Monthly Bushiroad (February 2015 Issue)[]
He is the first Aquaroid to hold an admiral-level rank in "Aqua Force". He holds the rank of Rear-Admiral. Known ostensibly as an aquaroid of the 554th generation, he is in fact an experimental model of the 555th generation, which is notoriously known as one of the "Lost Numbers". To cover up the fault of the officers related to the 555th generation's development, Thavas was described as a genius of the 554th generation and made an admiral-level officer. Though Thavas possesses power which surpasses the norms of aquaroids, he refused to fight on the front lines to prevent others from discovering his true identity. That is why he was branded as a coward. Many had despised his "cowardliness" until he revealed a portion of his true power on a certain occasion, which won him respect from others as well as exceptional trust from his subordinates.
"Aquaroid" and "Lost Numbers"
The latest aquaroid is of the 621st generation. Among the many generations of aquaroids, there are some generations deleted from the official records due to failure in development. These generations are known as the "Lost Numbers". Among the Lost Numbers, the 555th generation is referred in many stories because aquaroids of this generation are known to possess power beyond expectation. The development project of the 555th generation was terminated only because the aquaroids of the 555th generation were too powerful and that they were feared to become kindlings of rebellion.
Monthly Bushiroad Short Novel (February 2015 Issue)[]
The Calm and Silent Admiral[]
The man asked himself. What is evil?
(Those who disrupt the order. The kindlings of conflict.)
The man asked himself. What is justice?
(Those who hunt down the villains.)
What is our objective?
(...To hunt down the evil. To establish a world of order under our laws.)
And is that our objective?
(There isn't any objective except this. We, can only do this...)
Even though the man cannot answer again, the questioning voice persists. Ever, forever..
“I---already---told---you---! We didn't come to attack other ships!!”
On the vast oceans, the loud and high voices pierced the silence. Everywhere one can look at was the ocean. And in the center of the ocean, a large vessel was staying on it. That was the flagship of the troop lead by "Thavas", the Rear-Admiral of "Aqua Force". The girl, yelling on the broad deck, was bound by shining ropes and left aside.
"I told you I came to help you! Release me from these restraints, seriously!!"
"Keep silence, suspects! You should be glad we didn't shoot you without any warning!"
Crossing his arms, an androgynous looking boy stared at the girl proudly. The girl wasn't deterred by his words and continued her complaints.
"Suspects you say!? Hey!"
And another young boy, to the girl's left, cried with a pessimistic voice.
" I said I didn't want to work with Ul-nin. I knew that this would happen..."
"Oh Dadasig, just keep quiet!"
"You should keep quiet! I'll feed your body to the sharks..."
The sound of an explosion from the back stopped the speech of the rudely-speaking boy, "Andrey". He turned quickly turned around, and saw a water pillar approaching them like a tornado.
"Andrey, bring these suspects into the ship! We'll have to dive!"
The superior of Andrey made an order to the silenced boy through the communication device. Yet he was totally shocked by the erratic scene.
(What is that...? A weapon...? A huge creature...? Or... )
"Cadet Andrey!"
"Y, yes! Ensign Orthia!"
"We'll have to dive! Bring the suspects here!"
"Yes Madam!"
Andrey, finally able to react after repeated orders from Orthia, brought the two suspects with strength that didn't match his appearance. As they entered the ship, the vessel dived. The ship dived into the ocean, and the vertically proceeding water pillar didn't hit them. They survived the danger.
At that same moment, a more severe danger occured in another marine area.
"It can't be helped if we keep watching it! Leave it to me!"
That is, the source of the water pillar. The cause.
"Wait, Commander Batteryboom. The target has high-power weapons. Sending you isn't the best way."
"Then what should be done!? A few moments later Max will be engulfed by the attacks of that dragon!"
In the direction indicated by "Batteryboom Dragon", a naval warrior had lost his consiousness and was floating on the sea surface. However, they weren't facing that man---Lieutenant Commander "Max", but the colossal dragon floating behind him. It had a gigantic body, with body size even surpassing the legendary admiral officer "Maelstrom".
"I'll do it."
Before the power mighty enough to be recognized by the most inexperienced novice, Even Batteryboom Dragon, a veteran naval soldier, had difficulties ceasing his trembling. And in such a situation that everyone felt fear---
"Let me lure the target away."
The man, spoke and walked calmly as usual---
"Taking this chance, please go save Max. And wait for my orders after rescuing him"
He was the first Aquaroid of "Aqua Force" to hold an Admiral-level rank, permitted to command even the Tear Dragons, the uncrowned kings of the ocean.
"Rear-Admiral, Thavas. Here I go."
"This ship, so superb---"
"True. Common ships cannot fill the whole body with water. I suppose this is for the aquatic soldiers."
The military vessels of "Aqua Force" are fueld by Hydro Engines and thus filled by seawater. That is why fully aquatic beings, such as "Mermaids" and aquatic "High Beasts" can stay in the ship.
"And there are places filled by air like this. It seems that it can be controlled freely."
"Sure. Just a moment before, only the surroundings of that brat and us have air. Likely an application of this technique."
"Speaking of brats, aren't you also one of them?"
"What-did-you-say?"
"Nothing."
At that moment, a nostalgic electronic sound was emitted from somewhere in the goggles of Dadasig.
"Wuargh! There's the response of Stride!"
“It can't be true! Where's'it where's'it!?”
Ul-nin, able to move flexibly even with her limbs bound, moved near Dadasig who wore his goggles properly. The goggles showed unfamiliar characters and numbers, and on the table like a chart topper, there was a spot that blinked.
"The coordinates were, of the point that the water pillar emerged."
"Must call Uluru quickly!"
Ul-nin moved near the wall again, and used the wall to hold up her hat slightly. Falling from the hat was an extremely delicate mechanical device floating in the air. That was the communication device of "Gear Chronicle".
"Uluru, a great Stride occurs! The location is-"
The dragon, summoned by the imperfect Stride caused by Max, possessed power beyond imagination. Beams tore the ocean and clouds. Everything in the paths of beams were destroyed, and a new trough was formed on the sea floor.
"This is..."
But the power of the dragon wasn't the thing that shocked naval soldiers, including Batteryboom Dragon. They were watching the warrior who moved skillfully under the rain of beams with only a single kelpie.
"This is, the true power of Rear-Admiral Thavas?"
The cowardly admiral officer who feared to fight. Thavas, who disliked meaningless battles, was branded with such a dishonorable nickname. For this, many of his subordinates doubted the power of their reluctant superior and avoided him. But---
"In that barrage where one hit means death, he can do it without any fear..."
Normally, Batteryboom Dragon always resisted Thavas' authority. But at this moment, he asked himself. Can he do something like this?
(Impossible)
He answered it immediately. That was a level that even a veteran soldier who joined hundreds of campaigns couldn't reach.
"Rear-Admiral, just who are you..."
One may be mislead by the elegant movement of Thavas, that he was in an advantageous situation. But that wasn't the truth.
(If the eye was okay.)
Thavas, after evading some beams, struck with all his strength against the dragon's eyeball. But he couldn't leave even a scratch on the eyeball that resembled pyroxene mineral ores.
(Not that point, is it)
To make things worse, even though Thavas still wasn't exhausted, his steed was. A beam tore the waves and cut a strand of Thavas's hair. That was the evidence that Thavas's steed was feeling tired.
(At this rate, our stamina would run out first.)
To lure away the dragon as much as possible, Thavas held the rein tightly. But his hand was stopped in the air.
"This is..."
The daunting, colossal dragon, had half of its body fading way in the shining magic circles. Gradually, the body became glowing particles and disappeared. Facing such a scene, even Thavas couldn't turn his eyes away.
"Is this... magic?"
What appeared in front of him was a bizzare dragon---"Chronojet Dragon". The bizzare dragon disappeared with the magic circle and the colossal dragon, and judging from this Thavas concluded that the magic circle was a product of the bizzare dragon.
"What's happening?"
Patting his exhausted steed, Thavas returned. He was conviced that something of impact, that he didn't know, happened on the planet.
"I see. So you guys came to teach us how to control Stride?"
"Technically speaking, they are the messengers to inform you of this issue..."
On the deck that floated on the water's surface again, there were Ul-nin and Andrey, staring at each other angrily, and "Ul-nin" and Thavas, who talked without changing their facial expressions, and poor Dadasig, who had absolutely no intention to stay on the scene and sat with his hands laced behind his head.
"Haven't I told you!"
"You suddenly said you wanted to find the Rear-Admiral! You're too ambiguous!"
"Silence, Ul-nin."
"Fall back, Andrey."
Although they didn't argue back, they seemed to be opposed to the results. The quarrel of the kids were stopped by their superiors.
"So, Mister Thavas. Do you accept to be the first representative of 'Aqua Force' and learn Stride?"
"Understood. I accept."
"S-so quickly! You accepted it so easily!"
Even Dadasig couldn't hide his astonishment when he saw Thavas accepting the offer so swiftly.
"If the same situation arises again. I can't solve it by myself. For this, if I can learn the way to deal with it, quicker means better."
"M, man you're pragmatic..."
"It's a good thing you can be negotiated with. Let's begin the training immediately. "
Several days later, in an uninhabited marine area. There were Thavas, and Uluru riding on a Gear Dragon.
"Just do the summoning this time. Calm yourself. Don't be confused."
Thavas was illuminated by the light emitted by his hydro-engine-equipped weapon, which created a force field. As he stood on the water and closed his eyes, the water became turbulent.
(Refine the picture in my mind)
At first it was a small vortex. The small vortex became a large whirlpool, the large whirlpool became a water tornado, and the water tornado became a water pillar that brought up the turrents and covered Thavas fully.
"Mister Thavas..."
"" Are you, a man of the navy? ""
"It seems that you are also a man of the navy."
""3822nd generation, the Rear-Admiral of 'Aqua Force', Lambros. ""
"The 3822nd generation..."
"" To you, I come from the future. Am I right? ""
"That means, I succeeded. My name is---"
""No. I won't ask your name. If you are a famed general who would leave your name in history, I cannot help but view you with bias. I want to be treated equally in this era.""
"Understood."
""Hmmm...my body was fading away. It seems that time is up.""
"My apologies. Looks like I need some time to become familiar with this power---"
""There isn't only one justice. The number of beings is the number of justice. Always ask yourself what is the right thing to do.""
"This phrase is..."
""An idiom widespread in my era.""
As the water pillar dissipated, the sweating Thavas showed up.
"There isn't only one justice, is it?"
Wiping drops of water from his face, he lowered his hat. And---
"One day, my justice..."
With a sorrowful smile, Thavas gazed upon the faraway horizon.
The water, only flowing one-way along the canals, noticed after approaching the possibility named future.
There isn't only one path. If there's only one, then just build a new one. If the direction of the path is wrong, just turn the flow toward the right direction.
The water becomes waves and storms, and one day it would break the old rules. It would show a new path, and the form that justice should be, to everyone.