Distant thunders resounded above the cloudy Vermillion.
There was a small town with refined small buildings made of stone lined up under the sky that seemed it would collapse at any moment.
Caldia city.
Located precisely between the border of Kledelland and Vermillion Imperial Capital Flareberg,
This rural town once prospered as an inn town and as an important point of transportation between both countries, but now that public transportation such as airplanes and railroads had improved, and because it didn’t have any industry in particular, it rarely received people from other places.
But this silent town was now occupied by men dressed in heavy equipment.
They were the Imperial Army of Vermillion.
Since they received evacuation instructions by means of King’s orders, they gathered all the residents of the national border who already had finished evacuating by command of the local police then took them along and started retreating straight to the Imperial Capital Flareberg, however, on the way they received a different order from Sirius.
That command was “you will put a front here in Caldia” in order to meet the army of Kledelland that was heading straight to the Imperial Capital, their objective, and to release them from the control of《Marionette King》here in this place.
General Signard Iruon, who commanded Vermillion Army under this instruction, left the evacuation of the residents to the police who had previously entered Caldia by Sirius’s command and proceeded with the preparations for the urban warfare against the Army of Kledelland.
The deployment of barbed wire and iron fences.
The obstruction of their advance by blowing up the buildings and spreading the debris on the road.
All of this was just pestering, but still better than doing nothing.
Signard told the soldiers as she gave them directions.
– Everyone, hurry to change your equipment! We don’t have much time before the Army of Kledelland arrives!
The soldiers dropped their weapons loaded with live ammunition as they were hurried up by Signard’s voice which was amplified by a megaphone. What they took in their hands instead were non-killing weapons used for mob suppression like rubber bullets, stun grenades, stun guns and bulletproof shields that the police brought when they came for the evacuees.
All to help the Army of Kledelland.
Since they decided to do so, they couldn’t afford to aim at them with weapons loaded with live ammunition.
Therefore, the Imperial Army soldiers replaced their equipment with things that didn’t have power to kill, and performed inspections and test firings to know the characteristics of the weapons even if it was a little in the small frame of time they had until they came into contact with the enemy.
And then, a person among them, a middle-aged soldier, gave a wry smile.
– This is police equipment, isn’t it? The usability itself isn’t different from our equipment, but… look at this. There’s no hole in this drum.
*Knock knock*, he knocked the drum with the tip of a toe and a big dent carved by the test firing of a rubber bullet was made.
It was greatly crushed, but it didn’t penetrate it.
“I can’t expect too much from something of a man-stopping power like this”, he understood.
– Isn’t this reliable though? They won’t die if we hit them with this.
A man of the same age returned in a talkative manner to the complaint of the soldier, and,
– Hey, move, move! You guys are in the way!
They were hit by an angry voice.
They turned their faces to such voice and an old man with a grave face turned up from the hatch of the tank and ordered them to veer away to a side of the road because they were in the way.
– Tanks are also being pulled back?
The man on the tank nodded.
– Yeah. The big size of the shells will smash people to atoms even if they are rubber bullets. And it will be bad if we leave them more or less scattered around the town.
As the man said, the tanks that were supposed to follow them side-by-side were moving to the back of the front before they knew.
The middle-aged soldier who complained a while ago shrugged his shoulders before this scene.
– This is getting funny, don’t you think? Even though they’re being controlled, we can fight with just these toys against opponents who are carrying machine guns and even have tanks lined up. While they don’t have ground-to-ground bombers like Vermillion, not having them pass through is absurd.
All the soldiers who heard this returned a nod to the grumble of the soldier.
– Yeah, it’s absurd. Truly absurd. I couldn’t believe my ears when I heard the order. They’re asking too much.
– I totally agree. Even though we were attacked all of a sudden and have been extremely busy giving instructions and rescuing the population who lost their homes, now we’re trying to save Kledelland. Our King is truly a hopeless goddamn idiot!
Discontent and grumbling began to overflow among the soldiers.
But that was natural.
Those words were assessed as outrageous by the soldiers in the scene, they deliberately had to lower the grade of their equipment against opponents who were seriously after their lives. How were they going to go to war while worrying about their enemies’ safety? Such foolish words. They weren’t a joke. Because they were the only ones who would put their lives on the line.
Complaints were a certain thing. It was natural to be angry.
――However,
– … Even though you guys say so, you seem to be looking forward to it, don’t you?
They expressed their discontent and their complaints, and yet, their expressions were somehow bright.
– That’s how you are. You feel so bad that you’re breaking into a smile. When we had real guns in our arms until a while ago, yeah, we had faces like it was the end of the world.
– Hehe. … There’s nothing we can do. Not even I get this at all. I really don’t get it, but… to be able to fight as a soldier of this stupid country that began to say things like “save the people of another country by putting your life on the line” when this might get us killed is… how to say it, it makes me incredibly happy.
They were shocked when they heard that the Army of Kledelland was invading them.
They couldn’t believe it.
However, when a hurried call and an urgent intercept order were issued and the equipment was allocated, they actually felt it.
That from this moment, they were going to kill each other against the people of Kledelland.
Just as that happened, the equipment that they had loaded on the trucks many times and that always carried felt very heavy.
They thought of wanting to throw these disgusting things they held in their hands away.
It wasn’t a surprise.
The Imperial Families weren’t the only ones who had been promoting peace between the two countries.
In the exact same way, the citizens that lived in both countries emulated their Kings and gradually shortened the distance with their neighbors.
Particularly their generation, who knew Kledelland and Vermillion before the reign of Sirius.
At that time, they were taught by the man-eating fiend who lived there that they had to detest each other’s life.
There was certainly a period of time when they were nothing but disgusted by the people of Kledelland.
That seemed to be the same for the Kledelland side.
Because of that, it was complicated to meet each other’s gaze immediately after the trial of the appeasement policy.
But, due to repeated small exchanges, they got to know each other little by little, demolished the old tradition and cultivated friendship.
“There’s no way we want to kill those people”.
And so, on the way to the front packed with trucks after the order of interception was given, the ones who chose their occupation as “soldier” were full of regret.
But――Sirius wiped out such gloomy feeling.
The Army of Kledelland was just being controlled, they had no animosity towards them.
They had other enemies they should kill, they would never kill each other.
(I, who’s a mere soldier, understands that…)
This decision of Sirius――was something he couldn’t think of with common sense.
Whatever the reason was, the Army of Kledelland was trampling down the territory of Vermillion with weapon in hand. Interception was natural. A normal nation would make their soldiers pull the trigger to defend themselves from the danger. Certainly that would have happened if the soldiers weren’t told that their enemies were controlled by a criminal. The nation should have devoted itself to national defense while hiding everything.
… But that would have resulted in their hands covered with the blood of their innocent friends.
That was normal.
That was the military.
Their King said things that couldn’t be think of with common sense.
But now that was… they were tremendously glad.
That their King wasn’t a man who would make them kill their friends.
(… The decision of King Sirius certainly exposed our lives to danger)
But that was fine.
We are fine with it.
*TN: “We” is the furigana reading for “Vermillion”.
– In a wide world such as this. That exists a country that goes to war with such a good-natured pretext is great, don’t you agree?
– You’re not wrong…!
The thinking of this soldier was shared by everyone who was there.
――The same went for Signard who gave instructions to the soldiers.
– You! For how long are you going to chatter pointlessly!? Once the inspection of the equipment is done, start deploying it immediately!
「「「Y-yes ma’am!!」」」
Signard gave a sweeping view to the Imperial Army as she rushed the soldiers.
… Her face seemed like it would burst into tears just now, it was hard to believe.
– Guys, listen! Don’t kill anyone! Don’t make anyone die! And nobody will die! Those are the direct orders of our King! Show them the pride of the Imperial Army!!
「「「Yeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah――――!!!!」」」
All members of the Vermillion Army got excited with Signard’s oath.
Verge of death with some handicap. Even though they were forced to go to an absurd fight, everyone’s face was full of vitality.
Their will and courage to fight for their friends was overflowing.
The morale of the Imperial Army of Vermillion was reaching its peak since they came here.
――Now they certainly could overcome any predicament.
Signard was convinced,
– Our preparations are almost complete. You are our『eyes』! We trust in you, Kurogane!
She told to the microphone of the walkie-talkie as she looked up to the sky.
Kurogane Ikki, who took his body out from the helicopter flying under the cloudy weather in front of Signards’ line of sight, bowed his head in assent.
– Please leave this to me.
『I have an idea about that, but can you listen to it, Father?』
*TN: “Father” is the furigana reading for “father-in-law”.
『――――……, tell me about it』
Sirius agreed after a somewhat long silence to Ikki’s proposal who came to the Imperial Palace together with Ascaride.
In response to that, Ikki proposed to him.
The hubs of Or=Gaule exceeded three digits.
The only method to neutralize them was with their existing force. And those were――
『I will be the eyes of the Vermillion Army』
『What?』
The strategy suggested by Ikki didn’t sound complicated.
Ikki, who was able to identify the hubs, got on a helicopter to overlook the battlefield from the air.
In order to identify the numerous hubs with a wide field of view and to provide local information to the Imperial Army.
『So you’re going to identify the hubs from the sky while flying around on a helicopter…!?』
『Correct. Vermillion and Kledelland are both member nations of League. Not just ground-to-ground bombers, the retention of aerial military strength that allows long-distance flights outside one’s own country is also prohibited by the Treaties of League, so preparations shouldn’t exist. This way, I can concentrate on identifying the hubs』
『But how do you intend to tell us their locations? The enemy is composed of tens of thousands of troops. The battlefield is all jumbled up, there’s no way to tell who is who』
『About that, I think we can overcome it if we borrow the ability of Miriallia-san』
『Miri’s!?』
Ikki agreed to the surprised Stella,
『That’s right. Her faculty to grasp the space and her eyesight to accurately control distant bullets. Her real ability as a sniper is one of the best. She will put a mark with a paint bullet to every hub that I’ve found. This should let everyone know where the hubs are』
All the members who were there had a confused facial expression due to Ikki’s affirmation.
Certainly, if they were marked with paint bullets, then sharing the position of the hubs to all the soldiers was a reality, and the shortage of manpower would be cancelled, but――
『Do you really know who has really become a relay just by looking over the small soldiers from the sky?』
Could he really do that? That was the question.
In fact, 《Black Knight》Ascaride, the fourth strongest person in League, shook her head to the question of Astraea.
I can’t do that.
And Dandalion also,
『… I believe it’s impossible for me. Because what I can mostly see is the area at the top of the head from the helicopter』
But Ikki, to such negative reactions,
『I have confidence in my eyesight』
Raised his voice,
『The wounds of my body were healed by《Orichalcos》, but my trump card was weakened on my first contact with Or=Gaule. I’m completely out of magic power, and I’m almost to no use as a fighting force. But I can’t stand doing nothing in this predicament of Stella’s hometown. Please let me do whatever I can…!』
And――stared directly at Sirius Vermillion.
To believe in him.
Sirius returned a long silence to that… and he finally opened his mouth.
『This is a problem between Kledelland and Vermillion. It has nothing to do with a Japanese brat like you』
『O-Otou-sama! Are you still fixed on that!?』
Stella tried to flare up at the words of rejection of her father.
But Astraea interrupted her.
『Stella-chan. Wait』
Sirius continued immediately after that.
『However, if you become one of us, the story would be different』
『Father-in-law-san…!』
『If you lead Vermillion to victory in this war, then I’ll also recognize you. Although the situation has changed a bit, that promise is still on foot. … Show me that you’re not just a boy with a big mouth』
It wasn’t in the form inserted by Lunaize,
Or something that he had to say against his will,
He promised so with his own words and of his own volition.
“To recognize Kurogane Ikki as a representative of Vermillion”.
The challenge of Kurogane Ikki revolving Stella.
He was going to accept it as a man.
『Yes…! Definitely!』
――He was certainly going to accomplish it.
Ikki strengthened his determination again while he recalled the promise he made at the Imperial Palace several hours ago with his eyes closed on the helicopter.
He couldn’t show a pathetic side to the father who accepted his challenge that would probably steal the irreplaceable existence of his Stella.*
*TN: “Stella” is the furigana reading for “daughter”.
With his mind sharpened, he settled down his feelings.
And with the pulsation of the blood flowing in his body, he raised his eyelids with an extremely high concentration he could even feel a single downy hair being swayed by the wind,
– They came.
Ikki saw them.
The tall buildings destroyed by the army with the great visibility of his view.
At the end of that, a black tsunami approached, crossing over the gentle hill.
Ikki asked Miriallia Lazy, the girl who had a knee on the floor and who was checking her sniper.
– Miriallia-san. Are you ready?
Miriallia showed an unconcealed, displeased look on her face to such words,
– Just call me Miri. Miri-chan dislikes formalities.
– … Miri. Are you ready?
– Lock n’ loaded.
Miriallia replied, her weapon was ready, loaded with paint bullets.
Ikki then switched to the walkie-talkie and asked Signard.
– Enemy forces in the northern hill have been confirmed! How are things on your side, Signard-san!?
『All members were assigned to their designated positions! Start whenever you feel like it!』
Together with that reply, the soldiers raised a war cry that resembled a gust of wind from the ground.
Ikki, who felt with all his body that the morale of the troops certainly hit the heavens, thought.
… This is a good country.
(It doesn’t matter whether it’s Stella’s hometown or not anymore)
As a knight ―― what would make the people in this place sad?
And then, he told his feelings towards everyone who gathered in the battlefield.
– Let’s go! Operation start…!
The 50,000 man of the Kledelland Army controlled by《Marionette King》Or=Gaule pierced Vermillion in a column formation like an arrow and went straight towards the heart of Vermillion, the Imperial Capital Flareberg, without stopping.
Vermillion Army, who faced them, used nothing but their whole military force, the 30,000 soldiers they had and could be mobilized, and spread a line of defense in Caldia, which was the halfway point between them and their military advance.
Caldia, which once prospered as a trade route connecting both countries, had three main roads that connected both countries: one to the east, another to the west and lastly to the north in its beautiful townscape that resembled Kledelland.
Vermillion divided its military strength in three and blocked all of them.
They were prepared to engage the Army of Kledelland.
And when the clock exactly marked 5pm, the two forces clashed at last.
Firing sounds that sounded like squalls reverberated under the cloudy weather.
Signard ordered the whole army in the midst of those noises.
– Don’t try too hard! All that you have to do is to slow down the actions of the guys of Kledelland until the knights have found the hubs! If it gets too dangerous, pull back!
「「「Yes ma’am!」」」
There was an absolute equipment difference between both parties.
The controlled Army of Kledelland used live ammunition, their tanks included, they had no hesitation in killing their opponents. On the other hand, the equipment of the Army of Vermillion, which aimed to save them from the control of《Marionette King》, was an equipment used for mob suppression loaded with rubber bullets.
If it was compared to the equipment of Kledelland, it was just like a toy.
If they exchanged shots directly, it would impossible to call that a match.
However, the side that had been taking advantage of the battle since the clash was the Army of Vermillion.
– The legs! Aim for the legs! They won’t stop moving if you hit their heads, but if you break their legs, their advance will slow down!
– Don’t forget to cover! This is not your usual practice!
There was something called the『Three-to-one law』in war.
This advocated that in order to attack and defeat the enemy, the ratio of the military force must be at least 3 to 1.
Paradoxically speaking, it also meant that a soldier on the defensive could do the part of three soldiers on the offensive.
30,000 soldiers from Vermillion against 50,000 soldiers from Kledelland.
In a simple number comparison, Vermillion had the disadvantage, but if the law previously mentioned was taking into account, the military force of Vermillion that was on the defensive would considerably skyrocket to 90,000.
Moreover, Vermillion had grasped enough cover points and had finished the advance arrangements of effective crossfire points before Kledelland arrived.
It was impossible to smash with a charge of 50,000 soldiers the 30,000 soldiers who had prepared all this.
The invasion of the Army of Kledelland was being stopped in Caldia.
However, that superiority wasn’t going to last long.
If the gun battle had a decent distance between the armies, they could have an evenly matched fight against live ammunition as long as they took cover consistently.
But if the battle was dragged on and the distance between both armies narrowed, the difference in equipment would actually come in sight.
Because the Army of Kledelland would take out the weapons with the power to blow away the walls and shields used for cover.
– H-hey, a soldier over there is preparing…!
– This is bad! It’s a rocket!
– Evacuate, everyoneeeeeeeeeee!!!!
It happened on one of the three roads, on the east main road.
A grenadier that had been hiding behind a soldier with an assault rifle until now pulled the trigger of a Kledelland Army weapon aiming at them when the distance of both armies was shortened.
RPG-7
Concrete walls and even the armor of a tank were helpless in front of the exploding grenade.
The soldiers of Vermillion fell back in a hurry, but human legs are too slow compared to the speed of a grenade with a propulsion device. The evacuation wasn’t done in time, the soldiers shut their eyes and resigned themselves to death, and immediately after, the grenade blasted the soldiers, the concrete wall and everything.
It emitted a burst of flames and a roaring sound similar to a crash of thunder.
But,
– W-what?
The flames didn’t reach the soldiers who were prepared for death.
How? They opened their eyes and,
– Ah, you’re…!
– ――――――
In front of the concrete wall they used as a cover point.
There was the figure of a black armor that stood dauntingly as if protecting them while being enveloped by the black smoke.
Yes. 《Black Knight》Ascaride dressed in her resilient Device《Orichalcos》received the grenade with her body and protected the soldiers.
– Are you okay?
Ascaride, who looked back, asked in a calm tone of voice.
– Y-yeah, we’re fine, but, i-is knight-sama alright?
– You were hit directly, no?
-… Not really.
Ascaride returned something along the lines of “not at all” to the worried soldiers.
In fact, Ascaride hadn’t even suffered minor damage from the direct hit of the grenade.
While it was true that Blazers had a strong resistance to physical impacts, the direct hit of a grenade had chances of being fatal, but Ascaride had her body clad in《Orichalcos》that boasted the hardest defensive power among the current existing and known Devices. If it was an impact that wasn’t accompanied by magic power, this product was able to endure even the direct hit of an anti-ship missile.
Therefore, the soldiers of Kledelland emptied their magazines on Ascaride who didn’t waver even a bit with the grenade she was struck by, but that wasn’t a threat for her either.
She slowly moved forward while being struck by the storm of bullets sprayed at her whole body.
She stood alone in the middle of the enemy lines and surveyed her surroundings.
And then,
– I found it.
She muttered and manifested a huge battleaxe in her right hand.
She started running, aiming at a soldier who fired his machine gun indiscriminately towards her.
She shortened the distance in the twinkling of an eye as she repelled each and every flying bullet and brandished the battleaxe.
The soldier flipped up the machine gun he had in his hands, but he was immediately pinned down by her.
And then, with a movement similar to a flow, she turned his hands to his back and handcuffed him.
Immediately after.
The soldiers around them stopped moving abruptly and crumbled down right where they were like dolls with broken threads.
Yes. The person that Ascaride restrained now was a hub that controlled the soldiers around him, and as a result of the limited movement of the hub, the farthest soldiers were unable to have an adequate balance movement and the fell into malfunction.
The surrounding soldiers of Vermillion applauded Ascaride who had found a hub splendidly and rendered the soldiers around her powerless.
– A-amazing! You didn’t even flinch from all that concentrated fire, it’s like you’re not a human like us!
– The fourth rank in the world is so reliable! We’ll be counting on you!
Ascaride returned nothing but a nod in silence to this ovation,
– … You really seem to distinguish them from the sky.
She looked up to the sky and spilled her admiration.
Ahead of her line of sight was the figure of a helicopter flying over the battlefield.
Above Caldia.
There was a helicopter that flew at a low altitude of about 30 meters as if gliding.
A medium-sized helicopter for goods transportation had Kurogane Ikki and Miriallia Lazy on board.
– Miri. The next target is the company going south on the 45th Street. Do you see them?
Ikki took his body out from the opened door of the helicopter and pointed at a part of the battlefield.
– There’s a soldier running behind everyone and who has an antenna extending from the rucksack, right? Shoot him.
Ikki had a high-angle view of Kledelland Army with which he distinguished the locations of the hubs.
He gave a command to Miriallia who was next to him with a knee on the floor, that is, in a shooting posture.
– Roger. I’m on it〜.
In response to this firing instruction of Ikki,
– Aand, here it goes!
Miriallia fired the paint bullet at the designated target with the rifle.
Miriallia’s outstanding space grasping ability to control very distant bullets from her in 3D allowed her to easily hit the target without worrying about the unstable foothold on the helicopter.
And with the paint as a sign of that,
『Alright, that’s the guy! The next unfortunate fool has been found!』
『Imperial Guard, to the front! Everyone, chaaaaaarge!!』
『Go go go! Push forward! Go go go! Push forward!』
The Royal Imperial Guard of Vermillion went straight ahead while carrying bulletproof shields.
And when they broke through the front of the Army of Kledelland forcibly,
『Capture him immediatelyyyy! Wrap him up gently!』
『With one of the Imperial Guard Style Enforcement Laws: Oil-hell man in a mountain of men!』*
*TN: The kanji for the mess written above after the “:” is “漢特盛り油地獄” which doesn’t have any reference in Japanese other than a crappy Japanese movie using “Oil-Hell” which I just pasted here.
『『『Heave-ho!!!!』』』
They stripped their happi coats off and threw themselves upon the soldier of Kledelland that was the hub and completely sealed his movement by lying on top of one another like a mountain.
If the hub was squashed by a mountain of muscles, and that made him unable to move even a finger, then the surrounding soldiers would collapse as well.
『A purging law that punishes fools who have created lovers on their own and have disturbed harmony in our group! Helping you in this way is the best there is!』
『Have you realized, you criminal!? This is the strength of Vermillion!』
– Hey, Ikki. May I also shoot the disgrace of the country while I’m at it?
Miriallia asked Ikki as she turned the muzzle from far away in the air to the members of the Imperial Guard who declared impressively and who succeeded in neutralizing the hub.
Ikki returned a wry smile to her,
– Maybe later.
And replied.
(It’s fine if it’s later)
Miriallia was a bit surprised by the poisonous return of the gentle Ikki to everyone.
Did those guys do anything to anger him? She wondered.
Well, if that’s the case, then I’ll shoot a few bullets at them after we’ve finished.
… Be that as it may,
(Isn’t this going exceedingly well?)
The battlefield below.
Miriallia, who overlooked the soldiers of Kledelland who fell face down, caught her breath.
Kurogane Ikki had found around 20 hubs since the battle started, they had succeeded in neutralizing all of them due to the cooperation with the Army of Vermillion. As he had suggested to Sirius, he had almost flawlessly carried out his role as the eyes of the Vermillion Army.
Miriallia, who was sat next to such amazingness, actually felt that more than anyone else.
Because, even though they both were looking at the same scenery, Miriallia didn’t have the ability to distinguish who was a soldier and who was a hub at all.
――Honestly speaking, she even felt that her pride as a sniper was hurt.
So,
– Hey, umm, how does Ikki grasp the location of the hubs just by looking at them from above? You shouldn’t see more than their heads from this place, right?
Miriallia asked about his method of discrimination.
Ikki answered.
– That’s enough for me. Or more precisely, in this case, there’s no need to observe closely.
– But that still sounds ambiguous to me?
Ikki supplemented to Miriallia who inclined her head to the side.
– The precision the ill-natured 《marionettes》of《Marionette King》 have is considerably high. Johan-san, the people of the town of Kledelland and I had a meal together, but I never realized they were being controlled. I’m pretty sure that《Marionette King》can seize the original personality of a person and their memories through his magic threads. … It’s not something that one can find out by looking at their faces, for example. But then again, detailed information is unnecessary. It’s better to look at the whole picture with a wide view even if it’s from a distance. The battlefield is something like a lake surface on a rainy day. By having a commander as the starting point, the ripples of『motion』spread throughout the battlefield. In this case, the reason is even easier to understand because they aren’t being commanded with voice, but actually their movement is transmitted through threads. And there’s always a hub at the starting point of those ripples.
– … Oh, I see. A lake surface, huh? Interesting, interesting.
(I don’t get at all what he’s talking abooout!!)
Miriallia was convinced that the words of Ikki were said with an unwavering self-confidence.
In the first place, what they saw was completely different.
Even when she was told it looked like a lake surface, the enemy soldiers below her were chattering and moving erratically, so finding where those starting points were was impossible.
The number of information perceived was poles apart.
As expected of someone who wasn’t acknowledged by Stella for nothing. Reliable to the best of his ability. In that case, she wasn’t going to hold him back from achieving this operation.
To Miriallia, who set her weapon again,
– But the only thing I can do is to find them. I don’t have the skill to mark the targets accurately with a long-range sniper. ――Thank you, Miri. Thanks to you, I can fight for this country.
– 〜〜〜〜…!!!!
Ikki thanked her from the bottom of his heart.
Miriallia felt oppression as if her chest tightened with such tender smile of his,
– D-don’t get me wrong, I’m not doing this for Ikki. Miri-chan is a knight of Vermillion after all, no? I mean, it’s natural to help, right?
She looked away as she dodged the matter with an embarrassed and sulking tone of voice.
Was it because he had no malice or selfishness?
Even though it didn’t mean he had a baby face, Ikki’s smiling face was innocent like the one of a child somehow, it went through her heart in an instant.
(So this is the reason Stella-chan was attracted to him. This spontaneity of his did so)
She had to be careful to not take that seriously unless she dealt with it.
She didn’t want to imagine how terrible would it be to become Stella’s rival in love.
She decided it wasn’t worth it, even if took her a lifetime.
– Well… the next target is a bit troublesome.
Then Ikki complained suddenly next to Miriallia who put her respiration in order and calmed her beating.
– Where is he?
– There’s a tank going south on the central road, right? There’s a soldier sticking his face out from its hatch.
Miriallia, who put her respiration in order, asked where the target was and Ikki pointed to a tank that rudely ran on the streets as it mowed down the roadside trees.
An opponent way too dangerous to approach directly.
– First is stopping its movement by any means possible.
However, Miriallia shot a paint bullet to the hatch of the tank faster than Ikki could think things through.
And then,
– That’s not a problem. Because Til-chan――is in that area.
『ORA ORA, move, move away! Leave this guy to me!』
At that moment, when the shout was clearly heard even on the helicopter flying in the sky, a girl rushed out from the lines of battle of the Vermillion Army.
A healthy tanned light brown skin. A short hair that gave a lively impression.
Evidently, she was the original partner of Miriallia, the one she had mentioned just now. She was Tilmitt Gracie. Tilmitt ran in a straight line towards the tank marked by Miriallia.
But this was way too reckless.
Not surprisingly, the tank reacted immediately to this.
It rotated the gun turret and turned the gun port towards the approaching Tilmitt――
Immediately after, the 88mm cannon sent forth a shell together with a heavy roaring sound.
The super heavy blow that exceeded the speed of sound had the power to turn a human into a lump of meat effortlessly just with its wind pressure.
Blazers and non-Blazers were no different before such power.
But before such overwhelming and destructive power, Tilmitt laughed boldly,
– 《Stone Dive》!
And plunged into the ground without hesitation.
As if she jumped into the water.
Generally, if one were to do so, one would just smash one’s face on the asphalt.
But――Tilmitt was a knight endowed with the unusual power to go into materials.
A splashing sound was made, and the whole body of Tilmitt was absorbed by the road that turned into something like water for an instant, and, at the same time the shell arrived.
It blasted the road and everything in the atmosphere; dust rolled up.
However, when the dust cleared up, there was no trace of a human being swallowed up in the site of destruction.
Tilmitt had escaped from the shelling.
The puppet-soldier was cautious of a surprise attack, so he pulled his head back inside the tank and closed the hatch.
But that was a meaningless move.
It didn’t matter if it was a road or a tank,
――The unusual power of Tilmitt could slip into every place!
Right after that, the body of the tank shook vertically.
And then, the hatch burst open from inside,
– I told you, didn’t I――――!?
Tilmitt, who grabbed the nape of the neck of the soldier who was arrested from inside the tank, came in sight.
Together with that, the surrounding Kledelland soldiers fell into malfunction and fell flat one after another.
The soldiers of Vermillion praised wholeheartedly this sight.
– Oh yeaaaaaahhh! You did it, didn’t you, Tilmitt!
– Well, that would usually cause nothing but problems, but why don’t we get ourselves to help our companions together in this time of crisis?
– Absolutely, leave it to me! Miri! Tell me the location of the targets quickly! It doesn’t matter where they are, I’ll drag them out!
The efforts of Ikki, Miriallia and Tilmitt were transmitted to Stella who was in charge of the western main road throughout the whole transmission.
She wasn’t surprised by the courage or the high level of Ikki’s ability,
– Those two sure have guts.
Tilmitt and Miriallia.
Both were assigned as first reservists in the army from this year when they obtained the qualifications of student-knights.
That obviously didn’t translate to having combat experience or having done lots of practices.
Regardless of that, the efforts of the two were something to be amazed by.
As expected of the two who became friends with her when she couldn’t say “don’t get close to me so easily”. Their intrepidity wasn’t half-hearted.
――She neither couldn’t nor wasn’t going to lose.
– Well then, Stella-sama. I’m in charge of this, so Stella-sama may head to where Ikki-kun is.
– No. I’ll stay here. Wouldn’t it be terrible to leave old man Dan alone!?
Stella returned a negative to Dandalion’s proposal.
Those words seemed to have a bit of irritation in them.
The last strategy meeting.
《Black Knight》didn’t nominate Stella as a person who could identify the hubs of Or=Gaule.
She understood the reason.
It was career.
*TN: “Career” is the furigana reading for “experience”.
Dandalion was a strong man with a long military service. His level of insight was backed up by his career.
The same went for Ascaride. The fourth strongest person in the world was, above all, a relative of Or=Gaule.
She probably knew some sort of trick to distinguish them or something.
And Ikki and his monstrosity of insight. The number of years he had lived was just one more than hers, but he defeated her with his inferior strength because he always sharpened his concentration to the limit and read all the information in the battle without fail; those methods were always used. The density of each battle was in a different league than hers.
Her experience was greatly inferior to theirs.
However,
– I don’t want them to look down on《Crimson Princess》…!
Stella thought.
Certainly, my experience is shorter than theirs.
But this wit dwelling in me shouldn’t lose to any of the three’s.
If I can’t find them out with my insight due to experience, then I’ll use another method.
(If I know what the scheme of my opponent is, then there must be something I can do)
Immediately after that, the Army of Kledelland going straight ahead on the road started firing.
But Stella stood in front of the barrage without escaping,
– 《Empress Dress》.
Incandescence was emitted from her whole body, she sent back the ashes and all before the bullets of lead touched her body.
But Stella’s aim wasn’t just to protect herself from the shooting.
There was another aim for this《Empress Dress》.
Stella increased the heating power of the flames she was clad in and scattered the phosphorescence of the flames on the west main road that had become the battlefield.
And with that phosphorescence that exceeded tens of thousands and that spread throughout her own mind, she shared her sensation.
*TN: Sensation as in detection of external or internal stimulation.
She expanded her sense of touch to a wide range.
Normal Blazers couldn’t go as far as handle this precisely.
However, seriousness was forgotten in the shadow of the back of the overwhelming power, but that didn’t mean Stella had an average magic control power.
She possessed something that even drew near《Lorelei》who had such an astounding magic control power that disintegrated and regenerated her own body, even her cells.
This level of synthesis power was the strength of《Crimson Princess》.
A meaningless difference in experience was nothing for her.
Either way, substitution was effective.
Stella literally『grasped』the battlefield with the scattering of this phosphorescence.
She grasped where the soldiers were, who moved and of course, the position of the semi-spiritual magic threads.
Just like the eyes of a dragon surveying the tiny ground from the skies, Stella perfectly understood everything――
– Over there!
She immediately ran towards a soldier who was the focusing point of the threads and mowed him down.
After she limited his movement with handcuffs, all the surrounding soldiers of Kledelland fell flat on the ground.
This was the proof that the soldier restrained by Stella was the hub controlling the ones around him,
– See? I can do this as well, can’t I?
Stella threw out her chest towards Dandalion who was also her master of the sword.
Dandalion bent his glad-looking, wrinkled face to the growth of this girl.
– The old Stella-sama had the small tendency of underestimating the worth of her talent, but… she went to Japan and became so strong that one could mistake her for someone else.
– Obviously. Because I came across the worthiest opponent in Japan!
Ikki never underestimated himself, no matter how much he was about to be abandoned by his talent.
He always fought believing that he could do it, even if he had a terrible hand.
*TN: Hand as in one’s hand when playing cards.
It was preposterous to win against such opponents if he had doubts about his own strength.
– All right, now I’m going to settle this rapidly!
Stella let her mood go even higher with Dandalion’s praise and headed to the next target.
She had already found two more hubs with the scattered phosphorescence.
… The efforts of Stella and the tempestuous, steady advance of Vermillion army centered on Ikki made the hubs of Or=Gaule fell into an incapacitated state one after another. Once an hour had passed since the start of the battle, a third of the Army of Kledelland was released from the control of the threads.
And all of these remarkable results were reported to the Vermillion Imperial Palace in real time.
Astraea was pleased, clapping her hands in front of the video sent from the battlefield.
– Amazing, amazing! They have extricated almost a half in the blink of an eye! This is thanks to Ikki-san who’s telling everyone exactly where the hubs are, isn’t it?
Isn’t that right, papa? The facial expression of Sirius, who was gazed by Astraea,
– … huh! As if!
Had nothing but disappointment on it.
– Ufufu. Papa isn’t being honest, is he?
But without even denying so, the attitude of Sirius had become considerably positive.
He was also a warrior.
It looked like he wasn’t going to be able to tamper with this boy who continued showing his reliable strength and who wasn’t just a big mouth forever.
This was a very good sign.
– It would be great if everything is settled smoothly in this way――
Astraea wished from the bottom of her heart.
And destiny laughed,
At such wish of Astraea.
– How so? I wonder about that? Because, you see. Calamity is, even though I come showering these questions on you, something called ordinary. Don’t you agree?
「「「――――――!!!!」」」
The unfamiliar voice of a woman suddenly echoed in one of the rooms of the Imperial Palace where Astraea and the others were gathered.
Sirius, Astraea and the guard soldiers turned around,
――A person, a tall woman, stood there.
Wet-looking black hair. A black dress with a number of slits resembling petals.
In something that looked like jet-black flowers hanging down――
– First of all, I apologize for this sudden rude visit, King of Vermillion and Queen-sama. I am… oh, excuse me, since this is a mission, I must not give you my name. Yes, that will do. Please call me “Ain”.
The jet-black flowers showed a sinister smile which fully raised the lips of her beautiful face and presented to Sirius and the others a bouquet of white lilies she was hiding in her hands behind her back.
And――she told them.
– I came with these flowers in hand to offer them for everyone’s funeral procession.
A declaration of death.
At the same time.
The battlefield of Caldia was getting serious.
– What the, who’s….
Ikki and Miriallia, who flew the skies of Caldia on a helicopter, looked up to what was before them in astonishment.
In front of the helicopter flying close to the ground, a 30-meter tall, corpulent giant in a black hooded coat stood in the way.
It suddenly appeared before the eyes of Ikki and the others,
『Gufuhih ♪』
He laughed, showing his white teeth like a horse and,
『Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa――――!!!!』
He smashed the helicopter rode by Ikki and Miriallia with both hands as if silencing a noisy mosquito.
The crushed helicopter spouted out flames in the hands of the giant that were caused to strike each other.
The soldiers on the ground goggled at such thing,
– T-the chopper is!
– You’re kidding, right…? Miriii――――!?
Tilmitt shouted the name of her partner, the one who was on it.
But, at that moment,
– Hold on a second! Look at that!
One of the soldiers pointed below the flames in the sky.
– Kyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!?!?
The figure of Ikki, who escaped danger by throwing himself in the air just in time and who grabbed the napes of the neck of the soldier who seemed to be the pilot of the helicopter and Miriallia, was there.
Ikki shouted with a well-projected voice.
– Tilmitt-san! Catch us!!!!
– ! Sir yes sir!
Tilmitt moved immediately with this demand.
But not to literally catch the ones who were falling in her arms; she ran to their falling point and,
– 《Star Ocean》――!
The trident Device《Triaina》was planted in the ground and the asphalt transformed into『sea』.
Ikki and company fell into that『sea』.
A big black column of water and a splash were raised.
Shortly thereafter,
「「「*Sighs of relief*!」」」
The three of them got their heads out of《Star Ocean》.
– Are you guys okay!?
– Y-yes, ma’am…
– T-t-t-t-that was extremely close…
The pilot of the helicopter and Miriallia replied to Signard who confirmed they were fine with a blue face as they were pulled up from the sea by their comrades.
For the time being, the two of them ended up not losing their lives due to Ikki’s quick wittedness.
However, there was no time for relief.
Because the monster of the problem still stood in front of the Vermillion Army.
– Damn, what the hell is this monster!?
– Blazers are somewhat capable of doing this, but this thing was in Kledelland!?
Signard shook her head to the words of the confused soldiers.
– No, I’ve never heard that there is a Blazer in Kledelland with the ability to turn into a giant…! Besides, if there was one who had this power, then it should have become a representative of the war…!
– That means――
– It’s obvious to think that he’s a fellow of the scum that is causing this strife…!*
*TN: “Scum” is the furigana reading for “criminal”.
Because of that, there was no need to have mercy.
Signard opened the communication of the walkie-talkie and ordered.
– Informing to all forces on the central main road! Pick up the armaments of Kledelland scattered at your feet! Unleash all your ammo on that giant!
The Vermillion Army deployed on the central main road acted quickly in response to Signard’s order.
They stole the armament from the Kledelland Army that fell flat on the road and started launching a concentrated attack with live ammunition.
But,
『Agaa ♪ Pew pew makesh me laugh〜〜〜♪』
– D-dammit! It’s useless! Why I feel this isn’t working at all!?
Those pretty much had little to no effect on him.
In the first place, conventional weapons were less effective against Blazers.
Since their opponent was a giant, the effect they had was like the one of a peashooter.
Everything was repelled in front of the thick fat, and the giant, who was in a painless state,
『Now it’s my thurn!』
He put his nails in the asphalt at his feet and tore it off,
『Pew pew〜! Baa――――――ng!!!!』
And threw the debris at the Army of Vermillion.
Like a child playing “dirt throwing”.
But since this child had a size of 30 meters long,
――The fired debris was the same as an air raid done by a bomber!
「「「Gyaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!」」」
The pebble penetrated the line of defense of Vermillion with a single blow.
The covers and the bulletproof shields were meaningless to the asphalt bombs thrown at them by the 30-meter giant, and because of that, dozens of soldiers turned into pieces of meat in an instant.
『Gyagyagya!!』
The giant rejoiced with an expression that would make the situation of the destruction feel even innocent.
Miriallia, who witnessed this, was now convinced.
– No no no, there’s no way we can defeat him! I say our only choice is to run away !
– I completely agree with you…! We have no choice but to move our butts and run away!
However, Tilmitt, who replied so, noticed.
– Huh? Where’s Ikki!?
The figure of Ikki Kurogane who was right there just a second ago wasn’t there.
When she searched for him while moving her eyes, thinking “Where on earth is he?”, she found his back running towards the giant in the distance.
– H-hey! What do you intend to do when you have no magic left!?
– ――――!
However, Ikki didn’t reply to Tilmitt’s voice.
There was no time now, not even for questions and answers.
Dozens of people were killed with pebble just now?
Despite that, he couldn’t afford to rampage in this way.
There were Kledelland soldiers who lost their consciousness and fell to the ground besides the Vermillion Army on the central main road.
He had to take the giant’s attention away from the Vermillion Army and took him outside the central main road as soon as possible.
But what should he do for that?
Ikki recalled the townscape he saw from the helicopter as he ran up to the giant.
And then,
(――It’s this or nothing!)
He took a decision and put his strength into his feet that stamped on the ground even more.
He had his eyes on something at the giant’s feet straight ahead.
It was something like a roadside red postbox.
――A fire hydrant.
– Haaah!
Ikki cut the fire hydrant from the base.
A fire hydrant whose base was cut off couldn’t naturally resist the pressure of the water pipe.
The fire hydrant launched a pushing-up water column.
And then Kurogane Ikki――was on top of the fire hydrant that was shot up.
He elevated his body up to 20 meters in the sky thanks to the water pressure,
– First Secret Sword, 《Saigeki》!!!!
He jumped further with the water current as a foothold.
The point of the jet-black blade stabbed the eyeball of the giant.
『Gyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhh!?!?』
The point of《Intetsu》pierced the crystalline lens and the cornea of the giant; the holed eye ruptured.
The glass body inside the eyeball fell onto the whole body of Ikki.
The giant fainted in agony as he raised a scream.
– Amazing! He made that monster falter…!
Miriallia raised a voice of great joy because of the telling blow of Ikki, but,
– No, it’s bad…!
Tilmitt, who understood melee combat better than her, shouted.
Because Ikki, who pierced the eyeball, was shook off by the giant fainting in agony, he was still in the air.
In the air without escape, without trying to escape.
And,
『AAAAAAAaAAAAAA――――!!』
The giant got mad at Ikki and swung one of his giant arms.
A backhand blow with all of his might.
Ikki couldn’t escape from the strong arm that crushed the approaching helicopter into small pieces.
There was no foothold with which he could try to escape.
Therefore, Ikki――
(Don’t let your consciousness be taken away! Clench your teeth!!)
Right after that, Ikki’s body was mowed down by the backhand blow of the giant and revolved in the air like trash.
He was sent flying perpendicularly from the central road and crashed into the ground.
And with that same momentum, he bounced several times as he crushed the asphalt road.
He tumbled after he crossed the railroad crossing that ran through the town more than 100 meters away from the central main road.
– Ikki!
Tilmitt jumped to the roofs of the roadside buildings as her face turned blue because of such gruesome scene.
She strained her eyes to get a hold of his safety.
Ikki’s extremities, who collapsed on the ground, were twisted in unexpected directions, she understood he was in a certain dangerous condition even from such a distance.
However, and regardless of his state,
– How, was, that!? The guy who smashed your eye is still full of life, you know…!?
Ikki didn’t lose consciousness. Only his head was guarded thoroughly, he protected it so that his consciousness wasn’t reaped, and when he crashed into the ground, he rolled gaudily on the ground on purpose so that the collision damage happened on the ground side.
But still, all his bones were broken, he could no longer stand up.
In spite of being in such a state, he provoked the giant and,
(Are you telling me he has become a decoy to distract the attention of the monster from us…!?)
『AooOOoohh!!!!』
The very same moment Tilmitt guessed Ikki’s real intention, the giant raised an angry roar and started running towards Ikki.
It was as Ikki expected, he was going away from the central main road.
But,
(There’s no reason in doing so if you sacrifice yourself!)
Tilmitt felt an emotion that resembled fury towards this behavior of Ikki.
After all, there were soldiers from Kledelland who haven’t recovered their consciousness on the central main road.
If the giant were to act violently there, a catastrophic event would meet their eyes.
It was logic to guide the giant to another place as soon as possible.
But that logic――
What kind of face should we have when we meet Stella and say to her that the sacrifice of Ikki’s life saved us…!?
– Everyone! Attack that big thing! Turn the attention of that guy over here!
And so, Tilmitt called out to everyone who was there at the limit of her voice.
The Vermillion soldiers set their guns on the giant who turned his back on them to respond to her. But,
– No… wait!
Their attack was stopped by the commander Signard.
– General!?
Tilmitt naturally tried to talk this over. But,
– He’s a completely great man. … What if this is within his calculations!?
Signard didn’t comply with Tilmitt’s objection.
She let admiration overflow from the bottom of her heart which made her body shudder.
She realized that she had a wider view than anyone else as a commander.
Like the real aim of Kurogane Ikki.
Yes, ――Tilmitt had misunderstood one thing.
Certainly Ikki risked his health trying to guide the giant out of the central main road as soon as possible to prevent a catastrophe… but he wasn’t a person who would accept death so easily. It was obvious. Because there was no such thing as being able to stand in a line with this man who didn’t take no for an answer.
《Failed Knight》Kurogane Ikki ‘s actions were definitely always for the sake of victory.
Yes, in this moment, in which the bones of his whole body were broken, and where he couldn’t even stand up, Ikki,
――Wasn’t going to say no to his victory!
(Yes, come, here…!)
Ikki, who raised his gaze only with the strength of his neck, was anxious about the approaching giant who looked angry.
Come running without stopping.
Come running through in order to crush me underfoot with that same anger.
――The conditions were completed because he was purposely sent flying to this place.
The terrain of the city he saw while searching for the hubs on the helicopter. That information.
He didn’t fail to notice it.
The railroad that travelled across Caldia.
――And the high-voltage wires that ran on it!
『Gyababababababababababababababababababababababababababababababababababababababababababababababababababababababababababababababababababababababababababababababababababababababababababababababababababababababababababababa!?!?!?』
The very next moment, the giant, who tried to run across the railroad crossing, received an electric shock by the electric current flowing from the electric lines he himself had cut off.
His whole body convulsed as he screamed, and blew steaming bubbles out from his mouth like a volcanic eruption.
It didn’t matter how huge he was, humans were humans.
He couldn’t escape from the damage of an electric shock.
As long as a body contained liquid, damaged by means of the passing of electric current was absolute.
And following Ikki’s plan, the giant received an electric shock by a high-voltage wire which made his body lurch violently and collapsed into the ground.
(This will, give me some time…)
He gained it, that’s what he expected.
『A, a, A, Ao, o… OOOOO――――oOOOOOOO!!!!』
– ――!
But Ikki’s plan was shattered there.
The moment he seemed to collapse into the ground.
The giant braced his legs as he kicked the buildings around him, he refused to fall,
『《GaaAAAriiIgaAAaAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!》』
He screamed loudly, it felt just like a bomb blast.
Immediately after that――something, yes, something very similar to a nightmare occurred.
– You’re joking, right? This is way too…
He looked up, what was before him was… the figure of the giant who got so big it was easily over 300 meters tall.
Ikki revealed a feeble complaint without enduring it as one would expect.
And,
(Stella hasn’t come despite all the commotion that has happened, which means…)
But Ikki’s presentiment was clearly off the mark.
– Haa, haaa! Haaa!
Caldia west main road.
Stella took rough breaths in the middle of the wide road.
Difficulty floated on her face. She was dripping sweat.
Unusual tension and fatigue could be perceived.
But this exhaustion of Stella wasn’t due to battle,
– What’s wrong? You haven’t even got within my reach but you’re running out of breath already, aren’t you?
The man in black clothes dragged the bloodstained Dandalion with his left hand. They were exhausted just by looking at the man who suddenly appeared in front of Stella and the others and who partially destroyed the force deployed on the west main road.
– Am I so frightening to you?
– So noisy… shut up!
– Kuku, your mouth is the only vigorous thing you have.
– !
Stella distorted her expression with the man’s sneer.
He saw through her. That she was startled.
Yes, Stella was overawed.
The man was clad in a sinister aura that made them feel sick just by looking at it, there was no way to describe it at all.
――Who was this guy?
The bloodstained Dandalion addressed Stella who was very vigilant.
– Ste, lla…sama…, you can’t, fight, him…
– Old man Dan!
– Run away, please. This, guy is…《Haboob》…!
– ! This guy is…!
《Haboob》
Stella, who was a student-knight and a politician at the same time, remembered that alias.
The most powerful mercenary in history who had been active in the Middle East and who always brought victory to the ones he sided with――
– 《Haboob》Naseem Al-Salem…!
– So you are《Crimson Princess》Stella Vermillion, huh.
Naseem said and sent a gaze to Stella from the back of the sunglasses as if appraising her,
And showed a barbaric smile as he laid his fangs bare.
– Kuku, I wasn’t interested in the brat that stupid kid was getting so crazy about, but didn’t you bear fruit in such a very good condition? I mean, won’t you be too much for just one person? So, will you have a good time with me?
– Wha..!
Stella reddened her cheeks in shame due to this overwhelmingly insolent way of speaking, and as such, she protected her chest with her arms and returned a shout in anger.
– You’re no more than a stray dog! You have no manners! If you’re going to speak to a woman, make sure to learn a bit of character! Besides, I have already set my heart on a man. Certainly nobody asked for you!
Naseem, towards this,
– Hou, I see. That’s fine for me. It’s my creed to plunder money, countries and women, you see.
He threw away the half-dead Dandalion that suspended from his left hand and clenched his left fist that got wet with Dandalion’s spurt of blood.
– I’ll go head-on and finish this right away, I guess. And just with my left hand… just like I did with those guys. I’ll be playing with you with just my left hand. So… fight me with all you have. I hope you don’t make me feel bored, okay?
– …!
Naseem told her as he kept thrusting his right fist in his pocket.
“Those guys” were probably Dandalion and the soldiers he had defeated.
This man had never pulled his right hand out of his pocket ever since he showed up.
She didn’t think he could be underestimated.
The man in front of him had certainly enough strength to kill her with just his left hand.
The left fist that increased its coercion way more than before by means of strengthening made Stella believe so.
She ran out of breath just by looking at it.
Sweat spurted out from her whole body.
Despite that, her whole body grew so cold enough to become numb.
It was far from being excited, wishing for a fight.
Just like when she confronted Or=Gaule.
It wasn’t a battle at all.
The demise of one’s life, the absolute premonition of death.
There was no doubt that this man was also a《Desperado》who lived in a world beyond reason.
Her heart pounded like it went mad and raised the alarm.
Her instinct pressed her “to run away, run away!” with a shrieking voice.
But,
(How am I going to do that…!?)
– Everyone evacuates while helping those who have collapsed! Or you’ll be dragged into this!
「「「U-Understood!」」」
Stella gave instructions to the soldiers and――they braced themselves without running away.
They showed a will, a stance like saying “we’re not running away from this place”.
They know this was a lost battle.
She ended up understanding they wanted to misrepresent so whether she accepted it or not.
She understood they were completely frightened.
That was nothing they should be ashamed about.
Valor was the art of self-defense.
As Ascaride said, it was a proof of strength as a warrior who understood the difference in their ability and their opponent’s accurately.
However,
(I’m not going to clasp the sword to protect myself!)
If she was going to protect her life, the best way to do so would be to run, tucking her tail between her legs.
But her life wasn’t what Stella carried on her back.
But her beloved country.
And the lovely people who lived in it.
She clasped the sword to protect all of that.
In that case, she wasn’t going to lose her nerve.
There was no way she could withdraw.
Because she decided to protect everything that is on her back this very moment!
(I’ll do it…!)
Even if they stabbed each other, she would defeat《Haboob》 now.
What if he was the strongest mercenary in the world?
What if he was a《Desperado》who was beyond reason?
All of that was, meaningless.
She should know that all of that was insignificant.
A hopeless battle. A lost battle. The difference in their own strength that it couldn’t be helped. Even her own fate――
Because she never stopped looking at the back of the man who overcame all of that and stood at the top…!
At that moment, Stella howled towards the cloudy sky hanging down heavily, the strength of the dragon her body was clad in burned the blood of her whole body.
– Hou. So this is the dragon-resembling strength I’ve heard on a rumor, huh. It’s quite intimidating if you ask me.
Naseem didn’t show even the least of agitation to her appearance of a dragon and the scorching heat her whole body put on.
Naseem knew.
That the level of difference between his real strength and hers wasn’t going to be reversed.
And that was correct.
Stella also knew it was correct.
But her heart had no longer even a trace of panic inside.
What dwelled in her heart instead was burning courage.
The back of the man burned into her memory, the back of the man that always won through adversity gave her courage.
I’m like him too――
(First, fight without being impatient and ascertain the skill and strength of the opponent…!)
Stella, who cleared the startling of her heart away and regained her self, the same instant she calmed down.
She restrained her own temperament which was about to run in an overbearing offensive mood together with exaltation and imitated the best pattern she had seen, and held the sword aiming at his eyes with it and evaluated the opponent.
All that she knew about《Haboob》was that he was valuated as the best mercenary in the world.
She didn’t know something like what abilities he used.
To begin with, it was vital to determine them. And so, she decided.
Against Stella, who was setting up the battle calmly,
– Here I go!
《Haboob》Naseem Al-Salem jumped in without having an ounce of precaution or taking measures.
He judged his enemy as inferior, a negligence that never ran old.
But at the same time, he had leeway backed by his absolute true strength.
That stepping into was――
(He’s fast!)
It was way too agile, it was way too fast, it was too late to intercept him.
Naseem invaded Stella’s sword reach almost instantaneously and pushed out his left fist.
It wasn’t a motion done seriously.
It was a killing fist dispatched by the twist of his shoulder, elbow and wrist.
A jab.
A technique that rather than aiming for damage, it aimed to beat out the rhythm of oneself and to contain the enemy.
When she thought so, Naseem not only didn’t use the right fist he kept shoved in his pocket, he also didn’t use both feet as weapons when he trampled Dandalion and the others down.
And his Device, a knuckle buster, was equipped on his hand.
With the information she got so far, she could see Naseem battle style.
It was a boxer style.
This light jab put the distance and rhythm in order, and if there was a good opportunity, he had the intention of going for the victory by releasing a straight earnestly. Yes, Stella had analyzed the enemy, and guarded against the jab of Naseem,
– ――――!?!?
Immediately after that, her body was blow nearly 10 meters away to the back by the unprecedented impact that hit《Laevateinn》.
– Wha,
(What was that just now!?)
– Kuku, you got this confused because of a jab?
(Jab…! That was what…!?)
No, Stella had confirmed with her own eyes that the motion was indeed a jab.
But the impact felt like the one of a sword, her impression didn’t match with it at all.
It was abnormally hard and abnormally heavy.
So much that not even the strength of the dragon stopped it.
This was the first time she was struck by such a sharp, hard and heavy blow.
Its power was far beyond the physical strength of Kurogane Ouma, a former strong enemy of hers.
(It’s impossible to measure the distance and to beat out his rhythm…!)
The reverberation of the strength that still made her bones go numb indicated her.
That she mustn’t get hit not even by one of these jabs.
If she were to get hit directly by a jab, her skull would end up being crushed into small fragments by a single hit…!
– Alright alright! Here I go again!
– !
Naseem closed the distance and unleashed his fist again.
Stella protected herself against the aberrant destructive power of Naseem’s jab and strengthened her defenses even more.
《Laevateinn》was used as a shield so as to not get hit by it.
The first blow was pulled out with all his weight and with an unforeseen destructive power, but,
(Since I know so, I can protect me!)
She lowered her back, she displayed a firm stance to deal with it carefully.
And waited.
For the moment when the enemy threw an impatient bold move.
She would attack at that instant and offense and defense would change places.
But such expectation of Stella was,
– How naïve!
It didn’t work against Naseem.
Naseem saw that Stella’s defense was tough and made his jab get even closer.
He shrunk the gap and stepped into a short distance from a middle distance as he pulled back the fist that released the jab,
――He lowered his left elbow to the side of his torso.
Stella shuddered against this.
(This is bad! The angle was changed!)
But, it was too late.
Stella, who was prepared for the impact thrown violently against her from the front, couldn’t cope with the fist tossed directly from below.
*Gaon*!
And together with a heavy and hard sound, Stella’s《Laevateinn》was thrown up above her head with both arms included.
And Naseem immediately brought back his left fist and made it run straight to the defenseless Stella,
– Tsk!
The bloodstained fist punched Stella’s face.
Fresh blood was scattered, the body of Stella was blown off greatly as it bent backwards.
And then, as she looked upward,
– ――――――!
She didn’t collapse into the ground.
Stella, who stepped on the asphalt strongly, refused to collapse on it.
The flames of fighting spirit burned in her eyes as her whole face was dyed red by the fresh blood flowing from her cracked forehead.
Stella wasn’t going to let her consciousness, her life, be harvested.
Naturally, there was a reason for this, and Naseem had confirmed this reason.
– Kuku, you didn’t put yourself on guard the moment you were hit, rather, you killed the damage by being blown off to the back showily without strength. You did a very ingenious thing, didn’t you?
Hard objects were more vulnerable to impact.
If she had stiffened her body against the impact, she would have received significant damage instead.
On the other hand, since she didn’t resist the impact and yielded to the wind like a swaying willow, she could kill the damage.
Damage evasion techniques by means of exhaustion were used by Kurogane Ikki several times during his battles against Stella.
Stella used what she learned by watching him at once.
However,
– Oh well, it seems you couldn’t kill the damage completely after all.
– Ah…!
Stella’s body shook violently.
Sparks scattered in front of her eyes.
Certainly, damage was killed to some extent, meaning it wasn’t lethal, but,
(Like I thought, I can’t do it well like Ikki,,,)
At any rate, she ended up exerting her strength the moment she was hit.
Her body got completely stiffened.
In the first place, relaxing one’s body and letting the strength of one’s body go before a deadly attack were superman’s taigi.
*TN: Taigi (体技) literally means “body techniques” though it’s pointed out in Japanese dictionaries that it means the same as 格技 (kakugi) which can roughly be defined as “martial arts which involve fighting without weapons”.
It didn’t matter how great Stella’s readiness was, it wasn’t a technique that could be done out of the blue.
However, while a high price had to be paid for it, she now knew one thing.
That Naseem’s fist was fast and heavy――and, above all else, terribly hard.
Both its speed and attack power were beyond the norm.
But still,
(If I don’t get directly by it, then it won’t reach my life…!)
As long as it wasn’t a clean hit, then she could endure it.
If so, the method of attack was…!
– Kuku, I see that you can still go, huh. Splendid, splendid indeed. How much will you last against the striking effect my jabs have!?
Naseem stepped-in once again towards Stella who showed a persistent fighting spirit.
A barrage of jabs attacked Stella.
– Sh――!
– …!
Stella was in the same completely defensive posture as the one not long ago to meet the barrage.
She decided that “I’ll endure the damage of the received jabs by rolling into a ball until they’re over”.
And,
– What an obstinate woman!
Naseem followed the same required steps he did not long ago as if ridiculing her.
He did a half-step forward as he attacked her with sealing jabs.
He went from mid-range to short-range, that is, to the distance of uppercuts and hooks and changed the angle of the punches by lowering his elbow to flip up Stella’s guard.
Stella was――waiting for that moment!
– What!
The surprised one was Naseem.
Because Stella plunged herself forward voluntarily as Naseem pulled his fist to his side.
She had already grasped well her mistake.
Exhaustion.
It was used by her, and while she understood it clearly, this principle didn’t suit her.
Soft and fair goes far.*
*TN: This is a proverb.
The idea itself didn’t agree with her.
The battle was about exerting one’s strength.
Strength wasn’t something that could be pulled out, but something that was put into it.
To control strength, an even potent and solid strength.
*TN: Word employed here was 剛 which means hard, strong, brave, valiant. It also means “A strong strength” (力が強いこと), and this kanji “力” means a tons of things, so in reality it’s very hard to get the correct term that can be used here.
If so, then she would exert her strength to the very end.
She put her strength into the muscles of her body, anchored her joints and transformed herself into a huge rock――,
Stella slammed her forehead against the fist that Naseem was about to raise overhead.
Yes, against the fist before it was raised overhead.
An uppercut was a punch completely pulled by the power spring of one’s whole body.
The fist, whose impact point was displaced, inserted cracks on the skull of Stella, but it didn’t have the power to punch even her life.
He was out pushed.
Naseem’s fist was repelled by Stella’s headbutt, his trunk was shaking.
And the opportunity of that instant,
– Theeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeere!!!!
Stella didn’t miss it.
She dropped her guard and changed to offense with her《Laevateinn》set diagonally down.
Then she quickly raised it overhead and cut off the left flank to the right shoulder of《Haboob》 Naseem Al-Salem.
《Laevateinn》bisected Naseem’s body.
It cut open the flesh, cut off the entrails and cracked the spine, there was nothing else it could destroy.
As it should be, and yet,
– ――――Eh?
Stella was shocked by the response that returned to her hand.
Certainly,《Laevateinn》should have split Naseem’s body in two.
Even though his body was cut diagonally, and that she grasped the moment he was divided with her eyes.
There was no feeling of cutting his flesh, the opposition of the soft entrails ――and the response of severing the bones.
The only thing that came back to Stella’s hand that held the sword was a feeling similar to putting a blade in fine sand.
And there were no drops of blood overflowing from the body of Naseem.
(That’s, impossible!)
Unbelievable, Stella, who denied the inexplicable that happened before her, swung her sword recklessly.
She cut off his neck, pierced his heart and bisected his torso together with his two arms.
The blade slid into the body of Naseem without resistance and made its way through quickly.
But, that was it.
It didn’t matter how many times she minced his body, there was no response in her hands that cut his flesh at all, and without even blood overflowing, his divided body regained its original shape again as if rewinding time.
Stella remembered that――phenomenon.
(This is, no way――――――!)
But, that instant. The line of sight of Stella was suddenly obstructed.
When she was able to see, the left hand of Naseem, which was folded with the thumb pressing down the middle finger, stretched to the front of the face of Stella while she was shaking,
(Dam――)
Immediately after, she received a finger flick to the forehead from Naseem and crashed into the wall of a roadside store. However, she didn’t stop there, she slammed against a concrete-block wall two alleys ahead as she removed a part of the walls of several buildings.
– Guh, uu…
Stella, who was on guard for the pursuit, tried to get up immediately.
However, when she tried to stand up on a knee, her body crumbled down and fell on her backside.
The finger flick, which had cracked her skull, shook her brain violently.
Her consciousness flickered intensely, her field of view swayed as if she were on a ship in a strong storm.
She did the best she could do to raise half the body up.
Naseem got in the tunnel opened by Stella’s body and stood up in front of such Stella.
– I value that you at least have courage for plunging into my punches, but that was literally useless. As you can see, I’m『Immortal』.
Naseem said so to ridicule Stella’s futile efforts.
Stella, on the other hand, leaned her back on the concrete-block wall and managed to get up somehow,
– … You have such a trick? Even if you have a few more, I’ll tell you this. If that’s true, it will help me to defeat you.
She smiled boldly with her bloodstained face.
– Hou? So you’ll win against me? And how?
– … Yes. While you’ve been doing so full of composure, I’ve been approaching to your life reliably. … At least, I’ve full grasped your ability.
A fist with unusual hardness.
A body that wasn’t affected by the blade.
His true form was,
– Your ability is a natural interference system――the ability to manipulate『Sand』, right?
– …!
– The strangely heavy of your fists is probably due to the strength added by your enormous magic power as a《Desperado》, right? But what is the strangely hard? That’s because the fist was covered with sand that was hardened and pressed together like a rock the instant I was hit. And the reason you’re not affected by slashes is that the moment you’re slashed, you change your own body to sand to dodge the attack…! Isn’t that right!?
Stella told him with confidence.
Why was that? Because she had seen that same technique.
Yes, Kurogane Shizuku’s《Blue Samsara》.*
*TN: Samsara means cycle of death and rebirth (a continuous cycle of this type in Buddhism).
– To hell with your『Immortality』. You green imposter. I’ll give you the fact that the ability of controlling magic power to transform your body into grains is something incredible, but as long as I know your trick――
There has to be a way of doing something.
And so, the moment when Stella tried to put on a brave front.
– … Kukuku, AHAHAHAHAHA!
Naseem, who stood before her, burst into laughter all of a sudden as if he was unable to endure it.
– W-what’s so funny, huh…?
Stella felt weird due to her enemy’s reaction and put herself on guard.
Naseem, on the other hand,
– What’s so funny, you ask? What you have decided is the funny thing, you know? You say that this ability I use is『Sand』? You were able to see it very easily, huh. … You seem to need a lesson. About why I’m called《Haboob》. Well――――《Tóxcatl》.*
*TN: Tóxcatl derives from the Nahuatl verb toxcahuia meaning “wither from thirst”. Tóxcatl then means “drought”. (Extracted from Wikipedia)
*Pulls out*,
He pulled out his right hand, which had remained hidden in the pocket of his jacket,
And appeared for the first time in front of Stella and everyone.
At that moment,
– 〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜！！！！
Stella――ran away.
She grew wings of flames in exchange for her legs that didn’t work as they should and launched her body directly to the side and took a distance of about 10 meters from the front of Naseem who tried to roll.
The panic, should have been burned to nothing.
In order to protect them, she had decided to not withdraw.
She should have decided so.
――And yet,
And yet, the only thing she could think of was to run away.
(What the hell, his, his right hand is…!)
Stella understood the moment Naseem pulled his right hand out of the pocket.
The ominous aura this man wore.
What was his real identity?
――The stinking of death.
It wasn’t literally stinking.
She wiped it and wiped it and wiped it, but the sign of death could never be erased.
That thing was stuck to Naseem’s right fist.
Just like a revengeful ghost.
That shouted.
Regret. Curse. Pain.
Even that《Marionette King》Or=Gaule wasn’t clad in a stinking of death like him.
If… if thousands of people, no, if hundred thousands of people were beaten to death, would that be enough to be clad in such thick sign of death like that? The grudge he carried was to that level as well?
– Haha, your brain isn’t that great, but your talent is top-notch as expected. It seems that you understood the meaning of it when I pulled out my『Right』without me saying anything…
– …!
– But there’s no meaning in running away. It’ll be the same wherever you are. ――I’ll kill you all.
Naseem said and raised his right fist high overhead.
At that moment, a whirlwind of sand filled with colossal magic power with that fist as the center arose.
What was he going to do from that posture? Stella didn’t know.
But――the stinking of death became so stronger and the sign of death became so thick she felt nauseated, and that, made her be convinced.
That this man wasn’t saying anything exaggerated.
The raised-overhead fist was indeed an incarnation of the concept of『Massacre』.
The moment that fist were to be swung downward, thousands, tens of thousands of lives would be lost atrociously.
Yes, as if the lords of deep-seated grudge coiled about his fist.
(I have to stop him, if not…!)
If this man isn’t stopped now, a terrible thing will happen.
I know that. I perfectly know that.
But――my body doesn’t move.
No matter how much my heart tries to move forward, my body, my blood, my cells are seized with fear.
It was natural.
The bloodstained real was minced by the fists of someone.
*TN: “Real” is the furigana reading for “military service/combat experience”.
How much value had the courage inspired by a feeling before that?
What she believed in was way too thin and ephemeral.
(What do I do…!? What should I do…!?)
And Naseem, without looking forward to such conflict of Stella.
Haboob swung downward,
Mercilessly and ruthlessly,
His fist towards the ground of Vermillion――
At that time, at the Imperial Palace of Flareberg,
– A-an intruder!
– Surround her! Everyone, hold her down! Don’t let her get close to the King at all!
The palace guards sprung all at once at the woman dressed in black dress who appeared in the Imperial Palace all of a sudden.
However, the woman didn’t show agitation towards this and grabbed the base of the bouquet she had in her hand,
And scraped off all the petals.
Then, she spread the petals squeezed in her hand in the surroundings.
At that moment,
– ――Gah.
The guards who tried to subdue the woman named Ain fell on the floor one after another.
– What, the, hell, is, this…
– My body is… numb…
Not just the palace guards had collapsed into the floor.
The maids who were operating the monitors that projected the situation of the battlefield in the room were affected as well.
Even Astraea, the freedom of her body was stolen by the numbness of her whole body and collapsed from her knees into the floor.
– Ugh… is this, the fragrance… of flowers…? But――
– Ufufu. I was wondering if Queen-sama had noticed it. Yes, these aren’t ordinary white lilies.
To Astraea, who showed a sense of discomfort with the fragrance of flowers,
– The magic flower『Sleeping Beauty』was created by doing cross-fertilization with my 『Seed』Device《Astarotte》implanted in my womb. The pollen contains an aerosol of paralytic poison, including saxitoxin, which steals the freedom of a human body to breathe in. It’s an amazing child, isn’t it?
When it came to its terrible effect, Ain was so proud of it because even an African elephant was unable to move with just one of those flowers.
Since she had dispersed that product with a bouquet, there was no way humans could move.
Yes, as it should be,
– However――
– 《Ifriiiiiit――――》!!
At that moment, Ain dodged the hit of the axe swung down and clad in bright red flames by jumping to the back in a big way.
– So you didn’t fall to your knees, should I say as expected of the father of《Crimson Princess》?
Ain gave her praise to Sirius who smashed and made the marble floor she was standing on until a second ago cave in.
Sirius, on the other hand, returned shouting in anger with a furious facial expression.
– You! You’re a partner of that son of a bitch who started this screwed war! What’s your plan by coming straight to our territory, you bitch!!!!??
What that hell are you going to do with Vermillion and Kledelland?
What’s the purpose of your actions?
Ain, in response to Sirius’ question,
– What’s I’m after, you ask?
She bent her head slightly to one side and sunk into silence as if she pondered for a brief moment.
And then, once her hesitation ended, she returned an answer.
– Let’s see… if anything――I was bored.
– W-what did you say…?
– You see, I love flowers. The cute tulips that bloom in spring. The large sunflowers that bloom in summer. The small and beautiful cosmos that color autumn. The countless cineraria that blossom in full glory and decorate winter. They are all so lovely that feelings of happiness grow in me just by looking at them. And among them, the beauty of the blooming roses that suck human blood is exceptional.
– ――!
– The beauty, which can be called even the crystallization of human life, always captivated me. I want to love it. As I want, as much as I want. 《Rebellion》should have allowed that. However, 《Rebellion》fighting for an ideal world with no regard to its appearance is a story from the past. Now, it’s been completely swallowed by vested interests, the sinister and triumphant guys of the political and business world were degraded to tools for making money and professional killers like us have rarely been asked to rely on a murder. My parent’s house is my parent’s house, the words of my clients are absolute; I pretty much got tired of such thickheaded guys. It was right there. When I received an invitation of this festival from《Marionette King》. “Why don’t we make this world way more enjoyable?” he said. And so, I took part in it. I have no reason to say no. Because――wouldn’t be incredibly fantastic to fill the entire land of Vermillion and Kledelland with a rose flower carpet grown with your lives!?
-《Gold Eclipse》――――!!!!
The thing that Sirius returned to Ain, who spoke in a tone of voice tinged even with ecstasy, was a Noble Arts that released slashes of flames.
– Oh no, that is dangerous. The King of this country sure is ill-mannered, I never thought he would slash at people as they tell a story all of a sudden.
– Enough! I understood very well! That you and your worthless story got me completely aaaangry! You’ll be so smashed that you won’t be able to say that messed up joke ever again!
He was disgusted by what Ain was going to try to do with the people of this country.
The anger of Sirius had exceeded the boiling point long ago.
He approached Ain as he trampled on the marble floor.
To behead her, to crush her underfoot so that she would never talk about it again.
But Ain,
– Haaa. Good grief, there’s no use in having a conversation with a barbarian who looks like that and who doesn’t understand the beauty of flowers.
She threw off the black long glove that covered her right hand to her upper arm――as she bared her disgust.
Then, Ain cut open the flesh of her exposed right arm and thorny ivies with pointed thorns started to grow from inside her body――
-《Rose Whip》
And became countless whips that attacked the distant Sirius.
– Guaaaaaaaaaa!!!
The attacks done by the whips had a long range, their trajectory warped when they were brought back, they were hard to read and difficult to avoid.
Even so, they didn’t look like ordinary whips.
Ain’s《Rose Whip》was unbelievably fast, as if the thorny shrubs that became whips had their own will, they weren’t things one could avoid completely.
Sirius was scourged by the whips with sharp thorns on his whole body and fell down hastily as he scattered fresh blood.
– Papa!
Sirius raised his body by putting his strength into both arms and tried to stand up immediately due to Astraea’s shout, but his body sunk again on the ground.
He couldn’t put his strength into his arms and legs.
Because Ain, with the lashes moments ago, accurately cut the tendons of Sirius’s limbs into shreds with the sharp thorns.
And then, to Sirius who couldn’t move,
– Since you’re the father of two daughters, I want you to understand the feelings of a woman who loves flowers.
Ain gave him a candid advice――and showed a smirking and sadistic smile on her face.
– However, it’s not like I hate such vulgar appearance of yours, you know? In this world of beauty, there’s something called harmony. The flower pot of unsightly shapes brings the beauty of roses into prominence.
– …!
Together with a smile, Ain suddenly put back the palm of her left hand above her.
Then, a bud that tore off the clothes and the flesh of her palm came out.
That bud bloomed at an astounding growth rate as if time accelerated.
A deep crimson rose bloomed.
Then, the rose fell, leaving a seed behind.
Ain took that seed and,
– Well then, first is King Sirius, I’ll be sure to love your flower.
A terrifying magical flower that transformed humans into living flowerpots and tied them with flowers that sipped their blood and lives――
– Bloom beautifully. 《Bloody Mary》.
She snapped that seed and this seed flew to Sirius.
The seed forced itself into the flesh that was torn off by the lashes of Sirius, and grew explosively by sucking blood.
A thorny ivy grew inside him, stealing the freedom of his movement as it cut and tore the nerves from inside, he had transformed into a living flowerpot in a flash.
And made his life bloom.
This was how it should have been.
– ――!
– Eh?
But the seed bounced back in the opposite direction as if it had hit an invisible wall.
At the same time ――one of the fallen maids and who was next to Astraea stood up and approached Ain at a marvelous speed that was clearly different from ordinary people, just like an arrow.
– A hidden soldier!? This impudent behavior is…!
As expected of a hidden soldier that wouldn’t come out until the King was treated severely like this so that she wouldn’t notice them.
Ain showed astonishment, but her legs didn’t shake with the agitation and performed a precise counter-attack.
The same thing she did to Sirius earlier.
Lashes by《Rose Whip》.
Ain aimed at her legs. She had the intention to cut them off.
However, and similarly to what happened to the seed seconds ago, the whips bounced back before it reached the body of the maid.
But,
(――I’m wrong, she’s not a hidden soldier. This ability is!)
Ain had realized with the maid who stepped into the range of her weapon and who brandished her peculiar Device, that the impact that returned from《Rose Whip》,
Which connected to the arm of the maid,
Was different from the seed that was sent flying.
――I know this woman.
She let the slashing attack go past as it raised a shrieking sound and managed to shake free from it by jumping to the back at the very limit.
And,
– … Ara ara, I’m so surprised to meeting you again in Vermillion, you know?
She addressed the maid who cut her thorny shrubs with a chainsaw with a close tone of voice.
– I’m wondering why you look like that, about what are you doing mixed in among maids, Vier. … No, your actual name is Tatara Yui, isn’t it?
On the other hand――the black-haired girl disguised herself as a maid of Vermillion, a『professional killer』who participated in the last《Seven Stars Sword Art Festival》as a representative of Akatsuki Academy, didn’t hide her annoyingness and talked back to Ain with a tone of voice as if spitting out.
– What am I doing? That’s my line. ――You damn aneki.
*TN: Aneki means either elder sister or older female friend.
Tatara, who was finally set free from a very uninteresting mission and who returned from Japan to her parent’s home where she was born and raised… was lost for words.
Her parents, her older sister, everyone was slaughtered in the house.
They weren’t killed normally.
They were dead with roses sprouting from the holes in their bodies.
Moreover, when she examined their decayed bodies carefully, the direct cause of death was bleeding due to everyone biting off their tongues and cerebral contusion due to striking their heads against a pillar over and over.
In other words: it was suicide.
Yes, they were put to good use.
They were still in a state where thorny shrubs that sprouted inside them tore apart the flesh, pushed out the entrails, penetrated the eyeballs and the eardrums and flowers protruded from every hole and opening without break.
But they abandoned themselves, and now everyone lived a cruel life in so much pain.
Tatara read and understood that from the crime scene.
――And that there weren’t 2 people in the world who did such a distasteful『Murder』.
The criminal was immediately distinguished.
So――Tatara followed her footprints, and since she anticipated the thoughts of the enemy very well, she waited dressed up as a maid.
For when《Dirty Rose》appeared in front of her.
– When you do a job, you kill everyone except your target, and you kill as you please when you don’t have a job, you’ve been doing a lot of unpardonable actions since long ago… but you’ve been in high spirits quite recently, haven’t you!?
Tatara showed anger as she thrust her chainsaw Device《Jizuri Mukade》that raised a buzz at Ain.*
*TN: Jizuri Mukade roughly means “Ground-scraping centipede”.
Ain, who faced Tatara, shrugged her shoulders while never losing the composure on her face.
– Ufufu, I see. That means you’ve been after me, correct? While I did erase my footprints, it’s no wonder that I couldn’t trick a fellow student’s trade. And the meaning about you, chasing me is… is it about avenging the boring lot at your parent’s home that I made bloom, hmm? They call it filial piety, yes?
– Huh? What are you talking about?
– Ara? That’s not it? Even though I got utterly fed up with them that the only thing I could do was to kill them gruesomely? It’s not like you got angry at this that you came to take revenge?
– I don’t care about them. I hoped for them to die anytime soon.
– … You’re surprisingly cold, you know?
– We are professional killers. This isn’t a profession in which you can choose a decent way to die. Neither my parents nor my other older sister died in a way that all human beings die, that’s our retributive justice. A suitable end as they say.
That was Tatara’s truthful true opinion.
We kill people for money.
We arbitrarily trade other people’s lives for money.
Supposing she was betrayed and massacred by her own child, they didn’t deserve sympathy.
In fact, Tatara’s heart had not even a particle of compassion for her dead parents and other sisters.
Still, about why she ran after Ain was――
– … However, while I don’t care the lot at my house, somehow this idea was elaborated by no other than a client. Not too many non-crazed would dare to do so…! And the professional killer is one with one of the best job reputations in the world. You… you sullied the reputation of our《Abgrund》. The mud can only be rinsed with your blood. To put it simply, that’s how it is. I came to take clear responsibility for that as a pro!*
*TN: “Abgrund” is the furigana reading for “Black House” and it means abyss in German.
She herself, as an assassin of《Abgrund》, would dispose of《Dirty Rose》.
With that, the reputation of《Abgrund》would be regained.
Ain stared in wonder before this unexpected reason of Tatara’s action.
– Ara ara. I killed all the members of《Abgrund》except for you, but I never imagined you are fighting to regain the reputation of that house. The crybaby Vier has become someone incredibly splendid, you know? Onee-chan is pleased. But――
“Yes, but”, Ain showed a faint smile and,
– Can you accomplish it, I wonder? Will this《Dirty Rose》be cut by you?
The instant she told her as if mocking her, thin shadows raised faintly from Ain’s whole body.
They were thorny shrubs.
Thorny shrubs with pointed thorns wet with blood that extended all together from the interior of the skirt and from her back.
And then, she pointed them at Tatara with determination to kill.
Like a snake that raised its head.
This was《Dirty Rose》’s battle stance.
Tatara, who knew that,
– You say so, but you haven’t changed anything, huh. Like you look down on pretty much everything when it comes to your satisfaction. … But that’s a big misunderstanding.
– What do you mean?
– That we don’t exist for your satisfaction! Neither me nor them…!
She said so and looked at the monitor left turned on all this time with a sidelong glance.
Ain was also lured by the movement of her eyes.
In this very moment, another big change on the battlefield was happening again.
The sky fell on the collapsed Ikki Kurogane.
No, the sky was simply mistaken for the sole of a giant hooded man.
The giant-sized man with over 300 meters in length was about to trample on Ikki with the same anger when his eye was wounded by him.
Before this, Ikki,
(This, is bad!)
If I don’t do something, I’ll die.
Thought so, but without even being capable of escape,
He forced himself too much with a body that used up his magic powers.
Somehow, he raised half of his body, but as the bones of his whole body were broken, he couldn’t move his arms and legs very well.
The foot of the man was way too big to crawl and escape from it.
He simply couldn’t get away.
What should I――
Ikki didn’t even have the time to think about it now.
The huge man mercilessly squashed Ikki’s world――
– I made it.
– !
“It all ends here, huh”, the moment he prepared to die.
A voice reached him from behind the nape, a gust of wind passed through next to Ikki and jumped in front of him right away.
– Ah――
Ikki knew this imposing figure dressed in black armor.
Yes, 《Black Knight》Iris Ascaride came running just in time.
And,
– ――HaaaAaAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!
She slammed the battleaxe she held in her hand against the falling foot of the man.
And put all her might into it.
It meant she was trying to force back the man’s foot.
――That was reckless.
Ascaride was incredibly small against a man that almost poked the sky.
Like an ant trying to lift an elephant’s leg.
There was no way she could do it.
If it was Stella, then she might probably do it, but《Black Knight》hadn’t the strength like the one of a dragon.
Her physical strength that could be hypothesized from her physique when unarmored was very strong for a woman, but it didn’t seem to be enough to force the falling sky back.
It was impossible.
Yes, even Ikki thought so.
But,
『Gu, uu!?』
(This, is…!)
The impossible-to-stop giant sole came to a stop when it collided with 《Black Knight》Ascaride‘s raised-up battleaxe.
Competition was born between ant and elephant.
――How?
Ikki immediately understood the answer.
《Black Knight》, who caught the giant’s foot.
A large amount of fresh blood gushed out from the gaps of her obsidian armor due to the crushing pressure.
Her skin, her flesh and her bones were destroyed without being able to withstand the weight of the giant.
But still, 《Black Knight》’s knees didn’t fall to the ground.
Her back didn’t bend even a little.
The weight of the giant only crushed the ground at Ascaride’s feet.
The regenerative power of《Orichalcos》, the one that saved Ikki, was continuously regenerating her body at a rate that surpassed the destruction done by the pressure. Therefore, 《Black Knight》would never break. Or yield.
And finally――
– HAAAaAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAaaAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!
Ascaride literally pushed back the falling sky by sheer strength.
The battleaxe was completely swung, the slash cut the sole of the shoe and foot of the giant very deeply, causing a rain of fresh blood.
『It, it huuuurths!』
The giant, who fell down and screamed due to the immense pain.
Brought a great destruction to the city, but it was worth since Ikki lured him to an unpopulated place, nobody was injured.
Including Ikki’s life.
– Are you okay?
– … Yes, thanks to you.
Ikki returned a nod to Ascaride who asked for his safety.
And,
– I feel like I understood the reason why you’re called resilient.
He praised her power that he caught sight of.
Ikki thought.
“Evidently, this is an ability that represents the《Desperado》who are outside the ring of fate”.
A strength that didn’t snap even before a destruction of that magnitude.
IPS regenerative tanks and the like were no match against such regenerative power.
Perhaps it would be impossible to kill Ascaride with simple external wounds.
――How strong.
This was the strength of the people called《Desperado》.
『It hurths, IT HUUURTHS! ME, ANGRYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!』
But there was no time to being impressed.
Because the giant stood up again with an angry look and with tears and drool on his face.
– Ascaride-san! He’s coming again!
However, Ascaride, before such warning of Ikki,
– It’s alright.
Returned a few words without shaking in the slightest and,
――Thrust the battleaxe in her hand into the ground, she ended up letting it go.
What is she thinking about?
Ascaride even exposed her face by throwing her helmet off,
Looked up at the giant with her blue left eye and her right red eye,
– Behave yourself!
She said those two words in a tone of voice as if reprimanding a small child.
『――!』
At that moment, something unbelievable happened.
The angry look of the scolded giant suddenly transformed into a pallid one,
『I, I’m, I’m zo zorryy〜〜〜〜uaaaaa!!』
He burst into tears and turned aside adroitly and ended up running away while slamming the ground with his heavy feet.
As one would expect, Ikki was dumbfounded without understanding the meaning of this.
– He, ran, away…? W-why…?
Ascaride answered the question of Ikki.
– His name is《B・B》. In reality it’s《BIG BABY》. His body is tremendously powerful, but the truth is that he’s a five-year-old child picked up by《Rebellion》.
– F-five years old!?
– Yes. That’s why it’s better to make him understand by speaking to him rather than hitting him.
If the counter was done poorly, he would go into a frenzy and attack.
Ascaride, who said so, put her mask on again and put her hands on the battleaxe.
At that moment.
– Eh?
Something even more amazing than the giant escaping happened in the battlefield.
The sky of Vermillion. The black clouds that hung low over gloomily vanished.
– W-what the!? The sky suddenly――〜〜〜〜〜〜!?
Then, a gust of wind and dust struck their bodies.
A strong wind that even blew the rubble and cars away easily.
In the sandstorm where one couldn’t breathe, and where one could end up being rolled up to the sky if one relaxed one’s attention,
– … It’s okay.
Ascaride stood without swaying in the gust of wind and gave him a voice of reassurance.
– It seems like the greatest helper has come.
(The clouds vanished…!?)
The change in the sky that happened all of a sudden was also confirmed by Stella who was on the west main road far from the central main road.
And its cause too.
(Meteo…rites!?)
What blew the clouds away was a huge rock that burned blue due to air resistance.
The diameter of the huge meteorite with its back on the dusk sky was unsurprisingly over 20 meters.
The natural calamity that carried an overwhelming destructive power headed straight to Stella――
No, it rushed towards《Haboob》Naseem standing in front of Stella.
Could such a coincidence occur?
Stella hardened as she looked up at the sky, greatly surprised,
Naseem as well,
– Tsk!
He was unable to deal the killing blow on the ground of Vermillion with the sandstorm-clad fist that he had swung down.
It was incomparable to a shelling of a tank.
If a Blazer were to receive such a thing, it wouldn’t stand a chance against it.
But, avoidance was impossible already.
The meteorite had already reached its terminal speed. Escaping wasn’t possible.
Therefore, Naseem looked up at the meteorite falling on him,
And the instant it approached before his eyes,
-《Dead End Blow》――――!!!!
He struck the meteorite with the strength that he expected to swing downward on the ground of Vermillion.
A straight with the maximum of his strength.
――What a wasteful struggling.
That was what happened when he struck the falling meteorite.
His fist was smashed in an instant, his whole body was inevitably crushed.
He couldn’t shake it.
The can’t-be-shaken power relationship.
But――the impact of destruction caused by the fall of the meteorite wasn’t limited to crushing Naseem.
– Kyaaaaaaa!!!!
Immediately after, a bomb blast mixed with sand swept over her as if slamming against her.
The body of Stella, which was right next to the falling point, was easily blown away by the impact.
There was no way she could fight against it.
She couldn’t even open her eyes.
Stella closed her eyes and waited intently for the torrent of power to pass,
And after she finally confirmed that the shock wave that struck her body subsided, she opened her eyes.
And, she saw it.
A space of about 100 meters in diameter with the falling point as its center. Anything and everything that was there like buildings, cars and the asphalt of the roads was entirely blown away, the scene amounted to an empty lot with nothing but sand.
– ……! What on earth, just….
A thick cloud of dust ascended to the sky from the center of explosion.
Stella, who gazed at it, was stunned.
Was this a godsend?
Was this natural disaster by chance an allied to the predicament of Vermillion?
– Does that chance even exist…?
– No, it’s not what you think.
– !
A voice of negation was heard right behind Stella.
The surprised Stella turned around immediately,
– Howdy, Stella-chan, you look pretty bad, huh. Kurobou won’t be charmed at all, you know?
And saw a little girl dressed in a bewitching kimono who laughed impishly.
――No, she wasn’t a little girl.
Stella knew the real identity of this petite woman.
– Ne-Nene-sensei!?
Yes. The one who stood behind Stella was a contract teacher who worked for Hagun Academy in Japan where Stella was studying abroad and also a world-leading powerful person who finished third at the KOK A-Rank League last year organized by《International Mage-Knights League》. Stella had apprenticed herself directly to《Princess Yaksha》Saikyou Nene for a while. And the moment she recognized her figure, Stella understood the series of natural disasters that had happened now.
The ability of《Princess Yaksha》was gravity manipulation. She used this ability she was endowed with as a display of power by pulling space debris from outer space and throwing it violently against her opponents.
Its name was《Hadou Tensei》
A Noble Arts that received a《Designated as a Prohibited Skill》and its use prohibited by League except in case of emergency.
Then that meteorite was pulled by that ability.
However,
– W-why is Nene-sensei in Vermillion!?
– Well, isn’t Vermillion a member nation of League? If so, then me being here is rather obvious, no? I’m a《Mage-Knight》before a teacher and an athlete.
The frame itself called League was “We swear to help each other out”.
In that case, it was natural that《Mage-Knights》under the command of League performed an emergency intervention on the predicament of Vermillion.
– It’s not just me. The《Prime Minister》of League has already summoned an army from neighboring countries and《Mage-Knights》who can only move in situations like this. More than one million reinforcements will be coming soon.
– One million…! That’s too much!
– Well, since it’s not in my nature to wait, I ended up coming earlier by riding the meteorite, you see.
Nene, who answered Stella’s doubt, turned a wry smile to Stella as if feeling pity for her.
– Be that as it may. Stella-chan is also a calamity. Like you ended being involved with a troublesome lot during your long-awaited summer vacation. … The god of poverty of a certain someone changed target or so it seems, isn’t it?
– … Don’t make me smile. But, thank you. Because of that, I was saved.
– Hmm? What are you talking about? I haven’t saved you yet, you know? That thing isn’t going to kick the bucket with something of this degree.
– ――Eh?
Stella, who reacted with “are you telling me that” to the words told to her, looked at the falling point where a cloud of dust rose up.
At the center of it, which was now unconcealed as the cloud of dust was slowly being swept away by the wind,
The undamaged《Haboob》stood there.
– You’re kidding, right…? I mean, wasn’t he defeated by that ability, by the meteorite!?
Stella couldn’t hide her shock.
She had confidence in her strength, but she simply couldn’t think he could crush《Princess Yaksha》’s 《Hadou Tensei》right from the front.
Nene, who was next to Stella,
– Well, it’s not like I defeated him with my ability. … It’s just that I didn’t think that I could bring him down, but how is that he hasn’t even a single scratch? This truly hurts my pride! As one would expect of someone called the world’s strongest warmonger, huh.
She said “It looks like this thing has become a tough business trip” and spilled a fed-up sigh to the figure of the unharmed enemy.
– The only redeeming thing you have is that you’re quite a beauty. That unshaven face is nice, that something that doesn’t seem to be composure and yet is advanced in age is good, and I like that wild thing you have. … What do you say? Why don’t you drop that child as your opponent and try to enjoy yourself with me?
Nene walked up to Naseem as she talked to him in a frivolous tone of voice.
Naseem returned with a surprised voice.
– You’re《Princess Yaksha》Nene, huh? You’re a moron who doesn’t know about moderation, just like I’ve heard from the rumors. If I weren’t able to defend against that, all the losers in this whole area would be dead, you know?
– You’re not a guy who would drop dead quietly with such a cheap surprise explosion, are you? It’s not my cup of tea to talk about impossible possibilities. Let’s use our time more meaningfully.
– Kuku. You’re a crazed woman, almost too good especially as a《Mage-Knight》. I don’t hate that.
Naseem also walked towards Nene as he dropped a smile at Nene’s reply.
And then, once they reached a position in which they grabbed each other’s collar,
But Naseem grabbed the collar of Nene’s kimono,
――And stripped her to her shoulders with all his strength.
He looked down at the small swellings unsuitable for the age of the exposed Nene and,
– Sorry, but having sex with brats isn’t my hobby.
Scorned her like that.
Stella, who was next to her, was lost for words with his very rude behavior.
But Nene, the person in question who received that humiliation,
– Well, I’m not saying something like take me with you, you know?
Instead of trying to fix her opened kimono, she showed a smile on her face as if baring her fangs and,
– There’s nothing I love the most than seeing bastards who put on airs like you screaming『Hii hii』under my crotch.
She gently caressed the right arm of Naseem who grabbed her kimono in a sensual manner as if stroking his downy hair.
Naseem felt fright with that and tried to pull back immediately.
But,
– …!
He couldn’t.
When he realized, the small left hand of Nene was digging his arm.
He wasn’t able to shake free from that.
He couldn’t become sand.
Why, how?
He didn’t have time to think about it.
*Thud*,
The right foot of Nene mowed down Naseem’s side.
At that moment, Naseem’s body was kicked by Nene and was blown off horizontally with a momentum like a cannonball and passed through the undamaged buildings even after being struck by the sandstorm more than 50 meters ahead. He disappeared from the limits of their field of vision as the buildings collapsed one after another.
Stella was dumbfounded before this scene.
This wasn’t――an ordinary kick of power.
The physical strength of Nene who manipulated gravity betrayed greatly her petite impression.
Stella herself actually knew about it by experiencing it personally, so that didn’t surprise her.
What surprised her was,
– H-how?
“How did you hit the enemy that kills slashes by becoming sand?”
Nene, to this question of Stella,
– Since he runs away by becoming sand, if he’s hardened then the story is different, you know?
Nene said and showed her left hand clad in a gravitational field where light was curved and turned into darkness.
Stella noticed this and said “I see” at the same time.
If he was hardened then damage would pass through as she could do the same with her own heat.
Yes, Naseem shouldn’t be able to dodge her attack if the heat she has is enough to end up『Vitrifying』him the moment he was touched with that heat.
Stella, who attained that awareness and hope, put an even stronger heat into《Laevateinn》.
But Nene warned Stella in a quiet voice.
– Don’t fight anymore. This guy is way beyond Stella-chan’s powers.
– Wha.
Her objection was soundless.
Because a roaring sound that shook the earth heavily and deeply with a *goon*resounded and a huge sand pillar erupted in the direction Naseem flew as if opposing him.
A cloud of dust rose up high in the sky.
What on ea――, as soon as she thought so, another change was generated.
A collapse.
Centered on the point where the sand pillar had rose up, the visible buildings of the city bent one after another and collapsed.
――No, it was different.
Stella immediately noticed.
The buildings weren’t collapsing.
The ground itself where the city was built was sinking.
The level ground sunk. The townscape of the west ward, the Kledelland soldiers who were there and everything was gulped down by the ground as if swallowed up by an antlion pit.
– W-what did he do!?
– … This is『Haboob』. It means『Sandstorm』in Arabic. It’s not just a strong wind. The God of Death of the Mother Nature that『desertifies』 all the land he has passed by.
Nene muttered as she stared at the collapsed city with a gaze filled with a strong feeling of tension,
――And swung her feet lightly and threw off the tengu geta she was wearing.
*TN: Tengu-geta are Japanese wooden footwear. Tengu-geta have only a single centered “tooth”.
Stella, who saw the tengu geta fell down, was lost for words.
The long and single tooth of the tengu geta.
More than half of them became something less than sand and dust, they had lost their shape.
*TN: “Them” because it was a pair of tengu geta.
– … This guy brought equal destruction to both the side he sided with and the side he’s hostile against as a mercenary. He steals money, lives, just about everything that is here, nothing but sand will remain after he had gone. All the living creatures have died out and this land of death will extend and extend. Do you get it? In other words, he’s called『Haboob』to indicate that deed.『The man with the ability of the sand』isn’t a cute thing at all. Sand is a secondary product of his ability. The essence of Naseem Al-Salem is… 『Calamity』shaped as a person――and『Dryness』 that will bring death to this planet.
– ――!
With those words, Stella discerned what had happened before her eyes.
Naseem destroyed the crust itself of the west ward of Caldia with the ability of『Dryness』.
Like when it crushed《Hadou Tensei》.
It stole to exhaustion all the water in an instant with his ability.
The crust, which had all its water sucked up, became dry sand, the ground lost its viscosity and crumbled fragilely.
The result: a large-scale land subsidence was produced.
In other words――Naseem Al-Salem killed it.
A part of this world.
With his own fist.
Stella was dumbfounded by the scale of the ability of the enemy that could kill even the solid earth.
It was natural. If a knight had such an ability, and started to act violently and seriously in the place where both the Kledelland and Vermillion armies were gathered… one couldn’t even imagine how many thousands of lives would be sacrificed!
Unless she absolutely avoid it.
However, the war situation was persistently merciless against Stella’s concerns,
– Kukuku… hahahahahaa! I like this! How many have passed since I received such an eye-opening blow!?
Naseem wiped the blood that overflowed from a corner of his mouth with one of his thumbs and made the eyes behind the sunglasses become bloodshot,
– I took a liking to you, 《Princess Yaksha》…! I’ll have sex with you as I please…! I’ll drain your blood until the last drop with my『Dryness』 !!.
Immediately after, Naseem started running straight towards Nene.
He kept the ability that destroyed even the solid ground in both fists.
The distance was shortened at a speed that wasn’t comparable to when he was fighting Stella.
Stella held the sword as she urged herself with a feeling of impatience that she had to defeat this enemy as soon as possible,
– Don’t move.
– ――!?
The few words of Nene, that possessed dignity and felt like they reprimanded her, stole the movement of her whole body.
It wasn’t coercion.
That constraint sewed on Stella’s body with a physical pressure as if her shoulders were pinned by an invisible hand.
Was it a Noble Arts? However, there were no signs that Nene had used a technique.
W-what on earth is going on? Stella was bewildered.
And then, Nene manifested her iron-ribbed fan Device《Red Ageha》ignoring Stella.
She held it in her hands and stepped into Naseem’s territory who came from the front again.
– Wai-
Wait, that was Stella’s request, but it wasn’t granted.
As the《Desperado》made their names well known in the world.
A collision of knights with the power to change even the terrain.
If such a battle were to happen in a place where many lives were gathered, a tragedy would be unavoidable.
However, Nene wouldn’t go easy on Naseem who will go all out as a《Desperado》.
And so, the whole might of two《Desperado》would crash.
Just before that.
「「――――!?」」
*Tsun*, ――a cloud-of-dust wall rose up between them with a sharp wind-cutting sound.
As if to block the path of the two people who were about to hit each other.
That was rolled up by a huge slash that fell from the sky.
All the ones who were there looked up at the sky, wandering what was that,
– It’ll be pretty bad if you get excited, so can you stop fighting for a moment?
High in the sky dyed in brilliant red.
They saw a warhorse shining in golden color and a young blond man straddling it and a small figure covered with a black hood next to him.
It was impossible to mistake them.
The golden warhorse was Johan Kristoff Von Collbrand’s Device《Chariot》and the boy in a hood standing in the empty air was none other than――《Marionette King》Or=Gaule.
Her sworn enemy suddenly appeared in the battlefield. And to the figure of the culprit of this strife,
– W-why?
However, Stella’s pair of eyes that looked up weren’t pointing at Or=Gaule or Johan.
She only looked up at one point.
A peach blonde woman was sat behind Johan, riding the warhorse――
– L-Luna-nee!?
It was the figure of Lunaize Vermillion, her older sister who should be in the hospital of the Imperial City.
The figure of Lunaize who appeared mounting the golden warhorse could be confirmed from the monitor on the Imperial Palace of Flareberg,
– L-Lunaaa!? W-why is Luna there!?
– No way, she was kidnapped…!?
Her parents couldn’t hide their shock.
Ain, who just tried to attack Tatara, complained to《Marionette King》through a『Thread』used for communication who raised a voice of control to stop their movement.
– What is it now? Just when I’m about to have fun.
『I’m sorry. There’s something important to say regarding the future of this『War』 』
Or=Gaule returned an apology to the complaint of Ain from the other side of the monitor.
And, in that video,
『Give Luna-nee baaaaaaaaaack!!!!』
A straight line.
A deep crimson light that extended towards the sky was displayed.
――《Crimson Princess》Stella Vermillion embodied a dragon’s wings of flame on her back.
Stella swoop down on Or=Gaule like an arrow with her newly-acquired flying ability.
Or=Gaule panicked before this,
– Uwawa, wait, wait!
– There’s no use in arguing about it!
Stella brandished《Laevateinn》without caring about his natural thoughts or his voice of control.
But,
– Calm down. Stella.
– ……!?
The charge of Stella stopped with that voice.
The owner of the voice was no other than.
Lunaize Vermillion.
Stella was surprised by the tone of voice of her own sister that had her characteristic dignity as always.
– Luna-nee? Are you all right?
She certainly thought her consciousness was being manipulated or influenced.
However, as seen by the eyes of Stella, the existence of threads could only be confirmed on Johan.
Lunaize said to Stella who was bewildered saying “What’s going on here?”.
– It’s fine, don’t worry. I wasn’t kidnapped or something like that. … Because I voluntarily went to the place of the current King of Kledelland.
– Eh?
– That’s right, Stella-chan. Giving her back is disreputable. You can’t go putting the fault on people for anything and everything, you know?
– H-hold on a second! W-what do you mean with voluntarily!?
Stella asked Lunaize without listening to Or=Gaule’s interruption.
– It’s as I said. After I woke up in the hospital, I went back to Kledelland immediately afterwards… I discussed this with the King of Kledelland and solved the misunderstandings and disagreements that existed between us and Kledelland.
– Huh…? L-Luna-nee, what did you say, just now?
The confusion of Stella got much worse due to the words that came back from Lunaize.
Lunaize headed to Kledelland after she woke up?
If she used a car or a helicopter in that period of time, it was possible.
But why?
For what?
In the first place, what were those misunderstandings and disagreements?
Stella thought desperately and tried to understand the words of Lunaize.
She feared this was probably the same for Sirius and Astraea.
But those efforts of them were,
– Stella. Did you know that Chichi-ue entrusted me with all the decisions regarding this war between Kledelland and Vermillion?
– W-what relation does that have with…
The very next moment, she was smashed in very small pieces.
– I declare with that authority. Vermillion, as a member nation of the League, has officially accepted the declaration of war of the new government of Kledelland. According to the rules of League, the battle will not be done by our armed forces, but instead, both sides will carry out a battle of representatives done by 5《Mage-Knights》selected from their current national military strength to settle the war. These are legitimate war rights exercised in accordance with the rules, and as such, neither governments allow any emergency intervention by the《International Mage-Knights League》――within the territories of Vermillion and Kledelland.
– W-what did you saaay――――!?
… Because that was an impossible statement, there was no way she could understand that not only she recognized the literally new puppet government made by Or=Gaule but also she personally abandoned all the reinforcements of over a million troops.
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