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Chrome Shelled Regios:Volume6 Chapter5

2010-02-04T22:38:46Z

115.70.106.94: /* Chapter 5: The center of the world */

===Chapter 5: The center of the world===

Leerin ran in the unfamiliar city. She ran and ran till exhaustion caught up to her and made her stop running.

“Ha, Ha…….” She panted, her lungs tightened in need of air. Her stomach hurt as if it was twisted.

“I…… I don’t……. exercise enough…….”

She had been sitting everyday in the roaming bus, and that fact hadn’t dawned on her when she requested to leave the city. Now she didn’t even have enough strength to smile bitterly.

“Aaa, already done?” Roy smiled, standing ten steps behind her. This was the same distance between them when the chase began.

“Sorry, I can’t do much about my strength…….”

“Yes. It’s good to exercise sometime! You can also cut back on some fat.”

“…….. Shut your nonsense!”

“Excuse me,” he stopped laughing. He wasn’t the young man Leerin saw before. His twisted expression was revolting.

“Isn’t it about time to give up and hand that thing over?”

She still held Myath, the Electronic Fairy that had the same name as this city. The bird could have escaped far away by flying off, but it stayed in her hand, inert as if it was sleeping.

“It’s useless! It has used up its strength inside the barrier. It can’t move. It’s half dead! You understand what would face this city if the Electronic Fairy died………..?”

The death of an Electronic Fairy was directly linked to the death of a city. A Regios that couldn’t move would not be able to escape filth monsters. It’d be consumed sooner or later. Leerin trembled at that possible future.

“What do you Wolf Faces want?”

“If you were a Military Artist, things would be so easy!” There was a mask in Roy’s hand. “Once you wear this, you can see the world that Ignansis wishes for. You can see the Dream of Ignansis,” Roy said, half wearing the mask. “World peace can be achieved when the majority of Military Artists hold the same dream.”

How unconvincing. How pretentious.

“The Electronic Fairy is needed to stop the fate of continuous fighting between filth monsters and Military Artists. That’s why we must move numerous Electronic Fairies to Senou. I came here to find En.”

“What’s En?”

“The network of Electronic Fairies. It shows the genealogy of them. Electronic Fairies can find Electronic Fairies of other cities through En, and it can also tell whether other Electronic Fairies belong to the same category as itself. Sheniebel and Myath belong to the same genealogy. So I must catch Myath to obtain the En.”

“It’s ok to do that even to sacrifice this city?”

“Yes, it’s an evil that is necessary.”

“You, you live in this city, don’t you?”

“Yes, so?”

“……. This city might disappear. Don’t you feel anything? Aren’t you a Military Artist?”

“Ho, hoooooooo…….” Roy laughed. “Who cares! How do you look at an Academy City? Same as others, right? That’s not good. This isn’t a permanent home. There’s no value in protecting it.”

“How dare you say this……. The people here are normal students!”

“The principles of Military Artist? Humph!”

Deep hatred showed on his face. “Is there meaning in it? Fear! Pain! The hell of Military Arts! Bastards who push these things to us so they can survive! Their lives or deaths have nothing to do with me!” the hatred twisted his face more. “Those guys who only look for the results and care nothing for our effort! Those guys!”

Who did Roy hate? Who was Roy being angry with? Insanity and madness spread across his countenance. He didn’t look like a human being anymore. Leerin retreated. But his words…… seemed to be hiding something. She must see through it. That was her way of escape.

(To understand Military Artists………)

She thought of the Military Artist that was the closest to her, Layfon. What would Layfon do? She thought desperately as she distanced herself bit by bit from Roy. She had to protect the Electronic Fairy in her hand. Its death was the equivalent to a city’s death. Military Artists were usually the ones who protected it!

(Ah…….) She understood.

“…….. I see,” she stopped moving and laughed. The forced laugh made her face twist. “That’s your reason!”

“I said so!”

“You’re wrong.” Leerin’s tension rose. She must change her position and attack. “That isn’t the reason to abandon Myath! That’s the reason that you fell into such a state?!”

“You!!!” Roy’s voice was louder than a normal person’s voice. Strong wind assaulted Leerin.

She laughed mockingly. “Pain’s revealed your true self? That of a weakling?”

“Wh……..”

“You said it yourself. Fear, pain, the hell of Military Arts…….. That hell, you mean intense training, don’t you? That’s simple then. What about the rest? Fear and pain. Of what? If you want others to understand you, you should show your feelings and help them understand you.”

“You don’t know anything! Don’t say it as if you know!”

“As if I know? Why do you think so?” Leerin asked coldly.

Silence. He had nothing to hold onto. Roy now swayed between his dignity and weakness. Leerin had no confidence in how he would react. She was just taking a risk.

(That’s my only weapon.)

And……..

“Pain. You must have felt that during training. As strict as my adopted father’s dojo, and in the end you couldn’t get up! Then what about fear? Something that a Military Artists is afraid of. Fellow Military Artists? That can make you afraid. War? Killing each other is horrible! But those who are asked to take the job are elites like the captain of City Police. Besides, you can’t feel that level of fear in a fight between Military Artists. In that case, what’s left is……?” her gaze moved from the sky to Roy.

Roy’s entire body trembled.

“Filth monsters!” she scolded. “You ran away from filth monsters!”

“Ah…… Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!” Roy hugged his head. “Damn! Damn! Damnnnnnnn!! Those guys, those guys! Playing with me. They don’t know how horrible it is! They haven’t even seen it!”

Leerin’s guess was right. It was beyond her imagination in how much it had hurt Roy mentally.

He ran away from filth monster. Probably while on the ground receiving an assault! Fleeing from the horror of seeing filth monsters for the first time! Military Artists were born to protect the city, so they were protected by many laws…….

(Though that doesn’t apply to Layfon……..)

Grendan had countless number of Military Artists, so they only received the lowest level of insurance money. That money would increase shockingly if the Military Artist showed he had great strength. Layfon had given that money to the orphanage, so his and Leerin’s standards of living remained the same. They grew up together in poverty. Even so, he did not run away. Perhaps Layfon did feel that enormous fear, and he participated in underground matches in order to dispel that fear. He worked hard to keep the orphanage stable.

(Compared to him, this man……)

Roy was so, so very weak! No, she didn’t think being weak was a sin, but a Military Artist who lost to his weakness was even worse than an average person.

“Unforgivable……..” Roy said in a low voice. “Unforgivable, woman! You’re just a normal person, but you fool me…….” he crouched and rushed her. He didn’t need any weapon. Just a fist would do. The Kei in his fist was enough to finish a normal person.

Something blocked his attack.

“Wh…….”

“…… How shameful!”

It wasn’t Leerin. Different hair colour. Different voice. Sharp gaze pierced him.

“You…….”

“Your attitude does sound like one who is banished from the “original city”. But being unable to face your weakness, you picked the easy path, didn’t you?” Nina let go of his fist.

Leerin stood behind her. She was just buying some time. She knew Nina would come over to check the situation since the nest of light was gone.

“They made something called En and used it to lure Myath………. An En for Sheniebel.”

Leerin had won her bet.

“You abandoned the city you should be protecting……. You fool. Know your shame!” Nina said.

Roy stepped back with a speed that Leerin hadn’t yet seen. He had restored his Dite into a sword.

“Ha, Hahaha! You’re joking? Can you defeat me? I know! You traveled here through En. You might have defeated other Wolf Faces, but you can’t defeat me!”

“I will, just like how I stopped you before,” Nina stretched out the hand she used to stop his attack. “But I won’t kill you. That would be the same as waking up from a dream. Not that I plan to kill you.”

Leerin could only see Nina’s back, but Roy, seeing Nina, showed fear in his face.

“I’ll deal out the punishment that suits your crime.”

“Hu!” Roy was behind Nina. And his figure disappeared as wind in the next second. Nina hadn’t moved.

He had fled.

“Is that ok?” Leerin asked.

“No time to play with him. Besides, that’s all I could do.”

“Is……. Is that true…….?”

A traveler who came through En. Leerin wasn’t sure whether she got that right, but she knew Nina shouldn’t be here. Nina already said that she felt like she was in a dream. Leerin didn’t believe her back then. And now. She didn’t quite believe her either.

“I can’t explain in detail. This is my first time trying, after all. I’m not sure of the exact details myself,” Nina turned around with a troubled smile. “I’m not someone who can be totally fair. I have a sense of righteousness. It might bring misfortunate to my city sometime, but this is different. This isn’t what I wanted. I can’t force other people to finish it. No matter what my true feelings are, it’s some consciousness outside me that determines it. If I say it that way, I might be the same as the Wolf Faces.”

“You mean Ignasis and the Riggzario Belief?” Leerin said, remembering the conversation between Nina and the Wolf Faces.

“Perhaps……….. As for Riggzario, I don’t know whether it’s a person’s name or anything else.”

“What’s Riggzario?”

“The city I was born in. In the Senou City Sheniebel, there’s a machine called Riggzario.”

The target of the Wolf Faces.

“And?”

“I haven’t seen it, but dad said it’s the machine that gives birth to Electronic Fairies.”

“Huh?”

“The womb that the Electronic Fairy Sheniebel uses……. That’s probably what Riggzario is. We have other Electronic Fairies besides Sheniebel in my city.”

“But the increasing number of Electronic Fairy…….?”

“Electronic Fairies travel as time passes to find their own cities……. That’s probably it. I myself haven’t seen an Electronic Fairy that travels though.”

The inert Electronic Fairy in Leerin’s hand, small and weak, came to this city to give it life? The Alchemists had made Regios, cities that the level of modern technology could not make.

“Sorry, I didn’t know it’d turn out like that. But Electronic Fairies are born in Riggzario. The Wolf Faces have targeted it, and that has something to do with their actions here.”

“…… So Nina’s helping Myath because this has something to do with your city?”

“Perhaps. That benefits me, doesn’t it?”

“You can’t conclude with that.”

Nina took action before she knew about the Wolf Faces’ aim. Some consciousness inside Nina had driven her to take action.

“As I thought…… You did it because you’re strong,” Leerin said, though she thought to herself “Ah, why did I say that?” She continued, “I know someone very strong, but he doesn’t run away. I can’t say we’re his burdens, but he’s probably freer without us. I want to be strong, but I’m just weak.”

“That’s wrong, Leerin,” Nina shivered.

“Nina?”

Nina’s face was a shade of pale green.

“No matter how strong a person is, he’s the same if he has no a reason to become strong. Besides, I’m not strong. Leerin, you think I’m strong to fight the Wolf Faces…… my, power……..” she crouched.

Leerin went to her and crouched down with her. Sweat beaded Nina’s forehead. “I have something to protect, so I, I want to protect it……. And then, I…….”

“Wh, What happened?”

“Nothing,” she frowned and stood up. Her face was still green. No sign of recovering.

“Hurry, we’re running out of time.”

She walked away and Leerin ran to keep up with her.

He hadn’t considered where to run off to. He just happened to be there while running away.

“Ah ha, Ahha…….” Roy panted. He was standing on the roof of a certain building, standing in the shade of a water tank. He gritted his teeth then breathed in deeply.

“You bastard!” he screamed.

Roy was born in a peaceful city. No filth monsters had ever attacked that city. The city kept a certain distance from other cities. Roaming buses only came a few times a year. The city rarely had outside influences. It was a city with peace as its pride. The city that Roy grew up in. Roy’s grandfather had fought filth monsters in the past, telling them stories of those fights in the old days. Still, that city did meet filth monsters in the end.

The shocked Military Artists fought desperately. Wearing protective suits, they fought the filth monsters. About a hundred or so of them were dispatched, and tens of them died. Everyone fought in desperation. The elders who had had experience devised the strategies for the youngsters to carry it out. The fight had a miraculous win with just one stain. Tens of people died out of the hundred or so Military Artists, and one person fled.

Roy Entorio.

In a battle they had never fought before, everyone used all their Kei except Roy. The death of Military Artists revealed the city’s negligence in its defense despite the victory. Besides, the dead Military Artists all had families. And Roy Entorio fled the battle. The Roy who was an elite among the people of his age……… Those whom Roy mocked as being weaker than him had rushed forward to open a hole in the filth monsters. They had died under the weight of the fallen filth monsters. And seeing that, Roy had fled, an escape that no one would ever forgive.

“Damn……….”

And he had then come to Myath, sent to Myath like rubbish by his family.

“Damn……..”

Roy had once again run away. Given up the pride of a Military Artist and lured by Ignasis, he had run away from Nina Antalk.

“That woman……….. Just you remember! I’ll kill you.”

But the person he hated wasn’t Nina.

“She’s just a normal person. How dare she treat me like that!”

He had never told anyone of his secret in Myath……… But Leerin Marfes had seen through him.

“Unforgivable.”

“Ah, I see………”

Roy lifted at face at the sudden voice.

“This is what it means to fall. You act what you call righteous, switching good and evil around. So cute. A fall can’t be a fall if it isn’t this tragic.” The voice came from above.

“Who is it!?”

Someone stood bending above the water tank. Roy hadn’t noticed him. The person straightened and Roy could now see his face. He was the Military Artist that was with Leerin, named…… Savaris Luckens.

“Is it ok to be here?” Roy asked.

“How could I…….. I just happened to have time now! I’m not the type who works diligently, not like you, wasting time in a boring place.”

“Uh…..”

“Well, I saw what you did.”

“What………?” Roy confirmed his current location. He was quite far away from where Leerin and the other girl were. “How could you have seen………”

“I saw it and also heard what you said to yourself.”

Roy was shocked. Too shocked to feel the insult. He himself couldn’t have seen and heard anything at that distance. Luckens had the kind of strong Internal Kei that Roy couldn’t even imagine possible.

“I was ordered to protect her. Considering that you might harm her, I’ve to resolve this problem……..”

Roy retreated. He no longer doubted that this person was a Military Artist who was too strong for him. He thought back on how the City Police had confiscated Luckens’ Dite, but did that mean anything? He wasn’t sure.

“It’d be good if things over there are settled. If possible, I want to settle this quickly too! Since I can’t predict the future.”

“Uh………” Escape. Roy decided. No time to turn his back on Luckens. He kept retreating, stepping back. He would sustain heavy injuries if he accidentally bumped into any buildings while moving at high speed. He didn’t even have the time to put Kei into his feet, and suddenly found Luckens’ face before him. A pressure pressed down on Roy’s head.

“There’s a strategy to retreat, but a Military Artist who likes to run away won’t do!” Savaris said as he grabbed hold of Roy’s head and shook it.

“Ah Uh……”

Roy found it hard to breathe. Unable to strengthen his body through Kei, he could do nothing but suffer the consequences.

“I don’t have the obligation to teach you. I do want to see how you’d react, as someone who can do nothing but abuse the system of the society.” Savaris loosened his hold, enough for Roy to breathe. But the next moment he increased the pressure. Roy’d never forget the feeling of having the bones of his head almost shattered.

“Anyway, I won’t kill you yet. Come with me for a sec!”

Roy had no strength to struggle. It only took Savaris a few jumps to reach his destination.

Military Artists had assembled some distance from the edge of the city. Savaris let go of Roy. Being tossed onto the ground, Roy coughed. Before he finished coughing, he was back on the roof.

“Looks like they’re going to greet the filth monsters’ attack here!”

Roy went numb.

“I want to know what you’d do as someone who had fled a battle. What would you do next?” Savaris looked at the closest filth monster, widening his eyes. The Military Artists out there should be able to see it clearly at this distance.

“Not much time till its arrival.”

“Humph!”

“Oh.”

Savaris’ foot on Roy’s back kept him from moving.

“Allow me to confirm! Can a Military Artist who has fallen once stand back up? You’re a Military Artist of this city, aren’t you? Would a Military Artist begin life anew or head for the same failure? And after losing, can you stand back up and have a fresh start?”

Savaris wanted to know. “If you don’t get prepared, time won’t wait for you!”

The Military Artists outside the city called to each other to defend the city. They moved in a fluster. The shooting team began to fill in the Kei cannon. The faces of those in the fighting team turned green. Filth monsters were coming.

The Kei cannon fired. The condensed Kei cannonball hit the filth monster and exploded, shattering a number of scales. The filth monster’s cry of pain echoed throughout Myath. Eyes bloodshot with outrage and pain, the monster headed for the city and was greeted with another Kei cannon ball. The filth monster didn’t halt its advance. With blood spurting from its body, it hammered through the air purification shield and entered the city.

Savaris removed his foot from Roy’s back.

“Ahhhhhhhh…………” Roy trembled from head to toe. He could do nothing but give voice to his terror.

“No way? Didn’t you feel you were once an elite?”

“No, no! Nooooooooooo! I don’t want to fight!” he crawled, hoping to move away from here. He wasn’t even thinking of using Kei. No, perhaps he didn’t even realize that Savaris had moved his foot from his back.

“Aa!”

Savaris was bored of this sight.

“Ah!” Roy screamed. Savaris had shot Roy’s body with small balls of Kei and shattered the bones of his head.

“Just lie here and sigh about your current situation,” the Heaven’s Blade successor jumped off the city to land on the head of a filth monster. “First phase. A mature form? I’m interested in killing, but her word is the same as the Queen’s order,” he sighed and put his hand on the filth monster’s head.

“Fu----“

He released his Kei. External type Kei – Drip. His Kei seeped slowly through the filth monster’s scales and into its cells, beginning to destroy it from its inside. Savaris left. No one would discover what he did here. What Myath’s Military Artists saw was the filth monster’s movement slowing down. Had to seize this opportunity. All Kei cannons fired their shots. Explosions covered the filth monster. Its body collapsed and bits and pieces fell away as the dust cloud cleared. Someone should have been asking questions, but doubt disappeared in the tide of cheers. Savaris watched this from somewhere else. His gaze moved from the dead filth monster to Roy.

“Is Layfon also as useless?”

The Layfon who fought to protect and betrayed it all. Would he redeem himself or repeat the same failure? This was the only reason why Savaris was looking at Roy.

“I don’t want to fight a fellow Heaven’s Blade successor, but I just don’t want to disappoint myself,” he murmured and turned his back on Roy. How was Leerin doing? He must hurry and confirm her situation.

Nina was swaying by the time she reached the entrance to the Mechanical Department.

“Are you……. all right?”

Nina panted, leaning against the wall of the lift. Her face was pale, but her eyes emitted a light that showed she was fighting within herself.

“Why to such a degree………” Leerin paused.

The downward lurch of the lift put Nina’s internal organs into a wreck, yet she refused to give up and lose to it. She considered Leerin’s words. “Didn’t I say it before? The power I possess now is far from what I truly am. Only in a dream can this power be realized, and the result is my losing to what I should have defeated, and my being protected by what I want to protect.”

Leerin listened to her talk about her powerlessness, but at the same time, she didn’t feel Nina was weak.

“This is a necessary experience to me. The fighting experience. The experience to expose my weaknesses. The experience to become another’s strength. I lack all these experiences. Nothing is more important than the will to stick through to the end, and that’s what I need to make up for what I lack.”

So that was why Nina was tolerating it?

“But Nina is strong!” Looking at the light in her eyes, Leerin thought the “strong will” that she said was already in her grasp.

“No…….”

And Leerin saw the first tremor in Nina’s gaze.

The lift stopped and opened its door. Nina staggered out. Leerin went over to steady her. She didn’t refuse her help. They could smell the oil in the machines. Tubes covered the place in a complicated pattern. The path curved in between the gaps of the tubes. The dimly lit Mechanical Department gave off a pressuring atmosphere.

“My comrade was injured in the Mechanical Department,” Nina watched the scenery in the Mechanical Department of Myath. “At that time, I had a feeling of “My goal is this.” That might not be the reason! I, I can’t forgive myself. People probably think it’s natural to borrow someone else’s power when my strength isn’t enough, but I can’t rely on someone else’s strength. I think that but I can’t not do that. I can’t forgive the me like that.”

Leerin felt a strong sense of self-reproach from Nina. Not allowing herself to lose. That kind of determination was Nina’s most powerful weapon and also her biggest weakness.

For some reason, Nina’s words put unease in Leerin.

“How about you relax a bit?”

“What?”

“I understand some of your feelings,” she said, remembering her own experience. “In the past, I had thought of growing up. I wanted to become an adult so I could earn some money……..”

She had to work to help the orphanage. Though she couldn’t earn a large sum of money like Layfon, as long as she could earn some…….. “But I knew it wasn’t easy to become an adult. My….. friend was like that. The living condition at the orphanage has improved but he was exiled from the city……”

Leerin had a shock too when she heard Layfon had been participating in underground matches. But she wasn’t as disappointed as the younger children in the orphanage. She just felt very painful that Layfon was shouldering everything himself.

She smiled at Nina’s shocked expression. “What he did has brought happiness to the orphanage. Even if he didn’t do that, I thought it’d be better if we did something afterwards. The money he left behind was limited, but we could make preparations. I need to learn more so I can do more for the orphanage.”

What she was doing now was for the sake of Layfon’s past efforts. Hence, she had chosen to study. “Your comrades know what you try hard to do. It’s ok even if you fail. It’s all right to fail many times now so you won’t fail in the most important moment.”

“Don’t say that so easily!”

“Then failure can’t be forgiven?”

“What?”

“I’ll forgive. Uh….. On the other hand, I know he thinks he can’t be forgiven.”

On the day when his deed was exposed, he kept mumbling “sorry” as the children from the orphanage looked at him with icy gazes. He had done all he could. His shoulders slumped. So lonely and tired…… Watching him, Leerin wanted to cry. She felt regret and resentment for not having noticed what Layfon had been doing.

“Reproaching yourself is the same as reproaching others. That’s what I think, so rather than reproaching yourself, why not just strive forward?”

“I see…….”

“Nina should have a lot of people that you worry about? You must lift your spirit for their sake!”

“That……. Yeah!” Nina smiled and nodded. “I don’t know the situation, but I can’t go back yet. For the sake of this……..” She must save Myath.

“I feel like you’re the hero of a story,” Leerin smiled. A story to release the world from pollutants.

The tense atmosphere had eased.

“Resolving different people’s problems in a different place. I feel that what Nina is doing now is like what a hero would do!”

“My personality isn’t that good.”

“Personality has nothing to do with whether something can be done.”

“Perhaps…….. But I’m still immature!”

Leerin smiled, admitting Nina was stubborn. The two of them finally arrived at the center of the Mechanical Department.

“This is………”

Wrapped in thick planks, it looked like a small hill.

“It’s similar to the one in my city. Leerin, has Myath recovered?”

She checked the bird.

“Still weak.”

The bird still couldn’t stand. It could only move its beak. Was it because the supply of Selenium had been cut off? Anyway, they must put it back quickly…….

“Yes,” Leerin nodded and headed for the hill. Nina grabbed hold of her sleeve.

“Uh?”

“……. Come out!” Nina restored her Dite to stand before Leerin.

“…… What a shock!” Someone appeared from the shadow, and Leerin’s eyes widened.

“Thanks to you, my clones have returned to the Aurora Field.”

The man wore the mask of a beast. He felt different from the Wolf Faces. He felt alive. His meaning was clear. His eyes contained within them an intense goal like Nina’s. A dazzling light shone in the depth of the mask.

“I see. I can’t defeat you people if I don’t strike the real body?”

“That’s the dream of Ignasis.”

“So you’re staying somewhere safe while your clones fight? Ignasis really is a coward.”

“Military Artists are not allowed to be cowards? That’s unfair, the weakness of this world.”

“What did you say…….?”

“Military Artists are people given the fate of war…….. Have you ever asked why? What’s the difference between the strong stringed by fate and the weak? It is as if your fate is already planned by others. And you’ve never doubted?”

“Don’t tempt me with words!”

“Negotiation collapses. No need to tempt you anymore,” he restored his Dite. “But you’ll soon regret your ignorance.”

His blade was like a saw. It wasn’t made to cut, but to dig. Leerin felt an evil air from that person.

“Nina……….”

“It’s ok!” The greenish color remained on Nina’s face.

“Haikizoku works for its own purpose. The collapse of the power balance must be painful!”

“You………..”

“Isn’t it natural to use what you have?”

The man moved. Leerin failed to catch his movement. All she saw was Nina being struck back, flying to crash into a tube.

“Nina!”

“Stay back,” Nina shouted.

Leerin retreated. She still had Myath with her, so the man would probably chase after her. Nina’s figure disappeared as the noise of fighting sounded from every direction.

(But if this continues…………)

Myath was still weak. It might die if Leerin didn’t take it back into the place, but she couldn’t move with the fight going on. She didn’t know how Nina did it, but Nina continued to fight.

“What should I do…………”

Myath was losing its body heat. Leerin controlled herself. She must find a chance to close the distance………

“No………..” she breathed in deeply. She must not let the man win. With Leerin’s physical condition, it was impossible for her to run this distance. The life in her hand was trickling away. She looked for a sign of life in Myath’s gem-like eyes.

The small eyes reflected something that she couldn’t comprehend.

“This….. What is this?” But Leerin saw it. She saw it. As if she was looking through a looking glass – Nina. But the sound of fighting continued in the Mechanical Department. Nina shouldn’t be reflected in Myath’s eyes.

“This……. What is this?”

Something else covered Nina. A golden goat and a young girl with long hair.

“What’s going on?”

(Haikizoku……… An Electronic Fairy.) The voice sounded in Leerin’s ears. She looked around but didn’t see anyone.

(The power of hatred of filth monsters wars with the power to protect. This balance had been broken when the filth monsters drew near.)

Haikizoku……… The man with the mask of a beast had said so too.

“Hatred against filth monsters? So the Haikizoku in Nina wants to destroy her body because it knows filth monsters are close?”

But Nina chose to fight the Wolf Faces instead. Was that the reason that the balance was lost?

(Yes………..)

Leerin didn’t say anything but something had answered her.

“Are you speaking, Myath?”

Myath was the only choice.

(Yes.)

A weak voice that did not belong to a male or a female. A neutral voice.

(Two Electronic Fairies are inside Nina. One is the Haikizoku. The other is a normal Electronic Fairy. The Electronic Fairy is controlling the power of the Haikizoku. And that is the balance that enables Nina to control it. But the Haikizoku’s power increased when it sensed the nearness of filth monsters.)

“What should I do?”

(You must calm the Haikizoku.)

“How?”

(………..)

“This is connected to your life. Keep at it!”

Called by that strong voice, Myath answered weakly. (Pray!)

“Huh?”

(You hold the En of Grendan……… No, the Holder of En of the other Electronic Fairy that Grendan has hidden. You’re rare. Your prayer can calm the Haikizoku.)

“Then, what………?”

Grendan had hidden an Electronic Fairy. Leerin didn’t know.

(Pray. Pray to the hidden Electronic Fairy. The prototype of all Electronic Fairies.)

“Pray……… How?”

No answer. She could only hear the sound of fighting and Nina’s pain. Any information on religion was the legacy of a time long past. It was said that prayer could increase one’s faith. Anything else was just an individual’s wish. Hoping the day would sail by smoothly and peacefully was only a person’s wish. It was useless if other people didn’t think so. Saying anything in everyday words was meaningless if she didn’t make a wish to a god or any other supernatural entities. Even so, Myath had told her to “pray!”

“Um!” Leerin prayed. Nothing surfaced in her mind except for her wish for Nina to win and the Haikizoku to calm down.

(But who do I pray to?)

Myath mentioned the hidden Electronic Fairy, but what was it? Leerin hadn’t the memory of such a thing. In Grendan…….? She recalled the beast she saw on the night when Gahard attacked her and Deruk. That was probably Grendan’s Electronic Fairy.

“If that was Grendan, then there really is an Electronic Fairy I’m unaware of…..”

Because it had hidden itself, it wouldn’t easily show itself before people.

(Now that I remember it, Synola senpai was there too?)

She chased the flitting memories of the past, recalling how she had fainted and woken up with Deruk beside her. Was Synola senpai with her when she fainted?

(AH?!)

It seemed Synola and Savaris knew each other. Leerin didn’t think it’d be so easy for a Heaven’s Blade successor to so easily tell her of his mission. Then why was Synola there?

(………Ah.)

Reflexive thinking took her down the memory lane of her time with Synola as her their first meeting surfaced in her mind…….

(Why, why did I cry at that time?)

Leerin had lost her way after the entrance ceremony, and met with Synola who was lying on the grass. As she watched Synola, tears spilled down her cheeks. It wasn’t sadness, but a feeling threatened to burst out of her chest.

(What was that…..?)

What was it? She must recall it. That feeling…..

- Let me lend you a little of my strength then!

“Ah?”

- But please don’t forget.

“Who are you?”

- Because that moment won’t come again.

“Why?”

- Because, it’s near…….

Leerin’s consciousness went empty the next moment.

Nina kneeled at the intensity of the Wolf Man’s attack.

“Uh……..”

“For someone who can’t control her Kei vein, you’ve worked hard in this fight!”

“This is nothing!”

“This will of yours to fight against the Haikizoku is worthy of praise.”

More voices from the Wolf Faced Men.

“But will alone can’t take you any higher. We’ll cut you down here!”

“As if!” Nina stood up and readied her iron whips. The weight she was used to in her hands turned painful. In the next moment, the iron whips lightened tremendously. It appeared the power inside Nina was unstable. The iron whips turned heavy again……. Proof of the instability of her Internal Kei system. It was hard to move with this much pain in her.

The Haikizoku was inside her, and Zuellni was losing its control in suppressing the Haikizoku. The strength of a Haikizoku came from its hatred against filth monsters. If Nina’s will was any weaker, she’d have ended up as Dinn.

The Wolf Face man remained inert. He wasn’t that far from the center of the Mechanical Department but he chose to be cautious, leaving no opening for her to take him down.

“I can’t lose here!”

She must return to Zuellni where Layfon and everyone were. Zuellni. A place where she had things she had to do and wanted to do.

“No matter when it is, fighters who fight with a purpose wouldn’t want to lose,” the Wolf Face man said lightly and blocked Nina’s assault. His saw-like blade slashed at her left leg. She kept her distance from him.

This was like fighting against a wall. And her condition was far from her best. (Damn!) She forced herself to stand up as she pressed down the despair in her. The pain in her left leg restricted her movement. She stretched her hand. She knew it wasn’t easy to win against the Haikizoku. And that fight with it was preventing her from fighting against this Wolf Face man with her full potential. Despair.

A strength that hardly matched a dream. The shadow of despair that had caught hold of her since the formation of the 17th platoon. She needed a strong sense of determination and resolution to dispel that despair and fear.

“This is only what I have.”

How could she stop this reality? Nina stood up. To lose her heart and fall – That wasn’t permitted!

Who wouldn’t permit it? Nina herself.

“Aaaaaaa!” she howled and stood up again.

The Wolf Face hadn’t moved from his position of victory. In silence, he swung down with his sword.

And-

“Uh?”

“What?”

They both felt it and they both turned their gazes away from each other to look at Leerin. Leerin was praying, but her eyes watched somewhere empty, blank. Something had appeared at the line of Leerin’s sight…….

What was that?

What was that?

“What…..?”

That attraction exuding from Leerin wasn’t that of Kei. That presence was hidden from others.

“What…. You, can you be…..”

Something had deeply shaken the Wolf Face. “I knew it….. This isn’t a joke. Ignasis knows you. So that’s why? For a normal person, a non-Military Artist, to appear here. That’s why!?” Wolf Face said to the invisible presence.

“………” The presence remained silent. The air trembled.

“So bad. This is bad!” Someone said, appearing behind Leerin.

Nina recalled this was the Military Artist who was with Leerin in the canteen.

“It’s not everyday that I get to head outside the city, but I can’t do what I want. Besides, I just came from a fairly boring fight.”

Why did he appear? This man was looking at Nina and the Wolf Face man without a hint of surprise. Obviously, he wasn’t surprised at Leerin’s condition either. Was he observing them all along?

“My mission is to protect her. I thought I could let you go if you don’t mean to hurt her, but that person said I can’t. In truth, I don’t care about the fate of this city.”

He was looking at what couldn’t be seen. Had he seen it? It appeared he had some level of understanding of it.

“A Heaven’s Blade successor?”

“Excuse me. I’m Savaris Qaulafin Luckens,” Savaris smiled at the Wolf Face man as he introduced himself.

(A Heaven’s Blade?)

He was the same as Layfon? Why was he here?

“To expose yourself here. It’s indeed an incomprehensible situation, but I did anticipate it,” Savaris continued. “You’re under Ignasis. The first Luckens fought you too. The first of my family was a hero, so we had wanted the script of some legend, but for some reason, my family is unexpectedly plain. That, I really hate!” A smile still hung on Savaris’s face. “Geez……….. I want to say I’m glad to be here. If I hadn’t heard of the story of the first Luckens, I wouldn’t have taken that person’s order so seriously. The residence of monsters. I wouldn’t have taken it so seriously……..!”

Savaris vanished.

“Uh-“

Savaris had his hand around the Wolf Face’s neck as he lifted him off the floor. The Wolf Face flailed his sword at his attacker, but Savaris blocked it with his bare hand. The blade shattered in pieces, leaving the handle intact. Layfon had also used this skill before, but Savaris did it with his bare hand. The Kei from this Heaven’s Blade successor battered Nina. If the Wolf Face was likened to a solid wall, then Savaris was a typhoon.

“Tell Ignasis,” he declared with laugher. “He can’t win with this boring style of fighting.”

Nina averted her gaze the next moment as the sound of shattered bones assaulted her eardrums.

“This is the strength of those who are truly powerful.”

The sound of something heavy hit the floor. But when Nina turned her gaze back to the fight, the body of the Wolf Face man was gone.

“Ah~ they can’t die. That rumor really is true. That’s troublesome!” Savaris said, looking at the floor. He then turned his gaze to Nina. “…… You. I saw you when you suddenly appeared. I see. A fight that we can’t get involved with but is nevertheless connected to us really does exist. The First of Luckens didn’t lie.”

“You…….. Are you really a Heaven’s Blade successor?”

“Yes!” he nodded.

“I knew about you! That’s……….. Riggzario. You got information from there?”

“Wrong.” A man like a storm who could blow everything into the air in a sudden. An icy gaze accompanied his smile. “Did you hear this from other Heaven’s Blades?......... If it’s Layfon, then that’s another matter.”

She must hide the truth. If this man knew it was Layfon, she’d be in danger.

“It seems my guess is right!” he said, discerning the slight changes in Nina’s expression.

“Humph-!”

“Don’t you feel that the stirring in your Kei is now back?”

“Aa-? Ah…….” Now she did realize her body felt normal.

“This means the Haikizoku inside you has been suppressed. This person is the origin of all Electronic Fairies. All Electronic Fairies listen to her, and that includes the Electronic Fairy that has gone mad.”

He strode to her, his sharp gaze pinning her to the floor. “You knew Layfon, so you must be a student at Zuellni! Then please convey to him a message from me. I’m heading to Zuellni to take over the job of the Mercenary Gang. My purpose is to bring back the Haikizoku – no matter the means.”

“What did you say………?”

“About the thing inside you,” he stood next to her, took hold of her head with his hand and lifted her up. Eyes that seemed to be laughing. The presence of unrestrained violence swallowed her.

“I’ll kill you if you fell so much like a worm. I’ll eat you whole if anything’s left. You no longer need……. that power!” he released her. Nina felt the strength inside her being sucked away. Embarrassed by her defeat, she heard Savaris said “Not interested anymore.”

That unusual presence was gone, leaving behind Leerin who was staring at an empty space as if time had stopped.

“Please convey my words to Layfon,” Savaris said and left.

“…………………….Eh?”

What did she do?

“Ah? That……….” She couldn’t recall anything except for the feeling that something big had happened……….

“Speaking of which………. Uh? When did I get here?” She had no idea why she was spacing out in the Mechanical Department.

“Uh?” She saw her hands put together but nothing was in it. A feeling. A feeling of warmth was all that was left. Something wet fell on her hands.

“………. What?” Her face was wet too.

“Why, why am…….. I crying?” Yes, it was a feeling of having met with something very important. Something she couldn’t lose. Very important………..

The sound of trembling shook Leerin’s entire body. Everything else around her vibrated.

“Ah………”

Green light exuded from the tubes in the Mechanical Department as the vibration hit the air. It felt like blood was circulating around Leerin. Orange light flooded the bottom of the Mechanical Department.

“It’s working!”

The City’s multi-legs woke into movement. The city was leaving the danger presented by filth monsters. Myath’s crisis was solved.

“This is great!” She wanted to share this happiness with…. With whom? She couldn’t remember.

Nina had hidden herself to watch Leerin. “Memory loss…… the same as Layfon?”

But this felt different to Layfon’s situation back then. Leerin’s mission was the same as Nina’s. “But I saw the depth of that mask. Am I wrong……….?”

Leerin wasn’t a Military Artist. Her fate was too cruel. “The Alchemists who made Regios……….. Did the world become like this because of them?”

The world before the coming of Regios that nobody knew about. Perhaps Nina was now in contact with something in the past. “But why does Leerin have the same mission?”

Leerin was just a normal citizen traveling outside her city. However, she possessed something and that something was guarding her. Savaris too. Why was a Heaven’s Blade guarding Leerin? Did she have some secret?

“So many things remain unresolved!” Nina shook her head.

No time to think about that though. “Time to head back?” She felt dizzy as her consciousness left Myath.

“Am I returning to Zuellni….. or?”

Was she being taken to another city to continue her fight with the Wolf Faces? Dixerio, the person who sent her on this path, was he fighting somewhere too?

“There’re things I must do.”

She must return. Everyone would worry about her if she continued to remain missing. Besides, she was still concerned with how much the Haikizoku had affected Zuellni’s Mechanical Department. If the effects remained in place, then Zuellni was still in danger……….

“And Layfon. He must still be reproaching himself!”

She needed the reassurance. “Head back………….”

The strong will that came with thoughts………..

“Can Leerin really be…………?”

Nina’s figure disappeared from Myath as she finally realized her suspicion.

<noinclude>
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| Back to [[Chrome_Shelled_Regios:Volume6_Chapter4|Chapter 4]]
| Return to [[Chrome_Shelled_Regios|Main Page]]
| Forward to [[Chrome_Shelled_Regios:Volume6_Chapter6|Chapter 6]]
|-
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</noinclude>

Chrome Shelled Regios:Volume4 Chapter5

2009-12-04T11:12:06Z

115.70.106.94: /* Chapter 5: The vow on that day */

===Chapter 5: The vow on that day===

The day of the match had arrived. Zuellni had finished its resupply. The Student President said they’d spend the next two to three days tidying things up, then continue moving.

Although they couldn’t see the War Field, the enthusiasm of the audience had reached the room. Layfon found it unbelievable that he would the see the day where Naruki was frowning in the waiting room for a platoon match.

“Are you all right?”

“Seems I have some problems,” Naruki made some noise, exhausted. She let out a heavy breath, her hand covering her face. Layfon understood that feeling. A feeling of being unable to control her consciousness. Although she had returned to the platoon in order to observe, she still needed to adapt to some areas.

The atmosphere on Layfon’s side was also heavy. Today, he had to defeat Dinn and Dalshena. He knew he didn’t have to kill them. He just had to inflict injuries on them that would make them lie in the hospital for more than half a year. And to do that, he had to use a Katana. Psyharden techniques had to be executed with a Katana. To make it clear, a sword could also be used, and for Layfon who excelled at Military Arts, he might be able to do it with a sword. But a sword wouldn’t allow him to reach the same level as a Katana. It might mean inflicting more severe wounds than intended, wounds that might never heal. Pressure weighed down on Layfon. Having been taught the skill of a Katana, handling a sword was not within his field.

(This isn’t my first day using a weapon outside my field. But……)

It was the same when he took on the title of the Heaven’s Blade successor. The Heaven’s Blade he received had the form of a sword, and that was how Layfon fought. However…….

(I still have to use a Katana in the present.)

As a human, he was embarrassing. And not just that……

“Layfon………”

It was Nina’s voice. Her face didn’t wear that dominating expression that she always donned in platoon matches. In other words, even Nina couldn’t approach today’s fight with her usual self.

“Are you all right?”

The question he asked Naruki before was now pointed at him. Layfon could only smile bitterly.

The student acting as communicator headed over to them to relay a command. Without a word, Nina followed that student. Sharnid patted Layfon’s shoulder and followed Nina’s example. Next came Naruki. Layfon slowly sat up and kept a distance from them. Felli walked over to him.

“Fon Fon.”

A soft, everyday greeting. The usual Layfon would have worried about Nina and the others hearing this name of his, but he felt nothing today. For some reason, he didn’t worry about it at all. He didn’t know exactly why he was like this today. Fighting with a Katana, the conversation he had with Sharnid yesterday, Nina’s determination, and Haia’s goal…….. All sorts of things flew through his head, leaving no room to agonize over Felli’s greeting.

But Layfon answered as usual. “What is it?”

Felli cocked her head. Layfon couldn’t tell the meaning behind her expressionless face.

“What is Haia’s goal?” she asked.

“He probably wants to hunt down that thing, but……..”

What did he intend to do once he caught the thing? Neither Layfon nor Felli knew. That thing was the goat that Layfon met in the ruined city. It said something curious to him and then disappeared. Layfon suspected the goat was the one who buried all the dead in the city. Nina speculated the goat was the city’s consciousness, the Electronic Fairy. Her speculation was spot on. Haikizoku. Haia called it by that name. Having gone insane, the Electronic Fairy underwent a change, freed itself from the city and went on a rampage. Haia said he had to do something about it, so he wished for Karian’s help. Layfon didn’t know why Haia infiltrated Zuellni just to obtain the Haikizoku. He was suspicious of Haia’s promise to repay their help by protecting Zuellni from filth monsters for a year. Zuellni had nothing to lose, and that deal was just too good to be true. Layfon had too many things to think about. He had no room to speculate on Haia’s goal.

“I don’t know,” was his only answer.

Felli appeared displeased at his reply. She deliberately to Layfon and kicked him.

“What was that for?”

“I was careless,” she left.

“Just what’s with her……..” Well, since it was Felli’s kick, it didn’t hurt that much, but he had no idea what he did to make her mad. No time for that now. Light flooded his entire vision.

The match was about to begin. Layfon’s hand moved automatically to the weapon harness hanging around his waist. The Safaiadite and the Shimu Adamandite….. Sword or Katana. Layfon’s hand stopped, hovering and hesitating.

The female voice of the commentator cut through the war field. This time the tenth platoon was on the offensive while Layfon and his team defended their flag. Team 17 had the disadvantage of being a small team…….. Mifi had said that before. The biggest reason behind it was that team 10 was also best at attacking, just like team 17.

The siren rang to signal the start of the match. The audience fell silent, holding their breath as a collective whole as the tenth platoon took action.

Delshena rushed straight for the enemy team with her lance, ignoring the attacks from the psychokineist. She strove forward with the innocent belief of winning against many enemies all by herself. Dalshena’s image showed on the huge screen opposite the audience stand. Dense golden curls danced with the wind. Dalshena wore a fighting suit that had seen many battles. The colour of white outlined the edge of a red top that stretched down like a dress behind her. The image of it advancing in a half flying style was like Dalshena riding and controlling a powerful beast.

But there was a reason behind Dalshena’s lone attack. A figure followed behind her like her shadow. Dinn. He held a number of ropes in his hand. They looked like Layfon’s steel threads, but they were thicker and fewer in number. A sharp hammer adorned the ends of each rope. Dinn controlled those ropes as he moved to carve a path before Dalshena. Any enemy that came close would have to deal with those ropes first. Behind Dinn were four other team members, and the six of them moved together to cover for Dalshena’s attacks. The tenth platoon was best at this type of formation.

(Did you see!) Dinn thought as he and his team moved through the war field. He still hadn’t seen anyone from team 17. They probably planned to hold a decisive fight at their own camp. Dinn laughed at such a coward strategy.

(We can do it even without you!)

Dinn wasn’t the type to overestimate his own ability. His growth in the four years he spent in Zuellni wasn’t much. When his body growth was at its peak, his skill in Military Arts hadn’t seen much improvement. This fact plagued Dinn the most. For him to catch up with Dalshena’s speed and wield the ropes at the same time, he needed the illegal drugs. Both Dalshena and Sharnid excelled in abilities that differed from Dinn. While knowing those two from year 1 to 3, both Dalshena and Sharnid had grown exponentially. Dinn couldn’t have been able to flank those two if not for his invention of this weapon. He called himself fortunate to have met those two.

But Sharnid betrayed him.

(Did you see that!)

Inside Dinn, he screamed painfully. The three of them formed the best formation, but Sharnid had to destroy it, declaring the formation meaningless.

“Shena! We’ll get past them like this,” Dinn called.

Dalshena didn’t reply, instead, she increased her speed. She penetrated any obstacles ahead. The light of Kei encircling her lance pierced through the war field like a beast’s fang. Once they went past the trees, they’d see the camp of the 17th platoon.

And a change happened right then.

At the time when they were about to clear the trees, the ground exploded. Dinn’s ropes and the psychokinest’s flakes failed to detect the traps since they weren’t set in the direct path of team 10.

“No harm done. Keep going!” Dinn called to ease Dalshena’s worry.

But the aim of the explosion wasn’t to stop team 10. The explosion resulted in a smoke screen that covered half of the war field. The psychokinesis-supported camera failed to pierce through that smoke screen. The screen for the audience stand showed nothing but smoke, proof that the smoke screen covered a huge area.

“It’s coming. Watch out.”

The targets were the team members at the back of the formation. Dinn had read the meaning behind the smoke screen and the direction of the attack. But to lower the visibility of team 10 and the audience was……..

The psychokinesist conveyed to team 10 the movements of team 17. Nina Antalk the Captain, Layfon Alseif, the new member and the psychokinesist Felli all stood before the flag. Only Sharnid had gone missing from the start of the match. It seemed he was masking his presence through Kei and hiding in areas that the psychokinesist could not detect. For snipers to attack from a distance, leaking their position was the same as having their plan read like an open book, so they underwent a lot of Kei training. Sharnid did well in that area.

No, Dinn should say that no Military Artist in Zuellni was as excellent a sniper as Sharnid.

“Careful. Don’t get sniped,” Dinn advised, thinking of which person in his team would become the target of Sharnid’s first bullet. Best not be Dinn himself and Dalshena. He stepped back and used the other team members as his shield. Failure was imminent if he fell here, so other members didn’t object to Dinn’s move. Dalshena was responsible for attacking, and if she fell, the attacking power of the team would fall drastically, but she didn’t mind Dinn’s move either. She continued to rush forward as if she was receiving an attack. A gap appeared between her and Dinn.

It was too late by the time the psychokinesist reported the movement of team 17. An attack came from the front right hand corner of the 10th platoon, as if to tear apart the team.

It was Layfon.

As the smoke screen spread out, Layfon’s Whirl Kei separated Dalshena from Dinn.

“Go!” Dinn roared at Dalshena. He thought Layfon was here to suppress him and the rest of team 10, leaving the other members of team 17 to finish off Dalshena. That was Nina’s plan, a strategy that took advantage of Layfon’s excellent abilites. If Dalshena fell, it’d be a five versus three situation. Very disadvantageous for the 10th platoon. But Dinn was confident in Dalshena’s attack power. Nina Antalk was good at defense, but she was nothing before Dalshena’s lance. The new member of team 17 was there to make up for the numbers, and as for Sharnid? Dalshena would have no problem repelling off his bullets…. At that time, Dinn found the other flow of Kei, his timing a bit slower than others because Layfon had blocked his path.

“Sharnid!” Dalshena’s surprise and outrage drifted to Dinn’s ear.

<center>◇</center>

Layfon headed to an audio-visual room of the Military Arts Training Complex on the day before the match. Sharnid had called him over to watch something. The Training Complex contained a number of audio-visual rooms because if the equipment was placed in the training rooms, the platoons might end up destroying them during training. Room 2 was locked. Layfon didn’t see any key around.

“Oi, sorry for that.”

Layfon never thought of analyzing his opponents so he had never entered an audio-visual room before. White tiles covered the floor of the audio-visual room. In the room were chairs and a large screen. The purpose of this room was to show the records of previous matches so the team watching the records could use them to plan their strategies. Sharnid had put together two chairs like a bed and lay on it to watch the screen.

The screen showed a match of the 10th platoon. Dalshena’s valiant attack was enlarged. Nina’s DV skill didn’t do much as the shaking in the screen intensified. Either way, normal DV skill was unable to capture the high-speed movement of a Military Artist.

Layfon tried his best not to look at the screen. It was because if he didn’t watch it, he would keep his guard up. He wanted to have a fair and square fight with her tomorrow. Normally, he wouldn’t deliberately opt for a fair fight, but tomorrow was different. This was why he had chosen to sit opposite Sharnid rather than opposite the screen.

Layfon didn’t know everything. All he knew was that Sharnid used to be very good friends with Dinn and Dalshena.

“Shena’s not part of it.”

“Huh?”

“The illegal drugs…..”

“You sure?”

Layfon didn’t know whether Dalshena was part of it, but Dinn, the captain, was using illegal drugs. It was natural to think that all members of team 10 had taken them.

“So you think she doesn’t know?”

In this case, Layfon wouldn’t have to fight against Dalshena, and that fact put him at ease.

Sharnid shook his head. “I think she knows. She understands the current Dinn more than I. She couldn’t have been oblivious to Dinn’s change. Really……” He bit his tongue and rapped his toes with a knuckle.

“What a good person. To have fairness as her motto but at the same time lying about being a knight. She works with a double standard when her comrade breaks that motto. She wants to investigate but can’t make a decision. Of course she fails to find anything. What an unsightly coward.” Sharnid’s voice was extremely cold. Layfon took care not to annoy him.

“Listen here. We knew each other since year 1. We weren’t in the same class, but we were in the same team in Military Arts class for one on one fight training. We’ve been partners since then. Having the same goal, like idiots. The captain of the 10th platoon took notice of us at that time. He was a good person. We thought of fighting for that person. We thought of that in our youth……….. That person was very sad when Zuellni lost in the last Military Arts Competition. He cried for being unable to do something for the place his liked most. Seeing him like that, we swore to protect Zuellni with our hands,” Sharnid sighed.

To protect Zuellni. It was the same oath as Nina’s. Sharnid was different from Nina in that he stood in the field of the Military Arts Competition as a member of a platoon. Other than that, there wasn’t any difference between the two.

“But then our relationship was already cracking at the time when we swore together.”

Surprised, Layfon kept quiet. What was Sharnid about to say?

“It was pretty simple. Dinn was the captain. Shena’s feelings for Dinn, my feelings for Shena……. It was a romance of a mouse waving its tail. Dinn was the captain. Shena swore because of Dinn, and I swore because of Shena. I already understood our relationships at that time. Even so, I still thought I had a chance. I hid my feelings and suppressed them. I swore to cover them and I lied to myself. I entered the platoon in 3rd year and participated in the matches. We did pretty well. We fought for our own goal, and because of that, we succeeded. But I’m a sniper. I observed the field from a distance. I thought from an objective viewpoint and realized this relationship would eventually collapse. Someone wouldn’t keep at it. It might be all right for Dinn, but it was different with me and Shena.”

So Sharnid must have been the first one who couldn’t keep at it? That must be what happened.

“………. This is the result of that guy’s weakness, and also the thing that I destroyed by leaving halfway. We should have broken that relationship in a clearer way. It was my failure to break that relationship.”

Could……. Sharnid have joined Nina’s team so to make up for that failure?

“Layfon,” Sharnid said.

“Have you decided?”

“…….. Yes.”

On that day, Layfon conveyed his thought to the Student President.

“……… Can you leave Shena to me?” Sharnid asked.

Layfon nodded to that request without resistance.

<center>◇</center>

“Sharnid~” she called, wondering what he was planning. Sharnid had appeared before her, in a position that a sniper should never be in. He held two guns instead of a sniper rifle.

“Do you plan to receive my attack with such a toy!” Blood rushed to Dalshena’s face. What she couldn’t tolerate the most was Sharnid’s fighting suit. A custom-made suit , the same type as Dalshena and Dinn’s. It was designed for the three of them at the time when Sharnid and Dalshena joined team 10.

Sharnid laughed. “Whether it’s a toy or not, is up to your body.” He readied his fighting stance and attacked.

Kei ran from his hands to the Dites and shot forth with the bullets. The bullets flew towards Dalshena with a speed that exceeded that of an External Type Kei. Dalshena changed her route and jumped to avoid them.

A variation of External Kei – Hairoushou. A sound like an explosion shot from Dalshena’s back. She used the momentum of that explosion to rush at Sharnid. Sharnid retreated as the ground shattered and the smoke danced apart.

“Ku!”

Surrounded by smoke, Dalshena looked awkward. The ground of the war field should not be like this under normal humidity. There were more dust and sand than smoke.

“Did you change the quality of the soil!?” she called, unable to see anything clearly.

Nina had previously buried bags of dry sand in the field to delay Dalshena’s attack and blur the visibility. The flow of External Kei filled Dalshena’s surroundings, keeping the sand from falling. Sand and dust covered a large part of the war field.

“Damn.”

She had lost Sharnid in the dust and sand. She couldn’t sense his presence. Sak Kei. Sharnid was masking his presence and was looking for an opportunity for a surprise attack.

“Where are you!?” She narrowed her eyes. It was difficult to open them because of the sand in the air. She kept still and raised the lance.

She moved.

“Over there!”

Her lance swiped like that.

“Tsk.”

On her right, Sharnid jumped back with his guns crossed before him. He failed to maintain Sak Kei in the split second when he shot the Kei bullet.

“As I thought, it’s not easy.”

“Don’t underestimate me.”

Dalshena’s lance stabbed towards him. Sharnid bent down and stepped inside her range, blocking her lance with his right gun as he pointed forward with his left. Dalshena twisted around as he pulled the trigger. The bullet brushed past her clothes. She retreated. But Shnarid followed close to her as if his right hand was attached to the lance. The clash of Kei from the lance and the gun gave off a huge amount of green sparks. If Sharnid wanted to aim with his left gun, Dalshena would use her bare left hand to change the direction of his gun.

The two of them attacked and defended in a fight that weaved them together.

“Sharnid, why?” Dalshena asked because they were stuck together. Of course, this would loosen her concentration on her opponent.

“Because you’re an idiot.”

“What?”

“You knew but you did nothing. Does that make you an idiot?”

Dalshena’s expression changed. She probably thought of Dinn and the use of illegal drugs.

“Then this plan is………”

Dust and sand covered the war field………. This setup was overboard just for a strategy planned against the 10th platoon. It was probably made to hide what was happening from the audience.

“Exactly,” Sharnid signaled with his eyes.

“Why didn’t you stop him?” he asked.

“And you have the right to say that!?” External Kei shot from Dalshena’s entire body, preventing Sharnid from getting closer.

“Why do you think it turned out like this? Sharnid, it’s all because of your betrayal!”

“The oath? Does our oath have that much value? Shena, did you make that oath because it came from your heart?”

“………” She couldn’t answer.

“You should understand. Our oath was not genuine. It was an excuse made through our feelings.”

“Shut up!”

She attacked and stabbed with all her strength. Sharnid was forced to take evasive action, his body very close to the ground. He climbed up and immediately readied himself. But Dalshena ignored him and kept moving. Her attack was a feint. Her real aim was to meet up with Dinn.

“I won’t let you.”

Sharnid pulled the trigger, aiming for Dalshena’s leg. His sniper rifle would have done well at this distance but what he held now were guns that were designed for physical attack. Black alloy for close combat. The conductibility of Kei was reduced so Sharnid couldn’t shoot as accurately as when he was using a Dite made of lighter alloy. The bullet exploded beneath Dalshena’s feet. It didn’t hit her but it did stop her.

“I won’t let you go.”

Sharnid sped up to block her, once again entering a close range fight.

“Do you really think this is all right, Sharnid?”

“There’s no right or wrong. Didn’t he choose his own ending?” Sharnid called, leaping over the lance and returning an attack.

“Dinn really thinks of the city. Perhaps I did feel something for him at the beginning, but we now fight for the city.”

“I know.”

He knew. Dinn was serious, like an idiot. He didn’t protect this city just because of his feeling for a certain someone.

“Then why are you stopping me?”

“His method is wrong.”

Yes, because of that, Dinn was gradually twisted. There really wasn’t such a thought to protect the city because of the city, and to protect the city of the people living in it. Dinn only used it as his own beliefs and forced himself harder because of it. He became twisted because of that.

“Why do you think it’s wrong? How can you say it’s wrong to increase his own power for the sake of that thought?” Dalshena called bitterly. Sharnid’s face twisted. Dinn can’t be wrong…….. Her words were like that of a religious zealot, and they shook Sharnid’s position.

Sharnid hesitated and stopped his movement. Dalshena swung her lance at him. He would have fainted from the impact of that attack if he didn’t manage to defend with his guns. Sliding away from the ground, he continued to shoot at her.

“……… If he’s not wrong, then why didn’t you say something about the use of illegal drugs?” he said, managing to stand up. “Why didn’t you use the drugs?”

Dalshena’s expression changed again. “…….. Shut up.”

“Why didn’t you tell me about them? If you don’t feel guilty, then why do you keep silent?”

“Shut up!”

Her lance pierced the ground. Right now, she could have defeated Sharnid and joined up with Dinn, but she suddenly stabbed the ground with the lance. Sharnid didn’t understand her actions, but the atmosphere shut him up.

(That’s good.)

He couldn’t do anything to prevent her from meeting up with Dinn. He can only leave her to Layfon. All these thoughts flashed past him behind his expressionless face.

No. It can’t turn out like that. It must not turn out like that. This is an ending Dinn must accept. It’s got nothing to do with Dalshena. Dinn would have wanted it that way too.

Dinn probably didn’t realize that he had unconsciously prevented Dalshena from participating in the illegal affairs.

“He didn’t tell you because he feels guilty. That must be it?”

“……… I said, shut up,” Dalshena said quietly, tightening her grip on the lance. The surface of the lance cracked apart, revealing the blade of a sword.

“Hey, hey……”

And she snatched it out before Sharnid had a good look at it. A thinner blade exuding elegance appeared in her hand.

“You think you’re the only one hiding your real strength?” she raised the sword and charged.

<center>◇</center>

“Your mission is to silence the enemy psychokinesist.”

She recalled Nina’s words before the match. It’d be troublesome if the 10th platoon found out their plan. Team 17 confused the enemies’ vision with the screen of dust and sand, cutting off the psychokinesist from the battle and destroying the enemy team’s communication network, completely isolating them one by one. The sand and dust were gathered to cover the audience’s eyes, but it also did well to confuse the 10th platoon.

Naruki ran after Layfon.

(So fast!)

A distance quickly pulled open between Layfon and her. Tension spread out like a growing seed. Her movement didn’t flow as well as usual, but it had reached at least about 80% of her usual self. Except it wasn’t enough to match Layfon’s speed.

(What amazing speed…….)

In this split second, she felt the burning agony of the difference of strength between them. Layfon was very strong….. exceeding any student here. She knew from the matches he had participated in till now and also from the work he did with the City Police. She knew, but what she knew was totally turned over by what she saw now. Her previous understanding was just an innocent feeling of a first year Military Arts student. In another way, Naruki might have been cheated till now.

(Damn.)

She wasn’t as confident with External Type Kei, but internal Kei was different. She had always thought that it wasn’t that difficult to fight with platoon members. She increased her speed.

The members of team 10 did not attack, as expected. Nina was confident in the effectiveness of Layfon’s suppression of the 10th platoon, but Naruki held her suspicions. She didn’t stop to help Layfon even though she felt uneasy about him fighting so many people alone. No matter how powerful he was, he was still alone. Nina’s conclusion was clear-cut. She seemed to know more of Layfon’s real strength than Naruki. The Layfon with Naruki and the Layfon with Nina and her team……. Who was the real Layfon? That was the question hovering in Naruki’s mind.

He was probably Layfon on both sides. Anyone would seem different in different situations. It wasn’t manipulation, but rather the expression of oneself according to what suited the situation best. Naruki had the same experience when she was with Mei-Shen and Mifi and when she was working with the City Police. But looking at the other side of someone she knew was new and surprising.

(She probably can’t trust him at this level.)

Naruki thought of Mei-Shen. Mei-Shen wasn’t a Military Artist. She didn’t have to consider trusting her comrade’s ability during a fight. Mei-Shen was gentle and kind. She cried when Naruki returned at the time of filth monsters assaulting Zuellni. But it should be all right since this was a platoon match. Nobody’s life was threatened. However, if the same life-threatening situation occurred and Layfon had to face danger alone, could Mei-Shen be all right like now?

(I think not.)

Would that difference happen…… Naruki didn’t know now. She hoped the difference wouldn’t be too great. The importance was that Naruki’s childhood friend was interested in someone in Zuellni for the first time, and that someone was of the opposite gender. This was probably what first love was like. Naruki wanted it to be all smooth between Mei-Shen and Layfon……. But Mei-Shen wasn’t the only person interested in him.

(Geez…….)

She hadn’t the time to think of it now. Having run over half of the war field, the camp of the 10th platoon entered her vision. No dust and sand covered this area. The sound of the audience suddenly rose, and the excited voice of the commentator drifted into Naruki’s ear. Everyone’s gaze gathered on the dust-stained Naruki.

“Uh, Uh!” Naruki raised her gaze. She was looking for the enemy psychokinesist. The 10th platoon did make changes to their site, but because it wasn’t entirely necessary, the changes were only minimal. Having spotted the psychokinesist behind the screen of soil, Naruki rushed over to him.

A psychokinesist’s observation of enemy movement was keener than a Military Artist, so he was able to stay behind and feed updated information to his team members who fought at high speed. The psychokinesist of team 10 quickly noticed Naruki was near, but his fighting ability was about the same as an average normal person. The problem now was what sort of defense had the psychokinesist made in the time when he noticed Naruki was around?

“You have a few flakes ahead of you. Please watch out,” Felli’s voice came lightly to Naruki. Naruki changed tact and ran in a zigzag fashion. The air exploded behind her and on her sides. Flashes beamed everywhere. Rumbles filled her eardrums and purple lightning flashed before her. A psychokinetic storm. This was about the only attack mode of a psychokinesist. The flakes followed Naruki, matching her speed and exploding accordingly.

Naruki’s eardrums and balance still worked. She had stuffed her ears and she ran through the gaps in between explosions, eyes half closed.

She opened her eyes, confirmed the location of the psychokinesist and threw over the Dite in her hand.

It was something that Harley made – a rope. It wasn’t a real rope. It was a chain made of black alloy. The small chains chained together and made them look like a rope. It landed on the psychokinesist and wrapped itself around him. Naruki went over and struck him once. The psychokinesist fainted.

“Wa………”

The audience cheered. Naruki breathed a sign of relief and looked back on the dust filled field.

(Layfon, what’re you planning?)

<center>◇</center>

Layfon had yet to hold a Dite. Grains of sand hit his skin as he moved. Despite the lowered visibility due to the sand in his eyes, he managed to block the four enemy team members. Dinn was giving orders from behind his teammates and with delicate timing, assaulted Layfon with the rope in his hand. The rope waited for Layfon until he had avoided the attacks of the four enemies. It felt as if a psychokinesist had set a trap.

But Layfon remained unhurt. He observed the flow of Kei with his eyelids half closed. One glance told him the unusual flow of Kei was caused by the use of the illegal drugs. What was strange was Dinn's lack of control. He was controlling his External and Internal Kei, but he failed to stop the excess Kei from spilling out of his body. This was proof of his inability to control his Kei vein as he wanted. Zuellni’s level hadn’t gone so low as to pick that level of Military Artist for a platoon.

(He’s already wounded.) Layfon thought so. Dinn must be tired, a consequence of using the drugs. This was the same as when Nina fainted from exhausting her internal Kei. Dinn could still use his Kei since his reaction wasn’t as serious as Nina’s, but unusual symptoms existed and they would eventually turn into something very serious.

(If it’s not stopped…) Layfon thought and counter-attacked. He changed the rhythm of following the defense against the 10th platoon’s continuous advance. Dinn and his four team members also changed their rhythm accordingly, and their formation collapsed.

Layfon seized that chance. He struck down all four enemy members in that one moment.

“What?” Dinn looked at his fallen subordinates. “Just who are you?”

Dinn didn’t know what Layfon did, but simultaneously striking down all four people wasn’t something that a normal student in Military Arts could do. This fact made Dinn understand how unusually powerful Layfon was.

“Your end is here,” Layfon burst out what Sharnid had said. He didn’t plan to threaten Dinn, but he couldn’t think of any other suitable words. He pulled out his Dite, let his Kei run into it and restored it.

The Shimu Adamandite.

(You don’t have any other choice.) This thought helped him forgive himself for holding a Katana. He found himself very unsightly, but he was the one who made this choice. He didn’t choose to face this situation so to agree to become Nina’s strength. It was the same as when he was in Grendan. It wasn’t for the sake of this ending that he abused the position of a Heaven’s Blade successor. Since he had made such a choice, all that remained was the question of how to resolve it. Layfon chose to stay with the 17th platoon. But in the 17th platoon were Sharnid, Felli and Harley, and now it also had Naruki. Things associated with them were all entangled.

This time, it was to do with Sharnid.

In this case, Layfon couldn’t give himself an answer to the solemn question he raised. He could only answer with a Katana even though it felt like he was betraying himself a second time.

The first betrayal was when he wielded the Heaven’s Blade and did not choose the form of a Katana. That was the equivalent of rejecting the Psyharden skills that Deruk had taught him when he was small. Once he became a Heaven’s Blade successor, he decided to do anything to earn money. The him back then could not use the skill taught by his adopted father because that would taint his name. And now, Layfon had broken the vow he made.

Pain swam in his chest. His arm felt the weight of the Katana. The setting on the Katana revealed Harley’s exceptional skill. Not only that. The feeling of being exiled was gone. Calmness descended on Layfon. This was matter of fact. The feeling he had at present was the basics of Psyharden’s skill. Everything had come back to him. He was calm.

Layfon frowned to prevent himself from sinking in that nostalgic and natural feeling. He knew that feeling would leave him quickly.

“Here I go,” Layfon said.
“Ahhhhhhh!” Dinn roared in response.

The rope attacked as Layfon started running. The rope went through Layfon as if he were not there.

That was Layfon’s afterimage. He had increased his speed in the second when the rope was about to hit him. This was a variation of internal type Kei – Fleeting shadow. His control of speed caused his opponent to misjudge distance. The afterimages helped to intensify that confusion. The illegal drugs had increased Dinn’s Kei, but Dinn lacked the skill to use his extra Kei. While the rope struck out, Layfon had slipped past the weapon to stand right in front of Dinn.

(And I’m effecting this consequence. What a bad feeling.)

External type variation – Fuushintou.

Layfon’s Katana swung down. The Kei enveloping the blade trembled as if to cut through water. It poured onto Dinn. The Kei jumped in a route that differed from the Katana’s, and it formed needles to stab Dinn’s body.

“Ah…… Ah………”

Dinn moaned and kneeled down. The rope fell onto the ground. Layfon understood Dinn’s feelings as he had gone through the same experience when Deruk taught him that move. The pain wasn’t intense but what he felt was the exhaustion of having all of his strength being sucked away. Layfon had blocked the flow of Kei in Dinn’s limbs. As long as Dinn was like this for a few minutes, his Kei wouldn’t flow well for half a year.

Now Layfon just needed to keep Dinn in this situation for a few more minutes. He looked around to see the sand and dust still covering half of the field. The flow of Kei in the air prevented the sand from settling. Sharnid and Naruki seemed to have finished their respective battle. The sand would probably settle down by the time Layfon released his Kei.

“Wuuuuuuuu.”

“I hope you don’t force yourself,” Layfon said to Dinn, who was trying to stand up.

“If you force yourself too much, you’ll damage your Kei vein.”

The effect of the illegal drugs still stayed with Dinn’s Kei vein. Forcing Kei to work in this situation was like pouring water continuously into a waterway that was dammed. In the end, both dam and waterway would be destroyed.

Dinn forced himself to move a little. His face was all red. “You won’t understand the feeling of wanting to do something even though your own ability isn’t enough. You won’t understand that feeling.”

Layfon frowned. “……. Even my life wasn’t all smooth sailing. I’m here because I failed.”

“…….”

“Being strong can’t solve everything. I fail because I can’t solve everything. You haven’t solved your problem either, and you chose the worst choice. Then which ending is better?”

“…….. Who made this decision?”

“Huh?”

“Who decided my ending? Sharnid? Nina Antalk? The Student President? I won’t let anyone decide my ending. I’m not that weak……”

Feeling disturbance in the air, Layfon raised his Katana. The air flow was stirring. Was Dinn pouring new strength into his Kei vein? No……. Kei was spilling from his Kei vein, but it shouldn’t be enough to speed up the flow of the air.

As if a whirl appeared in the air…….

Layfon remembered something about this unpleasant pressure.

“I’m doing this for the city. You, who doesn’t understand the natural mission of a Military Artist…….”

The huge amount of Kei flowing through Dinn caused his limbs to make a “pa” “pa” sound.

“How can you stop me!” he shouted.

At Dinn’s shout, Layfon felt the Kei needles in Dinn’s body shatter.

“Could it be…”

Standing behind Dinn was a golden goat.

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