Editing Hagure Yuusha no Aesthetica:Volume 9 Chapter 2 (section)

===Part 4===

A series of noises echo down within the highest floors of JPN-Babel.
 
It was the sharp sound of metal striking at the irregular rhythm scattering sparks in the dark hallways.
 
What was clashing into each other were the half-moon swords and meteor hammer, without neither gaining the upper hand.
 
It was the showdown between Nanase Haruka and Aihara Minami.
 
It was long after Kaidou had stepped in to save Haruka did the two started fighting. As of now most of the surrounding walls had already been destroyed, and the floor itself has become a vast open battle space.
 
Even so, the fighting showed no signs of stopping.
 
"Hhha ha ah ah ah ah!"
 
Using her wind magic Haruka flew forward at high speed.
 
In response, Minami moved to intercept with her meteor hammer, sending the heavy iron ball at the end of her weapon forward. Haruka crossed the blades in her hands stopping the heavy iron ball, after which Haruka a close distance away from Minami unleashed her wind magic.
 
A group of intense winds gathered, and rushed towards Minami. But,
 
"------"
 
Minami had silently created an earth wall that blocked everything.
 
Still, her magic being stopped was within expectations.
 
"My magic is no over yet."
 
Under Haruka's influence her winds split apart to avoid Minami, and then transformed into countless air bullets that took aim from every direction.
 
The shotgun-like wind attack completely engulfed the area around Minami.
 
Avoidance was impossible.
 
But Haruka's magic did not hit Minami.
 
The ground had suddenly swelled forming a dome shell around Minami stopping all the air bullets.
 
And the next moment, the offensive switched.
 
"-!"
 
Haruka created a small tornado below her feet at once. The reaction caused her to rapidly rise into the air.
 
At the same time, innumerable spikes pierced through the floor.
 
Fortunately she reacted fast enough, otherwise she would of been skewered. The thought caused Haruka to break out in a cold sweat.
 
-- However, it was too early to feel relieved.
 
The spikes that appeared out the floor all fired out towards Haruka.
 
"Well -!"
 
Immediately Haruka invoked her flight magic to dodge the spikes heading straight at her. However, the spikes altered their trajectory mid flight, and closely pursed her.
 
"Humph...... In that case!"
 
Haruka spun around while flying, and waited until last moment to attract all the spikes in order to release a shock wave destroying the spikes.
 
However, the spikes broke apart into tiny pieces that completely filled the air, blocking Haruka's vision.
 
Minami had disappeared from her sight. I messed up -- but it was already too late as she thought so.
 
The air vibrated with a low noise that reached Haruka's ears, and reflexively she crossed her half moon swords taking up a defensive posture.
 
At almost the same time a huge cannon ball was already about to hit her.
 
Although it was only made of hardened dirt, under the influence of Minami's magic it weighed more and was heavier than steel.
 
She could not withstand it.
 
Still, Haruka chose not to avoid it. Instead she thought to add a magical attribute to her half moon swords. However, the property attached was not wind but thunder, giving the blade a super-electromagnetic vibrations allowing it to cut through anything.
 
"Lets seeeeeee --!"
 
Haruka tightly griped the sword hilts, and brandished her weapons. The huge cannonball was divided into four, and hurtled past Haruka's side, smashing into the the floor behind her.
 
Together with a loud crash, a cloud of dust sprang up.
 
"Ha......hah ......!"
 
While gasping for breath, Haruka fixed her eyes ahead.
 
Minami was standing there unruffled, with an unusually calm face.
 
...... Something's not right.
 
Even though you must not distracted yourself in the mist of battle, Nanase Haruka couldn't help but wonder.
 
The enemy in front of her was her close friend, and at the same time also went through all the same joys and hardships as a member of the Student Council, the same Aihara Minami.
 
Babel exists as an educational institution for boys and girls with special abilities who returned from different worlds.
 
In this JPN-Babel, in charge was COCOON's Hikami Kyouya, who also served as the president of the student council, and out of necessity the student council had to be made up of the strongest.
 
Minami doing her part in the council also participated in the ranking tournaments.
 
Haruka understood Minami's strength well. However,
 
...... Then how did it change so suddenly......?
 
The Minami that she knew was never this powerful. At the very least, in the ranking tournament that was just held their strengths were on par.
 
However now, Minami had very obviously been overwhelming her. It was like she was a different person.
 
Fire, water, earth, and wind -- were the most basic properties of elemental magic.
 
Each had their own special characteristics that gave them advantages, but fire and water, and earth and wind were polar opposites, making them neither superior or inferior to their opposites.
 
In fact, the key to its strength lied in the user's spiritual power and ability to concentrate, of course, hard work and innate talent were part of that.
 
And in following Akatsuki to Alayzard Haruka had gone through a dramatic growth.
 
So theoretically Haruka should of been able to easily overcome Minami.
 
And as if seeing through Haruka's thoughts,
 
"Resistance is useless... ... You can not defeat me now."
 
Minami said in a monotone voice and,
 
"Even though it is Kyouya who is linked with Ousawa Miu, we had directly touched her before coming here."
 
"Miu? Why would you need to touch her....."
 
Facing Haruka's questions, Minami slowly said,
 
"She is not merely someone from a different world, she herself is a higher-order life -- with extremely high power (Ultra) in that."
 
Minami paused for a moment.
 
"As long as you use of her power you can raise a soul to a higher dimension -- achieving a similar effect without the need to visit another world twice like with you and Kyouya."
 
"Miu....... is a ultra-higher-order life......"
 
Haruka finally understood because of Minami's explanation.
 
That was the reason why Kyouya desired to obtain Miu so much.
 
...... Oh yes, so it turns out this was why.
 
Kyouya said that he intended to make an utopia using Miu.
 
Haruka thought that there must be something special about Miu, but absolutely not did she think Miu was an ultra-higher-order life.
 
She did not think there was such power in the everyday common Miu. But if what Minami said was true, then you really may be able use her power to transcend COCOON and Crimson Twilight.
 
...... Then, did Ousawa Akatsuki also know about this......?
 
And then he kept her by his side to try and take advantage of her power to stop COCOON and Crimson Twilight.
 
After making such guesses in her mine, Haruka could not help but laugh a little to herself.
 
...... Impossible.
 
It was not necessary to think.
 
Even though the time she spent together with him was short, Haruka Nanase knows that Ousawa Akatsuki was not that kind of person.
 
She knew how he spent his time in the alternate world of Alayzard, and also what he had accomplished.
 
In fact, Haruka was present and watched each and every move he made.
 
That's right -- Even if Akatsuki knew her true nature, he would not change how he would act towards Miu. This I am very sure.
 
What Akatsuki cherishes is surely Miu herself. As for whether she was an ultra-higher-order lifeform would be only a trivial issue to him. Then,
 
"That is also the same for me......"
 
Haruka smiled and nodded as it was only obvious.
 
Miu's true identity was not important
 
She decided to protect Miu, but also she and her and everyone else decided to support Akatsuki.
 
Therefore -- it was not possible to forgive anyone who would hurt, or even use her.
 
And it was impossible to give up. Then,
 
"...... Are you still planning to fight me?"
 
Minami eye's became suspicious as she watched Haruka's expression turn.
 
"Yes, of course."
 
Haruka Nanase smiled, and resolutely and proudly answered,
 
"Everyone else is still fighting. How can I just give up here?"
 
Thereupon Haruka once again faced off against Minami.
 
Out of the corner of her vision -- not too far from this place another battle was taking place.
 
That fight was no less fiercer than hers.
 
It was the duel between Kaidou Motoharu and Uesaki Ryohei.