Editing City Series:Volume6a Chapter7 (section)

===Part 1===

The König Pseudo-Drach moved out ahead of the accelerating Sylphide.

The sun was no longer in the sky to shine on the two crafts. The Arctic winter sky was dark.

In the König Pseudo-Drach’s rear seat, Berger looked up into that sky and bit a divine charm known as a Götter Note. It produced oxygen in his mouth. He saw the bullets shot from behind passing them by at visible speed.

“Holy hell, this is fast!! This a first for an old country boy like me!!”

“Unfortunately, I am disinclined to deal with your jokes right now!”

Inertia pressed him against his seat and the roar of the engine was loud enough that he had to shout. Schweitzer’s response from the front seat was also sharp. Schweitzer also produced a slight sound of steam from his Eingeweide arm Der Held as he used it to operate the control column specially modified for him.

Berger stretched up and held his head while looking back.

The Sylphide was flying toward them.

The blue, blade-like craft was leisurely trying to come alongside them.

That aerial warship was twice the size of the König Pseudo-Drach.

Its curved armor had evolved to reduce air resistance as much as possible and the cockpit could be seen somewhat protruding above that armor. The bridge-style cockpit had windows on three sides.

Berger could see someone inside that glass box. It was a blonde girl in white clothing.

“Yes! The abandoned catgirl really is in there!!”

Just then, the König Pseudo-Drach moved right and away from the Sylphide.

But at such high speed, the wind created a barrier that tried to keep it in place.

The craft forcibly pushed against that air resistance until it suddenly broke through. It tilted all at once and managed to fly away from the other craft.

The Sylphide’s Schwert sliced through the space it had just vacated.

Berger pressed himself against the canopy of the tilted craft.

“It’s gone completely wild. Why’s it trying to bring us down!?”

“We’re trying to do the same to it,” calmly replied Schweitzer.

Berger looked over to see the other man had removed his oxygen mask. He took one of the same charms Berger was biting and tossed it into his mouth.

“Now, let’s do this!”

The Sylphide accelerated as if in response to Schweitzer’s words.

“Why’s it moving out ahead? That’s suicide in a dogfight between fighters on this level.”

“Is it hoping to use its acceleration to escape us?” suggested Schweitzer.

Then the Sylphide did something truly absurd.

It turned its nose toward the König Pseudo-Drach midflight.

To Berger, it looked like the Sylphide was sliding to the right.

Thanks to its inertial control, the shape of the Sylphide was the only meaningful distinction between its front and back. It could turn at right angles and it could instantly reverse directions in midair.

But dealing with the air resistance would consume power and creating that inertial field had to use as much power as a heavy warship.

“Are you kidding me? It can do that at this speed? Three cheers for the craft of our dreams, I guess.”

Berger muttered to himself while removing his four-point belt and standing up. He stuck a few defensive charms in his vest’s pockets and in his shoes before tapping on the back of the seat in front of him.

“You tune the Luftram like we discussed.”

“Do you have a wind resistance charm? The ram alone will not eliminate the rear shockwave!!”

“I’ve already activated it. Man, you’re overprotective.”

They both smiled bitterly at that comment.

“Once I’ve cut through the Sylphide, you need to collect her before the wreckage falls,” said Berger.

“My Der Held will cut away that area of space to rescue her along with the cockpit.”

“I see. So even an awkward bastard like you has a positive side.”

“And what might that be?”

“Your ability to sound confident about everything you say.”

Berger smiled while watching the Sylphide continue its sideways slide with its two bow Schwerts drawn. The drawn swords sliced through the air, producing white clouds.

At the same time, Schweitzer operated the König Pseudo-Drach’s only Kunst Eye. A glowing shield appeared out in front of the craft to split the wind and protect the craft from the shockwave of the atmospheric pressure.

“Go, Berger!!” shouted Schweitzer.

After the pop of small explosives, smoke burst out and the König Pseudo-Drach’s canopy was blown away.

The cockpit was directly exposed to the high-altitude wind.

Berger jumped out while the craft trembled in the wildly dancing wall of wind. The charm he held instantly became a small Luftram that shielded him against the wind.

The wind was no more than a pleasant breeze for him as he casually stood atop the König Pseudo-Drach. He spread his legs to stand firm on the armor covering the engine behind the cockpit.

The cold wind whipping at his black coat smelled faintly of the sea. The Arctic Ocean lay below them, so he would die instantly if he fell from here. His breaths became frost as soon as they left his mouth.

He brushed up his hair and looked out ahead to see the Sylphide.

He viewed its sharp bow and its cockpit as he drew Gelegenheit from within his coat.

The Sylphide moved forward as if to protest his battle preparations.

He slowly pulled a Type C Phlogiston Tank from his pocket and inserted it in the rear of Gelegenheit’s hilt. He repeated the action 7 times to create a dark blade about 30 yards long.

He started to say something as he readied Gelegenheit.

“…”

But he stopped.

He had recited a portion of a Text with a set rhythm, but a moment later, he smiled and said something else.

“I won’t let this be a repeat of 2 years ago!!”

And he activated Gelegenheit.