The Black Knight Appears
The Outer known as the Black Knight. Unless it was an infected specimen, conventional attacks had almost no effect on an Outer. The reason was simple: what covered their bodies wasn’t ordinary skin or armor, but a special energy called Outer Force.
Outer Force was a supernatural energy inherent to the Outers, one that negated and repelled all physical contact and impact. To kill an Outer, you had to first tear away the Outer Force protecting its body. And the weapon created specifically for that purpose was the Dracore.
It was a bio-mechanical weapon that extracted and incorporated the core organ responsible for generating and maintaining an Outer’sOuter Force, then modified it so humans could wield it.
Beyond my field of vision, I saw civilians scrambling desperately into the alleys. This was dangerous. If I didn’t draw the Outer’s attention soon, it could turn toward the civilians at any moment.
At first, I considered using the Dracore’s long-range weapons. But I had never operated them before. Using them clumsily while still unfamiliar with their controls would only lead to catastrophe. In the end, I chose the simplest and most reliable method.
I had no choice but to throw this massive body forward like an idiot and draw it in.
I shoved the control yoke forward. The Dracore kicked off the ground with a heavy metallic thud and charged ahead. The moment I confirmed the Outer’s gaze turning toward us, I crouched even deeper into my seat.
“Luna. Hold on tight.”
There was no reply from Luna. Instead, her tension and focus flowed directly into my fingertips through the coupling.
In the next instant, the Dracore’s shoulder slammed head-on into the Outer’s torso.
The shock sent the Outer’s massive body reeling backward. Waves of energy burst from beyond its protective Outer Force field and flashed across the Dracore’s front. The vibration reached all the way into the cockpit, and my heart skipped a beat.
But it was clear. The creature’s gaze was now locked firmly on us.
I immediately yanked the control yoke to the left, changing direction. I deliberately used the alleys and plaza as boundaries, veering toward areas without people while accelerating.
The Outer reacted without hesitation. Its twisted tentacles braced against the walls, and its metallic legs pushed off the ground as it charged after the Dracore. The sight of its enormous body smashing through building exteriors while in pursuit looked exactly like a beast chasing its prey.
Crunch! Crack!
Vibrations and the sound of tearing metal erupted right behind the Dracore. The walls on both sides of the alley collapsed in an instant, and the Outer’s form closed the distance step by step.
Boom—!
While dodging, my inexperienced piloting caused the Dracore to clip a building on the left. Debris rained down. Part of the building’s outer wall crumbled, sending clouds of dust and glass shards across my vision.
Yet the pursuing Outer charged straight through the chaos without a moment’s hesitation.
I gritted my teeth and gripped the control yoke harder. Our mission in this operation was simple: draw the Outer’s attention and hold out as long as possible until the other Dracore units arrived. That was all we had to do.
“Haa… haa… Yuto…”
Amid ragged breaths, Luna’s voice slipped into my ear.
“What?”
“…Just in case, do you know how to use Outer Force?”
Silence fell for a moment at her question.
Outer Force? I let out a bitter laugh and shook my head.
“…Not at all. You already know I haven’t learned anything like that yet.”
“Then… let’s try it while we run. I’d rather avoid combat, but constantly fleeing like this isn’t easy either.”
“…So you’re saying we should practice right now?”
In this situation? The rumbling of the Outer closing in hammered directly into my ears. The alley was growing narrower, and changing direction required split-second decisions. My mind was already overwhelmed just calculating which way to move to escape without causing civilian casualties.
And now she wanted me to try using Outer Force for the first time?
“It’s not… that difficult, so don’t worry too much. If I draw it out… you just have to accept it and use it…”
It sounded easy. But for someone who had never done it before, it felt utterly daunting.
“Focus… If it’s you, Yuto, I’m sure you can do it without trouble…”
Luna’s voice was low and resolute, carrying an unshakable certainty.
“…Isn’t it a little burdensome when you trust me that much?”
“No. You can definitely do it.”
I let out a short breath at her words.
“Then I guess I’ll give it a try.”
Practicing while running for our lives. The situation was far from funny… but there was no other choice.
Luna said nothing more. Instead, within that quiet silence, something began to move.
A strange vibration rose from deep within the Dracore’s core. It felt like something alive was writhing beneath layers of metal, seeping through the control yoke into my fingertips, then traveling up my spine and into my chest.
I instinctively knew. This was the Outer Force Luna had mentioned.
“Can you feel it…?”
“…Yeah. I feel it.”
And at the same time, I understood on an instinctive level that this power called Outer Force was not something meant for humans to manipulate. This was probably the real reason it shortened pilots’ lifespans. Even operating the Dracore placed a heavy burden on the body; having a human wield such power was fundamentally abnormal.
“Remember this sensation well. So you can draw on it whenever you need to…”
When Luna finished speaking, the heavy power that had enveloped my entire body began to recede. The pressure that had spread like roots slowly drained away, and I let out a very slow breath inside the cockpit.
“…Fortunately, the two of them are escaping successfully.”
In the laboratory control room, multiple monitors displayed real-time footage of the Dracore racing across the city. Amid faces stiff with tension, every time Yuto and Luna’s coordinates advanced a frame, silent gazes followed them.
“…So what did the Defense Agency say? When are they arriving?”
At Hideo’s low voice, one of the researchers immediately responded.
“…They say about ten minutes.”
“I see.”
Once again, dimensional rifts had appeared simultaneously across the country. Considering that, the Defense Agency’s response was fairly swift. But from the perspective of those watching the scene, ten minutes felt anything but short.
Hideo stared at the monitor. On screen, the Dracore slid around corners, barely scraping past walls, narrowly evading the Outer’s relentless pursuit.
“…Impressive. To move with such agility in such a complex urban environment. Considering their training period, it’s astonishing.”
“As expected of Dr. Hideo’s son…”
“The coupling is also far more stable than anticipated. We were worried when the synchronization rate fluctuated sharply at the start, but judging by Yuto’s biometric readings, he appears to be completely stable now. No anomalies aside from mild stress responses.”
Admiration and analysis poured out one after another. Even amid the emotionless stream of data, the researchers’ eyes held a mixture of expectation and awe.
But Hideo remained silent.
If this had been a simple simulation, he might have been the first to applaud. But this was a real battlefield. A real Outer. His son in actual combat.
He quietly reached out and checked the flight path of the air carrier carrying the Dracore once more. The gently curving trajectory. Estimated time until arrival: nine minutes and forty-two seconds.
Never before had a single line of numbers felt so enormous.
‘…It might be more manageable than I thought.’
The distance between us and the Outer hadn’t widened noticeably, but it wasn’t closing rapidly either. A taut balance. Precarious, yet holding.
I pushed the Dracore forward, matching that delicate tempo. I couldn’t tell exactly how many minutes we had been running, but as long as I maintained focus without losing the feel of my fingertips, gaze, or the control yoke, I was beginning to believe we could stall for the targeted amount of time.
And it wasn’t just my perception. The tension I felt from Luna through the coupling had clearly loosened compared to the beginning. Even in such extreme closeness, her breathing had grown steadier, and the piloting feedback felt smoother than before.
When I first sat in the cockpit, I thought my stamina would give out quickly. But it was surprisingly manageable. My breathing was still even. I could endure this.
It was all thanks to Luna. She hadn’t spoken, but she was quietly and meticulously leading me. Unlike when I coupled with Yuzuki—where I had to draw out full power from start to finish—she was adjusting precisely, using strength only when necessary so I wouldn’t fall into overload.
More accurately, I could sense her autonomously adjusting the synchronization rate to match my pace. I could now clearly tell that the texture of the sensations seeping into me was completely different.
“…Yuto. How is it?”
Luna’s voice suddenly pierced the cockpit.
“…What?”
“You’re comparing us inside, aren’t you? Me and Yuzuki. Who’s better, what’s different.”
I gave no answer. But perhaps because even unspoken emotions were faintly transmitted, the silence inside the cockpit grew strangely heavy.
“Don’t you think we have surprisingly good compatibility? You’re feeling comfortable right now, aren’t you?”
“…Let’s focus on the mission for now.”
I cut her off firmly, but Luna didn’t waver in the slightest.
“I can give you a better coupling than Yuzuki. More precisely, more suited to you, Yuto.”
Even while panting, Luna conveyed her thoughts. What I felt from the other side of her emotions was clear desire. Desire for me, and for this coupling itself.
“If it’s you, Yuto… you could handle me more perfectly than anyone else.”
I remained silent for a moment at her words, then let out a small laugh.
“…Handle you? Aren’t you the one who wants to do the handling?”
“But in the end… aren’t you the one holding my control yoke? As the Bottom, I have no choice but to follow whatever you want, right? Is that not enough?”
In a coupling state, stamina consumption was directly tied to emotional intensity. Even so, she didn’t stop talking. Instead, she stubbornly pushed her feelings forward while holding her breath.
After a long moment of apparent contemplation, Luna let out a deep sigh and spoke.
“Mmm… Do you like Yuzuki that much, Yuto? But even so, there’s no reason you have to couple exclusively with her. Just because we’re connected like this doesn’t mean you’re cheating on your lover.”
“…What?”
For a moment, I couldn’t understand the meaning behind Luna’s words. Or rather, I didn’t want to understand.
“…Why are you suddenly saying something like that?”
“Because… you two aren’t in a normal sibling relationship, are you?”
It didn’t feel like she was just probing. Luna’s voice carried absolute certainty.
“Don’t worry. I have no intention of telling anyone. In fact, I support the two of you. I quite like Yuzuki, you know.”
That wasn’t a lie either. Whatever she was thinking, at this moment Luna had completely torn down the walls she usually kept up during coupling, laying everything bare. Her feelings toward Yuzuki, her thoughts about our relationship—none of it was negative. On the contrary, she viewed everything in a genuinely positive light.
“…As I thought, no matter how I look at it, I’m jealous. I wish I had an older brother like you, Yuto.”
Her words were calm, yet filled with sincerity.
“Back then. The sight of you carrying Yuzuki on your back while running away was really cool. I felt envious of her just watching.”
That wasn’t a lie either. Through the coupling, she was hiding nothing, and the flow of her emotions reached me raw and unfiltered.
“And even now, I think it’s amazing how hard you’re working to save people. The truth is… you’re scared and nervous too, aren’t you?”
I didn’t answer. But Luna seemed to already know without me saying anything. She was showing her emotions exactly as they were, without hiding anything.
I parted my lips, then swallowed my words in silence.
Honestly, there was no reason to refuse her proposal. Considering my father’s research, Luna’s suggestion was a reasonable choice. Yuzuki had already resigned herself to it anyway.
…But strangely, just imagining the situation sent a chill through a corner of my heart.
Was it simply because I loved Yuzuki? Of course that was part of it. But apart from that, I had already finished deliberating on this matter.
If it were simply because of Yuzuki, that would be too simple. There was something else, something deeper inside me that was blocking any ‘answer’ right now.
What was the reason? Why couldn’t I bring myself to move my heart?
It was right when I was asking myself that question.
The moment I heard my father’s voice, a breath escaped me naturally. It felt like a heavy stone that had been weighing down on a vague hill had rolled away.
Soon after, the roar of engines echoed across the city sky. A low vibration traveled down through the concrete. A black craft appeared through the gaps between buildings. It was the Dracore sent by the Defense Agency.
Its massive frame shook the ground upon landing, and the next instant, it charged straight toward the Outer.
I instinctively moved to operate the Dracore as well. Should I help? That thought crossed my mind.
But Luna stopped me first.
“Yuto, stop. If you jump in recklessly, you might only get in the way.”
“…Wouldn’t it be better to help?”
“But the buildings here are too cluttered. If untrained pilots like us move at the same time, we’ll only interfere with each other. Besides…”
Luna narrowed her eyes, closely watching the support Dracore.
“The movements of the support Dracore aren’t bad. It’s probably a skilled pilot.”
She was right. The way it precisely predicted the Outer’s attacks, evaded them, and used the terrain to approach was certainly reliable.
…For now, it was better to follow Luna’s judgment. She had far more experience than I did.
I slowly released my grip on the control yoke and decided to observe the situation.
The moment that decision was made, the flow of battle shifted dramatically.
The support Dracore immediately began pressing the Outer. It swiftly broke through the narrow urban alleys, sending vibrations that disturbed the flow of Outer Force through the air. Then came a sudden penetration.
The support Dracore drove forward with a blade charged with Outer Force, attempting to tear away the defensive Outer Force protecting the Outer’s body from the front.
However, even with that impact, the Outer Force did not completely collapse. Every time the Dracore’s blade grazed it, the Outer twisted its body like living flesh in counterattack, and the city walls split and crumbled.
The battle was far more intense than expected—a chaotic melee. Even after allowing several attacks, the Outer immediately roared and swung its tentacle-like limbs, smashing nearby buildings to pieces and scattering sharp debris in all directions.
Even amid the shock of collapsing urban structures, the Dracore twisted its body with flexibility, calculating the timing of Outer Force recovery to the very end. With all senses pushed to the extreme, it barely pried open a single gap, then unleashed rifle fire into that opening.
The thick barrel of the mounted rifle vibrated, and continuous gunfire tore through the city alleys. But the Outer did not collapse completely. Its Outer Force was half torn away, yet remnants still remained. It twisted reflexively, and several shots bounced off without penetrating its core structure.
Then the Dracore charged again. Before the barrel could reload, it adjusted distance and timing to initiate close combat. The blade dug into the gap in the Outer Force, and another head-on collision occurred.
A powerful impact rang out. Only after that was the Outer Force completely torn away. The Dracore immediately retreated and switched to a firing stance. Not missing the timing, the fired shots now accurately pierced the Outer’s center.
A tearing sound. The Outer’s body, no longer protected by Outer Force, twisted and collapsed, scattering debris like blood across the surrounding buildings.
Only then did the battlefield fall silent.
“…It’s over.”
Luna quietly muttered and let out a breath.
I, too, watched the scene and exhaled a long sigh of relief. Anyway, it was finally finished.
Just as I thought that and even the lingering anxiety began to completely dissipate—
Rat-tat-tat-tat—!
Short, rapid gunfire rang out once more from somewhere.
I tensed instantly and stared ahead. Was it a confirmation shot to finish off the Outer?
But something was wrong. The Dracore that had just been engaged in close combat now had ominous plumes of black smoke rising from its back.
“…It was hit?”
My breath caught in my throat. Why was the Dracore—not the Outer—the one taking fire?
Something had gone terribly wrong. Luna stared hard at the scene and muttered in a low voice.
“Yuto, that gunfire… it’s the same weapon as ours. The exclusive rifle used by Dracores.”
I was at a loss for words. I couldn’t believe that the weapon that had just destroyed the Outer after its Outer Force vanished was now being aimed at an ally Dracore.
“…Don’t tell me another Dracore is attacking us?”
As I filled my entire body with tension at that unbelievable fact—
“…Black Knight.”
A single word flowed from Luna’s lips, low and heavy like a sigh.
Her pupils trembled faintly. An emotion different from usual quietly spread through the cockpit.
“What…?”
I reflexively asked again. Luna didn’t answer. But the emotions transmitted through the coupling were painfully clear.
Rage and a deep-seated hatred carved into her heart long ago. It wasn’t simple threat or wariness. It was the ‘sworn enemy’ Luna had been chasing.
Her pulse, flowing through my body, gradually quickened. The trembling fed back to me, making me hold my breath as well.
And then it appeared.
Thud— Thud— Thud—
Beyond the buildings, beyond the wreckage, a black silhouette emerged. A black craft so dark it seemed to absorb even light, a form unlike any Dracore I had seen before.
And at that moment—
Amid violent static, a desperate voice burst from the shot-down Dracore’s pilot. The trembling voice was filled with unmistakable terror.
I instinctively grabbed the control yoke. An intuition that I had to do something stabbed through my mind.
The battlefield I had thought was ‘over’ just moments ago might have only just begun.