Reisa observed the fight from aboard the flagship, peering through a spyglass. A flaming cyclone engulfed the ship that the Kirins were facing Valon and company on, and she frowned beneath her helm.

[b]"Abort all safety checks. I'm deploying the project."[/b] She turned to her aide-de-camp, who snapped up in a salute, stuttering.

"M-ma'am?"

[b]"You heard me, soldier. Inform the engineers that I'll be making my way down to the hangar shortly."[/b]

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[color=#736AFF][b][h1]Ranbu no Izayoi[/h1][/b][/color]
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[b]"Cute,"[/b] Valon grinned in response to Rudolf's taunt, cockily letting himself get swept up in the banter. [b]"Otto never mentioned you managed to grow a working pair of balls-"[/b] 

Rudolf stomped down, locking Valon's lance long enough to thrust with his rondel. Enhanced by black flame, the dagger pierced through Valon's gorget, though an instinctual jerk back saved the traitor's life. He snarled, a plated fist coming up to smash into Rudolf's jaw and floor him before he knelt, one hand raised to staunch the flow of blood the cut had made. 

[b]"Alright, I'll give you credit: got me good there. My fault for taking you lightly."[/b] Valon grinned ruefully, picking his lance back up. The other hand came down, and it seemed the flow of blood from Valon's punctured gorget had already been somehow staunched. He leapt back just in time to evade Galahad's kick, amusement returning to his expression.

[b]"Well, Good Ser Caradoc, how's it feel that Istvan Shilage's worst runt has been contributing more than you in this battle so far? Care to change that anytime soon?"[/b] A glow of crimson aether seeped into his eyes as his knees bent, preparing to jump.

Meanwhile, Miina and Chisato's combined efforts lit no few Valheimr soldiers ablaze, embers spreading from the volcano and cooking them within their black armor. Soldiers screamed, rolled along the deck, and in the case of some too far gone, outright leapt over the railing. Izayoi surged through those least affected, her blade barely a glint of light as she took full advantage of their distraction to tear through their ranks. The faster she was done with this, the sooner they could focus on Valon...!

Up above, Esben's outmanuevering of one skimmer before Elly sent the other crashing eliminated both of their aerial pursuers, leaving the two free to start hunting down the remainder of the Valheimr air support unmolested...

...Or they would have, at least, had a thundering boom not erupted from the flagship, distracting everyone from the battle at hand. 

[center][youtube]https://youtu.be/IeNfGkprUpI?si=YtSADKXw5Jghzz-m[/youtube][/center]

A crimson glow dropped like a meteor from the flagship, gaining speed as it plunged to the surface below. Leviathan and Siren, both leaking aether like sieves from their battle wounds, coiled around each other in a grapple for supremacy, looked up from their struggle just in time for the red comet to hurtle [i]through[/i] the both of them. A claw grappled each serpent, scaled and formless water alike, up by the neck before gaining height. 

Finally, the streak began to slow as it ascended, revealing its true form as it leveled out above the airship the Kirins were fighting on. [url=https://i.imgur.com/Sh5v56n.png]A titanic warmachina, sinewy flesh and bone plated in blood crimson and tall enough that the average man barely came up to its ankle, hovered over the deck.[/url] Its claws clenched, and both Eidolons of water, true and false alike, collapsed, dissipating into aether that was absorbed into the monstrous machine. If one looked closely enough, they could see the speck of blood in its left claw: all that remained of Siren.

[b][i]"Lieutenant, take your forces and make for the surface. I will finish this here."[/i][/b] Reisa's voice, distorted through machinery and sound amplification, boomed from the machina's head, to which Valon could only sigh. 

[b]"And here I was, just starting to have fun. Ah, well. Happy hunting then, Captain. Hussars, we're going headhunting! Double pay to anyone who guts the old man first!"[/b] Valon and his false dragoons quickly made for the surface, with the former simply leaning over the edge of the airship before letting himself fall backwards, a two-fingered salute shot out towards the Kirins before his form fell out of sight. 

With that out of the way, the construct's head turned back to survey the Kirins, noting the decimation of the Valheimr ranks aboard. Izayoi's pupils dilated as she heard Reisa's voice, animalistic rage starting to enter her tone. 

[color=#736AFF][b]"REISA! You think to hide yourself from us within that shell?! I will tear you out, piece by piece, and carve bloody vengeance with mine own two hands!"[/b][/color] She screamed, her sword glistening with blood.

[b][i]"Be honored, barbarian scum. His Imperial Grace has deemed the threat you pose enough to unleash this Ruby Weapon upon you."[/i][/b] The warmachina, touching down on the deck. [b][i]"Your quest ends here and now, adventurers! Come! BEAR WITNESS TO THE GLORY OF VALHEIM!"[/i][/b] 

The Ruby Weapon spread its claws out wide, and Izayoi charged, leaping up to bring her sword down onto its chest with a bloodcurdling howl.