Editing Leviathan:Volume 3 Chapter 4 (section)

===Part 2===

Hal and Asya arrived at the school's infirmary, taking one other person with them.

"Anyway, let her lie down here for now."

"Then I'm putting her down. Heave-ho!"

In one go, Asya unloaded the weight on her back to the bed Hal had indicated.

President M. After delivering the oracle at the cultural clubs building, this massive 140kg creature had suddenly fallen asleep. Using Muscle Enhancement magic to increase her physical strength, Asya had carried her here. Meanwhile, Hal followed along to assist from behind to maintain balance.

"Let's check on her two hours later."

After saying that, Hal left the infirmary with Asya.

Although they could return straight to the library, Hal motioned to his childhood friend with his eyes when they were passing the cafeteria. This alone was enough for Asya to understand.

"Do you have something to say?"

"Yeah, about Rushalka."

The two of them entered the cafeteria and bought milk coffee at the vending machine.

Then choosing a nearby table, they sat down face to face.

"I'll cut straight to the chase. Since Rushalka's birth ritual will be held in Hinokagutsuchi's absence, I hope you'll assist me by taking over her share."

"...Yes, after all, you took her heartmetal to use as a research sample."

As expected of Asya, her comprehension was instant. She immediately understood what Hal meant.

"You can't ask her for help as before?"

"I can't. So that's the situation."

"You could've completed the birth ritual first before making a move to secure the heartmetal, right?"

"But she's a seasoned warrior and exalted queen. I doubt she'd be deceived. And how should I put it? After all, she's..."

"After all, she saved your life, so you can't bring yourself to deceive her&mdash;Right?"

"No no no, I'm just slightly hesitant because I'm still indebted to her."

"Very well, I'll take your word for it."

"That's why I'm planning to have my gun preside over the ritual. As a partner who has entered into a covenant with me, Asya, you're also linked to that gun. Can you help me to check the ritual procedure?"

"Of course."

The two of them gulped down milk coffee while chatting casually. The ability to swiftly resolve business under this kind of ambiance was precisely the advantage of being stuck with an inseparable friendship.

Next, Asya closed her eyes after receiving the magic gun Hal summoned.

Giving up on words and language, she meditated, so as to facilitate comprehension of magical guidance through imagery.

"...I think I understand it mostly."

After roughly ten minutes, Asya finally opened her eyes and placed the magic gun on the table.

Then sighing, she reported, "The principles behind this ritual magic. Its intent. The technique's key points. Also, what happened during the past two rituals, recorded in the Rune of the Bow in your possession..."

"If the conditions are not fulfilled completely, chances of success seem to be very low, right?"

"Correct. It doesn't work unless a great deal of magical power is prepared in advance. And it must be similar to what's generated by those dragon heartmetals... Indeed, magical power heavily steeped in the attribute of fire."

"I knew it, so that's what's missing. Just as I suspected."

Because the two previous rituals were also conducted under conditions of frighteningly concentrated magical power.

Hal instantly took out the piece of red agate from his uniform's pocket. Hinokagutsuchi's heartmetal. Looking at its scarred surface, he whispered softly, "Juujouji had given birth to Akuro-Ou's body in one go back then, whereas Shirasaka was bringing about Minadzuki's rebirth together with her heartmetal. I'd like to revive Rushalka no matter what..."

"Yes, that's what I hope for too. But that being said&mdash;"

Asya suddenly changed the subject.

"Thanks to my link with that gun, the mystery is finally solved."

"Mystery?"

"Yes. It's the reason why you've steadfastly refused to give details about the birth ritual's procedure."

Hal jumped in fright in response to Asya's direct stare.

Speaking of which, he had completely forgotten to tell Asya about what he had done with Orihime, Hazumi and Hinokagutsuchi. Neither had he written it into the report!

Hal hastily returned the heartmetal to his pocket, coughed lightly and cleared his throat.

"I can't believe you cleverly deceived Orihime-san and Hazumi-san, making them undress to that extent, and even placed your paws on their tender skin... This behavior is virtually no different from that of a brutal and conniving little pervert. Obscene."

"No, it's supposed to be something like faith healing."

"A-And this time, you're even trying to do the same to me&mdash;!"

Spontaneously, Asya's face turned bright red and she glared at him viciously.

Hal muttered "eh?" to himself. Indeed, Asya had a point. Since a birth ritual was going to be held, he would have to subject Asya to the same treatment as Orihime and Hazumi. However, he had completely failed to realize this the whole time. Why?

"Uh, umm, what can I say...?"

"I-I really don't get you, Haruomi. I originally thought you were 100% herbivorous, completely unaroused even when you have a lively young beauty like me by your side."

"W-Well, I am a healthy boy after all."

"Looks like that's definitely true. So that's why you're trying to make me a target of your lustful impulses... That's so indecent, so dirty."

"I-It's a long story. H-How can I explain it?"

From Hal's perspective, Asya was something like a blood sister.

Hal almost never saw her as a member of the opposite sex. Wasn't this precisely the reason why he had directly declared Rushalka's rebirth without anticipating this development to unfold naturally?

Just as he was about to spill the result of his impromptu self-analysis, Hal suddenly noticed.

He originally thought his childhood friend would surely feel anger and disgust at his lust.

"So perverted&mdash;I-I-It makes me unsure what to do."

But for some reason, Asya was staring at Hal with moistened eyes.

Somehow, he felt that there was no anger in her eyes. Instead, he could catch faint glimpses of reassurance and hesitation, as well as some kind of overjoyed emotion...

In addition, she even said with a bit of a dilemma, "B-But I'm slightly relieved. Before, I've always thought Haruomi was harboring a fatal flaw as a living creature, a boy who'd simply live a wasted life just like that..."

"Is that how far your imagination has gone...?"

"S-Since you're spending your days in frustration, secretly harboring irrepressible desires for me as a woman... In that case, I'll do everything I can to help you as your childhood friend..."

"Huh!?"

With her blush expanding from her face to her neck, Asya was speaking softly.

In that moment, while he was stunned by her words, the childhood friend's fairy-like countenance drew near Hal's face. Asya was a flawless beauty in appearance, after all. Hal could not help but feel his heart racing.

"I-I have a suggestion."

"S-Sure."

"Uh, umm... Oooooooooh<nowiki>~~~~~~~</nowiki>!"

"W-What's wrong!? Asya!"

"I! I'm bound by duty to correct you, Haruomi, to prevent you from becoming a notorious pervert! And this is necessary for reviving Rushalka too... S-So, let's practice!"

"Practice!?"

"Y-Yes. Let's rehearse first for Rushalka's birth ritual!"

Asya suddenly sat down next to Hal.

"Come! Like what you did to Orihime-san and Hazumi-san, please ravage me with your bestial lust&mdash;I mean, please do the same thing as what you did during the ritual!"

"Ehhhh!?"

"I-If you don't have the guts, Haruomi, then I'll take the lead!"

Asya brought her fingers to her uniform&mdash;the buttons on her shirt&mdash;and prepared to unfasten them.

Despite her assertive words, her fingers moved very slowly. But even so, she still undid her buttons one by one.

Finally all unbuttoned, she then pulled her shirt hem out from her skirt&mdash;

The clothing covering Asya's upper body was parted left and right down the middle. From the gap, Hal could see skin as white as milk.

Naturally, Hal knew of her pale complexion. Nevertheless, he never imagined it would be to this extent&mdash;

Like white porcelain, her delicate skin was so beautiful that it was overwhelming. Furthermore, that narrow waist was also making his heart pound. All Hal needed to do was wrap his arms around her and Asya's slender waist would be drawn entirely into his embrace.

The little navel exuded shyness and cuteness. Also, looking upwards&mdash;

From the gap in the shirt, he could even catch a faint glimpse of the blue underwear covering her petite bust. At that very moment, Hal realized he had made a cognitive mistake.

Compared to Orihime, Asya's bust size was definitely inferior.

However, his silver-haired childhood friend was very svelte after all.

Yet in spite of that, her chest, hips and buttocks were somewhat fleshy, tracing out unexpected curves&mdash;

Petite though it may be, this well-proportioned figure was full of feminine charm.

Hal gulped down a gasp. As though reaching perfection through a maiden's form directly, this body was definitely equipped with a fairy's dangerous charm.

"S-So, Haruomi, please put your hand here..."

"Ehhh!?"

Asya took Hal's right hand and moved it to the surface of her abdomen.

Although Hal was greatly surprised by the tender smoothness of the pale skin, he immediately realized. Conducting a birth ritual necessitated touching the abdomen of the witch who served as the medium. This was a dry run.

Using his right palm where the Rune of the Bow resided, Hal stroked that delicate abdomen.

Such a slender waist might perhaps elicit jealous sighs from fellow ladies. Was it really okay to entrust the heartmetal of "serpent" to such a thin and frail body?

Despite his worries, Hal still kept stroking Asya's belly, allowing his fingertips and palm to wander all over the place.

"Mm... Mmmmmm&mdash;"

Suddenly, Asya showed a painful expression. Clearly, he had not done anything violent, right?

"W-What's the matter?"

"I don't know if I should say it's tickling... or a bit embarrassing..."

Asya was evidently suffering&mdash;No, Hal noticed.
[[image:Leviathan 03 165.jpg|thumb]]

Instead of pain, she was enduring the faint ticklish feeling caused by skin contact.

Perhaps his childhood friend was very sensitive to this sort of tactile contact. However, Asya did not try to escape from Hal's right hand despite feeling ticklish.

Not only that, she partially closed her eyes as though feeling pleasure, allowing Hal to do as he pleased.

"It feels so warm... So comfortable."

Probably due to the continuous rubbing, Asya's abdomen heated up.

Hal had felt a cold sensation initially. Realizing this was because female body temperatures were lower than male's, he secretly nodded to himself.

"Mm&mdash;Guh... Mmmm."

Asya made another expression of endurance. It looked surprisingly seductive.

Hal was confident that he knew everything to know about his childhood friend. However, to think there were this many facial expressions to see for the first time and things to learn for the first time&mdash;Hal's heart kept pounding furiously.

Soon after, Asya whispered, "U-Umm, over here... Do you want to practice a bit too?"

"Huh?"

"I-If the procedure is the same as for Hazumi-san, then you need to extract Rushalka's heartmetal through my heart... In that case, you need to touch this part too&mdash;!"

Hal recalled the ritual last time.

Indeed, so-called touching the heart&mdash;Hal could not help but look up and meet Asya's gaze. With moistened eyes, his childhood friend nodded.

Then taking Hal's hand again, she moved it over to her breast.

Hal's right hand finally reached the body part clad in the blue underwear. Petite yet soft, there was a comfortable sense of elasticity. More importantly, it could be held in one's palm like a lovely little flower from the wild. This stunned and moved Hal as though he had been electrically shocked.

Just as the beating in his heart reached its highest point...

Hal and Asya both jumped in surprise at the same time. This was due to a sudden surge in magical power.

Furthermore, it was coming from Haruga Haruomi's heart, when clearly magical power could only be generated in the human realm from a witch's heart or the Clockwork Mage!

"What is going on here...?"

"Did practicing the ritual with me trigger an awakening...?"

Perplexed, Hal muttered together with Asya.

Bit by bit, the magical power was flowing out endlessly like from an inexhaustible spring.

"S-Seems like a lot more will flow out... Magical power rich in the fire attribute&mdash;It's almost like it were generated from a dragon's heartmetal..."

After saying these words quietly in amazement, Asya suddenly fell into deep thought.

Furthermore, Hal also thought back earlier. Just now, President M had struck his chest lightly. Wasn't that location right above the heart? The president's oracle flashed through his mind.

'Your guiding light has been in your hand since a long time ago...'

So long as they had this magical power generated from the heart, perhaps&mdash;

"What the birth ritual lacks is a great volume of magical power..."

"Haruomi! Let's revive Rushalka right away!"

Hal's right palm immediately began to heat up. The Rune of the Bow surfaced.

Thump. Thump. Thump. The dragonslaying rune was throbbing in his hand like a heart's pulsation, hot and powerful.

This heat was alerting Hal. The rune paired with the bow had arrived.

"Asya, hurry and tell everyone to hide! She's here!"

"She? Who do you mean?"

"Last time's dragon king...! The one that looks like a girl!"

Grabbing his magic gun from the table, Hal rushed outside.

&mdash;In order to receive the dragon king, Princess Yukikaze.