Volume 21, 1 — Grendan That Night

Volume 21, Chapter 1: Grendan That Night

The place she dropped down upon was in front of the doors of Grendan's Royal Palace.

Most of the palace had been destroyed by the commotion last time, but now those scars could no longer be seen anymore. In the dark night, various guard units were waiting by the brand-new doors.

The guards were called the Rivanes Military Family, composed of the children of those who possessed the blood of the Grendan Three Royal Families. The palace guards and bodyguards of the Queen were all of this family.

Because of this, the guards standing in front of the door were all royalty to some degree. If someone not from Grendan heard this, many of them would feel that this was very strange.

Actually, though they were somewhat related to the royal families, they were only seen as normal Military Artists.

Because of this, other than the guards in front of the door and the two in a slightly elevated position, there were four more guards in total.

To the door guards, her appearance was sudden.

They were able to notice that this appearance was an abnormal situation. They were Military Artists, so if there was someone who could hide past their vision and appear in front of the door in a moment, then that person must be a Military Artist on the level of a Heaven's Blade.

Moreover, the one in front of them wasn't a Heaven's Blade successor.

"Who's there!?"

One of the guards asked.

The electric light made her body shine orange.

The figure who had appeared was a girl not yet twenty.

But, this much was insufficient to make them drop their guard, the door guards were clear on this.

"Who is it!?"

The girl didn't make a sound, and the door guards once again questioned her. The two guards who had been relatively distant also gathered. Before long, the guards patrolling other areas of the palace would also gather.

Alarm bells sounded in the minds of the guards, and the guard who had just asked the question also knew that he should wait for other guards to gather.

However, the opponent had no reason to wait it out with them.

"……Please move aside."

"What?"

"I want to complete my mission with the least amount of harm done. So please move aside."

"What kind of joke……"

Hearing the girl's words, the guards made angry shouts. They were already clear that the girl in front of them had some quite dastardly goal. The head guards quietly motioned to their companions, and a guard positioned farther back pressed the emergency alarm button.

With this, the others like the Heaven's Blade successors in the palace would definitely come quickly.

"I have no choice."

The girl spoke as if completely understanding the actions of the other side. This made the guards even more tense.

It might have been over before they realized.

"What……?"

The guards felt the abnormality surrounding them.

The orange light shining on the girl became slightly blurred.

"Damn, prepare yourselves!"

It was an instinctive yell, but it was already too late.

No, it should be said that starting from the moment the girl had appeared, Military Artists of the guards' level already had no means of fighting back.

The thing that seemed blurry…… was a portion of her body that had grown out, made of tiny objects called nanomachines. Countless nanomachines that were invisible to the eye spread out under the girl's command, and then gathered together…… forming a new shape.

The entire process was finished in a moment to the eyes of the guards.

"What!?"

The guards who had originally acted to suppress the girl were sent flying.

However, the girl wasn't the one who had moved.

Rather, it was the two arms that had appeared to her left and right.

"Ah!"

The guards who realized this fact didn't have any response other than surprise.

Until just now, there hadn't been anything to the left or right of the girl.

There shouldn't be anyone in this place, but people now stood there.

A girl who wore fighting clothes like a Military Artist, except slightly looser, stood there.

It made one feel as if it were that girl, grown up slightly.

The reason they only felt this was because the upper half of the girl's face had been covered with a colored sheet, and the lower face couldn't be seen too clearly.

Even more incredibly, one girl had appeared on either side of the maiden.

"What…… is this……"

Because of their surprise, the guards didn't even speak, the scene before them even making them forget that they were in a battle situation.

The girls who had appeared weren't only those two.

Rather, they formed a large group.

To the left and right of the girl as well as behind her, other girls appeared in a formation.

Their number exceeded a hundred.

The group of girls moved, knocking down the guards who were too surprised to speak.

Without even looking at the guards who had been felled in an instant, the girl passed through the doorway alone.

The girl's name was L?vateinn.

She, who had lived in Zuellni claiming to be Vati Len until recently, had suddenly appeared in Grendan with the identity of L?vateinn in order to complete her mission.

Her target was the palace in front of her, its underground.

"Please guard the outside, don't let anyone trespass."

At L?vateinn's words, the other girls - her copies - wordlessly indicated comprehension.

"…………"

Though it was only a moment, L?vateinn turned her head to look at her copies, but she already knew that they had already begun moving to complete their mission. There wasn't a single one left to receive L?vateinn's gaze.

"…………"

Turning her gaze back, L?vateinn advanced.

L?vateinn who wasn't a Military Artist couldn't see the light of Kei that had covered the entire palace, that strongly shining light.

The light broke through the clouds, burning the sky, but to L?vateinn, this wasn't any threat to her mission.

To L?vateinn, this was her target in order to complete her goal and for which she existed.

◇

The ones on duty that night were Reverse and Cauntia.

"!"

Reverse who had been dozing in the room given to the Heaven's Blades on duty suddenly opened his eyes. His Kei vein was also suddenly ignited. As he quickly left the sofa that he had been sleeping on, he quickly grabbed his Dite.

"Tia!"

"I know, Rever."

Cauntia replied while standing up from the sofa, her expression serious. While stroking her thigh where Reverse's touch still lingered, she chased behind him, running out of the palace.

The alarm that the guards pressed was after this.

At that time, the two of them jumped out of the nearest window, running to the entrance through the shortest distance.

That girl ignored the fallen guards and passed straight through the entrance.

"Restoration!"

A shout.

At the same time, not only his hands, but his whole body was illuminated.

The Dite responded to Reverse's activation keywords, and the changing Dite began forming into fighting gear covering his entire body.

When he landed before L?vateinn, Reverse's entire body was already covered with armor.

"Please wait."

It seemed like a chunk of metal falling from the sky…… Even if she was facing Reverse like this, L?vateinn didn't waver.

Though he felt a bit apprehensive, still, Reverse didn't know how to judge L?vateinn, who was a single girl however he looked.

"……No one unrelated is allowed to enter past this point."

Though it was a bland sentence, it was a warning that Reverse had worked hard to think up.

"If you put it like that, I have an even more ancient relationship, compared to you."

"Huh?"

The unexpected response made Reverse not know what to do for a moment.

"Please move aside. This way I can complete my goal without forcing you into a painful situation."

"What……"

Reverse stopped thinking before L?vateinn's words confused him even more.

(Though I don't know what she's talking about……)

She had a human form in front of him, but he couldn't feel Kei. Then she wasn't a Military Artist? But, Reverse was very clear about this kind of oppressive feeling.

"……I definitely won't let you pass."

This girl was very dangerous.

Even if his brain couldn't comprehend, his body still told him.

He had to get rid of the girl in front of him.

The time when he had still been indulgently sleeping on Cauntia's lap just now was already gone. He stood in front of the menace covered by the stiff armor, as if he were enduring his own timidity.

In battle, the first feeling that would appear in Reverse's heart was fear. The fear that his body felt towards battle, the fear that he felt towards filth monsters, the fear of being wounded, the fear of letting others be wounded. Pure terror and guilt at the results produced from his Military Artist actions - that was the kind of person Reverse was.

However, those feelings were the source of his strength. It was a saying that ‘one must overcome himself’. Reverse could be said to be the perfect interpretation of this saying.

Reverse, who had overcome the fear in his heart, had nothing else to be scared of when he stood on the battlefield.

The fear he had originally felt due to the girl was already gone.

However, this definitely didn't mean that he had relaxed his guard.

Underestimating the enemy was the result formed due to being overconfident in one's power. But this kind of thinking wouldn't exist in Reverse who had always fought with his timid heart.

"……Then I have no choice."

Compared to Reverse whose entire body was covered with armor and resembled a block of metal, L?vateinn wore some kind of student uniform that he had never seen before.

Fighting power didn't have any simple relation to clothing, and even if they didn't have the Queen as an example, everyone was still well aware of this. But the form of the girl in front of him and the oppressive feeling from her body were too different.

Pushing down the confusion in his heart. Reverse focused his concentration on the hand that L?vateinn raised.

Fury dropped from the sky.

A blade sliced through the wind.

It was Cauntia.

His lover descended from the sky.

"It's you! You people hindering us!"

As she said this, she brandished the weapon in her hand.

Her Dite had become a glaive, waving back and forth. The decorations on the blade stretched out, becoming light.

Destructive Kei was condensed, becoming a flashing blade assaulting L?vateinn.

The feeling was oppressive as if trying to cut the entire city into two, but Reverse wasn't panicked.

Cauntia was also very clear that the she definitely couldn't hold back with the strike before her.

Though it was only a moment, they felt as if this moment was extraordinarily drawn out.

Reverse didn't move from his location, only watching L?vateinn's movement.

The girl raised her head to look at the light that Cauntia had released, and opened her hand towards that light.

Was she preparing to endure that strike, or was this perhaps a means of counterattack?

Cauntia's attack wasn't that weak, Reverse naturally thought.

That light had been condensed, and the length was about the same as Reverse's height. Cauntia had purposefully controlled it because she had considered him being there.

The light that seemed as if it wanted to cut everything apart simply charged towards L?vateinn, and then……

Collided with the hand that the girl had raised.

The light swelled, and the destructive aftermath pushed Reverse back.

After the ground beneath his feet furrowed slightly, Reverse's body stopped.

His gaze was filled with dazzling light.

"Wha!"

Though it was only a moment, it had been intense. He focused on something other than his vision in order to keep from losing track of L?vateinn.

In the end, the girl still stood in the same position as before.

She hadn't dodged?

No……

"Still alive?"

Because he couldn't feel the girl's Kei, he had to rely on other methods to confirm. His vision was still a bit blurry even now, and his ears were filled with the sounds of explosions.

Even if one wanted to feel the flow of the wind, the surrounding airflow was still in a chaotic state because of that attack.

But that was only the situation for normal Military Artists.

Even if it were an intense battle, Heaven's Blade successors could read all aspects of information at the same time.

Of course, Reverse was the same.

He realized that the figure standing in the midst of his blurry vision wasn't a distortion caused by the heatwave.

In the sounds of the explosions, his ears picked up a hard-to-understand sound like flowing sand.

His sense of touch felt the movement of the air, letting him know that in the center of the explosion there was something stopping the air from flowing in the correct direction.

She still lived.

"Tia!"

When he reached this conclusion, it was a moment after the attack had exploded.

Reverse leaped, arriving in a moment next to Cauntia who had dropped by the side because of the recoil of her technique. He took up a stance, using a shield that could cover his entire body to engage the things incoming.

Internal Kei variation - Kongoukei.

The iron will that could deflect any kind of object had been revealed.

Incoming.

He didn't know whether his body would be cut in two. He no longer knew how long it had been since he had this feeling…… Reverse realized that his concentration had disappeared for a moment.

"Rever!"

Cauntia called out from behind him.

"Tia, use all your strength."

Saying these short words already took all of his efforts.

"She isn't an opponent that can be defeated so easily."

It had been extremely thorny last time too, when the monster had attacked.

However, that time had only felt dangerous. On the other hand, the feeling this time slowly became anxiety due to fear and being unable to parry.

The returning feeling that had reappeared because of this girl made Reverse's back break out into a sweat.

"Understood!"

Cauntia replied. At that moment, the Kei behind him swelled up, pouring into an attack that seemed as if it could cut everything apart.

What was next? What was the enemy doing?

What was the girl doing?

Reverse's jump should have already scattered the dust in L?vateinn's surroundings.

However, there was something flowing around the girl.

Something similar to sand, or perhaps tiny particles even smaller than sand, were currently gathering around the girl.

The hand that Cauntia's attack had collided with was no longer there, and the portion all the way up to the arm had disappeared.

However, there wasn't a drop of blood leaking out, as if there hadn't been an arm there from the start. There were no splatters of blood at all.

"How……"

Reverse swallowed his words.

What was going on? There was no time for him to think about that.

However, a thought suddenly flashed through his mind.

But there really wasn't any time for him to continue thinking.

"Rever!"

"Nn!"

Reverse responded to Cauntia's shout.

The roaring, violent Kei bursting behind his back was condensed, collected into Cauntia's blade.

Reverse also refined the Kei inside his body, leading it into the form that he desired.

The great blade was swung.

The condensed external Kei was released in a flash.

Up to this, it was the same as before.

But what came afterwards was different.

The moment after the released Kei passed over Reverse's head, its shape changed.

The flash that had been scattered out suddenly became a point rushing towards L?vateinn.

Composite Kei art - Rending Diamond Mark.

Using the deflective abilities of Kongoukei, he further condensed Cauntia's external Kei.

The external Kei that had been compressed into a small sphere seemed as if it were being toyed around with by the wind, flying towards L?vateinn with an unstable trajectory.

"…………"

As expected, the single-armed girl still didn't choose to evade it.

The girl only quietly raised her remaining arm towards the compressed Kei.

(What's going on!?)

Reverse shouted out in his heart, but he currently didn't have the leisure to go check it out.

He set his shield, once again spreading out Kongoukei.

He hadn't clearly seen the form of the attack just now. He was also rather concerned about the numerous abnormal dust-like things. Why didn't she bleed? Why was there a strange flow in the air?

Also, also……

There were too many things he couldn't understand.

Reverse was never negligent during battle. However, the battle this time required his attention more than any other battle before. Thinking of this, Reverse unfolded his power in front of him, spreading it out in front of L?vateinn.

It hit.

An explosion occurred.

The Kei bullet exploded the moment it came in contact with L?vateinn's hand, and light and dust swelled up in an instant, blurring out vision. The shock that could originally shake the entire city was annulled by Kongoukei.

Reverse had spread out Kongoukei with all his power, in order to wait for this moment.

Yes, he was waiting.

He didn't understand a single thing about L?vateinn. About why she had come here, or what she wanted to do next.

Or what she had done just now.

There were many other things he was concerned about.

What had L?vateinn done when she received Cauntia's first attacks?

Other people might not have noticed this, but Reverse had absolute confidence in this.

The technique of his beloved Cauntia, that explosion, that destructive power, couldn't only produce that much of an injury.

Because of this, he had used all of his power to spread Kongoukei.

There would definitely be some exchange after this.

This was all Reverse was able to do in order to protect Cauntia.

And his expectations were realized.

He had guessed correctly.

There was an abnormal flow in the airflow produced by the explosion. It wasn't scattering outwards, but it was as if it were being sucked inside.

"It's the same as before."

The moment Reverse was muttering this……

Incoming.

A dramatic impact.

"Urgh……!!"

His Kei was battered, and his body shook. The assault jarred his entire body and his consciousness. Reverse strongly clenched his teeth, withstanding the assault. The reflective ability of Kongoukei wasn't any use. Moreover, this wasn't the time to focus on counterattacking.

However, he couldn't cower at this.

Behind him was the woman he loved the most in this world, Cauntia.

He definitely couldn't shrink back……

"Re……Ver……"

From behind him came a voice that made him despair.

"……………………Eh?"

The back of his head, his neck, had been touched by something, and it wasn't Cauntia's hands.

It was a warm, liquid feeling.

His astonishment made his entire body shake, and Reverse slowly turned around.

The air around him swirled intensely. The only place that maintained normalcy was the circle affected by Reverse's Kongoukei.

That was also where Cauntia behind him was.

And it was because of this, that the liquid dripped on Reverse's body.

It was Cauntia's blood.

"Tia?"

Greeting Reverse's eyes was blood endlessly flowing from Cauntia's body like water spraying from a burst pipe.

"Sor……ry……"

An inconceivable apology drilled into his ears.

Cauntia who had lost her strength slumped on his back.

As if to support her body, Reverse moved. In that moment, he had already completely forgotten to maintain Kongoukei.

And because of this, he was able to perceive everything.

Even if he wanted to turn his body around, his left arm wasn't able to move like he wanted to, he finally realized.

"Eh?"

When he looked carefully, his left arm was already gone.

Actually, Reverse's own blood had been mixed in with the blood spraying out that he had seen behind him.

"Eh?"

It was inconceivable. However, this was reality.

Reverse's Kongoukei had been broken.

It had been completely destroyed.

"……I see."

That moment, Reverse understood the situation in front of him.

The second attack that Reverse had received.

It was Cauntia's attack.

No wonder he had felt it strange. Even if Cauntia's technique had been deflected, the damage to L?vateinn's surroundings had been too small. It would be too unlike Cauntia for her to have considered that Reverse was there and held back.

Though he didn't know what had happened in the middle, the reality wouldn't change.

Cauntia's Kei technique had been sent back.

Both times were like this. The composite Kei art of Reverse and Cauntia had been completely reflected.

Because of this, things had become like this.

It had only penetrated Reverse's Kongoukei because it had been the combined technique of the two of them.

"Sorry……"

After Cauntia repeated the same word, she fell from Reverse's body.

The sound of breaking bones came from her strengthless, falling body. Hearing the noise from inside her body, Reverse searched for something in his blood-red vision. His body already didn't feel any pain, and in his hazy consciousness, he could only urge on his body, looking for the target he yearned for.

It was by his side.

"……Tia."

Cauntia didn't make the slightest response to his voice. Cauntia who had always reprimanded himself for being slow now lay silently by his side.

Cauntia's hand reached out, as if to echo her most instinctive desire.

Reaching out to Reverse.

They lay there silently, both reaching out, their strength weakened to a drop, but they still reached out to their desires.

When he gripped Cauntia's hand, a hard-to-describe feeling of tranquility came over Reverse. As his strength decreased with each breath, the scene dyed red with blood before him became more and more blurry.

As his vision was disappearing, Reverse's angled gaze caught L?vateinn who was scattering some sort of particles.

Though he no longer had any judgment ability, when he noticed the feet of some person appearing in front of him, Reverse raised his head.

Standing before him was L?vateinn, gazing at him.

Even in the tense situation just now, Reverse had always felt that she had a sort of indisposed attitude. But he hadn't been in time to ask, and he hadn't been able to defend against everything. Now he could only look at her. Regardless of whether it was fear of enemies or the courage he needed to overcome these fears, they were already all unnecessary. Everything had returned to nothing. All he needed to do now was grasp that hand, and everything else was meaningless.

As his vision almost disappeared, Reverse didn't know why L?vateinn still looked at him like that.

However, he had a feeling that made Reverse feel that L?vateinn was currently looking at his and Cauntia's hands that were clasped together.

"You……"

A weak voice.

The answer appeared in his mind in a moment, but he no longer had the strength to form words. His momentarily clear-headed thinking once again slowly became muddled.

His vision became even blurrier than before, so much that he couldn't even make out her figure anymore.

As everything became unbearably hazy, Reverse protected the feeling of grasping that hand until the end.

◇

(R, Reverse-sama and Cauntia-sama have been defeated.)

The voice that came brought an unconcealed tremble.

"Hmph."

That was a natural thing.

Alsheyra who was moving out of her room in the palace listened to the trembling voice ot Elsmau with a natural attitude.

"What about the others?"

(They have already taken action before contacting me.)

"Good, then tell them to take action in order. Ah, right, though I've only seen that guy fight from the side so far, if he wants to take action himself, then let him."

(Yes…… then what about Your Majesty?)

"I already know the goal of the one in opposing us, so I'll go make the final defensive line. Or should I get rid of everyone else and go become the frontline?"

(No, no, that's not the best choice.)

"Really…… has the evacuation of the city's residents been carried out smoothly?"

(Yes, In order to keep the commotion from spreading, we are currently leading the citizens to shelters smoothly.)

"Right, right, are there any other people there?"

(Military Artists other than the Heaven's Blades have stopped them. No, it would be more correct to say that we've been pinned down by them.)

"Is that so. Though I don't want to be too wordy, what really is going on? Ah, whatever. Tell the Heaven's Blades to ignore them, and charge straight to the palace for the enemy's original body."

(Understood, Your Majesty.)

"Ah, I fear that we'll be in a pinch for a while."

As soon as the conversation ended, Alsheyra spoke to herself. Elsmau might have also listened, but she didn't respond with anything.

Alsheyra didn't really care about her not responding.

Compared to that…… she gazed to the side.

As if it were chasing after her, there was a figure walking behind her with a slightly slower speed.

It was Leerin.

"How is it? Can you keep up?"

"Of course."

Leerin nodded her head with a persevering expression, and looking at her would really make one feel a sort of stabbing pain in the heart. Alsheyra's expression distorted for a moment, but it was only a moment, and in the next second her expression changed back.

By now, she couldn't tell Leerin to go back. that would only be an insult to her determination.

More relevantly, her strength was necessary.

"……Really…"

"Nn?"

"It's nothing."

Alsheyra used a strong smile to mask the words that she had almost let slip out.

She felt that this was another helpless thing.

She had always thought so.

It had been for all of this, for this day, that there was Alsheyra Almonise.

That there was the Almonise Family.

That there were the Three Royal Families of Grendan.

The Heaven's Blade successors as well, the Lance Shelled City as well……

They were all prepared for this day.

Alsheyra had been born for the coming of this day.

That was how it had originally been.

But actually, what was it?

Actually, the ultimate trump card hadn't fallen into her hands, it had crossed over her palms, and the purified blood had chosen an extremely mediocre girl.

If there was truly such a thing as fate, how much of a tease was it, or perhaps why did it like to pester people this much.

This fate was a kind of misfortune for the girl, and to Alsheyra it was a kind of insult.

"……It feels like I've been wearing the wrong shoes the whole time."

"Eh?"

She unconsciously spoke the words that she originally hadn't wanted to say.

However, in this situation, even if she let some words slip, Alsheyra didn't show a particularly regretful expression, and she still showed a smile like that past.

"……Ah."

Leerin felt it.

"Well……"

"It's alright, you haven't done anything wrong. If we want to talk about who made a mistake, it should be that fiancee without any patience."

But even with this, even if it were truly the case, it was still the situation of bad luck befalling one's own children.

It refused to gather at Alsheyra.

It refused to gather at the person who wanted to end everything.

Even if she thought about these questions time and again, it wouldn't have any effect on reality, and she couldn't find any ways that were enough to affect the current reality.

"Because I wasn't able to become a mother, really."

"……Nn."

Watching Leerin nodding her head as a response, Alsheyra manipulated the lift machine that they had arrived at, lowering them down to the ground.

The space that she saw underneath the lift was in darkness. A tense feeling had already been spread all over that black space. This darkness certainly also knew already, knew that the time destined to come was already close by.

The lift continued lowering.

Carrying Alsheyra and Leerin, it went to her side.

◇

Kalvan was a person who couldn't stand it when he wasn't clear on what had happened and how things were currently turning out.

He had noticed an abnormality and taken action before receiving Elsmau's report, and while he was moving he had heard her report.

But even with this it couldn't be said that he understood everything about the current situation.

The Queen hadn't explained anything regarding the core of the situation.

To one who had always lived in Grendan, though he could speculate a part of it, it was still only a speculation.

And even if he asked the Queen, the Queen's reply would only be 'the continuation of last time' or such an ambiguous explanation. He was very clear that the Queen had always been that kind of person.

Even so, he still couldn't help but ponder the situation.

But, it was also reality that as a Heaven's Blade successor, he was an extraordinary Military Artist at the same time.

To face the situation, what he had to do was decide by his own judgment.

Complying with directions, he ignored the battles of the monsters unfolding in the palace surroundings, and as he entered the inner palace, Kalvan saw it.

A man and woman overlapping each other.

"Reverse and Cauntia?"

The blood-red liquid covering the ground let him know that this wasn't a joke. Kalvan's expression became completely serious, and he watched the area behind them.

A few steps behind Reverse and Cauntia, she was there.

"You did this, huh!"

Though it was the appearance of a girl, Kalvan wouldn't be fooled by such a simple thing. The girl seemed to be preparing to begin moving once again, and then Kalvan had dropped in front of her.

"……Please move aside."

"You're the one that should move aside."

As he replied in a low voice, he took up his restored Dite.

Golden Kei surrounded Kalvan's entire body.

External Kei variant - Armed Sword.

An armor composed of countless swords formed from Golden Kei covered Kalvan's entire body.

The momentum made the air in the surroundings into a gale, blowing towards the girl's body.

At that time, a different presence dropped behind Kalvan's body.

"Kalvan!"

The owner of the voice was Kanaris.

"Don't come over here!"

Kanaris immediately restored her Heaven's Blade after dropping down and wanted to team up with Kalvan, but Kalvan stopped her.

"Go meet up with the others and prepare an attack with them."

"But……"

"Go, you must have seen it as well."

Kalvan only needed to look at the overlapping bodies of the two people behind the girl's back and in the center of his vision, and everything was already understood without having to be said.

"Um……"

"Go."

"Alright……"

Leaving this word, Kanaris once again leaped.

What had she been thinking of saying at the end? The moment he thought of this, Kalvan's expression changed.

It became a smile.

Had she wanted to tell him to make sure to take revenge for the two of them?

"Now I, Kalvan, will be the sacrifice."

His imposing Kei hadn't weakened at all, and this also showed that his heart didn't have the slightest haze.

Losing before a battle was impossible.

"Though I've always frowned at them, whatever I say, everyone is also a Heaven's Blade successor as I am, and it is up to me to avenge them."

His Armed Sword spread out, and golden Kei extended out of the Heaven's Blade, endlessly spreading its territory. As if a kind of viscous liquid, but with a speed that wasn't like a normal liquid. It was spread all over its surroundings in a moment, covering the girl, covering L?vateinn, entirely.

"Disappear before us!"

He yelled.

Brandishing his Heaven's Blade.

It was as if the surrounding golden Kei listened to his orders.

The golden Kei that had spread out assaulted L?vateinn all at once. The originally liquid substance became hard in a moment, changing into a group of blades or spears flying towards the girl.

There weren't any places to escape to. Kalvan wouldn't leave that kind of gap.

But L?vateinn seemed as if she didn't understand what was happening to her, simply standing in place.

The group of blades pierced L?vateinn.

Though they pierced her, this didn't mean that it had completely finished her.

If it were the kind of opponent who could be won against like this, then the two of them wouldn't have died.

"Hah!"

Kalvan had already taken the opportunity to advance to the next stage of Kei refinement.

The golden Kei became a sphere with L?vateinn as the center, as if to capture prey.

External-type Kei variant - Illusory Bestial Edge

Inside the sphere, the countless blades that had originally pierced L?vateinn's body once again began moving. The golden Kei that filled the surroundings produced pressure at the same time. Moreover, this pressure also produced heat, and along with the destructive energy that Kei already had, the heat increased further.

Cutting, crushing, and burning.

Three attacks assaulted L?vateinn.

As if the golden Kei was a monster feeding on its prey.

Even filth monsters that possessed extraordinarily strong regenerative capabilities would be ruined beyond recognition by this merciless Kei technique - that was Kalvan's Illusory Bestial Edge.

However……

"Tch!"

Kalvan didn't have the feeling of scoring a hit, so he could only click his tongue, and the Illusory Bestial Edge once again became a new Armed Sword to cover him again.

Nothing could be seen inside the thick Kei of the Illusory Bestial Edge.

It didn't feel like a hit. He had captured the enemy, released his Kei technique, and up until the blades began dancing he had been able to feel a definite contact. For the most part, he was able to feel the resistance of the prey through the Kei.

But currently there were no such feelings.

He wouldn't make rash judgments, that was who Kalvan was. He could capture whatever small changes happened inside his Kei technique, so because of this he wouldn't make any rash judgments.

The change in the feeling made him feel that at some point, his prey had suddenly been switched out.

Changing from a solid to something like flowing sand, that kind of incomprehensible situation had appeared inside the sphere.

(Did she escape?)

Had the girl escaped from Illusory Bestial Edge through some method that Kalvan hadn't noticed?

If that were the case, then even continuing to maintain Illusory Bestial Edge was a waste of effort……

"…………"

Kalvan shut his eyes.

He didn't prepare to release Illusory Bestial Edge.

Rather, with his sword on his shoulder, he stood while waiting for the changes that would come next.

The sounds of battle from outside of the palace were continuously becoming intense, and the Kei that raged in all directions like a storm wasn't something of a normal Military Artist.

(Lintence?)

Kalvan obtained that answer from the nature of the Kei.

Though the Heaven's Blade successors should have already entered the palace because of their orders, Lintence had ignored them?

He shouldn't be the kind of person who would forget about the original to fight with small fry.

Then had something caught his attention?

He didn't have any time to let Elsmau explain. Kalvan once again focused his concentration, removing thoughts about unnecessary information from his mind.

The feeling that Illusory Bestial Edge transmitted definitely had some secret.

If he didn't unravel that secret……

"Hmm……"

With regards to time, he had only closed his eyes for a moment, but because of the speed of his senses, he felt that it had been quite a long time.

Kalvan opened his eyes.

"That's how it was!"

After shouting, he swung the sword on his shoulder.

The Armed Sword converged, becoming a huge sword.

External-type Kei variant - Golden Yaksha.

The swing would cut Illusory Bestial Edge into two in a flash, and Kalvan's strike would cut into the thing that he had seen through.

That was how it should have been.

"What!!"

He felt an unexpected feeling that wasn't the Kei technique.

There was something suppressing Kalvan's body.

His arms, feet, torso, there was something grabbing on to him, stopping him.

Looking closely, it was a hand, an arm.

It seemed from the exterior to be the arm of a young girl, but there were countless of these arms as if they grew out like weeds, continuously appearing from somewhere unknown, and then tightly grabbing Kalvan.

"Did I misstep!?"

He couldn't help from yell out.

No……

He couldn't have gotten it wrong.

That thing was such an organism.

He couldn't let himself be tricked by her outward appearance. He hadn't felt a bit of Kei from her, but she had killed two Heaven's Blade successors, and she who had escaped from Kalvan's Illusory Bestial Edge with some unknown methods definitely wasn't the being that her exterior suggested.

Then, Kalvan's understanding was correct, as expected.

The countless arms changed further. As if responding to the movements of Kalvan who was attempting to break free, the arms began becoming hard one after another.

Kalvan became as if he were trapped inside a great piece of stone.

"Damn……"

Even his strength couldn't break this stone.

And the next change began in a moment.

Kalvan felt the presence above his head.

He raised his head to look, and there were countless gun-shaped objects. All of the barrels were aimed at Kalvan.

"Sheet……"

If he continued maintaining Illusory Bestial Edge, never mind breaking the stone around his body, he wouldn't even be able to clear away the guns above his head. Kalvan released his Kei technique, letting Kei flow for the purpose of defense.

The Kei produced a large explosion.

In the light of the explosion, when Kalvan escaped his manacles, and at the same time cleared away the mass of guns, he saw it.

A figure, coming closer to himself.

It had come from the direction of the released Illusory Bestial Edge.

"In that case!"

Kalvan shouted this out during the explosion. While flowing Kei through his sword, he swung at the girl who approached him.

There were no weapons in the girl's hands, but her slim fingers were filled with the presence of death.

The cut and the girl's hand clashed and grazed each other, sending off sparks, the attacks of both sides filled with killing intent.

Kalvan's sword cut into L?vateinn's arm.

L?vateinn's hand pierced Kalvan's throat.

"Ugh……"

After a short groan, Kalvan fell down.

◇

Kalvan had been defeated.

Before she had been informed of this fact by Elsmau, Kanaris had already felt this from the flow of the air.

Kanaris was now inside one of the passageways of the palace.

Behind here were the lifts that Alsheyra and Leerin had just used.

It was a passageway leading underground.

Though there were still other methods to go underground, since L?vateinn had already appeared, she only wanted to use this road.

Kanaris had the premonition that L?vateinn would destroy the palace, and then continue to here.

Kanaris' expression was extremely grave.

If it were the past, she would definitely have felt that that group was messing around and become furious because of it, but she currently wasn't that way.

Three had already been defeated.

This definitely wasn't a situation to joke around.

Those inside the palace had already succeeded in taking refuge. Other Military Artists were currently outside the palace dealing with the mysterious group of troublemakers.

It was up to the Heaven's Blades to deal with L?vateinn's original body.

It wasn't that she had received detailed commands from the Queen, but rather by the time she noticed, she was already doing this.

Because this was all she could do in the current situation.

Kanaris looked behind her.

The Heaven's Blade successors had already gathered.

Savaris, Troyatte, Ruimei, Barmelin, even Haia who hadn't even been a Heaven's Blade for long, along with one more person.

"Claribel-sama?"

Kanaris couldn't understand her appearance.

"Ahahaha, it's been a long time."

She who had run away from home to Zuellni, why had she appeared here?

"Though there was some cause in the middle that I'm not clear about, the battle here will become quite dangerous after this, so please deal with the enemies outside first……"

"Ahahaha…… actually, that's true."

Claribel showed a reluctant smile, holding her Dite out to show Kanaris.

Kanaris also had a similar thing to this Dite whose unrestored form was adorned with various patterns.

"A Heaven's Blade……"

"Nn, I don't know what's going on, but it's already like this anyway."

The last remaining Heaven's Blade should have been something of the dead Tigris.

The grandfather's item had been succeeded by the granddaughter. Nothing of the sort had happened in the records before. Moreover, the Queen wasn't the kind of person to care about interpersonal relationships like that.

Then, the Queen had to have approved her power to make this kind of decision.

There wasn't any time right now to think about why she who should have been in Zuellni had ignored the distance between cities and suddenly appeared here.

Even if she thought, the fact that she was here wouldn't change.

"I understand."

Kanaris said this as she straightened herself back up.

"What about Lintence-sama?"

Troyatte was the one who asked this.

"He's distracted outside."

Savaris had answered him. His voice had become hoarse since the time he had almost died from having his throat cut open. He could have gotten it completely treated, but Savaris had intentionally selected this kind of voice.

"Ah, judging from that guy's style, he might already be somewhere around here."

"That's true, if even we have arrived, then there's no way he hasn't."

"Then, what should we do? Do we use our full power to defend here?"

Ruimei also showed a laughable expression beside the two of them. He also felt that he wanted to fight individually if possible.

Of course, all of the people here probably thought that way.

"Reverse, Cauntia, and Kalvan have already been defeated before us. There's no meaning in attacking one by one."

Kanaris replied.

"What about battle strategy?"

"Leave it to me to decide."

She replied to Barmelin.

"Actually, it's already too late now to think about battle plans."

There was only one enemy.

But the fighting methods of the enemy weren't clear.

"In the situation where we don't have any information on the enemy, formulating a battle plan is impossible."

"In terms of teamwork, none of us can win against those two people who got wiped out."

Savaris said this. Naturally, the two people he was talking about were Reverse and Cauntia.

"This time might be quite the crisis."

Troyatte understated.

"Her Majesty said that there's no concern regardless of what you destroy."

"Is there anything now that she would care about if it got destroyed?"

Ruimei grumbled at Kanaris' words.

"……You guys only have those complaints because you're all too stubborn~"

An unfamiliar voice suddenly entered everyone's ears.

Though it was an unfamiliar voice, it definitely didn't belong to an outsider. Everyone instantly understood who had spoken.

It was Haia who was a bit further back.

"What did you say, kid?"

Ruimei glared at him, but Haia didn't care.

"I just wanted to say that because you guys always fought individually, you can't even fight together anymore~"

"That's true."

Haia's accurate analysis made Savaris laugh while making his reply.

"However, youngster. What about it? Could it be that we should start learning how to fight together now? We don't have the time for that now, though."

"I'm here. Regardless of what you say I was the leader of the Mercenary Gang, and I've fought strong enemies as many times as you all, and commanded an overwhelming number of group battles~"

"I see."

Savaris was also the person who agreed with him.

Kanaris had also thought this in her heart.

Because Heaven's Blade successors had such overwhelming strength, they all couldn't help but become loners in the end. Though there were times when they would fight together as two or three people, this would only happen during extremely infrequent situations, and in the end they still relied on their individual strength to complete missions.

As long as a single Heaven's Blade successor was there, most enemies could all be dealt with.

Because of this, Heaven's Blade successors weren't suited to group combat.

The battle last time was the same. In the end the Heaven's Blades had all fought supervising their own districts. That kind of method couldn't be called group combat.

At least the group combat that would be required for this battle wasn't the same.

So, one would think that Haia's proposal wasn't bad.

"Who would listen to the commands of a kid like you?"

Ruimei said this in a bad mood. Though she hadn't made any comments, Barmel also showed a disagreeing expression. The slightly contemptuous attitude on Savaris and Troyatte's faces also hadn't changed.

The situation was bad, they didn't have enough faith in Haia. Since the Heaven's Blade had been conferred to him, he hadn't even had an opportunity to display his own power. Also, even if he had the commanding ability and the corresponding performance, the people here wouldn't trust him unless they had seen it with their own eyes.

In other words, they weren't satisfied to entrust their lives to this unfamiliar person.

Claribel didn't even have the opportunity to speak because the presence of everyone else was too intense.

(This is bad)

The current situation was really bad, Kanaris thought.

She understood this very well.

However, they didn't have any time to improve the situation.

Because they could already hear the footsteps of that person.

◇

Hearing the sound of footsteps, Haia quickly grabbed the unrestored Heaven's Blade.

His palm was full of sweat.

He felt tense.

"……Hahh."

How long had this tense feeling been for? Thinking about this, he couldn't help but show a smile.

But, the faces of the Military Artists gathered in the surroundings who were even stronger than himself were also filled with tension.

It was impossible for Haia not to feel tense.

"Ah, maybe I'm too cowardly?"

Haia was a Heaven's Blade successor, so in other words, he was in the same position as the others standing around him.

He had no reason to fear them, nor did he have a reason to worry about what they thought.

Because of this, he had just spoken.

"Ah, this situation isn't so easy to get used to~"

The Heaven's Blade successors were Military Artists with various extraordinary fighting powers…… The atmosphere that could be felt from their bodies couldn't even be compared with others. When he had fought Layfon, the extremely abnormal competitive feeling he had managed to offset that atmosphere, but currently it was different.

More importantly, there were so many Heaven's Blades here.

Seeing the people surrounding him, each one made him feel safe, and it was only Claribel who stood there whom he felt a bit sorry for.

Because she also wore the same expression as Haia, but with even more embarrassment.

(It seems you've given an unwanted opinion.)

A sound floated quietly by his ears.

Just a sound.

Looking carefully, there was a Psychokinesis flake floating next to him.

It was Elsmau.

"Because I felt this was the best method at the time~"

Actually, this part wasn't a lie.

If this were an enemy that the Heaven's Blade successors who possessed extraordinary fighting power couldn't defeat alone, then the group combat that they were unfamiliar with, particularly fighting together, would become the key to victory or defeat.

Of course, this was also a result that things would have to go smoothly for.

"And you, what do you think?"

In order to coordinate with the other party, Haia lowered his voice.

(Eh?)

"My proposal."

(That…… I personally think it's worth a try.)

"Is that so~"

(But, I think that you won't be able to gain the agreement of the others quickly.)

"Why~?"

(Because you still don't have the trust of everyone.)

"It's really because of that~"

Haia understood this himself, and being told this by the third person, he was even more convinced.

After all, he still hadn't had any opportunity to display his power since he had become a Heaven's Blade.

Originally, he had thought that the opportunity for everyone to see his power had finally arrived, but he had quickly run into such a thorny situation.

Perhaps this battle was the one that Karian had spoken about before, the last battle betting on the fate of this world.

"That guy…… what is he doing~?"

(What?)

"It's nothing."

Karian was currently somewhere, and even thinking about it wouldn't make any results appear.

Regardless of whether the things he had done had bloomed or not, the current situation would be the same.

A battle had appeared in front of Haia and the others, and at this moment he couldn't expect others to come and do anything for him.

"Well, first I'll go work hard to be able to obtain their trust~"

The sound of footsteps didn't stop.

After entering the empty palace, it came straight for this place without a single pause.

The sound of footsteps was very orderly, without a trace of impatience.

As if waiting for this side to take stances.

The eyes of Military Artists could already make out the figure of the invader. Though they felt surprised at the exterior of a girl, they were even more surprised when they saw her familiar clothing.

That uniform made Haia think of something, making his mood become a bit poor.

"Zuellni's uniform."

That was the uniform that the female students of Zuellni wore.

Even at this kind of time, something that made him think of 'that guy' had appeared. Haia had never even thought of this, so he felt vexed.

However, since she had left from Zuellni, then that meant the current crisis had nothing to do with Zuellni. Even if it was related, there wasn't any time to resolve that puzzle.

"It'll be enough to do what we can."

What they should do now was fight with the girl in front of them.

Then……

"I'm already used to playing that kind of nasty role."

Haia had done many things as a mercenary.

In order to win, sometimes it was necessary to obtain the trust of those around him in a short time, and he knew such methods.

(Please be careful of your safety.)

"I know!"

Responding to the Psychokinesist who now called herself Elsmau, Haia charged at the girl, accompanied by the light of restoration.

Internal-type Kei variant - Whirl Kei Current.

This was Whirl Kei that Haia had improved himself, sending him in front of the girl in an instant.

"You!"

Ruimei made an angry roar.

"It's clearly you that were slow~"

Haia said this behind him as he grasped the Heaven's Blade that had just been restored and charged forth.

Psyharden Technique - Flame Cut.

The rapid sword wrapped with flame cut out, heading diagonally up towards L?vateinn.

"Ugh!"

Haia who had originally planned to turn the blade downwards and overlap the flame for the next strike suddenly changed his battle plan, retreating in the blink of an eye.

He hadn't felt contact at all.

The sensation that Flame Cut brought seemed as if he were cutting through air.

Fearing that it was an afterimage or a body copy technique, Haia quickly scanned the surroundings with his eyes open, but it didn't seem that way.

"So it's like that, no wonder three people have already been defeated."

Large drops of sweat appeared on Haia's forehead.

With only one strike, he understood L?vateinn's huge strength.

"Please retreat, I only want to visit a certain place."

"I can't respond to your expectations~"

L?vateinn who had received the strike just now seemed as if nothing had happened. Accepting that fact, Haia wiped the sweat off his forehead.

"Don't say that, play with me for a bit longer~"

"……Then I have no choice."

Though Haia didn't understand, at that time, L?vateinn took action for the first time.

A sword appeared instantly in the girl's hands that had originally hung down forcelessly, and it seemed as if it had grown out of the girl's hand.

"If you will all stop me anyway……"

"Uwah!"

Her intent had already been conveyed.

Haia yelped, holding his blade out in front of him to block.

A blow pushed back his entire body.

When he realized that L?vateinn who wore a cold expression had appeared in a place very close to him, it was already after this.

"Then I will rely on force to eliminate you."

"……Just try it!"

Haia yelled, shoving away the blow that had pushed him back.

He released a Kei technique.

Psyharden Technique - Gravel Ring

The Kei technique originally randomly shot out external Kei bullets to suppress the surroundings, and after his modifications, now only shot out in front of him, bathing L?vateinn in a rain of Kei bullets.

But by that time L?vateinn's figure had already disappeared.

Appearing behind him.

"Tch!"

Going with his instincts and experience, Haia flattened his body, and something in the shape of a sword flew over his head with killing intent and wind.

Combined Internal and External Kei variant - Ryuusenkei.

His body became a tornado, blowing back L?vateinn behind him.

Haia stopped spinning, pursued the girl flying in the air.

Ryuusenkei variant - Wind Scythe.

The Ryuusenkei that had appeared earlier was collected into Haia's blade, and then once again released. The spiraling blades of wind that had been compressed to their limits would definitely gouge L?vateinn's flesh severely.

But, that destiny was easily eliminated.

The spiraling wind touched L?vateinn.

However, the blades of wind weren't able to tear the girl's body.

The girl flew around.

"Impossible!"

Seeing that scene, Haia couldn't help but make an incredulous sound.

The girl was as if she were being pulled by something, whirling around the spiral, and then being cast away.

It wasn't like a human, but rather like something light and floaty being blown around. Haia could only feel stunned speechless towards this kind of physical phenomenon.

But, he couldn't just stay speechless like this.

L?vateinn who had been sent flying out hit the ceiling, and instantly prepared to jump back down from an upside-down posture.

In other words, she was trying to jump back towards Haia.

Haia who had recovered from his amazement had sufficient time to adjust his striking posture.

He was ready to face the next strike.

However, the observers weren't ready to continue as they were.

The figure of L?vateinn who had taken a jumping posture had already disappeared.

Of course, this didn't mean that she had moved, but rather was because a giant figure had swept away the entire place where she had been.

The sound appeared after that.

The destruction also came after that.

A giant piece of metal obliterated the girl's body, destroying the ceiling and flying outwards.

It was Ruimei's Heaven's Blade, an iron ball.

"You're rambling me to death."

Ruimei ignored the rubble that fell down along with the sound of the explosion, pulling back the chain of the iron ball. The other side of the chain was connected to the giant iron ball. It had a speed completely inconsistent with its mass, and also possessed a frightening destructive power. The iron ball had quietly returned to his feet.

"It should be enough to destroy her completely, right?"

Just as Ruimei had finished speaking……

A big red pillar appeared next to him, piercing through hole that the iron ball had created and continuing to extend.

It was a crimson blaze.

"Though you're right, it's probably better not to care too much about order right now."

The one who had released the flame was Troyatte.

"You mean you won't get a turn."

"I'm taking precautions because I'm afraid that you'll be too ashamed when you're defeated. It's only insurance."

"Ha."

Hearing Troyatte's silver tongue, Ruimei made an irritated face.

"Ah~ ……Really~"

Haia's sigh made the two of them shut their mouths.

"……Speaking of which, the two of you, isn't Her Majesty's private quarters above here?"

Savaris said this.

"Ha, you're still thinking about what kind of places will be destroyed in this kind of battle!"

"Her Majesty said that it doesn't matter regardless of what gets destroyed."

To restrain Ruimei, Kanaris began explaining solemnly.

"Though she did say so, even in this kind of occasion, Her Majesty's room should also be excluded, this kind of situation is very common."

"……If some of Her Majesty's personal items fall down, that won't be funny."

Hearing Savaris' explanation, Kanaris' face became ashen.

"If some diaries she wrote fell down, I fear that our doomsday would definitely come."

"That kind of thing is really scary in various ways."

Savaris couldn't help but laugh at Troyatte's thoughts.

"Then…… it's probably better if we don't concern ourselves too much."

Seeing the attitude of her elders, Claribel warily raised her hand and spoke.

"Of course, we're not going to care, former apprentice."

"Eh? Former apprentice?"

Claribel opened her eyes wide at Troyatte's reply.

"There's no longer a master-apprentice relationship between us who are both Heaven's Blades now~"

"Ah, yes."

"That's how it is. Of course, we can't relax our guard."

"Really?"

"Do you doubt me?"

"You're right."

"Ah, nothing can be done about that."

Seeing Troyatte who was laughing this leisurely, Claribel expressed her incomprehension.

Haia who hadn't participated in the conversation could not understand either.

"We haven't relaxed our guard. The reason it seems like we've relaxed is because……"

There were new movements behind the back of Troyatte who said this.

Neither Claribel nor Haia had missed those movements.

Savaris stood there, putting his thumb and middle fingers together, appearing as if he were going to snap his fingers.

Right after he suddenly put strength into them, a moment later a sound came from his fingers.

"Because everyone has decided what comes next."

The snap overlapped with the voice of Troyatte.

Afterwards.

The remainder of the ceiling exploded.

A heavy and intense shock shook the entire palace.

In the midst of their shaking vision, L?vateinn's figure had suddenly appeared from some unknown area.

"I already pretty much understand."

Savaris said this.

"Your tricks."

This time it was Savaris standing in front of L?vateinn who had dropped down.

Perhaps because she had been covered with the dust of the rubble, but L?vateinn's entire body had been smeared with some white sand-like thing.

"Very interesting. A filth monster with the outer appearance of a human."

"…………"

"Ah, up through now I've seen quite a few parasites or other things, so by now seeing a humanoid filth monster shouldn't really be much of a surprise."

"……Your beliefs are incorrect."

"Really?"

"But, there is no meaning in explaining."

"Nn?"

Savaris who was a bit puzzled at L?vateinn's attitude quickly restored his past smile.

"Anyway there's not much difference. Though there was a bit of back and forth, last time I wasn't really able to have much fun."

Savaris said this while stroking the wound on his neck. If Lintence hadn't been there in time, he would have died from the wound that Layfon had cut open.

From that day onwards, due to recuperation, he almost hadn't been able to experience any fighting worthy of being called a battle.

"Let me have some fun."

Savaris who said this showed a smile on his face that would make one uncomfortable.

Afterwards, that smile disappeared.

No, his entire body had disappeared.

"…………"

L?vateinn who remained silent waved an arm, and several projections instantly erupted from the ground around her.

In the next moment, Savaris' figure appeared.

Because of his speed, Savaris' body was as if he were planning to slam into one of those projections and hurt himself.

It seemed that way…… but before that tragedy happened, Savaris' figure disappeared again.

It was an afterimage.

Whether or not she had noticed this, L?vateinn's actions didn't have the slightest hesitation.

She looked upwards.

There was the figure of Savaris dropping down in a straight line.

L?vateinn threw out the sword in her hands.

When the sword reached the middle of the space between L?vateinn and Savaris, its exterior suddenly changed. It lengthened endlessly, continuously branching out, and in a while the form of the sword had disappeared, becoming a pincushion to spear the falling Savaris.

But this time, the pincushion still hit nothing.

It was another afterimage.

No, perhaps it was more accurate to call it a phantom.

L?vateinn's gaze didn't stop scanning the surroundings.

In one place after another……

Savaris' figures suddenly appeared one after another, and this time they didn't disappear, instead filling the ruined palace.

Combined Internal and External Kei variant - Thousand Man Rush.

"Come, let me try you."

The voices of countless Savaris' overlapped.

All of the Savarises who filled the entire area took the same actions. They crossed their hands, lowering them in front of their body.

The shape of the combined hands and fingers was like the gaping mouth of a wile beast.

External-type Kei variant - Roar Kei, Focused Demolition.

Savaris added on the Luckens secret skill to his ability.

A thousand Savarises surrounded L?vateinn, releasing vibrating waves at the same time.

Vibrations filled with destructive power made a frenzied attack with L?vateinn in the center.

The assault of the vibrations produced the sound of bursting metal.

"How is it?"

In this kind of situation, Savaris happily watched L?vateinn's posture.

L?vateinn had just created great walls of thorns in her surroundings, blocking the vibrations. Whether her special substance could endure the vibrations or not, nothing had changed in L?vateinn who was behind the thorns.

However, just this wasn't enough. Every short period of time, the exterior of the thorns would collapse a bit.

Using a thousand copies to surround the enemy and then release a Kei technique to attack was the Kei combination killing technique that Savaris was the most proud of. In the storm of vibrations, there was nowhere to run, and even the thorns that possessed an annoying regenerative ability were crumbling bit by bit.

"Come on!"

The rapid movement of Kei made Savaris' consciousness reach an excited state.

Savaris opened his flashing eyes to watch L?vateinn who was inside the slowly crumbling thorns, and because of this he wouldn't miss any changes that occurred.

"How unfortunate."

The moment he stopped his Kei technique, the situation was reversed.

L?vateinn attacked from a completely opposite direction.

The thorns that had appeared there in a moment covered L?vateinn who had been surrounded by the Savarises, and then exploded. The countless spikes that flew out of the explosions pierced the Savarises produced by Thousand Man Rush one by one.

"But, I still felt something."

Savaris who had released Thousand Man Rush fell in front of Ruimei. The burst of spikes had torn his clothes in various places, and bloodstains were everywhere.

"Vibrations?"

"Yeah."

Ruimei who had been waiting while watching the battle asked, and Savaris confirmed his question.

"On the surface it seems as if she can regenerate limitlessly, but even so, vibrations seem to be able to hinder her regeneration speed."

"It seems like it won't be enough if it's only that."

"Yes. To completely eliminate her, anything that uses heat should be alright, but she still hides quite a few secrets."

L?vateinn, who had escaped from Savaris' Kei technique, had more white color on her body than before.

And because she hadn't quickly pursued, it meant that it still could be affected by the actions of the Heaven's Blade successors if they cooperated.

"Speaking of which, it would be nice if you got rid of her directly."

At that time, Barmelin said this.

"No no no, it isn't that simple and easy to defeat. That defense is very hard."

"Useless thing, go die."

"Ahahaha……"

Savaris laughed at Barmelin's abuse.

"Then, is it enough to completely eliminate her defense?"

"From the situation before, it should be that way."

"Hm, in that case, Kanaris."

"What?"

"That teamwork the youngster spoke about just now, and speaking of vibrations, you should understand, right?"

"Ah, that's right."

Though the topic had suddenly been shifted to Kanaris, she already understood just from this much being said.

"That's true, then……"

"Ah?"

"The battle captain will be Haia Laia. No, Haia Wolfstein Laia."

"Haah~?"

"We'll leave all the planning to you. Weren't you the first one to make that proposal?"

"Hey, Kanaris!"

Ruimei roared at Kanaris' words.

"I don't know how to fight cooperatively either. If you think about that, then won't his knowledge definitely be useful?"

"……Tch."

"Is that alright? Haia Wolfstein Laia."

'Wolfstein' had been stressed twice.

This was because Kanaris already thought of Haia as a Heaven's Blade successor?

Or perhaps, did she want to judge whether his might was fitting of what being a Heaven's Blade successor expressed?

Regardless of which……

"Then, please allow me to command you~"

Haia responded.

There were several people with unhappy expressions.

However, Haia felt that this was very meaningful.

The fact that he felt it was meaningful showed that he still had power left.

The Heaven's Blade successors would listen to his commands, to fight with this difficult enemy.

"Things are really becoming more and more interesting."

Haia said this.

◇

Know yourself and know the enemy, and you will not be imperiled in a hundred battles.

The origins of that saying were already unknown, and no one had been able to unravel the mystery.

Even so, that saying had always been passing through the autonomous moving cities, through this world, and through the battlefields, and it was used in many places other than this.

And now, Haia was also saying it.

"Our information on the enemy and friendly information are both insufficient, it's really the worst situation."

Haia had not been a Heaven's Blade successor for long, and after that he hadn't had the opportunity to observe the fights of other Heaven's Blade successors.

A few moments ago had been the first time he had seen them fight, so it could be said that they were people he was cooperating with for the first time.

Also, many mysteries revolving around the enemy's body hadn't yet been unraveled.

"In this kind of situation it's very difficult to customize battle plans~"

(But, you've already issued an order.)

Elsmau said this. Her Psychokinesis flake was by Haia's ear, quietly glowing with light.

The feeling of this position was very familiar. Though it was hard to put into words, it was a feeling that Haia felt was very familiar.

"Ah, it's not the first time I've been dragged into battle without any information."

Haia who was being toyed with by that kind of familiar sensation replied.

He didn't have any time now to care about other things.

So his orders were very vague.

However, he could only do this much.

"Anyway, those peoples' strengths are too great~"

The 'people' that he spoke about naturally meant the Heaven's Blade successors.

Even if they seemed like extremely refined Kei techniques, they would become large-scale Kei techniques when used by Heaven's Blade successors due to their massive strength, making the techniques look a bit rough.

Many of these 'people' had gathered together, and if it was very difficult for them to exchange opinions with each other, he could only give out a set of general orders.

"Ah, even so, in the end……"

As he said this, the first action began.

The enemy wouldn't wait, and their side wouldn't wait either.

"Really~"

Just as Haia shrugged his shoulders, the sound of a clash rang out.

A new round of attacks began by Ruimei's iron ball.

The iron ball that was interlaced with external Kei rushed towards L?vateinn in a simple straight line.

The situation didn't unfold the same way as the first time.

The iron ball made an intense sound, but it wasn't the sound of destroying the target.

The moment before it struck its target, a wall composed of thorns blocked the iron ball's path, receiving it.

"It's not over!"

Ruimei let out a majestic roar.

The thorns that had received the iron ball tried grabbing it.

In order to stop the thorns, the chain swung intensely.

The iron chain intertwined with Kei shook off the thorns like a fierce snake, moreover preparing to attack L?vateinn inside, but it was quickly obstructed by other thorns.

"Tch."

It was simply a defensive formation formed by thorns.

Ruimei who retrieved his iron ball retreated back just like that.

And a figure quickly stood on the flying iron ball.

It was Barmelin.

"……Let me break open your sheethole."

Swearing like she had in the past, Barmelin stood up the cannon that her Heaven's Blade had restored into.

The Heaven's Blade cannon whose Kei strength had been set as high as possible absorbed Barmelin's Kei, which became a cannonball of light and was shot out.

The bullet that was shot out drew out a beautiful arc with its tail, becoming a line of light.

Though it was a sudden, single shot, L?vateinn responded to it.

More accurately, the thorns responded to it.

The thorns focused at the position of the incoming shot, becoming a shield.

A collision. The bullet split because of the explosion, destroying the surroundings.

"How annoying."

Barmelin wrinkled her face looking at the results, and then returned from on top of the iron ball to Ruimei's side.

The sudden attack wouldn't end like this.

"He, llo, there~"

There was someone who still spoke to L?vateinn with a cutesy voice even in this kind of situation.

It was Troyatte.

Troyatte who had sneaked behind L?vateinn's back held a staff in his hands that was his Heaven's Blade.

"I'm here to defeat you, miss."

He said this while he released a technique.

External-type Kei, Karen Kei variant - Seven Fangs.

In an instant, a snake with seven heads appeared in front of Troyatte.

Countless fangs were arranged in the mouths of the seven snake heads, and these fangs wanted to tear the body of the girl L?vateinn in front of them.

However, the thorns defended against the fangs.

In the opposite position they became a shield to block Barmelin's shell, and it was only right that a gap should have appeared where Troyatte was, but that gap was filled faster than the speed of the Heavens' Blades combination techniques.

"Eh? What an unexpectedly shy girl."

Other thorns attacked Troyatte. After fighting the thorns off with Seven Fangs, Troyatte also retreated.

Next was Claribel.

As if coming out from the shadow of Troyatte who was retreating, Claribel closed the distance between her and L?vateinn.

"Vati-san!"

Claribel shouted the name that the girl had used in Zuellni.

She had originally thought that this would make the girl waver, but it was evident that the girl had no response at all.

"Really!"

Though it was an outcome that had already been guessed, Claribel still couldn't help but exclaim that word. After that, she flowed Kei into the Heaven's Blade that she had received not too long ago. The Heaven's Blade became a shape exactly the same as Kochouenshiken , and it didn't even seem to have any different feelings when she used it, but right now there was no time for her to ponder about those doubts.

She released her Kei technique.

External-type Kei, Karen Kei variant - Gohachou.

Butterflies with wings of flame danced.

The flaming butterflies proliferated in instants, filling L?vateinn's gaze very quickly.

The speed at which this attack had proliferated would make normal people slip up in the timing of their counter, and what would L?vateinn do in this situation?

"…………"

The thorns took what seemed to be an offensive defense, clearing away all of the flaming butterflies in the surroundings in a sweep.

"Umm."

Because of the racing Kei, Claribel who had finally escaped from tension made an unhappy expression and mumbled.

"In that case!"

Claribel got angry, manipulating the butterflies.

The butterflies flying towards the thorns exploded one by one.

The explosions and red flame filled the surroundings.

"Haha!"

The imposing manner of the swelling red flame made even Claribel herself stare.

At that time, someone pulled her clothes from behind.

"Guah?"

Her collar was grabbed.

"Idiot, get back."

It was Troyatte.

"The Kei flow of Heaven's Blades are different from ordinary Dites, remember that."

"It…… It was my first time."

Troyatte, who was pulling Claribel while looking at the explosions, smiled.

"Really……"

"Ahahaha."

Claribel sat down in front of the sighing Troyatte.

At that time, a figure passed over their heads.

It was Haia.

He was running quickly on the wall that had been broken open because of the explosions.

Thorns chased Haia.

"Hah!"

Haia held a smile on his face as he exclaimed, an excited smile. Though he hadn't become crazy about fighting, if he didn't rely on smiling then he wouldn't be able to move due to the fear of the mighty pressure that came from behind his back.

The thorns that still hadn't lost their momentum even after receiving Claribel's attack up to now chased Haia, and Haia could only run circles through the room while taking aim at L?vateinn.

The thorns that chased him from behind reached out a huge spine towards Haia's back.

Haia evaded the spines that shot out like rain, arriving in front of L?vateinn.

Psyharden Technique - Flame Cut.

One swift Iai strike.

However, before this Iai strike was released, the thorns had already gathered in front of L?vateinn.

Though it hadn't been completely blocked, the cut path of the strike was unable to catch L?vateinn.

"Hey! You lost!"

Ruimei roared at Haia who was retreating breathlessly.

"Come on now, if we could succeed in one try we wouldn't have to work this hard~"

"What did you say!?"

"If you have an opinion, you should have beaten it with your first blow."

"Ugh……"

"Alright, then let's continue."

"How long do we have to keep going?"

Barmelin asked this.

"Until we succeed, regardless of how many times we try."

"How annoying."

Barmelin's sentence became the signal for the next attack.

"Uraah!!!!"

Ruimei once again roared, the iron ball flying towards L?vateinn's body.

Ruimei, Barmelin and Troyatte along with Claribel and Haia. The continuous attack composed of five Heaven's Blade successors endlessly repeated.

The order of Ruimei, Barmelin, and Troyatte didn't change for the most part, and in comparison, Claribel and Haia attacked from time to time in between the three of them, keeping their assault from becoming monotonous.

In the second round of attacks Troyatte still helped Claribel a little, but from the third round onwards Claribel could already rely on herself to complete her mission perfectly.

Seeing her figure, closer to himself than the other Heaven's Blade successors, Haia was extremely satisfied with his judgment.

It could even be said that the teamwork of the other three was carried out easily.

But actually, they primarily relied on their reflexes to act.

What could they do to let the actions of the next in line become easier, they definitely wouldn't be thinking of such a thing.

It was easier for a provocative action like 'well, what can you do next?' to appear. Taking the bait, the next person would unleash an even more intense attack than the last.

Troyatte who didn't seem to share that way of thinking from the look of it actually had this tendency in the end. Heaven's Blade successors were truly a group formed of loners who hated to lose.

And Haia and Claribel mixed in with the three of them, mitigating that kind of competition.

"Annoying."

"Don't speak too much, watch your surroundings a bit~"

According to Haia's first plan, if they wanted to destroy L?vateinn's defense, it couldn't be resolved by just continuously increasing their destructive power.

"I'll give you the commands for when to use your moves~"

"Then give them earlier."

"Don't say it like it's that easy~"

Haia already felt bored of responding to Barmelin, and he didn't even know what round of attack this was anymore.

But L?vateinn's thorns almost hadn't been reduced at all.

In any case, a doubt had sprung up in his mind, perhaps these thorns were completely unbreakable?

Then in that case they could only make the thorns disappear entirely.

No, he had pretty much planned for that since the beginning.

"But……"

Haia and Claribel continuously inserted themselves between the actions of the three of them, and though it seemed like a very random sequence, it still had a well-defined sequence of actions.

The thorns calculated the irregularities in their order as it tried to root out the rules behind their actions.

Initially, his priority had been to make the appropriate adjustments.

However, what would happen when the opponent had already read the patterns of this side and decided on her own to destroy them?

Clang!

Haia's blade cut the ground.

That strike was the signal.

According to the order, the next one should be Troyatte's attack.

No, Troyatte had already moved. His Kei technique took shape, coming to the state before release.

In the process, others also began their own moves one by one, refining and condensing their Kei.

That was the process up to now.

But, it wasn't the same.

"Raaaaaaaaaaaahhhhh!!!!"

Ruimei roared.

Great flames of Kei covered the entirety of his iron ball, flying towards L?vateinn.

At the same time, a giant shell also shot out of Barmelin's cannon.

"Crimson!"

Claribel also released her greatest Kei technique. Igniting the Kei hidden in the palace with lines of fire, in a moment it became waves of flame rolling towards L?vateinn.

Haia also ran Kei through his blade, and released.

Psyharden Technique - Sakaneji Chousaku.

A Kei technique that thrust out with stabbing and swirling Kei that was gathered together.

Afterwards, Troyatte also used his technique.

External-type Kei, Karen Kei variant - Nightshade Demon.

This was the Kei technique that Troyatte had been quietly preparing and concealing throughout this battle.

A black sphere passed through the thorns, and suddenly appeared in front of L?vateinn.

This move wasn't originally a technique for attacking.

Absorbing the techniques of the opponent, and reflecting them back. It was a Kei technique with this special feature.

Troyatte used the greatest Kei strength that he could, letting this Kei skill appear in front of L?vateinn.

This Kei technique that had the feature of drawing in other Kei skills had an effect on the Kei techniques that the other four Heaven's Blades had released.

It played its part, drawing in the other Kei techniques.

Strength was gathered there.

The amalgamation of four Kei techniques flew at L?vateinn like a deadly rain of arrows.

The movements of the thorns were slightly slow compared to this. Because it had gotten used to the speed of the attacks before, it had responded a bit slowly.

Though it was barely a matter of seconds, in a fight with Heaven's Blade successors, even a short moment could decide everything.

Though it wasn't like the wall of thorns completely hadn't made a defense.

It couldn't be said that it was in a completed state.

The gathered Kei techniques collided with the incomplete thorns, exploding.

Explosions shattered the shield, ravaging that which had continually protected L?vateinn.

Before the explosions disappeared, two other figures moved.

They were Savaris and Kanaris.

"This is pretty good."

Savaris said this as he jumped into the blaze.

It was praise for the battle plan.

The Heaven's Blades would obviously be able to cooperate if it were only for a moment. But, just as Haia had expected, if the Heaven's Blade successors had taken various actions because of provocations between themselves, and all of their actions were for their common goal, then it would be different.

Claribel was the same.

"Regardless of what happens, I'll use everything I can for this chance."

Kanaris behind him was ready to unleash her Kei technique at any time. Savaris had jumped into the scorching blaze a step ahead, releasing his own technique.

External Kei variant - Roar Kei, Hermit's Palm.

That moment, Savaris had already entered the state of Thousand Man Rush.

But, Savaris was a single person.

No, his momentary actions had made an incomprehensible afterimage phenomenon appear.

Yes.

A thousand Savarises were all in the same place.

All of the Savarises released a Kei technique from the same place. It was a compact gathering rather than a surrounding.

The vibrations released from that place formed a thick pillar.

Next was Kanaris.

In the gaps between Haia and the others' attacks, she and Savaris had been continuously refining their Kei.

Savaris' Hermit's Palm was a technique that required long preparation.

Though it possessed strong destructive force, because of the long preparation that it required, it had been judged as a Kei technique unsuitable for actual combat.

The Kei technique that Kanaris unleashed was the same.

"……Then."

The moment Savaris released Hermit's Palm, Kanaris also released her Kei technique.

External-type Kei variant - Kagura Priestess' Ritual Dance.

Kanaris' rapier cut sound and rearranged it. Her method of fighting that had been named sound strikes was even stronger than Savaris' with regard to vibrations.

The sound strike technique that had Kanaris' extraordinarily high Kei power seemed as if it added to Savaris' Hermit's Palm.

From the sound of it, it was quite tranquil.

However, the results were intense indeed.

The vibration waves formed and gathered by Hermit's Palm that had been released from Savaris' hands seemed as if they had suddenly been torn apart and spread out, becoming even more intense, engulfing L?vateinn.

Kagura Priestess' Ritual Dance.

This was a rarity for Heaven's Blade successors to use, a trick that strengthened Kei techniques.

Normal Military Artists would use Kei techniques to strengthen their companion's techniques when they were fighting cooperatively, but this was different.

The move that Kanaris released particularly strengthened the might of sound attacks.

This was the reason behind the increase in Savaris' vibrations.

The sound of the explosions produced by the vibrations were different from normal destruction. The sounds that the particles composing substance made when they collided with each other at high speed was fine like the sound of tiny bells, as well as creaky like the sound a piece of iron would make.

"Uwah."

Because of the overly intense sound, Claribel quickly blocked her ears and retreated.

She wasn't the only one who withdrew, Haia did as well, and other than Savaris, the other Heaven's Blades all pulled back their distance.

It wasn't only because of the noise.

The vibrations that pierced through L?vateinn continued destroying everything behind her.

Because of this, the already-dilapidated palace began crumbling.

It was already commendable for the palace that could withstand the might of a few Heaven's Blades to have held out till now in this situation that couldn't be described as just 'a few' Heaven's Blades.

But now, the palace began to crumble.

The ceiling cracked, and fragmented rubble fell down bit by bit.

In order to avoid the falling rubble, the Heaven's Blades retreated.

And L?vateinn……?

Savaris' Kei technique still continued. The falling rubble was crushed by the shockwaves, and the dust produced filled the surroundings.

And this quickly brought about a new situation.

Flame suddenly danced through the surroundings.

A dust explosion.

The flames that had been spread all over by the shockwaves of the battle ignited the concentrated dust, producing an explosion.

"Wow……"

The explosion continued, and the flame swelled without limits, not seeming at all as if it were about to stop.

The explosion and flame didn't have that much strength.

However, the chaotic flame would affect vision, and there was no way to confirm what was happening in the center of things.

"Hey, how is it~?"

After moving to a place that the flame couldn't reach, Haia asked this into the Psychokinesis flake.

(I'm not too clear on it.)

"What do you mean?"

(Because of that explosion, Psychokinesis has become disturbed to a degree, and before this, the Psychokinesis around the palace was already unstable.)

"Nn? When did this start?"

(The instability started after the enemy invaded, and continued as the battle went on. Now it's becoming worse. If this goes on it may only be a matter of time before we're unable to communicate.)

"……Do you think it has to do with this thing?"

(Definitely.)

"Ahh."

Haia mumbled a reply to Elsmau's words.

The explosion still continued, and he was very clear that the reason of the explosion was the dust explosion.

Because the flame still hadn't disappeared, that meant the source of the explosion, the dust, still hadn't disappeared.

The fact that the pressure of the Kei technique still hadn't disappeared said that Savaris still continued to release his Kei technique even now.

Though Savaris was surprised at this extraordinary Kei strength, this wasn't the only problem.

If the dust explosion still continued, and the Kei technique still continued, that meant that Savaris who was in the center of the explosion was still in battle.

"It seems like we haven't completely dealt with her~"

Thinking this, Haia felt a chill near his temple even though he was in a incomparably hot environment.

"Hey, let go of me!"

"What are you trying to do!?"

After hearing Ruimei and Kanaris' voices, Haia looked over.

"Does it even need to be said, obvious I'm going to give her a finishing blow."

"That's what Savaris is doing now."

"It's because I can't trust him that I'm saying this!"

It seemed that Ruimei still wanted to continue attacking, and Kanaris was trying to stop him.

Attacking…… If he could, Haia also wanted to do that.

However……

"Where's Savaris?"

"Hah! Who cares about that guy who couldn't finish the enemy off."

Even for the strongly individualistic Heaven's Blades, other than Ruimei who said this, the others didn't seem like they were going to take any actions.

Kei pressure could still be felt from the center of the explosion.

"Out of my way!"

"No!"

While Ruimei and Kanaris bickered, the other Heaven's Blades didn't move at all. Claribel had a confused appearance, and what about the other two?

"…………"

"…………"

Troyatte and Barmelin completely ignored the other two, continually watching the center of the raging flame.

Though they hadn't made a decision like Ruimei, they still understood that they definitely couldn't relax their guard in the current state.

However, Ruimei's iron ball wasn't thrown to the center of the explosion in the end.

It wasn't because Kanaris had persuaded him.

Rather, suddenly, the Kei pressure disappeared.

If it were only this, then they should have taken action that moment. Not only Ruimei, but Haia also thought so. The other four probably also planned the same.

After the Kei pressure disappeared, if L?vateinn still lived, then Haia and the others would have no reason to be troubled.

However, they weren't given sufficient time.

At the same time the Kei pressure disappeared, it happened.

The dust explosion also stopped.

The unstoppably blazing flame also suddenly disappeared.

At the same time, a sense of danger assaulted the spectators.

"Wah!"

Thorns penetrated through the disappearing dust.

But, the size wasn't the same.

The thorns near Haia now were as large as tree trunks.

"What!?"

While making a surprised sound, Haia observed calmly. The other Heaven's Blade successors were receiving the thorns' attacks at the same time.

An inauspicious sound came from the base of the thorns.

At that time, the thorns swung out without any specific target, and something appeared.

No, it had fallen there.

"Savaris!"

Kanaris was the one who had shouted.

As if he had been tossed away by the thorns, Savaris fell down near Haia.

"What's going on~?"

'Are you alright?' There wasn't any time for Haia to ask this.

"Couldn't do anything about it."

Savaris who responded to him like this wasn't completely unharmed. However, seeing as he didn't have any burn marks, the wounds he had received weren't from the dust explosion.

"It seems that we've underestimated our opponent's abilities a little."

"Abilities?"

Savaris didn't know what he was saying.

But Haia had quickly understood.

The inauspicious sound grew louder.

Speaking of which, the crumbling of the palace had already stopped, and though they couldn't see the surroundings clearly because of the smoke that the dust explosion had produced, the palace couldn't have been completely destroyed already.

That strange silence heightened the troublesome premonition inside him.

"It's coming."

Savaris said.

Something slowly emerged from the smoke.

L?vateinn.

Her posture had changed a bit, and her clothing had become the same as what one wore to fight outside the city.

However, just that much of a change wasn't enough to make them feel surprised.

The smoke slowly disappeared.

No, something that shouldn't be disappearing was disappearing.

Then, the smoke was being absorbed, that was a fact that Haia quickly understood after this.

"Impossible!"

Thinking carefully, that was a size that he had already gotten used to.

However, not a single person had noticed that thing being there.

That thing was under L?vateinn's feet.

A thing put together by countless thorns.

The problem was, that size.

The diameter of the thorns that had just attacked Haia was already about as large as Haia's height.

Every vine of thorns had that thickness, and their length definitely wasn't short.

The thing that they had put together seemed about as big as a male phase filth monster.

That kind of thing, when had it been made?

Had it started when Savaris had released his vibrations?

While she was being destroyed, and showing far more regenerative speed than the destructive speed that they displayed, had she deliberately prepared that kind of thing?

"This thing is really an incredible monster."

As Haia said this, the surrounding smoke became even thinner.

It disappeared cleanly.

With that, the appearance of L?vateinn and the monster became even clearer.

Moreover, the surrounding situation as well……

"This is……"

Troyatte said this.

Before them was the scene of the destroyed palace, but the method of destruction definitely wasn't normal.

It wasn't the scale of the destruction.

Rather, it was the nature of the destruction.

It was evident that the palace hadn't been destroyed by the shocks of the battle.

No, there was portion that had been destroyed by the battle.

However, the degree of crumbling was already far more than a normal situation, and the palace had become like sand.

Though he had thought this could have been brought about because of the vibrations, it shouldn't be only that. It was very clear that it had been produced by something with a wider range.

Because the Kei technique that Savaris had released was a concentrated vibration wave. Even if L?vateinn's surroundings had become like this, it should be impossible for the area behind Haia and the others to have been affected.

Not only Haia, but the other Heaven's Blade successors also noticed this.

"……Could it be that we're going to be eaten here?"

Claribel said this.

"Probably."

Troyatte also agreed.

"The traces in that thing's surroundings seem artificial. However I look it doesn't seem to be produced by Sava-Kana's combination."

"Though your abbreviation makes me extremely displeased, what you said is right."

Savaris felt the wound on his neck as he nodded.

"That thing regenerated while it was being destroyed, and even made that kind of thing. What a chilling scene."

Savaris' expression was clearly not as frightened as he had said, and he had a happy expression, his mouth curved into a deep smile.

"Well, next…… What's the battle plan after this?"

"Wait a bit~"

Savaris' tone was extremely lively.

Compared to this, Haia's tone was a bit heavy.

Not just a regenerative ability that was mightier than normal, it was able to and had the ingenuity to use its regenerative ability to use the surrounding substance to create new material.

No, from the start, L?vateinn's regenerative ability was actually creation.

Regardless, the important question was whether her ability was greater than the destructive ability of this side. How great was that creation ability? Did it have a weak point?

Did she have a vital point like a normal organism?

Though he had also been troubled by these kinds of things when he faced filth monsters, however, the difficulty of the problem this time was far greater.

He worried endlessly, and before Haia thought of a way to resolve this……

"No, this is over."

L?vateinn opened her mouth.

"You cannot stop me, this has already been proven. If you continue to fight, it's unfavorable to both you and I."

What was she saying in this situation?

The first half of what she said could be taken as her declaration of victory.

Then, what about the latter half?

"Quickly halt your aggression, and leave. This is a warning."

Unfavorable to both sides?

A warning?

"That's really annoying~"

Haia scratched his head.

He hadn't been a Heaven's Blade successor for long.

Even though Haia was like that, he could think of how the other Heaven's Blade successors would react after hearing this.

"Compared to that……"

Haia had become a Heaven's Blade successor, and a lot of that had been actually for his dead teacher. The strong desire that had been produced from jealousy.

After becoming a Heaven's Blade successor, he didn't have any other targets anymore.

So saying that he had no reason to fight should be a definite conclusion.

"Speaking of which, the original Mercenary Gang didn't deal with these unprofitable battles~"

However……

"……But those words just now made me a bit mad~"

What the fate of the world would be, he honestly still didn't understand after hearing that much. In the travels he had experienced with Karian, he had never gotten a feel for it even experiencing this kind of battle.

So, this was a problem of price.

A problem of whether he should be classified as a Military Artist.

"So, I can't run~"

He said calmly. It wasn't his style to let himself be controlled by anger.

"What are you joking about, this bastard!"

Ruimei roared.

Right, in this kind of situation it would be fine just to allow someone with that kind of style to act.

Haia walked forward.

He didn't have to confirm whether there were people who wanted to flee. If they truly wanted to run, then let them go.

No one ran.

"……This is only a waste of time."

It was unknown how L?vateinn had recognized the attitude of Haia and the others, but her expression stayed motionless like iron.

"Then I can only rely on force."

"Wait!"

The one who shouted was Kanaris.

But L?vateinn ignored her shout.

The sound it made was quiet.

Quietly, it began digging.

"Hey, what's going on!?"

Haia asked this of Elsmau on the other side.

When had such a giant thing appeared and started digging down?

(No good, Psychokinesis can't reach underground.)

The voice of Elsmau that reached his ears was a bit fuzzy.

"What!?"

(The Psychokinesis surrounding the target is extremely chaotic, and gathering information is impossible.)

"Understood."

Haia ended the conversation with Elsmau.

Other than Haia, the other Heaven's Blades already began impeding that thing from getting down.

Not one was clear on the reasons, but the material that formed that monster of thorns was the rubble of the palace, and at the same time as this material was gathered, the entire monster continuously eroded.

However, it was truly surprising that it could break through so easily.

The monster of thorns ignored the harassment of the Heaven's Blades, continuing to move down.

Perhaps the fact that its speed was this slow was due to the fact that the path to its goal wasn't wide enough.

"For now, it won't be good if we don't think about how to stop her~"

He spoke to himself.

The others also thought about that.

Haia who tried to pursue L?vateinn with a rising Kei pressure suddenly stopped his body.

"What's going on?"

Haia regained his posture that he had almost lost, widening his eyes and looking at the surrounding situation.

Vibrations made the ground beneath his feet shake endlessly, and L?vateinn's descent stopped.

"Nn?"

There seemed to be some hidden light under the monster of thorns.

"A thread?"

There was something like that.

Threads were lined up at equal intervals, forming a net that completely stopped the monster of thorns.

"This is……"

A person appeared in Haia's mind.

"There's only one person who can do this kind of thing."

Savaris who had retreated to Haia's side said this.

Haia began searching for that person.

Found him.

There was a figure somewhat far away from Haia.

He gulped.

The person standing there was as he expected, but was a bit different.

"What were you doing!?"

Kanaris was the one who roared.

"The things outside have already been tidied up."

The one who was roared at was the person who had stopped L?vateinn's descent, Lintence, who replied with an unmoving face.

"Wasn't that given to other people!"

"If you think about what we have to do after this, those things would only become unnecessary annoyances."

Haia became speechless from Lintence saying this directly.

"Thinking that they will bring trouble, what a good person."

Savaris who was by Haia's side said this.

"Because the people who would die in the battle are too weak anyway, you went to resolve the things outside, is that what happened?"

Haia said this, surprised.

"So that's how it is~"

He understood that way of thinking.

However, there was still something he didn't understand.

"……Then."

Ruimei said this.

"Why is that guy here?"

Yes, it was that. Haia's gaze turned back.

Haia who stood by Savaris cast his gaze to someone outside of the group.

"I don't know, it was only a coincidence that I ran into him."

Lintence spoke coldly.

Why would he be here? Haia wanted to ask.

The person who had been called 'that guy' showed a vicious gaze, looking downwards.

Confirming the appearance of L?vateinn.

"Hey!"

The displeased Ruimei roared.

"I'm here because I'm here. Please don't ask that kind of obvious question."

From his appearance he looked simple, but when he used such a sharp gaze and said this kind of thing, he really made one feel that he was a normal youngster.

"You little kid!"

As expected, Ruimei's voice became even more impatient.

"Isn't a Military Artist who can't use his full strength just a handicap?"

Savaris said this.

Haia looked at his hands, where he held a weapon of the same kind that he used in the Academy City.

That was obvious.

The weapon that had once belonged to him was now grasped in Haia's hands.

Right.

That guy was no longer a Heaven's Blade successor.

A normal Military Artist who couldn't use his strength freely.

But, that guy didn't waver a bit.

"If you think that I'm in your way, isn't it enough to just ignore me? ……When did you become such tender people?"

"Ha……Hahahahaha! It's truly as you said."

The response of that guy made Savaris laugh loudly.

"That's how it is, doesn't everyone think that rejecting someone who wants to join the battle is quite unnecessary?"

Savaris' attitude made one feel as if he were acting, and it wasn't only Haia who believed this, right?

……However, the Heaven's Blade successors here had already accepted his existence, that was a fact.

"Really……"

It was really a bad joke.

Layfon Alseif had appeared here, making Haia feel like it was a terrible joke.