I guided the people at the venue toward the safety zone as I stepped outside.
Actually, for some reason, just me walking around in full armor was enough to make everyone panic. "This looks bad!" they shouted, scrambling to evacuate.
Leo-kun’s evacuation drills had clearly taken root.
New buildings were fully equipped with air-raid shelters, and public facilities were designed to function as disaster hubs. Yes, this was all thanks to Leo-kun’s benevolent reign.
It certainly wasn't because my deployment in full armor was widely regarded throughout Chronos as a sign of the literal apocalypse.
Definitely not.
Outside the venue, Chronos Army soldiers were training their rifles on a truck.
"Lady Riko! We’ve been issuing warnings to that truck with the Proone flag, but there’s been no response!"
"The crew?"
"We checked with a drone; he’s a normal species. Not a Proone citizen!"
"Understood. I’ll handle it."
My armor clanked with every step as I approached.
I peered inside and saw a Chronosian man. He was grinning.
I leveled my pulse rifle.
"Get out."
The man gloated in Chronosian. "Kukuku... this is only the beginning!"
He reached into his jacket and pulled out a handgun. It was a blaster-type.
I punched through the glass with my fist and grabbed the weapon. Blaster-types have a momentary charge-up after the trigger is pulled. That meant I just had to grab it and point the muzzle upward during that window.
"Wh—?! You... monst—"
"I said, get out."
I let go of the blaster, grabbed the man by his hair, and gave him a violent yank. I dragged him clean out of the driver's seat and tossed him aside. The blaster had already been crushed when I first gripped it. Muscle-assisted strength is a lethal weapon in its own right.
I stepped on the man's back and pressed the pulse rifle against the back of his head.
"Target secured. Take him away."
The soldiers nearby were looking at me with awe-struck faces that said, Wow, she's so cool!
The man was restrained and hauled off. I still had to check the cargo.
I ripped the lock off the rear container and looked inside. Suddenly, something lunged at me from the shadows.
Reflexively, I tossed my pulse rifle aside and caught the attacker.
It was heavy!
As the light hit the enemy, its identity became clear. It was a Humanoid Heavy Machinery.
He’d closed the distance too quickly for me to use the Urumi.
I heard the high-pitched whir of tires. It was a high-speed armored type equipped with wheels!
We were locked in a grapple. My armor’s muscle assistance let out a mechanical scream. I was being pushed straight out of the warehouse.
"Uoooooooooooooh!"
Behind me stood the Chronos Military Police—my subordinates. I couldn't let them get hurt. I was their commander, after all.
"U-Uooooooooooh! Get back, you bastarrrrrrd!"
I stopped it. Through sheer willpower? No.
It re-accelerated!
I thrust my arm inside its guard and twisted my body, swapping our positions. I threw the machine, snapping its arm in the process.
"Kotenage!"
The sound of the Humanoid Heavy Machinery’s arm fracturing echoed through the air. Even if I didn't look like it, I held a Hand-to-Hand Combat Badge, just like Claire-chan. In the Kamishiro Squad, you weren't considered a full-fledged member unless you could suppress police-grade Humanoid Heavy Machinery with your bare hands!
Boom! The machine’s head slammed into the ground.
"Phew... you sure made me work for it."
Cheers erupted from the Chronos Military Police.
"No way! She took down a Humanoid Heavy Machinery while only wearing a combat suit!"
"Captain Riko is incredible! I’ll follow you to the ends of the earth!"
"So cool... I think I'm in love..."
Even the men were looking at me with the kind of adoration usually reserved for an idolized Macho Dandy.
No! That's not it! I don't want a "soul brother," I want a boyfriend!
"Captain Riko! You're so cool!"
"I'd marry Captain Riko in a heartbeat!"
"I love you, Captain Riko... I can practically smell your masculine pheromones from here!"
The female crew members were squealing. It was nice, but... this wasn't what I wanted.
And stop talking about "masculine pheromones!" I’m a girl!
I issued orders while pouting internally. "Restrain the pilot."
"Yes, ma'am!"
The male soldiers dragged the pilot out of the cockpit. For some reason, they kept giving me those idolizing looks. Ugh, I can't take this!
"HQ, I have suppressed a high-speed Combat Humanoid Heavy Machinery. Stay alert."
"Eh? Suppressed it?"
"Suppressed."
"Ah! Yes! Emergency alert! We have an attack! Please begin guiding the spectators to evacuate!"
Phew. Status All Red. My muscle assistance was trashed. My entire body was creaking and screaming in pain.
But I had to protect them. I am a high-ranking member of the Leo Kamishiro Squad, the Strongest of the Empire. I couldn't bring shame to Leo-kun and Veronica-chan.
"This is Riko Sakazaki. Requesting a new combat suit."
"This is HQ. Approved. A delivery drone is en route."
The alarms continued to blare. Things were about to get hectic.
"Armor, release."
I needed to shed the armor and let the nanomachines start the recovery process. I had to eat a nutrition block immediately.
"Wait... she's a woman?"
"Hmm?"
I mean, I wasn't exactly keeping it a secret.
"What?! No way! My Lady Riko is a womaaaaaaan!"
Why were the female soldiers so shocked?
"I-It can't be! Big Brother Riko is a woman?!"
I’ve been a woman from the start!
"M-My sexual fetish is going to get weirdddddd!"
You, report to HQ later. I’m going to give you a very long lecture.
"As expected... the Empire truly is a warrior race."
No, we’re perfectly normal. It’s just Leo-kun and a few others who are outliers.
...What is wrong with you people? Seriously, what?
I gave up and ignored them, munching on my nutrition block.
"Big Sister Riko..."
Shut up! I don't lean that way!
The nanomachines were rapidly repairing my muscle tissue. I didn't have any injuries that required a hospital visit, at least.
"Incredible... Big Sister Riko... she hasn't even flinched."
Actually, it really hurts.
"As expected of the guard the King trusts most... she’s just too strong..."
I’m definitely weaker than Leo-kun, though.
"She's like a hero..."
I’d much rather be the heroine!
And so, I found myself being worshipped while being completely misunderstood by everyone around me.
But while I was dealing with this, the conspiracy was still in motion.
"Humanoid Fighter detected! Model... Latarnia Old-model Base! It’s a Proone machine!"
"This is Riko! I’ll head to the scene as soon as my suit arrives!"
"Drone has reached the target! Dropping combat suit now!"
A backpack-style combat suit fell from the sky. I swapped it with my current unit.
"Trans-form!"
I just wanted to say it once.
But for some reason, the male soldiers cheered like excited children. "Uoooooooooh!"
The armor deployed, encasing me in full plates. A standard-issue Gatling gun was delivered along with it.
"I'm heading out!"
And thus, the legend of Riko Sakazaki continued to grow, entirely out of her control.