Ichika tries to rush into the infirmary with Laura in his arms, Shiro's blows to her body is slowly taking shape. Even without weapon, the damages he has dealt to Laura were devastating.

"Right, I need to find Chifyu-nee before anyone else get hurt," Ichika looks at Laura's bruises on her arms, "I just need to find the infirmary"

There are footsteps approach in the hallway toward both of them. The crispy, stern metallic footsteps echo throughout the hall. Ichika turns around, the sounds are approaching closer. These automatic machinery reflect its colors under the dim hallway. They are not IS units, as Ichika dares not to take a closer steps at them, but he can tell these bulky, tall, and silent drones are just waiting for the command to open fire. And without a moment of silence, the synchronized bullets are fired toward at him and Laura. Ichika activates Byakushiki without hesitation.

"Laura hanging in there, won't you?" Ichika dashes through the enemies while avoiding enemies strike, he catches a glimpse of the attackers. The machines may look are almost the same size of a normal IS unit from afar, but they are much smaller in closer contact, the heads are decorate with traditional European knight helmets with green lights come out from the helmets, the entire bodies are all silver without any color variations, with two extensive arms equipped with traditional blades, the lower parts are sturdy and bulky, yet their lower body constructions with wheel based bottom, and there are various automatic gatling guns equipped from the chest area. Before he can continue to make any more observation, the bullets are going to reach him

Thanks to the Byakushiki's Absolute Defense, those Gatling bullets are repelled, Ichika finds a sigh of relief. But he is not going to fight those things, not with Laura in his arms. All he can do is to defend, even if those are just normal bullets, the shield is not able to keep up with the assaults. Ichika needs a way to get out of situation and he looks at energy meter, it is depleting Byakushiki's charges.

"Damn it," Ichika and badly beaten Laura are forced to a corner as the continuous attacks plunder on them. He graspes Laura tightly in his arms, hoping he can become Laura's shield and it is just about when the machine's assault about to hit Ichika, a sonic boom and flashy explosion comes from the end of hallway.

"Uggh, look at the mess you have made for the school," a familiar voice with a crimson IS unit stand gallantly in front of them, there is no doubt, Houki crashes through wall with Akatsubaki, and approaches Laura, "Is she all right?"

"Yeah for now, she got roughed up by a guy with shining hairs," Ichika readjusts himself and lays unconscious Laura on the ground, and enters his combat stance, "Houki, just how many of these things you think we can take on?"

"Don't be stupid, I am here to get you two back by instructor's request, since all guests and personals have evacuated after the things attacked." Houki turns her back against Ichika, as the machines fully encircled them. "Hmph, as for me, I couldn't really care if you die anywhere, I Just don't want to leave Laura alone."

"Then, help me," as Byakushiki change into full deployment mode, "as of right now, you are the one I can depend on."

Houki's face hues become cherry like color, "don't be stupid, how can you say-",before she can finishes off her sentences, Ichika disappears behind her back. As expected, Ichika's combat skills have improved significantly, his reaction times become more focus, and he has a goal right now. Despite the complex exterior design, these machines are not hard to cut down; yes, it is a large number of them, but it is not hard to cut them down. And Houki is with him, the output is much easier to obtain. Before they know the machines are terminated, and under the ecstatic sounds of loose wires and fallen metal parts, they let out a sigh of relief.

"Thanks for the hand," Ichika high fives Houki with a smile, "now, what exactly happened before."

"Well, to be honest, I was called to search for you and Laura after the instructor came down the command center." Houki starts to recall the event.

Chifuyu Orimuria stormed out of the ball room with a very bad feeling,

"I can't believe he is here."

That was the only reaction she could have after she saw Arthur, "how long has it been?" that was her thought as she approached the underground command center. Five, no it almost has been almost a decade since Chifuyu saw Arthur. To her, she always had uncertain feelings for that man before, their histories with each other were always been murky, well it doesn't matter now. As she thought to herself, whatever their histories had been would contribute nothing right now.

Chifuyu was almost certain that an attack is inevitable, she rushed into the command room and began her instructions

'Attention, all available IS delegates report to command room immediately. All available students and staffers begin evacuation of guests and escorts them out. Prepare anti-aircraft missiles, activate defensive formations, and contacts SDF immediately for back-up. This is not a drill, this is a lockdown." Chifuyu felt extremely nervous after giving the orders. "Will this do to stop him?"

"Instructor," Houki's voice interrupted Chifuyu's nervousness, "we are here, but Ichika and Laura are….."
"They are missing…"Chifuyu turned back and faced the four girls, "Shinonono, check the approximate area for Orimuria and Bodewig. Alcott and Dunios, help the evacuation team to escort the guest to the safety deck. Huang, stay for further command." Her tones for the orders are just crisp and clear as ever, but with slightly hint of uncertainty. "Dismiss."

The girls left for their station without any questions, Chifuyu felt much better than before, the tasks at hand would be analyzed Pendragon's goals.

"Instructor, we are detecting the enemy signals from the air."

"Pull up the visual, and prepare for anti-aerial defenses," before Chifuyu can finished her order, the enemy's visual display shocked her thought processes. It was a ship in midair, floating with majestic vibe, under the shining moon light, and its size overshadowed the academy. "There is no doubt, you are the one who is commanding it, Arthur?" Chifuyu murmured to herself, as she crossed her arms, waited for the silent behemoth to descend.

Believe it or not, this bloody headache has gotten worse ever since I arrived onto this terrible island. I look out from my cabinet window; here I am, on a ship above the air. The moon is bright as ever I can always hope, yet, I don't find any joy looking at the moon. Tsk, what am I thinking, right now, I should be concentrating on what is below. The IS Academy, it is a magical building, with its superior and dramatic exterior and interior, a place where the future is in the making. But that's not the point I am trying to make, no matter, this site has to go for her future. I return to my desk, and pour glass of water and intake my pills. It is much better after the medication as I put away the medicine bottle. A gentle knocking from the door won't let me have my rest.

"You sure are taking a rest during a time of crisis," Squall's vile and mature tones are scattered across the line, I wish I could punch her in the front for the sarcastic things she had said. But there is no help for me to do that, even if I want to, the consequences will be stupid and silly. There is no point to have make a comeback. "Come on, open the door, and won't you let me in?"

I open the door for her, there she is, Squall Meusel standing right front of me in her elegant dress. I suppose she smiles at me as I let her into the room, and she takes the chance to sit down before I can offer her the seat.

"You just can't wait to sit down, huh?" I give her an unsatisfied look, I fix up my ties and readjust my blazer. "What an impatient woman you are…"

"It isn't a gentleman's job to offer a lady the seat when there is one?"

"Aren't you quick witted…"

"At least I don't command a motionless killing machines," I hand Squall the glass of ice drink before I turn to the dark corner, just as I expected a teenage girl has been hiding in there. "It is not nice to hide in the dark area and not greet your host."

The girl remains motionless, and she ignores my comments. It doesn't matter, it is not my place to judge Squall's soldier. But, she does come out from the shadow afterward, and to my astonishment. It is like seeing a younger Chifuyu, yes just like her without smile. Wait, there is a knife coming towards me, is she attacking me? Tsk, I let my guard down, I manage to stop her by grabbing her wrist. Too close, too close.

"Hey, Squall what's wrong with her?" I feel rather startled by this girl's action, I have never seen her before and the first thing she does is to attack me.

"M, stop that, you are disrespecting a gentleman," Squall raises her left hand to signal the girl to retract her arm, "That's not good, you know. And besides, Arthur, aren't you used to things that are abrupt and quick to kill?"

"Give me a break, I have been dealing with machines, not killers for hire."

"M, be a nice dear and look for Shiro, won't you? I heard he is back and rest in the lobby." Squall smiles at her subordinate, and with that the girl leaves in a hurry. But she does glance me just for a single moment in time, but I only see that with the corners of my eyes. As soon as M leaves the room, I sit on the couch adjacent where Squall has been sitting, and we start to have the long minutes of silences.

"You know," Squall gets up and approaches me slowly, "I can't believe you would start this just for a woman."

"What are you trying to imply?" I turn away from her taunt and lean away from her body. I am sure she is playing the lust card just to obtain information out of me, what a futile effort. "You won't get anything out of me like that, I am not that shallow in a female dominated society."

"Maybe you are allergic to women." She jeers at my response

"Don't be stupid, you are avoiding my question. I am asking you what you are trying to imply." I pay no attention to her accusations and shift myself away as she approaches me

"Nothing, it is just funny to see a man is trying to cause a ruckus. Let's be honest, you are trying to start a war, just for a broken dream. You are quite a romanticist."

Romanticist? Is that a compliment that she gives me? If I were the Romanticist to begin with, then I wouldn't never start this pitiful war. I don't feel like comment on her ruse, I just got up and walk out of the room, and slam the door behind her. All I want to do is keep a promise, yeah no matter what, all I can do is keep to promise. Chifuyu, of all people that will stand against me, you are the one. Tch, damn that terrorist woman, she got me thinking about this whole mess's cause. I already have passed the point of no return, there is no more backing out. Right, Lan found Squall's bodyguard, I should check up on him for the time being.

As all of three of them manage to arrive at the underground unscathed, Chifuyu has been waiting for them. Right after seeing Laura is on bed, resting, she hits him on the head as usual.

"Where have you been?"

"Just outside of the ballroom, and saw Laura got beaten up and, you don't have to worry about me that much, Chifu-ne, I mean instructor."

"Tch, seriously, just how much problems are you going to cause for me?" Chifuyu's voice becomes more concerned and less agitated, she is just glad that her little brother is safe from the menace above the sky. But after what she just has said, a moment of silence insure through for about good a minute or so. And she notices that immediately, clearing her throat and tosses a copy of files to Ichika. Chifuyu returns back to her demeanor with a simple command

"Orimura, Shinonono, brief room now."

Just like that the two follows Chifuyu back into the command room, with the rest of the girls waiting for them.

Chifuyu begins her instructions once Houki and Ichika read over the flies. To her, it is not a simple matter, if anything she has to explain the backgrounds.

"As you have read, our enemies this time are not only affiliated with Phantom Task, but also with Pendragon industry. It will be a much harder battle in case you haven't notice; the drones are not IS, sure it is much easier to take them down; but the vast number of them is a problem. Plus we are not sure what exact numbers of drone they have in stock." Chifuyu stops her talk when Ichika raises his hand, "Is there a problem?"

"Well, about this, where does these drones come from?" Ichika doesn't want to sound silly, but he has to ask about it.

"They were rejects, leftovers, and unfinished stocks of Pendragon products. Before IS-units were introduced, the Pendragon Industry holds a prime position on combat drones. Those drone models were supposed to be delivered and distributed to United Nation's forces. But when the Units came along, drones were no longer favorable due to the Unit's power proficiency and controllability, simply put it, the top brasses decided that the Units were much easier to control with manual power and it were less likely to be hijacked by terrorists." Chifuyu replies without much hesitation, she pauses for a fresh air, the continues on, "And of course, the current CEO of Industry, Arthur Pendragon has always been a prime suspect of a supporter of Phantom Task activities. We already have contact the ISPO and SDF for back-up, right now all we can do it is hold out the situation."

The room became quieter once Chifuyu finishes her explanation, everyone is not on their right mind, and it is a terrorist attack that has a corporate sponsor? What has this world becoming to? The boy and the girls, not able to react this type of predicament. Chifuyu knows and she continues to analyze the situation.

"The Pendragon Industry was founded before the First Great War in early twentieth century, the Pendragon has always been the leading force in British history. The company used to be stock-trade Company before the event of Second World War, then it shifted its focus onto technology development. By the time of end of twentieth century, the company was able to discover motion sensory movements along with carbon based machinery allows efficient usage of energy. The company has always been improving and staying ahead of its competitors. However, a series of accidents occurred twenty years ago throughout its branch factory set the company back dramatically, along with the introduction of IS units, the entire franchise collapsed more than ever." Chifuyu sits back down after this long presentation, only to provoke more questions from Ichika.

"Shouldn't we contact to the CEO of corporation and convince him or her to stop this?"

Before Chifuyu can gives him a reply, Cecilia slams her hands on the table, and rushes out of the room, the sheer angry and resentment can be feel from that one slam alone. Just what the heck is going on with the school? Ichika Is just about to chase after Cecilia, Chifuyu holds him down.

"Let her be for now, we need to focus on the-"

"Instructor, the analysis of the drone debris has been finished." The message of from the laboratory somewhat interrupts this critical moments. "These drones are only basic weaponry drones without any energy supplements, the main components are nothing more than iron and aluminum."

"Why would he ever send in bunch of worthless scrap" something clicks in Chifuyu's head, Arthur's first goal is not to destroy the academy, he has always aiming at the guests.