Chapter 304: Super Dimension Fortress

July, 1999.

22:15.

On this day, everyone in the world saw that "thing" appear in the sky.

……

Above the Pacific Ocean.

Rei of the Nanto Suicho Ken,

looked behind someone—

There were countless people, countless martial artists.

The people of Nanto were drawn to a certain man without realizing it, coming for the possibilities that existed within him, gathering from all corners of the world, and finally following the youngest of the Hokuto brothers, named "Ken Shi Lang," as they burned their lives away in response to the destiny bestowed upon them by the heavens—

"Martyrdom," "Righteousness," "Benevolence," "Demon," "Emperor."

They had arrived here, and on this night, they willingly offered up all their strength; the entire earth, the sky, and the stars trembled violently because of their courage.

Yet, even they, under such a catastrophe, were merely ordinary mortals who actively welcomed the arrival of death.

The crystalline prism fell,

and the world lost its color.

But, even if some things could never be realized, they would not close their eyes until the very end; that was the courage to keep protecting.

Before everything plunged into dark death, at that final moment, the four who inherited Hokuto were like lightning suddenly streaking through a dark world, shattering the desperate future.

Sighs, shock, tremors, being moved…

Martial artists with excellent dynamic vision, everyone who witnessed this battle, felt heartfelt admiration for those four men. Such powerful and vigorous figures were simply like brilliant stars descended from the heavens; at the end of this century, no one could resist such beauty…

Loud laughter, weeping; the survivors trembled as they watched the successors of Hokuto Shinken descend from the sky.

Just as they were about to offer a victory celebration for their saviors.

All thoughts and words were interrupted in an instant; blinding light descended upon the earth.

The next second, Rei raised his head.

Not just him, all the martial artists were looking up now, hearts racing, eyes straining into the distance.

For deep within the infinite firmament, the sky suddenly collapsed like a mirror, and accompanied by someone's wild laughter and the rolling thunder echoing from the distant horizon, a giant city that reached from heaven to earth rose up.

Like a phantom rushing out from another dimension, the floating city that occupied the entire field of vision emerged from nothingness; hurricanes capable of tearing steel apart raged over the sea, kicking up super tsunamis tens of meters high.

It was a super-giant alchemical device that seemed to have smashed the sky itself.

——Original World Destruction Device

——"Chifouges Château"!

It had crossed worlds to arrive!

In the year 199X, humanity had forgotten what love was—

——But this day would eventually come; they trod upon the flames of nuclear fire!! They fought until the end!

All that remained was to call out for love, to make everyone remember this innate, strongest emotion!

"Hey, music!"

Jia Ji snapped his fingers. If they were going to call for love at the center of the world, how could they do it without a stage for their performance?

Not the Tokyo Dome, not the Budokan, nor anything else; as their debut battle, and perhaps their final swan song, there naturally had to be a stage worthy of them.

He smiled at his brothers, who wore expressions of surprise. "I didn't mean to come back this late!"

"World-class stage device—'Super Dimension Fortress,' deploy!"

Under Carol's hand, it was called Chifouges Château; what it was called under his hand was not up to her.

To transmit their singing to everyone in this world, during this period of interrupted communications, what else could be used besides Chifouges Château, which could perform the "Song of World Destruction"?

As for how he managed to move an alchemical device that only existed in another world and another dimension here with a single snap of his fingers, one had to mention a certain person—

"Master!"

A girl's crisp call came from afar.

A call of heartfelt joy, a face as cute as a small animal, eyes radiating firm light, and flaxen, fluffy short hair; the long red pendant on her chest was emitting powerful energy…

——"Symphogear: Tachibana Hibiki"!

The slender girl, clad in white-gold battle armor, carried that mountain-like, massive stage on her shoulders, flying at a speed of hundreds, even thousands of meters per second from the distant horizon.

The stark contrast in size was like an ant carrying a million-ton skyscraper.

Merely by moving, the air seemed to turn into raging waves, and the trail left behind, walking upon the boundless sea, kicked up a pale white long dragon, like the miracle of parting the sea performed by Moses.

All the martial artists were dumbfounded, completely unable to comprehend the situation; such shock could not be described in words.

Why did a floating city suddenly appear?

Why was someone carrying this giant city and flying over?

Why… was it a girl clad in battle armor?

With just one look, they could judge that this thing, this girl, absolutely did not belong to this world.

The giant city, enough to make heaven and earth lose their color, was moved here from the distant sky at a speed visible to the naked eye, and strangely, the tsunamis and hurricanes that followed should have swept across everything, causing countless casualties.

Yet, standing before them was "Hokuto."

The closer these "natural disasters" got to them, the weaker they became, until they reached the feet of the four brothers, where they became completely calm, leaving only a trace of ripples.

"Well done!"

Seeing Hibiki's arrival, Jia Ji beamed and praised her.

The energetic girl swung her arms, tossing the magnificent giant city above her head, then showed an embarrassed expression. Seeing the three brothers around Jia Ji, who were of vastly different styles but all exceptionally strong, she seemed to react and greeted them very politely.

"Uncle Raoh, Uncle Toki, and Uncle Ken Shi Lang! I am Tachibana Hibiki, please treat me well!"

The mountain-like fortress floated quietly above the girl's head; it seemed it was not affected by conventional gravity.

And this little girl, who looked about thirteen or fourteen and made one feel she was a bit silly, was scratching the back of her head with an expectant expression; every move she made felt quite familiar.

Raoh's expression seemed unchanged, while Ken Shi Lang, who had only just reached adulthood, was called "Uncle," and his poker face revealed a profound smile; he couldn't help but reach out and pat the girl's little head.

Toki looked at his younger brother, curious in his heart about what he had actually done all these years.

"Ahem!"

Jia Ji cleared his throat and scratched the back of his head in a silly way, identical to Tachibana Hibiki's movements.

"Didn't I say? Our world is already capable of letting people from other worlds come here!"

(End of chapter)