Turning the bike off the trail, Ace guided it deeper into the woods, searching for a secluded spot about a mile from the resort. He eventually found a cozy space nestled between a cluster of tall, closely packed trees. After parking his bike, he activated the barrier talisman, followed by a presence-erasing talisman and an invisibility talisman, creating a secure hideout for himself.
'Master, I'll head to the delivery room, secure the doll, and signal you to recall me,' Dame Wasp offered confidently. Her voice softened before she added, 'While I'm at it, do you want me to grab some food for you? Your stomach's growling.'
Ace smirked faintly, though his cheeks flushed at her remark. Thanks to their sense-sharing link, Dame Wasp could hear his stomach protesting that he fed it meals as early as he could.
'Let's not complicate things,' he replied firmly, folding his arms as he leaned against his bike. 'In and out. Got it?' He noted how Dame Wasp seemed more like herself again—calm, confident, and focused. After telling him her worries, she'd regained her old spirit. He admired that about her. She thrived under pressure and, in some ways, was an adrenaline junkie.
Ace had seen the same thrill-seeking tendencies in Emi, too. The two of them were like peas in a pod—drawn to danger, smiling in the face of it. Meanwhile, he was more of a couch potato, perfectly content to stay miles away from trouble. Living with them he had come learn one thing them: they seemed most like themselves when on a mission.
'Got it, Master,' Dame Wasp replied before being summoned, her expression determined. Without waiting for further instructions, she activating her stealth mode and shranking to her one-hundredth form, she rushed out of the barrier reporting through the status screen: [I'm heading out.]
Ace sighed, brushing a hand through his hair as he shared his senses with his third summon and called, 'Emi.'
'Yes, Master?' Emi responded promptly, her tone warm and attentive.
'Am I wrong?' Ace asked suddenly, the weight of uncertainty creeping into his voice. Dame Wasp's willingness to risk everything—her very joy and meaning of existence—to convince him earlier had stuck with him. Now, he couldn't help but second-guess himself.
There was a pause before Emi spoke. 'Wrong about what, Master? she asked gently, her tone encouraging him to elaborate.
Ace hesitated, staring into the dense woods as if searching for answers among the trees, 'You know, earlier.'
'I can't answer that, Master. Though I know what Senpai talked to you about I don't know what you two actually said. So, that's for you to decide,' Emi replied thoughtfully. Then, as if reminding him of her stance, she added, 'But I can tell you this: your path aligns with the teachings of my family. Considering that I turned my back on them and joined my friends in the Cosmic Combat, so you tell me.'
Ace raised an eyebrow at her response, her words lingering in his mind. 'I underestimated you guys' loyalty to me. Looks like I owe Dame Wasp an apology,' he admitted, a tinge of guilt in his voice.
Seeing both of his toy summons willing to risk everything for him was humbling. The cursed toybox's skill descriptions had specified they would sacrifice themselves for their master, but he had never thought it carried such a profound meaning. Besides his parents, he had never known anyone who would go so far for him.
'Does that mean Senpai got through to you?' Emi asked, surprised. The Ace she knew was notoriously stubborn—it was rare for anyone to change his mind once he had set it on something.
'No,' Ace replied firmly, his tone softening just slightly, 'but you two keep trying. It's a constant reminder to me of what I'm most afraid of losing.' He moved away from his bike, reaching the edge of the barrier, staring into the direction of the resort with a firmer resolve in his eyes.
'Master, you sound just like my sister, you know that, right?' Emi remarked with a wry smile, referring to her assassin-for-hire sister, infamous for destroying her universe's Earth in the first Cosmic Combat.
Ace smirked. 'A lot of fans like her, even more than you, you know. And didn't you and your friends revive Earth in Cosmic Combat 2? What are you crying about?'
He wasn't exaggerating—Emi's sister had been a fan favorite since the game came out. Her actions in the first Cosmic Combat left such a lasting impression that fans still considered her one of the best characters in the series. Despite the flashy powers and tragic backstories of subsequent final bosses, none had come close to her popularity. There was something raw and unforgettable about her willingness to destroy everything she loved and had joined the cosmic combat to protect.
Emi opened her mouth to argue but stopped as the status screen popped up, displaying a message from Dame Wasp.
Dame Wasp: Master, I want to hack into the resort's systems. It'll let us monitor and eavesdrop on the S.S.S. members.
Dame Wasp: But, Master, it's simple! All I need to do is connect to the resort's Wi-Fi, and bam—we'll know exactly what these evildoers are up to.
Ace: No. Don't you get it? The only reason the S.S.S. feels safe gathering here—despite the C.I.B. breathing down their necks—is that this place is either their base or it belongs to someone working with them.
Ace: And knowing those psychos, their systems probably have top-tier security. Even if they don't trace it back to you, they'll know something's off. That's a risk we can't afford.
Ace: Just secure the package and get out.
Dame Wasp: But, Master—
Ace: Listen, Rose, you don't have to prove anything to me. I already trust you. And... I'm sorry for snapping at you earlier. I get what you were trying to say—it's just... that's not who I am.
Ace: Please, just grab the doll case and signal me when you're ready to be recalled.
Dame Wasp: Understood, Master. Recall me now.]