CH 76

「——That does it.」

After Ether Strike annihilated Myynti, Inglis nodded to herself. Now, even after she fired Ether Strike at full strength, she still had some strength left. She could proudly claim that her endurance was growing slowly but steadily.

「As expected of you, Glis! You’re awesome!」 「I always know you’re amazing, but never to this extent!」

Rafinha and Leone came running to her.

「Yeah. I would have liked to fight him more slowly, though. He was a good training partner.」

Despite his look, the Chimera’s strength was the real deal. Inglis had to settle things promptly because of the circumstance at play, but in any other scenario, she would drag the fight out.

「Eeehh……? Isn’t that impossible, physiologically and aesthetically speaking?」 「S-, she’s right. He was as disgusting as before he became a Magic Stone Beast; you know?」 「Yeah, but you know. Strength is neither bad nor good——」

Inglis might as well fight the Chimera with her eyes closed, so ‌it wouldn’t enter her vision.

「J-, just who are you……? That kind of power, not even Holy Knights or Hyrule Menaces——」 「I am but a run-of-the-mill Squire, though? You may look at it yourself.」

Said Inglis as she held out both of her hands to Prime Minister Althea, neither of which was engraved with Rune.

「Nuu, you certainly are——But, you have something more……」 「Rather than me, why don’t we devise a way to escape this subspace together? We still don’t know the situation outside too——」 「T-, true…… But, how do we——」

The Prime Minister was cut in the middle of his sentence, as the four of them saw the surrounding scenery changing rapidly. At one moment, Inglis thought the space distorted in front of her eyes. The next moment, they were already back to the cabin.

「Eh!? We’re back……!? Did you do something, Glis?」 「No, I did nothing.」 「Aaah!! Look over there!」

At the direction of Leone’s sight, there was Faris. On his abdomen, a sword was sticking out, covered in sticky blood. And the owner of the sword that pierced him was—— A male with his features covered with a black iron mask, his outfit all black, complete with a cloak. It was the Black Mask, the head of the Ironblood Chain Brigade.

「!!! The brigade’s Black Mask!」

Shouted Rafinha.

「Eh……!? Th-, that means——」 「Exactly, Leone. He is the leader of the Ironblood Chain Brigade.」

Now Inglis could guess why they were ejected from the subspace. At the hand of Black Mask, Faris was fatally wounded. This must have caused the subspace to collapse.

「Kgh……!! Uuuh……!!!」

With a thud, Faris’ body crashed into the floor.

「Inglis Eux. How odd to meet you here.」

The Black Mask glanced at Inglis.

「Just how did you get here……」

Did he impersonate an insider and intruded, or——

「By that.」

The Black Mask pointed a direction behind him. His back was facing a wall, blown open by some kind of impact from outside. Upon closer look, rubbles of the wall were loitering the room everywhere, making the entire space even messier than when Inglis left it.

And then, beyond the opened hole, hanging in the open sky—— Was the sight of a giant flying ship.

「Wha……!」 「EEEHH!?!?」 「You have something like that——!?」

The flying vessel was just as big as the Highland’s ships. The hull was equipped with several gun ports, which Inglis assumed to be the cause of the open hole in the wall.

「Impossible, why would you people have something our Kingdom can’t even acquire……!?」

The Prime Minister’s question was spot on. If they possessed such a thing, then they were no longer just an ordinary guerilla organization. Just what was the extent of the Ironblood Chain Brigade’s military strength? How uncanny. Any missteps and the brigade could’ve easily taken over a single country.

「Rather than fussing the detail, just defeat him here and now!」

Leone swung down her black great sword Artifact. There was a distance between her and the Black Mask, but her blade stretched out in an instant and struck its target.

Clink!!

However, Leone’s full-strength strike was easily blocked by the Black Mask with his one-handed sword.

「Cease the thought. You can’t defeat me with your strength.」 「Shut up! It’s because of you, big brother Leon is—! It’s all because of your cajolery, big brother Leon deserted the Kingdom!!」

Leone attacked fiercely in quick succession, but the Black Mask parried them all.

「That is simply untrue. Comrade Leon would stand on his own against all odds, even if I wasn’t there. A few persuasive lines from the likes of me would never sway him. He is a man with a resolute core. We only work together because our ideals aligned, is all.」 「Shut your mouth! Don’t you talk as if you know him!!」 「Good lords——」

Kraang!!!

The Black Mask started an attack, he swung at Leone’s blade.

「Aah……!?」

The great sword was swatted away from Leone’s hand by the impact, falling to the floor as it was.

「I warn you. If you attempt to attack me any further, I shall act in self-defense. I have my own agenda.」 「Kgh……! You won’t threaten me with that……!!」

Leone didn’t hesitate to pick her Artifact back up from the floor. But Inglis gently took her hand and stopped Leone.

「Wait, Leone. Can you leave the rest to me? I’m worried about you, and besides——」 「You want to fight him?」 「…… Is it obvious?」 「You didn’t notice? Your face is basically grinning.」 「——I’m sorry, but can I?」 「All right. Since there is no other choice but to leave it to you either——Inglis, please.」 「Yeah. You can leave it to me.」

Inglis walked up to the Black Mask.

「This day sure comes faster than I thought.」 「…… Let me ask just one thing. Where is Highland’s Special Envoy Myynti? If I don’t take him out first, we can’t enjoy our bout freely.」 「He is no longer here. I took care of him.」 「You saved me some trouble. This is my exit then——Though, I suppose, I can’t exactly say so.」 「That is true. If you’re inclined to escape, then I will chase after you to your ship. Don’t blame me if it gets broken.」 「That would be a problem——」

It was then——

DOAARRR!!!

The ship rocked wildly after a thunderous roar.