BXBX NOVEL Volume 13 5 — The Night of Stars’ Fall
Volume 13 Chapter 5 - The Night of Stars’ Fall
Part 1
Kazuki was leading Loki around by the nose and led him to a trap while going to save Beatrix
And then as expected he was surprised with Ilyailiya’s form of two faces and four elbows that he stiffened.
「Be careful Kazuki. She is not just fast. She became able to simultaneously use fast but light attacks, and dull but powerful attacks」
Beatrix taught him that when he approached their battle.
He guessed that meant Ilyailiya could do a combination attack by herself.
「I see, so that’s Ilyailiya’s rationality. Her appearance looks like a Buddha statue.」
「Are those words of praise?」
Ilyailiya’s silver face wasted no time to ask.
「That’s not praise. I said a Buddha statue. The current you has an appearance that is really problematic for a girl you know?」
「………………Why, even though this is rational.」
Kazuki felt like he could sense a change inside Ilyailiya’s expressionless face slightly.
It felt like she was currently discouraged.
「………………It doesn’t matter. Because a necessity to be treated as a girl by you is nonexistent. Also because I’m not even in the age of a girl.」
At a glance she was expressionless so she looked like she was unconcerned, but when he grew to get used of seeing her, it felt like he could see deep inside that expressionless face a slight wavering.
Besides, her talking was just a bit too rapid.
「Just how old are you?」
「I’m 18 years old.」
「You are younger than me.」
Beatrix looked taken aback when she said that.
「I think that age still counts as a girl normally though. You’ll look cute if you properly take care of yourself, so take care of yourself.」
「………………Cute you say?」
「You right now are a Buddha statue though.」
「This kind of conversation is pointless. I’ll exhaust every kind of method to defeat you and prove the correctness of my way of living.」
The black face spoke.
He felt like she was angry.
「I’ll defeat you and prove that kind of strange appearance is full of mistakes. If our side combines our strength too then that kind of appearance won’t have any meaning.」
「Mistake is sin……the current me who is thoroughly rational is without sin.」
Ilyailiya’s jet black body half was overflowing with faint dark magic power.
This was……the magic power of the jet black Ilyailiya.
「I also already prepared the logic to defeat you.」
「What?」
「Come. O unnatural death that cannot be told to anyone……progress exist under the concealment of sacrifice……」
It was the magic of the jet black one who he heard from Beatrix was slow, but regardless of that the magic exceptionally had exceedingly short chanting time. That being the case, it seemed that it took effort for the magic’s preliminary arrangements.
There was no time to obstruct her.
「Corpse DemonMertvyak().」
The ground right beside Ilyailiya split. It was as though something was coming from hell, a pitch black heavy coffin was gradually rising up.
「Come out.」
The jet black Ilyailiya gave a brief instruction which opened the coffin’s lid to the right and left.
The contents of the coffin that was laid down horizontally on the ground couldn’t be seen clearly from Kazuki’s position. However, someone that was put inside the coffin was slowly getting up.
Green colored shadow――the one that started to move, who showed her appearance was Gino who should be left behind at the camp even now. She was wearing her green mantel and hat, but the face and her hands that were exposed from there not only lost their skin, they even lost the majority of muscle and flesh, bones that had changed color could be peeked through those.
There was not even any need to confirm, it was a corpse.
Her whitely clouded eyeballs were turning to look to his direction from emptiness.
The corpses that lacked not just will but even flesh and muscle was enshrouded by a mysterious violet magic power and moved.
Perhaps it was the magic of Robin Hood, the corpse materialized a bow and arrow and drew its string――and aimed at Kazuki.
「Ilyailiya! You-!!」
Magic that controlled the deceased――most likely it was limited to enemies that were killed by the jet black’s magic.
hyun!* Kazuki yelled while evading the flying arrow, and glared.
――Ilyailiya was already gone.
……Damn it!
「You are shaken.」
A voice came from outside his awareness.
Against the fastest King as the opponent, it was foolish to avert one’s attention……!
「Kladenets……!」
Behind! Sign of magic power swelling up came from his blind spot.
「Kazuki! Getting hit by that is bad!!」
Beatrix immediately tackled Kazuki and bounced Kazuki to the side. A sword tip filled with terrific magic power passed through the spot where Kazuki stood up just before.
If Beatrix didn’t save him, he would suddenly get hit with that!
Kazuki put his stance in order even while exposing his anxiety and captured back Ilyailiya inside his perception.
「To use the dead like this……!」
「I won’t pointlessly waste even the ripple created in your heart by death.」
Just when he spotted Ilyailiya’s figure she immediately disappeared like haze and quickly approached him from outside his field of vision. Kazuki didn’t rely on his eyes and foresighted the presence of magic power and caught up to that movement.
「Ded Moroz.」
Ilyailiya’s silver right hand accelerated even further. The excessive speed caused the number of attack to increases as though they split countlessly. The silver sword thrusted intensely.
「Kazuki! There is no need to evade them all!!」
Beatrix yelled from the side.
「Kazu, ki……」Suddenly a voice came from Gino’s direction and he turned around.
「Cold……painful……after me next……I’ll, kill……」
……This isn’t the voice of that person.
That person, won’t say anything that indulgent!
Kazuki immediately saw through it and shook it off from his mind.
This woman, she would do anything for the sake of landing the sure kill hit effectively!!
「Kladenets.」
It was exactly at that time, inside the countless thrusts, one thrust was tinged with the might of sure kill.
The one that had to be evaded no matter what, was this!
「UOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOH!!」
Kazuki dodged Ilyailiya’s attack with paper thin difference and unsheathed Ame no Murakumo in response to attack.
zan!* For an attack without summoning magic added to it, it cut Ilyailiya diagonally and gave back the highest class recoil to his hand.
「This is two versus one, Ilyailiya! Right here!!」
As though she had been waiting for the instant when Kazuki came on top in the offense and defense, Beatrix also matched her timing and showered Ilyailiya with slashes from her side.
Struck with slashes of two people, Ilyailiya was blown away by the impact of magic intoxication.
「……You aren’t as shaken as I thought you would be. It would be better if I have the chance to kill someone closer to you. ……Perhaps Amasaki Mio or Otonashi Kaguya.」
Ilyailiya whispered to herself.
It felt like blood would rise to his head just from imagining that. But, this was just a cheap provocation.
The voice of Gino just now was also just Ilyailiya making the corpse talk using magic to divert his attention.
「I’ll teach it directly to your body that there are also cases where rage converts into strength.」
「Teach, is it. ……You should say that you will kill me there.」
Ilyailiya responded with a whisper.
It felt as though she wanted him to say that.
「I’ll defeat you and prove, that something like emotion bring nothing but weakness.」
She was a monster of logic.
However, it wasn’t the case that Ilyailiya lost all her emotion.
That was why Kazuki was fixated on winning.
「Beatrix, thanks for just now. You saved me.」
Beatrix’s expression brightened in a flash with an atmosphere like a big dog waving its tail.
「Fufufu, I too was in despair until Kazuki came. I got swallowed by the opponent. That was the first time I held such feeling in a fight……but it was all blown away when I heard Kazuki’s voice! I too will prove that Kazuki’s way is the correct one together with you!!」
「I’ll match my breathing with yours.」
「Got it. I’ll go out to the front and have fun fighting! ……Wahaha!」
Beatrix said that plainly and simply, and then the runes around Beatrix were shining stronger as though in agreement with that.
「……Looks like, the other side will get serious from here on too.」
On the other side Ilyailiya’s jet black half began chanting. It was like an eerie magic power pulse was hanging all around.
She failed landing a finishing blow with a surprise attack, this time she was starting to chant the spell of nuclear explosion.
「……I, turn transparent.」
Ilyailiya was chanting two magic alone while taking stance with her silver sword. That stance had a presence, it was as though several dozen people were lumped into one there rather than just two people.
Beatrix kicked on the ground vigorously.
Ilyailiya also met her attack with a speed that looked like she had vanished.
Beatrix foresighted the silver slash and swung her large sword. Ilyailiya dodged that with superior speed……the silver’s attack magic’s aim was fixed on Beatrix.
――The Rune of Foresight informed Beatrix that it was fine even if she didn’t bother with the magic attack.
『Kazuki will deal with it.』
Behind her something extraordinarily warm was backing her up――Beatrix felt like that.
In contrast……just what in the world was this coldness she felt from the back of the enemy in front of her? Beatrix was starting to ponder such.
The silver’s attack magic was invoked towards her.
「O sky, please guide the criminal to our homeland. Display the teaching of absolute frozen soil right here. Old Man Frost of TeachingLager Moros.」
The avatar of Svarog was floating behind the back of Ilyailiya who had changed into something like a Buddha statue. That sublime figure changed despair as it was into absolute zero and froze the air.
The chanting time was short, but its power was proportionate to level 8 or 9 magic of an average Diva. It couldn’t be defended at all using average defensive magic.
However Beatrix didn’t think about things like defense at all and slashed at Ilyailiya.
「Imitation Flare!!」
Kazuki fired a pseudo sun at that freezing world――an attack magic that couldn’t be blocked using ordinary defensive magic was neutralized by striking it using attack magic of the opposite element.
If the timing was off even just slightly, it would only result with Beatrix getting hit by two attack magics consecutively. Without being able of foresight and instant magic activation, this drastic measure was impossible to carry out.
Blizzard and sun clashed and formed a storm of rivalry. Inside that storm Beatrix dashed with a large sword in hand.
「What an amazing scenery! NUOOOOOOOOOOOOOOH!!」
「……Jumping right from the front like this……」
Beatrix swung down her large sword with the might of her whole body. Ilyailiya was superior in speed, but regardless of that the unexpected assault unnerved her initial response.
Ilyailiya didn’t choose to dodge and blocked with her silver sword.
Blade and blade clashed, both of them pushed at each other with strength without using foresight or speed.
If the offense and defense became severe, then the chanting would be broken, or even if not it would be slowed down! Beatrix thought like that and put her whole body and soul into her hand that was gripping the large sword.
「O bird of heaven where the light of heaven is dwelling in that body, hear my accusation and burn away the sins on the earth! Israel Judgment!!」
Without a moment’s delay Kazuki aimed attack magic at Ilyailiya who couldn’t move. It was a heat laser magic that while possessing high power wouldn’t drag Beatrix, who was right beside Ilyailiya, into the attack.
「Israel Judgment!」Kazuki fired it consecutively using Zekorbeni’s instant chanting.
「……Blaze up, silent flux of all creation. Ogni Fonarei.」
Even though Ilyailiya had already created a sword with the silver flame, but she chanted the same magic again. The unrestricted silver flame that was like clay overflowed out so much it enveloped Ilyailiya.
「……Infinite CocoonBeskonechnyy Cocoon()!」
The overflowing silver flame was whirling while hardening, it became several layers of wall and wrapped Ilyailiya who couldn’t move like a cocoon.
――That wall had the property to reflect heat! Even while the laser was melting several layers, the laser’s power was dispersed and blocked completely.
It was hard. Furthermore the silver Ilyailiya further chanted 『Ogni Fonarei』 once more in the attempt to continue reproducing the silver flame. She was planning to increase the thickness of the silver wall further.
Infinite defense while the jet black’s magic was being chanted……!
「Why, are you trying to be transparent!」
However Beatrix was already inside the silver cocoon. She put her whole strength into the sword locking contest and asked.
「Why are you asking something like that in the middle of battle……?」
「I am bothered and cannot help myself! This is a battle between fellow Kings to prove who is correct don’t you agree!」
Ilyailiya didn’t answer the question.
「You said that battle is fun but, do you really enjoy battle genuinely? ……When you comprehended that you had no chance of victory against me, you felt a fear for battle. Aren’t you only wishing to feel superior of yourself by winning?」
Beatrix felt a terrible weight on both her hands that were holding the large sword tightly.
It was as though all the soil of Russia became weight and leaned on the large sword.
Ilyailiya was pushing not just with speed――but also by power!
「If Kazuki was late in coming here even just for a bit, you would have died. If I used your corpse, I could have shaken up Kazuki more and would have been able to kill him easier, yet」
Gino’s corpse declined and then collapsed before weathering down and disappeared.
It seemed that Ilyailiya had lost her leeway to move that corpse.
「You were fortunate, I was fortunate――everything other than luck proves my rightness.」
「That’s not true! Because Kazuki came here by prioritizing this more than anything else to not let that happen!!」
「When one believes in kindness or love, they will become thickheaded to one’s own weakness and mistakes――to sin. The words of you just now, were merely that. You have no choice but to recognize that you are inferior to me.」
Sin――was that why she thought that she had to throw away her emotions no matter what?
Beatrix was outpushed by Ilyailiya……just before that happened, Beatrix’s body was wrapped in light.
「……I will do a good fight, welcome a good death, and wish to participate in even more battles of heaven! The divine protection of blood color in my eye! Berserk!!」
Beatrix put physical strength reinforcement magic on herself and supported her body that almost died out on her in this blade jostling.
「Berserk!」
Furthermore Kazuki layered up the same magic on Beatrix.
「!? What kind of reason is it that allows Hayashizaki Kazuki to use the magic of an enemy mythology……?」
Ilyailiya leaked out a shocked voice. That Ilyailiya, was shocked
「Because we aren’t enemies!!」
Beatrix replied as though it was only natural.
Beatrix who received layered up reinforcement magic firmly opened both her legs into bow-legged stance, 「FUNNUOOOOOOOOH!!」 she then raised a yell as though she was going to spit out her whole soul and pushed back the blade.
The sword locking contest was brought until it was back to equal.
「I don’t deny that I’m inferior to you! But right now you are alone!」
Beatrix yelled so and continued to question.
「Both Loki and Regina won’t come to save you!! That’s not a matter of good or bad luck!! I’m an idiot but I know that! What kind of logical tactic the distrust of you all created!?」
「The actions of you who came here to hold me back by entrusting your soldiers easily to another person isn’t a tactic or anything. It’s nothing more than betrayal to your subordinates and country.」
「The way of fighting and the way of living……the country and everything of all of you, I hate them!!」
「That’s not an objection.」
「Certainly when I thought that I might lose to you, I felt fear. But right now, I’m, having fun!!」
「Something like fun won’t create anything.」
Beside Beatrix, a new rune shined.
In Beatrix’s case, what Ilyailiya said wasn’t true.
The 『Rune of Strength』 strongly shined all the more. Beatrix finally began to push back on Ilyailiya’s sword. Ilyailiya’s body began to get pressured to the ground with her losing balance.
「……Flow down, beheading flash of sky. Pylevaja Zvezda.」
But Ilyailiya immediately activated magic that she was chanting even while locking swords. Countless meteors were flying from the sky. The silver cocoon opened a gaping hole just at that moment and let the meteors to infiltrate inside. Beatrix’s whole body was beaten up by the meteors.
「NUOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOH!」
But Beatrix didn’t slacken even for a bit and endured through it.
「Then, what will sin create!?」
Beatrix yelled while enduring.
「Cool-headedness and rigidness……a world without compromise.」
「But you will be alone there! Your heart will be isolated in incomprehensible frozen soil!! You are scared of sin because you aren’t loved by anyone aren’t you!?」
Beatrix endured the meteors and activated her magic.
「O divine protection of warrior, double the Megin whirling inside my body! The will of god spurred by endless battles, in this body! ……Meginjord!」
Kazuki also believed that Beatrix was enduring the meteors and didn’t chant defensive magic.
「Meginjord!!」
He layered exactly the same magic. Even when he was outside the silver cocoon, Kazuki could participate in the fight with his reinforcement magic. Reinforcement followed with reinforcement, and further reinforcement.
Beatrix’s energy swelled up.
「Kuh……fu-hahahahahhahaha! It feels like my blood is seething!! The current me surpass a wild gorilla as a legendary gorilla!!」
「Absurd!」 Ilyailiya yelled slightly.
Indeed Beatrix was spouting out really absurd words, but her yell didn’t refer to that and instead referred to how Kazuki was using Norse Mythology magic many times.
The King of Japan and the King of Germany were purely understanding each other from their hearts as comrades, and that was something that Ilyailiya couldn’t possibly comprehend.
Beatrix’s gorilla power pressured Ilyailiya, which caused her knees to shake.
「Kuh. Can you say that mankind doesn’t have any sin? After all, you and Kazuki can only mouth off sentimental arguments regarding the future. You will only mistaken yourself like that for eternity……! Are you saying that you will continue deceiving yourself and consider that as love and kindness?」
「I’m not deceiving myself!! ……I love Kazuki!!」
Beatrix swung down the blade until the limit――the silver blade became countless fragments scattering everywhere.
A diagonal slash was landed on Ilyailiya’s chest that blew her away.
Her body immediately bounced back to Beatrix’s direction――inside the silver cocoon she was unable to escape the fierce attack of the gorilla in front of her. She failed to dissolve the magic right away.
And then the pursuing attack didn’t even take an instant.
「O god Thor of heaven! Applaud my sword dance and resound your roar! Dwell the thunder of heaven in this sword, don’t allow even the exchange of battle anymore, consign them to oblivion!! Fjorgyn Megin!!」
Beatrix’s blade was shrouded with thunder.
「O flow of atmosphere, gather in this body, become the storm that reject the bitter foe! The eye of the typhoon is my throne! Storm Fort!」
Kazuki wrapped Beatrix’s body, her movement, with a barrier of wind. The wind that blew following his will reinforced Beatrix’s body and accelerated her even more.
「I NAME THIIIIIIISSSS, LOVE LOVE STORM SLASH!!」
Beatrix put a spirit that staked everything into the swing of her large sword while naming the impromptu combination move. Ilyailiya finally controlled the cocoon――and poured it into the space between her and Beatrix. In an instant several layers of silver wall were standing in Beatrix’s way.
That wall was burst open. Destructive power like a thunder god added with speed like a wind god struck, Beatrix pulverized the walls all at once.
「Ogni Fonarei……Beskonechnyy Cocoon!!」
Even though it was destroyed, Ilyailiya still overflowed additional silver flames and tried to protect her body infinitely.
「Thunder fall on my body and I obtain the godspeed of lightning……awaken the sleeping lion! Ride Lightning!」
Kazuki layered up further acceleration magic on Beatrix. It was the next strengthening on top of many layers of strengthening towards the contractor of Thor――it could be said that the strongest warrior was born here.
「FUNGUOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!」
The large sword was swung down――swung up――swung down――swung up……Beatrix lost herself in wrecking the wall in front of her eyes, she wrecked, wrecked, and wrecked.
「Fungah! Fungah! Fungah! FUNGAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!」
「Absurd. ……This is absurd!」
At that time the emotion that was slightly filling Ilyailiya’s shout, was it fear she wondered.
「I am……having fun here―!!」
The additional wall didn’t make it in time, the cocoon was completely smashed apart――the silver flame was finally exhausted!
Violent blade struck down Ilyailiya’s body without even giving her the time to run away. Ilyailiya’s two faces, four elbows that were knocked onto the ground were buried. That was how hard the attack was. Its might was like thunder. And then it didn’t stop with one attack. The blow kept coming like a wind god――.
「NUOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOH! THIS IS THE ENDDDDDD!!」
Ilyailiya who was struck to the ground was further hit with a down swing――up swing――down swing――up swing……the ground was turning into a widening crater due to the shockwaves. Ilyailiya couldn’t move at all while she was getting buried into the ground. The light of smashed defensive magic power was rising like a blue tornado. Although she was a King with magic power to match, but at this rate she wouldn’t have long.
No defense was allowed……!
「This is your defeat……」
However the silver face said that.
「……You cannot break, my magic chanting even once, therefore……!」
The jet black face said that. Steadily, no matter how much she was delayed, she was steadily, without any pause, continuing with that chanting……!
But if this was no good, then they would surely be able to take away the chanting from the King who was protected by infinite cocoon by the use of any kind of method. The answer couldn’t be found using rational logic.
The magic power of jet black Ilyailiya was swelling up. The Prima Materia around the two were starting to move erratically, turning into huge fireballs. The fireballs were enveloping Beatrix and Ilyailiya――!
「「Hah, hahahahahahahahaha!! This is my victory! I won!!」」
Ilyailiya finally laid bare her emotions and yelled laughingly.
Her sealed emotion overflowed out.
「……O fluctuation of Prima Materia, derive the end of everything here from the beginning of everything……
Entrust the chain of world creation to my body, become white flame that tears the world……
――El De Es Nui!!!」
Finally――it activated.
Even the strongest warrior would surely be erased to nothing with this, the destruction that transcended human intellect.
In front of this phenomenon, Beatrix felt fear.
『There is no need to fear……because the warmth behind is coming for you.』
The rune whispered so.
Beatrix ignored the destruction magic and turned around――there Kazuki was rushing right to her.
Without slowing down the momentum of his dash, Kazuki kissed Beatrix.
Through the lips, a warm feeling connected between the two of them, and the magic power circuit flowed open.
「My battle exists together with rage and blessing! Acting as the agent of the war god, cast down the anger and blessing toward lifes to thy crown of head……Mjollnir!」
As King Solomon, Kazuki pulled out the greatest power from Thor of Norse Mythology.
――In that instant, Ilyailiya’s gaze became as though she was looking at something that she couldn’t understand even now.
While embracing Beatrix in his left hand, a hammer was created in his right hand along with explosive light. What was produced from that part for striking, was the power of destruction of all creation.
Kazuki swung that down towards the crowd of Prima Materia displaying mystery before his eyes.
「The destructive power of my jet black’s magic is above that magic!!」
The jet black Ilyailiya screamed.
「The sin of man who tried to rule even until the origin……atom magic!!」
「But magic is not a phenomenon, but the power of the heart!!」
Kazuki yelled back.
「This is Beatrix’s victory! Your heart is not strong!!」
「How can I be defeated by that kind of logic!」
The infinite chain of destruction of Prima Materia, and the concept of the destruction of all creation in myth clashed, the whole scenery was blown away in pure white.
His field of vision was pure white, and his ears were ringing. His skin felt electrified. His magic power perception was also paralyzed. All his senses were paralyzed for a while and he didn’t understand anything.
He didn’t know how long he lost his consciousness. Kazuki stood up with staggers.
Beatrix also collapsed right beside him. Ilyailiya was also collapsed a few meters ahead. However the one who stood up first was Kazuki.
「U, unugugugugu」Beatrix groaned and then stood up too.
When her eyes met Kazuki, she made a blank face in puzzlement.
「……I, I feel like, just before my memory cut off something amazing was done to me but」
Kazuki was feeling strangely bashful and looked aside.
「Isn’t that just your imagination?」
Just what was he doing even if he got embarrassed by something of that level after this late? He thought that he had returned to a composed attitude overflowing with broad-mindedness but……when he thought that the other party was Beatrix he got strangely embarrassed.
「There was! There really was!! Do it one more time!!」
Beatrix shook Kazuki’s shoulders back and forth with a bright red face. His head was dizzy.
「Santa Claus didn’t come to my home……」
A voice suddenly came. When they turned around, Ilyailiya was also standing up even if it was later than them.
She was still wearing her magic dress, they noticed this late.
――That appearance displayed that she was still in a fighting shape.
「When I was a child, I knew that there was an event called Christmas and felt envious. You said that my heart is shut under frozen soil? My Ded Moroz had never said anything to me other than telling me to be obedient……」
She was whispering something in mutters with a far-away look and empty face that looked beaten.
Her silver face and arms were gone, her figure was a single color of jet black. Throughout her face that lacked expression, it were only her eyes shining with pitch black darkness dwelling there――it was like a water surface at the bottom of a deep well, a stagnating shine.
Those eyes were dyed with a single emotion.
They looked like large stones, that if removed a hole would come into view and something like gas that was sealed inside would overflow out all at once.
「I’m jealous……jealous……the truth is, I want to be cared for even if I have to toy with the dead……all of me that I have killed until now, I want it to be cared for……by you, Hayashizaki Kazuki!!」
All the emotion that she had forcefully killed through her whole life until now was dyed with pitch black jealousy and blazed up all at once. Emotionless life, it was the very definition of curse itself. Magic power was emitted out from Ilyailiya’s flesh in the amount that made him want to question just where was that much magic power was left in her.
But Kazuki immediately noticed, that wasn’t magic power, it was life.
As though to prove that, the black flame was blowing upward while Ilyailiya’s body was weakening like a withered branch!
She was offering her very own life in order to invoke some kind of magic!!
「Black Dragon Wave ObliterationZmey!!!」
Black flames spouted up with a force that could pierce the sky, it undulated like a dragon and then surged towards Kazuki. Ilyailya whose body had went passed being bone and looked like a withered branch sent out her everything and her condition collapsed.
The black dragon approached――Kazuki foresighted the nature of that magic power.
That was Ilyailiya’s Original One.
It wasn’t her life force――it was her whole life until now. Her whole life that was filled with curse and her life force were changed into magic which attacked the King with the most abundant emotion.
Curse――even if he ran away that magic would chase after its target until it devoured him completely .
If that magic got its teeth into him then it would never let go of him.
Surely there was no way to defend against it.
――As long as no one shouldered that curse in his place.
「Kazuki, look out!!」
Kazuki was frozen in place even with Foresight. In front of Kazuki who was like that――surely her body moved without her even thinking about it――Beatrix cut in and accepted the jet black dragon.
Part 2
「You guys are persistent! Run, Laevateinn!!」
The deep blue flash that Loki swung down knocked down all the Einherjar altogether.
However Damian and Eleonora tenaciously stood up. Even if they were knocked down or driven away, they wrung out their magic power that should be near the limit and persistently continued to challenge Loki.
「If we can……just defeat you bastard!!」 Damian howled with flame burning in her eyes.
「I’ll make Japan win at the very least……!!」 Eleonora stood up while gritting her teeth.
These guys were not looking at their own country’s victory anymore.
Yet for them to fight this tenaciously regardless of that ……
Inside the encircled position, all the Einherjar were aiming persistently at just Loki.
And then the Japan-Britain-Germany alliance army except them that was commanded by the 『fake Kazuki』 that was Akane was being greatly careful against the four materialized Divas.
Fenrir, Maeve, Kali, Tezcatlipoca.
The Japanese Knight Order who once experienced a duel against Hel knew really well about how terrifying they were. Because of that they devoted themselves to 『not let them do anything』.
Several small squads assembled a rotation of spell chanting to constantly and continuously rain down attack magic on the materialized Divas.
The preciseness of that cooperation that was like the time table of a railway transport showed just how much strict training the diligent Japanese people had piled up in preparation for this day.
The Divas with battle strength that was easily a match for a thousand――or at least ten-odd average Magika Stigma couldn’t even move. That was just how much violence of number the magic chaining had.
「Wa, waoo―n! Wao―n!!」 Fenrir barked.
「What the hell-, the small fries are annoying eeeh……gugigi」 Maeve was grinding her teeth.
「Hi, hihihihi! When my turns come I’ll tear you all apart!!」 Kali laughed madly.
「Nuoo……」 The attack magic that rained down without pause made Tezcatlipoca groan. 「This is not unbearable politica……but, Loki. How long the time for patience will continue politoca?」
Time for patience……
Loki was already pulling the trigger for the sake of overturning the situation.
The problem was the time when it would happen, it depended completely on the other person.
However Loki’s long ears twitched repeatedly and sensed that presence.
A voice came from far away. Next came a sign of tremendous magic power.
――Someone was dashing here while raising a stupidly loud voice!!
「KAZUKI――――!!」
Everyone in that place made a noise while turning towards that voice.
「KAZUKI――!! WHERE ARE YOU―――!! DON’T DIE―――!! I’LL KILL YOU―――――!!!」
That person arrived while yelling really dangerous words.
Aisu Ikousai――the swordswoman that became an owner of the strongest class of magic power on this Atlantis right now.
「You’re slow, I’ll leave you behind!!」 The voice sometimes sounded like the speaker turned behind and yelled, which showed that the person wasn’t alone. It seemed that Nyarlathotep and his bunch were also following behind.
「UWAHYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!?」
One of Japan’s knights that was surrounding Loki and the others――the contractor of {Valefor} screamed. She who possessed the ability to look at the far away even through this magic power cloud had undoubtedly witnessed an outrageous sight. Because Aisu Ikousai was leading the Red Nopperabou and the evil gods of Cthulhu behind, their group looked like Hyakki Yakou. Anyone would obviously yell without preparing their heart beforehand.
Anyway the third force that ought to be feared finally arrived at the battlefield where Loki and his group were surrounded!!
Ikousai and the Nopperabou were looking for Kazuki while rampaging without care at who they faced. Everyone in this place was a nuisance for her fight against Kazuki. And then looking from the positioning of the forces there, it went without saying that first Ikousai would brandish her fury towards the side forming the besiegement first.
「Know my feeling inside this flame! Blast away the nuisances……Tokka Orochi no Shinkatou!!」
Ikousai was yelling something incomprehensible and created a sword filled with terrifying magic power in her hand. As expected that woman had usurped the power of China’s Fu Xi. Surely Hel had helped her well. Ain’t it swell, Loki praised inside his heart.
Japan-Britain-Germany alliance army’s knights directed their magic aim towards Ikousai in great panic.
Nice, the attack to here is thinning down.
「This is a chance for breaking through! We are going with an all-out attack now!!」
Loki instructed the comrades at his surroundings.
「Oi, you Russians! That rampaging group will also come here soon!!」
Loki spoke highhandedly to the knights that Ilyailiya entrusted to him.
「When those guys attack our side too, it will be y’all that intercept them!」
「We will?」
Russia’s knights retorted with a pure white expressionless face that really resembled Ilyailiya.
「You guys are reserve force for when there is an unexpected situation aren’t you! It’s for this kind of time that I preserved y’all in the back far from the enemy! Ilyailiya also agreed to this!!」
Russia’s Knight Order was slightly hesitant before they replied 「Understood」. In their expression, why Ilyailiya-sama hasn’t come back yet……was written with perplexed looks.
They believed that Ilyailiya would return soon and accepted Loki’s temporary command.
Kazuki went there, Ilyailiya ain’t coming back anymore stupid.
This is it for you idiots, was what Loki spitted out inside his heart.
「Charge! Follow this great me! Russia’s Knight Order follow last as rear guard! Break through the encirclement!!」 He commanded.
「Let me duel Ka-Zu-Ki-!!」
Ikousai was like a tornado that was advancing while mowing down trees, she smashed the encirclement of Japan-Britain-Germany alliance army in the blink of an eye. What she was saying sounded stupid, but her destructive power was prominent even among the Kings.
「Ah, Loki! I won’t let you get Kazuki! He is mine!!」
「This is bad, she is coming here! You Russians go!!」
Following Loki’s command expressionlessly, the silver knights intercepted Ikousai and the nopperabou group――with a single swing of Tokka Orochi no Shinkatou, they were trampled down in a flash.
This bastard has come this far……
「You think I’ll let you!!」 Damian yelled and tried to stand in Loki’s way.
Inside the greatly chaotic battle, the Einherjar was the only group whose attention wasn’t attracted by the intruders even for a bit, they looked only at Loki. Loki clicked his tongue in irritation.
「You mythology idiots who barely escaped death, how long are you gonna stick to me huh! Stop screwing around and leave!!」
Ikousai’s fury was approaching. Loki didn’t preserve his strength anymore. He put his full power into Laevateinn and swung it up.
But at that time, Damian’s figure changed before his eyes.
From a magic dress――into the uniform of the Einherjar.
Not just Damian, all the Einherjar simultaneously lost their magic dresses.
「Wha, what!? This is……lies, Captain Beatrix!!」
「Seriously!? Hahahah……so Beatrix just died!」
It was truly a divine grace! The enemies standing right in front of Loki to block him were simultaneously losing battle strength! The path was opened up without him doing anything, the encircling net was broken!
Loki was laughing loudly while drawing back the lifted up Laevateinn. If he swung down his sword like this then these guys would pass through magic intoxication and went straight to instant death……
You mythology idiots, you can survive in suffering in a world where you were forsaken by the god you believe in.
Loki kicked Damian who lost her strength flying and charged through.
「Make way! I’ll crush to death those who dare become nuisances even though they cannot even fight!!」
Like Moses splitting apart the Red Sea, Loki pushed through the Einherjar who had turned into a mere mob and broke through the encircling net.
Once he could break through, he could even turn back right away after that and strike the back of the enemy army that had fallen into chaos.
However if he took that charming option then there would be a possibility of his group getting dragged into Ikousai’s melee.
It’s better to skedaddle to Regina’s place huh.
I’ll let Japan-Britain-Germany alliance army and Ikousai crush each other for a while like this.
When he turned back, the Russian knights who were trampled down by Ikousai also lost their magic dresses and returned back into their normal knight uniform. They scattered from the battlefield where magic was flying every way like baby spiders and escaped the battlefield.
「Did Ilyailiya and Beatrix strike down each other……!?」
So that meant only Kazuki survived.
Whatever the case, I got through that troublesome situation.
「Now then, if it’s like this then let me see what you’ve got, you fake Kazuki who had put me in a bind. How will you bastard get out of this mess!?」
Loki turned around and looked around the battlefield. If Japan-Britain-Germany――no, it was already just Japan-Britain――alliance army couldn’t stand back up from the confusion then they would end here. Kazuki wouldn’t have any place to return to.
Even if the formation was put back in order skillfully, with their battle strength that lacked Kazuki, it would be laborious for them to take on the current Ikousai and Nyarlathotep.
……Loki’s eyes opened wide.
「Ikousai! I am right here!!」
The one who yelled that was the fake Kazuki.
The fake Kazuki slipped out of the formation just alone and dashed to another direction.
「The duel will be at a place where these nuisances won’t interfere! Follow me!!」
That gallantly yelling figure made Loki doubt if that was actually the real one.
Ikousai also reacted to that voice.
「Kazuki, I found you! So finally you got motivated to settle our battle huh!!」
Ikousai took along the Nopperabou bunch with her with a face that was in the height of joy and thoughtlessly followed the fake Kazuki――no, she was getting lured away!
Loki gulped seeing the direction they were heading.
Holy cow. That fake Kazuki……now he really fucking did it!
The fake Kazuki was yelling things like「It’s a duel!」 「Now come!!」 while running to a certain direction.
……To the battlefield where Italia and Britain were fighting! ……The fake was leading Ikousai and the Nopperabou to launch a suicide attack on Italia’s Knight Order!
「He’s fucking planning to throw a bomb at Regina’s back!!」
The current Ikousai who would bare her fang to everything that would hinder her battle with Kazuki was something like a giant bomb.
Most likely if it became a battle that fake Kazuki’s disguise would be exposed out right away. However, at that time Ikousai would already be among Italia’s Knight Order’s army. She would battle Italia then after that. Italia would get pincer attacked by both Britain and Ikousai!
With this Regina would also get a game over!!
I’m not gonna have anyone to link up like this!!
「……Just who the hell is that faker bastard?」
The move by the fake Kazuki was a perfect answer to the question that Loki posed, like solving a puzzle brilliantly.
――If the safety of the person carrying out the plan wasn’t taken into consideration.
The situation has to be resolved right away.
There is no other choice than this, that was what Akane believed.
……Is it really okay like this? The voice inside her――her cowardly heart’s voice echoed inside her head.
If it fails then everything will be over you know?
Everything will literally be over.
The country called Japan……no, everything in this world would be shut inside chaos.
Such significant decision was currently being left to herself. The real Kazuki wasn’t here.
The inside of her head turned completely pure white.
Yaegashi Akane had the bad habit to be at her wits end at unexpected situations which she herself and other people recognized.
Aa, however.
『It will be fine if it’s Akane-senpai. If Akane-senpai decided thinking that it is the best to do, then it absolutely won’t be a mistake, so please.』
――Kazuki said that to her. She who kept only exposing a shameful figure to Kazuki was recognized by him. He believed that she actually could do more.
When she thought that she became unnecessarily nervous. It felt like her head would keep turning pure white until it froze.
But, however.
She had worked hard and studied as a knight cadet until now, it was all for the sake of now in this moment.
The fate of the world depended on her――that was something natural. Because she had come here aiming for that.
She must not reject herself more than this.
It will be fine, my thinking is not mistaken.
「I’ll lure away Ikousai!」
Akane spoke to Shoukou who was right beside her with the voice and face of Kazuki.
Shouko who was anxious while grasping the situation had her eyes turned round.
「Lure away, you say……?」
The Einherjar were turning powerless――most likely Beatrix was defeated. Because of that Loki and his group was slipping out from the encirclement.
「Outrageous situations is surging in all at once, but first the one that has to be prioritized no matter what is dealing with Ikousai. This accident has to be turned into a plus.」
『What Loki will rely on at the end will be an uncertain factor(chaos). That guy can manage chaos better than anyone. That’s why Akane-senpai, no matter what happens, deal with it calmly, please change chaos into order.』……Kazuki also said that.
「I’ll call to Ikousai to challenge her to a duel while rushing to the back of Italia’s Knight Order that is fighting over there. When she notices my true identity, she will be inside Italia’s Knight Order’s formation already.」
If they were going to make her rampage then it must not be near their hereown army, but instead make her rampage at the thereenemy’s army.
In order to do that Ikousai had to be guided to a nice spot――such convenient thing could be easily accomplished if it was with this appearance! After all Ikousai’s objective was only to fight Kazuki!
Ikousai still hadn’t noticed the existence of this fake Kazuki. That was why if she raised her voice……
「Wait! If you do that then what will happen to you!? You will get surrounded by Ikousai and Italia and get crushed! If it’s Kazuki he ain’t gonna make that decision!」
If it was Kazuki he would never use a method that sacrificed Akane. Or it should be said that he couldn’t.
「……What Kazuki wanted from me isn’t to be his replacement. But to make a decision that I think is the best.」
Akane drove away the premonition of death creeping up to her cowardly heart while saying that.
Shoukou fell silent.
She had to make the best decision…… Akane was saying that by staking her life. Then what she should do was……
「……If Ikousai bites and follows you, I’ll move the soldiers and separate Cthulhu’s monsters from Ikousai.」
「Yes, that’s perfect. There is no way we can let Nyarlako go to the battlefield where Arthur is.」
Surely there was no other duo than them that could form this conclusion in this little time.
After exchanging nods with Shouko, Akane slipped out from the squad and ran.
「Ikousai! I am right here!!」
Ikousai bit at the trap exactly like she predicted. The girl with the appearance of a black elf――Nyarlako screamed「Haa!? What are you doing!? Wait, idiot!!」.
Shouko commanded without delay.
「Hold back Cthulhu’s crowd with quick attacks!!」
「Leave it to me! Simurgh!!」
Nagasaka Yuka who had waited impatiently for the time to redeem herself immediately summoned a pure white bird. The giant bird grasped the soldiers that it could grasp right away and soared in order to stand in Nyarlako’s way.
Part 3
Beatrix who covered Kazuki and received the black dragon with her body didn’t look like she received a severe physical attack――she collapsed silently as though her consciousness was reaped.
Kazuki caught the falling girl with both his hands.
「Beatrix!!」
「Kazu, ki……」
She was still conscious. She opened both her eyes faintly and responded to Kazuki.
「Why did you protect me!」
Both of them were Kings.
The King who shouldered Germany protected Japan’s King and fell, what was with that.
That was something that a King must not do the most.
「I……I just did what I enjoyed……」
Beatrix smiled faintly.
When she was together with Kazuki, her smile would not stop for even a moment no matter what.
She was like that since that time they encountered each other as enemies.
「Even though I have to be a warrior that loves battle more than anything……I thought that fighting together with Kazuki is the most fun. Fighting with Kazuki, and then getting kissed……I feel that is the most enjoyable……」
「Beatrix……」
「……As expected I cannot become something like a King……after all I’m just a……maiden in, love……」
Beatrix’s eyelid fell powerlessly.
「Beatrix―!! Wait, open your eyes!!」
From Beatrix’s half-opened mouth 「NgoOOOOOOOOO!」 an incredible snore came out and drool trickled down.
It wasn’t like she died.
She only had her mental strength devoured by that black dragon and fell asleep for a time.
Kazuki felt like he would weakly collapse in exhaustion.
But Beatrix was already not in a state to fight. Surely the power of Norse Mythology would be lost completely too.
Kazuki carefully laid down the sleeping girl on the ground. It wasn’t really right leaving her like this, but Kazuki still had a place where he had to be. There was a thing he had to do.
Kazuki glanced at Ilyailiya who collapsed a slight distance away.
She died.
Russia’s Knight Order too should lose their power right now.
……That magic most likely wasn’t prepared beforehand, but an Original One that was devised in a fit right here.
「……However it wasn’t a magic to kill me……」
If she wished from her heart to do that then the magic should become something like that……
Part 4
Arthur was using the short sword {Carnwennan} that granted the divine protection of 『acceleration』 to check the enemy while swinging the shining Excalibur that left trails of light in the path it passed.
It was a sharp attack that was impossible to react to without being able to do foresight, but when Regina’s large body that transformed into a chimera received that attack, her body became a golden splash that scattered around. Zeus’s transformation ability didn’t stop with just animals, it was said that sometimes he transformed into a golden shower to sneak into the room of a woman who got his attention at night.
The golden splash scattered everywhere around Arthur and this time each drop became a colony of bats that assaulted Arthur. Their sharp fangs bit off Arhtur’s defensive magic power. Arthur gritted her teeth while brushing off the bats accurately with Carnwennan.
Arthur’s weapon combat arts that handled countless legendary sacred treasures, and Regina who owned fantastical transformation ability, the magic battle between them was truly like in legends.
Arthur by no means relied on just weapons, she possessed martial arts and reinforced strength, while Regina possessed formidable mental strength and magic ability that could maintain her ego even when she repeatedly performed bizarre transformations this many times.
The Knights of the Round Table and the Olympia Twelve Gods were also involved in a fierce battle around them. There was no one who could interfere between Arthur and Regina’s duel.
But Valextra yelled at that time.
「Regina-sama! Hayashizaki Kazuki is launching an assault here from behind!!」
「What-!?」
The interference came not by actions but by words――a piece of information that couldn’t possibly be neglected shook up the mind of Regina, who was transforming into a colony of bats, for an instant. Her concentration was cut off.
The flock of bats stopped attacking, they instantly gathered in one place and began combining with bright light.
Arthur went 「There!」 with a sharp gaze. 「I can read the timing now! It seems that there is a time limit when you transform into scattered form huh!!」
The main weapon that wasn’t swung against the bats――Excalibur slashed apart the original form of Regina that appeared along with light.
「Damn! My defensive magic won’t make it in time!!」
Regina also predicted that the moment she released her transformation would be aimed at……but her concentration that was shaken up for a moment created a fatal delay.
「I won’t let you use your Aegis!!」
A single attack. In a battle where two sides were rivaling each other closely, even just one attack could tilt the flow with the force of a raging wave. Struck with a painful blow, Regina who boasted innumerable changes finally stopped moving while groaning.
The weapons that Arthur obtained might be in the hundreds. 『Hero of a Hundred Instruments』 King Arthur showered blows on the magic king right away.
Carnwennan vanished from Arthur’s left hand, replaced instantly by a different weapon.
「Hand down the merciless judgment, iron hammer of raging fire……Sword of Above SelectionMidhlethan!!」
A two handed sword that trailed huge flame from its tip was swung around by Arthur’s left hand, crashing at Regina. Next Excalibur vanished from her right hand and was replaced by a pure white spear.
「O white spear, entrust the twinkle of the stars unto that tip, entrust the radiance of the sun unto that tip, run that flash at full speed and rout the army of a million! Rhongomyniad!!」
It was a long spear with length that might have reached five meters and a huge spearhead that was flat like a hammerhead shark’s head. Its size caused the weapon to have a big opening, but if it was stabbed at an enemy that couldn’t move this spear could boast a power of sure-kill, and that spear rammed hard onto Regina.
Although Regina’s large body was in the shape of a chimera, but she was splendidly blown away.
However, not yet. Every single attack of hers would inevitably cause magic intoxication, and she couldn’t imagine that there was an enemy who wouldn’t die instantly after she went this far but, her opponent was Regina Olympia Fornar.
「The aimed heart won’t escape, thrust of fairy king that is incapable of being dodged……Spear of EbonyBritomart!!」
The weapon of her left hand was changed into a small spear that looked like a small branch compared to Rhongomyniad. However Britomart that Arthur threw accurately pierced the chest of Regina who got sent flying. But still not yet.
「O faithful pursuer, bite off the windpipe of beyond! Wind Seeing Silver EyeCauall!!」
The peerless hound that would always decorate the end of Arthur’s hunting in the legends, it pursued Regina who was blown far away and attacked further.
「……Damn you, how dare you……how dare you……」
A cursing voice could be heard.
Regina caught the neck of the magic dog and strangled it to death while standing up like a devil.
「……So you can still stand, though I thought that you will surely stand up……I have a hard time understanding how you received only that much damage. A girl named Tsukahara Kazuha of Japan also surprised me with her general magic but, your magic ability is even further in a different dimension than that……」
Regina didn’t use summoning magic. She reduced the damage purely by using only {Resist}.
Whether she was a King or a Magica Stigma was unrelated. The tremendousness of the mental strength of this single human called Regina itself made Arthur feel astonishment.
However, the chain attack just now could also be said to be the proof of Arthur’s true strength. She acquired strength from the pledges of both Lancelot and Mordred. Without being threatened by the danger that was her only and greatest weak point - mind magic - she clearly displayed the destructive power of the king of knights on the stage of a fair and square duel. The damage that Regina received was unmistakably something fatal in this equal battle against Arthur that was continuing even now. The scale was tilting to one side.
「Valextra! Just what is the meaning of that half-baked report just now!?」
Even while being furious towards Valextra, Regina sent a single white bird flying from her flesh that was turned into a chimera in order to ascertain the situation from the sky using her own eyes. The consciousness of the main body was concentrating on Arthur even while she was processing the sight report from the white bird in parallel……
The white bird saw. The figure of someone wearing Hayashizaki Kazuki’s appearance was protecting their own body using defensive magic while heading here in a suicide attack.
Olympia Twelve Gods were concentrating in a battle against the Knights of the Round Table while trying to drive away the suicide attack of the unknown.
In any case it was just one person. However,
「Every phenomenon of heaven, ride that wing on the rising wind……o wind of god, wash away the foundation of world and rule it following thy will! Rizomata Mastery!!」
That person with the appearance of Hayashizaki Kazuki was using a powerful defensive magic that manipulated and neutralized elemental magic and barely held on to their thread of life. And then that person was dashing with their all towards here.
What were they planning?
Even so Valextra and Diana’s non-elemental arrows were rapid firing and piling up damage on that person bit by bit. Surely that person would run out of strength before they could reach here. The reason was……,
「Valextra you fool! That’s an imposter!! How can you fail to make the distinction!!」
The magic king felt indignation towards her subordinate’s lack of discerning.
If Olympia Twelve Gods were seriously intercepting an imposter who wasn’t even a King, it wouldn’t take even a few seconds.
But, then just what meaning existed in that suicidal act?
It wasn’t like that person was holding a bomb or anything……
Regina looked further ahead and she spontaneously raised her voice 「Oo-」.
The fake Kazuki was being chased after by Aisu Ikousai and ten-odd Nopperabou!
She had heard that Ikousai saw Kazuki as a rival.
That must be why she was chasing this person without realizing that it was an imposter.
「……Ri, ridiculous! Is everyone of them idiots!? How can she not see through it!!」
The magic king shouted. She understood the aim of the fake Kazuki. That person is luring Aisu Ikousai in order to crash her into us!
That woman named Ikousai, if she arrived here won’t she bare her fangs to us too!?
That imposter is trying to throw an outrageous bomb this way!!
A premonition of defeat touched Regina’s heart for an instant. Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table were strong. Olympia Twelve Gods had their numbers decreased because of Hrotsvit…… Just what in the world was Loki doing!? Damn it-! Anyway let’s do things in order!
Before that bunch can arrive here and rampage, I have to do deal with Arthur somehow……!!
No matter what method I have to use……!!
「KYAAAAAAAAAAH」
The fake Kazuki was continuously pierced by arrows and finally their transformation magic was dissolved.
The person screamed while her true appearance was exposed. It was a woman. A Japan knight……
It wasn’t Britain’s knight.
A plan to recover from the hopeless situation flashed at the back of Regina’s brain……The eyes of the swan glinted from having decided on its prey.
「Our chief god fell in love to thy heart flutter……Graceful Vibrant Wiles of GodRape Instinct!!」
There was a legend that the god Zeus sometimes abducted beautiful females in a swan form――he was an expert in kidnapping. With that legendary polished movement, a swan swooped down in a straight line towards the girl. The girl whose body was covered with wounds was caught in the talons of the swan without any way to resist.
Someone who Zeus fell in love with at first sight, for them to offer resistance or anything was, yes, impossible.
Whether the girl would be kept alive or killed……how she would be used, would be as she pleased.
「What’s the matter? Did something happen?」
Arthur asked Regina who released a swan.
Arthur was staring without hurrying to attack, most likely because she felt that something advantageous for her side seemed to be happening. Didn’t that Valextra just shout something like that just now?
『Regina-sama! Hayashizaki Kazuki is launching an assault here from behind!!』
……If Kazuki arrived here, then victory would be set in stone already then. Arthur was thinking like that with expectation of a reliable ally arriving.
However Regina smirked broadly.
「Throw away the weapon in your hand and halt your magic power.」
「What?」
「Otherwise……this girl’s life will be gone.」
The swan that Regina released was coming back――on its talons there was Akane who fainted from magic intoxication.
Hostage! Arthur’s body froze from the really unexpected situation.
If……if the hostage was a British knight, then Arthur wouldn’t hesitate! But with a hostage taken from a friendly army who had saved herself and also her country many times, as a knight, how could she just treat it as nothing!
「Arthur-sama! You mustn’t listen!!」
Tristan yelled in critic and drew her bow {Failnaught}――towards the swan and Yagumo Akane.
「What are you doing Tristan!! Stop!!」
「Arthur-sama, what should be prioritized the most is our country’s mythology! Then, someone has to dirty their pride with mud……because Gino is not here anymore!!」
Yes, if it was Gino then she wouldn’t hesitate even for a second and casually shoot to death the swan and Akane.
And that action was perfectly correct. In this situation……a chivalrous mentality didn’t show them the correct path.
「But-!」
Arthur couldn’t think or move as though she was frozen.
「Hmph」Regina snorted.
「Foolish, I thought that it would be enough if you are shaken even just for a moment but for you to expose your unsightly figure until that much! Learn once again the way a King should live in the world!! Grand Cross!!」
Arthur still hadn’t thrown away her weapon and magic power, but Arthur and Tristan who were in state of fluster and hesitation that gave a lot of openings were enveloped in a black hole.
Both of them were sucked into a pseudo microcosmos of another dimension that Regina created.
The power of Zeus who was the ruler god of the universe――both of them were sucked into the universe’s expansion and breaking down due to the gravity rampage of ten planets that displayed a cursed arrangement.
Both of them were thrown back to the original world along with great damage.
「Ptera Lonkhe!!」
There Regina in chimera form attacked with a force as though to hang over them. She trampled, her hand was holding a huge winged spear tightly, and them she thrust it. Pulled back. Trampled. Chomped. Thrust. She beat them up leaving no skin untouched. Arthur wasn’t in a stance to dodge or defend, even her spell chanting was interrupted completely. She couldn’t do anything other than protecting her body with defensive magic power and she was continuously driven to the ground due to the impact of her smashed magic. She couldn’t put up any resistance or anything.
The Knights of the Round Table tried to help in panic, but the knights of Olympia Twelve Gods stood firm there and wrung out their strength, standing in the way of the Knights of the Round Table.
The swan was continuing to grasp Akane above Arthur’s head flauntingly.
「Coward-……!!」 Arthur yelled so hard that it seemed blood almost came out.
「You think there is any idiot who would be picky with their method in this fight that staked the fate of their homeland!!」
However Regina was also uneasy. She was literally having her pants on fire.
「Where is Hayashizaki Kazuki―!」
Aisu Ikousai’s yelling voice was coming from behind……
「Kuh……Kazuki!」 Arthur unconsciously moaned while being showered with heavy blows.
His name came to her mind in this predicament she fell into, as though she wanted to rely to him, just why was that she wondered. It wasn’t only because she had heard the report that he was coming here from the enemy just before this.
――As though in response to her call, Arthur’s body was wrapped in light.
「O wisdom accumulated over the course of human history, become many layers of armor that protect my body! Heavily, thickly, reject every kind of barbarity! Seusenhofer!!」
Defensive magic invoked instantly without any advance sign――a gentle light enveloped Arthur which transformed into tough armor with black glisten. Regina pulverized that with two, three thrusts of her spear, but for Arthur who was strengthened with dragon’s blood it was enough to let her roll away and escape.
Regina made a face that seemed to say ‘don’t tell me’ and her eyes sharply moved towards the source of magic power.
Arthur also stood up with a stagger and turned her eyes to the direction of the magic power.
「Arthur, are you okay!?」
Kazuki was rushing to this direction while yelling so. This time it wasn’t a fake.
「Shut and seal, {Yasakani no Magatama}! Kaicho Kaimon, Hachimon Shibari!!」
The sacred treasure of Japanese Mythology shined from his hand and a stretch of magatamas connected with string flew to the sky. The cord of magatama wrapped around Akane and returned to Kazuki’s hand like a lasso.
Kazuki gently caught Akane and held her in his arms.
「Kazu, ki……?」 Akane who had resolved to die felt the warmth and opened her eyes.
「「Hayashizaki Kazuki!!」」
Arthur and Regina shouted at the same time. Their voices were filled with exactly opposite feelings.
「Don’t stand in my way, make way!! Tokka Orochi no Shinkatou!!」
A sword flash of terrible flame blew away the Knights of the Round Table and Olympia Twelve Gods altogether. And then this destined rival also arrived exactly at the same time with Kazuki.
「Mumu-, so this time is the real Kazuki for sure!」
If Ikousai was also counted as an owner of the power of a King――in this place four Kings with allies and enemies jumbling together were assembled.
「Ikousai……I beg you here, please shut up a bit.」
Kazuki realized the situation and glared coldly at Ikousai.
Ikousai looked alternately at Kazuki and Arthur, then Regina, and then surely she was thinking that if it was two against one then there was nothing for her to feel uneasy about, so she grinned fearlessly and answered 「Fine then」.
The situation that looked chaotic had its fate determined with that exchange.
「……Bas, tard」
Regina groaned seeing there was nothing more that could be done.
That was right, the man called Hayashizaki Kazuki was a man who would gallantly come to save Arthur at this kind of time.
And then……the person called Loki, wasn’t someone who would appear to save her at this kind of time.
At that time, a voice directly reverberated inside Regina’s head.
『Do you want strength……?』
Whose voice was that……?
Part 5
Nyarlako was totally flustered.
The back of Ikousai and the Nopperabou bunch were rapidly getting farther.
Before her eyes, knights carried by a bird made from pure white wind were cutting in.
Nyarlathotep discarded the shell of the elf girl and howled.
He already didn’t have the composure to sneer.
「DON’T STAND IN MY WAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!」
Nyarlathotep exposed his true shape that possessed another name of 『The Howler in the Dark』――the pitch black skin of the elf girl was ripping apart, skin and mucous membrane turned soft and flabby into overflowing decaying flesh and tentacles. Bizarre organs were lining up in his body surface where it was unknown where was the face, fishy smell was scattered, and a singing voice that exerted offensive mental corruption echoed.
It was unthinkable for a god to make this kind of shape, it was truly an evil god that should be called as blasphemous.
Countless tentacles were waving around like a storm.
「KYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!」
Japan’s knights who were carried by the bird became unable to resist due to the sound wave that obstructed magic chanting and they were blown away by the tentacles with a single blow.
These guys’ aim is separating us. You think I’ll let you do that!
zuzozozozozo!* A gigantic lump was wriggling――even though it was called wriggling but the movement was fast. The girls who were flicked away by the tentacles and fell down were entangled by countless tentacles and climbed over.
「Aa, aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa-……」
Grieving voice was raised. Not because of physical impact. The girls whose whole body was covered completely by the creeping chaos’s tentacles had the same meaning as their brain matter being toyed around by those tentacles.
If time passed just for a bit more it would be easy to slaughter these girls.
But it wasn’t the time for that. If he didn’t chase after Ikousai……if he was separated completely……
「……o guardian deity of thief, catch the whole herd of prey with that wing……!」
Inside the mound of tentacles, a knight apprentice activated magic without yielding to the jamming noise.
「Net of Wind KnitWind Net!!」
It was a low level magic that wasn’t worth any notice.
The avatar of the Diva with the form of a bird, {Valefor}, was floating up before Nyarlathotep’s eyes, it flapped its wings and blew a faint white wind. While the wings were fluttering with rustling sound, the wind was strengthening in whiteness into substance, and it was knitted into several layers and turned into a net.
Before Nyarlathotep’s eyes, the pure white wind net was spreading.
「Wha, what the!」
The advance of the evil god of tentacles was obstructed by that net.
His countless eyeballs were dyed with rage and directed towards the girl that was entangled and trampled by tentacles.
Nyarlathotep remembered the name of all the knight academy’s students.
Nagasaka Yuka……the contractor of Valefor. She was completely worthless to be considered, a third year student who wasn’t even that excellent.
For this kind of kid to try to trouble me even for an instant……!
Nyarlathotep was driven by rage and swung his tentacle. He tore apart the net before his eyes and strangled Yuka’s whole body until creaking sounds could be heard. A scream was raised. He was driven by desire to strangle her like this until her whole defensive magic power was shaved into nothing and then tear her four limbs apart. You worthless scum!
But, this wasn’t the time for that. He tore apart the whole net. He had to chase after Ikousai.
――However just that instant was enough to accomplish Yuka’s objective.
「That is the whip of god that pierces through the soul! Awaken right here the undulation that disturbs the foundation of god……Dashinben!」
Undulating impact was conferred to the space and disrupted the sound wave Nyarlathotep emitted. At the same time a great number of Japan’s knights were running towards the front of him.
The one standing in the lead was……the person called Roshouko. So this person was the current commander of Japan.
A commander that wielded that annoying baton. So she is a commander that stole chaos from this me huh.
During the little bit of time when he was being held back, the reinforcement made it in time.
The back of Ikousai and the Nopperabou bunch were getting far away……
Aisu Ikousai……! For me to have no other option other than joining hands with that idiot……!!
「Nyarlathotep, this is as far as you go.」
Adding to the annoyance, the enemy reinforcements were including two people he recognized.
Otonashi Kaguya. Hiakari Koyuki.
――Just why did it have to become like this. Nyarlathotep grinded his teeth.
He would barge in when Japan-Britain-Germany alliance was falling into Loki’s evil design. That was his intention. His aim was not Japan who he had a deep grudge against……but Arthur Basileus.
He would thoroughly corner that girl who had no resistance against mind magic, break her heart, and then steal that flesh body completely.
Exactly like how Ikousai usurped Fu Xi’s power……
With the power of Cthulhu Mythos, they couldn’t rival the other countries no matter how. Only after he stole the power of Arthur who was the next powerful after Fu Xi even among the Kings that he would be able to stand at the start line.
It wasn’t a difficult plan. After all he was able to constantly grasp the battle situation using the retainers that he slipped between Loki’s subordinates.
That was how it was supposed to be……despite so, when he tried opening the lid it became like this instead, just what’s with this!
He was supposed to barge at the timing when Hayashizaki Kazuki was running around with his tail between his legs due to Loki’s charge.
Yet despite so when he rushed there, the situation was the opposite. Loki was the one completely surrounded and beaten up viciously. Incomprehensible.
Loki only got lured into a trap. Because that guy got caught in a trap, his side also got dragged into it.
The one who was moving this war wasn’t Loki anymore……
In addition, right when they arrived, Ikousai suddenly pursued Hayashizaki Kazuki and got lured away somewhere. He also tried to follow her, but a mobile force quickly stood in his way without wasting any time. He immediately crushed them but……in the end he got separated from Ikousai.
He rushed to the battlefield, and in a matter of minutes it turned out like this.
The strategist of Japan reacted perfectly to the unforeseen chaos……
He underestimated Japan too much……
And then right now, Otonashi Kaguya was standing in his way with a gaze that was overflowing with resolve.
「Your mind magic won’t work on me anymore.」
I know that……
Of course that was so. Would anyone continue to be scared forever with fresh feeling after looking at the same horror movie for the second or third time? He guessed that if it was someone like Arthur then she would keep getting the jitters no matter how many times it was but……the willpower of the girl before his eyes was just holding too steady.
「Even now Otou-san is not waking up……」
Kaguya said. Nyarlathotep wanted to laugh loudly. Resentment for father! His self who was the embodiment of the terror of space was being cornered by such a trivial matter!!
It’s likely I cannot win against her……
Different from Ikousai, he missed the one chance he aimed for.
But this wasn’t a checkmate by any means.
If in this battlefield……in the area right nearby him……if there was someone who was cornered mentally whose heart was on the verge of breaking……
The creeping chance……
――Existed. Yes, if the Japan-Britain-Germany alliance army was standing in advantage, then that meant that the King of the opposite camp was falling into a disadvantage.