"Have not seen Tora in long time! Remember me— Muimui?" The Nopon asked.

"Huh? Why random old guy know Tora's name?" Tora questioned.

"Oh... Tora not remember me at all! I was assistant of Professor Soosoo, your Grampypon!" He urged, desperate for recognition.

"Ohhhh! You that old Muimui guy? Of course Tora remember! Muimui should have said to start with." Tora said with a laugh.

"...Muimui did say."

"Oh, right! Muimui not very interesting, so Tora forgot he exist." Tora said insensitively.

"Ouch." Corryn mumbled.

"Not blame, Tora. Tora was very young back then. Not surprising he forget." Muimui shrugged.

"Besides, Masterpon was quite distracted just now. Only thinking of how to upgrade Poppi." Poppi added.

"Why, could it be? This look like artificial Blade!" Muimui exclaimed.

"Muimui right! Tora studied Grampypon and Dadapon's blueprints carefully, and finished construction!" Tora said with a smirk.

"Wonderful! If only Professor Soosoo still here to see results of hard work!" Muimui whined.

"You have any idea where Dadapon went?" Tora asked.

"That day, when the lab was attacked... Muimui was out on errand. When I got back, Professor Soosoo's body was lying there... But there was no sign of Professor Tatazo." He answered.

"I see... Even Muimui not know..." Tora mumbled, dejected at the reply.

"Do not feel down, Masterpon. We will find Dadapon someday. Though no evidence for this hypothesis." Poppi responded, trying to cheer him up.

A silence struck them, and moments passed before it was broken.

"Anyway, Muimui apologize for interrupting your trip when you just arrived in city. Friend of Muimui run an inn just up ahead. Place with famous hot springs. If you like, Muimui can try to get you discount!" Muimui said with a smile.

"Muimui is best friend!" Tora shouted quickly.

Everyone followed but Corryn.

"I'll catch up..." He said, continuing to feel a presence just too close for comfort.

He closed his eyes and felt around, but there was no abnormality. They were almost blending in perfectly to the environment of a bustling city, but their gaze was—

Corryn was snatched up by Mythra, and forced to the inn.

•

Dousing himself in the men's side of the hot springs, Corryn sat beside Dromarch and Azurda, with Tora lying against the stone with closed eyes.

"This does my old bones some justice... Ah~" Azurda hummed, the soothing warmth of the waters relaxing his body.

"Indeed. This is quite the opportunity to come by." Dromarch agreed.

"Tora might sleep here..." Tora said slumping further into the water.

Corryn's search for the disturbance he felt was still ongoing, being the only reason he hadn't complimented the hot springs. It tremendously helped his aching body though...

Suddenly, the presence was found.

The only reason it stood out this time, was because of the intricate design of the individual.

Corryn knew the difference between mechanics and organs.

Corryn stood up, pinpointing where they were before humming.

"Something's wrong. Get ready."
Corryn said with a glare. He rushed out of the hot springs before they could respond, and threw on a towel.

As he ran through the halls, he used his powers to literally summon his clothes after him, throwing them on as he passed the girls, who were just leaving their hot springs.

"...Was that Corryn?" Nia asked in confusion. "Yes. Without a shirt." Poppi answered.

"Where's he going in such a hurry?" Mythra asked.

'Someone's fighting some soldiers on a rooftop. They were around us earlier.' Corryn answered, but in everyone's head.

The girls watched the guys arrive, and looked at each other. With no time for pleasantries, they ran in Corryn's direction.

•

Corryn ran out of the inn, throwing his arm through his coat sleeve and looking to the left of the inn.

He heard an array of gunshots, and ran to a ladder beside a shop beside the inn.

Everyone else left then inn soon after, all making their way up after him in their own ways. Corryn saw a figure literally punching a soldier down, and grabbed them with his psychic abilities.

They felt the tug on their body as they were yanked back and sent a roundhouse kick.

Corryn ducked, rolling out of the way and in front of the unconscious Mor Ardain soldiers.

"Lila...?!" Tora realized in shock.

A mechanical girl, or, artificial Blade, with a black hair and a maid outfit stood in between the two groups.

She used thrusters on her back to leap and fly away, but Corryn hopped on to the railing of the overpass they stood on, and leapt down to chase after her.

"Why's he so adamant on catching her?!" Mythra asked, bewildered at his tenacity.

Tora, surprisingly, was quick to tail them with Poppi's assistance, making Nia and Mythra look at each other.

"We're gonna need another round of those hot springs with these boys acting like this." Nia commented. "Yup... let's get this over with." Mythra agreed.

•

Corryn flipped over a wooden crate thrown at him, swiping away another with his powers.

Suddenly, Lila's fist was flying at his face, but Corryn leaned back, sliding on his back and past her.

She sped around, throwing a kick at his side, but Corryn blocked with his arm, pushing her foot away and engulfing his fist in flames.

Before he could send a punch, she kept spinning from his initial parry and swung her foot again, hitting his shoulder with an axe kick.

Corryn winced feeling his shoulder dislocate, and switched the Fire to Light.

Corryn uppercut her stomach with his left hand, before kicking her away. He tried to pop his arm back in place with his abilities, but she suddenly rushed at him again.

Before she could attack however, Poppi and Tora bashed into her, sending her skidding away.

Corryn popped his arm back with a gasp, before facing Lila with the two.

"Probably of success falling. Switching to strategic retreat mo—" Lila was thrown against a steel crate by Corryn's powers, Tora and Poppi hearing him slightly groan from doing so.

Suddenly, she began fighting back against his powers with her thrusters, making his nose bleed at the stress her factors but on him. Weight, Ether like a Blade, and then his own injuries and mental state.

Corryn let go of the push, and she flew over a metal gate behind them.

"Lila! Wait...!" Tora shouted with concern.

Corryn saw crates were stacked well enough for him to climb over, and chase after her. He was about to run off again, but Mythra grabbed his wrist and held him in place, making him wince.

"Quit it... we don't know if it's a trap, and you're not in any condition to go alone." Mythra said sternly.

"...Fine. She wasn't who I felt anyway. They were... organic, to say the least." Corryn informed.

"You said their name, Tora, so who was that?" Nia asked.

"...Long time ago, Grampypon Soosoo and Dadapon Tatazo were working on her... Her name was Lila," He began, recalling the first of the artifical Blades.

"Grampypon and Dadapon and Tora all wanted to become Driver! However... Not single one of us have potential..." He reinstated. "So we decided to work together and make artificial Blade! Blade even we can use!"

"But then... Grampypon was killed, by thieves. Dadapon gave ether furnace, and blueprints before Tora hide out in Torigoth City." Tora finished.

"Don't you have any idea who your attackers were?" Mythra questioned.

"Tora not know who, but they definitely wanted to steal Lila." Tora exclaimed.

"If it was Lila they were after, how'd she end up here in the Empire?" Nia continued the questions. "It seemed like there were imperial soldiers after her." Dromarch commented.

"Tora have no idea, but one thing is most confusing... When bad guys attacked the lab, Lila was not finished. There only one who could finish making Lila..." Tora said in disbelief, "Dadapon Tatazo!"

"So you presume your father is alive somewhere? Here possibly?" Corryn asked.

"Dadapon must be held captive by whoever using Lila..." Tora said with determination.

"That'll have to wait!" Corryn said being handed Mythra's Aegis, soldiers surrounding the group.

"Don't move!" They yelled, making way for...

"Oh." Corryn and Mòrag said in shock.

"So we meet again, Driver of the Aegis." Mòrag said with a smirk.

"Lady Mòrag, she's the one! The mechanical girl that took down our squad!" A limping soldier shouted, clearly believing Poppi was the assailant.

"Allow me to cut through those words!" Corryn interrupted, "Wrong robot, ma'am! He's clearly mistaken." Corryn exclaimed.

"Oh? Where might this other robot be?" Mòrag hummed in amusement.

"...Okay, fair, but he's still wrong." Corryn said with a sigh. "Unfortunately, they cannot tell difference between Lila and Poppi." Poppi frowned.

"Corryn, was it?" Mòrag asked with a smirk, obviously scheming. "Corryn, I'm very disappointed to find you stooping to such lowly crimes." She said sternly, but a playful look was in her eyes.

"...Ma'am, please, I'm still injured from my last fight. Round two can wait." Corryn plead.

Mòrag slowly picked up her rapiers, and Corryn spun the Aegis with a gulp, knowing his severe disadvantages.

"You guys handle the soldiers... I guess we have unfinished business." Corryn said, starting to smile.

Corryn and Mòrag suddenly flew forward and clashed blades, Corryn noticeably being overpowered.

"The Aegis has changed. What happened to her appearance? Answer me." Mòrag ordered, making Corryn grit his teeth.

"You fight first, ask questions later? My wounds are opening!" Corryn shouted in annoyance.

Mythra's ether finally reached Corryn, and his body became lighter.

Corryn parried her swords away, kicking her calf and throwing his sword to Mythra, as she slashed back, unable to block in time.

Corryn only leant back, taking a slash to his arms as Mythra appeared at Mòrag's left.

Brighid snatched one of Mòrag's rapiers blocking the attack, while Mòrag slashed at Corryn again, making him weave out of the way.

"You'll answer my questions as you lie defeated!" Mòrag exclaimed, kicking him back and chasing after his rolling body.

Flipping to his feet, Corryn fell and dodged a lunge, twisting his torso as he rolled on his back and evaded the slash aimed at his legs.

Corryn vaulted up and flipped away from a flurry of thrusts, sliding back and catching the Aegis in time to block the last stab with a grunt.

"H-How... did he do that...?!" Morag asked in utter bewilderment.

"Pyra!" Corryn shouted.

The Aegis switched back to the crimson blade, and Corryn kicked Mòrag's rapier away, batting her away with a slash of fire.

Mòrag stopped herself with her rapier, stopping beside Brighid as both turned their blades to whips, cracking them to ignite in blue flames.

"So you can change at will!" Mòrag realized with a gasp.

Corryn's body began to glow green, forcing double the ether into his body as Pyra fueled him.

Mòrag and Brighid lashed their whips across each other, sending a flurry of flames at them.

Corryn and Pyra sprinted forward, Corryn expertly deflecting and slicing through the fire, flipping over and sliding under the flames with Pyra doing the same.

Reeling the Aegis back, Corryn swung forward at Brighid, forcing her to revert her whip and block, before Pyra kicked her away. Corryn spun his sword and slashed upward at Mòrag, making her dodge away, but he was quick to follow after and thrust his sword at her, faster than she could react.

Stumbling back from his charge, she fell over, but found herself staring down the flaming Aegis, floating in midair.

Corryn was leant over her body, Aegis stopped just at her throat, and holding her back so she didn't fall over.

"Are you... alright?" Corryn asked with a pant.

Mòrag closed her eyes, before grabbing the arm supporting her, spinning him over her shoulder and slamming his face into the ground, planting her knee into his back.

"Ow, ow!" Corryn shouted in pain.

"Are you holding back on me again, boy?" Mòrag questioned.

"Right... in the spine..." Corryn said stifling a cough. "I have no reason to fight you. We didn't attack that guy's squad..." Corryn said with a sigh, admitting his defeat despite showing mercy.

"Boy is right," A Nopon in leather clothing announced, walking through the battle and towards the four. "These not the ones who infiltrate the facility and attack your soldiers."

"I know you... You're from the Argentum Guild's Intelligence Division." Mòrag acknowledged.

"Please... get off...!" Corryn wheezed.