Editing City Series:Volume5a Chapter9 (section)

===Beretta’s Write Bring: Entry in Heavy Barrel Grazie’s Memory Bank===

I hit!!

<The wooden spear stabs into the left eye of the enemy’s facial structure.>

That won’t be a fatal blow, but it should stop him.

I flap my wings once for attitude control as I land.

As for the faltering enemy…

<He does not stop. He charges forward.>

Hey, wait, stop! Why do guys always…ah!? This is crazy!!

Oh, no.

<Impact!>

It was shallow, but his sword hit me.

I was sent flying. Damn, he really is strong. Given the positioning, that must have smashed my right shoulder. He really knows when to push himself in battle.

But if you’re going to do it like that, then I can’t let you beat me. I’m fighting to see what a Heavy Barrel’s strength is to me. I have to figure that out. Just like Rosetta has grown honest with her feelings, I have to grow honest with my idea of a Knight Striker!!

<nowiki><I nearly fall over but keep my balance.</nowiki>

The enemy rapidly turns around. The previous impact nearly knocked the spear loose from his face.>

Dammit.

While approaching, I kick my left leg up as a feint.

<The enemy takes a step back to adjust his position and to remain cautious of my movement.>

Did he fall for it? It’s not clear, but I just have to do what I can.

While falling back, I swung my arm to allow the impact to leave my right shoulder and to keep my balance.

<He moves forward to pursue me.>

Here he comes. He’s definitely falling for my trick now.

The arm I swung to keep my balance grabs the spear sticking out of his face.

I gather some slight strength in my arm to begin a thrusting motion.

<The enemy senses it and swings his head to pull the spear out himself.>

Damn he’s perceptive. I guess it’s true he sees things at 100 times human speed. He doesn’t react to my actions. He reacts to the very beginning of my actions.

This is no joke. And now a right kick!!

You’re off your balance after swinging your head to pull out that spear, aren’t you!?

<The enemy plants a foot on the ground. That foot breaks the sound barrier and creates a white cloud of water vapor.

That acts as powerful attitude control. With a rumble, his foot tears into the mock battlefield’s ground and the bricks and stone forming it fly up into the air.>

…What kind of power and attitude control was that!?

He’s too strong.

<The enemy corrects his posture and attacks.

Rot Löwe swings down a wooden sword that strikes Grazie’s right knee as it kicks up.

The sword was made from lignum vitae submerged in water and it easily smashes the steel knee.>

Intense pain.

But what do I care, you idiot? I was prepared for this. I can keep going. Plus, it wasn’t the kick I was expecting something from. Just as the right lower leg broke and dangled down from the knee, I cleanly spun my body around on my left leg.

And in my right hand…

<The spear.>

I’ll give him an attack he can’t dodge no matter how fast he is.

I’ll release my max attack power.

Just how destructive is a spear when it’s held by a Heavy Barrel and swung all the way around in a circle?

Centrifugal force, weight, and speed.

<The spear tip bends like a whip and briefly has a cloud trailing behind it.>

A horizontal swing is the hardest of all attacks to dodge. And a spear’s span is far greater than a sword’s.

Hit him!! This is my way of fighting and this is my greatest strength.

<A metallic clang overpowers all else.

Grazie rotated to place its full weight behind the spear attack.

But it did not hit.

As the female Heavy Barrel swung its special attack, Rot Löwe performed a tackle.

There was no attempt to dodge. Only a crude collision.>

An impact.

———He got me…!? Is he not even using a shield!?

<But the result was never seen.

Just as Grazie and Rot Löwe would have collided, another Heavy Barrel moved between them to protect Grazie.

It is Expert de Épée.

Its engine system is damaged and it should barely be able to move, but the pilot’s willpower and skill got it to move. It used its full speed to charge between the two Barrels so quickly that not even Rot Löwe could take emergency evasive action.

But it could not stop Rot Löwe.

Rot Löwe was built to endure high-speed mobility, the burdens of its own actions, and the impacts of enemy attacks, so its attack easily knocked away both the female Heavy Barrel and the male Heavy Barrel attempting to protect the female one.

An impact and the shattering of a spear can be heard. Heavy Barrels are said to be the heaviest of all land weapons, yet two of them are broken and sent flying.>

I collapsed.

…Phillip moved?

<With a roar, Expert de Épée and Grazie roll over to the wall.>

…I knew it.

That idiot. What was he thinking with his Barrel that badly damaged?

You really are dumb. Did you do that because protecting people is a Knight Striker’s job? A lot of good that did when we were both taken out. Ha ha ha. You’re an idiot to the very end.

I can’t believe this…

I’m no match for you.

Out of the three Barrels on this mock battlefield, I’m the weakest one. Heinz Berge is far superior when it comes to combat ability and Phillip Missel is superior when it comes to the desire to protect someone.

I really can’t believe it. And I’m exhausted.

I’m tired.

So very tired…