Saijaku Muhai no Bahamut

–

Lux who was rescued from Mis.h.i.+s"s a.s.sault by Syvalles members was continuing the investigation of the deep level floor along with Singlen.

Their first objective was to find Listelka and hold her back, but it appeared the enemy was also being really careful, because currently they couldn"t even find any trace of her.

While doing that, they arrived at a tower with impressive ornament on it.

Inside where stone statues that were modeled after angel were lined up, an Automata was standing.

A tight outfit that looked like pilot suit was clinging on her body. Horns were growing out from her head.

There was no doubt that this was a clone of Gear Leader Arshalia just like before.

「I have been waiting, you who possess a qualification. The second trial will put far bigger burden than before on you. If you are finished with your preparation, please touch me.」

She told him that with a tone that was the same like the Arshalia from before.

The second trial in order to reach the central of Avalon.

If this process was finished, it seemed the main body of Arshalia would appear but…….

「Will we able to reach the central earlier than Listelka? Would it be better for us to search for her without doing the trial here?」

Lus advised like that, but Singlen scoffed.

「I see, then you better take me to where they are quickly. I"ll hold them back without fail then.」

「Right now Fugil is guarding Listelka by himself. In that case they must be on their guard against wide range radar. They should be avoiding battle as much as possible until Mis.h.i.+s return. As for the reason, you have experienced it yourself haven"t you?」

「……Because she will be completely defenseless while receiving this 『trial』?」

Singlen responded with a fearless grin at Lux"s question.

It seemed he answered correctly.

No matter how powerful Fugil was, it would be difficult for him to cover for his master who would only be able to stand still against multiple enemy.

Thus, Singlen predicted that they would thoroughly avoid encounter with Lux and the others until the time they finished the three trials.

「Besides, if you finished the second trial, they also won"t be able to leave you alone anymore. Rather than getting overtaken after coming this far, they will surely come to finish you off mercilessly instead.」

「──Understood. Then, please take care me.」

Lux resolved himself and dispelled his Drag-Ride. He then headed toward Arshalia.

He took a deep breath, and reached out his hand toward her.

「Then, you will enter the second trial now. I will begin to strengthen you with Baptism. During that time, you will face with the wound of your heart that is engraved in your memory.」

But, the next sentence Arshalia spoke caused Lux to gasp.

「Baptism? Just now what did──」

The moment Lux asked back spontaneously, Arshalia"s fingertip s.h.i.+ned in seven colors.

「Guh, AAAAAH!?」

Elixir was poured in from her palm. At the same time a strange thought was flowing into him.

His mind was invaded at the same time with the intense pain. The surrounding"s scenery was dissolving faintly.

「……Now. Trace your footsteps along with your memory. I"ll watch over you writhing in agony.」

Seen off by Singlen"s haughty grin, Lux"s consciousness instantly flew away.

And then he saw a strange scene once more.

–

The day of revolution five years ago──.

The last decisive battle that happened in Arcadia"s imperial capital.

Lux who defeated a great number of Drag-Knights and finally rushed into the castle was confronting his father the emperor in front of the throne.

First, Lux felt an intense out of place feeling seeing the beginning of the memory.

If he remembered correctly, when Lux headed to the throne room, the emperor should be already died, sinking into the sea of blood along with his close a.s.sociates and imperial guards.

There Fugil sneered at Lux who had wounds all over his body, and rebuked him that he was the weakest.

But, here in this memory, the emperor, his close a.s.sociates, and the imperial guards were unharmed.

Even though they were giving off intense animosity, both sides had no visible wound on them.

Even Lux himself who was wearing Bahamut didn"t have a single scratch on him.

(Am I seeing a dream? Because I wished that reality would be like this, I"m wis.h.i.+ng to redo it once more?)

Lux smiled bitterly at himself, thinking that it was really not manly even if he said so himself.

Beside such thought, the scene in front of him was progressing on its own accord.

「You fool. Do you think that your revolution will come true? I will praise you for growing skilled as Drag-Knight, but you erred in how to use it. To bare your fang on my empire like this.」

「……Please surrender Chichi-uefather. And then please receive the judgment from Count Atismata and the people. I will accompany you as your son.」

Lux responded to the emperor"s scornful gaze with an aloof serious face.

He had already resolved himself.

If there was obstacle to the revolution, he was resolved to smash it no matter what he had to do.

「Hahahaha. Looks like you haven"t noticed anything. You are inferior. You have some talent as Drag-Knight, but after all you are just the failure youngest son among the imperial family.」

「……What?」

「How do you think my Arcadia Empire came to obtain this much prosperity? Why couldn"t our rule be overturned? The cause of your defeat is your misreading of that power!」

When the emperor snapped his finger with a scornful laugh, a single Drag-Knight showed up from behind a pillar.

Lux had decided that he wouldn"t be shaken no matter what happened, but his face lost color instantly.

Over there was Airi who should be staying in home because of sickness.

His little sister who was unconscious while her body was restrained by armored arm.

「Airi-!?」

「──Don"t move. If you move even for a little, then my failure of a daughter──your little sister will lose her life.」

Just as the emperor said, the imperial guard Drag-Knight was putting his Blade on Airi"s neck.

Just from that, the Lux inside his dream became unable to move as though his limbs were chained.

(……Why? How!?)

Lux in reality was even more bewildered at that sight.

He hadn"t met Airi since two days before the day of revolution and he should have entrusted her to a maid to take care of her.

If it wasn"t know that Lux was the mastermind behind the revolution, then it should be impossible to kidnap Airi beforehand.

Lux had also continued to be careful since the resistance was starting a month ago. He shouldn"t be suspected at all, and yet…

「Besides, a good news has also arrived. Atismata who was rebelling against me has been killed just now. He fought bravely, but that X X was bad. A seam appeared from there, and at the end it led toward you.」

What was this?

Even though he should be inside a dream, he could only understand a part of it.

This wasn"t a convenient dream that Lux wished for. Was this a nightmare?

But in any case, in this world the battle"s outcome had been decided while Lux was unaware.

The imperial guard Drag-Knights who were gathered here weren"t a big deal, but it was over if Airi was taken hostage.

Even if he sacrificed his little sister and saved the country, there would be nothing remaining for Lux after that.

Should he sacrifice himself and Airi for the sake of Philuffy who would remain behind?

──No, Lux was unable to do anything like letting Airi die here without doing anything.

「Dispel your armor and surrender. Or else I"ll sever the head of your little sister right now right here! Kneel, you stupid son!」

The raging words of the emperor flew. Lux"s hand reached out toward the Sword Device of Bahamut.

At that instant, a voice descended on the audience hall.

「Ku-ku-ku. What an incomprehensible thing. For Count Atismata"s X X to accidentally be linked to man that is the old empire"s close aide──, perhaps this is your wicked luck as the emperor.」

「──You!」

「Fugil, niisan……!?」

Fugil who was similarly wearing Bahamut like Lux was looking down on all of them from near the tall ceiling.

Perhaps he had activated Reload on Fire, because Fugil was flying forward with a speed that eye couldn"t follow. He cut down the imperial guard Drag-Knight who was taking Airi hostage without any sound.

「──Wh!?」

Agitation ran through the chief va.s.sals at the surrounding who saw that.

Several imperial guards immediately readied their Blade and rushed toward Fugil, but the table was turned on them instantly.

「Im, possible……!」

The emperor"s voice trembled and his face convulsed with terror. He yelled after seeing what happened.

「──Why!? Why are you baring your fang toward us!? You who saved our ancestor and was called as the hero of our bloodline!」

A strong thought of doubt was born inside the consciousness of Lux who heard that.

「Fugil saved the ancestor of Arcadia Empire? Wasn"t Fugil the eldest son of the emperor?」

No, in the first place what did it mean that Fugil had saved the ancestor of the old empire?

「Hou. How do you know about that? I don"t remember ever speaking about that to you though.」

「I perused the old doc.u.ment of the past. In the record that is only told to Arcadia"s imperial family, your name and existence were written there. We who was once called as the family of traitor and received persecution for many years, Fugil, it was you who led us to the victory of the revolution──」

(──!? What does that mean!?)

Even more strange chill ran through Lux when he heard the emperor"s words.

(In the first place, at the past of this situation, Fugil saved our ancestor, the family of traitor?)

Then, the one who destroyed Holy Arcadia Empire was also──.

Lux was watching that scene as an existence that was only his consciousness. Naturally he couldn"t speak any words here.

On the other hand Fugil didn"t make a single twitch on his expression. He replied with a derisive smile.

「As I thought, in everything there will always be unforeseen incident accompanying. Making use of that X X and killing Count Atismata caused me to misread the distortion of fate. Now I have to make a bit of correction──come out, my transformation Drag-Ride, Ouroboros.」

Fugil lifted his Sword Device high. At the same time, intense quake ran through inside the castle.

「Kuh……!」

Lux in the scene didn"t understand what was going on, but for the time being he had to carry Airi to a safe place.

Lux held Airi in his hands, flew outside the castle, and searched for a safe place.

The moment the Lux inside the dream flew out of the audience hall.

He saw the surviving Drag-Ride force that was gathering near the castle to a.s.sault Fugil all at once.

「Kill that guy! Don"t let him get away from this castle alive-!」

The angry yell of the emperor that resounded in the dark night.

But, Lux certainly saw it.

The impressive castle of Arcadia Empire that boasted long years of glory.

A silhouette of Divine Drag-Ride that he had never seen before, it possessed gigantic frame that surpa.s.sed such castle.

The remaining few hundred Drag-Knights who gathered in the area started an all-out bombardment.

Like that even the castle was swallowed by the flame of war and it was gone from the sight.

–

「──Uh, GUAaaAAAAH!」

Lux woke up from receiving a pain as though his chest was stabbed open.

Deep level floor──the Automata who held the role as guide, Arshalia"s clone was watching over him in front of him. In addition Singlen was standing beside her.

He should be at Lux"s side because he was tentatively a guard, but it looked as though he wasn"t protecting Lux at all.

「What a noisy man. Just when I thought that you were sleeping so carelessly until now, this time you are screaming so loudly.」

What a man.

Far from worrying about Lux who was in pain from receiving Baptism, the first thing that came out of his mouth was sarcasm.

He wished to grumble at such att.i.tude, but it would be pointless to have argument with this man so he refrained.

In exchange Arshalia"s clone gave him words of encouragement.

「Thank you for your hard work. The Baptism toward you has been safely completed. With this the preparation to obtain the right of management of central is finished. After all to make use of Avalon"s function, it will be a burden that no ordinary person can endure.」

「Preparation? Just now it was that preparation?」

His flesh and mind were strengthened with Baptism, creating a state that could handle the central.

That meant, everyone else would also receive this in the second trial.

Putting aside Aeril who had resistance in receiving Baptism from the beginning, he was worried about Airi.

She wasn"t sickly anymore like the past, but he wondered if she would be able to endure this pain.

「U, gu……! Haa, haa……」

He put off worrying about other people for later.

Right now Lux was extremely weak. Far from wearing Drag-Ride, he couldn"t even stand up properly.

「It"s better for weakling to not move for a while you know? The Baptism here tampers with a lot of nerves of the whole body. Most likely the other candidates are also in the same condition.」

「……How do you know that!?」

Lux reacted with alarm to the end of Singlen"s sentence that he spoke out really naturally.

Even Aeril who was a Lord didn"t know about the process of this trial.

「You are really a selfish man huh. I have told you repeatedly that if you want to know then submit under me. Are you fit to become a ch.o.r.e boy with that kind of bad memory?」

「Don"t diver the story! We are partic.i.p.ating in this battle as part of world alliance, who is under who isn"t related! Not telling the other about information regarding the capture of Avalon is a violation of the pact!」

「Kukuku, and then you are also foolish like usual huh.」

Lux brought his face closer with wheezing breath, but the Blue Tyrant was kept acting curt.

「At present, there is no existence in history that has ever reached this Avalon. No……perhaps I should say that it was arranged for the world to perceive it like that. If that"s the case, my words are just a lie you know? How can you prove that what I"m saying is correct?」

It was just as he said.

There was no way Singlen could know about this matter.

It should be nothing more than his usual nonsense, or he was talking about his deduction while making it seemed like he knew what was going on.

And yet, why did he think that his words were the truth?

「How about I kindly teach you? That"s because you know it. At the bottom of your heart, you understand that my words are the truth.」

「……Such, thing」

「I was trying to make you obey me was because of that. You are someone who tilt the balance, someone chose in the singular point of destiny and remain there. In the upheaval of history, the transition of ruling system, there will always be a central personage in it. The caliber of that person replaces the distortion and tendency of the era, pus.h.i.+ng through everything. Therefore──」

The moment Singlen continued his words, scream came from the surrounding.

When Lux peeked out from the window of the tower, he could see the figures of the populace running around at the surrounding.

「This is, illusion? No, is this a scene that happened in Arcadia Empire?」

「Indeed.」

Arshalia"s clone immediately answered Lux"s question.

「In the period of maturity of Arcadia Empire, a secret medicine called Elixir was crated, and then a surgery to adapt it to the body──the technology of Baptism was established. If the usage and dose is mistaken, it will result in death or serious after-effect. But if it succeed, then the subject will obtain ability that far surpa.s.s ordinary people.」

Come to think of it, Aeril also talked about such thing.

Elixir was granted only to royalty and n.o.bility, producing superior people from birth──the bloodline of ruler.

「An extremely limited number of people, and then the great number of lower cla.s.ses people who propped them up. Even among Arcadia Empire that ruled the world, the social standing was divided into two. And then──」

『……Uh, GYAAAAAH!?』

『Stop, STOP ITTTTT……-!?』

The scream that came from the reproduced scene caused Lux to react and leaned forward.

Looking closer, several Abysses attacked people who were carrying weapon and devoured them.

「This scene is also a projection of past recording, not a real thing? Then don"t tell me, the Abyss──」

「It"s like that. The imperial family created Abyss as a method to oppose rebel, criminal, and external enemy. Furthermore they also crated Ragnarok as guard to protect the Ruins.」

*Splat splat* That gruesome scene where the populaces were eaten caused Lux to avert his gaze reflexively.

And then, the Abysses were flying away to somewhere.

「……-?The Abysses are heading somewhere else? Are they returning to the Ruins?」

When the playback was over, Lux thought that the projection was cut off, but unexpectedly there was still a continuation.

When he immediately looked toward Arshalia, she responded with a nod.

「They are going back. To the Abyss creation plant inside this Avalon. They spring forth from Ruins, then return back to the inside. That"s the mechanism.」

The projection of Automata answered so. Lux obtained a conviction form that.

The Abyss would return after accomplis.h.i.+ng their objective──that was all they did.

But, something bothered Lux inside.

「Don"t you think it"s strange? Certainly Abyss is necessary from the point of view of protecting the Ruins. But, this place is Arcadia Empire"s capital. No matter how completely the Abysses are under control, but where is the need of using them instead of Drag-Knights?」

It was just as Singlen said.

Most likely the management of the Drag-Rides was mostly done by royalty and n.o.bility too with few exceptions.

In other words, even though they could use Drag-Ride to carry out the purge, why were they deliberately using Abyss?

Was it for making a brutal example, or to save time and labor, or else──.

The projection was progressing even while Lux wasn"t moving.

To the underground graveyard that existed behind the imperial castle──the catacomb.

「The record projection is still not over? How much longer it will continue?」

「The playback of record projection is over for the moment. The place is imperial capital"s catacomb. The place that projected that scenery become the place of the last trial.」

「……Sir Singlen. My physical condition has recovered. Let"s head there next.」

「Kukuku, what, ch.o.r.e boy. Are you trying to chase after Arcadia Empire"s history while abandoning out mission?」

「There is no time to talk nonsense with you. No, if Arshalia"s main body is at the last trial, Listelka should also definitely go there.」

If they could enter into the central from there, it would become an ambush if they waited for Fugil there.

「Well, I"ll consider that as correct. Let"s go ch.o.r.e boy.」

Singlen drove Leviathan and glided toward the back of imperial castle.

Lux also took a deep breath and after he calmed down his feeling, he wore Wyvern in order to preserve his stamina and followed behind.

The effect to his body due to Baptism wasn"t much.

On the contrary, the Drag-Ride he was clad with felt like it was adapting to his body more than before.

Lux was thinking while chasing after Singlen"s back.

In the end, was Lisha and others who were facing Mis.h.i.+s safe?

How far Aeril had progressed with the trials?

And then──Airi and the Triad.

Lux suppressed his wavering emotion with his will and flew.

At the same time, he was feeling a mysterious uneasiness in his chest because of the scene of five years ago that was projected as illusion.

–

A few minutes before Lux received the Baptism that was the second trial.

The deadly battle between Lisha and others who were confronting Mis.h.i.+s in the central arena was continuing.

The Key"s Supervisor Mis.h.i.+s was a powerful warrior who owned the nickname of Anti Drag-Knight.

Due to Azi Dahaka"s Divine Raiment Avesta, there was a risk of immediate annihilation if each of their ability and energy were stolen.

Thus, Lisha as well as Krulcifer whose main method of attack was far long range accomplished the role as vanguard.

In respond Mis.h.i.+s didn"t move at the slightest with her halberd at the ready. She was silently watching the surrounding.

Not even a shred of uneasiness or carelessness could be seen from her while confronting five Divine Drag-Ride users.

The scenery of Arcadia Empire that was projected in the abandoned capital.

The moment real angel type Abysses flew at its sky, Lisha unsheathed her Sword Device.

「Eat this-! Legion!」

Tiamat"s special armament, the ten projectile weapons in the shape of arrowhead attacked Mis.h.i.+s with roaring sound.

At the same time Krulcifer glided along with Fafnir and fired her Freezing Cannon to hold the opponent in check.

Several offenses and defenses had been carried out since the five started battling Mis.h.i.+s.

However, it was hard to say that the present situation was advantageous for them.

「She isn"t losing patience at all huh. This woman is really like a machine.」

What Lisha and others were aiming at was the moment Mis.h.i.+s focused her full strength to defeat one of them.

The situation when she left the side of her master Listelka was used to turn the table against her. The five were luring her to be impatient to finish the battle so that she would attack single-mindedly.

But, Mis.h.i.+s"s face that was like a steel mask didn"t waver at all.

She was focusing her eyes that were like crystal and calmly watched the movement of everyone.

「──Splendid. I cannot find even the smallest opening after observing this long.」

Mis.h.i.+s talked to herself with a small voice that no one else could catch.

Key"s Supervisor developed Ruins and Drag-Rides. They also set up the Drag-Ride"s suitability to match their bloodline.

So to speak, they were a clan who thoroughly knew and inherited all the Drag-Rides.

Even among them, Mis.h.i.+s was raised up as the Lord"s close aide. She was given education since she was a child.

In addition of Baptism to strengthen her apt.i.tude with Drag-Ride, nanomachine was also injected directly into her.

She endured various conditioning and battle training until the end.

She also grasped the mechanism and ability of every kind of Drag-Ride.

At first there were several hundred of her fellow elite clansmen who received such treatment. Midway people were dropping out one by one. Mis.h.i.+s held out with her strength of will and polished her talent.

「My power is something that I received wholly from inheritance. Exactly because the Lord accepted our clan, that we were able to prosper. That"s why losing will be unforgivable.」

「──It"s similar. You and me.」

Celis who was hovering midair seemed to hear Mis.h.i.+s"s monologue from some point. She addressed her.

「You heard that? Though I don"t need sympathy from the defeated.」

「You shouldered your own destiny, comply to it, and aimed for perfection without feeling reluctant to make every effort. You are an existence that is far more superior than even me at the time I was trying to do the same.」

「It"s pointless even if you are trying to invite carelessness from me you know? My heart won"t waver. After all I received a Baptism that allow me to do so.」

Mis.h.i.+s was controlling herself with training of stabilizing her mind as well as her thinking ability.

She was here as an incarnation of Key"s Supervisor, a machine that would continue to produce the best answer at the fastest time.

「Besides, it"s upsetting to be considered the same like all of you, mere human who consider stolen power as your own and misunderstand that you have become strong like that.」

「Hah! Don"t act self-importantly you cold blooded maid! You already took the wrong path because of that arrogance and then got forced to sleep for centuries because of that!」

Lisha who was also doing Drag-Ride development cut into the conversation of the two.

The moment Tiamat fired Legion once more to hold the enemy in check, Mis.h.i.+s moved.

Azi Dahaka lowered its center of gravity while keeping its tight hold on its halberd and skated.

It was an astonis.h.i.+ng motion, but it was as though the preliminary motion couldn"t be seen at all.

Not just the das.h.i.+ng speed of the takeoff using the armored legs" wheels, the movement itself was also extremely smooth.

It was an impossible feat that couldn"t be done without adjusting the energy distribution to the precision of several percent and having perfect control to the Drag-Ride"s body balance.

But, even with such complicated procedure she had the composure to attack Lisha.

「I won"t let you! I have finished grasping your range!」

「Yes, looks like you all have worked out quite countermeasure in this short time. But, in the end it"s only a hasty preparation.」

Mis.h.i.+s muttered in a small voice, at the same time her pupils expanded.

Lisha leaped to the air behind and fired Legion once more. At that moment, Mis.h.i.+s twirled on the spot.

The other four who was surrounding from four directions opened their eyes wide seeing the impossible movement.

「……That, could it be」

The one who first noticed was Philuffy whose main method of piloting was tricky movement like kicking or throwing the opponent.

If she had to say it herself, Philuffy wasn"t making particularly strange movement.

What she did was nothing more than applying the martial art she learned from Magialca into Drag-Ride piloting and took the practical action.

Mis.h.i.+s too wasn"t deliberately showing original movement to take her opponent by surprise. She was implementing one of the choices that she had practiced repeatedly for several thousand times.

One of the Legion that Lisha fired was. .h.i.t back by the halberd.

「What-!?」

「That kind of movement is possible!?」

Even Krulcifer who specialized in precise movement yelled without being unable to hide her agitation.

They would be able to predict if she dodged while repelling the Legion or blocked it and absorbed the energy, but the Legion that was. .h.i.t back by the halberd flew straight to Lisha with double the speed.

The instant Lisha reflexively strengthened her barrier and defended, Azi Dahaka leaped toward Lisha.

「──Howling Roar!」

However, Lisha was also a first cla.s.s Drag-Knight.

She took the fastest evasive action even while defending against the unexpected counter shot.

In order to avoid having her energy and Divine Raiment stolen by Avesta, she could only get out from the working range of the Divine Raiment.

But, Mis.h.i.+s neutralized the momentum of the surge of shockwave she received while swinging the Wire Tail her right hand was holding.

「──Don"t tell me-?」

The halberd that was swung at first was thrown toward Yoruka who was going to backup Lisha. It was a trap to make Lisha misread the measurement.

The moment the Wire Tail entangled around Tiamat"s armored arm, Mis.h.i.+s activated her Divine Raiment.

「──Avesta」

「Ku!? OOOOOO-……!」

Lisha activated her Divine Raiment along with an anguished howl. An instant before Tiamat"s Divine Raiment was stolen.

With that power, all of Azi Dahaka"s gravity was stolen and the enemy floated to the air.

「……!? You aren"t putting burden on me. But taking away the gravity to make me float──?」

When Mis.h.i.+s showed a slight bafflement, attack was launched from her left, right, and behind.

The tip of wire that was fired from Typhon, and Krulcifer"s sniping.

And then the lightning attack that was fired from Celis"s Lance.

In order to purposefully make use of the defenseless state, Lisha used her remaining power not for gravity increase, but to make Mis.h.i.+s floated still in the air.

「I see, good decision. That"s including all of you who immediately react to her idea. ──But」

Three layered barriers that were deployed around Azi Dahaka drastically dampened each attack.

After stiffening slightly, she blocked the sword of Yoruka who was lying in wait below using the handle of her whip, at the same time she picked the halberd she threw away and quickly retreated.

「I received slight damage but, first I"ll crush one.」

「Ku, u……!」

Tiamat that got its energy completely sucked within a few seconds was dispelled. Lisha stood stock still on that spot. She became unable to take tangible action until she became able to use Drag-Ride once more.

But, Mis.h.i.+s was still paying the greatest wariness toward her surrounding.

Surely she wouldn"t commit the foolishness of easily aiming at the defenseless Lisha.

「My goodness……. So the nickname of Anti Drag-Knight isn"t just an exaggeration.」

Krulcifer let out a horrified astonished sigh along with cold sweat.

Exactly because she had the experience of facing Balzeride who wore the same Drag-Ride in the past that she understood really well Mis.h.i.+s"s strength as Drag-Knight.

Celis and Philuffy had grasped the attack range of the Halberd she was wielding from the battle the other day.

They were maintaining a distance where  they wouldn"t receive attack, but regardless of that, she saw through their countermeasure and switched to Wire Tail that possessed long range.

There wasn"t a single special thing that was out of human realm that made up her strength.

She simply knew the abilities and memorized the traits of all Drag-Rides, and thoroughly performed enormous amount of training to face all those.

「If I can speak frankly, I"m relieved I can remove the troublesome opponent.」

「So from the start your first target is the princess.」

But, even though she had learned the knowledge about all Drag-Ride, it would be difficult for her to respond against a Drag-Ride that had been drastically modified.

Therefore, MIs.h.i.+s designated Lisha as the biggest threat among the five and focused all her strength to remove her first.

「Haa, haa……don"t underestimate me you d.a.m.n expressionless cold-blooded maid! It"s a great mistake if you think that I"m done just from this much!」

Lisha yelled while walking backward with her Sword Device at the ready. Perhaps she wished to say that she could give command even though she couldn"t fight anymore.

Certainly it would be really helpful to have someone who had the full picture of the battlefield and could give advice.

Even though she would shoulder a great risk by staying here, it would only increase their chance of victory by miniscule amount, but it was a small mercy that the Divine Raiment that was stolen was only Tiamat"s gravity control.

Fafnir"s future prediction, Typhon"s Divine Raiment neutralization, Lindwurm"s instant teleportation, Yato no Kami"s enforced control.

Gravity manipulation was also powerful but, their chance of victory would be even more non-existent if it was the other Divine Raiment that got stolen.

「I respect that spirit, but it"s unfortunate. The battle situation cannot be overturned anymore by the time I obtained Suppressor.」

The remaining four people held their breath toward Mis.h.i.+s"s cold gaze.

Krulcifer immediately sent her voice toward Yoruka using Dragon Voice.

『Can you read her consciousness"s wavelength? Now that it has become like this, we can only rely on your sword technique though.』

As expected, there was n.o.body who could surpa.s.s Mis.h.i.+s in regard to piloting Drag-Ride.

But, the special move that Kirihime Yoruka used──Instant Strike was a blade of certain kill that read the wavelength of consciousness and took advantage of the gap of the subconscious.

Because it was unrelated with Drag-Ride spec and piloting skill, it should be effective even against Mis.h.i.+s.

『Of course I can read it. But──I don"t think hitting her once with Instant Strike will result in anything. A slash that simply land won"t be able to pierce that three layered barrier and inflict lethal damage.』

Krulcifer was at a loss hearing Yoruka"s reply.

To breakthrough Azi Dahaka"s abnormal defensive power, there was a need to unleash an attack of full power from close range.

Just like when Balzeride was defeated in the past, there was no other way except to aim at her using one of the three hidden techniques, Recoil Burst.

「You are really composed to look the other way and talk.」

The instant Krulcifer returned her focus to Mis.h.i.+s, Azi Dahaka skated even faster than before with a movement that once more didn"t show any preliminary motion beforehand.

Krulcifer who was targeted flew to the back to escape, but Mis.h.i.+s stuck close to her.

「Attack, Krulcifer! She will keep chasing even if you run away! ──But, why is she even faster than before!? You mean you are holding back when it was with me!?」

The Divine Drag-Ride of land battle type had heavy weight due to its solid armor and weapons.

But, just by using Suppressor to erase the Drag-Ride"s weight didn"t mean that its speed would simply get faster.

Rather the wheels of the armored legs would float and the speed would drop instead.

With the nature of land battle type Drag-Ride to move by running on the ground, lowering the friction might even take away its mobility.

But, the way Mis.h.i.+s used Suppressor was different.

She had mastered the method to put the Divine Raiment to practical use combined with the trait of land battle type Drag-Ride.

「She is keeping the gravity normal only at the part of the armored legs that touched the ground while lightening only the upper body to accelerate!?」

Celis muttered dumbfounded, but Krulcifer escaped outside the range of Divine Gate, so she couldn"t back her up immediately.

「Krulcifer! Fire and drive back the enemy! If the enemy has become lighter──」

「Yes, I know!」

Hearing Lisha"s yell, Krulcifer activated Wise Blood.

She predicted Mis.h.i.+s"s attack using the prediction of the future few seconds ahead.

For the time being she confirmed that she would be able to obtain distance from the opponent using her sniping and then she carried it out.

「Then, prepare yourself.」

The halberd that Mis.h.i.+s held back until it was completely behind was then let go into a flash of vertical slash.

The sure-kill attack that was tinged with strong energy was blocked by Fafnir"s Auto s.h.i.+eld.

It was an automatic defense of seven s.h.i.+elds, but if Mis.h.i.+s used Avesta, this special armament wouldn"t last long. Krulcifer had already known that from the battle against Balzeride.

Therefore, she didn"t let go of that instant.

「──Freezing Cannon!」

*Bam-!* Krulcifer pulled the trigger of her sniper rifle at a position that almost touched Azi Dahaka"s shoulder.

It was an attack of extreme speed with delicateness.

The freezing bullet that was fired from the muzzle stole the movement of the armored shoulder along with the impact.

Because she only stressed on making the attack hit, she was unable to drive the enemy into being unable to act, but she succeeded in offense and defense at the same time.

The heavy weight land battle type Drag-Ride Azi Dahaka was blown backward by that attack.

Because Mis.h.i.+s was making the weight of her Drag-Ride light using Divine Raiment Suppressor that she stole, it became easy for it to be influenced by outside force too.

That was what Lisha pointed out just now.

「That"s a splendid skill. I even feel proud as a fellow clansman.」

「Is that so? Surely it"s troubling for both of us to value just this much that highly.」

Krulcifer responded with a bluffing smile while letting out cold sweat.

The special armament Auto s.h.i.+ed got the energy sucked out from it and they were dispelled. She now became defenseless.

If after this Fafnir"s frame got touched, her Divine Raiment would be plundered.

But, she won the gamble in the exchange just now.

Philuffy and Celis alredy took position at where Mis.h.i.+s was falling to. They were aiming at the moment she landed.

At that instant when Krulcifer grasped the situation and her tension relaxed slightly.

She could hear the yell from Lisha who was standing still on the ground.

「Don"t be slow Krulcifer! The enemy"s aim is still you!」

The cannon muzzles stretching out from Azi Dahaka"s shoulders──Devil"s Glow s.h.i.+ned and fired a torrent of impact energy.

Because her automatic defense Auto s.h.i.+eld was taken away, Krulcifer immediately tried to take the option of dodging but──,

「-……!? What"s this!? The propulsion control, is changed──?」

An out of place feeling arose from the center of gravity of Fafnir"s frame.

It was as though it became impossible to calculate the trajectory for flying.

The instant Krulcifer reacted to that in bewilderment, she was swallowed by the bombardment.

Receiving that terrific impact, she was struck down to the ground right away.

「-……, aah……!」

「Krulcifer!?」

The fallen Fafnir was attacked even more by Suppressor and it was crucified on the ground. The armor was raising high pitched metallic sound and creaked.

Krulcifer endured the intense pain where it felt like her whole body was breaking while she comprehended Mis.h.i.+s"s technique.

She used the Divine Raiment of gravity control that she stole from Tiamat and tampered with Fafnir"s gravity of each part of the armor haphazardly.

When Krulcifer was shaken by the crumbling body balance of her flying type Drag-Ride, she was. .h.i.t by the bombardment from the enemy"s shoulders. At the same time when the attack hit, next gravity pressure that was several times than normal was applied on her and Fafnir was knocked down toward the ground.

If what Mis.h.i.+s had done was put into words, that was all there was to it.

However, even Krulcifer never imagined that she was going to attack and manipulating gravity that skillfully at the same time, while facing four Divine Drag-Ride users simultaneously.

「──Kuh!? AAAAH!」

Furthermore the multiplied gravity broke through the armor"s endurance.

The effect of Suppressor cut off at the last moment, but Fafnir"s armor was also dispelled.

Mis.h.i.+s changed her falling trajectory with the recoil from Devil"s Glow shot. Celis and Philuffy attacked, but everything was avoided within a hair"s breadth and she retreated.

With this, only three people remaining who could fight in this place.

It became only Celis, Philuffy, and Yoruka.

「Krulcifer! Hang in there!」

Lisha who somehow recovered her body"s freedom lifted Krulcifer in her arms while breathing roughly.

Her bones weren"t broken, but several places on her body were hit by pressure.

「I"m fine……. Is what I want to say but, as expected this is heavier injury than yours. It"s not so severe that my bones broke, but if I got bruises all over, I won"t be able to show myself to Lux-kun.」

Krulcifer acted tough, but her breathing was so weak it felt like it would stop anytime.

「You idiot! What do you think we are forming a pact for! Even if that happen, I"ll at least give you time! Though it will be me who make Lux mine in the end!」

「Even though you won"t yield at the slightest, but you are really principled aren"t you……. I don"t hate that side of yours.」

Krulcifer smiled wryly, then her eyes closed and she lost consciousness.

Lisha"s gaze returned to the battlefield while she was still holding her cla.s.smate in her hands.

「──With this there are only three people left. You all are getting more and more cornered.」

Mis.h.i.+s who recovered her balance declared without a single change in her expression.

But, even after losing two people, Celis, Philuffy, and Yoruka"s expressions didn"t show any uneasiness.

「In my country, it was said that only in predicament people can really show their strength. Besides, in reality even you was unable to be unharmed from the exchange just now wasn"t it?」

Mis.h.i.+s responded to Yoruka"s bewitching smile with silence.

Azi Dahaka"s left shoulder was frozen. Although the joint wasn"t solidified, the barrier generation device was partly sealed.

It was a small injury on a little spot.

However, she also knew that it might become a lethal wound in a battle between the equally powerful.

Since the time Mis.h.i.+s became aware of her surrounding, she was undefeated in battle versus Drag-Knight.

That was why in contrast of her threat that sounded like she was convinced of her victory, she understood that this was a situation where she couldn"t let her guard down.

The only thing that could be called Azi Dahaka"s weak point wasn"t how it had no flying ability, once the armor had been destroyed physically, even if it absorbed energy it wouldn"t be able to repair it by its own strength.

On the other hand, it was the only path of survival for Lisha and others.

Krulcifer went for that and she succeeded in not letting her Divine Raiment stolen in her defeat.

「She has done her part enough. The rest will be our turn to meet the expectation.」

Celis readied her Lance along with Lindwurm while she looked straight at Mis.h.i.+s.

Even after two of them had been defeated, they didn"t show the color of despair on their face.

The extremely deathly battle resumed.

–

「Eh……?」

*Drip, drip*, fresh blood was trickling on the stone paving of the castle town.

Even though Airi exposed herself in order to save her friends, Zweigbergk ignored it and he was about to kill the Triad. It was at that time.

A girl who suddenly appeared knocked down the situation into even more chaos.

「You, b.a.s.t.a.r.d……-!?」

The one who was bleeding wasn"t Airi or even the Triad, but Zweigbergk who was going to swing down his Blade just now.

A flesh hand that thrust like a spear gouged his chest from behind together with Tarasque"s armor.

「……What is, going on? This is──」

「I don"t, know. But, something like this……」

「You are, Hayes Vi Arcadia……」

Sharis, Tillfur, and Noct, the three of them muttered while still lying on the ground.

Each of them had a broken arm. They were feeling pain that made them unable to move while their attention was taken away by that bizarre sight.

「Guh, you, are……!」

「What"s wrong, you senile old gopher. Did you forget my face? Senility is really terrifying eh.」

The girl who was wearing pure white robe on top of a pilot suit was without a doubt Hayes.

But, her body should be unable to do any activity except by using Baptism of strengthening applied on her. And even the remaining light of her life should be on the verge of running out.

The strangest thing was that the girl right now wasn"t even wearing Drag-Ride.

She pierced the armor of Divine Drag-Ride Tarasque with her bare hand.

「How……! How are you here-!? ……How can you do something like this-!?」

The stabbing arm slipped out when the old soldier pitched forward. He turned around while slas.h.i.+ng with his Blade.

But, Hayes easily blocked even that with her bare hand and crushed the blade that she caught in her grip.

「Wha……!?」

「Kukukukuku. I see, so it"s like that huh. Looks like your master didn"t tell you at all about the essential things. What a pitiful man.」

「Answer me!? What the h.e.l.l are you!?」

Even though the blade was broken, Zweigbergk continued to pour his strength to push his Blade.

And yet, Hayes who should be just a pet.i.te girl didn"t even give an inch.

That smile that was filled with composure suddenly warped into an evil look.

「You"re telling me to answer!? A lowlife small fry who is nothing more than an errand boy of the Blue Tyrant is……! Know your place!」

Her free left fist exploded into motion and pierced Tarasque"s shoulder.

The barrier was drilled through and the armor smashed. Even the Force Core was gouged out. The armor was dispelled and Zweigbergk was blown away.

「Goh, gahah……!?」

Zweigbergk"s torso was torn off just with that and he was reduced to a lump of meat miserably.

A track of fresh blood was remaining above the stone paving where the castle town of the empire was projected.

「……So this is the power of Sacred Eclipse"s main body, hhha! Magnificent. The G.o.d has chosen this me! I am the true successor of the empire! It" not that fake princeLux or even my big sisters! It"s this me!」

The eyes of Hayes who was talking loudly were s.h.i.+ning glaringly with seven colors.

From a glance, Hayes looked calmer mentally than before, but her look was filled with inhuman zeal.

It was as though she was an incarnation of Abyss──no, a G.o.d.

「Now then, I finished the confirmation. The current me don"t even need Drag-Ride. Insects like you all are already don"t matter but, it doesn"t seem bad to crush you all here as hara.s.sment to that fake prince.」

Airi slightly staggered when those eyes with mysterious rainbow color were turned toward her.

They were able to escape from Zweigbergk"s threat, but now a threat that was far more terrifying than that appeared.

Besides, the situation at the surrounding was strange.

The old castle site where the scenery of Arcadia Empire was projected showed angel type Abysses flying around and devouring the people at the area.

When they finished eating, they headed toward the direction of the castle.

Airi too had finished the first trial from the Automata, but what was happening right now?

Suddenly Hayes"s eyes flashed and she stared at one Abyss that was flying in the area.

「Hahaha. So it"s like that, I don"t even need to be bothered myself. It"s a waste of time. You all can just wait to be eaten there. This abandoned capital will soon turn into h.e.l.l. However, well, if Ane-ue knew about this, then she is really a villain yeah. No, it"s the right act. It"s a worthy mission for the descendant of the Lord.」

Airi wanted to ask just what she was saying, but right now they mustn"t agitated Hayes.

After all their fate would be decided by which way the dice of G.o.d"s whim would roll to.

「But, I"m not gonna hand it over to you, Aneue-sama. Of course not to the traitor Aeril too. I"ll be the one to guide this world. I"ll make you b.i.t.c.hes to watch h.e.l.l too yeah, until then just s.h.i.+ver in fear there.」

Hayes left behind an evil smile and left from there.

No, she s.h.i.+ned with light and then her existence vanished.

After that nothing remained behind.

It was only Zweigbergk"s corpse that showed that the happening until now was reality.

「Just now, s.p.a.ce teleportation……? One of the Ragnarok, Deus ex Machina"s──」

Airi who had seen that Ragnarok"s battle against Lux noticed that baffling common point.

No matter how much Hayes"s body was strengthened with Elixir, was it also possible to make her learn a powerful supernatural ability that was like Divine Raiment?

No, the ability of the girls of the Lord was nothing more than body strengthening and making use of a part of the Ruins" power through Baptism.

In other words that was──something else that was different from Nocturnal and Ragnarok──.

「Let"s stop……. It"s useless to keep thinking about it. More importantly, everyone, thank you very much. I"m glad, you are all safe.」

Airi let out a deep sigh and spoke with teary eyes.

「Haha……, our state really isn"t cool as knights protecting a princess though.」

「We gotta be thankful, that we are simply able to survive.」

「Yes. We at least can show our face to Lux-san, that we are able to protect Airi safely.」

The expression of Sharis, Tillfur, and Noct relaxed even with the color of pain dyeing their face.

If they could be greedy, they wanted to go to tell the others about what just happened, but they understood that they had no spare strength for it.

Right now they could only hide for a while and prayed for Lux"s safety.

Lisha and others would defeat Mis.h.i.+s, Lux and Singlen would stop Listelka, and Magialca and others would reach the central of Avalon in that opening.

They were still wis.h.i.+ng for the success of those, but two abnormalities were occurring.

Singlen who ordered Zweigbergk to aim for Airi in this pressing situation, and Hayes who was transformed into an atypical existence. It also wouldn"t be strange if Sacred Eclipse appeared anytime──.

「Don"t tell me, Hayes just now was──!」

「What"s wrong, Airi?」

「──It"s nothing. I"ll go to take the first-aid kit from the luggage that we left at the other side.」

Airi pushed down the unknown uneasiness and ran.

At that time, the figure of Lolotte wearing Drake appeared at a distant view. Perhaps he was looking for Zweigberk.

The battle of the girls met an end for the moment.

–

「──The same tactic again? It"s a bit of disappointment.」

Arcadia Empire──imperial capital"s central arena.

In the fighting stage where a scenery that boasted splendor was projected, the fierce battle of Mis.h.i.+s versus Syvalles was continuing.

Lisha lent her shoulder to Krulcifer who lost consciousness and glared at the battlefield with a grim face.

200 ml from her location, Celis, Philuffy, and Yoruka were repeatedly surrounding Mis.h.i.+s who was piloting Azi Dahaka and held her in check.

Each one of them coordinated with each other to deploy three kinds of attack.

The flying type Lindwurm maintained the distance from the sky while attacking with Lightning Flash from the Lance.

Because even Azi Dahaka couldn"t defend against lightning attack, it was forced to dodge.

The land battle type Typhon grasped the rubbles on the surrounding ground and threw it.

Otherwise it would pierced a huge rubble with the tip of Pile Anchor and pulled it out, and threw it like an improvised flail.

Yoruka made use of Yato no Kami"s leaping ability to kicked on the air and slashed at Mis.h.i.+s.

They launched different attacks from three directions and three alt.i.tudes while looking for opening, but Mis.h.i.+s wasn"t perturbed at all. She continued to deal with the attacks.

「What, a woman……. That d.a.m.n cold blooded maid!」

Even if their attacks were mainly from long or medium range, she didn"t show the slightest weakness even though there was also her shoulder armor that was destroyed by Krulcifer.

Even though she was constantly making use of Full Connect, there wasn"t any sign that her stamina was exhausted.

「──There is no end to this. At this rate we will keep Aruji-sama waiting. That mustn"t happen.」

Yoruka muttered with a smile, then she stopped holding Mis.h.i.+s in check from mid-range and approached Mis.h.i.+s.

Lisha who saw that immediately raised her voice.

「What are you doing ero woman! Don"t enter her Divine Raiment"s range!」

「Do you think it won"t reach you? ──Suppressor!」

The instant Yato no Kami entered just for a single step into Mis.h.i.+s"s range that they had avoided until now, severe gravity burden a.s.saulted Yato no Kami.

The four armored legs creaked, and the stone paving that was used as foothold was smashed and sunk down.

What Mis.h.i.+s aimed for wasn"t to steal Divine Raiment, but to prevent attack using Suppressor.

She turned into offense right after Celis and Philuffy"s attack ended, in the timing where no obstruction could come.

「It will be my victory if I can just take that Divine Raiment.」

Yoruka immediately met Mis.h.i.+s with her katana shaped Blade, but her movement was dull due to the gravity burden.

Mis.h.i.+s dodged the slash in a hair"s breadth while dealing an attack with her halberd to the armor.

The barrier was broken through and the darkness colored armor was smashed form the torso.

But, the tip of the sword that Yato no Kami thrust out at the same time stabbed into the right armored foot of Azi Dahaka.

The Drag-Ride"s barrier was deployed with the focus to the front.

Thus the tips of the limbs had thin defense even for Azi Dahaka.

And then,

「Why can"t I plunder the Divine Raiment? Spell Code"s command is, going toward me──」

Mis.h.i.+s frowned while confirming Yoruka"s plan.

「Yes, I had given an order beforehand. From the k.u.mo no Ito crawling underfoot, a command to cancel the use Divine Raiment──」

With just a contact of several seconds, the plundering of Divine Raiment by Avesta would show effect faster than Spell Code.

But, at the time when Mis.h.i.+s walked closer at Yoruka"s opening, the special armament steel wire that was already laid out on the ground activated the Spell Code.

The command was focused in making the Divine Raiment unusable rather than controlling the enemy"s movement.

And then, in exchange of getting her armor destroyed, Yoruka damaged the armored leg of Azi Dahaka.

「You were aiming for weakening me from the beginning?」

「I cannot fight satisfactorily at all with this body anyway.」

Yoruka smoothly confirmed the answer while showing an unusually cheerful smile.

The wound from her defeat against Singlen hadn"t full recovered. Then she was doing a forced march to come to Marcafal Kingdom, in addition at the battle where she took on seven Ragnarok, the current Yoruka couldn"t even display half of her true strength.

Then before her stamina was chipped off in this stalemate, she sacrificed herself and entrusted the rest to her comrades.

「So you turned yourself into a sacrificial p.a.w.n? The Drag-Knight who was even called as the Empire"s a.s.sa.s.sin Blade is actually a really cowardly person.」

Mis.h.i.+s took a distance for the moment and lightly performed a check on her movement.

The barrier generation device on the left shoulder and the right armored leg were damaged.

It was impossible to move with full power, but she could still exhibit 70% of power.

「Perhaps that"s true.」

Yoruka whose armor was dispelled retreated unexpectedly easily.

Without paused she walked toward Lisha"s position and turned around toward Mis.h.i.+s.

「But, it"s not a bad feeling, to be able to remove Aruji-sama"s enemy even without being able to wield my own strength.」

「I don"t know if it"s one of my hand or leg, but do you think that the remaining girls can defeat me just from this little damage?」

When Mis.h.i.+s sent a calm gaze to Celis and Philuffy, Yoruka"s lips loosened with a chuckle.

「You are, the same like me in the past.」

The line that Yoruka suddenly spoke caused Mis.h.i.+s to frown slightly.

「You blindly believe in your mission, and polished up your skill like a single sacred sword along with an absolute self-confidence. Your steely determination surely won"t yield no matter what stand in your way. But, you will lose against a feeling that is even stronger than that.」

「Just when I"m wondering what you are going to say, it"s only nonsense. If you yield only because of such insignificant thing, then it"s only a proof of your immaturity.」

Mis.h.i.+s adjusted her stance, she changed the grip on her halberd and took a forward-bent posture.

Lisha who saw that sensed a danger and quickly raised her voice.

「Celis! Philuffy! Be careful! She is going into offense!」

Because the danger of Yoruka"s Spell Code had gone, and then because there were only two remaining enemies, Mis.h.i.+s changed her fighting style.

She changed her grip on the halberd from a short hold to make it easier to move the halberd with long handle flexibly, into a hold for large swing that could exhibit greater might.

She finally moved to attack from her own initiative. Her stance was one to bring down the opponent.

The next moment after Lisha sensed that, Azi Dahaka accelerated with a speed that the eye couldn"t follow.

Celis who fired lightning attack from the tip of her Lance flew back, but even though Mis.h.i.+s was. .h.i.t by it, her halberd still struck in a sweeping blow.

「……-, u!」

Celis"s armored arm immediately blocked it, but the blow could be felt through it into her chest. Celis"s face distorted in pain.

It was a power in the degree that instantly broke through the barrier.

But, Mis.h.i.+s"s Azi Dahaka also exposed a fatal opening for the first time.

「Now airheaded girl! Bring down the maid!」

Lisha who saw that raised her voice even while shuddering.

Drag-Ride that was. .h.i.t by Celis"s Lightning Flash would temporarily have its movement paralyzed and its power output would also decrease.

Furthermore because Mis.h.i.+s had some of her body parts fused with the Drag-Ride using Full Connect, she would receive even more damage.

If she was in the middle of the attack"s effect, she wouldn"t be able to activate Avesta.

Thus it was a chance of the lifetime.

Philuffy didn"t overlook that and fired Pile Anchor, winding it around Azi Dahaka.

「I"ll kick, so be careful.」

Philuffy entangled the wire on the armor"s four limbs and sealed the halberd"s movement, at the same time she entered the stance for a spinning kick.

She would roll the wire and dragged Azi Dahaka closer. When the kick blew away the opponent, Celis would also cooperate and dealt an attack to bring the enemy down.

「Ei」

Instantly, Pile Anchor pulled Azi Dahaka closer with tremendous speed and Philuffy unleashed the spinning kick with all her strength in a counter.

At that instant, Mis.h.i.+s who should be limp due to the lightning attack turned a cold eye glint toward Philuffy.

「It"s pointless no matter what you do! You won"t make it in time until your Divine Raiment reactivate!」

Lisha who saw that gave a push to Philuffy with her words.

To activate Divine Raiment, the concentration and Drag-Ride energy needed to do that were a lot more than doing other action.

Even if for example Azi Dahaka"s Divine Raiment would just barely make it in time, Philuffy"s attack couldn"t be defended anymore.

When the full power kick from Typhon landed, Azi Dahaka"s armor burst open.

The three layer of tough barriers were broken through, and the front part of the armor was smashed apart.

But, Philuffy herself was also blown backward at the same time as though she was affected by the recoil.

「……Wh!?」

Lisha certainly saw it at that moment.

The sight of the lapis lazuli colored shockwave that was emitted from Azi Dahaka"s armor directly hitting Philuffy" armor.

It wasn"t Howling Roar.

Mis.h.i.+s shouldn"t even have time to fire that.

「Most likely, it"s the so called Reflector that we heard from them.」

Yoruka muttered without a single change in her expression. Lisha gasped and guessed the situation.

The special armament of Azi Dahaka that they heard from Celis at the battle the other day.

The internal device that unleashed shockwave as counter to the surrounding right after the attack landed.

Because it was a type that activated automatically like Fafnir"s Auto s.h.i.+eld, it was possible to activate it even in the instant where Mis.h.i.+s only barely recovered from the electric attack.

「But, how can it has that much power when it"s only an automatic counterattack!? Even Typhon is a land battle type Divine Drag-Ride! Its defensive strength is──」

「Yes, that"s right. But wasn"t the opponent completely limp just now? It was in order to not use energy for other thing and focused only at the special armament.」

「-……!? She predicted it? The exchange just now」

Lisha comprehended an instant after Yoruka pointed out.

Originally the power of Reflector was quite strong, but in the end it was only to the degree to stop further attack from the enemy.

But, if she discarded all other action from the beginning and focused the energy only into it, then it would be a different story.

「When I and Krulcifer-san also attacked before this, the counterattack wasn"t so strong, but that too was a preparatory steps for this.」

「Run away! Airheaded girl──!」

LIsha who grasped the situation reflexively raised her voice.

But, Philuffy too was unable to escape immediately.

Because she was entangling Pile Anchor to Azi Dahaka"s limbs, even though they were both blown away from each other, the chain stopped them midway.

Right after the wire went taut and their motion halted to a standstill, Philuffy took off the wire in order to avoid Avesta. Azi Dahaka took that instantaneous opening and charged.

Philuffy who was unbalanced reacted by letting out a punch to meet her attack even then.

But, she was a step short.

The straight punch that was unleashed was dodged by Mis.h.i.+s who ducked low and her halberd hit Typhon"s shoulder.

「……Aa, u」

There was a sound of metal crumpling.

Typhon"s armor was dispelled by the impact and Philuffy was sent flying to the back.

「Philuffy!」

Lisha spontaneously yelled, but Philuffy put her own hand on the ground and then with a twirl she landed on her feet.

「……I"m fine. Typhon cannot be moved for a while but, I"m alright.」

The attack didn"t hit the person herself. In the end it seemed she was only sent flying by the inertia.

In addition there was also the physical ability and agility of the person herself, so she avoided serious injury.

Lisha who confirmed Philuffy"s safety stroked her chest in relief.

However, because the Force Core in the shoulder was. .h.i.t strongly, Typhon"s armor was automatically dispelled and she fell on one knee.

And then, something even more terrifying that Philuffy"s inability to keep fighting happened.

「This is bad. Typhon was touched by Azi Dahaka for a full second.」

Yoruka smoothly muttered a dangerous matter with a composed tone.

Until now they had concentrated all their nerves to at least prevent the plundering of their Divine Raiment, but with this even Typhon"s Missing Faith was taken away after Tiamat"s Suppressor.

Only Celis alone was remaining, but she too couldn"t be said to be in a perfect condition.

Although each of her armaments was still going strong, she just got hit by Mis.h.i.+s"s halberd before this.

「Can she win? Against that coldblooded maid who has stole two Divine Raiment, at this rate──」

At that time when Lisha"s expression distorted in anguish, her shoulder was lightly tapped.

Krulcifer who was laid down behind lifted her body and stood up even though she was sweating from her forehead.

「……Let"s believe in her.」

「Krulcifer!? Never mind that, just sleep! With that body you cannot use──」

「I know. I won"t move and I also won"t force myself. I just want to watch with my own eye.」

Either way, the match would be decided by the next exchange.

If Celis couldn"t defeat Mis.h.i.+s, at that moment that would be the end of their fate.

「You"re right. It will be a loss to miss watching this.」

Yoruka nodded in agreement. She continued her words with her usual smile.

「Our victory from everything that we have acc.u.mulated until now──」

Her gaze was quietly directed toward Celis who was readying her Lance.

「Have you resolved yourself? You have lost even the one in ten thousand chances of victory right now.」

Mis.h.i.+s a.s.serted with a cool expression and brandished her halberd.

Azi Dahaka was greatly damaged from her fight against Philuffy, but her procurement of Missing Faith, the Divine Raiment neutralization ability was greater still.

In addition Celis"s Lindwurm wasn"t undamaged.

When the aspect of each side"s stamina was also included, it appeared that Mis.h.i.+s was still the one with far greater advantage.

But, there was no hesitation in the face of Celis who was the last one remaining.

「No, I"m finally able to see the chance of victory. Thanks to everyone risking their life to build it, I"m able to discover it.」

「I see, so you are misunderstanding. Thinking that you can possibly win against this me just because Azi Dahaka"s spec is somewhat weakened──」

Right after Mis.h.i.+s laughed down Celis like that, Azi Dahaka skated forward once more.

Celis dodged with an arching trajectory while intercepting using Lightning Flash, even so a twisting sweeping attack of the halberd smashed apart a part of Celis"s armor.

「The energy from your Drag-Ride is taken away again by Avesta. With this I"m also above you in stamina.」

Celis was silent against that.

She only adjusted her breathing quietly and gaze at Mis.h.i.+s.

「It looks like you have no intention to recognize your defeat. I will give praise to that mental strength at least.」

Mis.h.i.+s was going to close the distance once more, it was then Celis activated Lindwurm"s Divine Raiment.

Divine Gate.

A territory of light with a radius of several dozen ml with Celis at the center was created. Instant teleportation was performed within that territory.

That power that could build up overwhelming advantage in offense and defense was erased by the black surge that was emitted from Azi Dahaka.

「Missing Faith……the Divine Raiment she stole from Typhon was instantly activated!?」

That Divine Raiment gave a large burden even to the original user Philuffy. It consumed stamina and mental strength drastically.

It was something so difficult to use that Philuffy was barely able to use it by borrowing the strength of Abyss, but using Full Connect, it wasn"t difficult for Mis.h.i.+s with all the energy she had plundered in this fight.

「──Haaah!」

Celis seemed to have predicted even the negation of her Divine Raiment. She reacted even then and threw the Dagger she took out.

Mis.h.i.+s deflected it with her halberd. Celis used the opening and unleashed a thrust in a flash──but,

「Lindwurm"s output is also falling with the surge just now you know? Do you think you will be able to surpa.s.s me with speed?」

*GAKIIN!*, the lance was swept aside by the halberd. Celis along with Lindwurm staggered.

But, she immediately recovered her balance and escaped from pursuing attack.

「You are still holding out like this means that you are wis.h.i.+ng to be tortured to death aren"t you?」

Mis.h.i.+s approached even more and struck with consecutive attacks of her halberd.

After thrusting up, she doubled the weight of her weapon with Suppressor and swung down. She twisted her body to dodge and then rotated to perform a sweeping blow.

Lindwurm"s barrier was easily pierced and its armor was crumbling down in the blink of eye.

Even so no despair could be seen in Celis"s expression.

She made it so the part that came into contact with the enemy was few. She made use of the spear"s length and exchanged spear fight from mid-range.

She skillfully manipulated the huge Lance and targeted Azi Dahaka"s shoulder. At that moment, a territory of light was deployed to the surrounding.

「Don"t tell me, it was finally stolen!? Even Lindwurm"s Divine Raiment!」

Lisha who saw that shuddered and yelled.

Celis seemed to have predicted it and immediately flew behind.

Toward the mountain of rubbles of the destroyed old castle.

If there was a wall behind her, there would be no attack came from behind using instant teleportation. It became a countermeasure against Divine Gate after a fas.h.i.+on.

──But, that instant. Super gravity from Suppressor attacked the area where Celis was running to.

*BAKIKIKIKII-!* The foothold rubbles that projected the castle town was smashed and Lindwurm"s armored leg sank down.

「Checkmate. O powerful warrior of this era, this is farewell.」

Mis.h.i.+s who was convinced of victory unleashed a full power thrust with her halberd. Celis muttered at that instant.

「──Howling Roar!」

The energy that was focused in the head part of Drag-Ride became a vortex of shockwave that was liberated out.

Even though her movement was sealed by gravity, even though she couldn"t use Divine Raiment, if it was just the basic function of Drag-Ride, it could be activated without any hindrance.

Although Mis.h.i.+s who was taken by surprise had her momentum reduced, she was still forcing her way through using her barrier as s.h.i.+eld.

Mis.h.i.+s forcefully screwed in the thrust from all her strength, at the same time the counter from Celis"s Lance also stabbed Azi Dahaka"s armor.

「She"s defeated!? No, is it a draw!?」

Lisha yelled, at the sasme time Celis"s Lance emitted lightning.

「Double layered little trick at this point of time, that"s quite something.」

Mis.h.i.+s pulled away her halberd with a wry smile, dispelled the gravity force, and took her distance.

The flash from the lightning attack that Lightning Lance fired.

Just before their attack crossed each other, the flash blinded Mis.h.i.+s"s eyes and Celis barely dodged the opponent"s thrust.

Celis cut her way through the absolutely deathly predicament with only two tactics.

「But, is there any meaning in resisting like this? The energy of your Drag-Ride is stolen by Avesta each time we performed an exchange. Now that it is one-on-one, you won"t win without landing a sure kill attack on me.」

「It seems so. ──Then, perhaps I"ll land one.」

And then, Celis removed a part of her armor that was ruined.

「Break Purge──. Leaving behind only the minimum propulsion frame and armor, Celis"s suicide attack huh……」

Lisha who knew that style was letting out cold sweat seeing Celis"s form.

Break Purge that was originally a basic technique was sublimed by Celis until it became an original technique that was only hers.

The armor was lightened by discarding everything except to the utmost limits. The places where energy was distributed were also reduced, increasing the attack power.

As the compensation for the increase in power and speed, the defensive power was greatly reduced.

If she fully received an attack by Divine Drag-Ride in that state, she wouldn"t be able to avoid instant death.

If it was Mis.h.i.+s who thoroughly knew about Drag-Ride"s trait and function, surely it would be possible for her to deal even Celis"s suicide attack style.

She closed the distance gradually with an expression of mask that was the same like until now.

The abilities of Divine Raiment that she stole using Avesta already reached saturated state.

Even if she was going to absorb energy from Lindwurm until it was dried up, with how thin its armor had became, she would have to get closer to absorb the energy.

It would be the final exchange that would be done in the range of sure-kill.

Mis.h.i.+s who saw that the end wa near silently asked.

It wasn"t a diversion to make an opening, or a mental attack to shaken up the enemy. Words naturally welled up from inside herself that was covered behind the mask.

「It"s splendid. Battle skill and physical strength that are polished until that far, and then your mental strength. They are worthy of praise. But, you are not a match against me. After all I am a Key"s Supervisor who is shouldering the mission of serving the lord from a thousand years ago. I am the only imperial guard of the imperial princess.」

She spoke out her belief was also to strengthen herself by applying self-suggestion.

Azi Dahaka was also damaged here and there, but it still could move enough as she wished.

──She could defeat the opponent. She would defeat the opponent.

Mis.h.i.+s gazed at her opponent with eyes that were filled with a will of steel.

The Drag-Knight Girl who she should respect, for being the first person who fought her until this far.

「In the end, is it really just as you say?」

Celis spoke her words straightforwardly, then she threw three Daggers midair and immediately flew forward.

Because she had removed part of her armor, she manifested an acceleration that was double than before.

She unleashed a downward thrust from midair, with her momentum behind it.

「Just what are you planning──? Divine gate!」

In respond Mis.h.i.+s activated the stolen Lindwurm"s Divine Raiment and instantly circled behind Celis.

She let out a swing with all her strength to the defenseless back. In that instant, Daggers were falling before her eyes.

「-……! You predicted that I will circle behind you!?」

Mis.h.i.+s whose attention was taken by the Daggers for only slightly stopped moving her hand.

Celiss turned around at that opening and her Lance danced.

Once, twice, thrice.

The shoulder that lost the barrier generation device due to Krulcifer"s sniping, the armored leg that was damaged by Yoruka"s katana, the joints of the armored arms, and each weak spots were stabbed consecutively.

Mis.h.i.+s was fl.u.s.tered by the unleashed fierce attack that was like a heavy rain, even so Mis.h.i.+s didn"t fall behind.

Full Connect partly integrated her body with Drag-Ride, she could control her Drag-Ride with the same sensation like it was her own body.

She accomplished a unity of man and machine and also had a complete grasp of Lindwurm"s movement. She had no blind spot.

「Looks like you have toyed with various strategy, but in close-quarter combat, winning against this me──」

A shock ran through the expression of Mis.h.i.+s who handled all the thrusts and backed away.

Right after that, the armor that covered the four limbs of Azi Dahaka crumbled down in pieces.

「……-!? Did the attacks, hit? How──. I certainly have, dodged, them……」

The tip of Celis"s Lance that lunged out in G.o.dspeed slipped through Mis.h.i.+s"s defense and shaved out Mis.h.i.+s"s armor with certainty.

Through that Azi Dahaka"s solid armor was also weakened.

「What is going on……? How is Celis"s attack starting to hit?」

Lisha who was looking from the side was also similarly bewildered.

In the place of Philuffy and Krulcifer who were also looking dumbfounded toward that sight, Yoruka silently took up the role of explaining.

「It"s simple. She is only reading the breathing of the opponent. Just like how Aruji-sama saw through the opponent"s preliminary motion when attacking──, she too is hammering in her lance while seeing through the opponent"s defense.」

──Breath.

That was the conduct of the flesh body that would surely appear on the surface in the middle of offense and defense that were carried out in full strength.

Celis foresighted the timing and strength of breathing that Mis.h.i.+s performed, from there she predicted the opponent"s movement in general and reacted to it.

Mis.h.i.+s who heard that muttered with disbelieving look.

「Impossible. I have finished training day after day to master control so that my breathing won"t be read and the like. For me who am able to obtain the data of all Drag-Ride to fall behind you is just──」

「No, you are wrong. Even Drag-Ride is something that human control. No matter what habit and personality will be mixed in it. And then──」

Celis gazed straightforwardly to Mis.h.i.+s with an aloof gaze and declared.

Yes.

For Drag-Ride user at Mis.h.i.+s"s level, they surely would have finished revising their movement so it would be extremely hard to predict their movement and habit from their piloting.

But, in the end it was something that only within Mis.h.i.+s"s own comprehension.

The body that became markedly fatigued through consecutive battle against formidable enemy wouldn"t move like normal no matter what.

Until now she had never faced a Drag-Knight stronger than her, no, far from that there wasn"t even any Drag-Knight who could match her.

Therefore Celis won against her in the strength of predicting the enemy in a battle against Drag-Knight.

「You are an Anti Drag-Knight, but even though you can perfectly predict Drag-Ride"s movement, you are unable to learn as far as the person"s habit. In your Full Connect state, the more you align your flesh body with the Drag-Ride──, the more it become easier for me to predict your movement.」

Fusing a part of the body with Drag-Ride brought many advantage, at the same time it was also a double-edged sword.

The endlessly swift and precise control──and then the sharing of senses caused the body"s information to be conveyed through the Drag-Ride even more.

Mis.h.i.+s thought that her habit was hidden even then.

She didn"t notice until now, until she encountered an equally powerful person.

「Such thing……is impossible. For me, to be defeated, by Drag-Knight──!」

Mis.h.i.+s activated Avesta as though to deny Celis"s words.

Next she wouldn"t use it to steal ability, but she would pour her everything to plunder only the opponent"s energy.

She would steal all of Lindwurm"s energy. Even if she was losing in the exchange of close-quarter combat, she would dispel the Drag-Ride armor itself.

「Celis!」

Lisha who saw Azi Dahaka charging forward fiercely raised an agitated voice.

In respond Celis deeply readied her Lance.

An instant before she and Mis.h.i.+s clashed, a scene of her with Lux was resurrected at the back of her mind.

The memory of her who was training alone everyday because she was too strong and the young man who would accompany her sometimes in such training.

「Mis.h.i.+s V Xfer. Your strength on the whole is far above mine.」

Within an instant, various memories rushed inside Celis"s chest.

The Anti Drag-Knight who devoted her everything to her mission and pedigree, polis.h.i.+ng her skill until she could boast as the strongest.

If they fought fairly──no, even if the five of them challenged her with perfect condition, originally they still wouldn"t have any chance of victory.

But, there was the existence of the sixth person with Celis and others.

──No. That existence was far more bigger, greater.

She met with Lux, and fought him.

She became able to interact with everyone in the Academy little by little, she learned and accepted a lot of things.

She was freed from her chain, the righteousness and self-sacrifice that she was obsessed with, and she was made to grow.

Exactly because of that, the current Celis could see Mis.h.i.+s"s weak point.

(Lux. I"m really glad I could meet you. I"m grateful. That"s why, let"s meet again. At that time surely, my feeling will──)

Mis.h.i.+s"s halberd that was mowing down in order to sever the torso with a flash came after she drew back the shoulders and elbows of her armored arms until the farthest limit of Azi Dahaka"s mobility.

At the same time she activated Avesta to the maximum output.

If the attack hit, it would destroy the target while stealing the energy of the Drag-Ride thoroughly at the same time.

Celis who flew forward as though to respond to that didn"t take evasive action.

But, in that instant. Mis.h.i.+s saw something unexpected and her eyes snapped wide open.

「……Partial, deployment?」

Tuning──.

Using the Sword Device to intervene into Drag-Ride"s system.

But, what Celis was using wasn"t a special technique like Singlen"s Senjin.

Everything other than her Lance, back wings, and shoulder armor was dispelled, transforming the shape into even further suicide attack form.

If the remaining energy of Lindwurm was few, then she would concentrate it even more focused part and increased the strength.

The body of Celis that accelerated until the limit turned into an arrow of light that pierced through Mis.h.i.+s.

「Mis.h.i.+s. Because you are a natural Drag-Knight, you are unable to become used to a battle against human. ──The same like me in the past. I who was too scared to get involved with someone else.」

The exchange with Celis that was even less than an instant.

During that instant, Mis.h.i.+s was caught into an illusion of hearing words that she should be unable to hear.

When she noticed, the armored arm of Azi Dahaka that was swinging the halberd broke, and the Lance deeply pierced into her armor.

「Ah──」

High voltage electricity pierced Mis.h.i.+s"s body, burning her nerves through the part of the Drag-Ride that was fused with her body.

At the same time Celis who got hit by the halberd also received the aftermath of the impact and she was blown away.

「-……!? Celis!」

Lisha pushed through her fatigue and dashed.

Celis received the enemy"s attack in the form where her armor was removed to the utmost limit.

Even her pilot suit was half destroyed by the impact. It wasn"t likely that she was alive.

Krulcifer thought so and she looked down with a grieving expression, but Philuffy and Yoruka were calm.

「It"s fine. She is alive.」

「Yes, though it looks like her dominant arm is broken, so I don"t think she can fight for now.」

「Eh……?」

When Krulcifer looked forward following the two"s voice, there was the figure of Celis who was held up in Lisha"s arms, smiling even while wheezing in pain.

「How? Even though she received such an attack from that close.」

「My? That"s a line that is unlike you. Well, it also can"t be helped if a master of long range sniping is estranged from the advantage of close range weapon.」

Krulcifer tilted her head in puzzlement hearing Yoruka"s words, but her doubt was cleared after a few seconds.

「Don"t tell me, at the end she was rus.h.i.+ng forward herself was for such thing?」

An attack would display its maximum strength not when it was just getting unleashed, but when it arrived at the target.

The joints of the armored arm that propagated the momentum of the flying, the tip of the halberd that hit the target were exactly where the destructive force was gathered.

If the distance was closed far before the attack arrived, at the time when the attack was unleashed, then attack power of Mis.h.i.+s"s Azi Dahaka would also be halved.

The counter technique Critical Hit that Lux used with Scale Blade.

It was applied into Celis"s spear technique.

It was a terrifying method where she accelerated herself even further to defeat the enemy.

「The halberd"s blade only touched Lindwurm"s back wing, the handle part simply bashed the shoulder. She received damage from the impact, but it wasn"t deathly.」

After Yoruka said that, Krulcifer leaked out a relieved sigh.

And then at the spot where Mis.h.i.+s was blown away to, she was collapsing face up with her armor dispelled.

Because she was in Full Connect state, the electric shock from the spear burned her flesh body.

Even if she had stamina remaining, her muscles were surely paralyzed and she couldn"t move satisfactorily for a while.

She was moving a trembling hand toward her chest, but it was already impossible for her to fight.

「Even so, you are being really open with us aren"t you? Are you that worried about Celis-senpai I wonder?」

When Krulcifer made fun of Yoruka who was unusually looking relieved,

「Of course. After all she is superior as a womb to conceive Aruji-sama"s heir. It will affect my dignity if she is lost here.」

「I see……」

Just when she thought whether Yoruka had feeling of fellows.h.i.+p budding inside her, it was the usual Yoruka. Krulcifer was exasperated.

Although, it was great that they could win in this battle.

Crus.h.i.+ng Mis.h.i.+s who was the enemy"s greatest fighting strength surely made the faction of world alliance greatly closer to victory.

The remaining concern was only Listelka and Fugil, and then Sacred Eclipse.

「Let"s go, we need to treat the injury properly.」

「Right. Also let"s also treat Mis.h.i.+s and bind her. She too will become prisoner──……!?」

Krulcifer nodded at Philuffy"s words and looked forward. Right after that.

She could see Mis.h.i.+s moving her trembling hand and brought a horn flute to her mouth.

Yoruka immediately started running, but she was too late.

──*iiiIII-*, the sound of horn flute resounded in the area. One of the angel type Abyss grasped Mis.h.i.+s and took her away.

Looking at how her four limbs were dangling down limply, it seemed that was the best that she could do.

The Abyss that was hiding behind the arena wasn"t moving until now was for the sake of escaping when an unexpected situation happened by any chance.

「──She got away. We too are in a state that cannot wear Drag-Ride, so there was also the possibility of her telling the Abyss to attack though.」

「Among us, there are several people who seem like they can fight against Abyss even without Drag-Ride after all. I think that was a wise decision that she made there.」

It was regrettable that Mis.h.i.+s escaped, but surely Mis.h.i.+s wouldn"t be able to fight properly for a while. And it was useless even if they were feeling regret in this situation.

Right now they could only share happiness that all of them were able to survive safely.

「Looks like Celis fainted, but she is safe. Let"s take a bit of break. Also, it will depend on Yoruka but, when Yato no Kami recover to a usable degree, can you search the surrounding for us? I want to join up with Lux"s little sister and the Triad soon and entrust Celis to them.」

「That"s fine. Honestly speaking I want to fall asleep like this but, we still haven"t obtain Avalon yet.」

The five comrade in arms flopped down in a circle and looked up to the sky.

They basked themselves in the victory that was grasped by their effort together while thinking and praying for the safety of a young man.

–

「Haa, haa……! Mis.h.i.+s"s return is late. I don"t think it"s possible but, could it be she is defeated?」

On the other side, the south section of Arcadia imperial capital.

In front of the castle gate of the castle town that was projected at the abandoned capital, Listelka was breathing roughly.

She was the first imperial princess of the Lord, and also the shrine maiden of oracle. She knew beforehand about the trials for the sake of obtaining Avalon.

By touching the clones of Automata Arshalia that appeared in a total of seven places, one would receive three trials.

The first trial put a burden on the person"s mind, a ceremony to display the person"s power of resistance.

By enduring through it, the person could obtain the effect of preventing the mental disorder when Elixir was administered into them.

The second trial was a direct administering of Elixir into the person.

By strengthening both mind and flesh, the person would obtain the ability to control the mechanism in central.

At present Listelka had also finished the second trial safely and she was taking rest like this.

She deliberately headed to the castle gate where there was no sign of people in order to avoid contact with enemy.

She was able to predict that if the other group realized the pattern of where the clones of Arshalia were located, they would search the important locations.

Thus, Listelka who understood the terrain took advantage of that and went here along with Fugil.

「She is a legendary heroic figure even among the Key"s Supervisor. No one would be here match no matter who.」

Fugil responded to Listelka with unchanging thin smile.

The pure white imperial princess let out a long sigh, then she leaned the back of her head on Fugil"s chest.

「Do you feel disdain to me? That I am a cowardly imperial princess. I am the shrine maiden of oracle, the current imperial princess of Arcadia Empire, in spite of that I"m doing various underhanded things.」

Until this point Listelka did her best that she even threw away her shame.

In order to conquer the Ruins, she asked for the cooperation of the world alliance while betraying htem, she used the life of the third daughter Hayes as disposable piece, and she also put the second daughter Aeril into a trap.

She introduced herself as an absolute ruler while building her advantage using schemes where she didn"t care of the means she chose.

Despite that, she was forced back at the previous battle and even now she was only barely holding out.

Even sending Mis.h.i.+s as an a.s.sa.s.sin while Fugil was guarding her was because she was fearing the strength of the world alliance in her heart.

She was still holding advantage in the aspect of information, but that too was only at the level that could be easily overturned by luck or coincidence.

Exactly because she understood that, she was leaning on Fugil to rely on him.

「Fugil. Am I managing this skillfully? As a descendant of the Holy Arcadia Empire, as someone who shoulder everyone"s hope, am I accomplis.h.i.+ng my mission well?」

The girl slowly closed her eyes and reconfirmed her own feeling.

What surfaced at the back of her mind was the past memory that was resurrected in the second trial just now.

And then now, she was thinking back upon the tragedy as though tracing the negative history of the empire.

Before Listelka and others went into sleep, the rebels, the family of traitor obtained Drag-Rides for some reason and caused uprising everywhere. Their momentum was rapidly increasing.

They attacked all the mansions of the wealthy people living in the imperial capital, and finally the royalty and n.o.bility were ma.s.sacred. Such sight was burned into the eyes of her young self.

Even though the Lord had developed Drag-Ride and Elixir along with the Key"s Supervisor──monopolized them and carried out a perfect ruling, yet how?

Listelka separated her face from Fugil"s chest and muttered while staring at the surrounding.

「How, could that kind of insurrection occur? According to a theory, at that time, it seemed there was a mysterious agitator who was allied with the family of traitor.」

「The White Hero. It seemed that following the legend of the far away past, that person at that time was called like that. To call the person who ruined us who was living in peace as a messiah or the like, what a selfish story. Really──」

Listelka only said that and took a deep breath.

And then, she embraced herself and trembled.

Her other memory was from a thousand year at minimum after that.

The case when she was awoken from the high performance hibernation pod she was sleeping in.

Listelka who was sleeping in the Ark was accidentally discovered by the investigation team of the old empire. Her brethrens and servants who also had just woken up were slaughtered.

When she was in despair that the family of traitor from a thousand year ago was descending on them even at this era, Fugil saved Listelka.

He killed all the troops of Arcadia Empire that was in that place.

After getting saved, Listelka who was heavily wounded was put into sleep once more along with medical treatment. Aeril and Hayes who were relatively safe each spent their time along with Mis.h.i.+s to investigate the outer world.

In the end, Hayes who was holding grudge to the rulers and Arcadia Empire that were infesting this world started violating Listelka"s command. She ran ahead and rampaged with her secret maneuvers behind the scene.

After that, Listelka woke up once more and they arrived at the present.

「……It seems I will be able to move soon. We have to head to the last trial.」

Listelka lifted up her face and said that with a smile.

The last, the third trial was──to face one"s own ability.

There was a record that when they next time exchanged a contract with the main body of the Automata, Sacred Eclipse would appear.

When the person could make it obey, the path to obtain Avalon would be opened.

Inside her heart Listelka felt a question of why Sacred Eclipse that would destroy the world was also having this kind of role.

Was its ability to read human"s heart and changed appearance into other person using its mimicry was for this from the beginning? No, or perhaps──.

It was pointless to keep thinking about it.

It was fine if she clarified the remaining puzzle when she arrived at the center of Avalon.

「I"ll be relying on you Fugil. If Sacred Eclipse attack, please take care of it. I"ll manage somehow with the trial other than that.」

「Yes. Everything will be as your highness will it.」

「Geez, please stop acting so stiff at least in this kind of time. It"s finally just the two of us alone after all……. Though I feel bad for Mis.h.i.+s who is working hard.」

Although Listelka puffed up her cheeks in dissatisfaction, her tone was gentle.

「It will be fine. No matter what kind of trial is waiting, I will surely overcome them if you are with me.」

Listelka whispered the words of trust and she entangled her fingers with the hand of her imperial guard knight.

The last battle was approaching near.

–

Around that time, in the royal castle of Marcafal Kingdom.

Inside a stone corridor that was cold and dark, two men were standing while talking.

One of them was a young man who gave intellectual impression from his appearance──the aide of Queen Raffi of new kingdom, Prime Minister Nulph.

Across from him was a man in his prime of life with finely chiseled features, Dist Ralgris.

He was one of the great feudal lords that were called as the four great n.o.bles since the era of the old empire. His imposing bearing was oozing out the dignity of someone with long military experience.

In fact, it was this man with abundant experience who was coordinating the expeditionary force of new kingdom this time, but at the surface Prime Minister Nulph was the one who was taking command.

「I have given you troubles at that time. My thanks for yielding the full authority of the alliance army to me. I"m sorry that I was giving unreasonable command.」

「It"s no problem. It was a natural demand thinking from your position.」

When Prime Minister Nulph bowed his head, Dist shook his head with his stern expression.

「It will affect the honor of new kingdom"s existing regime if I who am a representative of the four great n.o.bles take command. It is only a natural consideration toward her majesty the queen.」

The relations.h.i.+p of the new kingdom and the four great n.o.bles was well-known even in other countries.

After the old empire crumbled, the great feudal lords, the four great n.o.bles" authority turned stronger.

If Dist was the one who took command instead of Queen Raffi, it was the same like openly showing the lack of her unifying force as a queen.

Therefore, Queen Raffi maintained her dignity in the form of her aide Prime Minister Nulph accepting the right of command.

「Is her majesty"s condition all right, Prime Minister Nulph?」

「Yes, the medicine I gave her majesty has a strong calming effect. Her majesty is tired from the consecutive meetings, so currently I"m asking her majesty to rest in her room.」

The royal capital of Marcafal Kingdom.

The sovereigns of each country who evacuated safely until the royal castle received cordial welcome and took rest.

The elite force of the alliance had been devastated, the main force that the countries wrung out was mostly collapsed.

It was a state where they could only leave the capture of Avalon wholly to the Seven Dragon Paladins, even so there was still a mountain of work to do.

Realistically──or perhaps it should be called as having no integrity, even in this situation where it concerned the fate of the world, a ruler had to constantly think about the matter after it too.

Meetings with the a.s.sumption that the world was saved and Avalon was obtained were being held continuously even now at present.

「The sharing of Avalon"s technologies in case it is obtained, the establishment of alliance relations.h.i.+p for several years from now──it"s only appropriate. The damage was this great. We had lost many Drag-Knights that we had painstakingly raised and also a lot of Drag-Rides. Now the situation is becoming one where great anxiety is remaining, for example the threat of external enemy like the Dragon Marauder, or the national defense against Abyss that appear from the Ruins.」

Nulph also nodded toward Dist"s opinion.

「Besides, due to the series of news that were broadcasted by the Shadows dispatched by Listelka, dissatisfaction is heightening within a part of the new kingdom. The faction from the old era is saying that the current Queen Raffi cannot deal with the danger.」

「What a self-serving bunch. Even though they were expressing that much dissatisfaction toward the ruling system of the old empire.」

「You"re correct. But the populace is a selfish bunch, while politician is a greedy being. This time, from the result the new kingdom has lost much battle force and borrowed the strength of the four great n.o.bles. On top of that the failure of the queen is being broadcasted within the country.」

When Nulph said that with a slightly pained expression, Dist stared at empty air and said briefly.

「But, this time it cannot be helped. No matter who is the king, there will be a limit no matter how hard they work.」

「That is the reality. However those who received loss will seek someone to take responsibility. If for example the world destruction is stopped but we don"t obtain enough recompense from Avalon, while a lot of troops and the people"s a.s.set are lost──」

The result would be Raffi"s position as queen would be degraded by the detractors within the country.

At the very least the consuls who belonged to old empire faction would take advantage of this chance to make a comeback.

If that happened, in not too long a new seed of war might be born within the new kingdom.

「But, it"s still only five years since the destruction of the old empire. Inviting that kind of civil war isn"t a profitable plan. We have to arrange something that can convince the populace as well as the consuls, in order to heal the wound this time too.」

「So that is what you want to consult with me, prime minister-dono.」

「……I told my subordinates to clear out the people from here. Our talk won"t be overheard by anyone here.」

Prime Minister Nulph lowered his tone by a degree and his expression tensed.

He was going to start a discussion that would be bad if it was overheard.

Dist Ralgris also guessed Nulph"s intention.

Thus he kept quiet and waited for the continuation of the words.

「Lord Dist. I want to ask you to put in a good word for me to the four great n.o.bles. While the influence of the great man Count Atismata still exist, I want you to nominate me as the new king.」

Dist kept silent hearing the words of the young prime minister.

The ulterior motives of the statesmen were squirming behind the scene of the battle where the fate of the world was at stake.

–

「Does the second trial finished with this? How are you feeling, your highness?」(Magialca)

「I"m feeling a little bad but, I"m fine. I think I will be able to move after resting for a few minutes.」

On the other hand, the second team of alliance army.

The team of six people that was centered around the Lord Aeril, then Greifer, Mel, Soffice, Rosa, and Magialca was smoothly finis.h.i.+ng the second trial──the Baptism.

With this, finally there was only the third trial remaining.

「For the situation to go so smoothly until this far gives me a bad premonition instead. ──It feels like something will happen.」

「Even though you are the youngest, don"t fan up anxiety like that yeah. You"re a twisted brat like usual.」

Mel was staring at the sky anxiously. Beside her, Greifer showed a sullen face.

Right now the two of them weren"t wearing Divine Drag-Ride.

Their strategy was to constantly have two people preserving hteir stamina while no enemy was confirmed.

「I"ll say this first but, I wasn"t saying that without any basis at all you know? After all it can be imagined if you are following the scene of the castle town from before this.」

「What do you meaan?」

Rosa kept a smile on her face and tilted her head questioningly at Mel"s muttering.

「This projected scene, if it"s the history of Arcadia Empire, then why is it showed to us……」

Aeril answered that by talking to herself.

「More importantly, there. It"s Lux"s team. It looks like they are heading behind the castle just now.」

Soffice muttered. She was gazing at the castle far away.

It was hard to see the other side of the building, but angel type Abysses were circling around and descended to the inside.

「Do you have some idea about that, Lord? Do you have memory stopping by in that place?」(Magialca)

「──There is an imperial tomb there. I don"t remember going there a lot. I don"t think there is anything there but……」

「But, the Automata is at important locations right? That means, it"s possible you can find the third trial there ain"t it?」

When Aeril was looking troubled, Greifer spoke his opinion casually.

「Right. It"s just as you say but, for now there is no need to go there. Let"s approach just barely and then wait.」

「……? What do you mean?」

Mel tilted her head at Magialca"s instruction.

「You will get it soon. We have to ascertain that guy"s movement……besides──, it"s not just you who is playing with plan you know, you sn.o.b.」

After Magialca muttered suggestively, they approached toward the imperial tomb. There the radar of Magialca"s EX Drake showed a reaction.

「You can come out you Lords. It"s pointless to hide after this far right?」

With that sentence, tension ran among the Seven Dragon Paladins including Aeril.

After a slight delay, Listelka showed her figure from the shadow of the castle wall.

「When I have been preparing numerous strategies, unexpectedly none is going well. I wish to obtain the power of Avalon quickly, so that this kind of thing won"t happen.」

「I also wish the same. We didn"t plan to fight but──well, we have prepared beforehand to do so.」

When Magialca gazed at behind the castle, Arshalia appeared once more at the entrance of the imperial tomb that was colored with vibrant green.

Right after that, the figure of Lux and Singlen that could be seen from afar disappeared.

「After all it looks like for the third trial, the revival of Sacred Eclipse will be necessary. It will still take time until it appears as scheduled right? That was why you deliberately yielded the path to the control room that is connected to the central to Lux"s group instead.」

「……Yes. Well you are right. I too was going to attack at the last moment just like you but, Sacred Eclipse that is just revived won"t come here. It also doesn"t look like there will be extension of time to wait until Mis.h.i.+s return. Therefore──let"s settle this ahead of time.」

Right after Listelka muttered keenly, Fugil wearing Bahamut moved to stand in front of her.

「Nee-san……」

At that time when Aeril and also other Seven Dragon Paladins took their stance and confronted the opponent tensely, the surrounding s.p.a.ce distorted, and a girl appeared between them.

「──!? Who are you?」

When Magialca reacted promptly and asked, the girl who was wearing a robe that was dyed with blood spurt lifted her face.

「Hayes……!?」

When Aeril and Listelka were bewildered at the familiar face, the girl silently took off her hood and grinned.

–

「This place, just where──?」

When Lux gasped in surprise, the unfamiliar s.p.a.ce spread out.

A large room with silver smooth wall.

Inside, several mechanical pillars that resembled the interior of Ruins were laid out over and over again.

At the center of the room, the Automata Arshalia was standing. Beside her there was also Singlen clad in Leviathan.

Until now, everything was only projection of the past buildings laid out on the abandoned capital Guernica.

However right now there was a sense of reality.

This place wasn"t fake, they were inside a real building.

「There is no Listelka or Fugil here. Don"t tell me, we are the one who reached to the central first?」

In the first place, it would be sufficient if any of the three teams gained control of the central. Their objective might be in the process of completion like this.

But, even though they had overtaken Fugil"s group, an anxiousness was rapidly bloating up inside Lux.

「Great work accomplis.h.i.+ng the previous two trials, Lux Arcadisama. Now I will give the explanation about the true ability of Avalon and about Sacred Eclipse.」

The Automata was starting to talk with a gentle and bright tone.

This time it wasn"t a clone that was made from nanomachine, it seemed it was the real Gear Leader.

Lux who saw that silently dispelled Wyvern"s armor and switched to Bahamut.

「Hou? What are you planning wearing armor before the trial?」

「Because I don"t know what will happen.」

Lux responded avoidantly to the high-handed words of Singlen.

Arshalia"s words were continuing even then.

「Why were trials given repeatedly until this point? That is because the person who obtains Avalon will obtain the power to overturn and rule this world. Therefore, the number of people who know about the true nature of Avalon has to be very few. Well then from here, I will prepare the last trial.」

──*VVRN!*

Right after her voice, the surrounding mechanical pillars were squirming and pulling back.

The moment a s.p.a.cious s.p.a.ce was created, Lux turned around while slas.h.i.+ng at the same time.

──*GIIN!*

High-pitched sound of clas.h.i.+ng swords resounded. Sparks scattered fiercely before his eyes.

Lux"s great sword and Singlen"s Blade crossed each other. They were trembling while the equilibrium of strength was maintained.

「──What are you doing ch.o.r.e boy? Are you planning to betray us and the world alliance after this far?」

Singlen asked with a haughty grin.

Lux sharply narrowed his eyes and glared back at the enemy before him.

「Don"t play stupid. How dare you harmed Airi and the Triad.」

Lux poured even more strength and pushed back the Blade.

Singlen s.h.i.+fted his blade and parried it, then he leaped back and took distance.

The Dragon Voice that came from Lolotte just now included image recording and information report.

Singlen instructed Zweigbergk to capture Airi as hostage.

And also how in order to protect Airi, the Triad were seriously injured.

Therefore before Lux would perform the last trial, he took the first move to start the fight.

「You are an impulsive man like usual. I didn"t particularly attempt to kidnap your little sister, those girls only met painful experience because they were resisting.」

「Enough with the nonsense!」

The control room of the central area where countless devices were squirming.

Inside the s.p.a.ce where gears were moving and pipes were running to everywhere, Lux flew along with Bahamut.

With an immeasurably powerful enemy like Singlen as the enemy, he had no definite prospect of victory.

Even so, he couldn"t complain about such thing.

It was great that they had reached until the central, but if he didn"t stop this man here, then everything would be controlled by him.

「Kukuku……. People who originally should join hand together are tricking each other and laying trap. It"s exactly like repeating back the history. Not a single thing has changed since my time.」

Singlen unleashed the tuning toward Lux who was charging at him.

The countless frames of light filled with character string and graphic floated around Leviathan, beautifully illuminating the deep blue armor.

Singlen"s secret technique that made use of Drag-Ride"s system──Senjin.

Singlen showed the stance of using that, but Lux unhesitatingly brandished his Blade.

「Is your sight blinded by rage? ──Senjin - Ruten.」

Lux"s slash that was aimed toward the shoulder was deflected by the parry of an instantly deployed barrier.

The moment the slash would hit, a force field was formed to deflect it from right to left.

The barrier was deployed by matching the flow of Lux"s slash without even an inch of deviation, so that the attack was stopped and averted.

But, Lux"s slash only slightly scratched the barrier and hit the armor of Leviathan.

Singlen"s parry was done with perfect timing.

However, the result was different from the previous fight when they used Wyvern and Drake.

「What"s wrong? There is no need to go easy on me!」

Lux was provoking unusually vigorously at the enemy before him.

In contrast Singlen was blinking in wonder, but he soon put up his usual fearless smile.

「Hhha. I see, so it"s like that. It"s a shallow thinking but looks like you have been wracking your brain huh. It seems you have been looking forward to a rematch with me.」

Lux was silent toward Singlen"s loud laughter.

Although it was only slightly, but the Senjin of that Singlen was broken through and the attack hit.

Lux pretended to be calm so that the trick wouldn"t be understood.

But, his plan was already seen through with a glance.

「You used Bahamut"s special armament Linker Pulse huh. You made me to be wary of your three hidden techniques and Divine Raiment, while launching surprise attack using your built-in special armament.」

It was bull"s eye.

Singlen"s Senjin - Ruten freely used parry by instantly deploying barrier, a technique that performed evasion and throwing the enemy off balance, but if he made a blunder with the technique, it would also expose weak point and opening that was just as large.

In matter of speed, Lux"s hidden technique, Quick Draw would be effective. But Singlen would surely match the timing perfectly even against that.

Then, using the built-in Linker Pulse that the enemy usually wasn"t conscious against, Lux moved his Drag-Ride to slightly s.h.i.+ft the timing of his slash. If it went well the attack would hit, that was his calculation.

He deliberately provoked Singlen was to make him had misapprehension that the attack hit simply because of the difference in skill so that he could keep hiding the trick, but Singlen easily saw through it.

(Dear G.o.d. As I thought, this man isn"t normal in regard to Drag-Ride battle……!)

The trick of bypa.s.sing the defense was exposed, but Lux was still maintaining the advantage.

After all even if the trick was exposed, it didn"t mean that Singlen would be able to block all his attacks.

「──Senjin - Gouka」

The moment Lux split his focus to his pondering, Leviathan charged with a fierce speed and approached from the front.

Its Blade was swung down with a sharp trajectory. Bahamut reflexively blocked it with its great sword.

But, the energy that was concentrated to one point exhibited a destructive power that couldn"t be fully neutralized. Crack entered the special armament.

「Kuh……aah!」

Lux barely pulled back his blade and parried the enemy"s slash.

「I see, so you also used Linker Pulse in defense to s.h.i.+ft the point of contact. You are looking down on me, thinking that such petty trick will work against this me.」

「──Why!? Why are you all acting like this!?」

「What?」

When Lux noticed, he was yelling that.

It wasn"t a tactic or a restraint to make Singlen stopped attacking further.

Because Lux recognized this man"s strength and talent more than anyone, Lux"s own heart yelled so.

「It was the same five years ago. After forming a plan to make the country peaceful, Fugil turned traitor at the moment it was realized. Aren"t we fighting for the sake of saving this world!?」

Fugil too, he gave various knowledge to Lux for the sake of the revolution, helping him to learn to pilot Drag-Ride.

Singlen too, although his position was different as the representative of his country, he should be standing here as one of the Seven Dragon Paladins.

And yet why, they were doing something like this?

Lux couldn"t comprehend their egoistic action.

「You already possess enough strength and status! Just what are you wis.h.i.+ng for even more than that!?」

「Fuh……hahahaha!」

Lux"s choked out an angry yell, however Singlen responded with an inappropriate laughter.

「What is funny?」

「That"s a great way to pour cold water on a fight. Who can hold back from laughing after hearing that? Weren"t you a prince even if just as a lowly one? Someone who had been involved with the pivot of the country, can really ask what more anyone could wish for?」

「What, do you mean?」

Singlen twirled his Blade and stabbed it into the ground.

He then continued to talk as though to say that it was the signal of the battle"s pause.

「Very well. Originally I had no intention of talking this far with a fool, but in deference only to your talent in fighting, I"ll especially teach you. After all it"s also not something that you are wholly unrelated with.」

Lux didn"t let his guard down while lending his ear to Singlen"s words.

「The country I originated from, Blackend Kingdom was once dyed with corruption. It was already like that far before Ruins appeared in various places of the world and Drag-Ride was brought out. At that time I was still a brat, but I could change such situation anytime. After all I had the ability and also quite the pedigree from birth. Just like you in the past.」

「But I didn"t do anything. I had no interest for it. I was unable to find something worthy that could motivate this me to bother to change. Frankly speaking, it was just a trite reason. I was disgusted by the world. Whether it was toward the imbecile people in authority who were pleased with their monopoly of power, and also toward the lazy and incompetent foolish ma.s.s who wouldn"t stand and oppose such bunch.」

「Is that you unjustified resentment and excuse talking after getting banished from your position as general after that?」

「Do you think so? At that time I was banished. On purpose that is.」

Singlen laughed down what Lux pointed out.

Singlen suppressed the rebellion within the country, exterminated Abyss, and managed the military, but he was expelled from the position of general because of his style that was too atrocious.

The king who feared Singlen"s strength deliberately gave him bad treatment to distant him from authority. Singlen harbored dissatisfaction toward that. That was the rumor that Lux heard.

「At that time, it was easy even if I want to mow down the royalties and then take the reign. But you see, I didn"t even want to touch that kind of power struggle. It was trivial and worthless thing. I thought they can just do as they please by themselves.」

「Then, why──」

「Do you want to hear about how I secretly arranged so that Blackend Kingdom"s army was destroyed once?」

That was one of the rumors out there.

The wearing down of Blackend Kingdom"s war potential by Nocturnal"s appearance and calamity.

The king lost his knight order and called Singlen back at that time. There was a rumor, could it be that even such happening was nothing more than this man"s scheme?

This man was saying that it was the truth.

「It"s a simple story. There is no end to human"s greed and foolishness.  Nothing is uglier in this world than animal with only shallow cunningness. After I retired, I was staying quiet without even getting involved with the Ruin. But, the hangers-on of the royal family who feared my strength even then, they tried to kill me in their desire for achievement.」

「The kingdom"s soldiers who were dressed as bandit descended on the village at the remote region where I retired to. My blind big sister was killed when she refused to become hostage. That was after she got wretchedly tortured.」

A smile was tugged on the face of Singlen who was talking indifferently.

From that expression, delight from talking about human"s brutality could even be peeked.

「Such thing, there is no way……」

──"Impossible." Lux couldn"t a.s.sert that.

No, for Lux who had seen the other side of the old empire, he could vividly imagine such scene.

People who considered themselves as someone with special position and looked down on others possessed cruelty to a terrifying degree.

It was as though they didn"t feel pain at all in their heart no matter what kind of inhumane act they performed.

「I didn"t feel sad even at my sister"s death. In the first place I didn"t have anything like affection toward family. But, they pushed their luck too far. They didn"t even notice that I deliberately overlook them and grew impudent without end. No matter how insignificant, it was still my possession that those guys laid their hand on and trampled with muddy shoes.」

SInglen"s jet black eye that wasn"t covered by eye patch gleamed fiercely and he laughed.

「I noticed my own blunder. In this world, low-lives that surpa.s.sed even my imagination are existing as though it"s only natural. If trash isn"t incinerated, it will scatter stench and harmful bug around that will fly even until before my eyes.」

Lux lost his mother and then he focused on reforming the old empire.

If he was to lose Airi or Philuffy through that?

Revenge──though surely Singlen had no such thought motivating him.

「It"s intolerable. The ugliness of human"s existence, the bottomless malice, they made me who was originally unconcerned to be unable to stay as spectator. In order to clean up harmful bug like them, this me has to swing the hatchet personally. That"s all there is to it. At that time I met that Fugil and obtained even more power, and then──」

Singlen loudly recited at the top of his voice and pulled out the stabbed Blade.

「Therefore, Lux Arcadia who is asking for cooperation. We the supreme Drag-Knights exist for the sake of ruling as the pivot of the new world.」

「You are also unhappy with the way your country is the same like me right? Remaking the world into one where there will be no irrationality by the fool……. That can be realized if we obtain Avalon here.」

Most likely this was Singlen"s last invitation.

Even so, Lux was unable to nod.

「I cannot say that your thinking is completely wrong.」

No──even Lux himself felt some parts that he could sympathize with in Singlen"s story.

Even if someone gave an advice through the legitimate channel, the old empire would ignore it and even betrayed them.

What was important to him was taken away, he was hurt, and even now the scar was still remaining.

Lux looked back at the fate surrounding him until now and he suddenly thought.

Would it be better if he possessed a heartless resolve like this man from the start?

「──But, I cannot think that a world created like that is correct. You who had something taken away from you only became unable to see it!」

He pursued his own path without hesitation.

If that was one kind of justice, then searching for a method of solving problem that everyone wished for was also one kind of righteousness.

「Just like how an unreasonable fate was forced on you by them and you rebelled, if you do that then a new distortion would be created all over again.」

「So that won"t happen, a power that cannot be overturned for eternity is necessary. That"s the true power hidden in this Avalon.」

Singlen quietly glared authoritatively. Lux took a deep breath.

「It will be overturned, Singlen. After all it"s just as you said, history will repeat itself. Even the Lord who created this Avalon, weren"t they torn down from their position?」

「Then I will crus.h.i.+ngly defeat any such thing no matter how many times. The unenlightened rebels who will disturb my controldomination, I will exterminate them with my own hand thoroughly leaving not a single one, as many times as necessary.」

Water gathered around Singlen when Lux noticed, and the air was drying.

Leviathan"s special armament, Ballast.

The conversation between Lux and Singlen until now was used for buying time.

But, perhaps because there was no source of water inside this room, the amount of water gathered was still few.

If it was like that, then the water couldn"t be used freely for offense and defense.

The water would increase as time pa.s.sed until it become unmanageable for Lux.

The strongest style that combined the control of water using Divine Raiment and battle technique of tuning.

The technique called s.h.i.+n Senjin that defeated Yoruka would be used.

「It can"t be helped. I will make a little bit of compromise. If I make you unable to move here and bring your little sister here, you too will surely change your tune.」

The instant Lux heard that, Lux exploded into motion and flew forward. He brandished his great sword and slashed at Singlen.

But, Singlen too skillfully manipulated his large sized Blade and blocked it.

「What are you doing attacking without any planning like that? Do you think that it would be an even fight if you attack before I could use my Divine Raiment?」

Singlen showed a high-handed grin while parrying Lux"s consecutive attacks with only sword handling.

Perhaps because Singlen was thinking that if he used Senjin, the contact point would be s.h.i.+fted by Linker Pulse, he didn"t use tuning.

In that case, it would be the turn for Lux"s three hidden techniques and Divine Raiment, but as expected the opponent was also on guard against those.

(──There is no time. If he gathered enough water for both offense and defense, my defeat will be set in stone!)

The control room that was covered with metallic wall.

Singlen displayed that he was preparing using Ballast, inviting Lux to attack while he focused on defense.

If a few more minutes pa.s.sed, the flow of victory would greatly tilt toward Singlen.

Lux who was originally powerful in defense while waiting for a chance to launch his Quick Shot, was forced to perform reckless offense by Singlen"s tactic.

This very moment when that tactic was established was a great chance.

「What"s the matter ch.o.r.e boy? Your options are vanis.h.i.+ng with every second that pa.s.sed you know?」

「Then, try receiving this!」

Lux launched a feint of downward swing, while he touched Bahamut"s Sword Device and unleashed his hidden technique.

The conforming of body control operation and mind control operation──the slash of Quick Draw flashed.

Because the preliminary motion of touching the Sword Device was necessary, that slash was predicted.

But, Bahamut let go of the handle of the great sword its armored arm was holding, in exchange the Dagger that was drawn out was thrown like an arrow.

Dagger throwing through Quick Draw.

It was an attack that should take the enemy by surprise, but because its power was low, the Dagger was deflected by the barrier and armor.

The opponent flinched from the negligible scratch that was carved, but that was all.

「Are you intending to outwit me by relying on cheap trick? What meaning is there in such act?」

Singlen turned a gaze that was mixed with exasperation. Lux winced.

Certainly, the effect was small even when he took the opponent by surprise using an attack that only had speed behind it.

If he could use Over Limit at least then it would become a more even match, but there was no use even if he lamented such thing.

(There is no choice but to do this with what weapon I have at hand!)

Singlen"s defense was extremely solid.

The armor and barrier of Leviathan itself too when it was a land battle type Divine Drag-Ride.

And also the defense method using Senjin that he mastered.

But, exactly because the enemy was in overwhelming advantage that there was also an opening.

Lux lifted his last Dagger as though to show it and then threw it to Singlen.

「Have you stopped playing around? The sin of making me spend my time in something worthless is heavy you know?」

「I have no interest in amusing myself in battle! ──Reload on Fire!」

Instantly, Lux took distance and activated Reload on Fire.

The first five seconds──the user"s own time would be decelerated, then at the next five seconds the time would be accelerated by several times over. That was Bahamut"s Divine Raiment.

Because it would cause the user to expose a defenseless state at the beginning, it couldn"t be used well without first perfectly seeing through the enemy"s preliminary motion when attacking.

Lux hadn"t perfectly grasped Singlen"s movement.

Even so, he judged that it would be safe if it was in the current chance.

「What a piddling man. So your vain struggle until now is just laying groundwork.」

In Drag-Ride battle, it was unexpectedly difficult to s.h.i.+ft from defense to offense.

Of course, Drag-Knight in Lux or Singlen"s level it was something easy, but there was problem of consciousness.

It would be easy if the awareness of counterattacking after defending form attack was instilled into the mind, but the initial movement would be dull when attacking from the stance of sticking exclusively to defense.

The reason was, because the will to attack itself hadn"t been put in order.

No matter how fast one"s reflex was and how expert one"s skill was, to switch one"s mindset from defense to offense and then realizing it into action would need a few seconds at minimum.

Outwitting the enemy and activating Reload on Fire first was originally an impossible strategy, but if it succeeded he would be able to grasp victory in the latter five seconds.

But, right after Lux"s surprise attack that should have taken the opponent completely by surprise, Singlen exploded into action and broke into a run.

It didn"t even take one second for Singlen"s consciousness to react from its petrified state.

The wheels of the armored legs rotated in high speed and he reached the maximum speed in the blink of eye.

He brandished his Blade. It would take one more second for the slash with the momentum of the rush behind it to reach Lux.

The distance of 20 ml between them vanished in a moment and Singlen a.s.saulted with the fastest rush.

(No way, impossible!?)

There was no way Singlen had predicted the Reload on Fire that Lux suddenly activated.

And yet, he had immediately read Lux"s intention and went itno offense.

It was a terrifying mental ability to make instantaneous decision and executed it.

Even though Lux had continuously made that much preparation to paralyze his thought, and yet…

「How many times of compression strengthening that is? After you receive my slash, how fast you are going to fly away? I have to hold back so to not kill you after all.」

The moment the slash hit, Singlen spoke with a mocking smile. When one got hit by powerful attack at the period of the first five seconds of Reload on Fire, the target would be soaked by several times the damage at the next five seconds.

There was even a possibility that the armor of Bahamut that was losing control would be smashed to pieces.

Therefore Singlen raised a voice of consideration, but Leviathan"s Blade was easily deflected by Lux"s great sword.

The tip that was clad in energy was tilted diagonally and the moment the two swords crossed it was parried.

Singlen whose attack was blocked and lost balance turned around with a shocked expression.

No matter how much of a master Lux was in seeing through his enemy"s movement, he should be unable to parry the attack just now when his movement was reduced until a mere fragments.

Furthermore, Lux"s sword wasn"t readied beforehand on the trajectory of Singlen"s attack, it obviously moved to defend. That was to say──.

「You didn"t accelerate time using Reload on Fire from the start, you were just luring me!?」

「──HAAAAAAAAAAAAH!」

Lux had no leeway to answer that question.

The Reload on Fire that he activated hastily was the first trap to make the opponent thought he was trying to make a surprise attack.

The true trap that was hidden by it splendidly caught Singlen.

If he lost this chance of a lifetime, victory wouldn"t come for the second time.

A returning slash flashed horizontally in full strength.

However, in front of the attack that should have caught the enemy in the unguarded moment, a barrier was instantly deployed.

「──Senjin - Ruten」

Due to the instant activation of barrier force field just before the attack hit using the application of tuning, the opponent"s attack was parried by the advanced battle technique.

Singlen"s reserve strength that allowed him to react even when he was caught within the second trap.

Furthermore, even the size of the barrier was greatly widened in order to suppress the deviation of the contact point by Linker Pulse to the minimum.

「Just as I thought. I knew──that you would come like that!」

「What……!?」

Right after that, Singlen who was wearing Leviathan went off balance and his body floated up.

The full power attack that aimed at the defenseless torso mercilessly landed on the enemy.

「……Gu, a!」

The sword was mostly not coated with energy, it was an attack that only prioritized hitting the enemy.

Even so the attack had weight and speed behind it. It transmitted enough power into the opponent.

「Haa, haa……. Haa……-!」

Lux who was displaying absurd power of concentration saw off Singlen who was blown away until the wall behind while gasping for breath.

Looking back now that it had ended, it was an exchange that lasted only for an instant.

Several deep tactics were exchanged within that moment.

It barely made it in time.

What Lux compressed and strengthened using Reload on Fire was the force field of Linker Pulse. The weak power that could only somewhat change an object"s trajectory was boosted up until several times and then activated.

That was the third trap that Lux laid out.

The first trap was giving the hint of time deceleration by the activation of Reload on Fire previously, inviting Singlen to attack. The second trap was when Lux moved normally when the enemy thought that his movement speed was reduced.

And then when Linker Pulse was strengthened by several times, he disturbed the opponent"s stance and slashed.

The edge of the blade that was covered up with tactics splendidly cut through the solid bastion of the Blue Tyrant.

「Singlen! This is you loss! I"ll receive the last trial and wait for Aeril! You just wait there quietly!」

Lux raised his voice to hold Singlen in check while keeping his alert stance.

Even Singlen would surely become unable to fight after getting direct hit of a great sword in his defenseless moment.

Leviathan"s armor wasn"t that damaged, but the Blade that directly hit to his body even through the armor was──.

But, recalling the story that he heard from Yoruka, Lux drove his Bahamut forward.

Singlen had Baptism performed on half his body. Even if he died, he would be resurrected once.

Before that effect could be displayed, he had to completely destroy Leviathan.

But, the water stream that was like a waterfall standing in his way caused Lux to feel a strange discomfort and hair-rising sensation.

「-……d.a.m.n it!?」

「Fu, kukukuku……that was close, really close. So it finally made it in time.」

Looking closer, Singlen"s surrounding was filled with enough amount of water.

The water content in the air was gathered thoroughly from the ventilation and the amount continued to increase until this much.

But, Singlen pressed his hand on his side and blood leaked out from his mouth.

Most likely several of his ribs were broken, and his internal organs were also injured.

If he was injured that much, then he would be able to keep the advantage even if Singlen now had finished his preparation.

『Informing the two people here. Because access to central hasn"t been carried out pa.s.s a certain time, the two of you will be removed forcefully from here in five more minutes.』

The Automata, Arshalia who was watching the battle of Lux and Singlen suddenly said such thing.

Lux thought that once he entered Avalon, receiving the third trial was a definite matter, but it seemed there was a time restriction.

In that case, this wasn"t the time to fight among themselves.

Even though they finally got a step ahead of Listelka"s group and arrived at the central first, at this rate they would helplessly got chased outside.

They should stop the futile fight right away and got outside.

Lux thought like that, but when he was about to speak peacefully,

「Kukuku…… That"s how it is, ch.o.r.e boy.」

Singlen who heard that declared with his single eye gleaming fiercely.

「That useless doll said, finish it within five minutes. It seems that is its wish.」

Seeing Singlen"s arrogant smile that daunted other people, Lux guessed it.

He wouldn"t listen to persuasion.

The reason was, because Singlen was taking action based on his own unshakable belief.

Then Lux too had no other choice but clashed his own answer and took the victory.

He would bring down Singlen within five minutes, then accepted Arshalia"s trial and connected to the central.

He would stop the Sacred Eclipse, grasped the situation, and then, if it was possible he wanted to heal Philuffy right away.

He wouldn"t think like that time any──.

At that time when Lux suddenly thought of his childhood friend, he felt a strange discomfort and hair-rising sensation.

The scene of five years ago instantly surface at the back of his mind. His consciousness was swallowed.

–

「Oi, just what the h.e.l.l is going on with this situation huh?」

While Listelka and Fugil were in a standoff against Seven Dragon Paladins led by Magialca, Hayes suddenly appeared. Her existence caused everyone to lose their words.

It was because Hayes who was already dying being revived like this, furthermore her eyes were dyed jet black, and eerie aura and miasma were overflowing from her body.

And yet, the girl herself was calm as though that gruff personality of her had vanished somewhere.

「Hayes, just now, what did you say──」

「I said, leave from this place, are you deaf Onee-sama? I"ll be compa.s.sionate seeing that you are my former blood relative, but I"m not so kind I"ll repeat myself for the third time yeah.」

Her wicked personality was hidden from view, but her poisonous tongue was still the same.

Listelka who saw that frowned in bafflement, but she immediately formed a graceful smile.

「Hayes. I"m surprised that you are alive, but I"m really happy. Aerl has already betrayed me. It was really painful.」

She spoke admonis.h.i.+ngly with her usual elegant bearing.

Aeril who was insinuated stayed quiet, silently watching the event progression.

「But, with your body you won"t hold out for long. Please hide in a safe place for the remainder of this battle, and see with your own eyes how I obtain Avalon.」

Listelka"s tone was mixed with concern for Hayes who was already beyond hope.

But, Hayes curtly whistled.

「──Above!」

Magialca wearing EX Drake raised her voice. Angel type Abysses descended from the sky.

Greifer and Mel immediately moved to intercept, but several among them descended to where Hayes was, and the moment they touched her, they became faint light and vanished.

It was as though they melted and directly fused inside Hayes.

「What"s that……!? What"s going ooon……?」

「Was those Abysses illusion? ──No. It"s simply that there is an existence in front of us that can control and absorb Abyss.」

Rosa frowned slightly, while Soffice muttered in bafflement.

At the end the Lord girl recapped that phenomenon into one piece.

「Are you, Sacred Eclipse?」

Aeril glared forward. Hayes tilted her head toward those words and smiled.

「As expected from the Onee-sama who was sneakily moving behind the scene, you"re a sharp one. But that"s not completely right. You aren"t my big sister or anything anymore. After all I have completely transcended the body of human.」

「……Sacred Eclipse? She isn"t the real Hayes, but only a counterfeit?」

When Listelka made a questioning gaze, Hayes laughed loudly and answered instantly.

「I"m the real thing. Rather than that you guys are really easygoing huh. Even though that fake prince is already in front of the central of Avalon──」

「──!? As I thought, Lux-kun and Singlen is」

「Fugil, is Avalon all right?」

Aeril and Listelka each spoke anxiously, but Hayes who saw that let slipped a sigh.

「You two are wondering whether he would connect to central first? It"s impossible you know, you all ignoramus. After all, it"s only me who hold the qualification for that. With me who am fused with Sacred Eclipse staying here, there is no way he can be given the trial right?」

In front of everyone who spontaneously turned speechless, several more Angels descended and Hayes absorbed them.

Then from her fingertips, seven colored liquid──Elixir was slightly dripping.

「Kukuku……Angel condense the life energy of human that Abysses gathered up and brought it to this me. You guys also noticed right? Just why was Abyss created.」

The refined secret medicine Elixir from Hayes who was fused with Sacred Eclipse.

A shudder ran through the expression of Aeril who saw that.

「Then don"t tell me, Abyss ate people, in order to refine Elixir──」

「It"s raw material gathering. The Lords in the past, in order to sublimate themselves to become even more superior existence using the secret medicine called Elixir, they gathered the life of the lower cla.s.ses in the name of political purge.」

The words that Hayes spat out casually caused both camps to become speechless.

Magialca was the only one who spoke out with only a frown on her face.

「That"s really an extreme elitism there. Normal people of authority will extort manual labor and riches from the populace, but the ancestor of the Lord actually began to steal even the life of their people huh. In addition, the life of just animal wasn"t enough it seems.」

「As expected from the multi-millionaire-sama, you really get it. Human rather than animal, close relative rather than people of different race──Elixir will have higher effect if the raw material comes from organism that is closer to the user. Arcadia clan that became the Lord thrived, then they were split into a part that was the chosen cla.s.s, and the ma.s.ses that supported them. They used the Elixir that was exploited from the lowborn to strengthen their body in the attempt to obtain eternal life and indestructible strength.」

「……What family of traitor! WE treated Lux-kun and others like betrayer, even though the cause of everything was our fault, because of the Lord"s arrogance!」

Aeril who knew the truth couldn"t endure it and raised her voice.

But, even after recognizing the truth, Hayes only laughed that down.

「Arrogance? This is why Onee-sama is off. Wasn"t it really great, people who was born with outstanding intellect became the statesman, while the rabbles obeyed and offered all they had. What"s wrong with that? The whole clan was saved and stood at the top of the world because of us the imperial family.」

「It resulted in our current situation in the end isn"t it!? We must not repeat the same mistake again. For that too, the battle has to be ended here──」

Aeril objected while also gripping tightly the special armament whip that Zahhak possessed.

Hayes didn"t back down and responded to that with a composed smile.

「You want to have a go, against this me who has transformed into Sacred Eclipse itself? That"s fine, I"ll play with you. It"ll be good to kill time until that fake prince get out of the central.」

Hayes threw away her robe and yelled.

Half of that body that was clad with only pilot suit was already dyed jet black.

「……Hayes!? You are──」

「Come at me Onee-sama. You too are tired of sneakily plotting behind the scene right? You shoul have a taste of the terror of battlefield occasionally. Together with that bunch there!」

Hayes roared. The air shook fiercely.

Lisha and others who were observing the situation from the cover of a building heard that and showed themselves.

「So we were found huh……. Well, we didn"t intend to profit from other people"s fight anyway.」

「Lishsan!? Also everyone too!」

Aeril gasped and raised her voice in surprise.

The second team that was formed with Syvalles members as the core.

The remaining members after Airi and the Triad separated from them came rus.h.i.+ng here.

Although because Celis was injured, she wasn"t here.

「Where is that captain-sama I wondeer? I don"t think she is the type who will easily die in battle though.」

Rosa who had connection with Celis asked. Lisha immediately told her the answer.

「No worry. She is only resting. She was just getting too spirited in order to defeat that cold blooded maid.」

「Mis.h.i.+s was? Impossible, there is no way she can be defeated by the like of Drag-Knights in this era──」

Listelka reflexively slipped out a snicker.

「Most likely you all were just running away from facing her in battle, leaving behind that aide of Lux called Celis to die.」

「No──it was your maid who retreated. It was a narrow victory, but it doesn"t change the fact that it was our win. Your servant wasn"t so soft that she would let us escape easily.」

Additionally, Yoruka also wasn"t there.

Because she too was completely exhausted from the intense battle the other day, she was unable to display even half her true strength in the battle against Mis.h.i.+s.

And so, in order to protect Airi and the Triad who were isolated, she brought the fainted Celis with her and retreated.

After that, several angel type Abysses were heading toward their direction, but if it was Yoruka, surely she would be able to overcome them while protecting the five.

Lisha, Krulcifer, and Philuffy were also nearly at their limit, but there was no way they could relax at this stage.

「Is that so……. Well, it"s fine. It will be punishment for her when she return.」

Listelka muttered along with a sigh, then her red eye that received Baptism silently s.h.i.+ned.

When she used the power to intervene with Avalon"s system, her figure vanished.

「Where are you planning to go!? You are going to run when the central is right in front of you, first princess!」

「Yes, I will hide. After all Fugil won"t be able to fight freely wjhile protecting me.」

Listelka didn"t respond to Lisha"s provocation and spoke casually.

「Hayes, I will ascertain your battle with my own eyes. And then, the last contract by Sacred Eclipse that lost its ego will come to me. During that time, the battle at the central will surely be settled too.」

「Lux-kun……. Stay safe.」

With Listelka"s words, Aeril reconfirmed the situation at the central part.

If the connection with central wasn"t performed, the people inside the room would be teleported outside in ten minutes.

If it was now when Hayes was fused with Sacred Eclipse, there was no worry of getting connected to the central.

This bizarre situation occurred from several irregularities piling up on each other, but the answer was simple.

After defeating Sacred Eclipse that is possessing that Hayes and tearing it off from her, we will enter into the control room with Aeril. That will be our objective.] (Magialca)

Fugil kept a calm smile on his face while flying backward to take distance from Hayes.

It seemed he had no intention to attack proactively.

「Then, you three from Syvalles, which one who you will fight? We don"t mind to face either one you know?」

「You have no intention to split at least half our force for them? We are still mostly uninjured here.」

The youngest Mel muttered in exasperation, but Magialca deepened her wicked smile and responded.

「It"ll be too careless to split up evenly. If one of them is defeated earlier, that side will be able to give backup after that.」

「Either way is fine! Let"s do this right away!」

Lisha yelled while pursuing to the place where Listelka vanished.

Then, Fugil quickly intercepted her with Bahamut.

All ten Legions that were fired from Tiamat were easily deflected by Fugil with his great sword.

The sword that was held in front of him was almost unmoving, deflecting the attack with the minimum movement.

「Chih, his expression didn"t even change at all. Then──how about this!」

Lisha directed the aim of her main cannon Seven Heads to the area slightly above Fugil"s head and sent her Legion out once more.

Four projectiles came simultaneously from left and right in a pincer attack.

The moment Fugil deflected those with his Blade, two additional Legion flying low on the ground thrust up toward him.

It was a coordination attack of Legion that she also used when fighting Lux for the first time, an attempt to push up the enemy into the firing trajectory of the cannon.

However, the attack that should have captured the target with certainty was diverted to just barely miss Fugil.

「……-!? Trajectory diversion using Linker Pulse!? That guy, he is masterfully using Bahamut just like Lux?」

「Even though you said that either one is fine just now, you aimed at Fugil without hesitation. Is there a meaning in it I wonder?」

Krulcifer backed up Lisha using Freezing Cannon while cracking jokes nearby.

Even the shot that was fired almost at the same time with the aiming was blocked by throwing Dagger at it this time.

「Because he is, using Bahamut like Lu-chan?」

Philuffy too drove her Typhon and circled behind Fugil.

In order to prevent the counter Quick Shot from Reload on Fire, she fired Pile Anchor to entangle the opponent"s weapon.

「There"s that too!」

Lisha replied while holding Fugil in check using Legion once more.

Bahamut that was piloted with the same skill level or even more than Lux was certainly troublesome, but to look at it from another way, Lisha and others were already very familiar with its use.

If it was the engineer Lisha who was always maintaining Drag-Ride for Lux"s sake then it was even truer.

「But, I had met with this guy once in the past! I also have a lot of things I want to ask! As the princess of the new kingdom! And then──」

「As Lux-kun"s comrade, right?」

The members of Syvalles basically didn"t know what kind of relations.h.i.+p Lux and Fugil had.

However, at the time when the revolution was going to succeed, he betrayed Lux.

They only heard how Fugil slaughtered the imperial family as well as the people who were complicit with the old empire.

They also knew how it ate at Lux"s heart all this time when he was trying to accomplish the revolution without shedding blood as much as possible.

There was a wall between Lux and the girls even after they became close was most likely there was a thorn called Fugil in his heart.

In other words, Lisha had an objective of ferreting information and capability of the existence that was the arch-enemy of Lux through this fight.

「If this problem is resolved, then our path of love will also be cleared, isn"t that right?」

「……Buh!?」

The words that Krulcifer smoothly muttered caused Lisha to spontaneously make a spit take.

「You are really……. I thought you won"t crack joke at this kind of pressing situation but──」

Certainly Lisha was also thinking the same thing, but she didn"t say it out loud because she thought it was imprudent.

If they defeated Fugil and Lux"s regret was erased, Lux too wouldn"t be at a loss of his own path.

He would also take off the collar of criminal, and he surely would be able to a.s.sociate with others with the premise of marriage.

But, Krulcifer piloted her Drag-Ride with a serious expression even though she was still keeping her smile.

「My, for me it"s a serious problem. It"s something worthy for me to stake my life for. Rather than something like for the sake of the world, this matter is far more motivating right?」

Even Lisha was astonished and her mouth stayed open wide for a moment.

But, her mouth soon warped into a grin and she nodded with her eyes s.h.i.+ning confidently.

「──You"re right. That"s also true.」

A sense of mission as a princess.

It was something selfish compared to things like Lisha"s own sense of justice, but certainly strength was welling up even more inside herself from it.

「Because of you, I"ve got to wait for a long while until now! I"ll vent this frustration to you, Aniue-don.o.brother in law!」

Lisha yelled. At the same time Tiamat"s Divine Raiment activated.

Fugil who until now was mostly floating still in the air flew to the side seeing that.

「Finally you moved! There!」

Krulcifer who activated the future prediction of Fafnir fixed her aim in a flash.

The normal bullet that was the condensation of energy like an arrow.

The aim was the hip area of Fugil who was wearing armor, the Sword Device that was within the sheath.

According to Aeril"s information, the outside appearance and function were exactly like Bahamut, but originally it was a part of the Divine Drag-Ride called Uroboros, a special armament with the name of 《Infinity》.

It could transform to all Divine Drag-Ride.

Looking just from that, it was a weapon with terrifying function, but if they fought in the way that matched each form then there would be a mean of survival for them.

And then, the Sword Device at the waist was behind a barrier and it was hard to aim at, but with Krulcifer"s precise sniping that could even pa.s.s through the eye of needle and her future prediction, it was possible to hit it.

*Pas.h.i.+-!*

Just like in the future prediction, Krulcifer"s shot sent the Sword Device flying.

The Sword Device that was also the control stick for mind control operation was taken away. If it was destroyed or frozen, the control of Drag-Ride would be reduced by half after that.

「Philuffy! Your turn!」

Krulcifer deliberately called out was to divert Fugil"s focus to that way.

Krulcifer herself also didn"t pause and fired her freezing bullet toward the sword dancing in the air.

But, the trajectory of the Sword Device suddenly changed. It was pulled back toward Fugil.

Fugil quickly picked up the Sword Device with his empty hand, next he swept away Pile Anchor with his great sword.

「You can only read the future that far? Stop with the pointless attack. It has no meaning in a fight with me.」

Fugil spoke shortly with a composed expression.

「He pulled back the thrown Sword Device with Linker Pulse!? Did he predict our action already!?」

Lisha who saw that muttered in irritation. Krulcifer also continued after her.

「That"s not all. If he had predicted it, then he should be able to counterattack easily too. Is he wary toward Fafnir"s Divine Raiment and plan to focus on defense while waiting for us to get exhausted?」

Fugil was also simply dodging Philuffy"s attack with the minimal movement. It was as though there was killing intent from his movement.

No, they couldn"t even feel hostility from him.

『I think that"s not it……, you know』

The reticent Philuffy talked to Lisha and Krulcifer using Dragon Voice with Fugil between them.

『What do you mean?』

Krulcifer asked back with a questioning face.

『I believe he isn"t thinking to defeat us. Rather, he is paying attention to not harm us.』

「That"s absurd! What does that guy gain from doing that!?」

Lisha spontaneously yelled with her voice and denied that hypothesis.

But, Philuffy continued her words indifferently with composure to the end.

『Even though he deflected my Pile Anchors with his sword, they aren"t damaged. Perhaps, Lishsama"s too is also like that.』

「What!?」

Lisha immediately used mind control operation to bring one of the Legion floating around her before her eyes.

Certainly, the weapon wasn"t damaged.

If a weapon was deflected by a powerful person in Fugil"s cla.s.s with Blade that was clad in energy, not to mention some damage, it wouldn"t be strange even if it got destroyed──.

Not just that, could it be he even had the leeway to be considerate so the Drag-Ride of Lisha and co wouldn"t be worn out?

「Is he provoking us? That there is that much different in strength between us……!」

「I cannot say that there is no possibility of that. But, if that"s the case shouldn"t he speak out to agitate us?」

Beside Lisha who was gritting her teeth in frustration, Krulcifer calmly pointed out.

However, Fugil"s defense was really troublesome.

They didn"t know what his true motive was, but their heart would break first if they were showed this much different in strength.

They were aware that he was a brilliant Drag-Knight, but the depth of his strength was far more bottomless than they imagined.

「Then, we"ve no choice but to go at full strength!」

With the opponent not attacking and going easy on them, they would harbor bewilderment to the fight itself.

Before their fighting spirit weakened, they had to roll up the opposition. That was Lisha"s judgment.

They were at disadvantage in stamina but there was no other way.

Using the three Sword Devices she carried, she would equip even more Drag-Ride above the Drag-Ride she had worn, the Over Unit form, and with that she would decide the match in one go.

「Right. That"s better rather than getting exhausted bit by bit from keep fighting like this.」

At the same time, Krulcifer also resolved herself and sorted her breathing along with her fighting spirit.

Fusing a part of the body with Drag-Ride, Full Connect.

The two who resolved themselves to use their trump card put their hand on their respective Sword Device. At that time, the figure of Fugil floating in the air vanished.

Naturally, Lisha and Krulcifer hadn"t let their guard down for even a moment.

They didn"t let their eyes move from Fugil. Not just his Drag-Ride, they even paid attention to the subtle movement of his limbs.

And yet, his figure vanished suddenly like this. It was impossible.

But, when they noticed, Lisha and Krulcifer already had their Sword Device knocked off from their hand.

「Wh, at…..?」

「Just now, how──!?」

「Stop it.」

Lisha and Krulcifer turned around midair toward the voice that came from behind.

There, Fugil still wearing Bahamut was smiling.

「Just as you noticed, I have no intention to fight with you all. For now you can settle the battle with Sacred Eclipse and fulfill your own wish.」

「Kuh……!」

Lisha and Krulcifer each flew low skimming above the ground and picked their Sword Device before sheathing it back into their sheath.

「What did you do to us!? Was that Uroboros"s ability!?」

Even though she was shaken, Lisha asked with enough fighting spirit in her voice.

But, that question was eluded by Fugil with his usual att.i.tude.

「There is no meaning for you to hound me here. Right now your priority should be to tear off Hayes"s personality from Sacred Eclipse and subdue it. That will also be for the sake of that foolish little brother. Am I wrong?」

An admonis.h.i.+ng tone.

However Krulcifer glared at Fugil and objected.

「You are stronger than us, but are you unable to fight in long period? I wonder if that is why you are trying to befuddle us like this.」

「Stronger you say? From the start I have no intention to compete with you all in anything. What you all should do isn"t this. Are you planning to get fixated in an existence that is not dangerous and nip victory in the bud by yourself?」

「Just answer one question! Why did you give me Tiamat five years ago!?」

Lisha who stayed quiet suddenly asked as though to stir herself up into action.

She thought that he might completely dodge the question by pretending to forget or the like, but an answer unexpectedly came.

「Because that was exactly my duty.」

A smile that made a chill ran through the back of anyone who saw it.

Dark shadow covered Fugil"s eyes and he talked.

「You were in the side of the old empire that ought to be destroyed. But, in reality you were just a victim. You were forcefully made to shoulder a negative fate, even your resolve to live while being covered in mud ended up in vain, even your path was going to be severed. That was why I granted you strength.」

「……What are you saying? You want to say that you helped me because of a whim?」

「Don"t make me repeat myself. There is no meaning for you all to fight me. Go stop that girl quickly. And then you better show me the answer. Who will be chosen by Sacred Eclipse, that choice of the world──」

When Lisha readied her weapon in bewilderment, a strange sound rang out behind.

The countless angels scattered in this Arcadia Empire were swarming toward Hayes, and a flash surged.

–

「Wh!?」

Lisha and others were sent flying from receiving a tremendous shockwave that shook the atmosphere.

Looking there, behind the five Seven Dragon Paladins who were in confrontation, a weapon with strange form appeared.

It didn"t have normal bipedal shape. It had three front legs and two front legs like an animal.

The giant body that was like several houses combined together appeared in front of Hayes.

「What"s that──. Divine Drag-Ride?」

Right after Krulcifer knitted her eyebrow, the magic circle on the weapon"s stomach s.h.i.+ned and the Seven Dragon Paladins beside it vanished.

It happened in a flash, leaving behind Aeril who reacted by leaping back.

「──Wh!?」

The complexion of Lisha and others who saw that changed and they lost their presence of mind.

At the same time Hayes twirled and faced this way. She then sneered.

「Kukuku, don"t be that shocked. This guy is a bit special Divine Drag-Ride you see. It"s activated by its own autonomy, in exchange it procured energy from outside. Those Seven Dragon Paladins now become its fuel, inside this guy"s stomach that is.」

*Jaki-*, Hayes gloated while her hands held the two Sword Devices hanging on her waist.

It seemed that in exchange of not wearing the Drag-Ride on one"s own body, the activation signal was given by mind control operation.

「Be careful! That is Fernyiges! The autonomous type Divine Drag-Ride that guard Avalon! Most likely Hayes right now has the qualification to obtain the central!」

Aeril who just barely escaped the danger approached Lisha and others in panic and called out to them.

Greifer, Mel, Rosa, Soffice, and Magialca were captured by the Divine Drag-Ride due to Fernyiges"s surprise attack and they were turned into its fuel.

「If you got hit by the light that came out from that Drag-Ride"s stomach, you will be carried inside and your consciousness taken away. And then your stamina and mental strength would be used as fuel to move Fernyiges. The people inside will be weakened until they die──」

「What did you say!?」

When Lisha asked back in bewilderment, Aeril sighed quietly.

「I was also careless. When I read the book that was hidden in the Moon, there was a mention of it, but to think that Hayes can move it……」

While talking, a question was coming and going inside Aeril"s chest.

In the first place, what in the world was that?

Hayes himself should be dying already, was she just getting absorbed by Ragnarok Sacred Eclipse that would destroy the world?

Or else──.

「Hah……. Five more minutes until that fake prince is driven out from that control room. Until then I"ll prepare his welcome party. By lining up your heads in front of him!」

「Kuh!」

Hayes"s jet black eyes snapped open and she unleashed killing intent along with a roar.

She planned to fight without even wearing Drag-Ride with the Sword Devices she was holding along with Fernyiges.

「This is bad, this situation──」

Now that Seven Dragon Paladins were restrained, the remaining fighting force was only Lisha, Krulcifer, and Philuffy.

Even these three were wounded all over from the intense battle until now.

「Besides, right now Lux-kun is fighting Sir Singlen right?」

Krulcifer let out an uneasy mutter. Lisha also nodded in agreement.

Lux boasted unequaled winning percentage in battle between fellow Drag-Knights, but that Singlen was a cut above all the opponents until now.

He was even killed once before although it was from protecting Yoruka.

「So he is dueling that guy in the control room……. Five more minutes. Will he be alright?」

「──It will be fine, you know.」

「……Eh?」

Philuffy who was quiet until now murmured. Lisha and Krulcifer both raised their voice.

Looking there, Philuffy took out a horn flute from her pocket and brought it onto her mouth.

「You……, don"t tell me, you are going to do that? Turning into Abyss with that body is──」

Because the revived Ragnarok, Yggdrasil had died, it became possible for Philuffy too to transform by Abyssification.

The forbidden technique of growing the root of Yggdrasil from inside her body to crawl on her armor, turning it into B-blood Typhon.

Not just her physical ability, even her Drag-Ride apt.i.tude and stamina would be increased, but the burden to the body couldn"t be measured.

「Stop acting recklessly! That power isn"t something to be used repeatedly!」

「She is right……. If you are injured, that"s what will ruin Lux-kun for sure.」

Lisha and Krulcifer tried to stop her together, but Philuffy shook her head with her usual blank look.

「It"s alright. Because, I remember.」

「What……?」

「Five years ago, when I was mostly died in Ries Island. And then, Sacred Eclipse was summoned. I remembered everything. Surely after this, the same thing like that time will occur.」

「What are you saying? The time when you died you said?」

Philuffy glanced at the bewildered Lisha and pulled out the Sword Device of Typhon.

She was expressionless and looking dazed like usual, but straightforward and strong light was residing inside her eyes.

「I won"t die. Because I came until this far to help Lu-chan.」

The sound of horn flute was produced from Philuffy"s mouth.

Right after that, Philuffy"s eyes were dyed jet black and her pupils were tinged with golden light.

Seeing her resolve, Lisha and also Krulcifer held their breath.

「Lu-chan, won"t die leaving us behind. At the very least, he had never fought even once with such intention. That"s why, I"ll also do the same.」

That"s right.

Lux understood that there was n.o.body but him who could sstop Singlen and accepted that role.

But, he didn"t think to sacrifice himself or anything.

Till the end he was resolved to risk his life, in order to return to the side of everyone.

Then──.

「……You"re right. Surely it"s like that.」

Krulcifer who saw that also pulled out her Sword Device in answer.

Connecting and a.s.similating a part of the Drag-Ride with the flesh body, Full Connect.

She decided to make a bet using the sure kill form that could only be used by Key"s Supervisor.

「Yeah. Then we"re going to do this. Just like Celis and Yoruka, I too will wring out all my remaining strength!」

Lisha too also put her hand on Wyvern"s Sword Device while still wearing Tiamat.

Beside Krulcifer who was executing Full Connect, she began her original technique Over Unit.

Part of general purpose Drag-Ride was equipped above the Drag-Ride that was already worn, increasing a part of the ability of the Drag-Ride drastically.

First Lisha equipped the flying type Wyvern Wing, hyper strengthening her mobility.

「Kukuku……. Are you b.i.t.c.hes ready to be taught of your own powerlessness? I"m going to start now yeah?」

Hayes who was fused with Sacred Eclipse was also glaring with jet black eyes that were s.h.i.+ning fierily.

Her whole body was dyed jet black, perhaps because of Elixir"s influence. The human shaped monster flew up wearing atrocious smile.

–

(This place, where is──?)

Inside a hazy consciousness that looked misty, Lux saw the continuation of the day of revolution in Arcadia Empire that he saw previously in dream.

He could see the scenery of Arcadia Empire clearly.

Sparks were whirling around the castle. Countless Drag-Knights were crossing swords with Bahamut in the night sky.

Even when dozen of Drag-Rides attacked simultaneously, using Quick Shot from Reload on Fire"s time acceleration, they were struck down by the other side.

Lux was watching that overwhelming way of fighting from the ground.

He was wearing the same Bahamut while holding the fainted Airi in his arms. He was heading toward a monastery looking for shelter.

(──That"s right. The day the revolution ended, I saw Fugil-niisan"s way of fighting……. That was why I partic.i.p.ated in the tournament for training to use Bahamut even better than before.)

Because he thought that he wouldn"t be able to win against that man without doing that.

No, if he wasn"t able to even come up to the fighting stage──.

But, a contradiction occurred when his thought reached that point.

(What am I saying!? This kind of scene isn"t reality. It"s the continuation of the dream I saw!)

The injection of Elixir through Baptism.

Because he received the trial in order to reach the central, Lux"s consciousness was cloudy.

Because intense burden suddenly burdened his mind and body, his heart"s old wound ached and he saw this kind of illusion.

But, after the Lux inside the dream entrusted Airi to a nun of the monastery and immediately returned to the castle, he finally talked.

「Fugil-niisan! Just what is going on!?」

「Looks like you have left behind your little sister huh? Then you can continue fighting. Count Atismata has also died. Like that some deviation is generated in the history but, it"s possible enough to revise it. You can ascend to the throne as the next king.」

Lux stared dumbfounded at the burning castle.

Behind Fugil who was wearing Bahamut, there was a silhouette of a Drag-Ride so huge it looked towering to the sky.

Silver Drag-Ride that stood out inside the darkness of night.

Divine mechanical circle was rotating on its back, illuminating the surrounding with bewitching light.

「I am the next king you say? What in the world are you saying!? No, more importantly that Drag-Ride──?」

「This is the scales that correct the inclination of the world. Small inclination will be born between two equilibriums, and before long one side will rule and plunder everything of the other side. It"s the tragedy of human karma that cannot be escaped from for eternity. It"s the mission of hero to manage and correct that. It"s the path that you discovered, wished, and chose. You too are walking along the same footprints that I once reached in the past of more than a thousand years ago.」

「A thousand years…..? What are you saying!? What happened with our revolution!?」

Lux was driven by an unknown uneasiness and he yelled.

But, Fugil kept showing his aloof smile and talked admonis.h.i.+ngly.

「It failed. Our plan was leaked out from Count Atismata"s X X. The pitiful X X who received cold treatment since his childhood was led astray by a man"s cajolery and sold information to the old empire before Count Atismata"s revolution could succeed.」

「……Such, thing」

With that, the name of Lux who was the true mastermind of the revolution was also leaked out.

In order to bring all the traitors to light, Lux was intentionally let to act free since half a month ago.

And then, Count Atismata who was the pivot of the revolution was also killed just now, and that information was spreading inside the capital.

The revolution failed.

The objective to correct this stagnating and dirty country and create a place where Airi and Philuffy could live peacefully had fallen apart in this place just now.

「Don"t worry, my wise younger brother. This history of failure can be overwritten. No one cannot rewind back the time that has pa.s.sed, but human can forget everything and start over.」

Fugil boasted that with a smile that was filled with bottomless confidence.

「There is no other than you who has the caliber to manage the world. In exchange walk the path of king. That is your duty as an imperial prince.」

「……That"s impossible!? There is no way I can do that! All the conditions that we arranged until now are in order for Count Atismata to ascend to the throne!」

Victory was also indispensable for revolution, but above all else it was the process that would be questioned.

Especially when it came to breaking down a gigantic and old system like the old empire, there was a need to establish the legend of Count Atismata.

He who was a renowned great feudal lord and belonged to the common sense faction since the beginning raised a rebellion against the old empire and obtained victory. It was important just how much persuasiveness could be inserted into that sequence of events.

Only by doing that this system and the tendency of the era could be shaken from its root for the first time.

「If I claimed that I who am distanced from the imperial family was moving behind the scene and caused the revolution, just who in the world is going to believe that!? Such thing──」

The populace, the country wouldn"t accept it.

Like that it would be meaningless.

「Then my wise younger brother. You can just slaughter all the remaining imperial family.」

「Proclaim that you conspired with Count Atismata to achieve this revolution, and behead your blood relatives of the old empire. I had finished all the groundwork. After that what"s left will be to use resonance with Avalon, and imprint the fact that you achieved the revolution as the Black Hero.」

「……What, are you saying?」

「Display the execution of the remaining imperial family to the populace. Show your resolve and your will to carry that out. With that you will be accepted by the populace as the new emperor. You can only save this country by doing that.」

「──Such, such thing. It"s impossible!」

「No, it"s possible. After all this me is helping you. Because since the distant past, I have fixed the inclination of the world many times.」

Fugil quietly unsheathed his Sword Device and lifted it toward the sky.

「The scales is already starting to move. The world that all of you wish for, and the wish of the sealed Lords, are starting to appear through Sacred Eclipse. Arshalia is starting to react toward the voices wis.h.i.+ng for salvation.」

「……What are you saying? Who in the world are you?」

Hearing the words of Fugil that sounded as though he was talking to himself, a doubt was created within Lux.

At this point, Lux too was starting to understand.

The history of Arcadia Empire, the knowledge regarding Drag-Ride, the overwhelming strength that Fugil was hiding, Divine Drag-Ride that he had never even seen.

This man who he idolized all this time since the past as big brother wasn"t just a heretic of Arcadia Empire, so to speak he was an outsider element of this world.

Or perhaps, rather──.

「──I"m a hero, my wise younger brother. The hero of the beginning who went toward the n.o.ble path you wished for, and finally reached the furthest end of that road. My mission has been decided since the start. I will continue to save.」

There was only gentle smile floating on his expression.

An expression of deep affection that let the guard down toward a trusted person.

But──it was terrifying.

The true ident.i.ty of this man.

And then toward the mysteriousness of what Fugil was trying to achieve, Lux──simply brandished Bahamut"s great sword.

Right after that, his memory cut off along with an intense pain.

–

「──Over Limit - On!」

When Lux"s consciousness returned to the now, his body moved and his voice came out at the same time.

Inside Avalon, the duel against Singlen in the control room.

SInglen who obtained enough water from the ventilation using Ballast used his Divine Raiment and clad himself in water torrent.

Lux too used the instant when the opponent s.h.i.+fted into offense and pulled out his Sword Device, activating Over Limit.

All the limiters that were set to avoid burden to the user and damage to the Drag-Ride itself were turned off, and the whole performance of the Drag-Ride was increased in that state after the release code was entered.

This power that he forgot each time he used it was something that Fugil once taught him.

「Hoo, have you recovered your memory? Or is this just a temporary thing?」

Despite the secret measure that Lux activated, no agitation could be seen from Singlen.

Without even using the power of Baptism that was applied to half his body, he activated the tuning and gazed at Lux.

「……No. I still cannot remember fully.」

Lux equipped Bahamut which had its shape changed while responding to the conversation also to buy time for the transformation to finish.

At the same time, he sent his thought toward the memory of the past that he lost.

One day before the day he went to Ries Island in order to save Philuffy who was kidnapped for human experiment. Lux was taught by Fugil the release procedure of Over Limit.

But, his memory of what happened that day was erased, and the release procedure was also lost along with his memory.

And then, at the day the revolution was carried out, once again──.

「However, I understand. At that time, I tried to stop Fugil with everything I had. Sir Singlen, a rule like yours is also something I don"t wish for!」

Bahamut"s armor was s.h.i.+fting to a form with more offensive sharp edge. Lux held up the jet black Chaos Brand in front of him with both hands.

In respond Singlen also smiled and quietly held the Blade that was clad with water.

「You won"t be able to surpa.s.s me. No matter how much you are able to sacrifice yourself, in the end you are just a half-baked person who don"t even have the resolve to dirty your hand. Your righteousness and n.o.ble path will be used by someone else before you get discarded and lose everything. That"s your limit. I won"t commit the same foolishness for the second time.」

Conforming to SInglen who concentrated his hostility, Leviathan"s armor was enveloped in faint light.

「I"ll subdue the incompetents and fools infesting this world, and take away the seat of G.o.d. You don"t need to worry, I"ll accept you into the world that I"ll create after this.」

「Is that your revenge because your ideal was used by someone else and something of yours was taken away?」

Lux"s objection.

Singlen who heard that stopped smiling, and muddy black shadow surfaced in his eye.

Right after that──along with a gush of killing intent that was like the tip of a sword, a water torrent that was transformed into blade was swung.

「s.h.i.+n Senjin Gouka──Mizuchi」

*Kiin*, the reverberation of such sound of slicing wind shook Lux"s eardrum.

The water torrent that was approaching in the speed that the eye couldn"t follow was a blade of certain death that would tear off even a thick armor like paper.

Lux who saw that it would be unblockable even by the barrier that was in Over Limit state diverted the slash using his Chaos Brand as s.h.i.+eld along with his barrier.

「──Reload on Fire!」

Lux dodged using the trait of Chaos Brand that could even sever energy while further applying compression strengthening into his special armament.

Lux parried the water blade while hyper accelerating to the front. He charged in a stance of s.h.i.+fting to counter offense.

The attack that he would unleash in the next five seconds would have its might increased by more than ten times.

A mere sword attack would produce explosive destructive power that surpa.s.sed Recoil Burst.

That was to say, his victory would be set in stone if he could just land a hit.

Naturally Singlen also grasped that and he should s.h.i.+ft into a stance to dodge or counterattack.

(However, because of the Over Limit, the built-in armament Linker Core is also strengthened. Even if he tries to use Senjin - Ruten, I"ll put his timing out of order and land the attack!)

But, right after Lux flew convinced in victory, he felt something was out of place.

Singlen"s form was getting blurry.

The thick mist that was filling inside the control room blocked even the sight a few ml ahead, erasing the appearance of the enemy.

「So he had taken measure……」

If Singlen"s figure couldn"t be seen, it would be pointless no matter how much attack power he had.

But, if the opponent too didn"t have radar like special equipment type Drake, it should be impossible for him to detect Lux.

Was his plan to escape for five seconds until the strengthening of Reload on Fire that Lux activated ended?

In that case, he wouldn"t let go of that opening. He could only land his own sure kill attack.

「──What are you looking for? Is it fine, going without defense like that?」

He could hear Singlen"s voice, at the same time the rain that was stsarting to fall hit Lux"s cheek.

That coldness caused Lux who was hovering in air to shudder.

「This is? This rain, don"t tell me──!?」

He thought that Singlen would escape from him until five more seconds when his compression strengthening ran out.

Now that a thick mist was filling inside the control room, moving carelessly would cause collision with obstacle.

But, he had heard from Yoruka.

Singlen had a technique that allowed him to fight equally against Yato no Kami that was using radar in darkness.

「s.h.i.+n Senjin Mizuki──AmikiriNet Slicing」

Singlen"s faint muttering could be heard from inside the thick mist.

Originally it was a technique to entangle Wire Tail around the enemy"s Drag-Ride, and then reading the Drag-Ride"s preliminary movement through the vibration, predicting the opponent"s movement, but when it was used in combination with Leviathan"s Divine Raiment LeaningRoyal Authority,  Singlen could probe into the opponent"s location and situation by listening to the reflected sound of the rain fall.

That was to say, inside the thick mist that was generated by his Leaning, he could develop a battle where he obtained one-sided advantage.

The current Lux──had no way to evade that.

A faint killing intent came from behind.

Lux reflexively turned around while horizontally slas.h.i.+ng Bahamut"s great sword.

He predicted that because using Senjin that came from tuning and Divine Raiment at the same time required absurd concentration, Singlen wouldn"t be able to use another Senjin at the same time, but the rain already stopped at that time and the mist cleared up.

「s.h.i.+n Senjin Ruten──UngaiOutside Cloud」

He was naïve.

The instant Singlen detected Lux"s position and grasped the situation, he switched to another Senjin and focused his full strength to offense and defense against him.

The generated wall of water current that replaced the barrier deflected his sword, and Singlen lunged with a thrust of full strength.

「Not, yet……! Linker Pulse!」

The force field from the special armament that was immediately activated without delay moved Bahamut itself, allowing it to barely dodge lethal wound.

But, even so the barrier and the armor near the chest part were shaved, and the after-wave of the impact cracked his ribs.

「Guh, u……!」

「Do you think that even such rubbish force field can stop my sword if it"s strengthened by Over Limit? That"s really insolent, ch.o.r.e boy. Thinking that the same method will work twice when the opponent is this me──that hubris deserves a ten thousand deaths.」

「Gu……!?」

The defense feature of flesh when receiving damage which was producing intense pain limited Lux"s own movement.

With this, Lux was getting checkmated.

He would be defenseless for a few second from now.

For all that Singlen would finish him off in that opening.

「Farewell hero. Turn into a cornerstone to cut open my supreme rule from hereon, s.h.i.+n Senjin Gouka──Mizuchi.」

(Lishsama, everyone. I──)

The blade of death enveloped in water torrent glittered. It approached him with a roar.

Inside his consciousness that was prolonged to the utmost limit, he sent his thought toward the girls who were his companions.

「──Reload on Fire」

–

「Let"s go. You new kingdom"s bugs. And you too traitorous Onee-sama!」

The autonomous type Fernyiges that protected Avalon, and Hayes who were fused with Sacred Eclipse moved at the same time.

The remaining fighting force at their side was Aeril, Lisha, Krulcifer, and Philuffy, four people in total.

The Seven Dragon Paladins were taken in by Fernyiges"s Divine Raiment. If it wasn"t destroyed quickly to rescue them, it would become disadvantageous for their side.

「Let"s face them with two each! I and airheaded girl will take the mechanical monster. Aeril and Krulcifer, aim for Hayes!」

Lisha immediately took the role as commander and gave instruction to everyone.

The Ragnarok that moved following Hayes"s will and the comrades who were captured by the Divine Drag-Ride.

There was no doubt that both were troublesome, but she judged that this pairing was the most optimum in this situation.

The Divine Raiment of Zahhak that Aeril equipped, Brain Hack wouldn"t work to Fernyiges that was just a Drag-Ride, and the Diivne Raiment of Philuffy"s Typhon conversely only had effect against Drag-Ride.

Therefore, Lisha chose the opponent that their respective ability would be effective against.

「──GUoOooOOOOOOOONN!」

The five legged Fernyiges rushed fiercely from a forward-bent posture and lunged with its sharp claws.

Philuffy averted half her body behind and dodged, then she dealt a counter with a thrust of Typhon"s fist.

The enemy was also very fast, but the strengthened state of B-blood Typhon and her battle sense won the exchange.

「Good going airheaded girl! Finish it like that!」

In addition Lisha used high speed movement through Wyvern Wing and took the above position of Fernyiges, measuring the timing to unleash the finis.h.i.+ng blow.

Due to Typhon"s attack that pierced the barrier, the chest part of Fernyiges was smashed. Moreover Philuffy took a step forward and unleashed a spinning kick.

──At the same time, countless Pile Anchors were already entangled on that armor.

After making a tricky evasion, she unleashed a blow using her superb body balance, and when the enemy flinched, she used the opening to entangle the wire and restrained the enemy. Philuffy who pulled in the enemy and dealt her deadly blows consecutively was terrifyingly precise and powerful.

Against Mis.h.i.+s she was unable to finish the battle successfully, but in this situation she was superior as expected.

「──Biting Flare」

The concentrated energy in Typhon"s special armament growled to explode the captured enemy.

Lisha who was overlooking from above with her cannon at ready thought that she might not get a turn. It was then Philuffy"s movement stopped still.

「──GUoOOOOONN!」

Right after that, the powerful front kick that Fernyiges unleashed sent Typhon flying backward.

Philuffy barely guarded with both armored arms, but she was unable to offset the whole impact and she vomited blood.

「You idiot! What are you doing!? Don"t stop your attack!」

Lisha aimed the muzzle of Seven Heads below and targeted Fernyiges.

But, the instant she pulled the trigger, a shudder ran through Lisha.

On the head of Fernyiges, Mel and Greifer who seemed unconscious appeared while still in binding.

「Wh……!?」

The enemy took in the targeted Drag-Knights not just for its own fuel, it seemed it could also bring them outside freely as s.h.i.+eld.

Even when Lisha tried to stop the bombardment in panic, her finger"s movement couldn"t stop.

The beam was fired toward Fernyiges. It barely missed and cut through air.

Philuffy had reeled in the entangling Pile Anchors and moved Fernyiges.

「So, it"s like that……!」

Lisha stroked her chest in relieve while understanding the circ.u.mstance just now.

Philuffy let go of the victory because Fernyiges used their comrade as s.h.i.+eld.

「……What a cowardly guy. Is it really unmanned?」

Lisha bit her lower lip while her body was shaking with righteous indignation.

Even if the enemy"s movement was sealed by Suppressor, it would still be able to move around the hostage that was absorbed by its Divine Raiment.

They not only needed to be careful of its inside, even attack toward its important spot was sealed. Like this there was no chance of victory.

While Lisha and Philuffy were hesitating, Krulcifer and Aeril who saw that were carrying out intense battle at the side.

「That"s really an inhuman act. I wonder if even the Drag-Ride is imitating its owner?」

Krulcifer who was activating Full Connect deployed Auto s.h.i.+eld to surround Hayes.

Originally it was Fafnir"s special armament that automatically protected itself, but by scattering the seven s.h.i.+elds around the enemy, it became possible for reflecting shot using ricochet.

The tactic that evolved the armament"s original user, and the activation of Wise Blood that realized even more precise and smoother action.

She sniped to choke the life out of Hayes who was absorbed by Sacred Eclipse, but,

「──What"s going on!? Wise Blood - Accel doesn"t work.」

It was the ability that went further than future prediction, deriving the future path that reached to victory from the present situation, but that power wasn"t working. Krulcifer was bewildered by that fact.

Even if it was an ability to derived the future that was just as the user wished, but if the battle situation was far from ideal, then it was reasonable that such future couldn"t be seen.

Therefore, it showed just how overwhelmingly dangerous the current situation was. But before Krulcifer could realize that, Hayes"s attack pierced through.

「Ih……!?」

Hayes who traveled a long distance crossed over s.p.a.ce and teleported instantly. The Sword Device of Fernyiges in her hand struck Fafnir.

The Auto s.h.i.+eld that was originally would automatically defend was diverted for offense, exposing a defenseless opening that Hayes took advantage of.

「You blundered you b.i.t.c.h, you were naively seeing me as just a mere human huh? Did you forget? Right now I"m Sacred Eclipse yeah-!?」

That was o.

Her appearance was nothing more than a flesh and blood human girl, but her inside was the greatest and strongest human type Ragnarok. The attack that was unleashed from that physical strength easily broke Fafnir"s armor and transmitted overwhelming impact to Krulcifer.

「──Krulcifer-san!?」

Aeril activated Zahhak"s Divine Raiment in order to protect Krulcifer.

Using the ability of Brain Hack to erase only a designated information from the memory of the living thing around, Krulcifer"s existence was vanished from Hayes"s memory──but,

「The moment you joined their side, you are planning to sell favor to this bunch huh, Aneue-sama? It"s shameless b.a.s.t.a.r.d like you that touch my nerve the most.」

Hayes widely opened her jet black eyes and glared at Aeril with a demonic killing intent.

Zahhak swung Breath Whip and restrained Hayes"s whole body, but the branch that stretched out from the whip"s gap attacked Aeril.

「Guh……!?」

Because Krulcifer got hit by s.p.a.ce teleportation just now, she split her attention to be on guard against that. That decision turned out to be a bad one.

The root of Yggdrasil"s branch grew to outside Hayes"s body and pierced through Zahhak"s barrier with a speed that the eye couldn"t follow.

It was barely stopped by the armor, but the impact couldn"t be blocked.

Aeril vomited blood. Her armor was dispelled and she began to freefall.

「Hyahahahah! This feels good! Trash like you b.a.s.t.a.r.d introducing yourself as Lord is unforgivable! ──Die」

Along with a brutal gaze, a branch stretched out from Hayes"s body to attack further.

But, her body that was floating in air felt impact on the back and her whole body froze instantly.

Krulcifer who recovered her balance carried out consecutive shots using her Freezing Cannon.

「Getting carried away when the situation become just slightly advantageous for you is your bad habit.」

「……Guess so. I"ll warn you as your big sister. You should fix that habit of yours!」

Furthermore the Breath Whip of Zahhak that had temporarily loosened entwined around the frozen Hayes once more.

And then, energy was transmitted through the whip and the whip was pulled forcefully.

*Zan-!*

Along the friction that the whip caused, Hayes"s limbs were severed.

「──Sorry, Hayes. ……-!?」

The moment Aeril averted her face from that gruesome end, her body was frozen along with Zahhak.

The lips on Hayes who only had her head left warped into a wicked grin.

「Stop it with the worthless acting, you hypocrite.」

Aeril saw it at that moment.

Hayes"s body that became in pieces instantly regenerated and reconnected to each other.

That was the regeneration ability of Poseidon. Furthermore using Fenrir"s ability, this time it was Aeril herself whose movement was sealed.

And then Yggdrasil"s branch that grew out once more from Hayes"s body was poised to pierce that body. It was then Krulcifer stood in the way.

「Haa, haa……wait!」

「──Irritating. A mere lowly insect of the theocracy like you dare!」

Instantly, more than dozens of branches grew out from Hayes"s back and attacked Krulcifer.

Although some of the branches were blocked by Auto s.h.i.+eld that had returned to her, she couldn"t dodge the remaining branches and her armor was smashed.

「Tsu……, aa……」

Because Full Connect a.s.similated a part of the body with nanomachine, the impact to the armor was strongly felt.

With that her body that was completely spent from the intense battle against Mis.h.i.+s crumbled down.

「Trying to fight me in that kind of ragged state, you are underestimating me. You two can watch leisurely from there how that fake prince will writhe in agony. Hyahahaha」

Aeril whose whole body was frozen except her head already couldn"t move at all.

But, the two who were greatly injured noticed a certain thing.

Sacred Eclipse that absorbed Hayes"s will had already inherited the ability of six Ragnarok.

Most likely if Sacred Eclipse was destroyed one more time, when it was revived once more it would unify the power of seven Ragnarok and transformed into the final form of devil G.o.d that would destroy the world.

There was no way they could leave alone Hayes who was in this state, but the two were already at their limit.

At the very least, if they could just stop Hayes"s movement.

When they turned their gaze toward Lisha and Philuffy to entrust that last hope──.

「HAaaAaaAAAAAH……!」

Lisha closed in at Fernyiges with a roar that nearly sounded like a scream.

There was no more time or strength remaining.

She had changed the Over Unit into Wyrm Claw and went into the last gamble.

The strengthening part that grew out from Tiamat"s shoulders was a supplemental armament that boasted overwhelming firepower in close range combat.

The drill that was rotating in high speed easily pierced and destroyed Fernyiges"s barrier, but the enemy escaped at the last moment.

「Chih! This kind of thing, normally it would have been defeated a long time ago already……!」

Lisha and Philuffy exceeded it in pure fighting strength, but it was problematic that the captured Seven Dragon Paladins were turned into hostage.

The moment they went to decide the match, the hostages would be surely thrust before their eyes and the enemy would escape.

If they didn"t seal the Divine Raiment of the enemy that used their comrades as s.h.i.+eld, there would be no prospect of victory.

Therefore, they were thinking that their only option was to use Typhon"s Divine Raiment──Missing Faith to neutralize the enemy"s Divine Raiment and destroyed Fernyiges at that moment.

However, the enemy"s getaway was too fast.

Therefore Lisha went ahead to bind the enemy with Suppressor"s gravity, but to think at that moment the two who were tasked to hold back Hayes were defeated.

(The plan went amiss! That Hayes──no, Sacred Eclipse is actually that strong……!)

「Hoo, that"s really something to endure that well against Fernyiges. That guy is the guard dog from h.e.l.l that protects Avalon. Don"t think that it can be defeated easily okay? Well──it will be irritating if the bunches inside it are saved here. I"ll join in too.」

Judging that Krulcifer and Aeril were already put in ice and unable to fight, Hayes grinned smugly and headed toward Lisha and Philuffy"s position.

The plan should be to crush each opponent as fast as possible, but it became an inconceivable miscalculation.

Lisha and Philuffy were already pa.s.sing the limit of their stamina too.

Most likely there were only one or two minutes left until their Divine Drag-Ride reached the operation limit.

The next offense and defense would undoubtedly decide their fate.

「Don"t struggle you trashes, after all you b.a.s.t.a.r.d inferior race has no way to win against us Lord. Besides you are thinking that the bunch inside Fernyiges can be saved if you destroy it, but if you mistake where to hit they will die from the impact you know?」

「You are making a threat? We"ve got no time making inane chatter with you!」

「Then just try it. You"re gonna be able to see something interesting like that.」

Seeing Hayes"s wicked grin, Lisha judged that she was most likely telling the truth.

In front of Hayes who was looking triumphant while holding her Sword Device, Lisha planned the last gamble.

–

The deep level floor of Avalon, the control room.

While the Gear Leader, the Automata Arshalia was watching, Lux and Singlen"s death match was continuing before the third trial that would connect to the central.

Pain was the body"s defensive function that suppressed the damage to the flesh and communicated the abnormality in body function.

Especially large damage to the nerve, it would completely bind the whole body"s movement.

While the instinct realized that such thing was exactly what would lead to their demise, that function couldn"t be stopped.

Even though all limiters were released using Over Limit, the user Lux couldn"t be like that.

His body should be unable to move in this moment due to the impact and intense pain from Singlen"s blow to him.

No matter how much he had trained his body, how much he had polished his natural talent, from the view point of the opponent this was a definite chance of victory with no room for doubt.

「……───What did you do?」

Therefore, Lux"s deadly blow landed without fail toward this opponent who was at the nearest from being perfect.

The shoulder of Singlen"s Leviathan was broken, and his Force Core was exposed.

At the same time the all of the Drag-Ride"s functions went down, and even Singlen"s flesh body was cut up.

「──Gu, ga!」

After a moment that didn"t even reach a second, Singlen"s body was blown backward.

He crashed on the metallic wall far away, and then like that his movement stopped while being stuck on the wall.

「Haa, haa……!」

Lux who saw that lifted his body and grasped the situation.

It was an extreme situation where even his consciousness almost flew away, but it seemed he made it in time just barely.

「I, see……. Ku, kuku, I wasn"t wrong just as I thought. You, are, terrifying……. With the resolve to sacrifice your own life──」

The voice of Singlen that came from dozens of ml ahead sounded very far for the current Lux.

The sound of his blood flow *gou gou* and his nerve being burned struck his eardrum.

If the secret of the trick was to be disclosed, Lux crushed Singlen using one of the three hidden techniques he invented, Quick Draw.

However because of the damage that Lux received just before that, his body was paralyzed and unable to move for a few seconds.

Even if he was able to move, his broken bones and deep laceration should restrict the range of his action drastically.

「──Reload on Fire. So to speak the moment my attack hit you, you reduce your own pain into less than a tenth……so, it"s like that.」

Singlen vomited blood while still putting on his smile.

That was the correct answer.

Reload on Fire──.

It was the Divine Raiment of compression effect that caused rapid decrease at the first five seconds, and explosive increase at the next five seconds, and it worked for every kind of phenomenon and energy. The user would shoulder risk at first when activating it.

Consequently originally its biggest weakness was its lack of speedy effect, but Lux"s clever scheme reversed that.

The intense pain that was a chain binding him was neutralized by Reload on Fire, and he landed a counterattack using Quick Draw on Singlen who was convinced of his victory.

Senjin Gouka was a technique that used tuning to concentrated Drag-Ride"s energy to the maximum into one point.

So to speak, while attacking with that, even the barrier couldn"t be deployed properly and the defensive power weakened remarkably.

Furthermore with Over Limit, Lux struck with output and mobility that were originally suppressed in consideration of the burden to the Drag-Ride and flesh body.

With that, the slash that originally would be relatively light was boosted up until it became a lethal sword stroke.

The Linker Pulse that he used previously so to speak was a bait to lure Singlen.

The plan that gambled his life bore fruit and crushed this terrifyingly powerful person.

「Kukuku……but, do you understand, ch.o.r.e prince? This path that you choose. Your destiny that will visit you in a few more seconds──」

He knew.

In order to stop Singlen, Lux ignored the intense pain running in his body and landed a strike without even thinking of the burden on him.

It would become intense pain and impact more than ten times the original three seconds later that would surely burn Lux"s body and heart.

The possibility was high that his mind would broke and then he fainted, or he would die from the shock.

The burden to the body that he overworked also wouldn"t be light.

「──I can endure it.」

Even now when his heart was ruled by the anxiety of hopeless death, Lux showed a calm smile.

「After all I received and endured the second trial just as you wished, for the sake of this kind of situation.」

Singlen"s one eye opened wide in shock for the first time here hearing Lux"s words.

Avalon"s trial in order to connect to the central.

Strengthening of the mind through application of mental burden, and body strengthening through administering of Elixir.

Of course, Lux had no way of knowing the detail of the trial, so it wasn"t like he had planned everything, but even coincidentally, if it could become a factor to lead into the situation of this moment──.

–

「The time limit of five minutes has pa.s.sed. The condition of connecting with central isn"t accomplished, so one minute later, the people here will be teleported outside. Reactivation until the next qualified person can enter will need five minutes.」

–

Automata Arshalia"s robotic voice indifferently resounded inside the control room.

For the time being, the risk of Singlen making use of Arcadia blood by having Lux connecting to the central was gone, but the problem was from here on.

Fugil and Listelka should be still waiting outside, and most importantly there was also the existence of Sacred Eclipse.

And then, Lux would definitely lose consciousness after this from Reload on Fire"s backlash.

「──GU! AAaaaAAaaAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!」

A scream that was unthinkable to have come from him thundered inside the room. Intense pain burned his whole body.

In the middle of that sensation of only five seconds that felt like eternity, Lux kept his hold to his hazy consciousness even then.

But, that was all.

He couldn"t move even a single finger anymore.

His body was paralyzed, and even his breathing felt like it would stop.

「Kukuku, what are you planning to do in that state? I and Leviathan can revive one more time using Baptism and SlytLithograph of Counterfeit. It will be the end if you are killed outside by me you know? What you gained here is nothing more than a short postponement.」

「……That"s, enough. After this Aeril, Captain Magialca, and others will stop your scheme and Fugil too. There are also Lishsama and others. Even if their opponent is Sacred Eclipse, they won"t be defeated that easily.」

「You will use up all your strength and rely on someone else"s strength? Is a hero like you satisfied with that?」

「Yeah, I will rely on other.」

Lux immediately replied at Singlen"s sarcasm with a quiet smile.

「Our comrades, all of them have really……become strong. I can believe on them without doubt, Sir Singlen. Unlike the strong you who are unable to seriously believe in anyone.」

Knowing one"s own limit and able to entrust one"s wish on comrades who could be trusted was also strength.

He wouldn"t be able to do something reckless like this time if he was unable to believe on Lisha and others.

When Lux noticed that for the first time, he comprehended Singlen"s true nature.

He thought that this man before his eyes could only recognize other people by ruling over them and acted like a tyrant.

Surely this man──was too much of a prodigy even in Blackend Kingdom.

Whether it was in quick wits, in strength, and also in foresight, he was too outstanding in all of them.

From his birth, this man was a genius who touched every kind of height.

That was why he scoffed at the defect and foolishness of other people. He put distance from them and displayed disgust.

After all human was originally weak living thing no matter who.

He said that he was trying to make Lux his subordinate to make use of him as disposable piece.

That might also be the truth.

But, if he was sniffing the same scent like himself from Lux──.

Then perhaps he might be wis.h.i.+ng for a comrade who could keep up with him.

Perhaps he wished to obtain someone powerful who was his equal who he could recognize.

For some reason, right now he got such feeling.

「……Thirty seconds remaining until we are send out from here. As a prize from defeating me once, I"ll teach you the truth. What will happen from now on, when you are trying to follow the same path like me in the past.」

「……The, truth?」

Lux tilted his head hearing Singlen"s words that he spoke out along with a fearless smile.

「It"s something you will understand soon but, even if you know the truth after this, surely you won"t remember it after you get rewound. But, you have received Elixir three times with that body. Now you have resistance toward modification. Then, if you can just grasp the impetus you will be able to recall the time──just like this me.」

「What, do you mean……?」

The moment Lux showed his doubt, Singlen started talking.

After a conversation of around twenty seconds, Lux fainted before he was teleported outside.

「──Farewell ch.o.r.e boy. Ruin yourself in pipe dream that won"t come true by all means, along with your spoiled kid"s ideal that is soaked in sugar. I"ll crush this fictive world and teach the foolish ma.s.ses the reality. This is a temporary farewell until you remember the despair.」

Inside the consciousness that was covered by deep darkness, the voice of that arrogant tyrant was remaining in his ears.

–

「The connection with the central isn"t carried out. In one more minute the qualified people inside will be ejected outside.」

Near the entrance to the graveyard that was located at the back of the imperial capital"s castle.

The robotic voice of Arshalia could be heard there. Lisha and Philuffy held their breath.

Because Sacred Eclipse that was necessary for the last trial fused with Hayes and went on rampage, it should be impossible to connect with the central, but with this the survival of Lux and SInglen were confirmed.

「So Lux is also safe……. Then, there is no way we can lose here!」

Lisha dispelled the Wyrm Claw of Over Unit.

She drew out her other Sword Device and summoned Drake Horn from it and then connected with it.

With the addition of the support function of the special equipment type, the Drag-Ride"s maximum output was also drastically strengthened.

Because it was components, the ability of special equipment type general purpose Drag-Ride to give support strengthening could be applied to her own Drag-Ride too.

(As compensation, it put even more burden to my body. But, I"ll bet on this choice!)

Lisha readied her Sword Device toward Fernyiges that was attacking Philuffy.

And then she called out to her comrade who was continuously fighting while turning herself into Abyss.

『Oi airheaded girl, I"ll leave the rest to you! Lux too!』

『……Yes. Leave it to me.』

Philuffy responded to Lisha"s voice that came through Dragon Voice.

The number of words they exchanged was few, but Philuffy had guessed it.

Including the reason why even though both of them should be similarly near their limit, why did Lisha deliberately said such thing.

Fernyiges launched a kick with its three front legs, but Philuffy blocked it with her armored arms. At that moment, those front legs were blown away.

「──GUooOOOOON!?」

「What?」

Hayes who saw that from distance also frowned in puzzlement.

「Like always, that woman use strange technique!」

Lisha herself didn"t fully understand what happened, but she knew about that technique from her mock battle against Philuffy.

It was her unique Drag-Ride operation.

The foundation of martial art that she inherited from Magialca made use of body weight transfer, release of strength, and also the opponent"s strength.

Similar like Lux"s Critical Hit, the moment the opponent"s attack hit, by suppressing the point where strength was generated, the strength of the opponent"s attack was returned as it was.

This girl with talent subjugated the influence of Abyss and obtained that strength in order to stay at Lux"s side.

Next Philuffy entwined Pile Anchor around Fernyiges. In that instant Lisha activated her Divine Raiment.

「──High Suppressor!」

Fernyiges"s armor creaked due to Divine Raiment of gravity burden that was strengthened by more than two times.

「──GI, GUOoooOOOON!」

Fernyiges"s armor reflexively s.h.i.+ned and it tried to push out the five Seven Dragon Paladins that were absorbed inside to use them as s.h.i.+eld.

──But, Typhon"s Missing Faith that was unleashed at the same time negated it a step ahead.

「GI, GAGYAaaaAAA……!」

Fernyiges was smashed up, leaving behind the reverberation of destruction that sounded like a scream of death agony.

But, at that instant the armor"s upper part was detached. Only the head and shoulders, and then the back wings escaped.

「……It detached!? Even though Seven Dragon Paladins are below!」

「Yeah, certainly those guys are in the lower body part. But, If Fernyiges"s main body isn"t destroyed, the people inside won"t return to consciousness!」

The triumphant voice caused Lisha to gasp.

Hayes who was on the ground lifted up her hand and unleashed light. In that instant Lisha"s body was sent flying back.

「──Howling Purge!」

It was obvious that Hayes would aim at Lisha when she was full of opening in order to defeat Fernyiges.

Consequently, Lisha who was already nearly her limit beforehand had prepared to escape from her armor.

A moment later, Lisha"s released armor was smashed up along with a distortion in s.p.a.ce.

It was destruction by the s.p.a.ce grasping of Deus ex Machina that Sacred Eclipse inherited.

Lisha was barely able to let Tiamat"s Force Core to escape from that, so although it would take time, the Drag-Ride would be able to be fixed.

There was no doubt that it was a hard blow for her, but there was no subst.i.tute for life.

「I"ll leave the rest to you……airheaded girl, I didn"t want to let you to risk your body or anything though……」

Lisha pulled out her remaining Sword Device and summoned Wyvern Wing right under herself to use as cus.h.i.+on.

Even so she was unable to neutralize the falling impact completely and she raised a small groan.

「It"s finally, the limit huh……. I have faith you know, Lux. Faith on you, and also on the formidable members of the 『pact』 too.」

Lisha left behind a weak smile and strength left her body.

The battle against Dragon Marauder the other day, and the intense battle against Mis.h.i.+s.

And then the reuse of Over Unit in addition.

She concealed her exhaustion and fought to the end under the burden that her small body couldn"t endure, and she finally ran out of strength.

Even so, she didn"t have the slightest anxiety and regret.

Lisha who was once abandoned by her father who was a great man and given the heavy responsibility of being a princess was able to fight with reliable comrades in a way that she could accept.

Surely Hayes had never experienced something like that even once.

Inside her cut off consciousness, Lisha was harboring a slight pity.

–

「──So she got away, well it doesn"t matter. It won"t be long until that fake prince got chased out from the control room. The Seven Dragon Paladins too, they won"t be able to move for a few minutes after getting freed from Fernyiges. Next if you b.i.t.c.h just die, I"ll be able to obtain Avalon leisurely.」

There was only Philuffy alone in Hayes"s view.

Listelka was hiding. Fugil was standing by to protect her.

Listelka who didn"t want to lose Fugil was surely aiming to make both sides exhausted themselves before taking advantage of that.

If Philuffy was defeated and Hayes was finished off when she was dying, it would also be possible to reset Sacred Eclipse.

But, Hayes had no intention to allow that.

If she defeated Philuffy and entered the control room, she would be able to steal a march on Listelka and connected to the central.

And then, right now Philuffy was already wounded all over.

She barely maintained the shape of B-blood Typhon using Yggdrasil"s root that gave strengthening until the armor, but even that wouldn"t last long.

The limit would arrive for her in less than a minute.

「Kuhahaha! This is really funny. And it"s also really pitiful woman. You won"t be able to stop this me even if you turn into that kind of monster. You who are just a victim of my human experience, it doesn"t matter even if you lay that life on the line!」

Hayes provoked Philuffy to invite her attack, but Philuffy didn"t even twitch while her blank face kept looking dazed.

She simply moved the wheels of her armored feet gradually and began to accelerate from afar.

In order to gamble everything in the next instant of exchange.

「Are you okay doing that, monster? The more you use that strength, the more your life is shaved. More accurately speaking, the seed of Yggdrasil will rapidly encroach inside you and you won"t even be able to return to human form you know?」

「If that happen that fake prince might break for real this time yeah. No, unexpectedly he might not want to even look at you anymore.」

「It"s, pitiful.」

Words spilled out in small voice from Philuffy"s lips.

Hayes judged that it was an opening in her heart and she readied her Sword Device while provoking even more.

「Haha, so you think that you"re pitiful eh? But it doesn"t change the fact that you b.i.t.c.h is a monster. After all──」

「It"s you, you know?」

But, Philuffy"s indifferent voice caused Hayes to be the one who lost her words this time.

At the same time, darkness was spreading inside her heart.

Exactly because it was Philuffy"s blunt words that weren"t filled with emotion that Hayes"s heart was greatly shaken, and the memory of the past was resurrected at the back of her mind.

–

「Hayes-sama, so you are at this kind of place?」

「What. You found me here really late ain"t you? I"m just a disposable piece after all.」

At the courtyard of Arcadia Empire before its destruction.

Mis.h.i.+s who acted as maid who took care after the imperial princess"s need was standing beside Hayes who was hiding at the shade of a tree.

Hayes who was lying down on the green lawn had one of her eyes covered with eye patch.

A few days ago, she just got the surgery of Baptism using Elixir performed to her in exchange of overwhelming pain.

「Your highness is jesting. ──Now, it"s time for study. Let"s learn refinement and knowledge that are suitable for an imperial princess. In addition it"s also necessary to learn the technique to obtain the right of control of Automata using the Baptism that your highness received the other day.」

「Just what meaning there is in my existence? I"ll take up the responsibility if my two Onee-sama die, as the subst.i.tute of those two that is.」

The third imperial princess sn.i.g.g.e.red negligently. The iron maid calmly spoke in respond.

「The three of you are shouldering the great cause of leading the world as the summit of the Lord.」

「That"s wrong ain"t it? I"m just living as those Onee-sama"s gopher. The manager of the garden that exploit the lowly ma.s.ses so the imperial family and the n.o.bility can have it easy in the peace. And I"m an underling among that.」

「──Human, no matter who has their own role. Escaping from that fate will only get them forced into another different discomfort. In other words freedom is nothing more than discovering oneself inside the lack of freedom. Meaning of one"s existence is also the same. To always facing down will only cause nothing but dark shadow being reflected in your eyes.」

「Is Key"s Supervisor made to learn even the way to lecture? What an exaggerated maid huh.」

「Even like this I am the top member among my people, so I will be disqualified if I"m unable to help your highness get back on your feet.」

Hayes who heard Mis.h.i.+s"s words made an ironical smile.

「Then, it might be better if I intentionally make you fail, leaving a stain on your achievement.」

「Please do as you will. Now, let"s start studying.」

Hayes noticed that Mis.h.i.+s"s smile was an artificial one.

She was a splendid person who possessed both talent and strength, but in the end she only obeyed Hayes because of her duty.

Lord──the clan that ruled at the top of the world, what meaning was there in such existence?

Hayes herself was just an existence to secure the empire, furthermore she was just a decoration with authority that was far below her elder sisters.

She had nothing to obtain or taken away from her.

Such sense of value of Hayes was broken apart in a few days.

By allowing the rebellion by the family of traitor, the majority of the imperial family and n.o.bility ended up dead, and as an imperial family member their anger was targeted on her.

Because she was a symbol of Arcadia Empire, she was also turned into a target of hatred.

『How dare you did that to my daughter! To my family!』

『I"ll carve the resentment of my family to you b.a.s.t.a.r.d!』

The captured Hayes received violence with no question asked. It happened after Listelka and Aeril escaped first by Mis.h.i.+s"s arrangement, and then unluckily Hayes was discovered.

Fortunately, she was rescued before she received lethal injury and then she fell asleep in the Ark, but the terror of that time stuck on her.

『I am the third.』

She was nothing more than a subst.i.tute for her elder sisters, a spare.

She could only persist in shadow without obtaining glory, and turned into target by those vulgar low-born.

『I refuse that……. If that"s what they want then I"ll just do that! I"ll replace my sisters and show them all! I have the caliber of king that should rule over this world! I"ll teach them all in the new world!』

Hayes who woke up several years ago yelled that and started moving in the free world in order to test her own capability.

While blazing with the flame of revenge toward Lux who was a descendant of the family of traitor.

And then──.

–

「──I am, the chosen existence by Sacred Eclipse! I"ve surpa.s.sed my sisters and the family of traitor! But a mere b.i.t.c.h like you! A failed guinea pig monster dare to pity me!」

Hayes a.s.saulted toward Philuffy along with a jet black killing intent.

In respond Typhon also accelerated and drew back its right arm and concentrated the energy there.

The aim was a one hit kill using Biting Flare.

The moment Hayes paid attention to that, countless Pile Anchors were fired from the armor"s surface.

First she judged that it was an attempt to hold the opponent"s movement in check and if possible restrained the opponent.

Of course it was already known that Hayes was able to use Sacred Eclipse"s ability──the s.p.a.ce teleportation.

In other words, it was a feint to make her performed her trump card first.

「Idiot! Eat this!」

Hayes who saw that first unleashed fire arrows like bullets in radiating shape.

Because the attached flame used Phoenix"s ability so it wouldn"t vanish, the target would be forced to dodge.

It seemed Philuffy had foresighted that, she made the tip of a Pile Anchor pierced a lump of rubble and reeled it in, using it as s.h.i.+eld against the fire arrows.

Furthermore she directly struck with a huge rubble that her armored hand grasped.

This time it was Hayes"s turn to be forced into defense.

(Calm down──I who obtained the power of Sacred Eclipse should be overwhelmingly stronger. I"ve inherited all ability except Metatron"s.)

Hayes followed the voice she could hear inside her head and formed a strategy.

At the end she wanted to stab Philuffy"s heart with Fernyiges"s Sword Device, but the opponent had sharp instinct.

She might get targeted instead the moment she teleported to the s.p.a.ce behind her.

Then,

「Drop dead you monster! With the same power of Yggdrasil like you!」

The branches growing out from Hayes"s whole body were fired like countless spears.

They easily pierced Typhon"s strengthened barrier and also pierced the hands and legs of Philuffy that weren"t covered by pilot suit.

Though from the start, she couldn"t help but thinning the protection for her limbs in order to protect her torso and head.

「Tsu……!?」

Even Philuffy who was always expressionless frowned from the intense pain from her pierced limbs.

But, she noticed something graver than that.

「Kukuku, you noticed? It"s over already for you. Now you can"t move at all! Get torn apart into pieces just like that!」

The branches stabbing her limbs also entwined around her nerves, sealing even the movement of her fingertips.

Consequently controlling the Drag-Ride using the control stick became impossible.

「I"m looking forward what kind of face that fake prince will make when he come out from the control room! I"ll teach him the greatness of this me──」

「You won"t. I won"t, let you.」

But, Philuffy whose expression turned blank like usual murmured with a small voice.

「Because, I also remembered. That day Lu-chan came to save me in Ries Island. What happened there.」

The memory remaining inside Philuffy was awakened in this deep level floor of Avalon.

How in order to save Philuffy, Lux went to Ries Island without even considering the danger.

And then, how he was wailing while holding herself who had stopped breathing too.

「I wanted to say, I"m fine. I wanted to smile to him like usual. But──at that time, I couldn"t do that.」

Philuffy who was usually taciturn muttered her own feeling like that.

「I won"t die. Because I want to be together with Lu-chan. Because Lu-chan told me, he want me together with him forever.」

*Gas.h.i.+-*, the armored arm of B-blood Typhon grabbed Hayes"s body.

She should be unable to move her body with her nerves pierced, but Philuffy stretched out branches from her back and made it touched her Sword Device.

「Wh……!?」

The instant Hayes gasped, the wire that Philuffy fired into the wall at the front before this was wound in high speed.

She kept restraining Hayes with her armored arm while she herself rushed madly ahead using Typhon"s skating toward the castle wall that the tip of Pile Anchor drove into.

She was winding back the nailed wire to make herself head forward, in addition of the acceleration using the wheels of the armored feet.

Typhon punched through air along with terrifying ma.s.s behind it toward the giant rampart at the front.

Toward the intersection of power that was carried out with maximum output. She was rus.h.i.+ng forward to thrust out Hayes" body that she was grasping.

「Impossible-! How can you move this precisely in a state where your limbs cannot move!?」

What shocked Hayes wasn"t the technique of mind control operation using Sword Device, it was how Philuffy was making use of Yggdrasil"s power while perfectly maintaining her sanity.

Through administering of Elixir three times, Hayes"s mind was turned strange and rampaged.

In contrast even though Philuffy had her body smeared with the power of Abyss, unlike when she was once taken over by Yggdrasil, there was no wavering at all in her.

Surely it was also because the man body of the Ragnarok had died.

Because the brainwas.h.i.+ng power had weakened, she could manage the power of Abyss skillfully.

Even so, it was hard to believe.

The strength of this girl called Philuffy.

She changed the strength of her feeling to Lux into power, in order to accomplish what she ought to accomplish.

『It"s, pitiful.』

Hayes"s ears could hear Philuffy"s words before this once more.

The meaning of those words was about Hayes who was unable to believe and rely on anyone else from her heart.

No matter how cruel the fate that trampled this girl, she was unyielding.

「Don"t, screw with me-……! I──」

Typhon that skated with maximum speed thrust out its right arm toward the castle wall.

The full strength destructive power that was backed by heavy weight of land battle type Divine Drag-Ride was focused without any other place to escape to.

……*DOGAAAAA!*

The thick and high rampart of the old castle was smashed up into the shape of spider web along with a dull impact sound.

The instant strength loosened from Hayes"s body, Typhon"s special armament activated.

「──Biting Flare」

The energy that was sent inside the body burst open Hayes"s body.

「GU, aaaAaAAAA……!」

Shockwave and heat blast pierced her whole body and reached until the solid core, destroying it.

The agony that she didn"t feel until now came back and scream was thrown up from inside her throat.

「Haa, haa……」

Right after that, Philuffy"s armor was dispelled and she fell on her knee on the broken road.

It was an attack where she literally squeezed out everything she had.

But, even after receiving lethal wound, Hayes who was fused with Sacred Eclipse still hadn"t died.

「You, insects……. I"ll, kill you! There is no, way, I"ll get defeated by the like of you……!」

Because her core was damaged, Poseidon"s super regeneration ability didn"t function properly, but she lifted up Fernyiges"s Sword Device and pointed the tip to Philuffy to skewer her.

But, looking closer the blade of the Sword Device had been smashed into pieces from its root.

「Chih……! So this is your true target from the start!」

Hayes clicked her tongue and comprehended Philuffy"s aim.

The Sword Device of Fernyiges was pulverized by the after wave of Biting Flare that boasted overwhelming destructive power.

Thus the autonomous Divine Drag-Ride was also desummoned and vanished from this place.

The Seven Dragon Paladins who were absorbed inside were also ejected and they were recovering their consciousness.

And then unnoticed a pillar of light rose from nearby and the Automata Arshalia showed her figure.

『The two people inside the control room ran out of time and were teleported slightly away from here. I"m waiting for the next qualified person who had finished until the second trial.』

「Fu, kukuku……! Kuhahahaha……!」

Voice of joy welled up from the half crumbling body of Hayes.

In this situation, she was blessed with the chance to obtain the central ahead of others.

There was a few more minutes until the Seven Dragon Paladins could move. Aeril, Lisha, Krulcifer, and also Philuffy couldn"t move anymore.

Listelka too was still hiding along with Fugil.

She was defeated in the duel against Philuffy, even so she was still alive now.

And then, there was n.o.body else but her who could take away Avalon in this situation.

「……It"s my win! I"ll connect with the central and become this world"s king. I"ll make anyone and everyone submit-!」

Hayes laughed loudly in place of a victory song.

She approached a step, then one more step toward Arshalia, then suddenly someone"s presence appeared behind her.

The one who appeared with small footstep sound was the first imperial princess Listelka Rei Arshalia.

And then Fugil wearing Bahamut was standing at her side.

「……What"s your business at this point huh, Aneue-sama? If it"s congratulation that it"s still too early yeah.」

「Thank you for your hard work, Hayes. You have done well to rout the bandits swarming to Avalon. I will make sure to make your accomplishment be known by the Lord"s posterity.」

Listelka"s att.i.tude and smile was graceful like usual.

However, cold shadow surfaced on Hayes"s expression

「Thanks for your hard work, you saaay? A weakling bug who got cold feet and hid in the shadow till the end, is acting high and mighty only when it"s convenient like this, that just ain"t acceptable right? Chichi-uefather and others who conceded the throne to you must be crying right now.」

An expression that was filled with blunt displeasure and hostility.

Her tattered bodies were crumbling while regenerating. The roots of Yggdrasil were crawling around her.

But, even after seeing that rebelling will in Hayes"s eyes, Listelka"s gentle att.i.tude didn"t crumble.

「Hayes. Thank you very much for everything until now. Your naughtiness since a thousand years ago has been bothersome, but you can be proud that you can become a cornerstone for the Lord like this. That"s why, please move away from there. If I don"t hurry, the Seven Dragon Paladins will wake up and it will become troublesome again.」

「……Then, I"ll also give a warning yeah, o honorable Aneue-sama.」

Hayes"s aura changed at Listelka"s reaction that didn"t mesh at all.

「I"ll kill you if you get one step closer. You can just watch my path of supremacy quietly. It"s me who won the victory. Even the current me can kill you two easily.」

Hayes gave that threat and touched the forehead of the Automata Arshalia.

But, the main body of Automata didn"t show any reaction.

「……Why!? Why isn"t it reacting!? The voice of Sacred Eclipse that I can hear is certainly──」

When she woke up, there was a voice telling her that it was possible for her to connect with the central.

If that was a voice that came because she fused with Sacred Eclipse──a revelation from Avalon, then there should be no mistake, and yet…

The unexpected happening caused Hayes to frown.

Then Listelka laughed with a lonely voice.

「Hayes. It"s impossible for you. Because, the current you is Sacred Eclipse itself. The last condition to connect with the central, is for your ego to vanish, and the Sacred Eclipse will fuse with the proper qualified person.」

「……No-! I can hear a voice from inside me! The will of Avalon, it was talking to me after I fused with Sacred Eclipse!」

Hayes was fl.u.s.tered and yelled. Listelka let out a sigh seeing that.

She brushed her front hair with her hand, and her red magic eye that received Baptism s.h.i.+ned.

「Hayes. I am the shrine maiden of oracle. The first imperial princess who is the summit of the Lord. I have the power to intervene with Avalon. That was why, when you were resurrected, I performed a bit of trick. So that your brain is connected to Avalon"s──perception manipulation device, and accept my voice as suggestion in your mind.」

「……Wha, a!」

Despair and shock ran through the face of Hayes who heard that.

Brainwas.h.i.+ng was already inserted into her mind when she was resurrected after her first defeat against Lux.

She accepted Listelka"s voice as revelation from Avalon and she was manipulated in order to hinder Lux and co.

Controlling Sacred Eclipse itself was impossible even for Listelka, but when Sacred Eclipse absorbed Hayes, she was able to use Hayes"s will and moved Sacred Eclipse to a certain degree.

Listelka made use of the situation that came to be by accident and performed a trick.

「It was a G.o.dsend that you was absorbed by Sacred Eclipse. Thanks to that their attention was drawn to you. Now please vanish quickly. You already──have no more use.」

There was no change at all in Listelka.

She thrust the farewell before her little sister like it was only natural, with the same gaze and voice and gesture just like in the past.

Unnoticed, Hayes"s own hand smashed the damaged core.

From the start Listelka"s intention was for her to vanish after removing all the hindrances.

「Don"t, screw, with me……. THIS DEMOOOooNNNN-!」

Hayes yelled with tears of blood flowing from her eyes, with her right arm still stabbed into her core.

She lifted up her remaining other hand and wrung out her last strength to grow out Yggdrasil"s branch.

She roared to skewer the surrounding with countless branches.

「──Reload on Fire」

Butm instantly, due to the Quick Shot of Fugil who stood in her way, all the branches were severed.

「d.a.m.n, it……」

The remnant of Hayes"s consciousness fell into shadow, and a fragment of that core was taken into Listelka.

The third imperial princess whose body was burned in hatred returned like that to the death she originally belonged to.

–

「It"s finally over. With this, everything is──」

Listelka who was teleported to the control room with Fugil faced the main body of Automata Arshalia.

Perhaps her tension until now was cut off, or perhaps he interfered with Avalon too much with her magic eye that she was exhausted, Listelka staggered and she was about to fall, but Fugil immediately supported her.

She moved Sacred Eclipse through the mind of Hayes who accidentally got fused with it, and her strategy to take advantage of the world alliance"s opening succeeded.

That was something that couldn"t be done without knowing the special property of Sacred Eclipse while having resolve to sacrifice her family.

However Listelka wasn"t feeling the slightest regret.

Rather relieve was spreading inside her chest.

「This is the critical moment. Please keep your composure.」

「Yes, let"s call Mis.h.i.+s too after I connect to the central. Surely she has arrive at nearby.」

『Then, the third trial will begin from now. Have you finished your preparation?』

「Please begin. I have been waiting eagerly for this time since the day I woke up.」

「Then」

Arshalia stepped forward, at the same time countless cords were connected to Listelka and the connection began.

Nanomachine poured into her blood and she was tuned into the mechanism of Avalon.

In addition with the core of Sacred Eclipse that she took inside herself just now blending into her flesh, she perfectly grasped the function and became able to use it.

After just ten minutes, the cords connected to Listelka were taken off.

She safely finished the third trial.

「How are you feeling, my master?」

When Fugil called out to her, Listelka smiled with a haggard voice.

A burden was put on her while the connection was going on, but the excitement which surpa.s.sed it filled her to the brim.

「──It"s amazing Fugil! To think, that Sacred Eclipse is this magnificent. That it is able to perform something so amazing!」

Even the knowledge to control Avalon was also sent directly into Listelka"s brain.

The obtained information was applied in the form of physical experience through the brain. She was able to control Avalon freely.

It granted Listelka with an unprecedented feeling of omnipotent.

She also learned for the first time the same information like what Aeril discovered in the Moon"s archive.

「I see, my decision was correct. The person who obtained Avalon can rule this world. I"m able to comprehend the meaning and essence of that. There is no more problem. After resting for a bit here, first I will revive the 『Key of the Surface』──the strongest battle strength Sacred Eclipse, and make use of that strength.」

「……I see, what will your majesty do first with that?」

「Of course, I"ll purify this world. For several hundred years the Holy Arcadia Empire was forgotten from the world. This world is dirtied too much by unnecessary people. Well, I don"t mind leaving behind a part of the ma.s.ses but, it"s necessary to erase the whole ruling cla.s.s.」

「I see.」

Fugil kept smiling and casted his eyes down after hearing Listelka"s words.

Listeka seemed to interpret it as acceptance and she slowly walked toward the center of the control room and twirled like a little girl.

Then Fugil took out a lump of metal from his breast pocket and put it on the nearby table.

Listelka tilted her head seeing that tool which looked like a toy.

「What could that be?」

「It is a scale. A tool to compare weight and measure the balance.」

Although Fugil answered, there was nothing put on that scale.

He had a habit of seeing scale sometimes like this.

But, Listelka had no interest in such thing.

Rather than that now that she had obtained a complete victory, there was something that she wished to ask Fugil.

「Fugil, can I ask you one thing? Why did you save us imperial princesses at that time?」

The Ark where Listelka and others, the imperial family of the Lord and their close aides were hiding and sleeping inside pods.

A force of Arcadia Empire that got wind of that hiding place attacked, and when she was about to get killed, Fugil slaughtered the empire troops instead.

「Thanks to you, I am able to get back on my foot from that situation of absolute despair until this far. We Lord are able to arrive until the path of restoration. There were also a lot of people who became sacrifice, but if you and Mis.h.i.+s gives me your help, the paradise of the Lord can be rebuild without a doubt.」

「The reason I saved you. That is──because that is exactly the mission of a hero.」

Fugil declared with a tone and expression that contained no doubt.

「You at that time was an existence that had to be saved by the world. I simply obeyed that will.」

「……Geez, that"s not an interesting reason isn"t it? I"m happy that you believed me as an existence that is worthy to be saved, but that, even if there was a bit more reason to that──」

Listelka puffed up her cheeks that were blus.h.i.+ng red and her mouth pouted slightly.

But, before long she stared at a device with a serious expression to pull herself together.

「Mis.h.i.+s is approaching near. Let"s contact her using Dragon Voice. I will also create a teleportation entrance for her to enter here.」

Listelka became able to freely allow teleportation to inside due to her connection to the central. She quickly contacted Mis.h.i.+s.

「Even so it"s unexpected. To think that Mis.h.i.+s can suffer this much injury, as expected it"s dangerous to allow the remaining Drag-Knights to live. I"ll stop trying to put them under my command and swiftly eliminate them.」

「……Is it really all right for you?」

「Yes, if the army of the world is destroyed altogether across the board, there won"t be anyone who resist anymore.」

「By doing that, you will turn the majority of this world into enemy though──」

「I don"t mind.」

Listelka smiled at Fugil with an expression that contained no doubt.

「It"s possible if I have the power of this Avalon and Sacred Eclipse. Beside that, Fugil. As long as you stay by my side, it"s not a concern even if the world become enemy. Let"s begin soon. The first step to correct this world──」

Listelka headed toward the main body of Arshalia and stretched her hand toward her.

「Is that so.」

With the voice of Fugil behind her, she closed her eyes in order to control Avalon. At that time, she heard a voice.

–

「──It"s unfortunate. You erred in your choice.」

–

Listelka felt an impact and out of place feeling in her left chest. Her eyes opened wide.

The blade of a Sword Device was growing out from her heart.

──No, she was stabbed from behind.

Even after witnessing that fact with her eyes, she was unable to understand the situation.

After all she knew better than anyone that there was nothing that was a threat to her in this control room.

Thus, she finally noticed when looking at the silver wall surface that was polished like mirror.

How the Automata before her had half her face dyed red by Listelka"s blood spurt.

And then, how Fugil behind her was stabbing a sword into her chest.

「Fu, gil……? What, are you, doing……?」

Listelka forgot even the intense pain that made her unable to even breath and asked.

It was impossible.

He was Fugil, who betrayed even the old empire he belonged with in order to save Listelka.

Until now he would listen to her consultation cordially beside her, led her, and gave all his effort for the restoration of the Lord. For that Fugil, to kill her was just──.

「It"s the scale. You are tilting the fate for your own sake too much. You don"t have the caliber of king to rule over this world. If you understood that, then you would still have a future.」

「Co, ugh……」

Her breath slipped out in the place of a reply. Listelka collapsed while vomiting blood fiercely.

「Why……is this? I……if, you just stay by my side, then anything──……u」

The fingertip of Listelka who was gradually losing strength stretched toward Fugil"s ankle.

Her red eye was looking up while trickling out tears, but Fugil didn"t even glance at it.

「──It was only your resolve that was splendid. You risked your life for a great cause even if you had to cut down your own family or that other people would hate you. Everything was for the sake of the Lord"s restoration but, you deviated too much. You were captured by the greatness of the strength you obtained, and became the enemy of a lot of the weak. That is something you mustn"t do.」

Fugil turned his back toward Listelka who expired on the sea of blood and stretched his hand toward the Automata Arshalia.

「So you are a qualified person who has finished the third trial. Will you connect to the central once more?」

「I guess, I"ll rely on you once more now. This time a slightly large scale revision is necessary. Besides now that Hayes"s consciousness has vanished and Listelka who connected with central has died too, Sacred Eclipse will find a new host candidate. An existence of fate"s singularity who wish for salvation more than anyone──」

「Understood. Beginning preparation.」

「I have to remove external enemy that is approaching here. But, can I leave the clean up to you Arshalia? Looks like the number of corpse will increase by one more after this.」

After Fugil spoke so indifferently, Mis.h.i.+s appeared in a tattered Azi Dahaka.

The iron maid who was always calm and collected showed eyes that were dyed with rage and hatred.

「──Why? Why did you kill Listelksam!? My lord who was dearly yearning for you so much like that!」

Mis.h.i.+s yelled while stabbing a short blade of seven colors into her own arm.

She was trying to cover for her lost stamina using Elixir injection.

But, Fugil was still curt even after hearing the angry yell of the strongest Key"s Supervisor.

He simply summoned Uroboros"s special armament Infinity and deployed it into Bahamut that he then wore casually.

With a bland face, he responded to Mis.h.i.+s who was directing killing intent that was like a raging fire toward him.

「You are asking me why? You should have known why though. I am the hero, it is none other than I who was recognized by her as this world"s messiah.」

「So you have planned this from the start? You saved Listelksama to make use of her bloodline, in order to obtain this Avalon──」

Mis.h.i.+s whose body surface was dyed jet black moved at the same time with her yell.

She skated in high speed with the wheels of Azi Dahaka and swung down her halberd with a speed like bullet.

(It"s already too late to intercept with Reload on Fire! This attack cannot be dodged!)

Inside the control room that was a bit cramped for fighting, the true worth of Avesta that could steal energy and Divine Raiment could be displayed freely.

The halberd that lunged with the conviction of victory caught Fugil"s Drag-Ride, at the same time she yelled.

「──Avesta……tsu!?」

The moment she activated Azi Dahaka"s Divine Raiment using mind control operation, Mis.h.i.+s was captured by a strange sensation.

There was no feedback of her halberd landing. No, it vanished.

Fugils" figure suddenly disappeared.

「Farewell, Key"s Supervisor.」

Fugil lightly swung his great sword behind her. Just with that, the armor of Azi Dahaka that Mis.h.i.+s wore was smashed into pieces.

「──Wh!?」

「Zero One──the special armament that Urobors has, it can erase the existence of the designated target from this world"s s.p.a.ce and rematerialize it again.」

0 and 1. It was a power that could freely erase and call back the designated existence like an off and on switch.

Due to the other special armament that Uroboros had, the existence of Fugil wearing Bahamut was erased from the world, and when his existence was materialized once more, he slashed the defenseless Mis.h.i.+s.

Fugil"s voice announced the present situation along with a cold gaze.

The destruction of Azi Dahaka that happened on Mis.h.i.+s"s body, and her next fate.

「There is a limit even in making a wrong guess. Your fault is that blindness of yours, Mis.h.i.+s. You entrust your will to someone else and put forth your whole effort into it, and you are unable to step out from that even for a step. It"s too presumptuous for a mere existence who wishes for her own death to follow after her master to even lay a hand on this me.」

Fugil"s voice that was filled with disdain struck the eardrum of Mis.h.i.+s who was crumbling on the floor.

Right after that, Mis.h.i.+s"s limbs and head were separated from her torso. Her life closed its curtain.

「──But, I"ll at least acknowledge your strength as Drag-Knight. After all you even made me use the second special armament of Uroboros.」

Fugil"s hand was holding a Sword Device that was different from Bahamut.

The power of Uroboros that showed its figure had already activated.

Mis.h.i.+s didn"t notice that true shape.

–

「Fugil. The preparation is finished. It will take some time until Sacred Eclipse is revived, but the target designation is finished. Ten minutes remaining until the activation of the revision device.」

Arshalia"s voice echoed inside the control room that became empty.

「Then teleport me outside. I"ll take care of the hindrances. I"ll leave the rest to you.」

「Yes. Please be careful.」

After exchanging only those words, Fugil"s whole body was wrapped by bluish white light.

His figure vanished along with the light in no time at all, and he was teleported to the ruins above.