Blue Archive - M.O.T.H.E.R. (Volume 1)

25

Hifumi ran to assist Azusa. Sensei told her to get out of there. The third android stood up in an extra complicated contortionist style. Karin fired a couple more shots. The humanoid brushed off the attacks by hitting them with its blades. In the blink of an eye, the machine was right in front of Karin. Aiming multiple shots, Asuna drove it back. Karin stepped back and continued the attack from further away. The android's blades were trying to hit Zero-One. They passed too close; they did not touch her. The effort of Nodoka, who was red and panting, was what allowed the attack maid to keep up the pace of combat.

The fight between Hare and M.O.T.H.E.R. was still as intense as that of her Millennium partner. ''Just a little more,'' was what was being said. The white-haired girl's eyes were red, she didn't blink and the joints in her fingers burned. She couldn't let any of the AI's actions escape her. She saw a message that could have made her hesitate whether to continue or not, but she had in her chest and mind sensei's words nailed down. The drone, Athena-3 fell, her face was lighting up. Again she did not believe what was happening, even so, she would not stop. The moment came when everything depended on pressing the last key. She took a quick glance at the message M.O.T.H.E.R. had sent him.

''Now I can go in peace.''

Hare pressed the button.

The light went out in blocks all over sublevel 2 and just as in blocks it came back. The mecha-morph stopped resisting and the third android stopped.

''We won..." said Hare, "Let's go back ho..."

''WATCH OUT!''

The blade came down to the ground. Asuna fell to her knees. She looked very exhausted. She had a small cut on her arm. A pair of red lights resembling eyes appeared on the android's face. It pulled the blade out of the ground. The torso, limbs and head readjusted itself by spinning around and letting go some compressed air in the process. The robot readies its blades for a new attack on the maid. Karin was firing at it again. The android again showed that it could stop the attack with its blades.

''Nodoka, Hare, stand down! Hina, Karin, distract the android! Kayoko help me get Asuna out of here!''

The android had no choice but to take cover from Hina's hail of bullets and retreat from Karin's attack. Sensei carried Asuna on his back. Kayoko covered him in case of any retaliation. They made their way to the elevator where the others were waiting.

They went to the elevator where the others were waiting. Sensei asked Hifumi if she still had any Peroro-grenades. She still had three left.

''Get out of here. Wait for us outside.''

''Won't you come with us?''

''I can't leave two students fighting alone.''

''He went to the computer.''

Hina and Karin were escaping from the android by taking cover and attacking between the capsule area.

''Let's go! Hurry!'' The girls went towards Sensei. ''Karin, go. Hina, cover her.''

Sensei stood by the president's side.

''Sensei, you should leave too.''

''No way would I leave you alone. I've already put them in too much danger.''

The android walked menacingly towards them. Hina kept firing.

''Bring it toward us,'' Said Sensei putting a hand on his student's shoulder to direct her steps.

Karin was already in the elevator. They had brought the android to where he was with Hare.

''Hina, go away!''

Though he tugged and pushed her away, Hina remained a few steps behind him. He threw the grenade in the shape of the most popular chicken in Kivotos at the humanoid's feet. It exploded, making it wobble. It was not enough to knock it down. There was a second, larger explosion caused by the other two grenades Hifumi had given him. Since the explosives did not have timers or a remote activator, he placed the bombs on M.O.T.H.E.R.'s computer so that when the one that Sensei had thrown went off, the ones on the computer would go off. To the rhythm of Peroro-sama's hymn, the android fell under a ball of fire and debris from the giant computer. The blast wave knocked the S.C.H.A.L.E. representative into a sitting position.

Hina went to see if he was all right.

''I thought you'd already left...''

''What kind of person would I be if I left you alone?...''

She helped him to his feet. He groaned as he did so.

''Are you ok?''

''I think I hurt my ankle.''

'' Let me carry you.''

''You don't have to...''

Pieces of flaming computer flew out. As if returning from hell, the android stood up. Its metallic armor was red hot. Sensei fell. The android was about to plunge its blade into him. Hina blocked it with her gun and fired. The android backed away moving the blades randomly. Hina was cut. The prefect team president fell to her knees. Suddenly, the weapon was heavy and she felt feverish. The robot steadied itself and moved towards her. It was going to give her the final blow. Sensei stepped in the way. Between the blade and the back of the educator'shand, a shield appeared. He had put on the black glove with blue stitching that Utaha had given him.