NIKKE: Max Bonded but System Gone

"Wow~"

"Oh~"

Anis's and Neon's eyes grew wide with surprise.

"Did the Commander just say we're his most precious treasures? Is this a confession?"

"Wait, if it's a confession, are you trying to establish a harem here at the Outpost Base, Master?"

Anis and Neon laughed teasingly at Green.

"..."

Green coughed, neither confirming nor denying. "Let's eat first."

Seeing that he was deliberately changing the subject, Anis immediately teased, "Oh, did you just get nervous, Commander?"

Neon joined in with a sly smile, "Master, have you forgotten? Only by maintaining a sincere heart can you unleash ultimate firepower in a scolding!"

Green put on a stern face. "Just eat your food."

Anis grinned. "Aha—looks like you're guilty!"

Neon winked. "Master, since the timing's perfect, why not tell us your criteria for choosing a partner? Do you prefer firepower-specialized ones, or those with big calibers, or maybe the ones with high rates of fire? Oh~ I think I meet all those standards!"

"Hey, hey, hey, is that shotgun of yours really big-caliber? My grenade launcher's bigger, isn't it?"

"Then Rapi has the smallest caliber among us!"

"...."

As the team's assault specialist with the smallest caliber, Rapi instinctively touched her chest, then explained, "Actually, I'm more skilled with sniper rifles. But our team needs an assault trooper, so I chose not to use such high-caliber weapons to maintain formation."

"Wait, Rapi can use a big sniper rifle?" Anis grinned, surprised. She had never seen Rapi handle a big sniper rifle before.

"Not only sniper rifles, but I'm proficient with almost every type of weapon," Rapi said.

"After all, Elysion's training for NIKKEs is extremely strict, and can even be described as brutal," Rapi closed her eyes slightly, seeming to recall her military academy days.

Anis grimaced. "I don't want to go back to the military academy. That place was stifling. I'd rather fight on the surface with Rapture than return there. Neon probably feels the same, right?"

"Huh? Are you asking me?" Neon pointed at herself. "I'm a spy. How could I take the same classes as ordinary soldiers?"

"Ah, yes, yes, Miss Spy. What spy would have the words 'I'm a spy' written on their face?"

"Anis, didn't you know? Real spies often blend into the crowd with an innocent demeanor... And once everyone trusts them, they reveal their fangs on a moonless, windy night," Neon pushed up her glasses, speaking with mock seriousness.

"Well, if you're saying that, I should recommend your dismissal, Miss Spy," Anis grinned.

"Anis—?"

As it had been for the past hundred days, the morning at the Command Center passed in a noisy and lively manner.

The temperature in base rose as the morning passed.

It was then the Green's phone, placed in his uniform pocket, buzzed. He opened it and found Ingrid's message finally had arrived.

[Ingrid: It's me.]

[Ingrid: I've brought her.]

Rapi saw Green's expression change and quickly stood up from the sofa. "Commander, what's going on?"

Grin nodded. "Let's go meet Marian."

Anis closed her eyes. "Looks like it's time."

Nien echoed, "Let's go."

Ravi remained silent, then responded, "Alright."

The three members of the Counters Squad didn't have any objections.

But the thought that Marian was no longer the same Marian as before made all three of them feel somewhat down.

For the Nymphs, memories were precious but fleeting things. Especially the beautiful, cherished memories that they never wanted to forget. But as long as their minds were occupied by NIMPH, as long as they were working for the Ark government, those memories would eventually fade away.

None of the counterattack team knew whether one day they would also end up like Marian, their memories erased.

As they walked, Anis sighed first. "Hah~! this feeling is awful. Isn't there a saying, something like when the rabbit dies, the hounds are cooked?"

"It's 'when the rabbit dies, the fox grieves,' you fool," Nien corrected. "We aren't hounds, and we certainly won't be roasting Marian on a spit."

"Well, that's true," Anis pressed her lips together. "But I hope that if I ever have my memory erased, Commander, you would come to find me just like this."

"Whoa—Anis, so you want Master to get to know you all over again?"

Nien pushed up her glasses and said, "To be honest, dealing with someone as sensitive and paranoid as you is really troublesome. Maybe when your memory is erased, you'll think of Master as a strange obsessive man. 'Why is this man suddenly trying to hug me? Is he a stalker?' That sort of thought."

For once, Anis didn't argue with Nien. After a brief silence, she finally spoke. "If that ever happens... just thinking about it hurts. Everything is already so bad. The Ark keeps exploiting us, altering our memories at will, sending us to the surface to die. Even if they treat us like tools, at least they should give us some basic human rights, right?"

"..." Anis sighed again, "Well, forget it. Complaining here won't change anything."

"Let's just go meet Marian."

Green offered some comfort. "Don't worry, Anis. Once we get the Vapaus on the surface, you won't have to worry about the erosion anymore."

Anis turned around, smiled, and saluted Green. "Got it, Commander!"

The four of them arrived at the meeting spot.

Ingrid stood alone beside an incomplete building. The aura she gave off was as commanding and dignified as ever.

"Good afternoon, President Ingrid," Green greeted her.

"You're here?" Ingrid turned around and addressed Green. "Let's get straight to the point. The brainwashing of Marian from the former Silver Lance unit is complete. Additionally, due to your outstanding performance in ground missions, from now on, Marian will be assigned to the Counters Squad. Any questions?"

"No," Green answered firmly. "We're ready."

Ingrid nodded. "Good, then... Come out, Marian."

===

Lets make for 500 stones for advance chapters!

500 stones = 5 advance chapters

Read in advance here: www.pat reon.com/J_Titan