Yes, it's worth the cost...

You felt a shiver at the enormity of the agreement, but... you advised Keiko to take the deal. You figured that one Shiryoku was out of that armor, you could figure out how to beat her from there. And plus... no one was going to die from this decision. Humanity would just have to move back to bartering for a while until they figured out currency again. You could hear several economists in your head telling you that there was no way it would be that easy, but you waved them aside. Keiko's victory was the only thing you'd ever really cared about before... you weren't going to let her lose this easily! All you could do was hope that you were calling their bluff...

With a resigned frown, Keiko used the app to order the EMP. "This is... the terrible way that gods play with human lives..." Keiko cursed, feeling her frustration growing at being **** to take part in the gross games of the gods. "You'll pay for underestimating me, Bungen. I swear I'll defeat you and your priestess!"she vowed, looking away from the terminal in disgust.

There was a dead calm in the arena, before the helicopter noises of another seed announced the arrival of the BUNGEN drones. Between four of them, they carried a massive crate, which they dropped behind Shiryoku. It opened up to reveal a giant, unidentifiable machine made of odd, black, crystal-like metal. The machine thrummed for a moment... then released a short-range EMP wave. You saw Shiryoku's glasses crackle for a moment, while the rest of the armor she wore exploded outward from her body. Along with it went the supporting leather garment she was wearing underneath that, as though it had been filled with compressed air that just popped. Ironically, the glasses stayed in place.

"Thank you very much for your business, Miss Keiko, Mister Katappashikara," Bungen spoke from beside you, not sounding overly inconvenienced. It was possible that he thought Shiryoku still stood no chance of failure, even reduced to this state. He read off the figure you'd just signed off on paying... it was the largest number of combined dollars, yen, wong, oolongs, and whatever other cash unit you wanted to measure that you would ever hear in your life.

But maybe it would be worth it in the end, somehow... With all of that armor shed, it might finally be time to meet the real Shiryoku Zai.

((Sin +3))