Editing BlazBlue:Phase Shift 3 Chapter 1 (section)

===Part 2===

It was the outskirt of a wasteland.

There was no shadow of any vegetation. Not even a dead branch was lying around. It was nothing but scorched ground on and on.

Wind was inexistent. The air was really dry and mercilessly denied the land of moist. Not even a piece of cloud was floating in the sky.

However, the sky was unnaturally clear compared to the rest of the world. And not just of life, it was naught of any kind of pollution. ...The place was literally devoid of anything.

A few days ago, the place was a battlefield.

Between humanity and the Black Beast.

Currently, no soldier remained within this land that had forsaken the presence of any living being. Only cold void was drifting about in the vicinity.

But there were four figures standing, as if they had been left behind at the end of the world.

Standing on top of barren soil at a small hill, a silhouette was gazing forward. It was Hakumen. The white mask-wearing man had fought and swung his sword faster than anyone toward the approaching threat.

His expressionless face was looking down at a huge hole that spread on to the wilderness.

Before the battle from a few days ago, there was a flat cliff that acted like a wall. But along with the Black Beast, the former shape of the terrain vanished as it was scorched by a flash of ray.

There was a small figure around the edge of the odd, large hole. It was a beastkin warrior who had the appearance of a cat, Jubei. Wearing his war attire, he was also looking down at the scrapped ground.

"...No one’s gonna believe there was a town if they’re lookin’ at this."

This place was already abandoned a few days before the battle begin. But no matter how many traces of people remained... it surely had been turned to dust by that strike.

“If the angle had been slightly different, it might have decimated an actual town.”

The person who groaned bitterly was also standing around the edge of the hole like Jubei. The person was Valkenhayn, a middle aged man who was also a werewolf. Warping his exquisite looks into a grimace, he fixed his eyes on the empty space that had been scraped off.

On their west side was a range of rocky mountain. Beyond it was a small town that was still remained. The residents had already been evacuated, but it was fortunate that the town hadn’t met the sad fate of losing its form which had been built by the effort of mankind.

Contrarily speaking, there was a great chance of it happening.

"If it can be said as the effort of mankind... then what is the difference with Black Beast, along with those weapons humanity has created?"

Valkenhayn's deep voice was hoarse. The words he spat out contained anger.

Those words clouded the expression of a girl who stood behind Jubei and Valkenhayn in sadness.

The girl wore a robe that had a hood, with her fluffy platinum blonde hair flowing from it. The girl's name was Trinity Glassfille.

She held out the palm of her hands in front of her chest. There, a small magic circle appeared. She was analyzing the seithr on her surroundings.

Substituting for a measuring device, the magic indicated that there was no presence of seithr in the whole region of the wasteland.

"Nox Nyctores... Takemikazuchi."

The words that Trinity had spelled was the name of the weapon which had repelled the Black Beast and altered the wasteland's appearance.

The outrageous black titan came out from a magic circle that had appeared all of a sudden on the battlefield. It overturned the war in a single blow.

And somehow, it also wiped out the seithr on the vicinity along with the gust of flash.

The tremendous power she witnessed back then still vividly remained in Trinity's memories.

It wasn't just Trinity. It was the same for the awe-struck Jubei and the enraged Valkenhayn.

Hakumen was the only one who didn't give any hint of emotion. He had been silently gazing at the traces of the giant that remained on the ground.

"By the way, what's going on with Nine and Terumi?"

Valkenhayn asked the question while facing everybody.

The answer was given by the one who was nearest to him, Jubei.

"Nine's comin' back to Ishana while bringin' Celica. And Terumi should be goin' with them. What happens after that, I dunno."

"Celica-san... I wonder if she's alright..."

After she dispelled the observation magic, Trinity pressed her chest down as she was bothered by anxiety.

There were two other people who was involved in the battle that happened a few days ago. The two people were girls whom Trinity was well acquainted with. One was her best friend, Nine. The other was Nine's younger sister, Celica A. Mercury.

But Celica had completely lost her magic power and fainted.

It was still unknown if she would regain her consciousness.
	
"We should head back to Ishana at once. There is a need to discuss the reports and the next step that should be taken."

"Yer right. ...Just like Trinity, I'm worried about Celica too."

Agreeing to Valkenhayn's proposal, Jubei turned his back from the hollow ground.

The post-investigation that had started after all the army were withdrawn had also come to a point where there was nothing left to gather. No reason to stay in this place anymore.

But at that time, as if waiting for the right moment, more presences surrounded them simultaneously.

Even though the area was an open ground, there was no visible figure or silhouette.

Valkenhayn reflexively put on his guard.

Hakumen stepped down from high ground to protect Trinity. The long sword on his back brushed off the dust.

Jubei also drew his sword. However.

"...We're surrounded."

Jubei muttered while making a wry smile. Like he said, there was no escape for them.