PrologueThe sea was getting ravaged.
Countless tentacles were gradually turning the sea"s navy-blue surface silver.
A giant purple eyeball was visible at the center of the radiating tentacles.
It was a strangely shaped and powerful creature.
One of the monsters under the umbrella term "dragon."
The purple dragon—"Purple" Kraken.
Swinging like whips, its serpentine tentacles were made of mithril, the hardest alloy theoretically. In addition, the antimatter projectiles shot from the purple eyeball were capable of destroying any kind of matter.
Hence, simultaneously equipped with ultimate offense and defense, "Absolute" was the name given to its powers.
"The same... as that time."
Watching from the air afar as the invading Kraken advanced towards Midgard, fourteen-year-old Mitsuki remarked quietly.
The "Blue" Hekatonkheir she saw in the past had crushed the land and trampled the neighboring town. So-called dragons were capable of destroying the world simply through their existence.
Looking at the sea surface afar, invaded by those silver tentacles, Mitsuki thought to herself.
"Don"t s.p.a.ce out, Mitsuki."
Immediately, she heard a voice beside her. In that instant, Mitsuki lost balance while she was hovering in the air by using her fictional armament to trans.m.u.te air.
"H-Hey Miyako, don"t get so close! Our wind will interfere with each other. You almost made me fall!"
Mitsuki hastily recovered her center of gravity and grumbled at the girl who had approached her.
"Oh sorry about that, Mitsuki, your flying skills are still a bit inexperienced."
The girl scratched her head and apologized. She was Shinomiya Miyako who had transferred into Midgard almost at the same time as Mitsuki. She was both Mitsuki"s roommate and best friend, the only person whom Mitsuki did not use polite language to speak to.
With gorgeous shoulder-length black hair, Shinomiya Miyako was a girl who was aptly described as a "Yamato Nadeshiko" or idealized j.a.panese woman. Furthermore, her fictional armament was shaped as a naginata, further reinforcing that image.
Capable of learning everything and anything effortlessly, she was far more skilled than Mitsuki at trans.m.u.ting air to fly. Despite her jealousy towards a best friend who was like this, Mitsuki still respected and admired her.
"You two over there, cut the chit-chat! The enemy is at hand!"
The captain, Shinomiya Haruka, scolded Mitsuki and Miyako for having a private conversation.
"...Onee-chan is angry."
Miyako stuck her tongue out mischievously and remarked with a smile. She was Haruka"s little sister. Compared to the straitlaced Haruka, Miyako always maintained a calm mood capable of joking around. Hence, the two sisters could be described as polar opposites in personality. However, they were quite alike in appearance, especially in facial resemblance, from the same mold, one could say.
"Thanks, Miyako."
Mitsuki thanked Miyako quietly. Seeing Mitsuki stunned by the Kraken"s intimidating sight, Miyako must have been trying to ease her nervousness.
"Hmm? Why are you thanking me?"
Miyako smiled to cover up then formed her dark matter into a naginata—the night-slicing blade, Kusanagi—and pointed it at the Kraken in the distance.
"...Let"s do our best, Mitsuki. To protect Midgard—To protect our home."
Despite the smile on her face, Miyako spoke to Mitsuki solemnly.
"...Yes."
Mitsuki"s expression tensed and she nodded.
Even now, having reached the age of sixteen, Mitsuki could still clearly remember Miyako"s smile from that time.
The scene was branded deeply on the back of her eyes.
Just by closing her eyes, she could recall it any time.
Because—what Mitsuki had seen was her best friend"s final smile.