Assault Lily Wunder: Chapter 1

Assault Lily Wunder The Odaiba Counteroffensive

Chapter 1 The Miracle Begins

Lilies: the maidens of war.

They stand as champions against the gargantuan monsters known as the Huge. With their potent weapons, CHARMs, they bring swift death to those Huge who draw too near. They are humankind's symbols of hope, and young girls dream of someday joining their ranks.

Those who would be Lilies themselves speak often of the deeds of Lilies past. And it's one historic battle, in which many a Lily forged her legend, that always comes first.

The Odaiba Counteroffensive.

Just how did that group of first-year Lilies, hastily self-organized into five divisions, repel the enemy? How did they confront "The Nestless Ultra" and slay it? How did this Wunder, in which not a single Lily nor a single civilian perished, come to be?

It is time to witness this unforgettable battle—in which love bloomed, in which miracles happened—from a certain girl's point of view...

Part 1
There wasn't a cloud to be seen in the sky above Odaiba. The sun's light shone down with blinding intensity, reflected by the surrounding water. Amidst it stood a single girl, hands on her hips as she gazed at the stairs before her. They lead up to a gigantic building.

The girl was halfway through her teens, but in some respects, her face was still that of a child's. She wore an ornate school uniform, black and white in color, and had a large bag slung over her shoulder. Her long ponytail swayed in the breeze behind her.

Her name was Kondo Misaka. She was a first-year high school student at Yurigaoka Girls' Academy, a famous Garden located in Kamakura.

"So this is Tokyo Big Sight, huh?"

Looming above Misaka, at the very center of Odaiba, was the Tokyo International Exhibition Center—or Tokyo Big Sight, as people more often called it. Built in the shape of an inverted pyramid, it had once been an emblem of the city. But that had been a long time ago. The building was decrepit now, and parts of the exterior had crumbled away with the passage of time. The interior, meanwhile, had been renovated for use as a training facility for Lilies.

This had been once the open sea. Long ago, the island of Odaiba had been reclaimed from that sea, and a bustling city built upon it. Buildings and places of play had lined the streets, making it a place of joy.

The Odaiba of those days was no longer.

Odaiba was now a critical location for defending Tokyo from the enemies of humankind known as the Huge. Little of the neighborhood that had once been here remained; it had been replaced by defense installations. On the original coastline of Tokyo, opposite the coast of Odaiba, rose the many towers that together composed the Light Wall System—a barrier which blocked the Huge from invading Tokyo from the sea. It was a formidable shield, able to stop even mighty Huge such as large-types and gigant-types.

It was this Odaiba on which, upon that very day, the Neunwelt Tactic Technical Conference was set to take place.

"I can't wait to see what sorts of Lilies will be here," Misaka said, a smile rising to her face. Her excitement spurred her heartbeat faster. For at the top of the steps before her, countless Lilies from famous Gardens were already assembled.

Lilies are those girls who wield CHARMs, weapons built from a union of technology and magic that can contend with the mysterious monsters known as the Huge. And Gardens are the places that teach Lilies how to fight.

That girl, Kondo Misaka, would later become captain of Legion Sanngriðr—the "Uncontrollable Legion," famous for its deeds throughout the entire country. But at that time, she was nobody. Just another one of the Lilies who had come to Odaiba to participate in the technical conference. She was far from the only Lily from a famous Garden who was present; the majority from the Kanto region that had adopted the use of the Neunwelt Tactic had sent Lilies here.

"I'll make waves at this conference and show them I'm a top-notch Lily!"

Misaka dashed up the steps before her, without a moment's pause. After she'd finally mounted the long flight of stairs, the Tokyo International Exhibition Center lay before her, and inside it mingled a great crowd of girls.

"Now that's something!" Misaka exclaimed, her breath taken away by the sight.

The black uniforms of Yurigaoka Girls' Academy were in abundance, but they weren't the only color to be found. Some girls were dressed in white uniforms, others in blue ones, and yet others in brown—all melding together into a pattern much like that of a dazzling flower. Their CHARMs slung over their shoulders in bags, the girls chatted amicably with each other. For they were no mere girls, but Lilies from all of those Gardens renowned as Kanto's finest. The Lilies attending the technical conference were, on average, still in their first year of high school. But that didn't mean there weren't plenty of famous faces from each Garden.

"Look at all these Lilies from big-name Gardens! This is the real thing, all right!"

As Misaka gazed in fascination at the sea of colorful uniforms, she noticed two familiar faces among them. They were those of Kiko Totori and Hasebe Touka, first-year Lilies at Yurigaoka Girls' Academy just like her.

"Gosh, Misaka. You're late, you know?" "We were just coming to look for you."

The two of them had been friends with Misaka since before they'd entered high school. Unlike Misaka, who still had the look of a young girl about her, the two of them had the kind of beauty befitting of maidens of their age.

Misaka slapped her hand to the side of her head and let out a hearty laugh. "Ahaha! I, um, kind of overslept," she explained.

Excited by the famous Lilies she'd get to spar against and trade combat tips with, Misaka hadn't slept well the night before. Thanks to that, when she'd thought to get in a short nap as she dropped off her luggage at the lodgings near Odaiba, she'd slept right up until the very beginning of the conference.

"Unbelievable. I'd have really given you a piece of my mind if you hadn't made it in time, Misaka," Totori began to chide in an exasperated voice, but Misaka paid her no attention—she was already gazing, rapt, at another of the Lilies nearby.

"Hey, she's from Mercurius, isn't she?"

The Lily that had caught Misaka's attention was dressed in a white uniform: that of St. Mercurius International School, the so-called "School of Royalty and Nobility." Based in Yokosuka, they were one of Kamakura's "Big Five Gardens", and every bit as world-famous as Yurigaoka was. Just as their name indicated, most of St. Mercurius's students came from abroad. Their white uniforms presented a sharp contrast to the black ones worn by Yurigaoka's Lilies. The two Gardens were spirited rivals, oft described with the phrase "The white of Mercurius, and the black of Yurigaoka."

"Hehe, and look over there. She's from Ludvico," Misaka heard Touka say, from beside her. Upon being prompted, she turned her attention to another Lily, this one wearing a uniform with a corset and checkered skirt.

Ludvico Private Girls' Academy, often known simply as Ludvico, was a missionary Garden with its campus in Shinjuku Gyo-en. It was famous for its custom of baptizing all of its students with a Christian name when they entered high school and officially became Lilies. Ludvico's national defense area covered a large portion of southwestern Tokyo, including Shimokitazawa, and was one of the battlefronts against the Huge seeking to invade the city.

A smile rose to Totori's face as she clapped Misaka on the shoulder. "Look, there's an Odaiba Lily over there, and right over here's an Irma one," she said.

"The Three Houses of Tokyo are all staking their claims, huh!" remarked Misaka, gazing in the direction of the two Lilies.

True to its name, Odaiba Girls' School had its campus here in Odaiba. It was founded upon the legend of Beowulf, somewhat akin to Norse mythology. Odaiba—as it was often known—was a Garden famous for the strength of its Lilies, who were all clad in navy-blue uniforms.

Irma Girls' High School for the Arts was a Garden located in Kiyosumi-Shirakawa, elsewhere in Tokyo. Its Lilies didn't just learn how to fight, but applied themselves to mastering a wide variety of artistic disciplines, such as painting and the performance of music.

Irma, Ludvico and Odaiba were together known as the "Three Houses of Tokyo," and the defense of the entire city relied upon those three Gardens.

"It's amazing to have all of the Three Houses here."

Unable to contain her excitement, Misaka she scanned the crowd for Lilies from other Gardens. "Those two are from Alchemilla and Nakaogushi... and those girls are from Kanba and Herensuge, right?" she exclaimed.

There were ten Gardens represented at the Neunwelt Tactic Technical Conference. From Kamakura, Yurigaoka Girls' Academy, St. Mercurius International School, and Alchemilla Girls' Academy had all sent Lilies. The Tokyo Gardens present were Irma Girls' High School for the Arts, Kanba Girls' High School for the Fine Arts, Ludvico Private Girls' Academy, and Odaiba Girls' School. Nakaogushi Girls' Academy, from Ibaraki, had sent Lilies too. Finally, there were Lilies from Herensuge Girls' Academy, and even a few from Ryuto Girls' Academy in Niigata. Each and every one of those Gardens was famous, and there were over fifty Lilies present in total.

"This is the first time I've ever been somewhere with so many Gardens. I seriously can't wait to see what kind of battles we're gonna have!"

"Do stay in control of yourself. We don't want anything like that happening again," Totori cautioned her with a sigh.

"No need to fret. I really do want to get along with everyone this time!" Misaka said, with a cheerful wave of her hand. No sooner had she done so than they were interrupted by a loud voice from nearby.

"Shirai Yuyu! I would test myself against you!"

When she heard that voice, all other concerns departed from Misaka's mind.

"...Huh? What's going on?"

A throng of people had turned in the direction of the voice. When Misaka looked that way as well, she saw a pair of Lilies. One of them was a Yurigaoka Lily, like Misaka herself, and the other was dressed in a uniform of red and blue. Misaka peered at the latter, and muttered, "Is she from Nakaogushi?"

Nakaogushi Girls' Academy was from the town of Ogushi in Ibaraki Prefecture. Said to be the strongest Garden in Ibaraki, it contributed to the defense of the entire Hitachi area. And it was a Lily from that Garden who was pressing the Yurigaoka Lily for a response.

"My name's Senda Koume. I've been wanting to meet you, Shirai Yuyu. Enough that I would've done anything."

The Yurigaoka Lily who she'd called "Shirai Yuyu" was a girl with beautiful black hair who looked quite mature for her age. But her expression, impassive at all times, radiated a coldness that seemed to put distance between her and everyone around her. She obviously had no interest in Koume, but the other Lily didn't care, and kept on talking.

"You're the whole reason I came to this conference. I've heard how strong you are. You've been racking up victories all over the place with your legion, Álfheimr, isn't that so? Now duel me, and we'll find out which of us is the better AZ Lily!" "......"

Her words drew the attention of the onlooking Lilies to Yuyu.

Álfheimr was a legion at Yurigaoka Girls' Academy. They'd formed one year ago, mostly from junior high school Lilies who had been present at the Koshu Withdrawal, and had since been undefeated on the battlefield. There were even people who called them the "strongest of all legions." Álfheimr had twelve members, and most of them were at the conference, but Shirai Yuyu was particularly famous for the sheer number of Huge that she had personally put an end to.

Yuyu answered the other Lily in a voice that held no trace of emotion.

"I will not fight you. Might I remind you that this is a technical conference about the Neunwelt Tactic? It is a place for words, not for weapons."

Her firm response dissuaded Koume not at all.

"Oh, but that won't do. If I beat you—a member of Álfheimr, the legion everyone waxes all lyrical over the strength of—it'll prove that me and my legion, Thrymheimr, are the real strongest. That's the only reason I'm here right now!"

"...Did you truly become a Lily so that you could prattle on about who's the strongest?" Yuyu replied.

The Yurigaoka Lily's rejoinder only caused Koume to raise her voice further. "You call this prattling? I'm saying all this from the heart!" she shouted.

A smaller girl from Nakaogushi, with a flustered look to her, tried to step in. "Now, now, that wasn't a very nice way to introduce yourself, Koume," she said. "She's the one who's not being very nice to me, Shinano!" Koume replied to the girl—Noguchi Shinano, from the same Garden as her.

"Being a Lily means I'm risking my life fighting out there, you know!" Koume continued. At this, Yuyu's impassive expression sharpened, ever so slightly.

"If you're stronger than me, what of it? Will that give you more power to defend others? Everything that you've said to me amounts to no more than a declaration of how shallow you are. People like you don't deserve to be known as Lilies." Yuyu's voice remained quiet, but there was no mistaking how upset she was.

Yuyu...

Misaka knew the reason why Yuyu was upset. Every Lily from Yurigaoka knew better than to speak of that to Shirai Yuyu which might remind her of the past.

Álfheimr's first battle had been the Koshu Withdrawal, and in that battle, Yuyu had lost the one who was like a sister to her. Ever since then, she'd withdrawn and kept her distance from everyone except her companions in Álfheimr. Lilies from Yurigaoka knew that—all of them. Koume didn't, and she was furious.

"What was that?! Say it to me again!"

When Koume reached out a hand to grab Yuyu by the shoulder, Misaka darted between the two of them. "Hold your horses, now! I've been listening, and you're quite the bold Lily, aren't you?" she exclaimed to Koume, who was rather taken aback at finding Misaka suddenly in front of her.

"...And who are you? I believe that I was talking to Shirai Yuyu," she replied.



Misaka put her hands on her hips, looking as if nothing could wipe the grin off her face. "I knew you'd ask," she exclaimed. "I'm Kondo Misaka, from Yurigaoka! And my legion, Sanngriðr, is the strongest of all—even stronger than Álfheimr is! So you'd better remember it!"

"S-Sanngrith...? I can't say I've heard of it."

Koume looked quite amazed, up until Totori spoke up from further back in the crowd. "Well, that's because it's not an official legion yet," she explained.

"What? You're not official? At least leave that kind of talk until you've been approved! You've got some nerve for a Lily who isn't even in a proper legion!" exclaimed Koume.

"Ooh, I get it," said Misaka. "You won't see the truth of my words until I pummel them into you, will you?"

Before a fight could break out between the two Lilies, a new voice suddenly resounded through the plaza. "Stop right there, the two of you!" Koume and Misaka's fists dropped back to their sides as they turned towards the source of the voice. Standing in the center of the plaza was a mature-looking girl, who was none other than Takegoshi Chihana herself.

Chihana was both the captain of Legion Álfheimr, and one of the Lilies who had been chosen to preside over the Neunwelt Tactic Technical Conference. She was known for her beauty, but her face as she glared at Misaka and Koume could have been carved out of ice. Her presence, that of the captain of the strongest of all legions, was remarkable. Neither of the other two Lilies were foolish enough to continue their squabble with her looking upon them.

"To your places. The technical conference will begin soon," Chihana announced in a calm voice, and the Lilies in the plaza swiftly began to filter inside. Misaka and Koume continued to glare at each other, until Totori urged her friend onward with a murmur of "Let's go." Koume kept up the glare for longer, not even stopping when Shinano grabbed her arm and pulled her away. "I'll settle things with you later," she told Misaka.

"And I'll show you what I'm made of. Make sure you pay close attention!" Misaka struck a pose, framing one of her eyes between her thumb and index finger, before she whirled around and headed to the meeting place.

Soon, all the Lilies taking part in the technical conference were gathered together. In front of all the others, who were well over fifty in number, stood the three elite Lilies presiding over the event.

The first of them was Takegoshi Chihana, from Yurigaoka.

Although only in her first year, she was a famous Lily and peerless commander who was considered a trendsetter with her innovative strategies revolving around the Neunwelt Tactic. She was one of the Lilies who, at the Koshu Withdrawal, had begun to forge the legend that would later be known as Legion Álfheimr.

The second Lily was from St. Mercurius: Altea Alessandrini.

Born to a noble house from Italy, Altea's refined beauty, accented by her magnificent white uniform, made her a captivating sight. She too was famous, as one would expect of anyone known as the "Tyrant of Mercurius."

The third Lily presiding over the event was Tiuccia Paumgartner.

She was from St. Mercurius as well. Although her attire and the black parasol she always carried in her hand made her seem eccentric, she was an exceptionally talented Lily, said to be the kind of prodigy that arises only once in each century,

Chihana was the first to speak.

"Good day, everyone. Allow me to thank you for joining us here at this Neunwelt Tactic Technical Conference. Together, we will spend three days here, and together we will further our knowledge of the practical applications of the Neunwelt Tactic."

After sweeping her eyes across the crowd, Chihana continued speaking.

"Since the Koshu Withdrawal, our war against the Huge has intensified with each and every day that passes. The focus upon dueling we have had up until now will soon become inadequate to repel the Huge. To ensure our victory in the future, we Lilies must fight not as many, but as one."

In recent years, special-type and gigant-type Huge—enemies that had rarely been sighted in the past—had begun to appear in greater numbers. The past approach taken by Lilies, in which individual strength was paramount and tactics focused upon one-on-one dueling, could not contend with such foes.

"In order to defeat the Huge, and moreover to do so without sacrificing our lives, we must become as adept in the use of the Neunwelt Tactic as we can. And teamwork is fundamental to that."

The Neunwelt Tactic is a technique that begins with one Lily loading a special bullet into her CHARM, then charging it with her magie. She passes the bullet to her companions, who do the same, creating a sphere of concentrated energy known as a "magiesphere." After nine Lilies have charged the magiesphere, the final one fires it at the enemy Huge.

After proving its worth against the mightiest Huge such as gigant-types and ultra-types, the Neunwelt Tactic was considered the strongest weapon that Lilies had available to them.

Altea Alessandrini was the next one to speak.

"By studying the Neunwelt Tactic together with those from other Gardens and other legions, we'll be able to further the power of our own. That's why I expect each and every one of you to cooperate with one another, as a minimum."

Altea's meaningful smile made Misaka let out a choked sound akin to an "erk." She glanced over at Koume, who was over with the other Lilies from Nakaogushi, and saw that she looked embarrassed as well. The smile lingering upon her lips, Altea continued.

"But that's not all I want to get done at this conference. Over the past few years, Caves have begun appearing in Tokyo more and more often. Yet it falls to Ludvico to defend most of the city, and it's no small burden on them. I hope that Gardens from not only Tokyo itself, but the whole of Kanto, can work more closely together to defend Tokyo and face this challenge together."

Ludvico Private Girls' Academy played a key role in the defense of Tokyo at that time, but increasingly powerful Huge were emerging from the wormholes known as "Caves" that the Huge used as a means of travel. Even Ludvico's most elite Lilies, the Temple Legion, could no longer fight them alone.

The last of the presiding Lilies, Tiuccia Paumgartner, began to speak.

"Therefore, at this technical conference, let us strive together without regard for the different Gardens from which we hail, and apply ourselves to training alongside all those present here over the three days to come."

Misaka grinned, with unbeatable confidence.

"That's how it's going to be, huh?" she said. "Can't wait to take on every Lily, from every Garden, who's game for a duel. I want to see what they've got. All of them."

"When you get like this, Misaka, I can't help but feel like there's going to be trouble again," Totori said, with a quiet sigh.

Up front, Chihana was making her final address to the assembled Lilies. "Then let's get right to training," she announced. "First, we'll divide ourselves up according to..." But she got no further before it happened.

A shrill alarm sounded from the direction of the Odaiba coastline, followed by countless others from all along the coast.

"What? Are the Huge here?!"

As she glanced around, Misaka saw that all the Lilies had been startled by the sound of the alarm. Then Fukuyama Jeanne Sachie, from Ludvico, pointed up at the sky. "Look at that! All of you, please!" she exclaimed.

Misaka looked up, and saw that dark clouds had suddenly begun to cover the sky, coming from the direction of Tokyo Bay. The assembled Lilies hurriedly looked that way, towards the part of the coast nearest the International Exhibition Center. In that direction was the northeastern part of Odaiba, known as Wakasu.

As if a sudden squall were taking place, they saw repeated flashes of light, each one accompanied by a thunderous roar. The dark clouds, akin to storm clouds, rushed over the sky and soon covered the whole of Odaiba.

Misaka furrowed her brow at the dark clouds and the flashing light within. "I've got a really bad feeling about this..." she muttered.

What looked like lightning was in fact the light of magie. It was a known phenomenon when massive Caves formed. If on this occasion, it was fierce enough to change the weather and generate lightning, it was possible that a veritable disaster was upon them.

Suddenly, Tsukioka Momiji from Odaiba Girls' School widened her eyes in realization. "Don't tell me..." she murmured.

"Momiji-san, has something occurred to you?" Chihana asked her, and Momiji nodded.

"Yes. A while ago, we had a Cave in that area, and from out of it came ant-like Huge we hadn't seen the like of before, in large numbers. It's possible that the same thing is about to happen once more."

Kawamura Yuzuriha—also from Odaiba Girls' School, and standing by Momiji's side—had a troubled frown on her face.

"Large numbers? More like absurd numbers. If those things show up again, we've gotta smash the Cave that's letting them through, or we're in for another doozy of a fight."

The Area Defense system that was set up throughout Tokyo was potent; it usually prevented the formation of large Caves in the city itself, but it didn't cover the offshore areas. That was why the Light Wall System existed, as a barrier to Huge trying to come from the sea. It was the duty of Odaiba Girls' School to block gigant-types from entering Tokyo with the Light Wall System, and that of course also meant protecting the system itself.

Staring at the distant Cave, Hishida Haru of Odaiba muttered to herself, "But that Cave was nowhere near the size of this one..."

The sight of the Cave left everyone without words. Lightning crackled around it, and a dreadful roar resounded from its direction. The sound was like that of the earth quaking, the wind howling fiercely, or a great crowd shouting in excitement.

"J-Just what... is that awful noise?" asked Fujita Asagao of Odaiba, worry written on her face as she beheld the Cave. Peering down at the tablet in her hands, Tono Natsuki of Yurigaoka answered her.

"I've just received information from the military, everyone! They've detected the ant-like Huge near that giant Cave, as well as stronger signals. It's entirely possible that large-types and gigant-types are coming through that Cave!"

"Oh, no... and it's when none of the older Lilies are here..." said Kuroki Francisca Yuria, gazing at the dark clouds above in trepidation.

At the same time as the Neunwelt Tactic Technical Conference was taking place, second and third-year Lilies from a number of Gardens had departed to Chiba in force, in order to recapture the Makuhari area.

Shirai Yuyu of Yurigaoka addressed the others. "Words will do us no good here," she declared. "We must destroy the Cave before further Huge emerge from it."

Standing next to Yuyu was Yoshimura Thi Mai of Yurigaoka. "Hold up, Yuyu! It's dangerous to race out there before we know more about the enemy!" Mai cautioned the other girl.

"Wouldn't the best course of action be to wait for orders from our Gardens?" suggested Tada Shiera of Yurigaoka to the gathered Lilies.

"We don't have time for that. We need to go stop those hordes of ant-like Huge at once," Saigo Kurena of Odaiba argued.

Everyone could feel that a disaster was upon them, but when they knew so little about the enemy, it was clearly suicidal to confront them without a plan. Moreover, with only first-year Lilies present at the technical conference, many of them had little combat experience. As it became obvious that nobody knew what to do, unease settled in, and the murmurs built towards a cacophony.

Misaka looked around at the others. She took the deepest breath that she could, then let it out in a shout that resounded throughout the entire plaza.

"HEY! LISTEN TO ME!"

The sheer volume of her voice caused everyone's eyes to snap her way. Misaka grinned powerfully back at the dumbfounded Lilies.

"We can do this! We've got plenty of Lilies here who can handle a fight like this. As long as we all work together, we'll pull this off somehow. I just know it!"

Next to her, Totori looked exasperated, while Touka wore an amused smile.

"Gosh, Misaka, do you ever think before you open your mouth?" "Now, now. Sometimes it's nice that she doesn't."

A smile rose to Altea's face, and she turned to Chihana. "Misaka said it well," she remarked. "If we can't face a challenge like this and prevail, are we truly Lilies?"

"......"

Gazing in the direction of Wakasu Park, Chihana was deep in thought. She suddenly called out to Tono Natsuki. "Natsuki, I want you find out everything you can about that giant Cave," she instructed. "Momiji-san, you and your classmates contact Odaiba Girls' School. See if they can send out a sensor drone to fly over that Cave for us."

"Understood!" replied Natsuki with a determined expression, and Momiji and her companions from Odaiba likewise got to work. With a final glance at them, Chihana turned to speak to Altea and Tiuccia.

"I've reviewed what we know about those ant-like special-types... let's call them 'Soldier Ants.' They're fierce fighters, but they can't jump or fly, and they dislike the water as well. If the bulk of our enemies are Soldier Ants, we can expect to be attacked only by the land routes. And if that's true, we'll be able to keep them at bay."

"From the sounds of it, you have a battle plan coming together," Tiuccia said. "Would you care to let us in on it?"

Chihana obliged her and Altea with an explanation. "With those Lilies we have here, let's form five divisions," she said. "The first division and the fifth division will mount assaults upon the Cave from the north and south. Meanwile, the second and third divisions will help the civilian population in central Odaiba get to shelter. Finally, the fourth division's role will be to provide backup to the others as needed."

"I take it you've got the makeup of the divisions in mind already?" Altea asked with a smile. Chihana nodded. "Of course," she replied, and turned to the others.

"I will now announce the members of the five divisions," she declared, and the Lilies gave her their full attention.

"The First Division, which will be tasked with destroying the giant cave, will be: From Yurigaoka, Shirai Yuyu, Izumi Botan, Taniguchi Hijiri, Sono Mao, Mozuna Noa, and me. From Ludvico, Fukuyama Jeanne Sachie. From Irma, Ichinomiya Himari and Hibino Waku. And finally, from Odaiba, Kawamura Yuzuriha."

Chihana thus stated, in rapid succession, the names of the ten Lilies who would be in the First Division and tasked with destroying the giant Cave.

Among them, Takegoshi Chihana herself, the commander of Álfheimr—and Shirai Yuyu, who had slain countless Huge as part of Álfheimr's AZ. Fukuyama Jeanne Sachie, the famous Lily from Ludvico known for her beautifully elegant manner of fighting, and the others who she'd named were all Lilies with considerable combat experience.

"Next, the Second Division, which will assist civilians in evacuating," Chihana began. "From Yurigaoka, Amano Soraha, Kiko Totori, Hasebe Touka, and Kondo Misaka. From Irma, Tejima Komachi. From Mercurius, Altea Alessandrini. From Ludvico, Seto Veronica Ichika. From Odaiba, Tsukioka Momiji. From Ryuto Girls' Academy, Sengo Yuna and Amatsu Marei..."

When she heard her name called, Misaka mumbled, "Huh?"

"H-Hey, hold up, now! Why didn't you put me in one of the attack squads?!" she interrupted. Misaka had been certain that she'd be given a heroic task like destroying the Cave or facing off against the Huge. It hadn't even occurred to her that she might be sent to evacuate civilians instead.

Unfortunately for her, Chihana wasn't willing to hear her objection.

"This is an emergency. Keeping civilians safe is of the utmost importance. We have little idea what situations we'll have to contend with in this battle, and that is why I am assigning our most adaptable Lilies to the Second and Third Divisions," she informed Misaka bluntly, then continued on to listing the members of the Third Division.

"The Third Division will also assist civilians in evacuating. From Yurigaoka, Banshoya Ena, Watanabe Akane, and Akashi Manaka. From Odaiba, Fujita Asagao and Hishida Haru. From Herensuge Girls' Academy, Serizawa Chikaru..."



When Chihana simply ignored her complaint, Misaka let out a big sigh. "I thought she could tell how strong I was..." she muttered. "I know how you feel, but you just have to wait until you get your chance," said Totori from beside her, trying to soothe her.

"I know, but still," Misaka said, her cheeks puffing out in a pout.

"It's an honor to be given the duty of escorting civilians to safety," said Touka encouragingly. "It isn't being on the front line and fighting the Huge that makes you the most important Lily on the battlefield. Besides, we don't know yet how the battle will evolve, do we?"

"Suppose you're right. Then I'm gonna do the best darn job of getting people to safety you've ever seen," Misaka replied, with determination. Touka gave her a smile, murmuring, "That's the spirit."

"The Fourth Division shall be: From Mercurius, Tiuccia Paumgartner and Lialidell Eschenbach. From Ludvico, Kuroki Francisca Yuria. From Yurigaoka, Yamanashi Hibari and Imagawa Homare. From Odaiba..." Chihana listed the members of the Fourth Division, and then finally the Fifth.

"Like the First Division, your mission will be that of destroying the Cave. From Nakaogushi, Noguchi Shinano, Senda Koume, Sasaki Yasuna, and Danzuka Erisa. From Yurigaoka, Yoshimura Thi Mai and Tono Natsuki. From Odaiba, Kawabata Hotaru..."

Chihana had chosen Lilies from Nakaogushi to make up the core of the Fifth Division. She turned to Noguchi Shinano and addressed her personally.

"Shinano-san. Our divisions shall mount a pincer attack on the Cave together. I have faith that Ibaraki's strongest will be able to see this done with us."

"...We won't let you down. Let's all end this together," Shinano replied, her determination clear in her voice. By her side, Koume pumped her fist, exclaiming "Yeah!"

"I should've been chosen to help attack the Cave," Misaka muttered, gritting her teeth and clenching her fists when Koume gave her a triumphant smile.

Chihana addressed all the Lilies. "Now let us prepare for battle," she declared. At her words, every Lily took her CHARM out from its bag.

Some of the Lilies were determined to do their duty. Others were excited by the formidable enemies they were about to face. And yet others were trembling in fear and dread. Misaka clutched her CHARM tightly in her hand, the thrill of the battle that was to come surging through her.

But at that moment, an earth-shaking roar sounded through the whole of Odaiba.

It was beyond comparison with the ongoing roar of the Cave, instantly drowning out every other noise that Misaka and the other Lilies could have heard.

"What now...?"

"Wait, wait, WAIT. Don't tell me that's..." Kawamura Yuzuriha shouted, staring in the direction of the giant Cave. Misaka turned towards it as well, and was hardly able to believe what she was seeing.

"What... is that?"

Wreathed in lightning, a monstrous figure with a vaguely humanoid shape was becoming visible in the depths of the Cave. It was hard to make it out with the way that Caves distorted space, but it was likely over a hundred meters tall. It towered over the nearby Tokyo Gate Bridge that crossed the sea and connected the island of Odaiba to mainland Tokyo.

When she caught sight of the monster, even Chihana's eyes grew wide in shock.

"Could that be..."

It was far larger than even a gigant-type, and the center of its body glowed fiercely with the light of magie. Upon the very sight of it, everyone understood that the changes in the weather must have been the doing of that creature. There was only one type of Huge which had that degree of power.

Tono Natsuki and Tsukioka Momiji, who had been tasked with investigating the giant Cave, suddenly returned on the verge of panic.

"Your attention, please! That's an ultra-type! I repeat, we have confirmed that is an ultra-type!"

"An ultra-type Huge?!"

The color drained from everyone's faces upon hearing those words. Even Misaka stood dumbfounded, unable to believe what she'd just heard. And as they looked upon the monster that had emerged from the lightning, each and every Lily there found herself shivering in fear.

Part 2
"You're absolutely certain it's an Ultra-type?" Takegoshi Chihana asked Tono Natsuki, and the other Lily nodded.

"There's no doubt of it. Our sensor data on it matches up with an Ultra-type in every regard. But also, when I consulted the cloud database in my Magi Crystal Core, it didn't correspond to an Ultra from any Nest we have on record. And that probably means it's..."

Chihana's voice dropped to a quiet murmur as she finished Natsuki's thought for her.

"A nestless Ultra."

The eyes of every Lily there shot wide open upon hearing those words, and Kondo Misaka was no exception.

''A nestless Ultra? Are you kidding me?!''

Misaka cast her thoughts back to what she'd learned in her classes at Yurigaoka Girls' Academy. Ultra-types were the largest of all Huge, and served as their queens. They had the key role of building the places known as "Nests," from which a variety of Huge spawned to menace nearby regions.

But when for some reason an Ultra-type lost its Nest, they began searching for a place to build a new one. When that happened, people called them "nestless Ultras."

Rumor had it that nestless Ultras were so ferocious that when they encroached upon human cities, they caused damage on the scale of a natural disaster.

That monster wreathed in lightning, over a hundred meters tall, could easily destroy the whole of Odaiba were it to go on the rampage.

"Why is a nestless Ultra here?" whispered Honma Akehi, from Kanba, as she stared at it.

Kawanabe Nazuna, from Odaiba Girls' School, wore an unusually grim face. "We've never had anything that size show up on Odaiba before," she muttered.

Her face equally grim, Tsukioka Momiji continued her report. "We can't be certain, but there's a possibility that the nestless Ultra was attracted to the negative magie lingering at the remains of the Soldier Ants' nest on Wakasu, and chose that spot to create a giant Cave for that reason," she explained.

Between the Soldier Ants, the Ultra-type, and the other Huge that would likely emerge from the Cave, Odaiba faced a disaster unlike any it ever had before.

"Chihana, this changes things," Altea Alessandrini said urgently. "If we're up against a nestless Ultra, the Lilies we have here are no match for it. Wouldn't it be better to retreat to safety?"

When Misaka looked around her, she could see nothing but uneasy faces. While some strong Lilies such as those from Legion Álfheimr and Nakaogushi Girls' Academy were present, the majority of Lilies around were first-years with little combat experience. Sending girls like those to fight a nestless Ultra was the height of absurdity.

Chihana, her eyes fixed upon the nestless Ultra like all of theirs were, spoke quietly in response.

"If we fall back now, not only will Odaiba be utterly destroyed, it's quite possible that the Light Wall System will be as well. Should that happen, it will place the entire city of Tokyo at grave risk."

The Light Wall System that bordered Odaiba was designed to stop Gigant-types at most. There was no telling whether it would be able to withstand the fury of a nestless Ultra. If it could not and ceased to function, the Huge would then be able to invade Tokyo in force from the bay, causing an unfathomable amount of damage to the coastal areas.

"And if we call for reinforcements, it will be some time before they can make it here from Makuhari..." remarked Banshoya Ena of Yurigaoka, gazing at the distant Cave.

At that very moment, most second and third-year Lilies from the Tokyo area and Kamakura Prefecture were away on the Makuhari Recapture Expedition. All the Lilies on Odaiba knew that the Ultra-type would begin to move long before anyone came to their aid.

With a dour expression, Tiuccia Paumgartner remarked, "If Odaiba falls, it won't be possible to liberate Makuhari either."

"If Odaiba falls, it will stir up the Huge enough to put the Lilies over at Makuhari in danger as well," Taniguchi Hijiri of Yurigaoka said in agreement.

"......"

Chihana had spend some time deep in thought, but in time she raised her head, her expression resolute.

"We must stop the nestless Ultra. Right now, there are none except for us who can protect Odaiba, Tokyo, and our sisters-in-arms at Makuhari."

"B-But, how can we possibly do that?" asked Serizawa Chikaru of Herensuge in a trembling voice. Chihana gave her an earnest, reassuring smile.

"Don't worry. Victory is within our grasp," she said. "The nestless Ultra's only just come out of the Cave. We should have some time before it goes on the attack. Isn't that so, Natsuki?"

Holding her tablet in one hand, Natsuki nodded.

"Correct. Right now, I believe the Ultra-type is focused upon supplying the Soldier Ants and other Huge present with magie, and also on reshaping the large Cave into its Nest. For that reason, I believe we have some time before it will begin to take action, or move away from the Cave. But I'm afraid I can't say how much," she explained.

"Once the Ultra-type finishes building its Nest, it will join the battle... and between that and the further Huge that will spawn, keeping our hold on Odaiba will become impossible," added Yamanashi Hibari of Yurigaoka.

"...So that is to say, we've got up until that thing finishes its Nest?" asked Ichinomiya Himari of Irma, and Chihana nodded to her.

"Yes. That's why, if we can reach the Cave while the Ultra-type is still preoccupied, we'll be able to defeat it with the Neunwelt Tactic. And that is how we will win," she said.

"I see. Not a bad strategy," remarked Altea, with a bold grin on her face.

As if she were still one of the presiding Lilies, Chihana turned to the others assembled and addressed them.

"In order to protect Odaiba, Tokyo, and also our sisters-in-arms at Makuhari, we must put an end to that nestless Ultra. Would all of you lend me your strength?"

Upon hearing the fervor in Chihana's voice, the Lilies gave her a determined nod of reply.

Then, as the storm clouds gathered above, they prepared for battle. As there was no telling how much time they had before the Ultra-type finished building its Nest, it was critical to begin the counteroffensive as soon as they could. The Lilies rushed about, making sure their CHARMs were in good condition and reviewing maps and mission plans on their tablets.

As she set about getting her CHARM ready, Misaka watched Chihana, concerned for her friend. Chihana was speaking with the Fifth Division, addressing the Lilies who she'd appointed as its commander and vice-commander.

"According to Natsuki's sensors, there's a dense concentration of Huge particles on the southern side of Wakasu Park," she was saying. "There is thus a danger a second Cave may later open in that vicinity."

The Soldier Ants were averse to water, so they would be advancing over Odaiba via the northern and southern land routes, but on account of the concentration of Huge particles, the Lilies were predicting the bulk of them would take the southern route.

"Our original plan has not changed; the First Division and Fifth Division will execute a pincer attack. We, the First Division, will fight our way to the giant Cave via the southern route." Chihana turned to look at her battle partners in the First Division. Shirai Yuyu, Fukuyama Jeanne Sachie, and the other famous Lilies who would stand with her all had resolution written on their faces.

Noguchi Shinano of Nakaogushi nodded to Chihana. "Understood. You can count on us to secure the northern route until the First Division's regrouped with us," she said. Shinano swept her eyes across the rest of the Fifth Division, who nodded to her with determined expressions—except for Senda Koume, who was grinning fiercely.

"Taking out that nestless Ultra's going to be one heck of a trophy!" Koume remarked.

Chihana then turned her attention to Tsukioka Momiji, in the Second Division. "Momiji-san," she said. "Contact Odaiba Girls' School and the military at once, and have them activate the Light Wall System. Then coordinate with them to get the civilians on Odaiba evacuated. We must not let any of the Huge enter Tokyo until we've destroyed the giant Cave."

"Understood," Momiji replied in a nervous tone. "You can count on us." Kawamura Yuzuriha, from the First Division, walked over to her.

"Momiji. Take good care of 'em all, okay?"

"...You'd better take good care of yourself, Yuzu," Momiji replied. Looking as if she were about to burst into tears, she grabbed Yuzuriha's hands and drew the other Lily into a tight embrace.

"Don't you worry about me," Yuzuriha told her. "If I get hurt, I can't very well protect Odaiba, can I?"

"Altea," Chihana said. "We're facing an Ultra-type. Anything could happen from now on. If something happens to the First and Fifth Divisions, you and Momiji-san are to take command of the battle."

"Understood," Altea replied, with a slight smile. "Focus on the enemy before you and don't concern yourself with the rest." Chihana returned Altea's smile with a nod.

At that moment, Touka rushed up to Chihana. "Please, Chihana!" she exclaimed. "Let me go with you! You're putting yourself in the greatest danger of any of us, and I want to at least be there to support you!"

"T-Touka?" Misaka stammered, taken aback by her friend's unexpected request. Chihana looked no less surprised as Touka, her eyes fixed steadfastly upon the other Lily, continued to speak.

"None of us know what will happen when we try to fight a nestless Ultra," she begged. "If I'm there, and something goes wrong, then I'll be able to help. So please let me go with you!"

Chihana met Touka's eyes, and shook her head without hesitation.

"You mustn't," she said. "The Second Division needs you. You have to help Altea-san and Momiji-san get the civilians to safety. Protecting them is our duty as Lilies."

"But if something happens to you..." Touka pleaded, tears coming to her eyes.

...Touka...

Misaka knew that nobody meant more to Touka than Chihana did. Ever since Chihana had become captain of Legion Álfheimr, Touka had earnestly wished to stand with her and be her greatest pillar of support. And now Chihana, on account of the powerful foe she would fight, was all but marching to her death. Misaka didn't doubt that it was making Touka sick with worry.

Misaka knew exactly how Touka felt at that moment—for she, herself, felt much the same way about Touka. She was an irreplaceable friend and confident.

When Misaka had been a child, she had seemed a prodigy, set to be an incredible Lily in the future. But when she'd failed to awaken to her Rare Skill, it was as if all that had been snatched away from her. Only Touka had stayed with her, supporting Misaka and reassuring that she had worth as a Lily. If Touka hadn't been there for her, Misaka didn't know what would have become of her.

That was why Misaka felt it was her purpose to support Touka as well. To watch over her. She couldn't bear to see Touka so sad, and so she called out to Chihana.

"If you're going to take on the nestless Ultra, shouldn't you bring all of Álfheimr with you?"

Legion Álfheimr had won countless battles, until it had become known as the 'strongest of all legions.' If anyone could defeat a nestless Ultra, it was all of them, together. But once more, without a trace of hesitation, Chihana shook her head and rejected the suggestion.

"There are many Lilies here who have little combat experience. We in Álfheimr must divide ourselves in order to watch over them. If we do not, I fear this will be a repeat of the Koshu Withdrawal."

"...Chihana..."

When Chihana said that, Misaka and Touka found themselves unable to argue. For they knew that Chihana carried no regrets more painful than those she bore from Koshu.

Álfheimr had been born one year ago, on the occasion later known as the Koshu Withdrawal. Takegoshi Chihana, Hasebe Touka, Shirai Yuyu and several other Lilies mainly from Yurigaoka's junior high division had been in Koshu for a training camp. Then they'd been given the task of evacuating the civilians in Koshu to safety.

Although they had succeeded at that mission, victory had come at the price of one of their number. Kawazoe Misuzu, whom Yuyu had taken an oath of sisterhood with—the "Schutzengel's Oath," a tradition of Yurigaoka Girls' Academy—had died that day, and every member of Álfheimr still deeply felt the pain of her loss.

Chihana had been vice-captain at the time. She in particular blamed herself, wondering if her battle strategy had been the cause of Misuzu's death. That was why, this time, she had decided to distribute the members of Álfheimr among the five divisions, in order that they could protect everyone with their wealth of combat experience.

With a deep sigh, Chihana placed both of her hands on Touka's shoulders. "Touka," she said. "I have no doubt that chaos awaits us, and we won't be able to stay in contact when that happens. And when it does, you're someone I can count on to carry out my strategy. That's why the two of us must fight our own battles. It's for the sake of protecting our friends... and it's the only way we can do our duty as Lilies. You know that very well, don't you?"

"......"

Though her eyes were moist with tears, Touka nodded to Chihana.

"We've detected a horde of Soldier Ants emerging from the giant Cave, everyone!" Tono Natsuki suddenly called out, causing all the Lilies to tense up.

Tsukioka Momiji then reported the results of her conversation with Odaiba Girls' School. "They're seeing small-type Huge appear on coastal areas all around Odaiba," she said. "The Lilies still at Odaiba Girls' School have engaged them, but also, the military says they're encountering delays with their plan to evacuate the civilians using gunships!"

"Then we've no time to waste!" exclaimed Chihana. "First Division, let's move out!" She readied her CHARM, but before she could make to leave, Touka called out to her.

"Chihana, please stay safe!" she exclaimed.



"...As I fight, I'll be praying that you're safe, too," Chihana replied. As she and Touka embraced one another, she looked over at Misaka. "Misaka," she said. "Watch over Touka for me."

Misaka, who had been standing close by Touka, nodded fiercely. "I will," she declared. "I'll be there too, so Touka's bound to come back without a scratch. I'll see to it."

"Needless to say, I'm not going to die if I can help it," Touka offered.

Upon a nod from Chihana, the leaders of the five divisions announced loudly, "The counteroffensive begins now! Let's move out!" And so the divisions of Lilies went their separate ways, towards the separate battles they would fight.

The First Division departed at a brisk run, and Touka gazed at their silhouettes as they grew smaller and smaller. Misaka clapped her on the shoulder, grinning. "C'mon," she said. "It's Chihana. If anyone can handle this, it's her."

Touka scrubbed her eyes with her sleeve, then turned to Misaka with a determined expression. "You're right," she replied. "Now all of us must do what we can." With a firm nod of agreement from Misaka, the two of them went to join their teammates.

When Misaka and Touka joined them, the other members of the Second Division were already assembled and looking their way. Her CHARM in hand, Kiko Totori addressed the two of them. "You're late. We need to get moving," she said.

As she apologized to the others, Misaka took a good look at her teammates. "Whoa, we've got a whole bunch of famous Lilies lined up here," she remarked.

Ten Lilies had been selected to form the Second Division. Those were Kondo Misaka, Hasebe Touka, Kiko Totori, and Soraha Amano from Yurigaoka; Tejima Komachi from Irma; Altea Alessandrini from Mercurius; Tsukioka Momiji from Odaiba; Sengo Yuna and Amatsu Marei from Ryuto; and finally Seto Veronica Ichika from Irma.

The commander of the Second Division, Altea Alessandrini, offered her hand to Misaka. "I'm Altea Alessandrini. Pleasure to meet you," she said. "I would have quite liked to cross swords with the nestless Ultra myself, bu the duty of any respectable Lily is not just to fight, but to protect the common people. I'm looking forward to seeing what all of you can do, my good sirs."

Tsukioka Momiji, the pressure she was feeling written on her face, spoke up next. "Our mission is to repel any Huge in the Aomi and Shin-Kiba areas, and to help the civilians there evacuate," she said. "Let's escort them until they reach safe shelter."

With a deep sigh, Sengo Yuna commented, "How unfortunate that this should happen when I was merely here to escort Marei back to Ryuto myself... but now that it has, it's a matter of our Garden's honor. Rest assured that we shall do our part."

By her side, Amatsu Marei nodded, her expression cheerful. "Right, right, that's the spirit," she said. "Let's show these ladies that our Garden is the equal of theirs, shall we?"

Sengo Yuna and Amatsu Marei were both from Ryuto Girls' Academy, a well-known Garden from Niigata. Yuna had not been particularly renowned at that time, but Marei was already known far and wide as a genius Arsenal. Though she was officially a Lily belonging to Ryuto, she traveled the entire country crafting CHARMs for Lilies who caught her eye, and had earned the nickname of "The Wandering Arsenal."

Marei had been staying at Yurigaoka when Ryuto Girls' Academy sent Yuna to call her back. Before they left, they'd decided to attend the Neunwelt Tactic Technical Conference.

With a smile, Tejima Komachi introduced herself next. "Nice to meet you all!" she said. "Let's do what we can, all of us!" Komachi was a Lily at Irma Girls' High School for the Arts, and one of the Garden's "Elite Four." She had a natural knack for fighting in the AZ, and was renowned for the swiftness of her movements as she fought.

Seto Veronica Ichika shook hands with Misaka. "I'm Seto Veronica Ichika," she said curtly. "Well met." She was a famous Lily from Ludvico Private Girls' Academy who, even as a first-year, had been selected for its elite Temple Legion numerous times.

Finally, Misaka went and offered her hand to Amano Soraha. "We ended up in the same division, huh, Sora?" she remarked. "Well, now's my chance to outdo you."

Like Chihana and Touka, Soraha was a member of Legion Álfheimr—its vice-captain, in fact. She was cheerful, friendly, and an incredibly capable Lily with many accomplishments to her name and no flaws to speak of, making her one of the most popular Lilies at Yurigaoka. To Misaka, Soraha was a friend and also a rival.

With a smile, Soraha shook the hand Misaka had offered her. "Thanks for helping Yuyu out earlier," she said. Shirai Yuyu was one of Soraha's teammates in Legion Álfheimr, and so Soraha was always looking out for her. Misaka knew that Soraha must have been worried when Koume started arguing with Yuyu, and relieved when she had stepped between the two of them.

"No big deal," she replied. "After all, I was only telling the truth when I said that Sanngriðr's gonna be stronger than Álfheimr is." Misaka's bold declaration drew a strained chuckle from Soraha, but suddenly the other Lily drew close and whispered in her ear.

"...Is Touka all right?" Soraha asked.

Misaka glanced at Touka, and saw her friend checking over her CHARM with a sad, yet determined look on her face. Suddenly concerned for her, she called out to Touka in a bright, encouraging voice. "C'mon, Touka. Let's do this!"

"Right," said Touka with a nod. It was at that moment that Momiji addressed all of them. "We've detected a swarm of Huge on the Aomi coast! They're attacking the military installations!" she announced.

Altea, the Second Division's captain, issued her orders. "Second Division, we're moving out!" she declared, and the ten Lilies readied their CHARMs for battle. Misaka gripped her trusted partner, the Sohaya-no-Tsurugi, in hand.

"Let's go!"

The Second Division set off briskly in the direction of Aomi.

Aomi was a coastal neighborhood on the southern side of Odaiba.

In addition to the fortifications and other military buildings set up there in case of attack by the Huge, Odaiba's seaport and dock facilities were still there, though they did not bustle with activity as they once had. Misaka and the rest of the Second Division swiftly made their way towards both at a running pace.

When they neared the coast, they saw that the battle had already begun.

"Look at all those Huge! And this isn't even anywhere near the front line!"

Dozens of small-type Huge had crawled up out of the ocean and were attacking the fortifications and the nearby civilians. A number of the buildings had flames and black smoke rising from them, and some cars on the roads had taken hits, too. The personnel from the fortifications and the civilians from the docks were running for their lives; they'd been sent into a panic by the sight of the nestless Ultra over at Wakasu Park.

Standing in defense of the civilians were some military soldiers and Lilies from Odaiba Girls' School. The Lilies were all armed with the first-generation CHARMs known as Jötunn-Schwerts, clearly marking them as being from Odaiba's junior high school division.

The group of young girls were swinging their CHARMs this way and that in an attempt to shield the civilians from the encroaching Huge, but it was obvious from their stiff movements that they had little fighting experience.

"Please calm down, everyone!" shouted a Lily standing on the roadway, desperately attempting to calm down the civilians even as she fought. But no one heeded her words, and as the battle raged around her, a small-type Huge barreled into her.

"Aagh!"

Sent flying, the junior-high Lily skidded along the ground. As she lay there, dazed by the impact, the small-type pounced at her.

"Haaaah!"

At that very moment, Misaka leapt forward and cleaved the small-type in two with a single slash of her blade. A prototype built by Amatsu Heavy Industries, the Sohaya-no-Tsurugi—a CHARM designed exclusively for Misaka's use—had a silhouette much like that of a traditional Japanese sword.



Landing on the ground, Misaka glared at the small-types surrounding her. "Who wants a piece of me next?" she said. Two of the small-types rushed at her.

Misaka shifted her grip on the Sohaya-no-Tsurugi low, as if she'd just drawn it from its scabbard with an iaijutsu technique, and then swiftly lashed out with it. Countless blows rained upon the two small-types, shredding them to pieces. The junior-high Lily and the civilians nearby were stunned by her feat of slaying three small-types in hardly more than an instant.

"...Incredible..." whispered the younger Lily.

Misaka whirled around and smiled down at her. "You did good," she said. "Leave the rest to us, okay?"

She then turned to the civilians, with a grin so bright that it was practically blinding. "Everyone!" she called out. "You're safe now that we're here. We'll get you inside the Light Wall for sure!"

It was Misaka's brilliant smile that drew the eyes of the civilians and the junior-high Lilies alike to her, but soon they also noticed her uniform—that of the famous Yurigaoka Girls' Academy. "Yurigaoka's come to save us!" people began to exclaim in relief.

Misaka exhaled slowly as she relaxed, but then the Lily she'd saved suddenly jabbed a finger at something behind her. "Look out!" she shouted.

Whirling around as fast as she could, Misaka saw a small-type leaping towards her. She brought the Sohaya-no-Tsurugi to bear, but then—

"Haaaah!"

Altea thrust her trusted CHARM, the Murglais, into the small-type's side. Despite how slender the blade was, when she skewered the monster with the Murglais, it exploded from the force of it.

"That's quite the sword..."

Misaka stood there, stunned, as Altea gave her blade a graceful twirl. She had the bearing of an elegant princess, but Altea Alessandrini's fierce manner of fighting was precisely what one would expect of the "Tyrant of Mercurius." The civilians, who recognized her and her St. Mercurius uniform at once, began to cheer even more.

As the crowd cheered for her, Altea turned to Misaka. "Carelessness is the deadliest of foes," she remarked with a smirk. Looking annoyed, Misaka retorted, "Whatever! I was ready for that one, y'know!"

"Then, sir, I look forward to seeing just how ready you are henceforth," Altea replied. She cast her eyes around at the small-types scuttling towards them from every direction.

With a shout of "Yaaah!", Soraha leapt into the air and cut down one of the beasts with her Proto-Gram. Meanwhile, Totori and Touka were putting down the enemy with ranged fire from their own CHARMs, the Ancile and Aspid-Zmey.

"It's time to show them what we've been training for!" "Indeed. I'm not going to let Chihana down!"

The Lilies cut down small-type after small-type, but they continued to flood up out of the sea. "The Ultra must have them agitated," Ichika said as she cleaved a foe apart with her Gungnir.

"Let's finish 'em off quick and get everyone evacuated!" exclaimed Komachi as she rapidly dashed from foe to foe, striking each one down with her Lichtbringer. Meanwhile, Momiji surveyed the battle and shouted orders to her companions.

"Yuna-san, Ichika-san, Soraha-san, the enemies on the right are yours. Misaka-san, Altea-san, Komachi-san, please take care of the left side. Marei-san, Totori-san, Touka-san, stay here in the center and help the junior-high Lilies keep the civilians safe."

With a reply of "Understood!", the members of the Second Division split up. As Misaka hefted the Sohaya-no-Tsurugi once again, she shouted to her companions, "Off I go!"

Between her and the other members of the Second Division, they soon thinned the numbers of the small-type Huge, and gradually new ones ceased to pour up out of the ocean.

After deciding that their immediate surroundings were safe enough, Momiji called out to the junior-high Lilies and soldiers. "Girls, could you lead the civilians that are here to the monorail station and have them board the armored cars?" she asked. "And you from the military, I'd like you to look around and make sure there isn't anyone who has yet to evacuate."

The younger Lilies eagerly agreed, and with the soldiers' help, they soon had all the civilians headed to the station.

The main means of transportation on Odaiba was a monorail. Its cars were armored in case of attack by the Huge, and the stations themselves were also reinforced for use as a defense shelter. Once the armored cars arrived, they would convey the citizens to safety inside the Light Wall.

After she'd cut down the last of the small-types, Misaka heaved a large sigh. "Whew," she said. "Looks like that's the end of things for now." They had successfully dealt with the first wave of Huge.

Altea walked over to Momiji, addressing her. "That was the tactical acumen I'd expect of an Odaiba Lily," she commented. "You weren't a member of the Funada Reserve Team for nothing."

"Thank you," replied Momiji. "But the battle has only just begun. We have to keep everyone on Odaiba safe until they're able to evacuate to the other side of the Light Wall."

Letting out a deep sigh, Momiji began to walk away, but then she suddenly swayed unsteadily on her feet.

With a start, Altea shot out her hand to support Momiji's body. "Careful, now," she said.

"E-Excuse me!" Momiji stammered, hastily steadying herself, which drew a faint smile from the other Lily. "I'm quite charmed by your resolve, but it won't do for you to push yourself," Altea told her. "We are sisters-in-arms. Please, do not hesitate to rely on me when you must."

"...Thank you. I'll do that," Momiji said with a nod, her cheeks flushing red.

Whoa, Altea's every bit the ladykiller that they say she is.

As Misaka stood there, taken aback by what she'd just seen, Touka walked over to her. "Well done, Misaka," the other Lily said. Misaka smiled at her, and nodded, with a murmur of "Yeah."

"It was wonderful, Misaka, the way you encouraged both the civilians and the younger Lilies. I think the way you never lose heart is the best thing about you," Touka continued, obviously meaning every word of it.

Misaka beamed at the compliment. "Well, it just comes naturally, y'know?" she replied.

Totori turned towards the two of them. "Don't get too relaxed, you two," she scolded. "We've only just gotten started. We're far from done getting all the civilians off Odaiba and inside the Light Wall. And there's no telling when the nestless Ultra will attack."

When Misaka looked in the direction of the giant Cave, she could make out masses of dark shadow furiously crawling from the Tokyo Gate Bridge towards Uminomori Park. Most likely, those were the Soldier Ants.

Touka gazed in that direction as well, with a troubled look on her face. "...Chihana..." she murmured.

Misaka clapped Touka on the shoulder and raised her voice, calling out to her teammates.

"C'mon, everyone! Time for us to go save some lives!"

Translation Notes
I've spent way too much time thinking about whether 部隊 is best translated as "Division", "Task Force" (what LuciaDB uses) or something else. In the end I believe "Task Force" is awkward when they each ended up performing a variety of roles during the battle, even if that was not the original battle plan. Also, I think most task forces would be named for their intended purpose (e.g. "Aomi Evacuation Task Force") and not with a number, which is more in line with military divisions.

"Division" does normally imply a larger military unit but since it's a literal division of every Lily at the conference, I think it works well. Honestly "Team" or "Squad" might have been the most apt but those words don't have enough impact.

(Update: The Japanese print version of Wunder ended up using "Unit" as the official translation, but the Ensemble of the Eldren Valkyries translation is already committed to video, so it's staying "Division" in my TL.)

I chose the spelling "Murglais" for Altea's CHARM based on Gustav E. Beckmann's conclusions in his book "Onomastics of the 'Chanson de Roland'" (in short, he argues that the more common "Murgleis" was an early textual corruption.)