voice tinged with frustration. “I doubt it. That bitch hit my left arm with pinpoint accuracy, and now she’s lighting us up with precision shots from those beam rifles.”

“But why would another WAIFU side with the Cosmic Beasts?” I demanded, my mind racing to piece together this impossible scenario.

“Yeah, it’s insane!” Myrrh growled, her voice rising in anger. “Just what the hell is that bitch’s deal?!”

As we vented our frustration, a shadow passed over us. My blood ran cold as I looked up, spotting the bat-type Cosmic Beast hovering ominously above, its grotesque wings spread wide. The barrage of beam rifle shots abruptly ceased, a chilling confirmation that the rogue WAIFU was somehow coordinating with the monsters.

“Shit!” Myrrh yelled as she acted on instinct, her reflexes sharp despite her injuries. With a swift movement, she raised her laser sword, the blade glowing brilliantly as she drove it upward, impaling the beast directly in its chest. The creature let out a high-pitched screech as black blood gushed from the wound, raining down upon Myrrh’s Frame Unit like a toxic waterfall.

For a moment, it seemed like we had won. But the Cosmic Beast wasn’t finished yet. Suddenly, spiky, grotesque tentacles sprouted from its back, writhing like monstrous vines. They struck with terrifying speed, piercing through Myrrh’s metal body with sickening force. One after another, the tentacles burrowed into her shoulders, neck, midriff, and legs, pinning her to the ground in a gruesome display of power.

“Aaaaah!” Myrrh’s scream echoed through the battlefield, her voice raw with agony. “I… I can’t move!” Her robotic blue eyes flickered desperately, and the neon circuits along her body sputtered, struggling to stay lit. More and more spiky tentacles erupted from the Cosmic Beast’s back, slithering across her armor like living drills, piercing deeper into her already damaged frame.

[Warning: Frame Unit Critically Damaged]

The cold, sterile voice of the system reverberated in my device, but it only heightened my panic. “Myrrh, bail out!” I yelled, my voice rising in desperation as I watched the light drain from her circuits.

“B-but, the Cosmic Beast…” she whimpered, her once strong voice now weak and frail, struggling under the weight of her injuries and the beast’s relentless assault.

“You’re going to die, dammit!” I roared, fear boiling over.

Finally, Myrrh relented. Her massive metallic frame shuddered, and then, in an instant, the entire Frame Unit disintegrated into a cloud of shimmering dust, vanishing into the air. All that remained was the core—Myrrh herself, now returned to her human form. She collapsed to the ground, drenched in sweat, her body trembling with exhaustion. Her chest heaved as she gasped for breath, her face pale and her skin glistening. Drool slipped from the corner of her mouth, evidence of just how deeply the battle had worn her down.

“Myrrh! Let’s go!” I shouted, rushing to her side. I extended my hand, my heart pounding in my chest as I watched her struggle to stand.

“Z-Zaft…” Myrrh’s voice was barely a whisper. Her legs wobbled beneath her as she tried to sprint, but her movements were sluggish, every step a monumental effort. She was too exhausted, too injured from the fight, her body drained of all strength.

The moment I could grab her hand, I’d pull her into my arms, and we’d run—run like hell until we escaped this nightmare. That was the promise I held tightly in my mind. I pushed myself to sprint even faster, closing the distance between us so she wouldn’t have to struggle any further.

Just five centimeters. Our hands were five centimeters apart when everything shattered.

Out of nowhere, a grotesque tentacle shot from the Cosmic Beast, impaling Myrrh straight through the chest. Blood splattered across my face, warm and wet, the taste of iron filling the air. Time seemed to slow as her eyes widened in shock, her once-vibrant blue gaze dimming.

“Z-Zaft…” Myrrh’s voice was fragile, barely audible as she tried to reach for me. But the tentacle lifted her into the air, dangling her broken body like a puppet.

“Myrrh!” I screamed, my heart lurching in my chest.

“H-Help…” she whimpered, her voice full of pain and fear.

But before I could even move, the tentacle thrust deeper into her body with brutal force, tearing through her chest. I heard the sickening sound of her bones snapping—the crushing of her heart, spine, and lungs all at once. Her glowing blue eyes filled with tears, which streamed down her face in a silent cry of anguish.

With a final, violent motion, the tentacle withdrew, leaving a gaping wound where her chest had been. Her body, now limp and lifeless, fell from the sky. Blood rained down, painting the ground red as I caught her in my arms, pulling her shattered form close to me. Her weight was heavy in my grasp, her warmth already fading as her blood soaked through my clothes.