Volume 4B, 16: Creation of an Unrivaled Field

Volume 4B, Chapter 16: Creation of an Unrivaled Field

I don’t really get it

But if it’s too much trouble

Then everyone’s my enemy

Point Allocation (Optimism)

P-01s slowly struck the café’s divine monitor.

It was crucial she did so at a 45 degree angle and lightly twisted her wrist for a downward blow at the instant of impact.

“But…it still is not showing up. Did I do it wrong?”

While the customers looked on in shock, P-01s rolled up her sleeves for a second attempt.

But someone stepped out of the kitchen before she could send out her right hand.

It was the manager. She carried cups of soup on a tray.

“That’s no use, P-01s. This isn’t the kind of blackout you can fix by hitting things. The source of the broadcast must have been cut off.”

“I see. I have determined my judgment could still use work. …But what does this mean, manager?”

“Good question,” said the manager while serving the soup cups to different tables. “To put it simply, everyone’s in trouble.”

“M-Makiko! The video cut off! And just as Torii-san and the others were reaching their second song!”

A voice shouted from the top of the bridge stairs in front of Musashi Ariadust Academy.

Sanyou sat on the top step and she pointed at the blacked out sign frame in the sky.

“What does this mean!?”

“Judge. Listen, Mitsuki. If they kept broadcasting, they’d be airing some dangerous footage best described with words like ‘squish’ or ‘crunch’. But the biggest reason is probably issues with the equipment and broadcast pathway.”

“Um, Makiko? How can you be so calm?”

“Well.” Oriotri looked overhead again and finally continued. “Even if I went to save them now, I wouldn’t make it in time.”

“Y-your students are there!”

Sanyou gave her a look that said “I hope they’re all okay” and Oriotri spoke with her eyebrows lowered in a smile.

“Don’t worry. I’m always telling them not to half ass it, so I’m sure they’ll do this right. You’ve taught your kids to do the same thing in your own way, haven’t you? Then trust in that side of yourself.”

Asama looked up at the windy night sky.

…The wind is really strong.

She was in the sky to the east of the Fushimi Castle. She was about 500m way.

Even from there, she could clearly see the lightning continuing to strike the Fushimi Castle and the destruction of the bow.

The Hidden Dragon made a direct attack from the sky which crushed the Fushimi Castle’s bow.

The ether fuel had to be leaking. She could not even see the bow deck due to all the glowing fog and the lightning attacks coming from the Musashi.

She only knew that the destruction of the bow was growing worse.

Because it had fallen behind the stage, the bow had seemingly bounced up in the rebound. Meanwhile, the backstage waiting area and the dressing rooms one floor below the deck had sunk down a level.

She felt a chill when she thought about the possibility of being hit by that, but…

“You really saved me, Naruze.”

Asama spoke to the black wings in front of her.

She was sitting on Naruze’s schale besen which had a new cowling.

Weiss Fr?ulein’s acceleration had saved her from the falling Hidden Dragon. However…

“Don’t worry about it, Asama. I’m glad I didn’t abandon you.”

That put a small smile on Asama’s lips. Naruze phrased it in an unnecessarily complicated way, but she definitely cared about Asama’s wellbeing. But saying anything further would only cause Naruze to deny it.

“Then, um, good job noticing the Hidden Dragon, Naruze.”

“I’m not sure what that ‘then’ refers to, but it was pure coincidence I noticed it. …Margot and I were getting a little overexcited on the bow deck, she pushed me down to have her way with me, and I happened to see a Hidden Dragon falling toward you. At first, I thought about ignoring it since the two of us weren’t in its path, but I’m glad I changed my mind.”

“How can you say all of that so calmly!? And now I feel kind of sorry for the Hidden Dragon!”

“What’s wrong with that?” said Naruze as a Magie Figur appeared next to her face. It was shaped like a speedometer and it was from Naito.

It displayed the Schwarz Hexen’s smiling face.

“Hey, you okay, Ga-chan? Oh, I’m to the west.”

“I’m fine, Margot. I’m to the east. So did you get the other two?”

“Judge! I picked up Mito-tsan and Kimi-chan. Mito-tsan is on the back and her hair looks like a really cool booster while Kimi-chan is dancing on the nose.”

“How are you keeping your balance?”

Naruze sounded annoyed, but Asama knew there was something wrong with her for how easily she imagined that scene. However…

“Um, where is the Hidden Dragon now?”

They could not see the bow or beyond due to the booming lightning attacks and the ether fuel fog.

But a different sound arrived from beyond the 8 lightning strikes.

It reached Asama’s ears while Naruze began accelerating in that direction.

“An animal cry!?”

It did not belong to the Hidden Dragon.

She recognized the cry reaching her from that lightning cage.

“It can’t be…”

Adele realized the vassal unit had fallen apart in an instant.

It was too sudden.

They had predicted a Hidden Dragon would show up, but 8 Non-Gods at once was well beyond any expectations.

Responding to the Hidden Dragon’s charge by gathering in the center and falling back had been good.

But the Non-Gods on either side sent out all the power they had.

The attacks hit the front of the vassal and warrior formation from the side.

The very front of the formation was supposed to be the thickest, but it was torn down from the sides.

…And then the Hidden Dragon’s charge hit.

Metal clashed and equipment broke, but it was all so sudden that no one could even cry out in pain.

Adele was near the middle of the formation and she was sent flying too. However…

“…Eh?”

Something was odd.

They had been hit by the Hidden Dragon’s charge below the lightning strikes. Or so she thought.

However, her airborne body had little momentum and seemed to have been hit more by air pressure than a solid blow.

“Is this…?”

They had not been hit by the Hidden Dragon’s charge. Instead of it tackling them with its entire body…

…The explosive blasts from above reached us first!?

She could see the repeated explosive lightning strikes and the glowing ether fog.

But the wind was blowing. The ship’s atmospheric protection must have weakened. At this altitude, the wind did not even smell salty as it raced past the lightning strikes and scattered the ether fragments.

Then Adele saw a giant form in front of her and the Hidden Dragon. It was…

“A Non-Dragon Sword!?”

Tenzou had been in the rear audience seats to monitor Suzuki Magoichi, so he had not been in range of the Hidden Dragon’s charge. He felt bad not being a part of the defensive formation, but that was what had allowed him to survive and observe the scene before his eyes.

They were currently intercepting the enemy while the Fushimi Castle was awash with the 8 lightning attacks forming from the Musashi.

Torii and Magoichi’s history recreation was the least of their worries now. There were 4 Non-Gods on either side, a Hidden Dragon, and something else standing with its back to the students as if to protect them.

“A Non-Dragon Sword…”

He recognized it. This Non-Dragon Sword had appeared before when Asama’s group was having fun with the Hidden Dragon the other day.

The records said this Non-Dragon Sword had fought the parent Hidden Dragon then.

…Of course. Non-Dragon Swords and Non-Gods are generally harmful!

But Tenzou had to wonder why it was protecting them right now.

“—————”

A possibility occurred to him.

…Does this Non-Dragon Sword have its origins in something other than a simple stagnation?

That would be the same as Mitotsudaira’s Cerberus.

Instead of a stagnation, it would be made from a local spirit or something that existed alongside Musashi’s pure ley lines.

He had not investigated it, so he could not reach any conclusions. But there was one thing he could say now:

“Everyone! This Non-Dragon Sword is on our side!”

Tenzou saw everyone’s reaction to his shout. They all looked his way with eyebrows raised.

“Huh!?”

“What the hell are you talking about!? Do you have any common sense!?”

“What if someone actually believed you and got hit by its tail when it turned around!?”

“Ah! Look how many glow sticks he’s got!”

“Nhhh, why did I say anything!? All they’re doing is attacking me personally!”

But help arrived: Adele who raised both hands from the front of the crumbling formation.

She fixed her glasses and yelled their way.

“Don’t worry, everyone! This Non-Dragon Sword is on our side!”

Tenzou saw everyone’s reaction to her shout. They all nodded.

“She’s right!”

“You’ve got a good eye! Sometimes you have to ignore common sense!”

“Did you hear the confidence in her voice!? And there’s nothing to worry about with that dragon on our side!”

“Ah! Look, she’s got an official vassal number! She must be skilled!”

“Nhhhh! I feel like I just saw the sexism found in the dark side of society!”

But the end result was what he had wanted.

And while he was at it, he wanted some more help from Adele.

He wanted her to get the others moving.

Everyone was currently being hit by the Non-Gods’ slashes and striking wind. The front line was desperately defending against it all, but their defense was unreliably flimsy and, perhaps after seeing that, the Non-Dragon Sword was glaring at the Hidden Dragon without doing anything. So…

“Adele-dono! I want your opinion as the person who once knocked down that Hidden Dragon!” Tenzou pointed at Adele. “What strategy would be best here!?”

Adele spread her mouth horizontally.

Flat Vassal: “Wh-why would you ask so much of me!?”

10ZO: “That’s just how things were going!”

Novice: “Fine then. How about I propose a strategy?”

Almost Everyone: “No, thanks! We’d rather not die!!”

She joined the tsukkomi with everyone else without even thinking.

…Oh, whoops.

Since she had been asked, she had to do it. So…

“Umm.”

While the wind blew and lightning sparks fell, she hesitated but inhaled.

There were upperclassmen and officers here, but she had experience fighting a dragon.

In that case, she thought while waving an arm and raising her voice.

“Everyone split to the left and right! …Leave the Hidden Dragon to the Non-Dragon Sword and defeat the Non-Gods one at a time!”

She moved to port. She dodged scattering rubble while she ran. She activated a defense spell charm in her hand and raised the glowing ether shield while joining the students on the port side.

“Charge!!”

Just as they all started forward, the Non-Dragon Sword moved forward in the center.

After rearranging things, they had all chosen a clash.

“Musashino” monitored the overall situation from the open-air bridge.

Based on her analysis…

…They are just barely holding it together.

A Hidden Dragon and 8 Non-Gods had appeared simultaneously. If nothing was done, their threat to the Musashi would remain. So they had to be destroyed here.

But could they do that?

All she could do was keep the ship stable and use the defense and buffering systems to stop the 8 lightning attacks created from absorbing the stagnation from the Musashi.

In the battle “Okutama” had participated in, tilting the ship had played a major role. But she doubted many people could continue fighting under those conditions. Plus, the normal audience members were here this time. So…

“ ‘Nishi-Kokubunji’, the ship is tilting toward the bow. Lower the stern to level us out. Over.”

The automatons could help by keeping any negative elements away from the battlefield.

However…

“ ‘Musashino’-sama, the Non-Gods have established themselves and begun to move. Over.”

That was bad. The warriors facing the enemy horizontally had yet to notice, but the automatons higher vantage point showed the Non-Gods were moving from their initial positions.

And the Non-Gods were far taller, so they could easily predict the intent behind the warriors’ formation.

Then something strange happened.

…The Non-Gods’ output is growing?

Perhaps because they had established their forms, the number of slashes and wind strikes was increasing.

“The Fushimi Castle is being surrounded by a Non-God barrier! Over!”

Just like before, a barrier of stormy clouds surrounded the Fushimi Castle.

The 8 of them were reacting to each other’s presence and creating a “field” for themselves.

However, thought “Musashino”. She had little combat experience with monsters like this, but…

…Do they really move in such a coordinated fashion!?

She began to wonder if something was leading them and the answer reached her in a surprising form.

She heard a voice. It reached her clearly through the wind and thunder.

“A song…!? Over.”

Suzu heard a song.

To evacuate, she first retreated down a port side passageway and then moved aft.

The intro she heard was a familiar one. It was a dance song people sometimes sang at the bathhouse karaoke. It began with some deep drums.

“Routine…”

“Hm, is the Student Council President using her song to tell us she is all right?”

Suzu reflexively shook her head at Urquiaga’s suggestion.

…No!

She had no real evidence, but her senses told her this was different. The reverberating music and the opening lines heard through the wind were not being used to inform anyone of her safety. It was undoubtedly…

…A song indicating everything happening on the deck!

“Let’s head out into the night. Into the city. Just like always. Nothing changes.”

That’s a…lie, thought Suzu. How is this…like always? How has…nothing changed? However…

…Yes.

She sensed it.

She sensed a certain fact after being exposed to so many people’s feelings during the performances today. There was someone who had long felt that this battered and broken scene was like always and unchanging.

The sound was more than just music and song. The thunder and shaking of the ship joined it to convey a certain message.

This was like always.

This was something that should not change.

…Why?

How could you say that? The lyrics continued to answer Suzu’s questions.

“We can all do it.”

Did that refer to how everyone was doing their best to resist here? Did it refer to how the Non-Dragon Sword was clashing with the Hidden Dragon and shaking the ship?

“I can do it.”

That would be referring to the current situation.

The Student Council President had undoubtedly used her song to intervene in the mysterious phenomenon purification as the musician of an entertainer god. She had released her heated power and forcibly done what should have been done during Asama’s turn.

But why?

“The sky surrounds us. The night surrounds us.”

Why had she created exactly that situation?

Torii looked around the half-destroyed stage and unleased her voice.

She saw the Hidden Dragon’s back in front of her and heard the colossal clash. Thanks to her song, the Non-Gods on either side were being pushed to continue their attack.

…But.

“My outstretched arms cannot reach the surrounding cage.”

How about it?

“I extend them into the night, but no shade falls on them.”

How about this?

“As long as I have my song and my dance.”

How about all of this?

“The night’s usual atmosphere will invite me out once more.”

How about it, everyone?

Adele could tell they were being pushed back.

They were performing charge after charge and shield attack after shield attack, so they should have been moving forward. Yet…

“Let’s dance in the night. In the city.”

…Kh!

“Just like always. Nothing changes.”

That made it sound like…

…This situation is going to keep going forever!

They were pushing, but they were being overwhelmed.

Her legs were heavy, she could not lift her arms, her heart was filled with impatience, and she flinched from the scattering lightning sparks.

She could no longer see the sky. There was only the cage of lightning, the scattering ether light, and…

“Anyone can do it.”

The song said their actions were nothing special and that anyone could do them. And…

“Even I can do it.”

The Non-Gods moved forward. Since the vassals and warriors kept up the shield attacks, the enemy kept up its thick air blades and penetrative attacks.

They just kept coming.

“Look up into the sky and see through the night.”

Was the Student Council’s group the only ones who could see that?

When Adele’s group looked up, they only saw the Non-Gods staring down at them and the cage of lightning and dark clouds that hid the sky.

“Kwah…!”

The girl to her right collapsed and was blown away.

…Oh, no!

Adele quickly reached out her right arm.

“And if my embraced heart.”

Was she so desperately supporting that girl for the girl’s sake? Or was it to keep herself focused while she remained here? She could only hear the song:

“Desires to leave that surrounding.”

Not good, thought Adele.

The Non-God in front of her was looking her way. Or it seemed that way to her.

She was now on the front line while supporting the other girl with her right arm. And…

“That heart will.”

Four wind attacks arrived all at once.

From the Non-Gods’ vantage point, the opening there was obvious. And so…

“Surpass its racing pulse.”

The simultaneous attacks shattered Adele’s shield and flew toward her chest.

Adele felt the wind at her ears and saw the four attacks before her eyes at about the same moment.

…I’m dead!!

When the Non-God’s power shook her bangs, she thought, If my boobs were bigger, this would have hit me 10cm earlier, wouldn’t it?

I’m glad I don’t have any. Well, no, I’m not. But it’s a good thing right now.

But reality was cruel. She would be blown away soon enough. However…

…Ahh, I was an idiot to let Tenzou-san talk me into this.

If I survive this, I’m getting that ninja to buy me a meal. Yes, that’s what I’ll do.

“But that’s not happening!!”

Just as she spoke her thoughts aloud, the four attacks shattered into light right in front of her.

Suzu sensed a power shatter right in front of Adele.

The four Non-God attacks flying her way had been broken by four destructive forces flying in from behind her. And they all had different forms.

…A spear…money…and an arrow?

Adele and Suzu both turned around.

The open-air bridge was at the top of the tiered audience seating and someone stood there with the rumbling of the lightning attacks in the background.

“Hiii, the wise sister is here to rescue all you fools! C’mon, quit standing there with those glum looks on your faces and give yourselves a shot of energy up the ass! Yes, Adele there! The enemy attacks take longer to hit you, so get to the front already!”

“Why am I being personally attacked here!?”

But while she spoke, Kimi already had several sign frames open around her.

And four other people were lined up alongside her: Naito, Naruze, Mitotsudaira, and Asama.

“Heh heh,” laughed Kimi as she struck a Y pose.

Lightning immediately struck behind her, but her Y did not even waver. Instead, her smile grew and she raised her voice.

“Class Plum Girls! By going it together, we will plumb the depths of teamwork!!”

Was the emphasis on “by go” meant as a pun on Oume’s Yoshino Baigou plum orchard?

But Kimi soon pulled a microphone from her cleavage and tossed it to the side.

Mitotsudaira caught the spinning device.

She took just a second to breathe in before shouting in a dignified way.

“Everyone freeze!!”

Adele and everyone around her came to a stop.

The enemy’s attacks were coming. Their giant forms were approaching. However…

“Musashi Knight Rank 1 Nate Mitotsudaira commands you! Remain in a defensive formation and move as instructed!”

Her voice reached them just as two things arrived before them.

One was a sign frame providing the situation on the deck and an attack route based on the vantage point from the open-air deck. The second was a personal defense spell shield from the Asama Shrine.

…Wow.

Support and expectation. Plus a method and power to help. They had supplied everything. And that was after bringing everyone to a stop and bringing them all together in the midst of battle.

They had reset everything.

Everyone took a breath instead of raising their voices.

And in time with that breath, the Rank 1 Knight raised her voice while running down to the deck.

“Vive le roi!”

Long live the king.

Of course, the Far East had no king. The idea was only imaginary. But Adele looked to the others and her surroundings.

This was the site of the Gagaku Festival. The audience seating was already gone and the stage was visible in the distance.

She could hear a song, there were monsters here, a knight had arrived, and the warriors were gathered together. So…

“This is a stage play!”

When someone shouted that, everyone responded. They raised their weapons and shields and roared in unison.

“Vive le roi!”

Long live the king, long live the king. They wished a long life to the king imagined to exist beyond victory in this stage play.

And they heard a song behind them.

It was a knight’s song. An old song of the knights who ran along the battlefield and both feared and rejoiced in how animalistic they became.

“Raise your flag, your weapon, and your voice. Howl toward the destination seen up ahead.”

They all began marching forward.

“Vive le rooooi!”

Their howling voices and the shine of their weapons rose into the night. They ignored the scattering lightning and charged rapidly forward while staying in step with all the others.

“I carry the past, but not the sins of a dog.”

They all smiled. Would such a day ever arrive for the Far East?

“I laugh at the edges of darkness. I always laugh.”

“Ohh…!”

Their running quickly shrank the distance from the enemy. They could hear the pounding of their feet and their hearts.

“With no use for sound, only my voice and my leading back summons the light and shows the way.”

“Vive le rooooooi!”

They charged. They shattered the Non-Gods’ power and secured their own positions. They all worked together…

“In the midst of battle, I find myself, raise my voice, and laugh. I always laugh.”

…and they broke it. Again and again, their strength proved it could carry them forward.

Noise rang out and a few were overpowered and blown away.

But the row behind them did not support them. They were old enough to stand on their own two feet. So…

“If I can move out ahead and show them my back to calm them, I will be the leading fang.”

They roared. When the Non-Gods cried out with their wind, the people responded with the sound produced in their throats.

“Shake off your restraints, be reborn, and pierce me, you cowards. I will still choose to advance.”

They advanced.

“I have no rules, but I have pride. My fiert breaks through it all. The accompanying tremor treads on the pieces.”

They could see the enemy. The front line was the safe zone. After all, they had been attacked by the Non-Gods to their sides before, but when directly in front of one, those to the side could not make their attacks.

It was 1-against-1. No, it was 1-against-everyone.

“Don’t claim it’s unfair, okay!?” someone said.

“I shout, ‘hesitate and come for me, you cowards.’ That shout pushes me onward.”

The Non-Gods roared. Everyone gestured toward them in response.

Come. If there is a king beyond this battle, we’ll show him what we can do.

“Vive le rooooooooooooooooooooooooi!”

They all clashed with the closest Non-Gods to port and starboard.

Light scattered from the impact.

The Non-Gods’ legs shattered, but a wind attack hit the warriors as a counterattack.

The scattering shards of light were from the shields and from the Non-Gods’ bodies. The wind scattered them both equally and, as a result…

“We broke them!”

They would not rest easy. The enemy would regenerate soon enough. After all…

“They can recover as long as the song is extracting the stagnation!”

“Dammit,” someone cursed.

They groaned, but everyone worked together to push onward while the injured moved to the back.

“The Chancellor is doing a hell of a job!”

By now, everyone on the battlefield had figured out the purpose of the battle.

They were not just performing the mysterious phenomenon purification early. This served two purposes: fully eliminating the stagnation surrounding the Musashi and…

“She’s hijacking the purification to show off to the other nations what we can do…!”

“Jacking…off!? Manager, I could not hear most of that due to the static, but what are they doing!?”

“Hmm, explaining it would be too much effort, so you can draw your own conclusions, P-01s.”

“This should make for some good on-site training. What do you think, Makiko-san?”

“Principal Sakai?” Oriotri turned around and saw who was there. “Oh, you’re with him again, ‘Musashi’?”

“Do not be ridiculous. I have only been with him once today. Over.”

“Oh, so you’ve been with him all day.”

“Musashi” gave Oriotri quite the glare, so the rest of the teachers kept their distance.

Except for Sanyou who asked Sakai a question to smooth things over.

“On-site training? Do you mean this show of force to the other nations, Principal Sakai?”

“Judge, that is what this amounts to. …If this mysterious phenomenon purification is successful, Musashi will have proven something to the other nations.”

That being…

“When Musashi gathers its strength, we can purify some neutral monsters.”

“If that happens, I imagine the Testament Union will keep more of their forces monitoring the Musashi after we leave Aki…”

“True enough.” Sakai scratched his head. “But one thing is bothering me. It’s correct…but not good.”

“Why can you not look them in the eye, Sakai-sama? Over.”

“Well, um.” Sakai toyed with the inro in his pocket and looked up into the air. “ ‘Musashi’-san, can you help me with something?”

The Non-Gods were shattered. When the Non-God Sword standing in front on the starboard side fell to its knees due to shattered legs…

“Herrlich!!”

The Schwarz Hexen’s bullet shook its upper body.

The piercing shot used the momentum of its great speed to slam into the ether body.

The dozens of blades made of light were all shaken by the Technohexen’s coin bullet.

“…!”

And they shattered in an instant.

The lightning and wind remained stormy in the night. But scattered blossoms of light danced above the deck like flower petals in the wind. They were the sign of a single victory.

“Hit!!”

And on the port side, the shrine maiden’s arrow shot through a type known as a Non-God Axe.

Each of the shots destroyed the “mold” core at the center of the stagnation.

The warriors would hold them in place and one of the main fighters would send in a destructive attack. That rotation was familiar:

“It’s the same as the ‘supply carrying’! Don’t let it scare you!”

“Judge,” they all replied. And while those attacks continued to port and starboard…

“————!!”

The Non-Dragon Sword fought the Hidden Dragon in the center.

The two dragons were of contrasting white and black and they repeatedly clashed and roared.

However, the white wings rose up once the Non-Gods to the sides disappeared.

It did not last long, but with the newly opened space, the dragon tried to make a move.

The sword-shaped wings sliced through the wind and scattered lightning while flapping forcibly backwards.

“…!!”

The Non-Dragon Sword sent a deafening animal cry into the air and charged the Hidden Dragon.

They clashed.

All of the warriors saw the Non-Dragon Sword score a hit.

At the same time, the four people on the open-air bridge (minus Kimi) took action.

The Weiss Hexen and Schwarz Hexen had confirmed the destruction of the Non-Gods on either side of the ship. Seeing safe airspace there, they flew into the sky to port and starboard to support the warriors.

Asama descended the tiered seating and hurried to manage everyone’s defenses.

And Mitotsudaira descended to the deck where she viewed the battlefield, sent new commands via sign frame, and raised her voice.

“Everyone, set the Chancellor as your target!”

She raised her eyebrows, clenched her teeth just once, and ran forward.

“Stop the Chancellor. That is the objective of this attack!”

Mitotsudaira sensed bitterness inside her as she said that.

If she was being honest, she felt they should view the Chancellor as an enemy.

…Because she’s summoning and strengthening the enemy forces.

But that girl was extracting the stagnation. Her song and dance had to continue until the stagnation was fully extracted.

The Chancellor had merely taken their task and done it all at once.

But, thought Mitotsudaira.

…Isn’t this strange?

Why was the Chancellor doing this?

One analysis suggested the Chancellor’s group saw this as a show of force.

Since this battle was being fought in the sky above Aki, it would go down in the records of the other nations. The barrier created by the Non-Gods separated them from the outside world, but everything happening inside was visible and impossible to keep hidden.

But that meant the other nations would know what Musashi could do.

That would likely lead to stricter rules and more caution, but there were some things they could get away with once they had proven their strength. It would likely open up more options than it restricted.

But, thought Mitotsudaira as she jumped over the broken audience seating.

While it was more impressive to defeat all 8 Non-Gods at once, why hadn’t the Chancellor simply suggested that when they were planning this?

At the very least, they could not have refused an order from the Chancellor.

So why had she created this situation?

“Why…?”

Mitotsudaira muttered that word while dashing across the deck.

Ahead of her, the Non-Dragon Sword clashed with the Hidden Dragon and everyone cheered.

“…Eh?”

A thought occurred to her when she saw the Hidden Dragon shake so much from the impact: Aren’t the Hidden Dragon and Non-Gods being supported by the Chancellor’s song and dance?

…What is this?

Mitotsudaira’s previous thought carried a disconcerting and unpleasant feeling about what was to come.

And she suddenly looked back toward the port stern.

Everyone from Class 2-Plum was behind the tiered seating there. Persona-kun and Urquiaga were out front for defense, but behind them all were Suzu and…

…My king!

She was relieved to see he was safe, but the bad feeling did not immediately leave her.

That was because her king was looking forward with a frown.

He was looking past the Non-Dragon Sword and Hidden Dragon to view the half-destroyed stage.

The Chancellor was dancing there.

The Non-God wind raged and lightning sparks scattered, but Mitotsudaira could still see her there.

She saw a single dancing figure.

Could she see it because a Non-God had been destroyed to port and starboard?

“No, this is…”

It was odd.

Mitotsudaira could only see the Chancellor in the distant darkness. Even though the girl did not have an illumination spell spotlight shining on her.

“Nate!”

She was already halfway across the deck, but her king’s voice reached her.

“Stop her!!”

The instruction and its contents were unexpected, but she still reacted on reflex.

And just then, she saw something.

The Non-Dragon Sword moved after crashing into the Hidden Dragon.

But it was not pulling back from the tackle. This was not a victorious action.

It shook its long neck and collapsed back toward Mitotsudaira.

“…Eh!?”

The Non-Dragon Sword had been attacked.

After joining the others to starboard and running toward the front line, Tenzou saw that.

In the air a bit off the deck, the Non-Dragon Sword collapsed backwards.

No, that was not it.

“It was knocked back by something!?”

What power was great enough to move such a large dragon?

He had not seen a dragon cannon or anything like it. And hadn’t the dragon been making a tackle?

But beyond the hit dragon, he saw something on the deck: the Hidden Dragon.

Except he only saw the head.

Its entire body was breaking apart into light.

It was already dead.

However, the Non-Dragon Sword’s charge had not shattered the Hidden Dragon’s body.

It was an arm.

A giant but delicate female arm had pierced through the Hidden Dragon’s body from behind.

The arm had been sent out as a counterattack to the Non-Dragon Sword’s charge. However…

“What is that arm?”

The female arm was made of ether and large enough to embrace a dragon. It extended from the stage and moved while accepting the lightning sparks and deck materials like raindrops.

It seemed to be seeking the Non-Gods on the starboard side from behind.

And an identical bluish-white ether arm did the same to port.

“————!!”

Each arm destroyed a Non-God.

Oddly, there was no noise. The light simply shattered, but even the glowing fragments were…

…Consumed!?

Then Tenzou realized the female arms extending from the dark stage matched the movements of the dancing Chancellor.

He knew what this was.

It was a technique only possible for the high-level servant of a god.

“A god summoning…!”

You summoned your god and had it reside in you as its vessel.

Torii was an Ootsubaki shrine maiden, so she would summon a god of song and dance. However…

…She summoned a false god created by the extracted stagnation!

A moment later, the Non-Dragon Sword crashed into the deck.

A heavy sound shook the air and the deck.

The next thing he knew, a giant opened hand was approaching them from the deck.

“Kh…!”

However, it ignored them.

The bluish-white female arm grabbed the Non-God they were fighting.

With the sound of someone kneading sand, the Non-God shattered into light.

The same happened to port, so there were no enemies left.

All that remained were the two female arms pulling back toward the stage as if to embrace Torii’s dancing form.

“Everyone, retreat!!”

Something activated just as Tenzou shouted that command.

The 8 storage devices exploded below the deck and pillars of ether lightning rose into the sky.

The 8 pillars of lightning fused with the lightning emitted from the Musashi. They all drew sharp curves to approach the half-destroyed deck.

There were hands there.

The two raised hands sought the sky like a giant oak tree.

The lightning wrapped around the two bluish-white arms like chains.

After that, they pulsed.

The arms copied Torii’s movements.

Their movements were accurate. Their curves cut smoothly through the air and did not even waver when they came to a stop.

And all of Torii’s movements were linked: the swinging of her arms, the spinning of her body, the raising of her head, and everything else.

With each of those movements, more than just the arms were created.

It was a false god of dance.

With the exception of a face, the upper body was created down to below the navel.

“——————”

The false god turned to face everyone.

It had no face, but it was clearly smiling. It gave off that sense from a few dozen meters above the deck.

At the same time, the faceless god sang.

Its song was a roar.

With no mouth, its song had no sound or lyrics.

The song came from the intensity of its very presence.

It was an explosive blast great enough to bend the deck.

Everyone fell back and raised their shields in preparation.

Mitotsudaira stood in the lead with a defense spell raised and she yelled to the others.

“Fall back further!!”

But their actions were too little, too late.

Several hundred people were instantly hit and sent flying in a fan-like shape.

They did not even have a chance to breathe.

No one now stood on the large deck that had been a battlefield just a moment ago.

Only the false god slowly twirled while creating its body. The paths of its bluish-white arms were not decorated by wind like the Non-Gods used. Lightning instead wrapped around them.

“——————”

The false god blasted the night air with a song of victory.