Why don't you give up already?
Everything was in vain.
Everything.
Trying to live, all the fighting…
it's all just worthless.
We promised to protect the human race.
This is what happened as a result.
This is Schoolmaster Smiley.
Attention leaders of all departments.
During transport, we lost the girls necessary for the rituals.
As it turned out, they were killed by a bomb
we set up as a fail-safe device.
We did not want to kill them.
But they are better off being dead than being returned to the ignorant humans.
Empress is the target of Artemis,
but that's not all.
Black Rock Shooter is the most evil existence in the world.
We are deploying Charlotte.
It may feel a little premature
but this should resolve the situation.
All crews are expected to highly motivate themselves.
That is all.
Episode 4: "Black Falls Down A Hole"
Oh, wow!
I've been waiting, Colonel.
Volt.
I'm the leader of the reinforcement unit.
She must be…
the human race's secret weapon.
So it seems.
Hemiteos Unit, mission code-name Empress.
Also known as Black Rock Shooter.
What? What's that? I'm a little scared!
No battlefronts against Artemis are improving.
At least during these few weeks,
none of our forts or territories have been seized.
And the Orbital Elevator?
Orbital Elevator? What's that?
Just listen quietly.
It's steadily nearing completion.
The time limit is one month.
We must somehow bring Empress to the Orbital Elevator by then.
I must destroy the Elevator.
Yes.
And after that, I must go to Light House No. 8.
You have a lot of musts.
I must protect everyone.
I must…
There are some problems we're facing.
First, Empress has memory loss.
There must have been a malfunction when she rebooted from her long sleep.
Also, other Hemiteos Units have similar memory problems.
We've been attacked by her former friends twice while on the way here.
What?
The other day, with Empress, we fought the Educational Institution
and tried to rescue girls who were going to be sacrificed in their rituals.
Wasn't that unrelated to our mission?
We needed to do it.
We wanted parts to repair Empress.
But in the end, the rescue failed.
The girls were blown up in front of us.
They'd rather kill them than lose them. Very typical of the Institution.
Anyway, Empress is mentally unstable at the moment.
We are wondering what she needs.
Does she need time to rest, or anti-anxiety drugs?
Or some device especially for Hemiteos Units?
Once we figure that out, we'll head towards the Orbital Elevator.
I guess that bastard Smiley is up to no good as usual.
Smiley?
The boss of the Educational Institution.
I didn't explain it to you yet, did I?
He's the one who set off the bomb?
Can I come in?
Oh, Major Volt? Of course, come in.
Sorry to bother you, ladies.
It's about the Colonel.
Yes?
I wanted to tell you both something about him, especially Empress.
The Colonel's wife and daughter
were killed by the Educational Institution.
What?
So when the sacrificial girls were blown up by the Institution,
the Colonel must have been shocked too.
Why are you telling us this?
I wouldn't usually disclose such things.
But I decided to because I heard Empress has been shaken since the incident.
If we stop now, multitudes of people will die because of us.
That's why he's suppressing his personal feelings.
He'd probably rather fight the Institution than go destroy the Orbital Elevator.
Have you known the Colonel for a long time, Major Volt?
I've known him for about ten years.
I respect him like a father.
I don't have any family,
so this Peacebuilding Force is everything to me.
Enough about me. Sorry to bore you.
We leave tomorrow. Get some sleep now.
What do you think?
Think about what?
Well…
Never mind.
Would you like to have sex with me to relax a bit?
What's sex?
My goodness! Do I have to start from there?
It's the act of love.
I don't understand.
I'm very tired today.
I want to sleep.
Oh, well. It might be too early for you anyway.
Okay. We're departing now.
Our destination is Artemis' Orbital Elevator.
I should not be impatient.
A vehicle is rapidly approaching.
Unmanned Forces?
No. It's an armed two-wheel vehicle with a rider.
Its speed is staggering.
Vehicle verified.
It's Dead Master.
Damn it.
Colonel.
Hold it. Empress is too close.
Damn it.
Roger.
Stand by! Hold your speed and distance.
Empress!
You are… Dead Master.
Forgive me for suddenly attacking you the other day.
I apologize.
I meant no offense
because I love you.
Love? Do you mean sex?
What?
I just learned about it last night. She taught me.
That b****!
What? Is she glaring at me? Why?
We'll talk about that later.
Anyway, Empress
you and I both lost parts of our memory and are confused, isn't that right?
Yes.
But we do remember some things.
All through our battles with Artemis, you were in pain.
I was in pain?
Was I feeling this way the whole time?
This world has gone insane.
Artemis has exposed the insanity of human beings.
This world isn't worth saving anymore.
Even if the Unmanned Forces didn't exist, humans would probably kill each other.
So…
I'm going to kill you. Don't worry.
I'll die too, right after.
Although before I die, I'll pleasure myself with your corpse.
Hey! She's not normal!
You're saying you'll destroy me to end my suffering?
Yes, I am.
Did you come all this way to tell me that?
I was in too much of a hurry the last time.
I ambushed you, so you ran away.
Now that you know my intentions, you'll offer your body to me, right?
I don't feel like dying.
So, you won't let me kill you? After all my begging?
It's not that I don't ever want to die.
I just want to decide when I will die for myself.
Negotiation has failed. It's time to use force.
Hey, wait. I…
No!
The armed vehicle is breaking away.
This is bad. She's more dangerous from a distance.
What?
Is there anywhere to hide?
Goddammit.
It ended up this same way again. Why doesn't she understand me?
Jet-type fighter drone confirmed.
It's attacking the two-wheel vehicle.
Intercept! Anti-aircraft fire!
Damn.
What the hell is that?
God damn.
Charlotte?
What's happening? Why?
Nice to meet you…
Is this over already?
That was too easy.
Schoolmaster Smiley wants you so badly. And yet you're so weak.
It's strange. I envy you.
Empress is mine!
Get your filthy foot off of her.
You are… well…
Dead Master, aren't you?
You're supposed to be a good sniper, but you came so close by.
How pathetic.
Why don't you give up already?
Everything was in vain.
Everything.
Trying to live, all the fighting…
it's all just worthless.
We promised to protect the human race.
This is what happened as a result.
Do you have anything to say to them?
No, nothing.
I'm going to kill you.
I'm not giving up.
Stop!
Charlotte!
Wait.
Empress.
I'm not going to die yet.
So I don't want you to die yet either.
Charlotte.
I'm done! Oops.
Repair complete. This is a sturdy car.
Six men left in the reinforcement unit.
Why didn't you shoot her?
That's because…
she's my daughter.
Oh, my.
She was kidnapped by the Educational Institution.
I thought she was dead.
I don't know why she…
I don't get it. I really don't get it.
I messed up.
I've lost so many of my men again.
Black Trike can track her.
We can still pursue Charlotte.
What?
Of course we can.
You must if she's so dear to you.
It's too late for regrets after death.
But our mission is to destroy the Orbital Elevator.
Maybe we don't have to pursue her.
She'll be back, that jet-drone girl.
I'm sure of it,
because her target is Empress.
If we keep moving towards the Elevator, she'll try to get Empress again somewhere.
And when that happens…
Just talk to her.
Dead Master understood how I felt.
First, have a talk.
Ask her what happened.
What if communication fails?
I'll be sure to capture her without killing her.
Empress.
I'm not going to give up.
Charge finalized 12 minutes ago. We can go any time, Empress.
Okay.
Translated by Ikuko Ohno