Chronicle Legion:Volume 1 Chapter 6
Contents [hide]
1 Chapter 6 - Legatus Legionis (2)
1.1 Part 1
1.2 Part 2
1.3 Part 3
1.4 Part 4
Chapter 6 - Legatus Legionis (2)[edit]
Part 1[edit]
The moment Akigase Rikka fainted was 16:04.
Two hours later, the Suruga tutelary fort received news. A wyvern in charge of perimeter reconnaissance had discovered the enemies.
It was after 6pm. The sky of the setting sun was gradually turning dark.
Roughly two hundred enemy Legions were approaching Suruga City under the cover of the autumn night.
Setting off from the Fuji tutelary fort, the enemies had used low-speed flight which did not consume ectoplasmic fluid, flying across Suruga Bay. However, the enemies were not Crusades.
They were an army of Imperial j.a.pan"s prided blue samurai, the Kamuys.
The Kinai Fiefdom and the British had joined forces to establish the Restoration Alliance. Opposing the Alliance meant that infighting between Kamuys would eventually happen one day.
And this one day was tonight.
The nation-protecting keep was the tutelary fort"s core. Tachibana Hatsune was waiting in the ground floor hall. Soldiers of the Tōkaidō provincial army were hurrying in and out, which meant that they were working hard in response to the enemy attack.
Hatsune was standing alone in a corner to avoid getting in their way.
Were this a party, Hatsune would probably be a "wallflower," but the current situation was the opposite.
"Civil war... People from the same country killing one another."
Hatsune sighed, feeling uncharacteristically depressed.
Viewed through rosy gla.s.ses, the so-called Sengoku era was a time when ambitious daimyo lords vied for supremacy to unify the nation—But it was nothing more than a bloodbath where j.a.panese slaughtered one another in civil war. Similarly, the Meiji Restoration saw reformists in the Bak.u.matsu era rallying to usher in a new age—But it too was a time of civil unrest full of tragedy.
Perhaps such an era was about to arrive again.
"Onii-sama and the princess, I wonder if they"re okay...?"
Hatsune was not only part of the princess and a Chevalier"s entourage but had also distinguished herself by rescuing the castellan.
Hence, she was allowed to stay in the nation-protecting keep. Hatsune did not want to act ent.i.tled, but at least she felt thankful for securing a spot for herself in the hall.
Staying here allowed her to keep a close watch on the battle situation.
For example, she could check in real-time how her Onii-sama from the Tachibana clan fought and his safety on the battlefield.
"To be honest, the situation is quite unfavorable. You"ve got to do your best, Onii-sama...!"
The Chevalier originally supposed to fight alongside him, Akigase Rikka was unconscious.
The ifrit and spirit guarding the tutelary fort were also in poor condition.
Masatsugu had become everyone"s final hope. Together with his liege Shiori, he had gone underground of the nation-protecting keep but still had not returned.
Suppressing her anxiety, Hatsune quietly waited for the battle to begin.
"H-How is it?"
"As I suspected... The water here seems unsuitable for me."
Masatsugu was underground of the tutelary fort, currently in the water shrine"s bath.
Shiori was also by his side. The vat of ectoplasmic fluid, resembling a round swimming pool, was filled with marine-blue artificial ectoplasmic fluid. The center was designed like a fountain where the blue liquid flowed out continuously.
Masatsugu was soaking in the vat alone.
In charge of accompanying and instructing him, Shiori remained outside the bath with her back towards Masatsugu.
"What do you mean by unsuitable?"
"Princess, you said the ectoplasmic fluid here would seep into my body and soul to help me resupply, right? Unfortunately, I don"t feel like I"m absorbing any ectoplasmic fluid at all."
"I see..."
Shiori listened attentively but insistently refused to look towards the vat of ectoplasmic fluid.
She kept her back to Masatsugu the whole time because he was naked. As soon as he arrived at the vat of ectoplasmic fluid, Masatsugu had undressed because clothing was in the way.
Turning bright red, Shiori had hastily turned her back to Masatsugu.
Evidently, she was neither used to "looking at others" nor being looked at herself. Moreover, the princess was dressed in the school uniform as before.
"By the way, Princess. From what I"ve heard... Highborn women usually have ladies-in-waiting to help them change, so they don"t mind disrobing in front of other people. This doesn"t seem to apply to you, Princess, why is that?"
"Y-You are talking about customs from almost a century ago!"
Masatsugu"s honest question received a scolding answer in response.
"Even though we are royalty, it would be problematic living as modern humans if one were to lack basic life skills such as dressing oneself. Please do not raise questions like these which are tantamount to s.e.xual hara.s.sment!"
"I shouldn"t have asked."
"Putting that aside, Masatsugu-sama, is the resupply of ectoplasmic fluid completely ineffective?"
"Yes, though... coming here did accomplish something at least."
As soon as he finished, Masatsugu"s entire body shone with a faint glow.
The tutelary pact had been established between Masatsugu and Suruga"s water shrine. This now allowed him to make effective use of the home advantage, to be able to summon Legions at will near the tutelary fort and revive casualties within shorter time frames...
That being said, all this was rather meaningless for Masatsugu who still did not have a single soldier under his command.
"The ability to form a tutelary pact but not replenish ectoplasmic fluid—" Shiori murmured to herself in surprise.
However, she did not give up hope. With her back to Masatsugu, she entered deep thought. Twenty seconds later, she shared her conclusion decisively.
"This leaves me no choice. I shall ask for the reason."
"Ask? Who will you ask?"
"My grandfather. In fact... I already have an idea as to the ident.i.ty of the witch who had just attacked Rikka-sama. She is probably the same as me."
The same? Masatsugu was quite surprised. The princess slowly turned her head towards him.
Their gazes met. Despite facing the naked Masatsugu, Shiori was no longer nervous.
This was probably a combination of Masatsugu"s lower body being submerged in ectoplasmic fluid and the fact that they were confronting a serious matter—In any case, it was a very poignant topic.
"The witch is probably a member of royalty. She descends from a princess who married a sacred beast as a priestess to become the sacred beast"s consort... In other words, she is either a daughter or a granddaughter with a sacred beast"s blood flowing within her."
"The witch Hatsune saw is royalty like you, Princess?"
"Yes. When we pray to our forefathers, the sacred beasts, there is a chance that our wishes come true. Normally, we pray for major national matters, such as asking sacred beasts to grant the likes of Legions or Appellations... As for me," Shiori tossed her glittering platinum blonde hair lightly, "I am able to pray for personal wishes more arbitrarily. My dragon blood is stronger than any of the other princesses, which seems to facilitate communing with my grandfather. That transforming witch is probably—no, she must be a princess whose heritage of sacred beast blood must be even stronger than mine."
Yesterday, Shiori had revealed that Lord Tenryuu granted Masatsugu to her.
Stronger ties to a sacred beast also implied greater proximity to the mystical.
"Masatsugu-sama, please come out and stand before me... O-Of course, kindly make yourself presentable first."
Shiori became a little fl.u.s.tered at the end. After speaking, she turned her back to Masatsugu again.
Masatsugu left the vat of ectoplasmic fluid and wrapped a bath towel around his waist. With a slender build, he was not a big man with bulging muscles. But overall, his body was quite well-trained without the slightest flab, approaching the physique of a boxer before a match.
Thus, the two of them were now face to face.
Sitting on the edge of the vat of ectoplasmic fluid, Masatsugu lowered his head. Shiori reached out and placed her right hand on the forehead of the amnesiac Resurrectee.
Then the eyes of the girl with dragon blood instantly shone blue.
"...I know the answer."
Shiori"s whispering voice was very solemn. This was only to be expected as it was the voice of a shrine maiden speaking an oracle.
"Ectoplasmic fluid must merge with the body and soul in order to activate mystic powers... However, Masatsugu-sama, you have lost your name and memories..."
Shiori"s expression vanished. Her face had a cold and inorganic beauty like a doll"s.
"This condition is equivalent to losing a portion of one"s soul. An incomplete vessel. A damaged soul cannot carry ectoplasmic fluid... and consequently cannot ensure an army"s nourishment..."
Masatsugu frowned. He never expected his memory loss to cause such a problem.
Furthermore, he noticed that something was escaping from the expressionless Shiori. Masatsugu understood instinctively through a Chevalier"s ability to sense noesis.
"The reason why you are unable to materialize Legions is as I suspected... A shortage of ectoplasmic fluid reserves after all. Let me take this opportunity... to pray for the restoration of your memory. Whether it will succeed or not, can only be known after the attempt is made..."
Masatsugu felt very skeptical. Could Shiori really pray for the restoration of his memories?
In that case, why had she not attempted it earlier? The certain something escaping from the princess—the flow was increasing. Could it be that...
"Masatsugu-sama, please close your eyes."
Despite his surprise, Masatsugu followed Shiori"s instructions.
He closed his eyes and saw some kind of scene.
First there was a cla.s.sroom with many students of Rinzai High there. However, it was not cla.s.s time but a meeting of thte school festival"s executive committee. The scene shifted again to a cla.s.sroom where a lesson was in progress, then to a bedroom in the boys dorm, then Masatsugu and Taisei heading out after school together...
Scenes of his everyday life was flashing past like in a kaleidoscope.
Masatsugu saw his memories from the past two years, tracing backwards slowly from the most recent. One month ago, two months ago, three months ago, a year ago, a year and a half ago.
Finally, it was two years ago, the first time he gained consciousness after his memory loss.
He was lying on a futon in some kind of house. Someone from the Tachibana clan was next to him and told him many things while he was awake. A few days after that, he had come to Suruga.
Masatsugu had no recollection of anything earlier, but the backtracking of memories continued.
—Inside a cave deep in a certain mountain. It was raining outside.
Just woken, Masatsugu was naked. In front of him was a beautiful young girl.
That gorgeous platinum blonde hair undoubtedly belonged to Shiori. However, she was two years younger than the present, only fourteen. Back then, she should have been studying abroad.
Perhaps this happened in Eastern Rome"s territory or she had returned to j.a.pan for a brief visit.
Either way, the princess requested for Masatsugu to be her knight and he agreed magnanimously.
"As thanks for summoning me back to the world, I pledge to do everything in my power."
However, Masatsugu then lost consciousness—
The scene changed again.
This time, it was in the center of a vast plain of gra.s.sland. There were no buildings in sight. The horizon was out in the distance.
It did not seem like j.a.panese scenery, but it could be. Because this was a scene from the past, not the present.
Masatsugu... No, it was before he received this name. This was his previous life.
He was riding a galloping horse. His mount was definitely no thoroughbred. Its skinny body did not look impressive at all. However, the horse ran well. Even now, it was racing strongly across the gra.s.sland. This breed"s staying power was its most important trait.
The horse ran on and on, eating weeds in the wilderness, slaking its thirst with the morning dew.
Crossing a thousand miles, skinny yet strong and resilient.
This was truly the type of horse most suited for war. Riding on horseback with sword in hand, a bow and a quiver of arrows hanging from the saddle, rushing to the battlefield with an army that shared his meager rations. The soldiers under his command were riding equally skinny horses.
The enemies... Who were they? Which country was he in, fighting whom?
What is my name?
Just as the answer was about to be revealed...
Masatsugu opened his eyes and said to the princess who was relying on the power of her grandfather, Lord Tenryuu, "Enough, Princess... No need to consume your life any further."
"Huh?"
Instantly, surprise surfaced on Shiori"s expressionless face.
She probably thought Masatsugu would not notice. However, Masatsugu had discerned the secret.
"The sacred beasts have great powers, even enough to change the world. It is only natural that asking the sacred beasts to invoke that kind of power would require a corresponding price."
"Masatsugu-sama..."
"From what I can tell, the price is paid using the lives of royalty like you—Am I right?"
"......"
Shiori bowed her head without saying a word. Silence was the most effective confirmation.
Currently, the princess and Masatsugu"s minds had returned to the bath at the water shrine. From the gra.s.sy plains of an unknown era back to the year 1998, the Suruga tutelary fort at the end of the twentieth century.
The moment this ritual began, Shiori had been losing something from her body.
Namely, life, longevity, vitality. Masatsugu used to be a warrior whose path crossed closer to death than anyone"s, hence he instinctively sensed what Shiori had lost was valuable life.
"You already paid a corresponding price to revive me."
"The exact number eludes me... Regardless, my lifespan decreased approximately by five years, maybe a decade or two. But it matters not."
Shiori lifted her head with determination.
"The lifespans of women inheriting the blood of sacred beasts are always very extreme. They either die tragically young or live to a ripe old age. Inheriting my grandfather"s blood so strongly, I will surely be long-lived. Besides..."
The princess feigned a calm expression and continued to put on a brave face.
"Rather than a long life in shallows and in miseries, bullied by the Empress and her closest followers... A short life burning as brilliantly as fireworks would be far more stylish."
"Even so, you have paid enough." Finding Shiori"s tough front rather cute as well, he said, "Since you reduced your own life to obtain me... My life will be yours to use, Princess."
These were the words of a general, conveying a promise to his liege.
Shiori looked surprised as she gazed back at Masatsugu.
Part 2[edit]
Together with Shiori, Masatsugu left the bath. In front of them was a vast reservoir of marine blue, all of it artificial ectoplasmic fluid. This was the original purpose of a water shrine.
There was a network of paths over the blue reservoir.
Walking along the paths, Masatsugu reached the center of the water shrine.
Shiori followed him. She had not said anything after listening to his promise earlier. She seemed unsettled and quite embarra.s.sed.
Masatsugu had already dried himself and put on his uniform, so his appearance should not be the cause.
"U-Umm, Masatsugu-sama... Thank you for your kindness," Shiori said timidly. "You not only stopped me from using more of my life, but even said such words..."
"It"s too early to thank me. I still haven"t proven that I have the power to serve you, Princess."
"That is fine. Even if you fail to acquire the power of Legions in the future, Masatsugu-sama, I am overjoyed. Your words to me were very precious."
Shiori finally smiled cheerfully.
Thanking someone to their face was an awkward and embarra.s.sing affair.
"I am sincerely thankful that I was able to meet you."
Perhaps this was a first experience in Shiori"s entire life.
Having sought a legatus legionis, she was thoroughly impressed with Tachibana Masatsugu"s character and did not mind the extent of his abilities—
In front of the princess, Masatsugu narrowed his eyes and increased his noesis.
"Please watch, Princess."
The water shrine was very s.p.a.cious with a very tall ceiling, a vast and majestic sanctuary. Thanks to that, Masatsugu was able to release the ma.s.sive noesis hidden within himself in one go. BOOM!
A strong wind suddenly blew, swirling around Masatsugu like a tornado.
"Kyah!"
Close by, Shiori emitted a small scream.
This gust of wind was Masatsugu"s noesis. Noesis itself had neither color nor form, but the presence of powerful noetic waves would manifest in such a manner.
The wind rushed into every corner of the water shrine while Masatsugu conjured images in his mind.
He imagined an army of winged giant soldiers a.s.sembling under his command. Inside the vast water shrine, red-purple Kamuys suddenly appeared. They were the "Kanesadas" that he had named yesterday.
Standing almost eight meters tall, the soldiers were equipped with bayonet rifles. And not just one of them.
An astounding number of Kanesadas were occupying all of the water shrine.
"Thanks to your prayer earlier, Princess, I was able to catch a slight glimpse of my past. I suppose this counts as the prayer"s achievement. I am now able to use power to this extent."
"But... Masatsugu-sama, this still does not solve any problems," Shiori replied sadly.
The Kanesadas in the water shrine were translucent spiritual ent.i.ties.
They numbered roughly a thousand. In fact, no matter how vast the water shrine, it could not hold such a large army. The thousand Kanesadas could only fit by overlapping with one another. This would not be possible unless they were non-corporeal spiritual ent.i.ties.
The army of Kanesadas had merely appeared without materializing.
"Just as I thought, ectoplasmic fluid is essential to materializing Legions."
"I"ve got an idea for that too."
"Eh!?"
Masatsugu smiled at the surprised princess. Instead of his usual twitch of the cheek, it was a rare and natural smile.
Presumably, the conversation with Shiori had allowed his heart and soul to relax more than ever before.
"The G.o.dlike sacred beasts are kind enough to look after their kin by blood. a.s.suming my hunch is current, this is truly an interesting fact."
"How... so?"
"Rather than sending a perfect specimen of a Resurrectee, giving you a defective one with amnesia would consume less of your life. To choose me out of thousands of generals from the past... The reason is probably because I am capable of fighting in spite of memory loss."
"You are telling me that it was my grandfather"s doing?"
Surprised by his suggestion, Shiori was at a loss for words.
"It was for my sake that he chose you, Masatsugu-sama, and deprived you of your memories—?"
"I don"t have any evidence, but it is a possibility. The lord I served in my previous life... would not be considered a capable man. Or perhaps, he held some kind of grudge against me."
Masatsugu shrugged. He still lacked memories of his past.
However, he was now fully aware of his own strengths and weaknesses, as well as what kind of general he used to be.
"Whenever war broke out, I never had enough rations or funds. Every time, I had to rush to battle in a hurry, going on expeditions across thousands of miles with a shortage of supplies."
"Well..."
"Which is why we became so tough. My soldiers were always drinking muddy water to stave off thirst and sharing meager rations with the horses. Winning battle after battle—we became an army of elite troops."
"......"
"Of course, this was not a disciplined army. We often plundered food and water, even slaughtering our comrade-like horses at times of emergency, drinking their blood to replenish our energy."
"Masatsugu-sama, your previous life might be..."
Listening to Masatsugu"s anecdotes, Shiori was reminded of certain facts of history.
"A commander leading an army of cavalry... Perhaps?"
"Is that what you figured out? Impressive. The Feat of Arms belonging to a general like me—"
Feat of Arms. An ability to reenact ill.u.s.trious feats of battle from the past.
Izumi-no-Kami Kanesada bestowed a katana upon every Legion under one"s command, allowing them to use Tennen Rishin Style swordsmanship. Akigase Rikka"s oni-slaying treasured sword, Onikiri Yasutsuna, also possessed a Feat of Arms allowing the user to cut down Legions personally.
Like these Appellations, Resurrectees were the result of ancient martial feats reborn as humans.
"My Feat of Arms is a technique to continue animating Legions after depleting ectoplasmic fluid."
"Masatsugu-sama...!"
"Unfortunately, it can"t be activated in isolation and I need someone to help me. Princess, I would like to ask for your a.s.sistance."
"Most certainly! I am willing to do anything to help!"
The princess agreed happily but Masatsugu shook his head and said to her, "No, as I"ve said before, I"m not a man who likes to coerce others. If you feel unwilling at any moment, Princess, push me away immediately."
"Eh...? Masatsugu-sama? Kyahhh!?"
Without permission, Masatsugu simply picked up the surprised Shiori in his arms.
He gently laid down the princess" delicate body on the path in the water shrine. Then with a word of sorry, he positioned his entire body over her.
This posture was similar to how Masatsugu had blocked the Kamuy"s crash for her two days earlier.
The princess" face was right in front of him. Just by closing this gap of twenty centimeters, Masatsugu could easily take her lips by force.
Close enough to feel each other"s breath, Masatsugu whispered, "The water shrine is a facility for supplying ectoplasmic fluid. When fighting somewhere without a water shrine, what does one do when ectoplasmic fluid runs out? The answer is simple."
The thousand Kanesadas occupying the water shrine—
This illusory army instantly vanished. Taking their place were countless blue spheres of light, glowing with fantastical radiance to illuminate the water shrine. The spheres of light were roughly the size of fireflies dancing along river banks.
This was proof that the Feat of Arms of Ectoplasmic Blood Steal had activated.
"One could take ectoplasmic fluid from those who still have reserves. It"s not difficult."
"Or, plundering from others..."
Pinned under Masatsugu, Shiori speculated quietly.
She looked up at his face with a nervous expression. Intelligent as she was, she instantly understood the key principle behind this Feat of Arms.
"Indeed... Mystic powers only activate after ectoplasmic fluid combines with the soul. Then if one were to take ectoplasmic fluid that someone else already absorbed—"
"Then there"s no problem. In other words, the ones I should be seeking help from are..."
"...Chevaliers, whose bodies and souls store ectoplasmic fluid to nourish their Legions..."
"Or women of royalty, whose blood can be used as a precursor to ectoplasmic fluid."
This situation was similar to spending the wedding night with one"s husband after exchanging marriage vows.
Currently, Shiori was giving off airs like a new bride. One could also call it vibes of innocence.
Looking at the endearing Shiori, Masatsugu said gently, "Princess, please share with me the power of the sacred beasts that resides within you."
"I-I certainly do not mind. B-But why are we taking this posture? There is no need to lie together if simply sharing ectoplasmic fluid—"
"I need what flows beneath your skin."
Masatsugu caressed the princess" cheek.
Shiori trembled and could not help feeling nervous. Masatsugu smiled calmly at her, trying to ease her emotions.
Incredibly, Masatsugu had been smiling naturally for a while now, an expression he normally had trouble showing.
"I will feel the texture of your skin and the warmth of your blood. Then transfer your heat into my body, stealing it, to transform into nourishment for battle... This is how my ability works."
"In other words, it requires skin contact!?"
Shiori was greatly stunned and Masatsugu answered very simply.
"If you are unwilling, forget it."
"N-Not at all, why would I dislike helping you, Masatsugu-sama? I-It is just that, this is a bit too close!"
"Since you are uncomfortable with it, I guess I"ll—"
"I-I did not say that. I-I find you quite a nuisance sometimes, Masatsugu-sama, but you do have a sort of unbelievable charm..."
The princess relaxed her body and her nervousness subsided somewhat.
She spoke softly as though whispering.
"Besides, with you so close to me, Masatsugu-sama, I cannot help but feel my heart pounding..."
"That"s true, your cheeks are heating up."
"I-I cannot help it either!" Shiori spoke, blushing in embarra.s.sment from under Masatsugu.
Meanwhile, Masatsugu kept stroking her cheek, boldly savoring the warmth of the princess" face.
"This is my first time being treated in such a manner..."
"Princess, if you don"t mind, I"d like you to prepare yourself a bit."
Shiori originally wanted to avoid eye contact with Masatsugu.
With Masatsugu gazing at her beautiful face, the embarra.s.sed and trembling princess nodded and slowly sat up.
Masatsugu also got up to give her room.
Next, Shiori reached for her b.u.t.tons.
Shiori was wearing Rinzai High"s uniform. She unfastened the b.u.t.tons of her blouse in sequence, exposing her upper body, and also withdrew her arms from the sleeves.
Currently, her blouse was merely draped over her shoulders.
With only a bra.s.siere remaining on her upper torso, her pale and supple skin was in clear view.
This included her wantonly maturing body that Masatsugu had witnessed in a swimsuit last time.
"Princess."
"Masatsugu-sama!"
Masatsugu embraced Shiori tightly again. The instant he pushed Shiori down, she hugged him back on her own initiative.
She was doing this to suppress her unease and embarra.s.sment. At the same time, excitement and pa.s.sion finally broke through the depths of her sheltered upbringing.
Masatsugu pressed his face tightly against Shiori"s lovely neck.
"Your hands and face feel so cold... They are like ice."
"It"s because I summoned Legions while short on ectoplasmic fluid. That"s why I need you, Princess."
"Y-Yes!"
Shiori wrapped her arms tightly around Masatsugu"s back.
Their bodies came together more intimately. For Masatsugu, whose body was freezing, Shiori"s soft skin felt boiling. Even with his black stiff-collar uniform in between, he could feel her warmth clearly.
This felt plenty pleasurable already, but it was far from enough.
Maintaining close contact with Shiori"s neck, Masatsugu kissed her warm and tender skin.
His tongue and lips did not forget to lick and suck.
"Ah—"
The princess moaned instantly from the sucking on her neck.
Masatsugu absorbed heat from her n.o.ble body and from the blood flowing under her tender skin—the precious blood inherited from Lord Tenryuu and the raw material for ectoplasmic fluid.
In this manner, Masatsugu"s tongue and lips moved against her pale neck and the base of her ear.
He sucked on the maiden"s bare skin, licking it, even nibbling on occasion.
This felt very nostalgic. Masatsugu was reminded of a past life on and off the battlefield. Back then, whenever he needed to drink his steed"s blood to stave off hunger and thirst, he would gently slice them in the neck with his knife.
Drinking the blood that flowed out directly, he savored and swallowed it.
The blood"s warmth would seep into his weakened body and soul, turning into energy for battle. In almost the same manner, Masatsugu sucked on Shiori"s skin.
"Mm... Ahhh," Shiori"s moaning was getting slightly louder.
Despite the heat forcibly stolen from her, there was a growing feeling of two bodies united as one, and she experienced an indescribable sense of rapture and connection.
Her voice sounded like sobbing yet with a slither of ecstasy.
"Masatsugu... -sama. Mmmmm."
The pale throat, nape, shoulder—Masatsugu kept kissing her lovely silken skin without pausing for even a moment. While enjoying the warm and soft sensation, he stole heat from Shiori"s blood.
In the process, Shiori said in surprise, "Your body, it still feels so cold..."
While Masatsugu was sucking her skin and warmth, Shiori gently stroked his face and neck.
Her palms ran over every inch of him not covered by the uniform—his temples, the back of his head, his hands, for example—as though trying to warm up his cold body.
This was Shiori"s thoughtful care. Using her own palms, she tried to share her body warmth with Masatsugu as much as possible.
Intimately connected, the two of them did not separate at any moment. The princess" bountiful bosom was compressed under Masatsugu"s weight.
"Princess..."
Masatsugu"s lips were the first to let go of her skin.
During this brief interruption, the two of them stared pa.s.sionately into each other"s eyes.
Instantly, Masatsugu knew from instinct. If he were to take Shiori"s lips this moment, she would definitely not refuse.
He could smother the beauty"s lips and easily take pleasure in a kiss.
However, he did not do so. That sort of thing should wait until their hearts and souls were in greater harmony.
He believed that Shiori would naturally seek a kiss when that moment arrived. Then he would be able to follow the affection in his heart and shower her with tender loving. There was no need to force a kiss on her right now.
Again, Masatsugu made eye contact with the princess.
He then buried his face into her pale neck, moving his lips over her skin again.
Shiori gently accepted Masatsugu"s unruliness and took his hand naturally, holding it firmly. Their hands became tightly clasped together.
"Mmmm—Mmmmmmmmmmmm!"
Shiori moaned seductively without words.
Her sense of connection with Masatsugu reached a climax.
With an "ah...", the princess lost consciousness, fainting under Masatsugu. The symptoms were very similar to anemia. Her body would not be able to take further kissing.
Moderation was key and it was time to stop. Masatsugu got up from the ground.
His body was now burning hot. The heat stolen from the blood in his lady liege—the essence of ectoplasmic fluid—entered Masatsugu"s blood, quietly waiting to be released.
"I guess I"ll use this power to get through this battle first..."
Ultimately, this was an irregular method. Resupplying the normal way should provide far more ectoplasmic fluid.
However, he had no choice but to make effective use of the limited means available. Masatsugu nodded with satisfaction and gently stroked the unconscious Shiori"s cheek.
Part 3[edit]
The princess ended up waking two minutes later. Discovering that she had collapsed on the path over the blue reservoir of ectoplasmic fluid, she hastily got up.
Masatsugu was by her side, watching over her.
Furthermore, Shiori"s only upper body garment was a bra.s.siere. Masatsugu had covered the unconscious princess with her removed blouse and his own uniform jacket.
"E-Excuse me."
Shiori lowered her head in shame because she had allowed her sleeping appearance to be seen.
She hastily put on her blouse and fastened the b.u.t.tons with fingers trembling in embarra.s.sment, then fixed up her attire in sequence.
"P-Please stop staring at me while I am dressing. I-It feels very embarra.s.sing."
"Sorry, this feels kind of nostalgic, which is why I..."
"Nostalgic?"
"Yes. I used to watch women dress up after sessions of intimacy—"
"M-M-M-M-Masatsugu-sama! Do not mention such past experiences in my presence ever again!"
While they were talking, there was a sudden ringing sound in the air.
A pipe fox appeared next to Shiori to report on the battle situation.
"An enemy army from the Fuji tutelary fort—A total of two hundred Kamuys... A noesis barrier has been deployed at ground level to defend against the enemy attack."
"Two hundred... From one Chevalier?"
"No, the scouting wyvern confirmed four Chevaliers from the Kinai Fiefdom."
"Four of them..."
"Masatsugu-sama, how many Legions are you able to summon after the resupplying just now?" asked Shiori worriedly after Masatsugu listened expressionlessly to the situation report.
Shiori was certainly observant. She knew that the method they had used was merely a "stopgap measure." Feeling truly fortunate for serving such an intelligent princess, Masatsugu replied truthfully without reservation, "Roughly a hundred, which is about half the enemy numbers."
Masatsugu"s Chevalier Strength was supposed to be 1000 or so.
Unfortunately, he had not obtained a lot of ectoplasmic fluid. Currently, he was only able to summon 102.
"I see... I am terribly sorry."
"Why are you apologizing, Princess?"
"It is my fault that you must fight an uphill battle again, just as in your previous life."
"This is nothing so please don"t let it weigh on your mind. You can save the apologies for when we"re surrounded by enemies outnumbering us five or ten-fold."
Masatsugu smiled and joked about, but it was not the natural smile he had earlier.
Worried about Masatsugu, Shiori said, "This tutelary fort"s ifrit is still in poor shape. If the noesis barrier is breached as easily as it did yesterday, it would be akin to having a great hole in a castle wall—"
"That"s fine. It"ll actually be easier if the enemy targets that hole."
"Eh?"
"We just need to set up an ambush at the hole. A collapsed castle wall still has its uses."
Calmly, Masatsugu told his surprised lady liege, "Princess, all you need to do is command me to wipe out the enemy."
The Suruga tutelary fort was located in the mountainous region east of Suruga City.
The surroundings of this fortress were twisting and shimmering like a mirage.
This phenomenon was caused by a noesis barrier. Inside the barrier and above the tutelary fort, a giant image of a blue dragon—the ifrit Seiryuu—appeared to face off against the Restoration Alliance army outside the shield.
However, Seiryuu was unable to invoke meteorological decrees tonight.
All power had been diverted to the noesis barrier so that it could hold for as long as possible.
"Fufufufu, a bluff huh..."
The four enemy commanders led two hundred and five Kamuys.
One of them, Chevalier Miura, laughed. His Chevalier Strength was 52.
The remaining three were Maruki, Shinbu, and Doro, whose Chevalier Strengths were respectively 53, 49, and 51. The four of them had pet.i.tioned the British Empire"s "strategist" to allow them to conduct the attack.
The Black Knight, rumored to be a Resurrectee, had readily agreed.
Prior to their departure, the mysterious English aristocrat had told them, "From yesterday"s battle, we know that Suruga"s ifrit does not pose much of a threat. Furthermore, there is more disappointing news. The Akigase Chevalier is injured and unconscious. If the rumor is true, then this will be a boring battle..."
Receiving this news on their departure, the four of them sortied from the Fuji tutelary fort.
...The Kinai Fiefdom they belonged to was composed from the five prefectures of Hyōgo, Wakayama, Nara, Mie, and Shiga along with Kyoto. A total of seventy-two Chevaliers served the fiefdom.
These four would be considered first-rate within the Kinai Fiefdom. They were all men in their forties or early fifties, similar in age and Chevalier Strength. Individually, they were no match for Britain"s Knights of Her Majesty, but if the four of them joined forces—
Confident of victory, the four of them rode blue wyverns to lead their force of Kamuys to attack.
Each Chevalier ordered their own Legions to maintain a spherical formation centered around him.
The area surrounding the Suruga tutelary fort was a lovely hill covered by green gra.s.sland and low trees. It was a shame that night had fallen and obscured the beautiful scenery.
The Kinai army went straight for the noesis barrier and Seiryuu at the tutelary fort.
At that moment, Chevalier Miura noticed signs of the enemy.
"Are they Tōkaidō Kamuys!?"
The noesis barrier surrounding the tutelary fort shimmered like heat haze while fifty blue Kamuys appeared in front of the barrier. They had flown into the air from the ground.
Chevaliers were able to sense the noesis from Legions, instantly distinguishing friend from foe.
These Kamuys were identical to the four Chevaliers" Kamuys in appearance but were neither Miura"s, Maruki"s, Shibu"s, nor Doro"s.
Surely they must belong to Tōkaidō"s Chevalier princess, Akigase Rikka.
" " " "Fire!" " " "
At the four knights" command, the Kinai army"s two hundred and five Legions all started firing repeatedly.
In response, the Suruga army"s fifty Kamuys deployed their protective barriers and fired back. The two armies clashed but the disparity in strength was too great.
In merely a minute or two, the Kinai army"s two hundred and five Legions shot Suruga"s fifty to death.
Even at a numerical disadvantage, the battle should not have been so one-sided.
"Merely puppets!"
Chevalier Miura sneered.
The enemy had manifested Legions beforehand and stationed them as defense troops.
Legions would fight autonomously even when their master was absent or asleep. This was a very important way of using them. However, their performance would be much weaker than when receiving orders from a Chevalier nearby. In particular, their agility and barrier strength would be halved.
No wonder Legions in this state were known as puppets.
The fifty Kamuys just now had been positioned ahead of time by the currently unconscious Akigase Rikka.
"Comrades, time to attack!"
Chevalier Miura sent out a pipe fox to inform the other three knights.
The orders were to attack the noesis barrier from four directions and break through.
"Indeed, this method just might work."
Masatsugu and Princess Shiori had arrived at the nation-protecting keep"s roof together.
In the elevator, Masatsugu had talked about how to "lay a trap to destroy the enemy." Shiori had expressed strong agreement.
"It could very well turn the unfavorable situation around."
"May I trouble you to issue a command to the ifrit, Princess—"
"No problem, leave it to me."
It was their first time at the rooftop of the nation-protecting keep. The view was quite expansive there.
It was nighttime. On this forty-meter tower situated on a plateau, one was not only lucky enough to see Suruga Bay under the light of the moon and the stars but also a clear view of the night scenery of Suruga City and Shimizu City nearby.
If this place was not a military installation, it would definitely be the best night viewing spot.
However, war was breaking out close by. The repeated flashes were not lights from cities but came from heat beams fired by bayonet rifles instead. Such light was shot from weapons with the purpose of destruction and slaughter.
Directly above the nation-protecting keep was the hovering image of the ifrit Seiryuu.
The image was seventy meters in total length, a majestic giant dragon. However, the giant dragon roared in pain when the noesis barrier was attacked.
A great ma.s.s of air, shimmering like a mirage, surrounded the entire tutelary fort.
The Kinai Fiefdom"s two hundred and five Kamuys kept attacking the shimmering barrier with gunfire and bayonets, even colliding with their bodies.
Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh...!
Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh...!
Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh...!
The giant dragon ifrit howled many times, writhing its body in pain.
Masatsugu knew that if an ifrit still had the strength to roar loudly, it meant that it was not at its limit yet. He still had plenty of time to put his plan into motion.
As for the Kinai Fiefdom"s Kamuys—
The four Chevaliers were leading roughly fifty Kamuys each. A total of four armies.
These four armies were entrenched east, west, south, and north of the tutelary fort respectively, firing from those four directions. The ifrit Seiryuu was desperately enduring with limbs withdrawn like a turtle.
At this rate, the Suruga tutelary fort would fall before long.
Strangely enough, Masastsugu"s cheeks twitched to smile. He had found an opportunity for victory.
The Kinai army of fifty-two on the east were beginning to enter a formation. Rather than a square, it was a scrum.
Yesterday, the British Knight of Her Majesty had combined all troops together for a tackle.
Imitating that tactic, the Kinai army was trying to break the noesis barrier in one go. The situation was going more and more as Masatsugu hoped.
"Princess, please give the command."
"Yes... Masatsugu-sama, please defeat the enemy. Wipe them out."
Solemnly, Shiori issued the order with determination.
She was well aware of the significance behind her order. Even though the opponents were non-human winged giant soldiers, this was still no different from murder. However, those in the position of kingship must issue orders decisively in full awareness of that.
This decisiveness was the rightful responsibility borne by those who sent generals and soldiers to the battlefield.
Masatsugu received the order calmly.
"Acknowledged. I will now take care of them."
Leaving Shiori"s side, Masatsugu went to the edge of the roof, stopping in front of the security railing.
The only weapon on him was his sword, Izumi-no-Kami Kanesada, just like yesterday. But tonight, Masatsugu had acquired new power.
"Let"s go, guys. Gather under my forgotten name... No." Halfway through, Masatsugu changed his mind and said, "Gather under the n.o.ble name of Her Highness."
My Legions, this is a command to a.s.semble.
Next to the nation-protecting keep, numerous Legions materialized in the air in front of Masatsugu.
Red-purple Kamuys—Kanesadas. Masatsugu summoned fifty of them first, all equipped with bayonet rifles. Seeing an army on her side finally appear, Princess Shiori shouted, "The castellan... Rikka-sama"s proxy hereby issues a command!"
Shiori transmitted noetic waves, calling to the image of Seiryuu that was enduring painfully over the nation-protecting keep.
"Allow the Restoration Alliance"s Kamuys attacking from the east to break through the barrier. Do not stop them. Let them go straight into the tutelary fort!"
Part 4[edit]
Akigase Rikka had appointed Tachibana Masatsugu as her proxy.
In other words, this meant a.s.suming a castellan"s full authority—a.s.suming top command of a tutelary fort.
For an ordinary high school student, this was quite an irregular request. However, Tachibana Masatsugu was currently the only Chevalier capable of defending Suruga... This fact made a stronger argument than any other.
The officers and soldiers of the Suruga tutelary fort turned out to accept this order with unexpected readiness.
The greatest reasons were Rikka"s firm directive and the fact that he was backed by Princess Shiori.
The ifrit Seiryuu"s consciousness, the spirit Sakuya, was not a soldier but she still acknowledged Tachibana Masatsugu as the commander and followed his commands obediently.
Partly because his command was equivalent to saying "it"s okay to slack off."
In any case, after receiving the princess" noetic waves...
"Noesis barrier... Output, decreasing," Sakuya commanded quietly.
She was at the nation-protecting keep"s top floor, a vast room without windows. Ten-odd noetic officers were around her on standby, chanting mantras nonstop to augment her noesis.
The fifty-two Kinai Legions attacking from the east were about to break through the noesis barrier.
According to Sakuya"s verification, their commander"s characteristics matched a Chevalier named Miura. He was ordering all his Kamuys to charge as one unit—
The enemy Kamuys finally crashed into the mirage-like curtain.
Previously, the barrier generated by noetic energy would repel entry with maximum force.
However, the force blocking the fifty-two Kinai Kamuys was weak this time, only a quarter of its usual strength.
Roughly ten meters thick, the mirage curtain was easily penetrated by the enemy"s blue Kamuys. The army from the Kinai Fiefdom had successfully breached the Suruga tutelary fort.
The premises within the fort were vast, almost five times the area of the Tokyo Dome at the imperial capital.
The nation-protecting keep, which served as the command center, was at the tutelary fort"s center. This was the target.
The fifty-two Kinai Kamuys had invaded the airs.p.a.ce over the tutelary fort.
Flying at top speed had depleted the Legions" ectoplasmic fluid significantly. Forming a scrum also prevented them from reacting to close quarter combat immediately.
This was an excellent chance to attack which Akigase Rikka had seized last time too.
Copying this wise move, Masatsugu added a twist of his own.
"Five of you, attack and charge into the enemy formation first then draw your swords. Give them h.e.l.l."
Masatsugu issued commands from the roof of the nation-protecting keep. Five Kanesadas instantly left the keep and flew into the air, firing on the fifty-two Kinai Legions.
The five Kanesadas rushed into enemy ranks and their bayonet rifles transformed into j.a.panese swords.
The five Kanesadas slashed the fifty-two Kinai Legions in their scrum formation, targeting one after another. Tennen Rishin Style swordsmanship severed enemy limbs and necks, spurting out a b.l.o.o.d.y mist of ectoplasmic fluid.
A melee battle of five against fifty-two was not a challenge for the Kanesadas equipped with katanas.
In less than twenty seconds, seven enemies were chopped dead by the Kanesadas. Hijikata Toshizō"s relic, Izumi-no-Kami Kanesada, its Feat of Arms—Gankouken brought forth astounding power. It was said that within Tennen Rishin Style swordsmanship, there was an identically named move.
Realizing their bad situation, the remaining forty-five Kinai Legions hastily scattered.
They engaged the five vanguard Kanesadas while staying wary of the main Kanesada force on standby next to the nation-protecting keep—But it was too late. Masatsugu instantly gave the order.
"Fire."
The forty-five airborne Kanesadas were waiting next to the nation-protecting keep.
All of them raised their rifles, aiming the muzzles at the Kinai Legions invading the tutelary fort.
After a round of flashing rapid fire, the blue Kinai Kamuys suffered from the barrage, pierced by beams in vulnerabilities not protected by armor such as their masks and throats. One after another crashed down from the sky.
When equal numbers of Legions engaged in a shootout...
Entering a packed formation to activate protective barriers would counter the power of gunfire.
However, the five vanguard Kanesadas had employed fierce Tennen Rishin Style swordsmanship, slicing their way through enemy ranks, preventing the Kinai army from mustering a packed formation.
Kamuys attempting to cl.u.s.ter with one other kept getting slaughtered by the five Kanesadas.
In the end, the Kinai Kamuys in the tutelary fort were effortlessly shot dead by Masatsugu"s army.
In no time, only ten-odd enemies were left.
The Kinai Chevalier who had led the charge personally also perished along with his Legions.
Of course, the five Kanesadas in charge of disrupting the enemy also got caught by friendly fire. Pierced by their comrades" beams, all five of them died.
Thanks to their sacrifice, this localized battle"s victory was at hand.
Furthermore, it had been won in merely one or two minutes. This was the only logical outcome when the enemy left themselves wide open to bayonet rifles each firing at a rate of ten shots per second.
That being said, this was at most one quarter of the invading force.
The remaining three quarters—A hundred and fifty Kinai Kamuys were still outside the tutelary fort. Originally, they were supposed to rush to the rescue when their comrades were in trouble.
ChronicleLegion 01 BW12.jpg
However, the remaining three quarters were blocked by the noesis barrier.
The ifrit Seiryuu had increased noesis output again, reinforcing the barrier"s strength.
This resulted in fifty Legions stuck inside the tutelary fort, isolated from the hundred and fifty outside. Masatsugu had deliberately let in one small fraction of the enemy to divide their numbers.
Of course, the hundred and fifty Legions outside were attacking the noesis barrier.
In an effort to help their comrades that were getting slaughtered inside, they fired their bayonet rifles without rest.
Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh...!
Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh...!
Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh...!
Every time the noesis barrier was attacked, Seiryuu above the nation-protecting keep wailed in pain. However, the ifrit should be able to hold longer.
"Masatsugu-sama, look over there!"
Shiori came over to remind Masatsugu, who also noticed.
The hundred and fifty Kinai Legions outside were led by three Chevaliers. One of them had ordered the forty-nine Kamuys under his command to form a scrum and charge at the noesis barrier.
The enemy thought that he could charge inside and rescue his comrades.
The problem was that the hundred Legions commanded by the other two Chevaliers did not act in concert. This was another excellent opportunity.
"Perfect, pa.s.s on the order to let them through."
"Understood!"
Shiori relayed the command again and the ifrit Seiryuu did as told.
The forty-nine Kinai Legions broke through the mirage curtain, reaching the interior of the Suruga tutelary fort.
"Kanesadas, a.s.semble again under the n.o.ble name of Her Highness."
Masatsugu summoned the fifty-two Kanesadas he had held in reserve beforehand.
The Kanesadas manifested on the ground rather than in the air. This was to initiate anti-air fire against the new batch of Kinai Legions trespa.s.sing into the tutelary fort.
Furthermore, the fifty Kanesadas that were summoned previously also started shooting at the enemy.
Now the Suruga side outnumbered the enemy two to one inside the tutelary fort despite their overall numerical inferiority. The Kinai army was clobbered, unable to resist.
A total of a hundred bayonet rifles focused rapid fire on the forty-nine Kinai Legions.
Even by using a packed formation to enhance their protective barriers" effects, the enemy could not resist firepower from a force double their size.
"The enemy has four Chevaliers... but conversely, it"s hard for them to act with unity. Once their coordination breaks down, it is our chance for victory."
The Kinai army"s operation was based on a foundation of multiple units working together.
Victory would naturally be guaranteed if they maintained secret contact and adhered to the battle plan. However, perfect communications in the heat of battle were unlikely while enemy valor and unexpected events would often disrupt the original plan.
Under noetic disruption preventing the use of wireless communications, they had encountered the Kanesadas, a force of elite troops.
It came as no surprise there were openings in the Kinai army"s coordination. This idea had floated in Masatsugu"s mind the whole time.
At that moment, Shiori murmured, "I am reminded of the Great Wall... A story about that defensive fortification."
"You mean the one China had in the past?"
"Yes. Even now, there are remains of the Great Wall from the Ming Dynasty."
The Great Wall had existed in China since long ago, prior to the Common Era.
It was a ma.s.sive fortification wall, stretching over twenty thousand kilometers across China"s northern border. It had been built at the command of the First Emperor, the earliest emperor to unify China.
In the past, China"s north was where barbaric equestrian tribes roamed.
With the Xiongnu and the Tujue as foremost examples, these nomadic tribes had always been powerful external threats that troubled successive Chinese dynasties greatly.
The ma.s.sive fortification that impeded their invasions was the Great Wall of China.
"That kind of wall could not possibly defend China"s vast territories... In the past, many people said that building it was useless. They believed that the Great Wall failed to protect many areas and that man-made structures were not impregnable."
"Meaning it was full of openings?"
"Yes. However, thanks to this Great Wall that was full of openings, the Chinese dynasties were able to predict the northern invaders" routes of advance. It also delayed their rate of advance. Consequently, it was an extremely valuable wall from the perspective of border security forces..."
"An imperfect wall has many uses." Masatsugu expressed his view, "Used correctly, it could be used to divide the enemy, force them into dead ends, or cut off their paths of retreat."
"This is your current tactic, Masatsugu-sama, isn"t it? The enemy"s remaining Chevaliers have decided to stand back and observe, having given up on rescuing their comrades."
Inside and outside of the tutelary fort"s noesis barrier were two completely different worlds.
The interior was a scene from h.e.l.l.
The red-purple Kanesadas were firing continuously on the invading Kinai Legions, only a step from wiping them out. The Kanesadas" fierce offensive showed no mercy to any soldier. The Kinai army was going to be completely annihilated in a few more minutes.
In contrast, the exterior of the tutelary fort was different.
Roughly a hundred blue Kinai Kamuys had remained outside.
This army was accomplishing nothing and could not be bothered to rescue their comrades that were being slaughtered inside. They had decided to stand back and watch the Kanesadas carry out the b.l.o.o.d.y and violent ma.s.sacre.
The difference was like heaven and h.e.l.l.
As a result, Masatsugu and the princess had the leisure to have a conversation.
"They intend to abandon their comrades so as to tire out my troops," Masatsugu a.n.a.lyzed. "Then in the ensuing showdown, the numbers will be even. On the other hand, the Kanesadas would have consumed a lot of ectoplasmic fluid, thus tipping the odds in their favor—That"s probably what they"re thinking."
Currently, Masatsugu had ninety-one Kanesadas remaining under his command. After the intense fighting that had wiped out half of the enemy forces, the Kanesadas only suffered losses of ten or so. Such was the ma.s.sive disparity in power.
"They foolishly believe... They can oppose my soldiers with equal numbers?"
Masatsugu"s cheek muscles twitched as he mocked the enemy"s wishful thinking.
At that precise moment, the Kinai Kamuys inside the noesis barrier were completely exterminated.
"Please order the spirit to release the barrier completely. I will correct their foolish minds."
"Hahahaha! They cannot possibly win by this juncture!"
"Ally"s defeat. Please do not, act so delighted."
Near the Suruga tutelary fort...
The sky above was full of stars. On the battlefield, the red-purple Kamuys kept shooting and cutting down blue Kamuys. Perhaps it would be more apt to call it a hunting ground instead.
After the noesis barrier disappeared, a battle of a hundred versus a hundred began.
Sir Black Knight was on the ground, watching the battle unfold.
The genie Morrigan"s simulacrum was close by, frowning.
Behind the two of them, a towering giant, eight meters tall, stood as their bodyguard. Only one. It looked very similar to the Crusade in appearance, except its armor and uniform were all black.
A black knight. A Garter Knight.
A Knight of the Garter, abbreviated "KOG."
Within the British Empire, only the general holding the true name of Edward the Black Prince was capable of summoning this type of Legion.
"Seeking confirmation... Those Kinai Fiefdom knights, you set them up, right?" Morrigan asked her heartily laughing superior. "The Chevalier who summons the katana Legions. You wanted to see, his power, while conserving, Knights of Her Majesty. So, you readily agreed... to those four"s request."
"Don"t make it sound so bad." Sir Black Knight"s smile turned wry. "I concede that I exploited the Kinai knights, but we already gave them a good enough opportunity by neutralizing the enemy"s lady knight."
The battle in the sky was about to end.
There were eighty-one red-purple Kamuys active, most of them switched to wielding katanas to cut down the few remaining Kinai samurai.
Of the Kinai Chevaliers, one of them had apparently retreated, leaving the rest missing in action.
"Besides, I wanted to see for myself how well the knights of the Kinai provincial army could fight. It is just that... Frankly speaking, I wish they could have drawn out more of the enemy"s power. Simply judging from his leadership and the strength of his noesis, his Chevalier Strength cannot possibly be as low as a hundred."
Him—The Chevalier controlling the red-purple Kamuys.
Sir Black Knight examined his appearance carefully.
A young oriental man, dressed in a black student uniform, carrying a sheathed j.a.panese sword in his left hand. His expression looked a little obstinate though his facial features were quite handsome.
Sir Black Knight was currently on a gra.s.sy knoll with Morrigan somewhere.
Conversely, the young Suruga Chevalier was standing on the roof the nation-protecting keep at the center of the tutelary fort.
Even though they were separated by a distance of a kilometer or so, Sir Black Knight could still see his face clearly.
Chevaliers were able to check what their Legions saw or heard at any moment.
Currently, through the vis