As autumn deepened, the Tarop fields were dyed crimson. It was the season of harvest.

  Although this vegetable excelled in taste and texture, it was a delicate item that would spoil immediately if it touched anything hard. Cultivation by traditional manual labor was preferred over machines.

  It took time and effort, but as a luxury item, it could be sold at a good price to neighboring planets.

  A father and son were busy with the harvest work. The father was still youthful, just about to enter his prime. The child was a small boy, barely old enough to start school.

  "Let's harvest a bit more and then take a break."

  "Okay, Dad."

  "You did great. You helped me a lot today. Let's drink ice-cold soda together later."

  "Yaaay!"

  It should have been a peaceful afternoon. Until a huge shadow suddenly appeared, tearing through the peace.

  "W-w-w-what is that!?"

  "Uwaaaaa!?"

  Both father and son were astonished and lost the strength to stand. A rugged silhouette, pitch black like a demon. It was a mechanical weapon imitating a human form. Its head, equipped with sharp red camera eyes, glared at the earth.

  While jet thrusters erupted from multiple boosters on its back, opening like wings, its mountain-like giant body hovered in the air. The huge spherical part equipped on its chest was its most characteristic feature.

  It moved its neck little by little. As if searching for prey.

  The father came to his senses and pulled his beloved child close. Clinging to his parent's leg, the child tried to assess the invader with unclouded eyes.

  "Is it a robot? It's huge."

  "Something terrible came out... Is it some kind of movie?"

  While saying so, the father tilted his head inwardly. Normally thinking, that couldn't be the case. He had a bad feeling. Although frightened, the father strengthened his arm to at least protect his child.

  He heightened his vigilance.

  On the other hand, the humanoid machine seemed to have recognized the two figures. It emitted a growl like grinding metal—Gigi-gi. The spherical part on its chest, which stood out conspicuously, began to emit an ominous light.

  Mustering his courage, the father shouted.

  "Hey! There's nothing here but vegetables! If you want Tarop, I'll give you as much as you want! Take it and go somewhere else!"

  "Yeah, yeah! Go away!"

  But the desperate protests of the father and son were in vain. In the first place, it wasn't an opponent with whom dialogue was possible.

  Light burst.

  A scorched-earth attack on the entire planet—to burn humanity to ash. As its first shot, a nuclear reaction-inducing heat ray was fired. A lethal threat that left sound far behind.

  Naturally, they couldn't even react properly. An overwhelming light of ruin approached, dazzlingly covering the vision of the parent and child who froze as if paralyzed.

  But that cruel and merciless blow never reached them.

  Just before hitting the two, it suddenly reversed its direction as if it hit something hard. The roaring cannon of destruction was bounced up into the cheerful afternoon sky, and nothing cruel happened.

  Standing in front of the father and son to shield them, a single human was shaking off his fist.

  "Phew. Made it in time."

  The one breathing hard was a passing young man, or perhaps a boy. Although he had somewhat innocent features, he also gave off an adult calmness at the same time. He wore a mysterious atmosphere.

  Thick pants with multiple pockets sewn on, and a vest made of durable fabric. Dressed in an outfit that looked completely out of place for both farm work and going out to town, he didn't look like a local at a glance.

  Rather, he had the appearance of a drifter. Turning to the two, he gave a soft, amiable smile.

  "Are you hurt?"

  "...A, ah. We're safe. You saved us."

  "Big Brother is amazing! You bounced it off!"

  To the father's thanks and the child's honest reaction, the passing person—Yu—nodded with a heartwarming feeling and turned back smoothly. While paying attention to the safety behind him, he fixed his eyes on the enemy's front without any negligence.

  On the other hand, the giant humanoid weapon was operating its mechanical brain at full capacity, trying to judge the situation emotionlessly while hovering in the air.

  The high-output heat ray cannon had been easily bounced off. High-performance AI and various sensors calculated the difference in combat power between them.

  —Measuring target energy. —Life response weak. Magic Power value zero.

  The weapon spewed errors repeatedly. The calculations didn't match. Confused.

  For this fragile human to bounce back a non-material heat ray... Such a superhuman feat should be impossible. Something was clearly wrong. The logic was incomprehensible.

  In contrast, Yu guessed the true identity of the enemy and muttered exasperatedly.

  "Baragion again? This is troubling. Having them rampage so casually."

  Contrary to his carefree tone, his eyes were not smiling at all.

  "What will happen to ordinary people living peacefully?"

  The boy looking up at his back was excited. His eyes were sparkling. This person must be a hero. As proof, he said with a cool face:

  "I'm going to go do something about that for a bit. Please stay quiet there."

  "Do something about it, you say... You!?"

  "It's okay. It will be over soon."

  When Yu put spirit into a single "Hmph," suddenly, his hair started to grow fluffy and long. His height shrank somewhat, his physique became rounded, and flesh was added to his hips.

  A beautiful curve formed at the waist, and the chest swelled as if bursting, pushing back the vest tightly. While retaining the features of eyes and nose, the face brewed the charm typical of a flower-like girl.

  He—no, she—who completely transformed in the blink of an eye was entirely composed.

  Because she was a unique existence possessing two bodies, male and female. Shifting forms according to the situation was a natural state for this person. On the other hand, the father and son who witnessed the fast-forward supernatural transformation were completely astonished.

  Both of them let out wild voices.

  "A woman!?"

  "Big Brother became Big Sister!?"

  Since there was no time to explain, Yu returned a smile mixed with slight bitterness to the completely familiar reaction. Yu, who turned from a boy to a girl, quickly entered a combat stance.

  First, holding her hand towards the target. As a check, she fired a single magic shot.

  Wind Magic Bullet.

  If it hit, it would surely crush even its giant body. Easily creating an invisible bullet of such size. Adding the momentum of a gale and raging waves, she aimed straight and shot.

  Of course, the enemy wouldn't stay silent either.

  That humanoid weapon had excellent detection capabilities for magic. So naturally, it moved to defend according to the prescribed response protocol, but— At the expected reaction, the girl floated a slightly fearless smile.

  —Just as I thought. It took the bait.

  A strong shield, enough to completely cover the surface of the Giant Mechanical Weapon—Baragion, was deployed. With this, the magic itself was blocked, and no damage was given.

  But this exaggerated defense method was truly clumsy from the perspective of someone used to combat. Because while defending foolishly honestly, the machine froze completely.

  Confirming that a clear opening was created, Yu clad herself in wind and an anti-gravity field with her own Magic Power and floated high into the sky.

  "She flew this time!?"

  "Big Sister is cool!"

  Ignoring the parent and child who had completely turned into a gallery, she closed the distance while using herself as a decoy so that damage wouldn't reach the two.

  When she closed about half the distance, however, Baragion's giant body, which finally released the shield, vanished abruptly. Completely ignoring normal laws of physics, it reappeared instantly at a position behind her back.

  Baragion was equipped with a function that allowed instantaneous movement (Teleportation) as standard, and it utilized that.

  The excellent combat AI immediately derived the optimal solution for eliminating the enemy target. An Aura Blade shining ominously purple sprang out from the tip of its arm.

  Brandishing the lethal light blade, Baragion moved to pierce the target with unparalleled accuracy. The standard sure-kill pattern.

  But Yu was not flustered. It wasn't that she didn't notice. She saw through it completely.

  With a movement as splendid as sliding, she dodged the sharp thrust accurately. Not only that, at the point where its posture was fully extended as if mocking it, the girl hopped lightly onto the tip of the blade.

  Hop.

  It should have indiscriminately burned through any target just by touching. But it was perfectly blocked by her defense magic, just a thin skin stretched on the sole of her shoe. Minimum necessary and optimal defense.

  After showing off the method of operating possessed power and the difference in class, she dared to provoke it ostentatiously.

  "You guys are always like that. Just big bodies, but monotonous movements."

  Baragion, possessing advanced artificial intelligence enough to understand language, showed indignation at those words.

  However, sadly. It was designed meticulously to perform optimal and standard actions in specific situations. Because it was designed ideally as a weapon—for her with abundant experience, its movements were extremely easy to read.

  Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

  If given a stimulus in an appropriate way and provoked appropriately, it took almost stereotypical actions. This was the greatest weakness possessed by mass-produced mechanical weapons.

  Jumping up riding the momentum of the bouncing Aura Blade, Yu transformed into a man again in mid-air. It was only a split second for her to turn into him, and there was no opening at all.

  Again, the violent giant blade was swung. But at the point where it should have cut him into pieces, he was no longer there. Baragion's vision losing sight of the enemy wavered.

  What did he do?

  He was also utilizing instantaneous movement (Teleportation), stealing the specialty of the mechanical weapon. Short Warp was his specialty that he could use freely only when he was a man.

  By skillfully using male and female bodies with different properties, he could act in areas unreachable by a single body.

  Yu jumped into the pocket of the enemy full of openings and touched the spherical part on the chest, its upper outer edge.

  "You have no sin as you are only ordered. But let's end this."

  Opening his palm, he pressed it quietly. Towards the aimed single point, he sent Qi explosively.

  Internal destruction piercing deep into the machine. Dealing a severe blow. If a strong impact is given at an appropriate angle and appropriate depth like that, machines cannot avoid malfunction.

  Especially, Yu accurately damaged the part that would be fatal if it fell out of control.

  Matter Annihilation Cannon.

  That became its bane and bared its fangs at itself. Gi, gaga, ga... Emitting death cries like interrupted sounds, the rugged metal giant body disappeared visibly.

  Perhaps feeling no pity for a mere machine, Yu watched its end with cold eyes. Finally, the whole body collapsed in a chain reaction, and Baragion disappeared from this world without a trace.

  And only the clear autumn sky remained. Not just defeating it. He erased it cleanly so it could never be repaired or reused.

  It was a perfect victory.

  Now. From the side, a mere boy or girl finished off a giant weapon like a mountain. It looked like he did something tremendous.

  But in reality, for the current Yu, it was a piece of cake. It was like a prologue, a warm-up exercise for the main battle that probably awaited from now on.

  The unique aura symbolizing the "Blue Traveler"—the depths of his (her) power—he hasn't shown even a fragment.

  "Encounters with illegal weapons are increasing. Is the enemy's base near?"

  Although muttering disturbing words to himself, that voice melted into the wind and reached no one but himself. Yu, who landed safely, thanked the father and son who watched quietly as requested, and offered comfort.

  "Please think of today's event as a bad dream and don't worry about it."

  "Haa~. Then it really was a movie shoot, wasn't it."

  "Please consider it as such."

  "Well, anyway, you saved us! Thank you very much!"

  "Amazing! Can I have your autograph!"

  "Ah, umm..."

  Troubled by the gaze full of admiration, Yu had no choice but to smile bitterly as usual.

  "Sorry. I don't have an autograph or anything."

  "Ehh."

  The gaze of an innocent child must be a much tougher enemy than a worn-out weapon.

  "Well then, I'm in a hurry. Excuse me."

  "Wait. Who are you?"

  "Just a passing traveler."

  Yu just smiled gently. No one died, and the beautiful crimson scenery was protected. That was enough, and nothing worth mentioning.

  To the back leaving dashingly weaving through the Tarop fields growing on the ground, the child's honest cheer stabbed.

  "Thank you! Big Brother-Big Sister!"

  At the too-literal description, Yu stumbled. It was a somewhat awkward parting.

  Planet Raydalos. It is a planet with an environment too harsh for ordinary people to live.

  Acid sea made of deadly poison, clouds always muddy green. Dark stagnant orange sky. Earth full of corroded rocks.

  Although there is barely enough oxygen for humans to live, that's it. Even drinking water had to be bought from other planets or stolen. For that reason, it was a suitable place for powerful space ruffians to make their base.

  In the center of the universe, there is a region called the "Dyler Star System" where civilization is most advanced, possessing the greatest army.

  Although those regular soldiers are disciplined, deserters occur rarely. They "rationally" think that plundering as they please on lower planets is more profitable than obeying discipline quietly.

  Those who want to suck sweet nectar are also attracted to the bandit group composed mainly of rogue soldiers and illegal predatory weapons.

  FabL. Star-Class Lifeform. Abnormal Lifeform. Those popularly called the "Three Transcendent Tiers" wielded evil wisdom and tyranny as arrogant rulers, threatening neighboring stars.

  Depending on the mood of the monsters, innocent stars are burned, and people are massacred. In this universe with hardly any hope, well, unfortunately, it was a common story.

  The previous giant mechanical weapon was also a calamity sent by their whim.

  But saying she won't forgive any more outrages, a traveler came wandering from beyond the starry sky. Yu Hoshimi. After steady investigation, she finally located the enemy's base.

  Now. She was walking on the barren earth with an awfully grumpy face.

  She was wearing the same clothes as before, but they were torn here and there, and even had painful scorch marks.

  Why is that?

  Because when she flew in with a personal spaceship she bought on the planet where she saved the father and son, she was shot down by the enemy just before entering the atmosphere.

  Of course, since she intended to raid them, she wouldn't be defeated by that much. Even if she could protect herself, she couldn't protect the ship.

  Sadly, she had a phase of distress (bad luck with travel), and it seemed it happened this time too without exception. Yu was sulking, puffing out her cheeks almost unconsciously.

  Being attacked itself was within expectations, and she had prepared escape means properly. But still, she thought. Normally, they would give a warning or threat at least.

  Suddenly shooting is just... Ah, remembering it made her angry again.

  Setting aside her state, let's return to the current situation. Vanguards were already deployed near the crash site. Probably for death confirmation. It seemed they intended to dispose of her surely if she was still alive.

  Yu walked through the wasteland boldly without running or hiding.

  Inevitably, eventually she faced one of the enemies head-on. Although he looked like a middle-aged big man, Transcendents generally have a longevity constitution that is mind-boggling.

  Neither knows nor cares about the real age.

  "Yo. Little girl."

  "Thanks for the welcome."

  To the condescending attitude typical of Transcendents, she replied while still sulking.

  "You couldn't have come to such a remote place for fun. Are you some bounty hunter?"

  "Just a passing traveler."

  "Traveler? Ah—FabL, huh."

  The girl didn't answer. It was true, but there was no obligation to answer.

  "What a whimsical little girl. So, what is a mere traveler going to do—"

  "I came to end you guys."

  The girl stood dignified. The resolve harbored in her eyes was deep as the sea, and cold.

  "Came to end us, you say?"

  "Yeah."

  "Kukuku. Ahahaha!"

  The man laughed holding his belly. It was too much of a joke.

  "Don't be stupid. Including the small fry, our forces exceed ten thousand. We even command thousands of Baragions."

  "16,251 people and 45,087 mechanical weapons, right? I know."

  Her determination did not waver a bit. She just came to do what must be done. Although having thoughts in front of the tyrannical sinner, she read his expression extremely calmly.

  On the other hand, the vanguard man was surprised. Why did she know the exact numbers? It shouldn't have leaked anywhere.

  While feeling a chill, he threatened her with overwhelming violence in the background.

  "What can you do alone? People call that foolhardiness."

  "Normally that would be true."

  "Don't get conceited. You didn't come here without knowing what we originally were, right?"

  The big man floated a vulgar smile. Even if they were rogues, he had the pride of having participated in the strongest force in the universe originally.

  "If you are complacent thinking FabLs don't die, you will see a hell worse than death."

  FabLs usually don't die just by their body dying. They have the nature of flowing from star to star, and even if they die, they just cross to the next world and revive without incident.

  Therefore, there is torture that takes advantage of that. Dare to keep them half-dead and keep them like that forever.

  As he volunteered to be the vanguard, he was confident in his combat ability among FabLs. In exchange for the cursed fate, the special ability he harbored in his body was [Prison of the Fool].

  Although the effect target was narrow, only one person, the efficacy was immense. No matter how strong the opponent is, it can instantly dull their thinking, bind them in a special force field, and make them unable to move even a finger.

  It was exactly the perfect power to discipline a cheeky little girl. The man evaluated the girl in front of him with vulgar thoughts.

  This woman. Setting aside her real age, she looks young and fresh. She is quite a catch. After passing her around among fellows, maybe we'll seal her power and turn her into a meat toilet.

  While counting his chickens before they hatched with scum thoughts, he held up his hand and activated the ability.

  Originally, it should have been an easy game settled just with that. However.

  When Yu brushed her arm lightly in silence, absolutely nothing happened. She didn't stop moving, nor was there even a hint of drowsiness.

  Catching the flustered man in her cold gaze, this time she started moving. While wary of the surroundings step by step carefully, she closed in with a dignified walk from the front.

  One thing was certain—the ability was not working at all.

  "Impossible."

  It's some mistake. With disbelief, the man activated the ability again. Once more.

  When she narrowed her eyes slightly and brushed her arm, nothing happened after all.

  While letting her black hair grown to her shoulders flutter in the fierce wind of the rough land, Yu edged closer to the enemy.

  The man's confidence built up over many years collapsed with a crumbling sound.

  "Lies. That can't be!"

  Even if he fired repeatedly in desperation. The conceptual ability that shouldn't be seen, every threat. With just a single brush of the girl's seemingly frail arm, it was easily bounced off.

  He didn't understand what was happening at all, and saw nothing. But he could only think so.

  "Impossible..."

  All the ultimate and absolute powers of a FabL chosen by fate—with just a swing of such a slender arm. Just slightly before the point of action, the "ability itself" was being torn off—.

  "Don't screw with meeeee!"

  Trembling with fear, the man became desperate and stopped thinking about consequences. He fired his strongest Fire Magic as his passion dictated.

  Easily a hundred times that of the heat ray boasted by the scorched earth class destruction weapon Baragion. Heat waves that made the atmosphere groan.

  A blow of a FabL sung to crush stars. While melting the earth and rolling up raging lava magnificently. It attacked to kill only the single girl approaching close.

  Catastrophic disaster, a destructive threat that could destroy civilization depending on the location.

  In the past, the story would have been different. There was certainly a time when she had to accept defeat and bitterness helplessly before overwhelming violence.

  But that era of being crushed helplessly had already passed far away.

  One who carries the karma and hope of people of many stars. For the "Blue Traveler," it was no longer any pain or itch. "Somewhat" powerful level could not be a threat to the current her.

  Transcendents who are conceited thinking they are invincible are fragile once they crumble. Fools who rely only on power are the easiest kind to deal with. So.

  The end was already visible.

  She brushed aside the attack the man unleashed with full power with a curt swing of her arm. As long as she accurately determines the nature of the attack, the principle doesn't change even for a feat like God's work.

  Moreover, she didn't just bounce it back.

  The magic bounced by only her single arm flew toward the direction where his comrades were hiding as if calculated. And exploding with intense roar and flash, it ended the lives of the weak among them in an instant.

  Glancing at the tremendous war result, the girl told him as a mother admonishing a bad child.

  "Desperation is not good. Your thoughtlessness killed many important allies."

  "U, a, a..."

  Towards him who was trembling violently at the excessive tragedy and unable to move with his mouth agape. Yu whispered still like discipline.

  "You have to think carefully before shooting magic. Okay?"

  Before he knew it, she was right under his nose.

  Standing upright with her five limbs naturally relaxed, she was staring up at him intently with piercing eyes from the height difference between the girl and the big man.

  Before he knew it, her eyes had changed from the natural brown of a Japanese person to a beautiful sea color. Reaching this point, the man deepened his agitation further.

  He realized.

  That absolutely no life response was felt from her in front of him. That even Magic Power can hardly be detected. That the surge of power that can be glimpsed is almost the same as an ordinary frail human.

  At the incomprehensible existence, the man was flustered.

  Why. If she is a FabL. If she is a Transcendent even in name! Where on earth did the overflowing vitality and Magic Power she should normally possess go? If this woman is not a FabL. If the self-proclaimed traveler is a bluff, why can she stand in front of me safe and sound like this!? Why are my ability and even the greatest strongest magic easily bounced off!? Impossible. It doesn't match logic at all!

  —Such a ridiculous thing must not be. Kill. Kill her. I must kill her right now!

  Driven by the fear of not knowing the opponent's true identity even a bit, the man swung up his fist with all his might. If he did that, any human would retain no prototype at all.

  It is a fist that has completely crushed any rabble. There is no way someone like you can block it with your power!

  But before the violent rigid fist reached her. The girl's refined fist. The crystal of polished combat techniques. Sunk mercilessly deep into his solar plexus.

  Enough to bend his back into a dogleg shape and carve a fist-shaped depression into his body.

  "O, o... buaah!"

  Unable to breathe properly due to the impact, the man crouched down scattering vomit. Miserable acidity spread in his mouth.

  Moreover, Yu didn't give any gap for him in extreme confusion to regain calmness and judgment. Concentrating mental power (Shin-ryoku) on her palm.

  Her left hand emitted the blue light of the Transcendent-Killer.

  Against this man proud of his combat power, she had instantly made the judgment to finish him off surely with two fists, not a big move.

  The man intuited death and begged for forgiveness, but—too late.

  "Wa—!"

  "Goodbye."

  Directing a look of pity at him shrinking in fear for just a moment. That is the at-least mercy for one who has strayed from humanity.

  Yu shot the finishing fist mercilessly. Originally, it is something to offer to those being "ended."

  Cleansing light of purification without any pain. But for the most sinful, it degrades into the pain of unbearable hell.

  Raising a scream that doesn't even become a proper voice. Raising a painful scream that roars in the wilderness.

  The man exploded thoroughly leaving not even a single cell, and died. As if symbolizing the filthy soul being purified, the light of a pale blue soul burst into the void.

  The process a FabL's death usually follows—the Star Pulse collecting the corpse and reviving it on another star—will never happen again.

  It reflected in anyone's eyes as nothing but a definitive, cruel, eternal death. Eventually, the last fragment of the crushed existence melted into the sky and disappeared.

  After witnessing the end of one person, she cut her gaze with a touch of pity.

  There was no time to be immersed. Because she had to do the same thing to more than ten thousand people left.

  "Who's coming next?"

  Other vanguards were all terrified, and not a single person tried to step forward in front of her.

  Because. While fearing the beautiful and fantastical standing figure, they were simultaneously captivated.

  What is it. That raiment of blue light wrapping her body surface like flowing water. We don't know the origin or the source of the eerie strength at all. No one knows. Never seen it. What is that stunning blue aura.

  While each shrinking, directing their gaze in detail to where they hide. Yu announced with a clear soprano voice.

  "Neither the Star Pulse nor any fate will protect you anymore. Right now is your new death anniversary."

  Looking over the gathering of hearts stained black and dirty. Towards the "hopeless things."

  The Blue Reaper solemnly handed down the death sentence.

  "Come at me all together. To you who have forgotten even human pain. At least at the end, I will make you remember precious things."

  And. The usual Transcendent Killing (Dirty Work) began.

  Just as Transcendent (They) are a helpless threat to ordinary humans. Yu Hoshimi.

  The only one in this starlit sky—a Natural Enemy to Transcendent (Them).