Magika No Kenshi To Shoukan Maou:Volume 12

Novel Illustrations

These are the novel illustrations that were included in Magika No Kenshi To Shoukan Maou Volume 12

• 

  Cover

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

  Page 27

• 

  Page 55

• 

  Page 83

• 

  Page 101

• 

  Page 167

• 

  Page 173

• 

  Page 197

• 

  Page 261

• 

  Pages 322 & 323

Chapter 1 – Trigger of Passion

Part 1

The land that appeared on the sea northeast of America wasn’t small like an island and wasn’t big like a continent. It seemed suitable to call it as a [small continent]――that was what was reported.

America deployed an investigation fleet and aircrafts.

The investigation group approached the unknown small continent <Atlantis> from two ways of the sea and the sky.

What was awaiting them was a very thick <magic power cloud>.

When they arrived until the coastal waters of Atlantis, the ships and aircraft of the investigation team were all enveloped by magic power cloud so thick that they couldn’t even see a few steps ahead. It was like they were enveloped by glittering cotton candy tinged with blue magic power light.

Even so the investigation team pushed through the magic power cloud and advanced.

Inside the magic power cloud, not to mention devices like radar, even sensing magic was obstructed. The dread and anxiety that the investigation team felt wasn’t something superficial.

On the path of the investigation team that advanced while mustering their courage, a wall of steel with black luster stood toweringly.

The surroundings of Atlantis was encircled by a wall like a fortress.

Over there was a [rejection] to the degree that made them stand petrified.

The investigation team attempted to destroy the wall. The missiles loaded inside the aircrafts, the summoning magic of the Magika Stigmas boarding the ship――however, there wasn’t even a micron of a scratch inflicted on the wall from those.

There was no other conclusion they could make except that it was impossible to destroy this wall.

When they looked up at a loss, the wall was continuing high without end――it exceeded the troposphere that was the height limit for aircrafts and reached until the stratosphere. At a height more than that the engine couldn’t burn the air, the aircrafts couldn’t fly properly there.

In addition, far higher than the troposphere, the air became turbulent like countless serpents rampaging around.

Rejection. The extremely hard wall, and the rampaging lid of turbulence.

There was no other conclusion that they could make other than that it was impossible to infiltrate.

……However just how in the world was this kind of wall made?

It obviously looked like something man-made. However there had never been a confirmed case of a man-made thing generated inside a <Haunted Ground> that was created from a distortion of the world. This was not something generated by the effect of natural magic power like a Haunted Ground.

Was this a wall made by someone?

Then, was there someone inside? An existence, that surpassed human knowledge was…….

The investigation team finally surrendered to the terror they couldn’t resist and returned back to their country……

“Resist it you idiot. Making a face and a voice from X-files like that, are you screwing around?”

Clark Moore sent a yakuza kick toward Ridley Spielberg that was making her report with an eerie voice that was like making an acting performance.

“This is my natural face and voice~……” Saying that the blue skinned petite girl, Ridley let out a pathetic voice.

“It’s only you who are a Magika Stigma that got chosen by her Diva only because of your face and voice.”

Clark mercilessly said so, making Ridley become teary eyed while saying “How cruel~”.

One of the Numbers, Ridley was the one leading the investigation team. At the battle against Japan, she was one of those Numbers who were defeated by the favored princesses of Kazuki without even displaying any good aspect of theirs.

Clark was listening to that report inside a patient room.

Kazuki and Arthur were also let to attend with her.

“Ah, just now, the brain waves reacted.”

When Kazuki said that, Clark vigorously turned around to the direction of the bed.

On the bed, Jeremy Barrett was lying down.

She was connected to countless life preservation equipment, so to speak she was in the condition of [spaghetti syndrome].

“I wonder if it’s because she heard Clark’s cheerful voice.”

“……Really, what a hopeless girl. If I’m not at her side, her condition will quickly worsen. Thanks to that I got to do my work in this kind of place.”

When <Wakan Tanka> came attacking, Jeremy saved Clark’s life using a bullet that was infused with her own life.

It looked like Jeremy staked her life, but her life was just barely holding out.

Jeremy tried to put all of her life inside the bullet but――her survival instinct ignored her will and made her hesitate. The instinctual fear of death obstructed the complete activation of that magic.

The girl feared death naturally, she was a human. Not a loyal doll.

[Dregs of life] that didn’t manage to be put into the bullet let some of the girl’s mental energy remain in this world. The newest medical science of the minds of America scraped those together, joined them into one, and attempted to heal her.

However she still hadn’t recovered her consciousness yet.

Clark started the work of America’s rebuilding in the patient room of the girl, she peered into Jeremy’s face with a gentle expression sometimes between her work, clutched Jeremy’s faintly warm hand, and swung from joy to sorrow at the slight change of the brainwaves displayed on the monitor.

In a glance, Clark looked expressionless, but being at her side one could definitely understand her emotion.

To that figure Ridley’s eyes moistened while saying “Boss……”

“If your report is finished then get out right away.”

Clark kicked out Ridley to the corridor.

“Give that kindness to me too~” Ridley rushed out while crying.

“So it’s impossible to infiltrate whether using ship or plane……” Kazuki who listened to the report from the side turned to Clark while thinking of an idea.

“Can we detect the coordinates from the space and land inside the wall by breaking through the atmosphere? If it’s with America’s science technology then…”

“Aiming at the small continent where civilized machines don’t work due to the magic power cloud and breaking through the atmosphere where there are unknown turbulence’s inside. That’s quite a funny joke, Hayashizaki Kazuki.”

“No see……it’s important to at least say our opinion even if it’s just an idea right……”

Kazuki got dejected to have his careless idea cut down by Clark without any hesitation.

The reports said that the turbulence had regularity that made one feel the artificiality of humans in it. Even if they dropped down from space aiming at Atlantis, surely they would be repelled back outside.

It felt like the artificiality of a human…….

“In other words there is a [manager] in there……?”

When Kazuki said that to himself, Clark and Arthur nodded.

In the first place everything of that small continent was artificial. When the Kings were born in all the magic advanced countries, the stage for those Kings to fight each other floated up from inside the sea. That was the arrangement.

There was the feeling that this was based on the script of someone, that everything was on purpose.

Was illusion guiding the world like that? Was the human’s shared unconsciousness throughout the world looking for the [ultimate stage] for the battle between the seven advanced magic countries to decide the supreme mythology?

No, certainly that power of illusion was vast. However, it shouldn’t be possible for a vast magic power to manifest something this concrete due to the collective unconscious.

――There was no doubt that there was an existence like the <agent> of the illusion.

The person who created this situation was…….

“There is an intent in this situation. Nevertheless, if we cannot go onto the stage of the decisive Atlantisbattle, that means right now is still not the time.”

Arthur opened her mouth.

Was there still other necessary requirements for the sake of opening the curtains of the decisive battle?

Was it okay to merely wait for that?

“My bad, Hayashizaki Kazuki. I said that America will cooperate with Japan, but I cannot move from here. It’s not just for the sake of this Jeremygirl……”

“I understand. Right now there is just too much that needs to be done in America after all.”

“It seem that the American Justice Mythology also lost its strength. We became unable to believe in ourselves. We have to restart from zero in order to learn the correct self-respect.”

The correct self-respect……it was an expression he heard for the first time, but it resounded heavily in Kazuki’s chest.

Whether it was for an individual or for a country, it was something extremely important that sympathy naturally welled up inside his heart.

“It’s fine that you don’t come along to Atlantis but, don’t you neglect your little sister.”

Clark made a bitter face.

“I understand. ……But that girl, even now she seems to be anxious about the future of the world so when I consoled her by saying [It will be fine because that guy Hayashizaki Kazuki will win and do something about it somehow], she only got exasperated with me saying [You really became irresponsible didn’t you?].”

Clark murmured as if she was bothered more than necessary by what her little sister told her.

“Until now you had been carrying too much burden on your back right.”

The leader of Indian Mythology <Medicine Wheel> aka Emily Moore was a girl who was completely absorbed in Indian Mythology from her fear towards the other magic advanced countries.

Rather than calling it faith it was closer to an escape.

In the first place Emily seemed to fear her big sister Clark.

The big sister that shouldered everything alone, trying to solve everything by dirtying her hand using every kind of method alone…….

Rather, that big sister even became the boss of a gang…….

There was no big sister as hard to approach as this one. Certainly it was scary. Too scary.

However, the current Clark had the air that was easy to talk to, that was what Kazuki was feeling.

Liberated from a heavy pressure, it looked like severity was naturally taken from her expression. There was no doubt that it was a good sign for her shrinking the distance with her little sister.

“I too wish for your victory. ……Entrusting my destiny like this to other people is the first time since I was born but, being carefree is something good huh.”

Clark said that while gripping Jeremy’s hand with a relaxed and open expression.

If it was this kind of Clark, then she could be honestly thought of as a lovely big sister.

He arrived at America to look for comrades he could fight together with, but that objective ended in nothing. Clark couldn’t accompany Kazuki to Atlantis, she would stay in America.

However, his chest was lit with a warm feeling of satisfaction that told him that it was fine like this.

Leaving behind Clark, Kazuki and Arthur exited the patient room of Jeremy.

All the patient rooms lined up in the corridor had names written on the door plates. The Indians who fell in magic intoxication were hospitalized and now there was not a single room that was empty.

But they were safe. When <Wakan Tanka> was dissolved, a share of the magic power forming it that came from the humans who were still alive returned back to their original owners.

“I keep being the one asking the question many times like this, but…”

Kazuki started to talk in the empty corridor while walking.

“I don’t mind.”

“What is the meaning that Basileus Basileon is still alive?”

Loki who came to America to make his proclamation of war said something like that.

[Basileus Basileon is alive huh] ――he said.

That was a fact that overturned the common sense of the people all over the world.

But……certainly that wasn’t something strange.

It was said that the corpse of Basileus Basileon was never discovered.

Manager. If there was an existence like a manager for this kind of situation then…….

“Yeah. Basileus Basileon is alive……and also sometimes he showed his appearance in front of me, he gave me advice, of what action that I should take.”

With regular shoes sound *katsun katsun* breaking the silence as BGM, Arthur answered.

Arthur was the one taking Kazuki to America. Perhaps there was also the will of Basileus Basileon in that.

Hrotsvit had once mocked Arthur saying that she [pretended to be the manager of the world] but……that might not be far off from the mark.

Kazuki pulled the hand of Arthur not towards outside the hospital but towards the courtyard.

The courtyard that was formed in a rectangle shape between buildings conveniently had no presence of humans there. Or perhaps it should be said that the hospital itself was deserted. Perhaps that was because most of the patients here were unconscious in magic intoxication.

“What kind of person that Basileon is?”

“……Even I don’t understand. Because he wasn’t going to say anything more than necessary.”

How could she willingly obey someone whom she didn’t even understand what his true nature was?

However, Basileus Basileon was a great man that originated from Britain. It couldn’t be helped even if Arthur held a feeling that was nearly a faith in that man which made her want to obey him unconditionally.

“Is he human?”

“He had a real body. In any case……currently, if we cannot land on Atlantis, we should wait for a while. There should be an explanation from his side without fail.”

There was an explanation…….

“What do you think about Regina’s case?”

“……It seems that the report is not mistaken. According to Robin Hood’s intelligence, it seems that Regina’s aide, the magician Vera Garibaldi succeeded the seat of King.”

“Succeeding the King? So it’s not the end when the King got killed?”

“In the case where there is the existence of a <semi-chief god> that possessed strength ranked after the chief god in that mythology, the semi-chief god can inherit the strength of the chief god……I have heard that before. If it’s her contracted Diva Poseidon, then surely he has the divinity to succeed after Zeus. His status is different compared to the other Divas of Greek Mythology.”

Semi-chief god……it might be an existence like what Susanoo is towards Amaterasu.

Susanoo was an existence that quarreled against Amaterasu, but at the same time he had the strength that could possibly become King.

“But that’s reckless. Vera is also an excellent magician, but even if she became a King in this eleventh hour, she won’t be able to use the authority of King skillfully.”

Just how much effort Kazuki needed until he could skillfully use the power of Solomon Mythology and Japanese Mythology. Thinking about that, it was only something natural.

“According to what Robin Hood witnessed……Regina pursued the retreating Loki, Fu Xi, and Ilyailiya, however because Hrotsvit didn’t follow her step and withdrew, Regina became isolated in a three versus one instead. She received fierce counterattacks in that situation and sunk into Dover Strait while in magic intoxication……after that she didn’t rise to the surface, that was how it went.”

If she became magic intoxicated while falling into the sea, in other words.

“She is dead, that Regina?”

“Even Vera that succeeded the throne declared in her country that Regina couldn’t be discovered.”

“What kind of character is that Vera Garibaldi?”

“I think her character is similar to one of your comrades called Yagumo Akane. She wears glasses, a lovely girl with curly blonde hair. She has the role of the peacemaker in the knight order of Italia where the members are excessively strong willed with Regina as the first on the list. She is a strong child that will fight to the end no matter what happens.”

“Isn’t there also the possibility that she is pretending to be dead?”

“For that highly proud Regina to do something like [dying by drowning], she won’t say anything like that even as a lie.”

“Indeed……it’s hard to imagine her doing that.”

But if in the case that everything was a trick, perhaps it would invite an unthinkable situation.

Kazuki kept the possibility in the depths of his heart for the sake of his peace of mind.

“What kind of person is this Robin Hood?”

<Robin Hood>――he shouldn’t be an existence that was directly involved with the knights of the round table.

“Robin Hood, she……is an existence that acted as the counterpart of King Arthur. King Arthur is the role model that displayed the noble way of living towards the aristocrats and knights, in contrast Robin Hood is the rebel that attacks the authority as the proxy of the people’s dissatisfaction. In other words a Diva that belongs under the Chaos Side.”

Kazuki tilted his head. It was curious that Robin Hood who was a Chaos Diva was doing work like a spy of King Arthur. From the story he heard Robin Hood was doing a great job like a skilled intelligence operative.

“Robin Hood is my enemy but also my ally. The truth is that the mythology we are believing in is not completely devoted to Order as the ideal. It’s similar to you and Ilyailiya.”

Which reminded him, he still didn’t have any deep talk with Arthur, about what kind of belief Arthur and her group had.

……He unconsciously avoided it. Towards Arthur who he felt affinity with and where they were in the middle of becoming friends, he feared to directly find out about the absolute gap of the sense of values between them.

“The two mythologies of [King Arthur and the knights of the round table] and [Robin Hood] had supported the history of ideology of Britain as the two sides of light and shadow.”

Arthur began to talk indifferently to the discord inside Kazuki’s heart.

“Since the ancient times the aristocrats of Britain held faith towards King Arthur as the ideal of chivalry. In contrast with that, the people held Robin Hood’s down-to-earth guts as their foundation of self-respect.”

The ideal Knight of King Arthur and the gutsy rebel Robin Hood that was the proxy of the people’s dissatisfaction.

It was certainly a relationship that could be called as light and shadow.

“……The aristocrats that revered King Arthur carried out faithful governance with chivalry. A perfect rule as someone who stands on the top. However, even so the people [harbored the dissatisfaction to the fact that they were ruled], again and again they rose in revolts. And then it is a strange story but……even the aristocrats that habitually [piling up frustration of being tied by chivalry] felt refreshed by suppressing those revolts. The people too after being severely suppressed felt refreshed from rising in revolt itself. They felt that they had raised their voices like a proud and loud voice like Robin Hood, that they weren’t existences who were just simply being oppressed without doing anything.”

“……That’s like a farce.”

“Letting off steam is needed in moderation. In Britain these two mythologies were passed down since the ancient times and spread as the model for the people, due to that the balance of the hierarchical society was nicely preserved until now.”

Speaking of Britain, the country was said to be a country of stereotypical hierarchical society.

But there were actually these two mythologies at the root of it?

The successive generations of rulers in Britain were spreading mythology literature of [King Arthur] and [Robin Hood] as the representatives of the country, with that the absolute hierarchical relationship between the aristocrats and the people was maintained.

“My ideal is also something like that. Just like Regina said, if the resources of the earth is limited then the equality of all the population of earth that keeps increasing won’t be able to continue. I……give up. A gentle hierarchical society that controlled the selfish desire of humans. That is the government shape that I am aiming for. It’s by no means equal but……the knights with high social class is tied by chivalry, with that they impose good a government on the people. Then the dissatisfaction of the people and the knights that are born from that will be vented out in [a revolt on the level that absolutely can be subjugated] caused by Robin Hood. We can curtail excess civilization by means of chivalry, and we can also maintain the environment of the human race and the earth for eternity……”

Equality absolutely wouldn’t come.

Conflict absolutely wouldn’t cease to exist.

The desires of humans absolutely wouldn’t be curbed.

Arthur’s ideal had such resignation as its premise.

It was an ideal that tried to at least keep down the damage to the minimum by clever venting of dissatisfaction.

“……I think that is something akin to tricking a kid.”

Were human unable to do something of that level just as they were right now?

“That’s because you believe in humans.”

Arthur immediately replied back. This was an argument where it didn’t seem like the two sides could reach an understanding forever.

“……But by getting to know you, certainly, a change occurred inside my heart.”

Arthur said to herself while putting her hand on her chest as if to suppress the pain there.

“My contracted Diva……Arthur Pendragon too, somewhere he can’t help but feel the thinking of wanting to believe in humans. King Arthur is……while being someone who is sublimed into a Diva, he is wishing for destruction of humans. Perhaps that is only natural. After all the knights of the round table, they were a gathering of people that while wishing for the unattainable ideal of chivalry, yet they couldn’t win against humanity’s fierce emotions――against love.”

A mythology where the order that was an [unattainable ideal] was defeated by the [chaos that was love]――the mythology of [King Arthur and the knights of the round table] might be something like that if it was expressed in a sentence.

“That was why I lived by falsifying my gender. So that the upsurge of my heart when I ran together with you on the battlefield, won’t swell out even more than this.”

“Isn’t that sad?”

“……Throwing away something is the essence of order you see.”

The smile that Arthur showed at this time looked like something self-torturing.

“I’ll win against Arthur, and make Arthur and King Arthur believe in this thing that is called human.”

Arthur partly closed her eyes and chuckled, not in self-torture but with a natural laughing voice.

“Are you intending to add me too into your harem?”

“N, no, that’s not what I mean though……”

He was made fun of on top of having the true character of his strength seen through. He guessed that it was only natural for it to get exposed after acting together until this far. However he felt just a little bit embarrassed.

“But, I guess……if there will be someone else other than me that is going to win, then I hope that winner is you.”

“I also feel the same.”

Arthur held one of her hands to Kazuki.

He grasped that hand and they shook hands.

……It was the soft palm of a female. As he thought Arthur was a girl.

“You were a half-baked king when I first met you, but you accomplished a shocking growth that I couldn’t even imagine. Two mythologies piled up under you……. The affinity between the two abilities is also good. It’s like a miracle. It can be said that the current you is a King with quite a high ranked strength even among the seven advanced magic countries I guess.”

Kazuki got a little taken aback, he stared back at Arthur’s eyes.

However Arthur’s gaze that lifted up tensely, was completely filled with seriousness.

“I respect you. As an alliance partner. And then as a rival.”

While shaking hands, she said that strongly.

In the case that both of them won through until the end, their relation would surely become that of a battle.

A future where he fought Arthur.

Kazuki suddenly recalled the time when they fought together against Medicine Wheel.

When Arthur received the [magic of death illusion] from Medicine Wheel, even though she stood back up but she took more time than Kazuki.

Perhaps Arthur’s weakness was illusions.

Even the knights of the round table in the mythology, while they showed overwhelming valor, but surprisingly there were many scenes where they were deceived by the ominous witchcraft of the witches like Morgan and got subdued.

Arthur had cautiously acted until now so that she wouldn’t show the scope of her power, but in that battle where she cooperated for just that once, didn’t she actually expose her weakness to Kazuki there.

Arthur’s strong point was in close range battle due to Excalibur, but if it was a close range battle using swords then Kazuki didn’t have any intention of being outdone. And then Kazuki had comrades that could use illusion magic. Kazuki himself also could use the magic of those comrades. He could compete against her strong point while prodding at her weakness.

Among all the Kings, Arthur was the first opponent he could certainly fight with advantage at his side……that was how it became.

When their hands separated, Arthur’s expression clouded with a somewhat downcast look.

“I will return home to Britain for the moment. The next time we meet……it will be at Atlantis.”

When he went back to hotel Yggdrasil, an unfamiliar woman was awaiting in the middle of the corridor towards his room. A woman wearing a green mantel and hat.

――It was undoubtedly Robin Hood. She was tall and thin for a woman, her eyes couldn’t be seen because of the wide brim of her hat, but her glossy lips looked adult like.

Those lips grinned when Kazuki finally arrived.

“There is only one thing, that I want to convey to you.”

The girl approached Kazuki without any sounds of footsteps and whispered into his ear with a graceful and small voice.

“If Arthur Basileus is defeated by the hands of any other mythology, her life will be forfeited due to her pledge.”

The inside of his head became blank, inside his mind the meaning of those words were carved really deeply.

Robin Hood smoothly passed through besides Kazuki and went away from him. It was a cool feeling as if a ghost had passed him by.

“What is your intention!?”

Kazuki recovered from his stiffening and turned back before calling out at the distancing away green mantel.

“I am not tied by chivalry. I’m someone who wishes for Britain’s victory no matter what method I have to use.”

The green hunter aimed at the most naïve place in Kazuki’s heart.

The pledge of Arthur entwined just like a curse at Kazuki’s heart.

He understood Arthur’s weak point.

But it turned out that Arthur would die if he defeated her.

When the time came……could he fight without hesitation he wondered.

Part 2

The place was a gorgeous hall of audience, decorated in red and gold.

Worthy for the emperor of China, a space that was the most luxurious and gorgeous in the world.

On the throne with a relief of a dragon climbing to the sky on it, was Fu Xi sitting snugly.

Countless people were prostrating in her presence.

The subordinates of Fu Xi, a hundred elite of China’s knight order.

The cooperation of the Chaos side that was Loki and the others――the Loki Einherjar.

And then there was also Ilyailiya.

Like this, it was like Fu Xi was the leader of their alliance that was being obeyed by Loki and Ilyailiya as well.

However in actuality those two only did this because they understood that doing this would put Fu Xi in a good mood.

“Well then you bastards, how about we review about each force before the final battle.”

Loki clapped his knee sharply while saying that.

Ilyailiya was clapping to that expressionlessly. She also understood, that reacting like this following the atmosphere would also make Loki to be in a good mood.

They were in the process of understanding each other in their own way――though there has yet to be any real bond between them.

Being encouraged by Ilyailiya, Loki started speaking fluently.

“First is the Germans. A militant country that loves invasion. However, because in Europe they were surrounded by magic advanced countries and kept in checked by the surroundings they could not act as they pleased. Even so with the eloquence of the King Hrotsvit they rapidly annexed the small countries and their surroundings with reason. Now they are in possession of ruled territory even wider than Britain, Italia, and Russia. The battle experience of their knight order is also voluptuous next after China.”

“Fufufu, next after China, is it. Then that will be only until they are defeated easily by our China’s knight order.”

Fu Xi puffed up her chest proudly. The gems decorating her whole body were ringing noisily.

Inside his heart Loki thought “you idiot”. That knight order with the most voluptuous battle experience even compared to other countries……wasn’t it completely wasted because of Fu Xi’s <Red Nopperabou>.

Stealing a glance Loki observed around the elites of China. They were prostrating wordlessly. They were completely wordless……he guessed that there was already no remonstrance about anything they could say to Fu Xi. For eternity.

Because they were already nopperabou.

Loki continued his talk.

“With the character of Vikings who love to fight, in the first place their dogma itself is to fight at the Great War of MythRagnarok. Even though they are a touting order, but they are berserkers that don’t care of their methods to get their objective.”

“What an outrageous mythology.” Ilyailiya frankly threw an appropriate comment.

“Putting it bluntly, there is a lot of simple idiots in the Einherjar. Those guys have muscles as their brain. However, only Hrotsvit is different, her mind is sharp with a wicked personality. This relationship is dangerous, the idiocy of the soldiers is changed into a good point under Hrotsvit. The order she handed down will be carried out without fail. The soldiers only concentrate on fighting without hesitation and sadness. Especially if the battle becomes a war of attrition, they will show the worst tenacity……. That’s why I want us aiming for Hrotsvit’s neck as the first thing when we arrive at Atlantis.”

“So she is the priority target. Very well, we will crush her right from the front.”

Fu Xi said.

No, rather the affinity between Fu Xi and Hrotsvit was the worst, Loki thought.

Hrotsvit who was skilled in war couldn’t be defeated with just strength alone. Fu Xi would easily be made to fruitlessly waste her efforts. Loki and Ilyailiya would need to support her skillfully.

……Support, was it. However, this alliance was only for the beginning after all. In the end it was their destiny to fight each other until there was only one remaining. They had to constantly think about the timing for betraying the other.

“In that kind of situation it will be advantageous to drag the situation into an unexpected condition and free-for-all-fight. Because this will be a battle royal.”

After Ilyailiya said that, Loki nodded as if to say that’s exactly what I thought too.

“That’s right. Exactly as you say. Besides the scope of power and the personality of those Einherjar guys are completely known by this me. That’s why, leave it to me. I’ll progress the battle into a favorable result.”

“Is that so. Then arrange it as you see fit.” Fu Xi honestly said that.

“Next is Britain.”

Loki threw his gaze towards their new comrades who attended this meeting too――Lancelot and Mordred. These two betrayed Britain and joined Loki’s Einherjar.

The two female knights were looking down with gloomy expressions. Lancelot’s expression was hiding a silent sorrow while Mordred’s expression was hiding a silent rage, they were intently not saying anything.

Loki thought that these girls were surely well-informed about Britain, but the two didn’t show any sign of opening their mouths, so Loki began to talk.

“Britain is a believer of a hodgepodge of [Celtic Mythology] and the tale of [King Arthur and the knights of the round table] mixed with each other. I think [Robin Hood] is also mixed in there.”

“King Arthur together with Celtic Mythology is……that’s quite interesting. Consequently that originally should be an amalgamated mythology.”

“They already completely have enough with the holy grail ain’t they. Possibly their objective is to return back to the starting point that is Celtic……well, it’s something like that right. As a mythology they ain’t a really strong mythology. Arthur is more a hero than a god. That’s why rather than calling it faith, they turned completely into King Arthur, trying to earn power by unifying with their Diva, their culture is a peculiar one.”

Even Lancelot and Mordred who were restraining themselves on the side had already thrown away their real names. If one actually conversed with them, it would feel like these two had completely immersed into their roles.

“However, because they are the oldest magic advanced country where the first magician of the world was born, the magic power standard of their people is high. The level of the knights of the round table is a cut above even compared to the magicians of another country’s top brass.”

The more magicians piled up in a generation, the magic power they were born with is also getting higher.

This was the biggest reason why the other countries couldn’t catch up with the seven advanced magic countries.

“In addition they compensate for the lack of strength of mythology with <pledge>. Looking at them comprehensively they ain’t have any inferiority at all with the other countries. But there is also the possibility that that pledge turns into their weak point if they go against it, so there is also the chance that we can defeat them easily if we prod at that point. The heroes of Celtic Mythology were that kind of people since the ancient times.”

“There is no way to prod at something we don’t understand.”

Ilyailiya immediately pointed that out. Loki directed his gaze once more at the two female knights.

Lancelot finally opened her mouth.

“Of course the pledge is not disclosed even to their comrades. That’s why, we don’t know about the pledge of the other knights of the round table.”

She shook her slender neck that was like a crane with her silky pure white straight hair swinging behind her.

She was an owner of a beauty with a sickly air somewhere.

Next Mordred opened her mouth.

“Of course its so they won’t make the same mistake like the heroes of the Celtic before them, the knights of the round table carefully selected safe pledges with small risks. You can think that it’s mostly impossible to make them break their pledges unknowingly.”

“If they only made a pledge with low risks, then the results of their strengthening won’t amount to much then.”

When Loki pointed that out, Modred shook her head with her crimson hair that was like blood shaking behind.

“No, for that, they secure strong effects by betting important things in their pledge. For example……something like their life.”

There Mordred chuckled *kukuku* gloomily.

“I guess Britain will be the one with the most deaths when Ragnarok ends. King Arthur is a king of ruin. Kukuku……!”

Loki harbored revulsion to this. It was not towards Mordred that was laughing gloomily――this revulsion was towards Arthur and the other knights. The fellows of religious countries could easily throw away their life for the sake of Order.

That inability to think for themselves was something not interesting for Loki. Something like betting one’s life was…….

In the first place this battle could be finished without taking the life of the opponent, it would end even if the opponent just fell into magic intoxication. In the case that he defeated Kazuki with his own hands, Loki didn’t intend to go as far as stealing his life.

Loki would dye this world in chaos of survival of the fittest if he won. How would Kazuki live in that new world, he was looking forward to witnessing that. In the end could that guy stick to his principle of [protecting the weak] even when placed in that kind of world…….

Imagining the figure of Kazuki struggling inside a hell, Loki felt a sweet joy from that.

Those guys who easily chose death were worthless as humans. They even offended him.

“I completely understand those guys’ scope of power and personality. That’s why leave finishing off Arthur to me. That’s how it was settled in the myth too. Kukuku……”

Mordred said so, to that Fu Xi said “Do as you see fit”.

“Then next is Italia. Just the other day, Vera-tan declared her succession of the throne of Italia’s King. It seems that Regina……was really sinking without floating back up.”

“So she died” Ilyailiya spoke with a dry voice.

They weren’t able to confirm if Regina’s magic power had really been completely used up but……Regina was sinking into the sea while unconscious. If one was swallowed by those raging waves in a state of magic intoxication, their fate was clear for anyone to see.

A pursuing battle above the sea was the harshest stage where defeat was directly related to death.

“Vera-tan is a girl that gives the impression of a hard worker, who was always in charge of assisting Regina like a loyal dog, but I never thought that of all things she would act so boldly such as inheriting the throne. However, for Poseidon to inherit Zeus’s position, well that’s not really something impossible.”

Zeus, Poseidon, Hades. These three brothers defeating their father Kronos was the beginning of Greek Mythology.

It could be said that it was a natural development for Poseidon to take over if Zeus was defeated.

“This kinda feels like a let-down but, it’s also not unexpected for that girl to drop out before the main event. If she fell into a trap because she got provoked……it’s obvious from looking at her personality that that girl was the easiest. Though there is also the chance that she is faking her death.”

“Regina was a person with pride that was too high, therefore……I don’t think she would do that.”

Ilyailiya immediately said that. It seemed that she was apathetic towards other people, but she properly watched her surroundings.

“I guess. That Regina had her blood rushing to her head and chased too far before having the table turned on her in the end, then she unsightly drowned into the sea……then, after having that kind of humiliation given to her she would have the idea of [let’s pretend to be dead from drowning like this], from her personality that’s absolutely impossible yeah.”

The event made Loki wanted to assert, that it was absolutely impossible.

Regina pretending to be dead was impossible, it was like someone telling him that Hayashizaki Kazuki was committing domestic violence on his girlfriend, or like Arthur Basileus suddenly dancing naked. That was how unlikely it was. It was so impossible, on the level of complete breakdown of character if she actually did it.

“If Regina actually has that kind of witty brain, that girl will be the worst enemy for us though. Ha-ha-ha, that’s impossible anyway.”

Loki laughed jokingly.

She was a pig head that was too simple, that was why Loki looked down on Regina.

But for the actual strength itself――Greek Mythology was a mythology of the strongest status.

Not to mention the height of Regina’s magic skills.

If only her personality didn’t drag her down, Regina had the quality that could make her the strongest King.

Loki felt dread from his imagination while laughing.

It was something absolutely impossible but……if in the case that thing was actually possible, that would be seriously really bad.

Perhaps there was the necessity to take the possibility into account just in case. What was called as the true essence of humanity, was ultimately something that couldn’t be measured by other people. Wasn’t that where the fun of humanity was actually laying at.

If Regina was actually hiding an aspect where she could explosively grow from that kind of predicament…….

In that case wasn’t that something he would want to see, that kind of Regina.

“When they had resorted to their number two taking over, that’s just like a re-tempering of a dull sword, useless. Isn’t Italia in essence retired already? Loki, what about Japan?”

Fu Xi changed the topic as if she had no doubt at all about Regina’s death.

“Rather than calling Japan strong, they are a solid country. Thanks to Ikousai’s blunder, they are now in possession of two Mythologies at the same time even if they are weak Mythologies. Furthermore the King has an enigmatic swindler skill, he even made an external force like Ryouzanpaku an ally. The King is also learning all the magic of his allies from A to Z. His martial arts is also master class. His personality now is also not as naïve like in the past. He has no weakness at all, an all-around player.”

The King and country of Japan wasn’t immature like what they were once before.

In these few months they had accomplished a rapid growth.

“It’s like they were raised up by you isn’t it?”

“I didn’ have that kind of intention seeee”

When Ilyailiya pointed that out, Loki showed a strange wide grin.

“Why are you looking happy……” Ilyailiya said that in exasperation.

“Truly an inefficient thing. However……I too have an interest welling up towards Hayashizaki Kazuki.”

“What? You?”

“I offer my emotions towards my contracted Diva, changing it into power.”

Ilyailiya exposed a tip of her strength.

――Magic power could be said as [energy that was invoked by burning the subconscious].

First in the human’s mind there were things like emotions and humanity, the [territory that governed the self], the remaining [territory of the subconscious] was used as magic power.

Even if it was said that magic was used by burning mental power as fuel, it was impossible to use emotion and humanity for this. It wasn’t an exaggeration to say that the total amount of magic power was only one’s territory of subconscious.

“I and the knight order of Russia abandoned attachment to one’s self and turned the majority of our minds into the subconscious. To say it in the words of the Orient, it’s like the expression of the <state of enlightenment>.”

“Because magic power is the territory of the subconscious, then it can be increased the more the inside of one’s mind is turned into the subconscious, huh……. I never had that kind of idea.”

It was a story that didn’t really matter for a Diva, but Loki was honestly impressed.

“The Divas of Slavic Mythology are simple existences, that’s why they don’t burden their contractor. There are also things we can do due to that. By thinning our self, we can shrink the distance with Astrum and optimize our communication with our Divas. Consequently we can chant spells quickly.”

This was also the cause why it was difficult for Kazuki to Foresight the movement of Ilyailiya.

Inside Ilyailiya’s heart, even when she was on a battlefield there was no ripple of emotion occurring at all.

“Enlightenment ehh. I thought that you are a machine-like girl but, unexpectedly you are a mystical girl huh.”

Saying it in reverse――what would happen to her power if her heart was disturbed and she became agitated then.

“But Hayashizaki Kazuki uses emotion as fuel and explosively becomes strong. He blends his emotion territory with his comrades and becomes strong with that spark……that is the exact opposite of me. Consequently I recognize Kazuki as my greatest enemy, I have to settle which one of our ways of life is the correct one. That’s my thinking.”

The believers of Order Mythologies wouldn’t recognize existences that were the exact opposite of oneself. That was because it was related to the denial of their absoluteness. However, the calm tone of Ilyailya――for Loki it was like the way she was talking was filled with longing towards the self that she had thrown away.

“I too have an interest towards Hayashizaki Kazuki-!”

A member of Loki’s Einherjar, Nyarlako interjected with an excited voice.

Nyarlathotep of Cthulhu Mythos was defeated by Kazuki, but beforehand Loki already had dealings with Nyarlathotep where he received a small backupfragment.

Loki tested it by planting the fragment into an elf orphan girl.

Very interesting things happened then. The fragment of Nyarlathotep whose main body was defeated was recovering its divinity little by little inside the elf girl. Naturally Nyarlathotep was trying to invade the mind of the elf girl, but the elf girl suppressed it down while the other party was in a weakened state and it seemed that somehow she succeeded in putting the fragment under control.

Currently the girl was able to completely use the magic of Nyarlathotep.

And yet the girl’s appearance was dyed black, but signs of madness couldn’t be seen from her.

……No, by any chance the girl might had been devoured already by Nyarlathotep and now that evil god was only acting. Even for Loki she was an unidentifiable Schrodinger kitten.

“Hayashizaki Kazuki and his friends are a group of intimate friends right? I’m fighting for Kaya-chan but, when everything is over I wonder if I can also be entered into their circle of friends?”

She said something lovely with pure and innocent eyes. It was so lovely that it even looked out of place. That loveliness was also eerie at the same time.

“Hayashizaki Kazuki……He tempted our king, an evangelist of love that lures one into destruction!”

Suddenly, Lancelot yelled excitedly.

It was just too out of nowhere, that not just Loki but even Ilyailiya opened their eyes wide in shock.

“That Hayashizaki Kazuki, to even try to get along with that king, what a fantastic person isn’t he! Arthur is fated for ruin due to love. Will my love ruin Arthur……or will her love with Hayashizaki Kazuki that will ruin Arthur……aah, which one of our destiny is the stronger one, I want to test it with sword against sword! Aaaaah―!! I’m excited!! My sword of heart is standing erect!! Ahiih―!!”

Loki backed away while directing at Lancelot a cold gaze.

Lancelot went “Aah, that gaze is also good!” and writhed.

“Hmm, if everyone is talking that far then we too became interested in fighting Hayashizaki Kazuki.”

Even Fu Xi said out a childish thing.

‘Oi oi wait right there, that guy is my rival y’know…….

I’m the one that got my eyes on him the first y’know…….’

Loki became impatient inside his heart. He felt a little proud but he was troubled like this. His heart was completely like the complicated mental state of a girl whose childhood friend to whom she had acted uninterested towards until now, yet that friend suddenly became popular.

……But just who could imagine, how that Hayashizaki Kazuki would continuously be at the center of the situation even until the very end.

Right now, wasn’t that young man the one with the most attention from all the involved forces?

“As long as I can kill Arthur then nothing else matters.”

Mordred murmured with a dark look.

……What was peculiar from Mordred and Lancelot, was that they weren’t a believer of Chaos and their Diva also didn’t belong to the Chaos Side even while wholeheartedly wishing for Arthur’s ruin.

Until the end the two of them were Order Side. The destruction of Arthur would bring the correct order in the true meaning to the world, they believed that from the bottom of their hearts.

“Aah, Mordred, how lovely!”

Lancelot yelled abnormally.

“Arthur who can receive death from his biological child! No matter how many times we repeat the myth, Arthur won’t be able to reject the destruction from love!! Aah, what should move the world is love romance! I love you Mordred! Buchuu!!”

Just when everyone thought that Lancelot would suddenly hug Mordred, she overlapped their lips passionately. Mordred too “fuhn” snorted her nose then she responded to that by doing ‘buchuu―’.

Lancelot’s ideal――it seemed that it was the [super extremist love doctrine].

“In addition she is a complete yuri with Mordred, this is just too startling” Loki whispered lukewarmly.

“Bri, Britain’s people are scary……” Nyarlako said that with fright.

Ruined by destiny of love that was really too severe, that was Sir Lancelot. Perhaps that was why the girl that is his proxy in this modern times spoke with her body of extreme love instead.

The battle strength of Loki’s Einherjar had also been arranged quite nicely. He hadn’t directly confronted Kazuki for quite a long time since the last time, but during that time he was steadily gathering battle strength. A large number of possessed magicians, and then Divas of Chaos that succeeded in materializing from there. Not to mention Chaos Divas like Fenrir and Midgardsormr from Norse Mythology, Chaos Divas from various Mythologies were also joining under Loki’s command.

Then Mordred and Lancelot was added into that group, making it a group without any sense of unity.

“The one who will defeat Hayashizaki Kazuki, is me.”

The door of the audience hall was opened with a creak, where a woman in a kimono appeared there――Aisu Ikousai.

“……We ain’t calling you y’know. How did you escape the prison?” Loki spoke with a little surprise in his tone.

Hel was following behind Ikousai.

“Hel, so you are the one helping her.”

But, how? Even Loki couldn’t immediately reach the answer.

<Helheim Invite>……a warp making use of the soul of the dead Hel was acquainted with…….

‘I see, the place where Ikousai was imprisoned, Hayashi Shizuka died there didn’t she!!’

“That’s quite something even for my daughter. I didn’t even plan anything like helping out Ikousai. But that’s a grand magic with a heavy burden. I told you not to force yourself for a while right? Your divinity is wounded after all.”

“A while? We cannot wait anymore right, Ragnarok will start soon, then it will end quickly. Ikousai and I will also participate. We won’t follow papa’s instructions though.”

“……Are you trying to put on an air as an independent force just by the two of you? Besides since when the two of you got that close? Something like female bonding, if it’s something like the Britain symbol of pervert over there, papa won’t allow it.”

“We aren’t like those things, don’t group us together!”

“……Certainly, Ikousai still has possibility.”

Ikousai wasn’t just a mere loser. She was the contractor of that Susanoo.

Susanoo had the special authority as a semi-chief god. The <Power of Usurpation>――it could plunder even the greatest possession of the King she defeated, their authority.

She failed to defeat Kazuki and steal Amaterasu’s power but…….

Depending on the way she acted……this girl might also produce interesting Chaos.

If Hel was also going to do something together with Ikousai, that was also interesting.

“Even if you say that you won’t follow my instruction, perhaps the entrance into Atlantis will be limited. It’s not a place where outsiders can enter freely. That’s why, you two come along together with me until the first entrance. Do whatever you like from there.”

Hel nodded briefly to that.

But Loki held Hel’s shoulder in his arm and whispered into her ear softly.

“……However absolutely don’t approach Hrotsvit.”

“Didn’t you just say do whatever you like just now?”

“Hrotsvit is a type of enemy that you absolutely mustn’t challenge from the front. Without using someone well as a sacrificial pawn for shield, that woman might destroy a whole force by herself alone. Seriously. I’ll do it without a hitch. That’s why you absolutely musn’t get near.”

“……”

Hel nodded a little then shook off Loki.

“Papa won’t save you after all.”

“Isn’t that what papa always does anyway!”

In the end Hel returned an angry yell and left while pulling Ikousai’s hand. Just before she left, Hel turned about and looked over the people gathering at the audience hall. And then the door closed with a loud noise.

‘……Well, the fun just keeps increasing.

Uncertain factor……I’ll also hold expectations to those guys’ rampage.’

Finished with the explanation of each force, Loki clapped both his hands loudly *pan!*

“Now then, finally the final decisive battle we have been waiting for has begun. The mythologies that had diverged into several during the long history of mankind, and possibly Chaos, will compete against each other for the seat of the top without equal. For the sake of leading all the people in the world by ourselves……or possibly for the sake of dying this world with chaos……. If the Order somewhere win through this, this might become the last war of mankind. Eternal peace will arrive. If Chaos becomes the one who wins through this, perhaps a future where nothing but war is waitin’ for us will come. Eternal conflict will arrive. As expected even this me cannot imagine what will happen in this battle, I also cannot make this battle go just as I wanted it. Now, whether it will be god or demon that come out, how about we try throwing the dice huh.”

“Excited aren’t you.” Ilyailiya said so while clapping her hands.

“Hel……did you memorize the faces of the China knight order’s fellows inside the audience hall?”

Ikousai who exited into the corridor whispered to Hel.

“Yes, I obtained the acquaintance of all of them.”

“With the nature of Fu Xi’s ability……there should be death happening when the time comes.”

Inside the darkness of the corridor, Ikousai’s eyes shined fiercely. That was a glint similar like what appeared in Clark’s eyes where she was doing [the battle of the weak].

“It will be great if I can save my divinity until that time though……”

Hel murmured weakly.

“Then you stay inside me for a while.”

Weak Diva could fasten the recovery of their divinity by staying inside a human.

Hel released her materialization and returned to Astrum. And then from Astrum she entered Ikousai’s mind.

“……Gu, uuuuu!!”

Ikousai fell on her knee while groaning.

Inside Ikousai there was already Susanoo who was a Diva with divinity status of a semi-chief god. With Hel who although weakened was a powerful Diva entering there, Ikousai received intense burden and pressure.

Her subconscious was vanishing……. The inside of her head was……her consciousness became full.

That was something terrifying. The inside of her head became like it was constantly overheated.

{……Are you okay?} Hel asked anxiously through telepathy.

“I’m fine……I will……defeat Hayashizaki Kazuki……”

The consciousness overflowing inside her head was all dyed in a color of a single emotion.

That was――the [tenacity to be the strongest].

‘I……still haven’t lost yet…….’

Part 3

At that time――Regina was drowning deeper and deeper inside Dover Strait.

Just when she thought her consciousness was getting far away from the surging waves of attack magic, when she noticed, she was inside the sea.

She unconsciously flapped her limbs. Her consciousness was dim and she couldn’t operate her magic power well, her limbs got tangled. Precious air was leaking out in bubbles from her mouth.

‘……I’m drowning!

……What’s the meaning of this! I’m going to die! This me!?

If I actually don’t recover my consciousness just for several more hours……!!’

The inside of her mind was dyed in understanding, the hair on her whole body stood on its end. ‘How unsightly!’

Loki and his group, the forces of Chaos attacked the British Museum and stole the inheritance of Basileus Basilleon as they pleased. Regina then went out to pursue them unable to let them get away.

Naturally she thought that Hrotsvit was also beside her in pursuit of Loki.

But――even though Hrotsvit was accompanying her until the middle of the way, she suddenly said as if her mind was changed,

“If I think about it, I have fulfilled my promise and there is no meaning in doing this.”

She murmured that and made a U-turn, leaving Regina behind.

Regina who became alone was then rained down by concentrated attacks from Fu Xi, Ilyailiya, and Loki like a mothking that rushed into a flame. Such thing could be thought of as the most severe concentrated attack in the world.

Even the [Kithemonikos Aegis] of Regina was smashed down, and after a moment that was like hell――Regina sunk into the sea.

By no means all of her magic power was used up. Her consciousness getting far away was nothing more than a temporary shock due to the intense mental burden on her.

She still……had little remaining magic power.

If she floated up from now on, she would still make it.

She was unsure whether she could continue fighting but…….

She couldn’t stay like this! How could she let those guys return back without her wiping out her disgrace!

While rage was seething through her whole body, Regina flapped her limbs.

Her limbs were tangled. Her magic power still wouldn’t operate well. Her whole body was cold as if she was freezing. How could inside the sea be this cold!

It wasn’t like all of her magic power was completely used up, so anyway first she needed to calm down…….

The moment she thought that, Regina’s head suddenly cooled down.

No, her head was freezing over.

Was it thanks to the sea water actually cooling her head? For Regina who had lived until now as an absolute ruler following her emotions, this was the first time she was experiencing this.

‘……I was about to die…….’

Until now Regina would react to anything humiliating that happened to her with rage.

But now, for the first time since she was born Regina was facing her humiliation while calm.

There were also things in this world that wouldn’t go just like she wanted it…….

Right now, what would happen if she rose to the surface and pursued after those three driven by her rage?

Her magic power was already exceedingly consumed.

Far from restoring her honor, she would only get more humiliation heaped up on her by doing that.

Suddenly the expression of Hrotsvit when she left her rose inside her mind. That female fox……wasn’t she making an expression that seemed to say “it will be a profit if Regina gets defeated here”?

There would be only one force that could win through until the end. In the first place the alliance between Italia and Germany was only something temporary.

Even so, for Regina who considered Chaos as an enemy even more than others, she believed in Hrotsvit.

That as the same Kings of Order, they would fight Chaos side by side.

Hrotsvit――didn’t think of anything except of how to erase the forces other than hers effectively.

She left while directing a mocking laugh towards Regina who believed that surely they would fight together.

‘…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..I’ll kill her.’

That wasn’t something like a seething rage, but a sharp hate that was like absolute zero.

No matter how many people she had felt angry at, for Regina this was the first time she hated someone.

What she should do wasn’t rising to the surface driven by her anger like this.

Regina stopped moving her limbs and drifted inside the cold sea like a jellyfish.

She created oxygen using magic power and she racked her brain. At the bottom of the deep sea, she was pondering deeply――.

{Just pretend to die like this.}

Regina thought up an idea that was really fresh for someone like her.

‘If I pretended to die just like this, Loki, Fu Xi, and Ilyailiya would surely think that I had died by drowning unsightly like this.

What humiliation――no, don’t get angry, think without anger.’

The information of Regina’s drowning would immediately spread into the other countries.

To that……would Arthur Basileus hold doubt about it?

That guy wouldn’t doubt it.

“That highly proud Regina, she won’t even think of something like pretending to be dead.”

He should be thinking like that.

No, that was wrong, he would be thinking like this……

“For that impulsive simpleton with a single cell brain Regina to think of playing dead, that’s impossible.”

……In the past, didn’t that Arthur sometimes showed a hint of sarcastic derision towards this Regina? Now in this situation when she looked back ‘……that guy was looking down on this me.’

Conversely, that time when that Hayashizaki Kazuki escaped this Regina with his quick wit, since then she felt like Arthur was keeping an eye to Hayashizaki Kazuki.

‘I think nothing of Hayashizaki Kazuki’s actions except as [the desperate petty tricks of the weak].

Arthur was looking down on me who was like that.

……………………………………………………………………….After Hrotsvit, I’ll kill that guy next.

But……I mustn’t be angry.

Fine then, this Regina Olympia Fornar……from now on I’ll betray the expectations of you bastards, acting not with seething rage but with cold hatred!

Hrotsvit, Arthur, Hayashizaki Kazuki, after that of course those bunches belonging under Chaos……no matter what kind of method I use, all of you bastards, I’ll massacre you all!

That’s right, I won’t pick my methods. From now on I won’t think it’s humiliating no matter what kind of method I use.

Let’s recognize it, I am an emotional human.

But……I’m not a fool.

To all of you it’s not rage, know that I am a human that can also brandish cunning hatred!’

That could be said as the greatest incident in Regina’s life. If in the case that there would be a [Biography of Regina] coming out in the future, surely this event would be written as the greatest turning point of the tale.

She thought of such while drifting slowly inside the sea.

The great Basileus Regina, decided to [play dead].

“Regina-sama! Regina-sama……!!”

A deep voice filled with magic power was reverberating inside the sea.

To that voice was of a girl she was really familiar with, Regina’s bloodthirsty heart relaxed in relief.

‘The owner of this voice is the exact opposite of those bunches, she respected this me from her heart.

Vera Garibaldi――my right hand.’

She had never thought of this girl this preciously until now.

The girl’s shadow was floating from the other side of the blue water, Regina was waiting while her heart was beating fast.

And then finally, when the shadow of her beloved aide became visible, Regina yelled.

“Vera! Listen, the Regina Olympia Fornar that you know is dead!!”

“Eh……eeh? Wha, what’s with that?”

Vera replied with a bewildered voice that drew away in amazement. But there was not even a speck of negative emotion in her voice.

She is going to say something outrageous again……Vera was only drawing back from being cautious of that.

She would follow Regina even to the depths of hell even while making a fed-up face. That was the kind of aide she was.

Vera who was contracted with <Poseidon> was swimming until Regina’s side with her body transformed into the figure of an elegant mermaid. Towards such a girl, Regina spoke in admonishment.

“The me that you know well has died. From now on I will become Regina Olympia Fornar that laid up strategy. Do you understand what I mean?”

“I don’t understand at all……. Haven’t I told you Regina-sama to please stop acting with your emotions and impulses since a long time ago. Just what are you saying after all this time.”

Now that she mentioned it, Vera had been admonishing her since the past.

Regina was reflecting on her past self that until now had never tried to listen to that at all.

“Honestly, I’m sorry.”

“Regina-sama is apologizing!? That Regina-sama is!”

The eyes of Vera behind her glasses turned round like a coin and screamed as though the heaven and earth had been overturned.

“Vera. Those bunches above are surely thinking that I’m drowning and died unsightly. I’m making use of that foolish misunderstanding and acting decisively of playing dead.”

“Eh……playing dead? Eeh? Tha, that Regina-sama is!?”

“That’s right. And then when those guys forget me……they will receive a surprise attack from Regina Olympia Fornar who was thought to be dead. Receiving Zeus’s ultimate attack when they are defenseless, I will carve my true greatness into their hearts while sinking those guys not into the sea but into death. ……A playing dead this terrifying has never existed in any age and place.”

“That’s right isn’t it, I think so. ……Imagining it, this is just too shocking that my legs are going to give out. Even if my dead grandpa suddenly appeared in front of my eyes, it won’t be as shocking as this.”

“Don’t group me together with your grandfather.”

Regina turned her face away in a huff.

“Are you putting this me, the absolute King, on the same rank with your dead grandfather?”

“I, I’m sorry I’m sorry! ……But he was a really nice grandfather.”

“I see I see, an absolute grandfather huh.”

“I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry-!!”

“Well, it doesn’t matter I guess.” Regina was satisfied with the panicked Vera and faced her once more.

Their respective expressions naturally slackened down.

“It will absolutely go well. After all there is no master at the level of Regina-sama in transformation magic.”

Correct, she couldn’t transform into another human, but if it was limited to other natural objects.

“……Drifting away from the abyss blooming in this ocean area, Blue Divine BloomingKyuranoeides Metamorphosis!!”

Together with the chant of the spell, Regina’s whole body was shining inside the blue sea and swelled out. Vera took distance from that phenomenon in fluster. The swelling out Regina transformed into a giant whale.

Regina who transformed into a whale had the magic power enveloping her body thinning down before it vanished altogether. The composition of Regina’s flesh changed completely into a whale’s. Once she changed she could maintain the function of the body as a whale without using magic power.

Like this no matter what kind of magician it was, they wouldn’t be able to see through that the true identity of this whale was Regina.

“I will lay low in the sea for a while. While I’m not there, you play the act of succeeding as the King.”

“Yes, I understand! ……Hiding in the sea, won’t Regina-sama get hungry?”

“I’ll eat plankton.” Regina opened her big mouth.

“As expected of Regina-sama! How does it taste!?”

“Salty. Be careful Vera. The enemies are……unexpectedly strong and cunning.”

“That’s really something if Regina-sama spoke until that far, I will keep it in my heart.”

Feeling reassured by Vera’s sharp reply, the giant whale swam away.

However it suddenly stopped swimming and turned back again to Vera.

“……By the way, why are you swearing loyalty to me?”

“Eh? Because there is no one as worthy as the contractor of Zeus like the proud and beautiful Regina-sama.”

“Good reply. Excellent, we are going to triumph together!”

“What is Regina-sama saying after all this time……”

Regina was satisfied and swam away from that sea area.

After she was at a distance from Vera, her heart that had become at ease got on edge once more, burning in resolve.

‘Those looking down on this me who is together with Zeus will absolutely not be forgiven…….

All of them will prostrate themselves at the bottom of hell even deeper than the depth of this sea……!’

Part 4

There was only little time left to spend in Las Vegas――.

{There will surely be an explanation so wait for a while.} Obeying Arthur’s words, Kazuki was preparing to return back to Japan while spending his remaining time in Las Vegas preciously.

And then a few days later, at a certain time, when he returned to his room from outside and put his hand on the doorknob, he noticed that a strange light was leaking out from the gap of the door.

Just when he thought it was a red light, it changed into pink before changing into green.

Strange rainbow light. He had never seen this kind of magic power light, but he couldn’t think that it was artificial light.

Kazuki readied <Ame no Murakumo> hanging on his waist. While mentally preparing himself to draw it out anytime, he opened the door.

Inside the room――a [mysterious person] emitting the light of a rainbow was waiting for him.

“Yo” That guy was smiling at him.

His smooth silver hair that was like a pearl was reflecting his rainbow light dazzlingly.

His handsome look didn’t look like a man or a woman.

Neutral……no, perhaps he should say it transcended that kind of thing, he looked completely like a religious painting just by smiling.

Kazuki was charmed for a moment before returning to his senses immediately, next he felt eeriness.

Just who was this guy.

In contrast with his unrealistic look, he was wearing really normal clothes.

Shirt and jacket, denim pants and leather shoes. It was a stylish outfit that was just really natural.

“I like the clothes of around this era. Correctly old things are eternally new.”

He said that naturally. The way he talked was very fluent.

“It’s unacceptable for synthetic fibers to be mixed into shirts and jacket. It makes the texture and gloss unnatural and you can immediately feel it you see. Wool, cotton, linen, silk……even just with natural material you can make a wide range of textures. Things like shape memory is unneeded.”

The guy continued to talk like a torrent.

“I bought these [jeans] in Japan’s Okayama. The traditional way of making it is inherited until now without change in the city called Kojima. What is called jeans is actually inconveniently and incompletely magnificent. The fabric called [Kibada] is stiff and hard to wear, the same as from long ago, its surface will immediately become fluffy, when it is washed it will be twisted and shrunk down. However, when it is worn it will fit you like your own skin. The indigo blue dye will easily fall off if the fiber is rubbed. However that color loss will become an interesting pattern that is like the symbol of one’s way of living. It’s actually imperfect but……that imperfection is beautiful.”

……Just what was this guy talking about?

The content of his talk was trivial, but his voice was smooth and gentle like silk.

“These leather shoes are also like that. Chromium tanning that processes animal hides using chemicals has an extremely stable nature. In contrast to that, traditional tannin tanning that processes the hide using plants is actually unstable. It will make a stain if it gets wet with water, it will easily get scratched, and it will change color because of the sunlight. All the more it’s excessive to color if using dye instead of colorants. But when it’s used for a long time with affection, deep gloss will rise to the surface on the transparent hue, letting out peerless flavor. This much incompleteness is lovely. Personally it’s unpleasant for it to get higher or lower than this. ……Do you understand what it is that I want to say?”

Just when he started only half listening to the talk, a question that was like a surprise attack came.

“……That you are a fashionable person in the obsessed camp?”

“What I’m saying is that a culture of this level is the most balanced for mankind. There is no need to look for more than this level right? It’s imperfect but, it’s fantastic. Correctly old things are eternally new. Many Mythologies carry out the doctrine of [retrogression of the arrogant science culture] but……how much retrogression is just right do you think? ……This table is also good isn’t it.”

The mysterious person caressed lovingly at the table put beside the bed.

“Pure wooden board that is shining from its grain pattern is made into a tabletop just like that. This is rosewood I think? This is an excellent wood that is extolled as the gem of woods since time immemorial. It also has carving performed delicately on it. You can feel the respect to nature and the earnest hard work of its craftsman. Its price is no less than a few million yen. This kind of furniture with pure wood like this is a high class item right now after all. ……Just look at the example of Easter Island, the reckless deforestation of lumber there completely destructed the foundation of the land. Just like the skin of an old woman that neglected her skincare since she was young, the land completely lost its water retention ability and its nutrition. Mankind has increased too much that pure furniture doesn’t spread to all households.”

The mysterious person moved his gaze to the high class speaker put inside the room this time.

“This is a pointless technology that I don’t understand the meaning of it. I think it’s better to frequently go to a concert instead of using the money to buy this though. I think there is no mysteriousness in it when they say the sound of the audio changes based on the quality of the electricity and the cord but……I wonder if the place of the obsession is not strange?”

“……Are you the editor of natural lifestyle magazine or something?”

Kazuki asked while getting stumped on the sense of values appeal that wasn’t to the point at all.

“If it’s a magazine then I have read a lot while standing in convenience stores though. Let’s see, my favorite magazine is……”

“First introduce your name to me.”

“Hahaha, I am Basileus Basileon.”

Kazuki had that hunch already…….

“You had expected my visit right? You heard about me from that obediently cute Arthur.”

“You are even said to be an alchemist that was greatly active ten-odd years ago, so I imagined you as an old man.”

“Age huh. You, do I look like a human?”

Not at all…….

But if he thought more about it, that was something mysterious.

Mankind was granted with the sense of magic power due to the alchemist Basileus Basileon and then they encountered Divas. If that Basileus Basileon wasn’t human, then what did that mean? ……From whom did humanity obtained their magic power?

“I came to explain the game.”

While saying that, Basileus Basileon struck his fist into the speaker and smashed it with breaking sound.

“You are destroying that meaninglessly!?”

He reflexively retorted.

“Don’t put a damper on my story, shut up and listen here.”

Basileus Basileon made a sullen face.

‘No, certainly you are going to talk about something important after this but, what’s this!?’

But, anyway……just like Arthur said [that time] had come. He understood that.

“After this the decisive battle will start. For the sake of deciding the supreme Mythology, the Mythology Grand Wargreat Ragnarok!”

The guy heightened his voice as though pulling himself together.

“Possibly the Chaos will be fighting hard in order to smash up all that. Let me once again declare that they too are an official participant. Now then, rules are needed in the Ragnarok. However, so that it won’t be too advantageous for Order, undoubtedly there are also loopholes. What is called a rule is that kind of thing.”

Game and rules, the ring of those words that sounded like playing around slightly rubbed Kazuki the wrong way.

However, so that Kazuki didn’t miss even a single word, he focused his ears.

“First the stage of the battle is of course on that Atlantis. You the King of a civilized country has confirmed that Atlantis is covered by a wall right? It was supposed to be impossible to land there by sea and also by sky. But actually, there are eight gates in that wall.

Kazuki’s eyes slightly opened wide.

“You didn’t notice that? Well of course you didn’t notice, I’m hiding it. These gates are so to speak the admission gates. Each gate can be passed by one force. However America is already considered a failure. One gate can be passed through until there are a hundred people. The gate will measure the magic power wave of the humans passing through it and record it, with that function this rule cannot be tricked. It’s also impossible to destroy the gate. After all those gates were created by the father of alchemy……this Basileus Basileon.”

“But you said just now that there are loopholes in the rules though.”

“I don’t mind if you think that there is no such thing in these gates. Of course you are free to pointlessly attempt it. Let’s move on to the next, next.”

Basileus immediately warded off Kazuki’s provocative question.

“Which one is Japan’s gate among the eight gates? I cannot teach you that beforehand. When the times come, you will be naturally guided there. It won’t be that far off. And then the inside of Atlantis is enshrouded by a thick magic power cloud, it will become impossible to communicate using mechanical devices. For example even if you make Arthur carry a communication device, you won’t be able to contact her in the actual place. It’s not like it’s impossible if you use magical methods of contact, but I guess it will be quite hard. In other words, what I’m saying is that there are almost no methods to know which force goes through which gate and where they are currently. You guys seem to have formed an alliance with each force, but at the start time I’ll reset it all.”

“Why is that necessary?”

“Because it’s exactly in the situation where there is no script that the true nature of you guys will come to the surface. Well these are all the rules. Enter through the decided place at the decided time. Then I want you to freely fight after that. But perhaps even with just this, the development won’t be going exactly as how you are thinking it would be.”

Kazuki fell into his thought on the spot. ……He had to think of every kind of development possible.

“If you continue to only think without continuing our conversation I will leave without telling you anything else and that would be lonely.”

“If someone wins this battle, what will they obtain?”

Kazuki immediately returned a question.

Somehow he was swallowed into a battle where it looked like he was absolutely required to participate but, if the [prize] was something that didn’t matter even if the other Kings or Loki got their hands on it, then saying it shouldn’t really matter to him.

Before talking about the rules, he needed to know about the objective of the battle he got dragged into.

“Currently, almost the entirety of the [illusion] of all lives is being concentrated into seven Mythologies. The defeated Mythology will have that illusion which is their power of existence plundered from them where it will be handed to the hands of the victor. The weak Mythologies that don’t participate in Ragnarok will be naturally dismantled by the existence of the absolute winner and get absorbed.”

“The power of existence of all the Mythologies……is that something like a vast amount of magic power?”

“Wrong, it’s the <ultimate illusion>. All the illusion of all life-forms will be unified into one. All the illusions of lives, ideals, dreams that are connected in Astrum will be united under that Mythology and made to hold faith in it. So to speak, they will obtain in their hands the <soul of the world>. The dimension is different than something like obtaining a vast power. To say it in an easy way to understand, the right to decide the general framework of all life and rule it will be entrusted to the Mythology that wins. For example, it can even overturn the theory of evolution.”

“Theory of evolution?”

“For example if Italy wins this battle, mankind will be created by Prometheus from clay by Zeus’s command. If Germany wins, mankind will be created from driftwood by Odin. Mankind won’t be something evolved from monkeys.”

“……Then reality, will become the Mythology itself?”

“That’s not accurate I think. There won’t be any change occurring at the currently present material world itself. However all the origin will transform and the premise will change. Your sense of values will be naturally rewritten. You capture the root of the world, you rule over the mental world.”

It was a story that was really abstract that it was hard to understand.

But if a human that wasn’t of Order Side obtained that, what would happen?

“What will happen if I win?”

“Both Solomon 72 Pillars and Japan Mythology doesn’t have the will to change the appearance of humans. Then you can do as you please with the illusion of the world. You can make it into your own ideal. Like if you do guide the hearts of all humans like this then the world will be a better place……you can rule over the mental world as a King.”

“……I’ll vomit. I don’t wish for something like that.”

The unpleasant feeling that he always felt until now when he was called as <King>――felt like it was becoming the largest lump that attacked him.

However he had anticipated this.

Just as he anticipated……’I am going to be made to participate in a worthless battle.’

And then this guy’s, this attitude of his that was enjoying this really touched his nerve.

“Then your objective is to maintain the current situation. Personally that’s a future that I don’t wish for the most, that kind of victory of yours. After all the situation became like this because that kind of mistake in the past, see.”

“Something like absolute rule is unneeded in the world! All lives, should have the strength to freely go against one’s own destiny!”

“Don’t you think that those words of yours are also too severe? Freedom and strength……those are not something light that all humans can easily shoulder you know.”

There were also humans that thought that being ruled over was comfortable…….

There were also times where one wanted to cling on order and faith…….

The fear of walking through a world where there was nothing certain…….

Even so Kazuki talked back.

“Certainly it might be a heavy burden. But those are something that should be shouldered by the help of the comrades around you. If all humans can take each other’s hands then……”

“I don’t think that humans can do that.”

Basileus Basileon shook his head.

“You can look back at the old era of the world. 19th Century……20th century……the beginning of 21st Century……the age where mankind was liberated from Mythology. The age just before the Divas once more showed their appearance. That period……this star fell ill and wasted away. Economies had met their limits. The people were hunted down by unmanageable dangerous technology and the exploitation of the weak. Desires were blooming, inequality was running rampant, the weak envied the wealthy, they despaired, escaped into a distorted faith and turned to terrorism. ……It’s unexpected for me that right now this country doesn’t become a religious country. Even though Japan should be wishing for the object to depend on at that time……”

For Kazuki who didn’t live in that era, he was unable to affirm or deny it.

“It was a hopeless century where one couldn’t see the future. That was why mankind had to return to the ideal state……the era where they were guided by Mythology.”

“The way you say that, isn’t it like saying that originally mankind was ruled by Mythology?”

“Originally it was like that you know. Monkeys evolved into humans and obtained the intelligence to imagine illusions. Guided by the gods born inside their heart from the illusions, humans built up prosperity. However……while here and there mankind was prospering on this small earth, mankind conflicted with their fellow humans. Conflict between fellow people who held different faith occurred. Yes, this is not the first Ragnarok. It was once carried out already. ……Generally it’s the past that was exactly the same as the Christian Era.”

Before ChristBC……? No, if he talked about the past that was exactly the same as the Christian Era……the first year?

“If in the past there was also Ragnarok carried out, why wasn’t the ultimate illusion created there?”

If Ragnarok had been carried out once and the Mythologies were unified into one there, then Ragnarok shouldn’t be carried out again for the second time.

But in reality, there were many Mythologies scattered everywhere.

“That’s because the previous Ragnarok ended in a bad way. Due to that there is the current imperfect world. Of all things there was no victor that came out in the previous Ragnarok. It was a grand simultaneous defeat.”

Simultaneous defeat……because it was a fight, so naturally that kind of result could possibly happen.

“The detail is like this. Ten Mythologies battled each other, among them seven Mythologies dropped out first. And then none of the remaining three Mythologies would surrender and in the end of a severe conflict, it became a simultaneous defeat. As a last resort those three Mythologies became <The Three Great Mythologies> and they tried to divide the world and rule it. But that was a foolish [compromise]. An order that couldn’t unify all mankind into one wasn’t an order. The result where they simultaneously defeated each other was already a disorder. Furthermore originally the supreme Mythology would completely take in the [ultimate illusion] and recovered the wound they bore in Ragnarok with that. But each of the Three Great Mythologies could only obtain [a third of the illusion], they couldn’t even recover themselves enough. It was the beginning of an imperfect history by the three wounded orders. At first they were leading mankind well. However, they gradually became unable to guide the people. One by one following the history people abandoned their faith, choosing a selfish way of life without direction……like that they reached the old era.”

“……And you are saying that’s the present era?”

“The history where mankind developed their ideology and scientific civilization freely was the history of the Three Great Gods’ weakening. Originally it should be a development that shouldn’t be allowed.”

Kazuki pictured in his head the human history that had been handed down until now as best as he could.

“There is no contradiction right?”

Contradiction…….

“Right now the three great gods are completely falling asleep.”

“Those three great gods are……”

“Let’s stop raising their name. After all calling the name……that’s also a form of faith. On the other hand the seven Mythologies that were defeated early were vanishing from people’s heart little by little. The weak Mythologies that were dismantled and absorbed were also the same. But that doesn’t mean that they were completely forgotten. That’s why when the three great gods fell asleep after a long vain struggle and two thousand years passed, the other Mythologies awoke first.”

“Are you saying, that the Mythologies that the current seven magic advanced countries revered were those seven Mythologies that were defeated previously?”

“Generally it’s like that. ……However the coexistence of the puny Japan Mythology in the backwater that was distanced from the imperfect rule of the three grand Mythologies with Solomon Mythology that achieved a puzzling transformation with [something that is strangely different from faith], then something with an unclear meaning like American Justice that was born for the first time, there were also various irregulars like these though. And then with a certain incident as the impetus, those Mythologies achieved complete revival inside humanity’s heart.”

“Incident?”

“In front of the mankind who was looking for something to rely on after being confronted with the limit of the development of science and free economy and came to an impasse, this me made an appearance.”

The alchemist Basileus Basileon.

Certainly the world was thrown into wild enthusiasm towards this character.

“The people who had long lost the guidance of the three grand Mythologies were greatly excited from looking at the supernatural power I possessed. For them it was an [unscientific miracle] that they witnessed after a long time. And then when they heard the fraud that they could obtain the same power by being given the Philosopher’s Stone, mankind was delighted that they could progress once more.”

“Fraud you say?”

“The Philosopher’s Stone is only something that gives a little shock to the mind. It doesn’t give people magic power, magic power is a power that humans have. It is simply dormant. However, because the three great gods exhausted their power, people stopped believing in mystery and they blinded themselves to the existence of magic power inside themselves. That was why I made people remember that [mystery exists in the world], granting shock ‘bam!’ to the mind using Philosopher’s Stone and then said [okay, with this you are awakened to magic power~], like that people could be released from the seal of the power of mystery once more. ……That hailed in concert with the seven Mythologies that was in the process of revival, and the people were reunited with Divas.”

This guy by no means created something.

However this guy was rotating the gears of destiny clatteringly.

The true trickster that surpassed even Loki……

“……Who are you?”

“I introduced myself just now right? Basileus Basileon. If it’s too long for you, then call me Bass.”

“Basileon……”

“Well, you can call me that too……”

“You……what kind of existence are you?”

He understood that this guy wasn’t human.

“Are you a surviving Diva that wasn’t taken into the ultimate illusion at the previous Ragnarok……?”

“Hee, your guess is good.”

But if he was a Diva, why could he make an appearance in a materialized figure like it was nothing in an era where there was no magic?

“I am a Diva that belonged under one of the three great Mythologies however……I hadn’t in the least the intention of wanting to guide humans. That was why when the battle of the three great Mythologies got complicated where they looked equal, I judged that [like this it won’t get settled huh] and played dead to abandon the battle. And then when the stage reached where the three great Mythologies defeated each other and they were going to share the final illusion, I returned back with innocent look and pilfered a part of the illusion.”

Basileon chuckled while saying “It’s okay to say that thanks to me pilfering the illusion the three great Mythologies became incomplete.”

“The other three great Mythologies used their share of illusion to guide the people but……I used the illusion to materialize myself. And then I waited until the time was ripe for the Ragnarok to be carried out once more. I bought jeans, I read while standing in convenience stores, I was waiting while enjoying the present age in my own way. ……And then when the three great gods fell asleep, I succeeded the earnest feeling and the last power of the three great gods to [do Ragnarok one more time]. Though surely they didn’t want to be succeeded by me of all people though.”

The last power……this Diva was in possession of rainbow magic power.

It was something special that was different than other Divas.

“Choosing to materialize, isn’t that completely like the Diva of Chaos Side like Loki and the others……”

“I guess. So to speak perhaps I am the existence that founded the way of living that is called as Chaos. Until then there was no Diva that was thinking of wanting to materialize. Hmm, perhaps I was the one that caused the materialization boom among those Chaos bunch.”

Basileon tilted his head with acting gesture. Even though he was supposed to talk about the truth of the world without any falsehood……whether it was his figure or behavior or the way he talked, all of him smelled of lies.

“……Actually in the Ragnarok of the previous era there was no way of living called [Chaos]. For example even that Loki was a member of Norse Mythology, Prometheus was also a member of Greek Mythology. Of course they were made to have a falling out with their comrades and then got crushed right away though. During the continuous two thousand years of the three great Mythologies’ rule, [negative concept in mythology] that is Chaos was clearly taking shape. And then the Divas were leaning to the sides, whether they were Order or Chaos. But I was already materialized then, so I kept sticking to the primitive way of life. I got an aspect that is like Chaos but I also got an aspect that is like Order. I’m like an angel but I’m also like a demon……I’m complicated like a maiden’s heart. Eh, don’t I seem like a human then?”

“What is your own objective then?”

“Objective huh……. Having Ragnarok happen itself is also fun but……I don’t really have any wish to proactively make the world become like this or that. But what I clearly want is……I want for humans to be ruled by Divas forever. I don’t care whether it’s by Order or Chaos, I want there to be a clear victor of Ragnarok. In other words it’s something like that……I want humans to continuously be the toys of Divasus for eternity.”

Kazuki put his hand on the katana on his waist and unsheathed it. With the force of an explosion of the things that kept piling up inside himself while they were talking, a silver flash ran out from his sheath――,

“UWaah!?”

His Iai draw was blocked by Basileon’s palm. The rainbow magic power that Basileon emitted solidified on his palm which pushed back the blade as a repellent force.

“You are fast just like the rumors. I thought that I might not be able to block that one and got done in just now. ……Are you not even thinking that Ragnarok will come into nothing if you kill me here? I thought that you aren’t a reckless human that will attack an unknown opponent without any plan though. Do you have something that you cannot stomach from me?”

“You aren’t even Order or Chaos but……you are the worst kind of evil.”

Without even fighting, he was only playing around.

He had to fight this guy, such thinking was driving on Kazuki.

Kazuki’s Ame no Murakumo and Basileon’s palm, both were not moving as if freezing in place.

Basileon answered calmly.

“I see, so that’s how I look looking from a human’s viewpoint. I wonder if I should take this as a war declaration. But there is no way me who is the manager can fight the King. This rainbow magic power is the power of [the manager’s authority] you see. This power that is handed over from the sleeping three great Mythologies cannot be used for the sake of fighting you.”

Rainbow light was emitted from Basileon’s back. The light converged into several, turning into twelve wings. Those were pure white feathers like that of an angel.

“To the height of heaven that should be myself……transfer. Morning Star is Morning Star is Shining HereShining All the More.”

Without even any time to make sure of the true identity of the angel feathers, the rainbow magic power light was increasing in brightness even more, in contrast the figure of Basileon was turning hazy inside the light and his body was fading out.

“……If I have to fight anyone, it will be after Ragnarok is over and I accomplished my role as the manager. Even so that’s only if I have anything like a reason left to fight though.”

The katana of Kazuki that was blocked passed straight through Basileon’s palm that was losing its substance. When Kazuki returned the blade back to his sheath, Basileon spoke while vanishing.

“I forgot to say the important rule. While you all were enjoying vacation in an extravagant ship and America, the height of summer had completely passed through. And then about the time of the Ragnarok that we are looking forward to……it doesn’t really matter when to carry it out but, I think of doing it at the first of September, right after the end of summer holiday. Actually I wanted to do it at the World Population Day of eleventh July but, it took quite some time for you to become King, then the King of Italia looks like she is in quite a mess that’s why it become quite delayed. Well then, please come right at noon on the first of September of the local time at the coastal waters of Atlantis.”

“……”

“Your face looks like it’s telling me to just get lost quickly isn’t it. Well then, I think it’s better for you to raise the positivity level with your girls as best you can until the decided date. Good bye!”

The figure of Basileon that was left half-bakedly finally disappeared after leaving those words behind.

“Leme……”

Inside the room where only he was left alone, Kazuki called out to the existence residing inside himself.

“What do you think about it?”

Leme answered inside Kazuki’s head without materializing.

{Because the understanding of you my contractor has deepened, Leme also feels the territory that Leme can speak in this world over here spreading……Though it’s not anything significant because it’s Leme’s really personal matter.}

Leme’s voice resounded with a calm tone that was unusual for her.

{We were once employed by a guy called King Solomon and developed the ancient Israel, obtaining a lot of believers from that achievement, we participated in the previous Ragnarok, however we were defeated.}

“……Even though it was said that the other Mythologies were guiding people, but you were employed by humans?”

{That is not something pathetic. The essence of Leme and the other pillars is “helping out humanity”. That’s why we are affected by the humans even deeper compared to the Divas of other Mythologies and cooperated with the country building of Solomon. Because that was fun, we thought that things like victory or defeat didn’t matter.}

“King Solomon, he was a good guy huh.”

{He felt like a father though. That guy was a man so his magic power wasn’t strong, he also wasn’t good with sword skills like you. So in the first place he wasn’t suited as a fighting partner in Ragnarok. But what that guy was doing seemed interesting so Leme became that guy’s ring.} [TN ring as in wife or power? Or both?]

So in the first place she was already mistaken in the personnel selection.

{Speaking about it in the first place, Leme and the other pillars whose true essence is helping humanity are existences that are not suited for something like Ragnarok. Leme doesn’t want anything like faith from humans. Leme doesn’t have the least bit of desire of wanting to become an existence that is more splendid than the other Mythologies.}

“Then why did you choose me?”

{Leme……}

Leme murmured words that were colored with the weight of several thousand years.

{Leme likes humans, for sure. Leme’s wish……is only wanting to become human.}

Chapter 2 – Landing

Part 1

Applause welcomed Kazuki and the others.

Queen Kaguya had returned to the port of Yokohama Harbor.

Kazuki and the others that descended down the ramp were welcomed by hundreds of knights.

“Salute!”

When General Staff Headquarters Head Yamagata gave the command, the knights saluted all at once.

The sharpness of the salute of the knights in active service was on a different level.

However, Kazuki became all the more bewildered. In the first place he didn’t wish for honor or anything.

“Long time no see, President Hayashizaki.”

A single girl met him halfway from inside the saluting group of knights when he got down onto the port from the ramp. Just when he thought that there were only knights on active duty, there was a female student wearing the uniform of the Magic Department.

……Yumeno-san. Kazuki became speechless from shock.

Yumeno Shiori――from her childhood she was raised with a double personality as a spy of Chukadou, her hidden personality was possessed by a Diva of Chukadou……she was that kind of girl. An unaware spy.

For Kazuki, she was one of the opponents that he felt to be the most formidable. Rather than calling her purely strong, it was more that she was hounding on Kazuki’s weak point thoroughly. Anyways, she was a dreadful opponent.

Kazuki was unconsciously startled. Yumeno-san made a face that seemed to be shocked from his reaction.

“Pre, President Hayashizakiiii……”

“It’s fine, we have confirmed that the girl’s mind was already united. There is no danger.”

Chief Yamagata said that with a gentle smile.

If this person said so then he guessed that it was fine to be relieved.

“……I finally could accept, the reality that I was continuously pushing down my other personality. Whether it’s Kaori or the reality, right now everything is already inside me.”

Yumeno-san put her hand on her chest saying that.

Feeling of relief also welled up inside Kazuki’s chest. There was almost nothing like a [normal person] around Kazuki, but Yumeno-san was one of the girls who was put in the cruelest environment.

“With the integration of her personalities, she inherited the contract of <Baku> from [Kaori]. In other words even now she is still the double contractor of <Halphas> and <Baku>. Among the knights and students that didn’t go to America, she left behind her seniors in the dust and produced the top grades in the mock battles.”

Kazuki was greatly shocked by the things that Chief Yamagata said smoothly.

“Eh. ……Halphas and Baku, using both, strength of the top……!?”

“I’m thinking that this time for sure I will be useful for President Hayashizaki! ……Be, besides if the president conquers me, I think you will be able to use the Summoning Magic of two Divas so……this is a great bargain! Will you take it!”

Yumeno-san leaned her body forward and approached right before Kazuki.

Yumeno Shiori――70

How her number had already exceeded 65 also made Kazuki shocked.

It made him a little scared how the number went up while he hadn’t met her at all. ‘Is that positivity level properly directed at my real image……’ was what he thought.

“Which reminds me Yamagata-san. Congratulations on your promotion.”

Kazuki changed the topic of the talk and turned to Chief Yamagata.

While Kazuki was going to America, it seemed that he was promoted from vice-chief into the chief.

“Thank you. ……Even though I’m not doing anything, the achievement of your conspicuous service is all coming into my place. It’s because of the knight order’s class system that you cannot be included but, this is really troubling.”

“Rather I want you to not worry about that, I’m just a first year high school student here.”

Kazuki took a step forward from the wharf.

Thereupon all at once shouts of “KYAA―!” or “MY KING―!”, the knights――of course the majority of them were girls, were raising shrill voices.

Kazuki was unable to actually feel that the shouts were directed at him, he stood stock still with a dumbfounded face.

Everyone was an older girl, his senior, but everyone of them had a positivity level surpassing 50.

“Even without being accompanied by promotion and position, your conspicuous service has been known throughout the country.”

Chief Yamagata said.

“I heard that newspaper reporter was employed by the government’s public relations office but, was it because of that……?”

It was about that Turtle Oota who had a dispute with Kazuha-senpai once.

“I who am a newspaper committee member was also helping. After all even though he is a professional newspaper reporter, Oota-san didn’t really know about President Hayashizaki.”

Yumeno-san also smiled reservedly from the side.

“We received the report about everything that happened in America from Yagumo-kun. Your activity in America was made into an article by Oota-kun and Yumeno-kun which was then published to the public but……the two of them really wrote a gorgeous article that was filled with plenty of emotion. It was already like……”

“……Isn’t that more like a light novel rather than a report?”

Kazuki understood all the course of events and became all the more exasperated.

“Yeah. It was a light novel of a magnificent hero with a great description.”

“……I get the feeling that there was also something like this before.”

That time during the war between East Japan and West Japan, the academy newspaper that Yumeno-san handled was also reporting Kazuki’s activity to the students with quite much glorification.

The sparkling illustration of Christina Amasaki-sensei had also been burned into his brain.

At that time it was only inside the academy but, this time it was in the scale of the whole country.

“You are greatly popular throughout the country you know. The people, everyone is looking forward to the serialization. The anime was also decided already.”

“The scale is too big that it sounded like somebody’s else problem to me……”

His tale that had been completely glorified was spreading throughout the country…….

“No, just to this degree still cannot possibly convey yet just how kind, lovely, and strong President Hayashizaki is!”

Yumeno-san spoke with an intoxicated tone “The ugliness of my writing ability is hateful!” while she was writhing in agony. ‘Yumeno-san, you still don’t know that much about me do youuu…..’ such thing was what Kazuki thought inside his heart.

“I’ll help with that!” Mio came out forward without hesitation.

“Christina Amasaki-sensei! If it’s with the help of your illustration then…!!”

Both of them took each others’ hand tightly.

‘Just do whatever you please……’ Kazuki threw his hand up to the air.

“Leave drawing the penis to me!!”

Hikaru-senpai came out saying that with a crisp face.

“Please don’t draw something like that! Are you planning to turn it into something 18+!!”

The feeling to let them do whatever was retracted instantly. He couldn’t give up this.

“Drawing ability……. Even though I have the confidence if it’s illustrating a moe beautiful girl……the chance to become famous is……”

Kamimura-san was absent-mindedly whispering in regret.

“Then we just need to make the womanization!!” Lotte said energetically from the side.

“As expected from Lotte-shishou! So there is that way……!”

Lotte placed her arm on Kamimura-san’s shoulder happily and began a discussion like “If Kazuki-oniisan is a woman then……” “The size of the breast is……” whisperingly.

‘Don’t play around with me.’

“Everyone―☆ Rather than this kind of guy it’s better to make this super ultra former student council president Kanon-sama’s conspicuous service into legend―☆ UOOOOO-☆”

Kanon-senpai raised a warcry with a shrill voice while jumping up.

“……” Just when she was about to jump, right from her side Akane-senpai wordlessly kicked her.

“UOOOOOOOO-☆” Kanon-senpai fell from the wharf into the sea with a splash.

Well, if it was Kanon-senpai she would surely be okay.

Now then, just when he thought that there were all these knights welcoming him with a salute while directing sparkling eyes at him but――the hundred people lining up here weren’t mere knights.

“I picked them out just like you told me. So to speak they are the [Imperial Guard Knights].”

Was what Chief Yamagata said.

The one who could land on Atlantis was only a hundred people――that rule had also been immediately told to Japan using the communication.

Kazuki, who decided to return back to Japan requested to Chief Yamagata that he wanted him to pick a hundred knights, during the week aboard Queen Kaguya on the way returning home.

Regarding that hundred people, Kazuki requested so that [the picked candidates didn’t have overlapping contracted Divas].

He wanted to take along one contractor each of the Solomon 72 Pillars to Atlantis.

Like that it could even be said that the Diva and the contractor was in an [exclusive contract].

They should be able to invoke magic with efficiency that was near <Chouki Magician>.

71 people of Solomon Mythology’s Magika Stigma. ……Beleth didn’t have a contractor and had transformed into Kanae’s Sacred Treasure so she wasn’t included here. And then added with Kazuki, Lotte, Kazuha-senpai, Karin, Kamimura-san, Shouko and Silirat who weren’t contractors of the 72 Pillars there was a total of 78 people.

And then the most skilled swordsmen in the knight order were also picked out, the swordsmen that were equipped with Sacred Treasures including Kanae and Kohaku were 22 people――with this it was a total of a hundred people.

The knights saluting here right now weren’t merely welcoming back the return of Kazuki and the others. This was also the introduction of the King to the [Imperial Guard Knights].

……He heard that they were picked from the results of mock battle, but it was unexpected that of all things Yumeno-san was standing at the top of it.

At that time “Hyaa―hahha!!” a laughing voice without any elegance in it could be heard.

“King-sama―, we are here too ye―ah!!” “It’s only natural for us to be here too if you’re talking about elite―!”

It was a familiar voice that sounded as if the speaker was purposefully acting bad. From the crowd of knights that were lining up in good order, two delinquents were jumping up and down.

“Mi, Mibu-senpai and Asamiya-senpai!!”

“UGOGOGOBOGEeEEEEEEI!!” “NGOoOOOOEEEEEAAAAH!!”

Both of them made death voice in place of reply. It was a voice that a girl mustn’t make.

“Hii, DQN! DQN scary!!” Kamimura-san that lost her composure from the hoarse voices of the two tried to jump into the sea before she was barely caught by Kazuha-senpai into her embrace.

The two seniors were fighting together with Karin in the battle election because of dissatisfaction towards the knight academy. Their dissatisfaction had supposedly been resolved already but……he had never imagined that they would be chosen together with Yumeno-san as elites.

“Or rather you are also counting me into your number?”

Shouko who was looking at the sea with an unconcerned face suddenly turned her face at him.

“Obviously. You are already my comrade.”

Shouko leaked out “heh” chuckle. And then she walked briskly towards Kazuki.

――She kissed ‘chuu’ at Kazuki’s cheek in a surprise attack.

Kazuki’s eyes turned round from surprise and “Kyaa―!” cheers were raised from the surroundings.

“Wha―t are you surprised about huh, after all you are already used to just about this much. ……Until now you made my pace really get disarrayed. It’s annoying that its only me that kept getting surprised.”

Shouko drew back while looking satisfied at the surprised reaction of Kazuki.

Roshouko――50

The behavior of each girl was different even though their positivity level was the same but……it was just too daring to suddenly kiss the cheek like that. Was that the expression of Ryouzanpaku’s open character…….

Kazuki pulled himself together and faced the people in front of him.

The knights matched their voices in unison.

“ “ “ “We, will change our soul into magic power until the last drop and fight for the sake of the King!!” ” ” ”

Until the last drop of soul――it made him want to say that there was no need to go that far but, this would really be a battle where they were going to need to do that without any exaggeration. At the very least, that was what Kazuki would do.

“It’s not for my sake.”

But Kazuki corrected the important part.

“Let’s fight, for the sake of the world.”

The knights boarded the magic light train that was heading to the garrison, while Kazuki and group were boarding a different train that was heading to the academy. In the middle of doing that, Kazuki felt a disturbing presence at his back on the platform.

“Funh!” With such voice, someone was trying to catch Kazuki from behind by circling both arms around his body.

Kazuki lightly evaded it just before he was almost caught and turned around. The opponent was making a dissatisfied face.

“Why did you evade?”

“I got the feeling you were going to snap my back.”

It was Beatrix.

Was she trying to hug him from behind……?

Everyone other than Kazuki was in the middle of boarding onto the train, both of them remained on the platform and faced each other.

“……Even I can do something like adjusting my strength.”

Beatrix made a troubled voice as if she was being ridiculed and shrunk the distance between them. Then softly from the front she encircled both her arms around Kazuki’s waist. With a feminine strength adjustment, her body glued closely on Kazuki.

He was captured――or rather he was being fawned on. It was like she was a normal girl.

“Amu” Furthermore she bit playfully at Kazuki’s ear. Kazuki felt a shudder.

“Wha, what’s the matter so suddenly?”

“I’m not boarding this train but the train over there.” She pointed while going ‘amu amu’ on his ear.

Now that she mentioned it that was right. She had accompanied him until America but Beatrix’s temporary residence in Japan was at the knight order’s place. Besides……

“Before long the greeting from Hrotsvit-sama will come, our next meeting will be at Atlantis.”

Kazuki was also filled with a mysterious feeling and he hugged Beatrix back.

She felt really big when she was fighting but, hugging at each other from the front like this she was slightly shorter than Kazuki. The feel of her body was also unexpectedly soft. An aroma of a girl was drifting up softly from her neck.

The fair skin of the girl looked faintly red when he looked around the nape of her neck.

He once again felt for real how she was also one of the girls with whom he tied an irreplaceable bond with.

Beatrix――97

The sensation of that positivity level was thinning down little by little. He was starting to be unable to feel it. That sensation could only be felt from someone who was his [companion]. Right now, Beatrix was becoming someone who wasn’t his companion.

Even so the bond existed. That was why they could hug each other like this.

Beatrix stopped massaging Kazuki’s earlobe and whispered.

“We are going to fight for sure somewhere in Atlantis eventually.”

“Yeah.”

“If the German’s win, I’m going to bring Kazuki back to Germany for sure. That’s the style of the Vikings.”

“If I win I’ll take you then.”

Beatrix intended to always be on the side that plundered Kazuki. That was why Kazuki talked back. What was called a bond wasn’t a one-way road. It could also be used to whisper at each other of the same feeling.

“Muu” Beatrix moaned and she became even redder.

“……There is no way you can do that. The one who will win is German’s Norse Mythology.”

Beatrix that was also a pious believer talked back obstinately.

“Then until we settle the score we are rivals.”

Kazuki distanced his face just for a little and stared at Beatrix’s face. There was a girl with a beautiful face there. “……” Her face was rapidly reddening from staring at each other like this.

Because it was a beautiful face, Kazuki kissed at that red cheek with a natural movement.

He gave a light kiss. “Mu, muu……” Beatrix moaned with her skin turning red until the limit.

And then Beatrix too kissed at Kazuki’s cheek.

Then when Kazuki was going to do it one more time to get back at her, Beatrix suddenly,

“NUaAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANH!” Like that, she shook off and untangled from Kazuki.

The strength of the arm shaking him off was that of a warrior of Norse Mythology.

“IT-IS-EM-BA-RA-SS-ING!! How can you do that kind of thing so nonchalantly like that-! Because of that, farewell, Kazuki!!”

Howling that with a loud voice, she turned her back on Kazuki and rushed away with noisy stomps.

Part 2

The decisive battle would be on the first of September. Until that day――

“IT’S SU-MMER HO-LIDAYY―!”

Mio in a swimsuit yelled hysterically and stupidly.

“IT’S THE SEAA―!”

……Certainly it couldn’t be said that it wasn’t summer holiday.

The date of the decisive battle that Basileon settled for was the first of September, originally it should be the opening ceremony day of the school.

Since Yamato revolted for their independence in June, Kazuki and the others had been continuously rushing around on the battlefield without any school activity or any event at all. By the time they noticed, the start of summer holiday had already passed and right now they were in the later half of August.

Because of the kind of condition they were in, when they heard that the next battle would be in September then it was only natural that they got in the mood for the summer holiday until the time came.

Although they had already spent quite some time playing around like aboard the luxurious ship or in Las Vegas.

Liz Liza-sensei also said that a little change of pace was fine, so Kazuki and the others stopped on their way from Yokohama Port at a beach swimming area.

“Because this is my first summer holiday since I became a high school student you know!?” Mio said.

“Just what is different compared to the summer holiday in middle school?” Koyuki tilted her head.

“It’s di-ffe-rent-! Of course it’s completely different, the youth is just on another level!”

Kazuki and Koyuki tilted their heads together while saying “I don’t understand” “I don’t get it”.

Kamimura-san poked *tsun tsun* Kazuki while asking.

“……I have a question since quite some time ago but, what is a riajuu going to do at the beach?”

Kamimura-san was wearing a pitch black one-piece bikini that she bought at the beach shop.

“In anime or galge the scene of playing in the sea that is like the synonym of youth also often appears but, it’s puzzling what to do specifically at the sea……frankly speaking, it’s boring isn’t it? My image is like splashing water at each other, or the main character getting buried in the sand, things like that are drawn in the scene before skipping to the scene where it soon will become evening with the sun going down and everyone is watching it……”

“What are you doing thinking like that right after coming to the sea without doing anything yet……isn’t it fine to honestly let your tension get built up from seeing the sea and then to leave your body to along with that momentum?”

“But a place to play where there is only sea water……it’s like I’m not going to have any place to belong here, that I get anxious and my tension is is is is……I, I’ll be hated meu!”

“I won’t hate you, your swimsuit appearance is cute.”

Kazuki kept caressing Kamimura-san that was trembling all over to soothe her.

“Besides even if Kamimura-san is getting anxious of not having any place and gets strange and runs away in a little odd action, I won’t think anything of it except that’s really like Kamimura-san huh, how charming huh, like that.”

“Uwaai, the lukewarm trust is penetrating my chesttt”

“You are talking about? What to do!?”

Mio turned to them in a flash with an excellent sharp movement.

“With this many people gathering then of course……it will be team contest beach volleyball obviously! The winner team can do whatever they please with Kazu-nii in his swimsuit as the prize!!”

In the slight interval when Kamimura-san was falling into negative thinking, there was a Amasaki Mioriajuu girl that already got the idea of a playing event with her explosive force.

“I don’t wanna that kind of prize-! If you are going to prepare a prize that competes to grab this perfect grade former super student council president Kanon-senpai―☆”

Kanon-senpai was jumping up and down while yelling.

“……” Akane-senpai wordlessly circled behind Kanon-senpai and circled her hand around that petite waist before inflicting a brilliant backdrop.

Kanon-senpai was vertically thrust into the sandy beach starting from her head and became an indescribable grave marker.

“Sensei, let’s go play too.”

Kazuki called out to Liz Liza-sensei who was lying down under a beach parasol while sipping juice.

The beach ball showdown’s first round had already begun. Kazuki was the prize so he was just watching.

Just watching was fun enough but he became concerned with Liz Liza-sensei that was not participating like him and called at her.

Liz Liza-sensei was putting a towel over her body and hid her swimsuit figure.

After making bubbles *blub blub* through her juice’s straw, she replied with a sulking voice.

“……I am an adult that is in charge of you guys here, I have to keep watch alertly.”

Certainly if children were going to play at the sea, then an adult with that role was necessary.

However the people here were knight candidates with magic power above normal people. The possibility of an accident occurring was almost zero. They were a bunche that wouldn’t die easily even if someone tried to kill them. Just like Kanon-senpai whose upper body was powerfully buried into the sand with the force of a backdrop only as a joke, everyone here was extremely robust.

“It’s fine if it’s about the worry of an incident happening. If Liz Liza-sensei is not playing at this kind of time then just how am I going to increase your positivity level?”

Liz Liza-sensei reluctantly exposed her true feeling.

“……I’m embarrassed with my swimsuit so no way. I was the one that said how about having a change of pace, but I never thought that we were going to a beach just like that. Why couldn’t we go to a mountain……. Swimming beaches as a Haunted Ground are the kind that I hate the most in the world. If I’m going to that kind of place where the students are playing volley ball with those jiggly breasts shaking around, I’d rather be at a public execution instead.”

The child-sized teacher wrapped the towel around her body and embraced her knees tightly.

This was a different troublesomeness from Koyuki and Kamimura-san’s self-torture, even if he told her that she was [cute], the person in question wouldn’t get happy.

“Isn’t it fine to not get concerned with something like one’s age? Sensei is a lovely person. I want to play together with you, I also want to see your swimsuit appearance.”

“Is that your true feeling? ……Are you also a lolicon?”

Sensei made a glaring look that was being wary towards him.

“If you asked me if I am a lolicon or not, that’s not the case at all.”

“Actually just what is your preference and fetish?”

“My preference and fetish, is it……”

Liz Liza-sensei who was paranoidly jumping at shadows was stepping into a place that had never been stepped into until now.

“I had never really thought about it though. First I have to like what is inside the person.”

“The inside is also important but……this is women we are talking about. It’s also important for a woman to hear that their outside appearance is also being liked. That’s not just about me, this is a common opinion.”

Liz Liza-sensei cleared her throat and said that while fidgeting a little. It seemed that she had the feeling of wanting her outside appearance to be praised. However he hated to be treated like a lolicon just from telling her that she was cute. What a troublesome lady.

“Everyone has a different genre with their own individuality, every one of them has different and good qualities.”

“Saying that you like everyone, isn’t that the same as saying that actually you don’t have anyone that you really loved? Normally there should be something that you are a little inclined towards.”

Normally there was inclination……so it was that kind of thing.

Then how did an inclination get created? In a lot of cases, the inclination of one’s preference or obsession had something like [intense formative experience from childhood] as the impetus, maybe.

When he reached that thinking he suddenly recalled.

“……But the one that I first became conscious of as an opposite sex……is my older little sister Kanae. I don’t understand where my inclination is going to……”

In the first place his formative experience of sex was a perversion. Of all things his experience was starting towards someone with a double attribute.

Like that it was only natural that he got attracted towards both loli and also older girls powerfully.

“Since then I became involved with various girls……now that I look back there is not a single simple girl among them.”

Just when he thought that Mio was a tsundere, she was actually his childhood friend that he considered as a little sister. When he thought that Koyuki was just cool but she was actually an M and an attention seeker. When he thought that Hikaru-senpai was just like a prince she was actually an open pervert, then Kaguya-senpai, anything goes with her.

Everyone was hentai (in the meaning that they changed from the first impression they gave).

“……In the first place you have the groundwork of being raised by a strange step-big sister, furthermore while making a harem with various girls in the Magic Department you were changed into a borderless man that could accept any kind of girl.”

Liz Liza-sensei that was wary of Kazuki being a lolicon somehow gave her understanding and nodded.

Kazuki thought that right now he was able to find out the essential charm of a girl no matter what kind of person they were. Exactly because of the immaturity from Lotte’s loli-ness, exactly because of the androgynous from Hikaru-senpai’s boyishness, he was able to sense the prominent quality of each one.

Everyone was cute.

“That’s why sensei, let’s stop getting bothered by the trivial surface appearance.”

“You are already a guy that has bitten into a woman’s sourness and sweetness at that age……. Even though I’m still inexperienced in anything at this age……”

“That’s why I said that things like age doesn’t matter.”

Liz Liza-sensei went ‘haa~’ with a long sigh.

“Certainly it’s stupid to get caught on appearances with you as the opponent.”

Gently, from Liz Liza-sensei’s body the towel was……

“*Gulp*”

“Don’t be so on guard that you gulped like that-!”

“It’s unintentional from the flow of events until now. That’s because sensei is putting on an air.”

“I’m not putting on an air, don’t make fun of me.”

Liz Liza-sensei bared open her towel while mumbling on.

It was a loli body.

However the impression was not as fleeting and delicate like Lotte.

Her waist and thigh had soft flesh, her breast too was unexpectedly swelling out.

Her body had the bud that made one imagined if she would actually grow sexy soon.

“Sensei is actually lovely isn’t it? I can eat ten bowls of rice just with this!”

Liz Liza-sensei sniffed “Funh” in annoyance.

“You are satisfied right? There, go cheer at everyone.”

Liz Liza-sensei waved her hand to shoo him away.

“Eh, what are you saying? Sensei too, let’s go enter into one of the teams and participate in the volley ball.”

When Kazuki pulled the hand of Liz Liza-sensei, she resisted by stiffening her body.

“No way.”

“Eh?”

“Something like beach volley ball is a game where height is everything, just spare a midget like me. I’m only going to expose my clumsiness even though I’m a teacher and get embarrassed, so I don’t want to do……”

Kazuki almost fell down.

“Didn’t you just say that you are going to stop putting on an air!!”

Liz Liza-sensei sniffed haughtily and averted her face. Adults were obstinate.

“If sensei continues to act like that then, the distance between teacher and student won’t shrink at all!”

Kazuki held up the small body of Liz Liza-sensei in his arms with all his strength.

“Uwah!? What are you doing!?” Sensei got upset. And then――.

At the sandy beach the Witch’s Mansion team and the Japan Mythology team were embroiled in a match that was even hotter than the sunlight.

“Au-!” Lotte rolled on the beach while raising her voice.

Her hand stretching out in vain didn’t reach and the beach ball was bouncing away from her.

“Lotte!” Everyone of the Magic Department team rushed over to her.

“I’m sorry……I dragged all of you down desu……”

“Don’t mind it, because we are a team that is one in body and soul.”

Kaguya-senpai lifted up Lotte kindly.

“Or rather the other team is just that!”

Mio pointed at the court of the opponent with indignation.

“Kanae-senpai and Kohaku that foresighted the opponent’s movement and received with fierce speed! Kazuha-senpai that blocked and spiked from unbelievable height using the double jump of <Tenrou Kaidan>! Karin that struck out a phantasmagoric serve by granting strange vibration to the ball using <Shintoukei>! This group of four, I’m not saying that they are cheating but……they are just childish!”

Witch’s Mansion Team……Otonashi Kaguya – Hoshikaze Hikaru – Amasaki Mio – Hiakari Koyuki – Lotte

Japan Mythology Team……Tsukahara Kazuha – Hikita Kohaku – Hayashizaki Kanae – Katsura Karin – Kamimura Itsuki

Senior Team……Koudzuki Kanon – Yagumo Akane – Ryuutaki sisters – Roshouko

First the Witch’s Mansion team and Japan Mythology team fought and the victor would fight the senior team that got the seed to contend for victory.

Although there was a shut-in mixed into the Japan Mythology team, an overwhelming physical faction was present there, Kazuha-senpai’s offense and defense was especially standing out with her strenuous effort.

“I, it’s not like I’m getting too serious at all.”

Kazuha-senpai shook her head left and right.

“Just because the prize is that guy in a swimsuit, something like that doesn’t matter……huff huff……I’m not doing my hardest at all! Haa haa……”

“On top of extremely running out of breath like that, your face is bright red! Kazuha-senpai, you are even using <Aoiro Yasha> aren’t you!? Just how desperate are you!?”

“I, I’m not desperate-! I hate someone like Hayashizaki-!!”

Kazuha-senpai who yelled with a bright red face was watched over by the surroundings with lukewarm eyes.

“Fuhn, no matter what you say in the middle of the match it’s only the howling of the loser! Here we go, Shintoukei serve!!”

Karin with her personality that hated to lose mercilessly smashed a serve with puzzling rotation. Unexpectedly the adult Kanae was exasperated with her allies’ brutality while saying “There is no need to go that far”.

The Witch’s Mansion team returned the ball flimsily somehow with Hikaru-senpai who had good reflexes as their center.

“Yotto” Kanae easily picked that up. Her smooth agility that was ignoring how they were on a sandy beach was characteristic of an outstanding magic swordsman.

Raising a sky high toss, Kazuha-senpai (desperate) yelled “Tenrou Kaidan!” to leap to the sky. From high in the air that made the net’s existence meaningless, she smashed down a spike that was like a meteor impact.

“Funyaaaa~!!” “This is impossible puu” “Giving up is no good wan wan!”

The magicians were screaming in the court with a panicked condition――at such a time.

“Giant Liz Liza arrives!!”

Together with two voices that were overlapping, a huge shadow trespassed into the court.

It was Kazuki with Liz Liza-sensei riding on his shoulders.

Kazuki also used Tenrou Kaidan, and together with Liz Liza-sensei they reached a height higher than Kazuha-senpai.

“I don’t give a damn anymore―!!”

Liz Liza-sensei that was half forced to ride Kazuki struck back the ball while howling.

Kohaku rushed at the falling point of the ball with her sharp foresight. However the ball that Liz Liza-sensei returned was shining with blue magic power light while spinning fiercely, the ball jumped to a wrong direction from Kohaku’s receiving hand.

“Wa, wait a second Hayshizaki! Don’t cut in out of nowhere!!”

Kazuha-senpai criticized in a flurried state.

“It’s fine isn’t it? This is a game so it’s not interesting to easily decide the winner like that.”

“We, well it’s fine because this is just a game……I’m not getting serious at all anyway……huff huff”

To Kazuha-senpai whose shoulder was heaving with heavy breath while her complexion was white from the effect of manipulating blood flow using magic power,

“You are risking your life no matter how I look at it.” Mio pointed with an exasperated face.

“Rather than that the rotation just now was……”

Kohaku was murmuring in shock. She was intending to capture the ball perfectly just now.

“Fuhn, you kiddy trashes! Rotating the ball with general magic? Don’t get carried away just because you can use magic cleverly a little! I’ll show you how it’s done!”

Liz Liza-sensei roared from the height above Kazuki’s shoulder.

Hikaru-senpai went “Awesome―, cool―!!” with shining eyes like a young boy from the entrance of their savior.

“If that’s how it is then we too will combine.”

The figure of Amaterasu was materializing quietly beside Kamimura-san before she carried Kamimura-san on her shoulder.

“The power of the chief god of the mythology of playing, I’ll let you witness it!”

Kamimura-san too “UOOOOOO” yelled a war cry without any motivation.

“U, unfair!” Mio was tugging at the swimsuit of Koyuki that was right beside her.

“Hiakari, we are combining too!!”

“Are you stupid, what are you going to do making your protected field getting smaller because of the field players combining. ……Please don’t pull at my shoulder strap!!”

And then.

“Haha, we lost haven’t weee…”

“Isn’t that your fault that we got charged with an unneeded penalty.”

“Isn’t it nice to be thought of as fellow companions like this?”

“Don’t say something that only sounds nice. Good grief, like this my dignity as a teacher is going to waste.”

――In the end the Witch’s Mansion team was defeated, Kazuki and Liz Liza-sensei who suddenly trespassed became buried under the sand as the penalty.

Being completely buried like this with only their heads sticking out was an extremely clichéd style of penalty.

“Gau gau” “Wan wan” Like dogs that was burying its important thing in the garden, Shinobu-senpai was burying Kazuki while Lotte was burying Liz Liza-sensei.

For the moment there was a resting time in the interval and during that time these two were commanded to take on the duty as the burial officers.

“Shinobu-senpai……that swimsuit is?”

“It doesn’t suit me?”

“No……I think it’s already transcended the matter whether it suited you or not……”

Shinobu-senpai was wearing a string swimsuit. Two lines of string were pulled up from her nether region until her breasts, it was really a risqué shot that only protected the minimum part.

It was the one that Miyabi-senpai wore before this where she grandly self-destructed.

At that time Miyabi-senpai forced herself to wear this swimsuit and Shinobu-senpai desperately stopped her while saying “Please come back to your senses Nee-sama!”

Right now, the person herself was wearing that. Furthermore…….

“The string on the breast, it’s completely shifted……”

“I know. But it’s troublesome to fix.”

Her nipples were completely exposed.

While she was moving both her arms a lot in her work to bury Kazuki the string shifted aside, the slingshot really became something extremely thrilling.

The strings that shifted at both sides of the breasts instead tightened the breasts tightly from outside to the inside and emphasized its presence.

Kazuki who was buried from below his neck couldn’t even shift his eyes aside.

“Kazuki, the moment my swimsuit shifted and my breasts came out, your pupils widened.”

“……Even though I’m working hard so it won’t come out on my expression, but to think you observed my pupils too.”

“I thought that you like this kind of thing, that’s why…”

Shinobu-senpai reached a point where she could pause burying Kazuki before she crawled on all fours in a pose like a female leopard before Kazuki’s face. Just like that she pressed her right breast on Kazuki’s face and he could feel something stiff pressing on his cheek.

“You like this?”

“…………There is no way I dislike it.”

“Pervert.”

If one was a pervert because of reacting to this, then he guessed all the men in the world were either homo or perverts.

“Liz Liza-sensei, me too!”

“I, I don’t need that kind indecent service! Stop it!!”

Lotte who was burying Liz Liza-sensei was also pressing her breast at Liz Liza-sensei’s face. However the sensation from that wasn’t really plump.

“Fufufu, right now Kazuki cannot escape no matter what is done to you.”

Shinobu-senpai’s eyes were shining ominously. Kazuki’s whole body was already completely buried into the sand. He could easily escape if he used Summoning Magic, but as expected doing that was just boorish. Using the power of magic to escape this standard punishment game would worsen the mood of the surroundings and he wouldn’t be able to avoid getting booed at.

Shinobu-senpai lowered her body until she was grazing the ground until the same height with Kazuki’s eyesight. They stared fixedly at each other for a while. After that she was rubbing her cheek with Kazuki’s. Even further she went ‘amu amu’ at Kazuki’s ear with her lips playing biting, just when he thought that was all a ‘chuu’ sound came from her lips on Kazuki’s cheek and ‘pero pero’ she licked around Kazuki’s face.

She was frolicking at Kazuki’s face as she pleased.

After doing that she met her lips with his.

The small lips that was lovely yet it was intensely sucking at him.

With that sucking strength, her tongue slipperily entered when Kazuki’s mouth was slightly opened, she licked around Kazuki’s gum then entangled her tongue with Kazuki’s stickily.

Shinobu-senpai was breathing fast with her nose while kissing him in a daze. Saliva was trickling down from their entangled lips, they fiercely kept kissing. ‘muchu muchu buchu buchu kuchu kuchu……’ the sound of the kiss was increasing in intensity. Heart marks were flying wildly about in proportion with that.

It was a staggering expression of love. Shinobu-senpai was once completely dependent on her older twin sister Miyabi-senapi, but right now the brunt of that dependence also became directed at Kazuki.

Saying it in reverse, now Kazuki was shouldering half of that dependence, so just how much Shinobu-senpai was clinging on Miyabi-senpai before this.

He felt something beyond imagination at the bond of the elf twins where it was only the two of them.

“Liz Liza-sensei, we too! Chu-chu!”

“ST―O―P―! Do that kind of thing just to Kazuki―!”

“Isn’t it fine because it’s only on the cheek desu. Chu-chu!”

“Although it’s just at the cheek, I still haven’t been kissed by anyone until now―! Uuu, doing whatever you please……my dignity as a teacher is……”

“Ehehe, Liz Liza-sensei today feels easy to get close to for some reason desu―”

Even at the side of Shinobu-senpai who kept kissing, Lotte was cutely kissing a lot at Liz Liza-sensei. However, certainly, Kazuki also felt for real how the distance with Liz Liza-sensei shrank down throughout this day.

They continued to play at the sea until the sun was sinking before Kazuki and group finally returned home to the knight academy.

If they used the magic light train exclusive for the knight order, the time of the journey felt like the blink of an eye.

The Witch’s Mansion that they hadn’t seen for a long time……that wasn’t really the case, Kazuki was led away into the student dormitory of the Sword Department. He was there as the prize.

“Is it really no good, unless I keep wearing my trunks……?”

Kazuki who was taken away still only wearing his swimsuit was grumbling, Kazuha-senpai who was pulling his hand answered him then.

“Because Amasaki-san said that [the winner can freely do whatever with Kazuki in swimsuit].”

After that, the Japan Mythology team splendidly defeated the Senior team and shined with their complete victory. The losing factor of the Senior team was because of Shouko’s motivation that was too mottled (spotty/lacking).

What to do specifically with the prize Kazuki, the conclusion of the Japan Mythology team’s discussion was……it was Kazuha-senpai that strongly insisted but, it became a [takeout to Sword Department for a stay over].

Karin and Kamimura-san that weren’t part of the Sword Department were also going to participate at the stay over as team members.

“The reconstruction of the Sword Department, it was over already while we were gone to America huh.”

Kazuki wearing only trunks was bothered by the gazes of the surroundings while looking around, he then said that with deep emotion.

The Sword Department that was destroyed due to Nyarlathotep’s riot had a large scale construction performed on it for a long time. Because it now had an equal budget with the Magic Department, it was better to call this their rebirth rather than repair. The building became even more gorgeous compared to before. Well, even though he said gorgeous, but this nonchalant air of the building without any flaunting was like an high class inn of Kyoto. It made him feel the aesthetic sense of Japanese art emphasizing quiet simplicity and subdued refinement.

The gentle slope of artificial hill’s undulation and the thick greenery, then the line of tenement houses that was in harmony with those. There was not a single tall building here with spaciousness as far as the eye could see.

Compared to the Magic Department, the difference between the concept of western garden and Japanese garden could be well understood. Western gardens were arranged with artificial beauty that was trying to rule over nature, but Japanese gardens were trying to come together with nature by embedding human’s livelihood inside nature’s beauty. In contrast with the Magic Department’s garden that was showy to lift up the heart, in the Sword Department the garden had nostalgia that calmed down the heart.

The building of the student dormitory that only had three floors had vast width to compensate for that. It was divided between male dormitory and female dormitory, but Kazuki was led away into the female dormitory as if it was only natural.

A man wearing only trunks was led into the female dormitory at night.

Thinking objectively it was a horribly terrible situation. It was a premonition of a scandal.

As the Chief Student Council President, was it really okay for him to overlook this kind of situation?

It was fortunate that there was no sign of people considering the time.

Passing through the wide entranceway that was similar to a Japanese inn, Kazuha-senpai smiled in satisfaction.

“Fi―nally I can invite Kazuki into the student dormitory of the Sword Department.”

Kazuha-senpai demanded him since long ago to [come play more at the Sword Department]. That it was unfair for him to only keep staying at the Magic Department.

Everyone said that for the time being they would enter the bath and changed clothes and scattered to each of their rooms, Kazuki was made to wait at the [banquet hall]. It was a place that was exactly like a banquet hall of a hotel.

“Hehehe, you are still in just your swimsuit like that.”

Kazuha-senpai reminded him like that and left.

After a while, everyone reassembled again in the banquet hall wearing sleeping wear while looking warm after taking a bath.

It seemed that everyone of the Sword Department was wearing a short summer kimono as their sleepwear in the dormitory. The white light silk was clinging slightly transparent to the skin that looked lustrous after rising from bath. When looking at the skin color that was showing through around the area of the breasts and bottom, from the start this clothing was underwear type so it seemed that they weren’t wearing anything else underneath.

Their appearance was considerably erotic, however perhaps because it was what they were always wearing, everyone was unconcerned about it.

“Ya―i ya―i, you look stupid wearing only swimsuit alone in a Japanese room like this.”

Kazuha-senpai who was the perpetrator that was making him like this was happily sitting behind Kazuki before nudging at Kazuki’s shoulder repeatedly.

“But that gap is nice……exactly because this is an ordinary space where something like swimsuit is impossible to see here, it implicitly suggest the premonition that ero things will be carried out after this……this is exactly the aesthetic of non-nude erotica.”

Kamimura-san sat beside Kazuki and touched Kazuki’s skin all over with a strange smiling face while chuckling “fuhihi”.

“Are we going to film Nii-sama’s swimsuit image video!? My preparation is already finished any time!!”

Kanae was readying her cell phone while saying that.

“Stop with the recording, just not the video.” Kazuki reined in his little sister.

Furthermore from the side Karin was meaninglessly pulled at the rubber of his trunks ‘guii―’, so Kazuki slapped away that hand.

“Kohaku, you too don’t just fidget at the corner.”

Kazuha-senpai was beckoning at Kohaku who was being idle at the corner of the room.

When Kohaku’s eyes met Kazuki’s, her face turned red in a flash.

“……I, isn’t it better to wear some clothes……”

She was unexpectedly restrained, what an old-fashioned child.

“Come on go, Hayashizaki! WHUUUMP!”

Kazuha-senpai that was strangely in high spirits was strongly tackling him from behind, Kazuki was pushed by that and walked approaching Kohaku.

“No, I’m also feeling embarrassed though.”

Towards Kohaku who was averting her eyes from being troubled of where to look, Kazuki was also awkwardly scratching his head. Like this it was like he was sexually harassing her. Kazuha-senpai stood up and walked to Kohaku’s side.

“Kohaku, didn’t you say before that you want to shrink your distance more with Hayashizaki. That you don’t have many chances because you are in the Sword Department and you are also not a Magika Stigma. It’s no good if you are getting shy.”

By any chance, was Kazuha-senpai getting strangely enthusiastic at the volley ball game and then wishing to bring Kazuki home for the victory prize, was it for Kohaku’s sake?

It was just like a school trip, futons were spread out on the tatami of the banquet hall. Without using the fluorescent lamp, they lit a flame in the paper-enclosed lantern, making wondrous orange light and shadows filled the room.

The figure of the girls clad in transparent short summer kimonos, illuminated by orange colors was fantastic while also sensual, but unfortunately there was a man wearing only trunks mixed in among them.

They opened snacks that each of them brought and formed a circle where they were lying down and relaxing, forming a Japanese pajama party.

They did hanafuda game, then telling love stories.

Something like “Which one Kazuki likes the most inside the Witch’s Mansion?”

“What kind of play Kazuki has done until now?” or something like that, frank questions he had no way to answer was also coming at him.

“Now that you mention it, Kazuha-senpai, too, before this was……” he lightly counterattacked, “Wa―! Waa―!! Stop talking about that―!!” it made Kazuha-senpai fell into panic.

“Although I have resolved myself from sometime ago, but to be aware that Nii-sama is doing that kind of thing with other woman……it’s a complicated feeling, or perhaps I should say it comes full circle and I get excited……”

Kanae writhed on top of the futon and Kamimura-san yelled “Reverse NTR!”

“But Kanae-san yourself, you seem like you have been really assertively approaching him and did a lot of really amazing things though.”

Kazuha-senpai said her thinking that seemed only natural. However reality was not like that.

“When the moment arrives Kanae becomes shy before she acts like an idiot to hide her shyness and runs away.”

“Unyaaaaa!” Kanae writhed even more. “Kana-nyan-senpai is cute……” Kohaku’s eyes were shining from the pure aspect of Kanae.

“What about Karin-chan?” Kazuha-senpai turned to Karin.

“Love story……I don’t have an awareness for that kind of thing. After all, until now, I had never even thought that this kind of thing is just normal.”

For Karin who was raised as a spy for Chukadou, this kind of girls-only gathering was an unknown world.

“I thought that I’m a doll and that I’m unrelated to this kind of warm happy circle but, to be welcomed into the circle like this……I too, little by little came to experience that in this kind of place it’s fine for me to be here like this……”

Kamimura-san nodded in agreement.

“I understand. I too, am deeply thinking if it’s really fine for a shitty otaku like me to be here in this kind of place.”

If they couldn’t believe right now in this moment, then it was the duty imposed on the surrounding people to make them believe in it.

Until they could believe it from their hearts and rest assured, the people around could only be together with them, sympathized with each others’ feelings, touched each other, and ascertained their bond together. By repeating that over and over until they arrived at this point.

“Love huh……I don’t really understand love but, I’m thinking from the bottom of my heart that I [like] everyone and the current situation. I’m grateful to Kazuki that led me here, I like having fun playing with Kazuki and Lotte, I like the delicious meals that Kazuki cooks. That’s why Kazuki……I like him.”

Karin who was inexperienced in various matters reacted honestly like a child in any kind of situation, but this was the first time she honestly spoke of her feelings regarding Kazuki.

“I don’t understand the emotion of love but……. But when I’m looking at Kazuki naked like this, for some reason my feelings cannot calm down.”

“Oo―! So Karin-chan also has that kind of feeling!”

Kazuha-senpai raised a cheer. So this person loved love stories this much…….

“Let’s dig down deeper into that feeling. Have you ever felt like that when you look at other boys? What do you feel if you compare Kazuki with other men?”

“Towards other men……I never have the feeling of getting agitated like this. Compared to other men……I like Kazuki far far more. Is this, love?”

“WHUUMP!” Kazuha-senpai tackled Karin.

Karin’s eyes became circles from the surprise tackle while they were rolling around on the futon, they then crashed onto Kazuki. When Karin raised her face and stared at Kazuki, her face got red.

Kazuki lightly caught the rolling Karin in his arms. Though he was anxious because maybe the usual Karin would struggle violently if he did this kind of thing.

Inside Kazuki’s arms, a heart mark was flying at him from Karin.

Katsura Karin――62

For quite a long time her positivity level was at the range of 40, however her number went up perhaps from being urged to suddenly be aware of her feelings.

“Uuu……it’s embarrassing for some reason, what’s with this……” Karin curled into herself.

“Come on come on, what about you Kohaku―?”

This time Kazuha-senpai was provoking Kohaku by poking at her.

Karin was the first to fall asleep.

After putting a blanket on Karin who slept with her stomach exposed, everyone else was also thinking of turning off the light and going to sleep, they extinguished the fire and the hall was enveloped in a curtain of darkness.

Kazuki was at the center futon, at his left and right he was put between Kazuha-senpai and Kohaku.

He felt like Kazuha-senpai was nonchalantly taking the position like this.

That Kazuha-senpai didn’t even say anything to Kazuki, she turned her back to him and immediately fell asleep.

Soon sleeper’s breathing also became audible from the other futons.

It seemed that Kohaku at his side wasn’t sleeping. Her posture was facing at him and she was stealing glances at him with her eyes opening and closing……she was really bothered by him.

If it was with a magician’s eyes then it was possible to slightly look at each other even in the darkness as long as they were just conscious.

Kazuki was drawing closer at her futon by his own initiative. He got a strange thought that this movement was like yobai.

“Kazuki……” Kohaku opened her eyes with a snap and leaked out her voice.

Kazuki sneaked inside the futon that was warmed with a body temperature that was different from his.

Kohaku embraced Kazuki with a force as if she was lit on fire.

“Kazuki-dono……”

Even though he told her already when they first met, that it was fine to not use polite language.

Kohaku conveyed her feelings with the words that seemed like her the most.

“Kazuki-dono……this one loves you dearly. Not for the sake of sword……although this one is not even a Magika Stigma.”

There was no doubt that Kohaku had two senses of inferiority.

Before, for the sake of her own school of sword style she confessed to Kazuki that she wanted to marry him, but he rejected her. Since then it made Kohaku’s approach pessimistic.

And then Kohaku wasn’t a Magika Stigma. That was why――there was no meaning in [conquering] Kohaku.

She was meaningless for the other party――surely that feeling also made Kohaku pessimistic.

However Kazuki……he decided not to get closer to a girl with the objective of obtaining power.

He decided to come into contact with girls only with a purer feeling.

“To look at other girls who came later on closing their distance with Kazuki-dono, made this one feel left behind……”

Kohaku leaked out her voice with a feeble voice. In reverse with that her embrace on him went tighter and she clung on him even closer.

For the two of them to face each other like this once again, a lot of time had already passed.

Kazuki lifted up the anxious face of Kohaku and put his lips on hers. It was a kiss where only their lips were touching. Kohaku was stiffening from nervousness. Kazuki was slowly touching their lips at each other softly before sweetly holding her lip between his lips, after separating for a moment and staring at each other he kissed her once more and waited for Kohaku’s pursed lips to come apart.

When Kazuki felt strength draining out from Kohaku’s whole body, he changed his angle and deeply met his lips on her mouth before inserting his tongue inside Kohaku’s lips.

Kohaku trembled in surprise but her strength soon left her body as if she was melting, letting him do as he pleased.

As if to invite Kazuki her tongue traced his tongue, she entwined her tongue modestly.

He had to carefully think, just how far he could bring this in. Kazuki didn’t understand Kohaku’s positivity level. He also didn’t understand just how her positivity level changed based on what he did. He couldn’t rely on the power of King.

However to be considerate of the other party was only something obvious. He had never forgotten even for a moment that time when right from the start he failed from not noticing Mio’s feelings.

Kohaku was also gradually becoming proactive in the kiss. Kazuki felt satisfaction for being able to draw out that proactiveness of hers. Feverish exhalation leaked out from the gap between their lips. Kazuki’s left arm strongly embraced Kohaku’s waist closer to him while his right hand was caressing lovingly at the ear of Kohaku who was kissing him. By tracing her earlobe, the sensitive part that was the ear which ordinarily was never touched shook. How Kohaku’s spine was shuddering was conveyed through his left arm. From her ear, straight through her dainty neck, then her delicate collarbone, he was tracing all those with his fingertip. He traced the contour of Kohaku’s bare skin and perceived the flesh of Kohaku as a girl.

While still kissing without stopping at all, he amassed heat into her body.

Kazuki’s right hand slipped into the chest area of the thin summer kimono. His hand directly covered over her bulge. The hold of his left arm stopped and his left palm crawled on Kohaku’s bottom through the fringe of her clothes. Even with his hold on her released but Kohaku didn’t get away from Kazuki but rather brought her body even closer to him.

Their lips separated with a thin string of saliva pulled between them.

“Kazuki-dono……I’m happy……” There was no need to know something like positivity level.

As if to welcome Kazuki, Kohaku took off her clothes by herself. Kazuki who was accepted by that erotic action stepped in even further. Inside the darkness Kohaku’s face was melting with rough breathing, the bud his right palm was feeling was swelling, the inside of her thigh that his left hand was rubbing got wet moistly. His fingertip was following towards the source of the wetness. While ascertaining Kohaku’s reaction, he was probing around at that place carefully.

At the depth of Kohaku’s well-rounded waist, something hot was leaking out even more together with a stifled voice.

As if to intersect with Kazuki’s left arm, Kohaku’s hand reached out at Kazuki’s waist.

She timidly caressed at the surface of the trunks that Kazuki was still wearing.

“It’s becoming hard……”

“Kohaku yourself is wet.”

After frankly pointing that out to each other, Kohaku felt shame once more and tried to look down. Before she could do that Kazuki forcefully kissed her one more time. While kissing his two hands were strongly torturing the bud of pleasure that he discovered. Kohaku’s waist wriggled captivatingly and she convulsed.

Kohaku was also awkwardly caressing Kazuki’s seething passion. The slow-going sensation felt pleasant.

The love from Kohaku whose positivity level couldn’t be seen by Kazuki, the love from Kazuki to Kohaku who was feeling inferior, they continued to ascertain each others’ feelings comfortably and gently until late at night with each others’ hands.

Next morning. The awakened Kazuha-senpai led out Kazuki to the corridor with her eyes shining.

“So, how was it last night!? What kind of things did you do!?”

Of all things……for a while Kazuki lost his words and finally answered.

“Kazuha-senpai is someone meddlesome more than I thought isn’t it……you are like an auntie.”

“Auntie!?”

Part 3

With this and that it now became the last week of August, the appointed time was approaching.

Queen Kaguya finally departed towards the land of the final battle.

Not using plane but instead a ship was because they wouldn’t know what would happen along the way. Thinking about how they were going to arrive with time to spare before the appointed time at the location and how they had to wait fixedly until the gate opened when the time came, there was no other choice except using a ship.

Atlantis was further north from America, at the ocean southeast of Greenland.

First they would cross the Pacific Ocean and then go through the Panama Canal that traversed between the North American Continent and the South American Continent taking the route going north. Like that most of their course would be in the ocean area under the control of Japan and America, they wouldn’t be bothered by magic power clouds and would able to constantly obtain the benefits of a GPS.

Their final time would be spent aboard the ship.

Kazuki was being surrounded by huge mounds of books as if he was being chased by the homework of summer holiday.

A library was prepared on the Queen Kaguya where it was filled by all the mythology-related materials that both Japan and America possessed.

There was a possibility that by learning about the mythology it would become a hint to predict an opponent’s way of fighting.

Of course, Kazuki didn’t start investigating this only now when there was barely any time left, since they went home to Japan he had continued to receive the personal classes of Liz Liza-sensei all the time, but he couldn’t see the end no matter how much he studied.

It felt like now he became able to write one or two graduation theses of a university student through all this, but this was concerning the fate of the world at any rate.

“Puu”

Beside Kazuki, Koyuki was also carefully readingperusing a hard to understand book. Bookshelves were put haphazardly in the improvised library, it looked similar to Koyuki’s room in the Witch’s Mansion.

Sometimes his other comrades were also studying together with Kazuki, but the frequency Koyuki came was especially a lot.

On this day Kazuki was just alone with Koyuki.

Koyuki was supposed to be experienced in reading so she was a reliable existence to whom he could consult with when he didn’t know the translation――,

“Puu puu”

But Koyuki was holding a thick book with her small body while she was leaning close to Kazuki with her body rubbing on him.

The progress of the page wasn’t going well.

“Koyuki, you aren’t concentrating at all……”

“……Because, when I noticed it’s just the two of us all alone……”

“This is shameful for Koyuki-san who is famed as the number one bookworm in the Magic Department of all people.”

“Thinking calmly I was only reading because it was boring being alone, perhaps I actually do not like reading that much……”

“What a blunt thing to say!”

“If right now there is Kazuki at my side then I like Kazuki more than a book……”

‘Rub rub rub rub……’ Koyuki who was coming on to him like that was already not reading the letters in the book. The gentle neat and clean fragrance that reminded him of a white flower tickled his nose. Now that it came to this even Kazuki became unable to concentrate at the hard to understand book.

“Good grief, even though we have to study right now.”

“I’m sorry……please punish me.”

Koyuki gave him a peek of her face as a masochist attention seeker and spoke as if she was using the ace up her sleeve.

‘So actually she just wants to ask for punishment.’

While Kazuki was feeling exasperated, nevertheless, he was also being half excited when he faced Koyuki.

He was suddenly told to punish her, then what should he do? Koyuki was the ultimate passive girl so she was looking for advanced insight in communication.

After giving it consideration, Kazuki lifted up Koyuki from her chair lightly and rolled her on the soft and fluffy carpet. While rolling with her stomach showing like a dog, Koyuki’s eyes were sparkling in anticipation.

Koyuki’s clothing was that of a lovely summer outfit that she wore on their previous date. While it was a neat and tidy outfit but it was also a liberal blouse with her navel exposed. It had no sleeves, and the hot pants laid bare her thighs. Her exposed smooth skin looked soft everywhere.

He took the ankles of Koyuki’s dainty legs that were like flower stalks into his hands and lifted them up until the height of his waist when he was standing. Koyuki’s two legs were opened unbecomingly, Kazuki then took off his socks while allotting his right leg on the exposed crotch area of the hot pants.

“Thi, this punishment……!?”

Koyuki was trembling like the enemy character in a pro-wrestling manga that received the sure-kill technique of the main character.

This was――the stance of Electric Anma Massage.

Perhaps she would be tickled and laugh, or maybe she would fret, get exasperated, or maybe get angry at him. This was an action that he couldn’t predict at all just what reaction she would give him.

“Thi, this kind of childish act……you are not Hikaru-senpai……”

Now that she told him that, this was something that Hikaru-senpai would seem to do.

Kazuki began to move his right foot with a feeling like a mischievous brat.

First it was gentle, tender rubbing. He did that while confirming whether Koyuki was seriously hating this.

“A……yah……there-……” Koyuki raised a husky voice.

Little by little he strengthened the vibration of his foot. He was by no means rough, he was accelerating with little repeated movement. Just like a massaging device controlled with magic power, he was using accurate pitch.

‘rub rub rub……’ such movement was gradually ‘ba ba ba ba ba……’ becoming intense.

“Nnnn-……”

Koyuki’s whole body was shivering and her back curved like a bridge. Both her hands clenched and she tightened her lips strongly, she was showing an expression as if she was enduring something. Her inner thigh was putting on strength but she couldn’t escape him or anything, she was writhing helplessly.

The hot pants with its thin fabric was conveying to him the squishy sensation of a girl’s ravine. Kazuki’s foot was mercilessly continuing to vibrate like a machine and the spot was soaked in……it was traced with moisture.

His movements became even more intense. Koyuki finally showed him a clear reaction.

“Aaaaaaah, I’m like this from a foot-! I, it’s intense-! I, it feels good! ♡”

She looked like she was seriously feeling really good.

There was no way he could believe that she would react like this.

Even though he did this only because he thought it would be a little interesting.

The Electric Anma Massage strengthened with magic power was like a completely different thing now compared to a children’s game.

From Koyuki’s white navel that was exposed until her waist in her hot pants were writhing and convulsing. It was one of the ways Koyuki would tremble when she reached climax.

The sensation that the sole of his foot was feeling was going beyond sliminess into soaking wetness.

Even so Kazuki was looking down on the rolling and writhing Koyuki with a cool gaze and continued the vibration of his foot.

“This is a punishment, I won’t stop that simply you know.”

“No, no way……♡ I’m turning strange! I’m turning really strange! Aaaaaaah! ♪”

Twice, thrice, Koyuki was convulsing. In concert with her emotion’s arousal her whole body was tinged with blue magic power. The masochism that Koyuki was feeling was unconsciously invoking magic and amplifying the pleasure.

Perhaps it was better to take off her hot pants and underwear already……that was how wet she was but, there was a meaning in not stopping Electric Anma Massage in the middle and continuing to do it. He couldn’t give her any rest. Continuation was exactly what Anma was.

Koyuki was focusing with eyes colored in feverish carnality at the gaze of Kazuki that was looking down on her coolly.

The act of Electric Anma Massage showed a plain pecking order between the participants. That made Koyuki writhe even more. This was just a simple idea, but this was pushing on Koyuki’s buttons amazingly.

And yet Kazuki was also embracing a really new sensation somehow.

“I came, so many……even though I’ve already become sensitive like this……this, is torture-, I’m breaking-”

Koyuki was sobbing happily. Tears were floating at the corners of her eyes, her long ears became red until the tips, she was letting out a sweet voice continuously with gasping breath. The tip of her glossy tongue inside her opened mouth was trembling. Her expression was colored by a little abnormal pleasure and even drool was spilling out from the corner of her lips.

It wasn’t beautiful, but it was an expression that would make any man think that it was cute from the bottom of the heart.

The cherubic beautiful girl with childishness still remaining in her was blooming into a flower of degeneration and carnality.

“For, forgive me already, please forgive me.”

“You want to stop?”

“Tha, that’s……”

“My foot, you hate it?”

“……I, I like it! I like the sole of Kazuki’s foot! I like being stepped on-♡”

Finding out submission from that act, Koyuki was connected into even more pleasure.

Kazuki too, he didn’t understand the logic, but his feelings understood. This was……SM……?

――That space of dream had cold allophone noise [click] mixed into it.

The door of the room opened.

“Kazuki, if there is something you don’t understand……”

Liz Liza-sensei who was saying that kindly while entering the room raised her voice “UoWAa!?” and her large blue eyes opened wide roundly.

“You, you two, what are you doing? What about the study……?”

Kazuki finally stopped his soaked wet right foot and hung his head down.

“……Just, what am I doing……”

Koyuki was breathing roughly while covering her face with both her hands.

“……I don’t know……”

There was no self-loathing or regret but, Kazuki and Koyuki were weighed on by the feeling of crossing over some line.

Hazy white vapor was enshrouding the pink colored paradise together with a peculiar fragrance characteristic to an onsen.

That his head was flaring hot wasn’t only because he was soaked inside hot water.

“It’s a good hot water isn’t it~, Otouto-kun♪”

Kaguya-senpai was smiling cheerfully while saying that. His disposition was to be reserved, even so they were currently soaking inside a bathtub at a distance where each other’s figure was clearly visible.

The vapor filling the room wasn’t at the level that could hide each other’s body.

Bringing in a towel into the water was prohibited. Of course that included Kazuki.

“The time is limited, so Kazuki entering the bath alone is just wasteful♪”

Not just Kaguya-senpai, Hikaru-senpai was also saying that while smiling cheerfully.

“Mu~, Kazuki look over here too.”

Mio who was chasing after Kazuki’s gaze was bloating up her cheeks. Surely she was saying that half-jokingly though. Koyuki beside her was also facing him with a demanding gaze.

Lotte and Kamimura-san were also huddling close at each other by the two of them while looking at Kazuki.

“……” With a line of sight that was facing a little below Kazuha-senpai was looking at Kazuki’s submerged body devouringly. She only wanted to be looked at.

“Why is everyone relatively calm……? Does this kind of thing always happen at the Witch’s Mansion……?”

Kanae leaked out her voice. The Kanae and Kohaku duo were looking down shyly at the corner.

“How nice is it that it’s always like this, the Witch’s Mansion……just why didn’t the me of last year aim to be the student council president.” “Gau” Miyabi-senpai and Shinobu-senpai were also here.

There was no way it was always like……that wasn’t necessarily wrong though.

The large public bath of the Queen Kaguya finally turned into a complete mixed bathing.

Of course originally it was the male bath, but when Kazuki was going to enter, those with especially high positivity level even among the girls for some reason was accompanying Kazuki. It was almost natural while making merry, they took off their clothes together in the changing room and then entered the bath together.

When he was going to follow the custom to first wash his body, Kaguya-senpai went “There are not any other people here so it’s better to start with warming the body” and pulled his hand into the bathtub, and now it became like this.

“~♪” At first there was a little distance between them while they were soaking in hot water, yet Kaguya-senpai was gradually getting closer to him while humming. She was approaching near.

Her breasts were floating on the water――that fact was known to him beforehand though.

‘So even Kaguya-senpai’s breasts are properly floating…….’

The extremely voluminous and impressive breasts were lightly and easily floating, it even looked as though it was violating the laws of physics. His gaze was unintentionally sucked to it. When Kaguya-senpai was gradually approaching him, that two manjuu were kept jolting here and there while floating.

His hand was reflexively reaching out.

“Ahn♪” Kaguya-senpai’s voice sounded like she was waiting for it.

Usually they were heavy breasts that made him concerned that it would hurt if he didn’t touch and lift them up, but the breasts that were floating in hot water didn’t make him feel their weight. They were just merely floating earnestly. With that as the start……the girls in the surroundings began to move.

“I’m also touching Kazuki~♪”

Hikaru-senpai leaped at the back of Kazuki who became engrossed with the breast, raising splashes of water. Hikaru-senpai also nonchalantly pressed her big breasts on him *munyu-* before circling her hands around the waist of Kazuki inside the bathtub.

“Fufufu, I wonder what happens with this place~♪” She was smiling mischievously.

“Kazu-nii-!” Mio who couldn’t hold back and raised a sweet voice also pushed her way through the hot water, she then kissed repeatedly at the side face of Kazuki who became engrossed with the two senpai.

She kept kissing many times as if to ask him to look her way.

Kazuki turned at the lovable kisses and plugged her charming lips.

“Nh……nh……♡”

Perhaps because they were soaked inside hot water, he was even feeling choked while their tongues were entangled with each other.

“Aa, Kazuki, you are reacting-“ Hikaru-senpai was having fun touching at the change of Kazuki’s flesh.

“Puu puu” “Kazuki-oniisan~” “What eroge is this?”

An opening――the petite Koyuki, Lotte, and Kamimura-san, the three of them discovered an opening between the clinging people and sneaked into there.

The members of the Witch’s Mansion completely became a single lump of oshikura manjuu. A giant meat bun submerged in a bathtub. He didn’t even understand which girl was touching which part of him, anyway everywhere on his whole body felt a soft sensations and was surrounded by nice aromas.. When he rubbed to enjoy the softness someone leaked out a sweet voice. When his breathing was getting rough demanding oxygen, he was inhaling in someone’s sweet breath into his body.

Blood was rushing to his head.

Kazuki shook off the girls coiling around him and rose from the bathtub.

“Geez, you are still not there yet if you cannot do something like manipulating your blood pressure using magic power, Otouto-kun.”

Kaguya-senpai said with reluctance at the parting.

“Fufufu, I’ve been waiting for this moment!” “Gau gau”

When he was climbing out from the bathtub, the Ryuutaki sisters were lying in wait like a surging wave.

They embraced him tightly with half tackling, causing them to fall and tumbled towards the washing place.

“Kazuki……this is the bathroom so you have to wash your body. Fufufu, it can’t be helped then.”

Kazuha-senpai held a soap in her hand and joined in there, she then slid fragrance soap between herself and Kazuki’s body. Both of their bodies were making each other’s body turn slippery together with a sweet aroma.

This fragrance soap……the aroma was different than usual…….

For some reason the aroma was making his reasoning go even further away from him. Is this an, aphrodisiac soap?

“Ni, Nii-sama―! I’ll wash you too―!” “Thi-thi-thi-thi-this one too―!!”

The Sword Department duo also resolved themselves and leaped at him. Their bodies were entangled with each other while slipperiness was spreading all over their bodies. Once again he was pressed everywhere with manjuu. It was a meat bun gliding on the washing place. He didn’t even understand which was where, but the slippery parts felt even better. The sweet voices in the surroundings was rapidly getting even more worked up. Small shivers were mixed amidst the slipperiness.

However the bubbles were rapidly increasing fluffily all over with every body movement.

Finally his mouth was blocked by the bubbles and he became unable to breath.

Kazuki shook off the girls coiling around him, grasped the shower and washed himself.

“If it’s just oxygen then create it with your magic power.”

Kazuha-senpai said something with a plainly high hurdle using a reluctant tone from their parting.

“Otouto-kun, our body hasn’t been washed yet~”

Before Kazuki could sneak away, Kaguya-senpai and the others had went around and were waiting for him, cutting off his way out.

“Wash us with your hand, come on-“

Kaguya-senpai and Hikaru-senpai that were sitting on the bathtub opened their bodies flauntingly and tempted him close.

Certainly……not just him, if everyone’s body wasn’t washed……. Driven by his sense of responsibility, Kazuki made foam with both his hands and crawled each of his hands to both senpai. Having calmed down compared to before, he thoroughly felt their bodies until every nook and cranny was touched and cleaned.

Both senpai had completely different body builds. Kaguya-senpai was overflowing with sultry feminine voluptuous softness, but Hikaru-senpai had liveliness in her tight body.

Their charms were taken to the extreme in the opposite directions. And their figures were now exposed in front him just like when they were born.

“……Kazuki-kun♡ Wash properly the inside of our bodies……♡”

Kaguya-senpai’s hand softly took Kazuki’s palm while she slowly opened her thighs, still sitting on the chair, she was guiding Kazuki’s hand towards her ravine. It was slippery――.

“Kazuki, the inside of my body too-♡ From here……♡”

Hikaru-senpai half-rose to her feet from the chair, her body turned in a circle and she pushed her butt to him, she took Kazuki’s hand and guided it towards her lovely contraction.

“Kazuki-kun-♡ Kazuki-kun’s finger is gentle-♡”

“Deeper-♡ Touch my bottom even deeper-♡”

Kazuki gently rubbed their inside. Both of them had their waists shuddering together with sweet voices and hitched breathing.

“Kazuki-kun- kiss! ♡ Kiss me-!♡”

“Me too-♡! I’m first-!♡”

Both of them badgered Kazuki for a kiss in a quarrel at both his face’s sides.

“Ehehe, I’m next~” Mio and also Koyuki sat on the bathtub and waited for Kazuki.

In an instant Mio’s glance met Kazuki’s eyes, she then smiled bashfully while spreading out her body on the chair, showing it to Kazuki.

The bold temptation from everyone continued to fire up Kazuki’s body forever without him withering down.

“Fu-fu-fu” A daring chuckle leaked out, a brown skinned young girl who wasn’t there until now materialized and stood imposingly with her arms crossed.

“You have grown as a harem king haven’t you, my king……Leme is proud-! Of course Leme will be the last!”

“……Late essential member?” Kamimura-san murmured absent-mindedly.

“I’m the last heroine-!” Leme talked back.

Part 4

With various events occurring, like that, the ship passed over the Panama Canal and then began to north for a while.

“The ship has lost control.”

Gathering everyone on the bridge, the ship captain Akane-senpai said that.

That voice which kept its cool was unlike Akane-senpai, this being because she had heard about it beforehand from Kazuki.

It wasn’t like the sea was stormy or anything. The waves were calm and there was also almost no wind.

But a great amount of rainbow magic power was covering the sea surface, leaving not a single spot exposed.

That magic power was carrying the ship somewhere.

No matter how the bridge tried to steer the rudder it was meaningless. There was nothing they could do except letting themselves to be carried away.

Rainbow colored magic power――it was the magic power of the manager.

Naturally he told the story of Basileon to everyone too. Though he almost half-forgot to do that.

If they headed to Atlantis at the appointed time, they would be naturally guided to the gate for the use of Japan, that was what that guy said. This was what he meant.

“It feels like we were put on a conveyor belt. Just by leaving it alone we will be carried until the gate of Japan right at noon on the first of September. The speed and the direction are automatic.”

“Tou-!” Suddenly the window opened and Hikaru-senpai leaped into the sea.

While all present became dumbfounded and lost their words――Hikaru-senpai rose to the surface of the sea of rainbow magic power with a splash.

Even though senpai wasn’t moving her legs and arms at all, her body was naturally advancing keeping pace with the ship.

“Ahaha! Even a flesh and blood human is properly getting carried! Amazing!!”

Logically speaking that was true, but Hikaru-senpai’s outrageous challenge made all of them feel like their hearts were going to stop. He patted down his chest in relief.

“That looks fun!” Karin continued after Hikaru-senpai and dived into the sea.

Giving a glance to that, “……Good grief, what kind of magic power is this I wonder.” Akane-senpai sighed.

This wasn’t a magic power of a single magician or a Diva.

The remaining of [the imperfect ultimate illusion] created from the previous Ragnarok that ended in failure was used to manage the current Ragnarok. That was this rainbow magic power.

And then they came to see a blue magic power cloud enshrouding their path ahead. This excessively dense magic power cloud that was different from usual was also created from the magic power of the manager.

“It’s dangerous if we become unable to see anything so please return to the ship!”

Kazuki called out towards Hikaru-senpai and Karin.

The ship entered inside the magic power cloud. With this the radar and the GPS, all kinds of devices became unusable. They also mostly couldn’t see the scenery around them, the ship was now not moving by its own rudder but by the tide of magic power. Now everyone didn’t understand directions anymore like which was left and right or north and south.

They were completely blindfolded to where this ship was advancing to.

Everything was entrusted to the so called manager.

Surely somewhere inside this blue magic power cloud that was enshrouding a terrifically wide range, there were also the other countries’ ships. It was unknown which country would enter Atlantis through which gate…….

One more day progressed after that. Thereupon on the path with a bad field of vision because of the magic power cloud, suddenly a deep black steel wall began to become visible, towering high. That was the wall that the investigation team of America witnessed.

However, at the path of the ship of Kazuki and group, the wall opened a rectangle hole with a snap.

America’s investigation team couldn’t discover this kind of wall or anything else, but Basileon said that he hid the entrances using magic so he guessed that it reacted to Kazuki’s group getting closer and the seal was dismissed. That was to say that this was undoubtedly the entrance gate for Japan’s use.

It was as though the ship was sucked in, entering the hole of darkness even blacker than the wall of black steel.

Inside the wall was dark. If there was a gateway then the path should be visible due to the light from the outside, but he couldn’t see anything like that. Before long right in the middle of the darkness, it seemed that the ship stopped somehow.

Kazuki looked at his watch. It was eight o’clock on the first of September. It would be four more hours until noon.

It seemed that the transport using rainbow magic power wasn’t as accurate as he thought, there was still time.

The ship was in a state of standing by.

“This is like telling us to build up our courage until the time comes isn’t it. ……But being in the waiting room will only make the athlete get nervous instead.”

Mio said such. To that everyone was nodding.

Four hours later, everyone concerned gathered at the bridge again looking over the watch with held breaths.

The second hand of the clock that was moving steadily was advancing to the number of twelve, at the same time the hour hand and the minute hand also went *tick!* in their movements.

――The three hands of the clock overlapped into one at the number twelve.

Noon had come.

The darkness on their path was excised swiftly from below to above, rectangle light was overflowing out. It was the light of the outside. The ship began to glide towards it.

The ship exited the gate. There, Atlantis was before their eyes.

A wharf that looked like a natural port was in front of their eyes, the ship was made to come alongside it. While being overwhelmed by the scenery before their eyes, Kazuki’s group that was a hundred knights got down on the land in order.

Chapter 3 – Contact

Part 1

What kind of contact should they accomplish with the other forces.

――Kazuki was thinking that what would be the most important thing in this battle of Ragnarok was that point.

In front their eyes [another world] that was even more prominent than all the Haunted Grounds they had seen until now was spreading out.

What greeted Kazuki and group was the rainbow colored ground and a rainbow colored forest.

When the world received the light of the sun, each and every angle reflected completely different colors, everything was shining rainbow-colored. Rather than calling it fantastical, it was rather a psychedelic scenery.

“Is this also the magic power of the manager……?”

“It’s like [Choueki Tanka Chibou] eh.”

Shouko said to herself.

“Choueki……?”

“That kind of unexplored region exists in China. It’s not a Haunted Ground but comes to be from natural origin. The ground has layers made from minerals with different reflections, it shines a rainbow when bathed in light……it’s a place called mother nature’s miracle, something like that yeah.”

“I heard that in Mauritius there is also that kind of place.”

Akane-senpai nodded while taking a pinch of the soil under her feet.

“It’s not tinged with magic power……. This place isn’t a Haunted Ground, its nature without abnormality. I wonder if this might be iron oxide or sulfur.”

After that she directed her extensively knowledgeable observing eyes to the trees of the forest.

“This tree……perhaps it’s rainbow eucalyptus.”

“Rainbow……what’s that?”

Kazuki’s eyes blinked while getting tongue-tied by the amount of knowledge Akane-senpai had.

“There is a variety of eucalyptus that will become various colors depending on the time the bared texture of the bark is peeled. Though the work itself is the same as the changing of colors of leaves in autumn.”

In other words this strange scenery was by no means something mystical.

There was flapping sounds, small birds were flapping their wings towards the sky from the trees of the rainbow colored eucalyptus.

They weren’t Demon Beasts, it seemed that normal birds were living here.

This place wasn’t a Haunted Ground. If he thought about it, existences like that of Demon Beasts would be a hindrance for the decisive battle. There shouldn’t be such a blunder at the stage prepared by Basileon. In exchange they were firmly imprisoned inside the fairytale-like scenery that existed in reality like inside a jewel box.

“I guess that the people of the ancient times looked at this kind of scenery and became illusioned that the world had mysteries. From there mythology was born……. I wonder if this can be said to be as the origin of illusions……that is to say the archetype of mythology.”

It was truly fitting for the stage of the decisive battle.

When Kazuki became convinced of that, the land shook fiercely.

“Earthquake!?” When he thought that and looked around, the sea surface and the ship were gradually sinking below.

That wasn’t it. It wasn’t the ship and the sea that were sinking.

The ground they were standing on was the one rising up.

When they looked down to the sea, there was a gigantic shadow on the surface there. When they looked up to the sky, the clouds were gradually approaching. The wind was becoming stronger with a whistling sound.

Atlantis was heading somewhere, liberated from the yoke of the sea and land.

The wall that had finished its duty disintegrated into rainbow lights and vanished.

While flying to the sky, the surrounding clouds were tinged with rainbow colors. Glowing clouds――this too was a natural phenomenon.

“Continent of the sky huh…..what an outrageous plan again……”

With this it could be said that Atlantis was even more released from outside interference.

The other countries should have landed here too.

……And then, the problem was how they would come into contact with the other forces.

He looked at his surroundings once again. His attention was taken by the rainbow colored trees and ground, but the surroundings were enshrouded by light blue magic power and they couldn’t see through the path ahead very far.

He wondered how wide this forest was.

Far at the distance, there was a faint outline of a mountain visible from here.

Mountain――thinking with common sense, if there was a mountain on a battlefield then first and foremost they should take position there.

However with this much magic power cloud enshrouding the space, even if they looked down from the top of the mountain then he guessed they wouldn’t be able to find the other forces or launch attack magics from the mountain. On this Atlantis, the mountain didn’t really have any value strategically.

First, the problem was how they should move, of course they had talked about it with each other beforehand.

{The basics of a battle royale is to let the running about enemies destroy each other}……such opinion was also expressed but this battle was not a complete battle royale because there existed alliance relationships.

If Japan was moving about from place to place, it would make it disadvantageous for the other Cosmos Side countries. If only the forces of the Chaos Side survived because of the effect of Japan moving about then it would be bad.

Continuously running around also meant continuing being a solo force. If they kept operating as a solo force, then they wouldn’t have any chance of victory if they encountered two forces that successfully united.

Rather he thought that they had to quickly come into contact with another force. It would be good if the first force they encountered became an ally, but even if the force that they encountered was an enemy force they could just finish it as an equal battle one on one.

However, Atlantis was vast and it was unclear just how vast. Even if they moved about blindly it didn’t seem likely that they could easily encounter another force. They needed some kind of magic.

“Fuuka-senpai, please do it.”

Kazuki requested one of the senior knights for a magic.

“Uh huh……” Fuuka-senpai nodded a little.

Yamashita Fuuka. She wasn’t their senior in the knight academy, she was an older girl of twenty years old that was already working as an active duty knight in the knight order. Her appearance with her black short bob hair and quiet demeanor, then the black mantle that was her Magic Dress that she wore gave her the air like a fortuneteller from somewhere.

“……O flickers of torch, o string of constellation. Please guide me to the thing that I seek……”

Behind Fuuka-senpai, the avatar of a Diva with a lion face <Purson> was floating up.

“Witch’s GuidepostDirection Witch”

Fuuka-senpai pointed straight at Kazuki. Thereupon red light was overflowing from Kazuki’s left ring finger.

The red light pulled a trail behind while flying to the other side of the forest.

The track of light was floating in the air like a string and remained without vanishing.

“So it’s fine if we follow this light isn’t it?”

Fuuka-senpai nodded repeatedly.

“Purson is a Diva that located the sought object of the human target. [Direction Witch] is showing the location of the thing that you are currently looking for the most.”

“I thought that the guidepost would surely be stretching towards me~”

Mio said with a carried away face.

“……It won’t show the location of the thing that has been obtained.”

“Ehehe, I already belong to Kazuki~” Mio was wriggling happily.

“You are an airhead even in the decisive battle aren’t you.” Koyuki retorted with an exasperated face. Koyuki was cool when they weren’t alone.

“The location of the thing that I’m currently looking for the most is it……it might be Britain or Germany then.”

It might be Britain where Arthur was or Germany where Beatrix was.

Or possibly……Loki Einherjar where Kaya was.

Although he was thinking that logically they should merge with an allied country first……instinctually he felt like he was looking for the conclusion with Loki and his group above all.

“One’s feeling is something not understood even by oneself. That’s why the destination that this magic showed won’t be known until we actually go there to see. ……Furthermore Purson’s own subjectivity is strangely mixed into the verdict result. When I once used this magic when I wanted to eat delicious ramen, for some reason I arrived at a tonkatsu shop instead.”

“Is this really okay……”

Nevertheless it was far better compared to loitering around without any hint.

It was lucky that a Diva that could use this kind of magic was included in his camp.

“Then next is Yuika-senpai, please.”

Kazuki called out to another senior.

It was someone clad in bird feathers, a Magic Dress that looked like a karasu tengu.

“You are the king so it’s fine even if you don’t call me senpai you know-!”

“I don’t have the courage to call someone older than me without honorifics.”

“What a modest king huh……you are saying that even though at the battle election you beat me black and blue.”

Kazuki made an awkward wry smile. Nakasaka Yuika-senpai was the second year student he fought at the first round of the battle election.

She was also one of the people selected into the one hundred of the <Imperial Guard Knights> from the knight academy.

He saw just how much she had raised her strength in the short time since then.

“I’ll do it, Valefor!”

Yuika-senpai made the avatar of the Diva <Valefor> who had a bird appearance to emerge.

“See through the path of a thousand ri, expose here the evil that is lurking in the darkness……Wisdom of CowardDetect Ambush!”

Yuika-senpai’s eyes were strongly shining with magic power. “I can see it!” Senpai raised her voice.

“Valefor is a bird Diva that the thieves came to love since ancient times, this magic secures super sense towards the presence of allies and opponents. ……Um, the magic power cloud that is extremely thick is jamming the effect a little but it’s okay. I can sense until ten kilometers ahead. I won’t even miss any footstep. I’ll shoulder the role as the scout.”

Scout――the role of someone that went ahead of the main group and performed reconnaissance of the path’s surroundings.

“Please don’t force yourself. I hope senpai can stay in the range where I can detect your whereabouts.”

“How much can my king sense me? I wonder around how much my positivity level to you is.”

“……It’s 58. With this positivity level inside this magic power cloud, surely it’s quite a vast range.”

“So it’s to that degree.”

Yuika-senpai clearly expressed her dissatisfaction. Although her scouting ability was high, but that power wouldn’t be able to be used to the best of its ability if she didn’t take quite some distance from the main group.

“No, that’s quite a high number you know. Honestly it makes me nervous somewhat.”

“You are saying that it’s quite high comparatively to how we didn’t even exchange that much talk until now?”

Yuika-senpai said as though she had seen through inside his heart.

Kazuki was startled. Certainly he was perplexed from that thinking.

“You see, I lost to you at the battle election, watched your activity in the East-West War. I admired you and wanted to become stronger. You taught us the meaning of battle as candidate knights. You gave us the true meaning to our lives. Perhaps it feels a little weird that your are liked by some girls that you don’t really know and you can also see the number of that positivity level, but see…… we liking you isn’t something that is that unnatural you know.”

Certainly……if he used his imagination he got it that it was a natural feeling.

The number of 58 wasn’t something excessive by any means.

“Furthermore that applies even more if it’s a cool younger boy.”

Yuika-senpai added that with a little reddened cheek.

“I too was thinking that I want to be useful in real battle so I trained intensively until today. With that I became the best among Valefor’s contractors like this. And then I thought that the show time of Valefor is exactly right now. On this kind of battlefield where we don’t know what is ahead, scouting is horribly important.”

“……I also think that how we come into contact with another force is the most important matter.”

If their side could discover the enemy first, they would be able to do anything from an ambush to a surprise attack.

In the case the enemy also deployed their scout, they had to discover that scout first and remove them.

The difference in scouting ability would dictate the hegemony of the battle.

“I think that right now in this moment, is the meaning of my existence.”

Yuika-senpai declared that she was resolved.

That was why even if it was accompanied by some danger, she wanted to force herself?

“That’s not allowed. I won’t permit senpai to distance yourself too much from me. We don’t know just what kind of magic exists out there. I think that Japan’s strong point is the power of bonds and cooperation. We won’t win if we lose sight of that.”

“……But, I have confidence in Valefor’s ability……”

Even now Yuika-senpai was murmuring. However when Kazuki put strength into his eyes, she reluctantly nodded.

“Please go ahead while confirming our direction. I’ll raise my right hand and give the signal when the distance with senpai is just barely inside the effect range of the power of bonds. That’s the range senpai can move the farthest as the scout. Please don’t go more further than that from us.”

Yuika-senpai nodded once before rushing out to the forest ahead. Her characteristic back figure with the bird feathers fluttering behind was soon swallowed by the magic power cloud enshrouding the rainbow forest and she soon vanished from sight.

Kazuki could feel Yuika-senpai’s presence even when he couldn’t see her. The positivity level became a string of bond that connected them in the mental world, Kazuki could follow that string.

That line of connection was gradually thinning. Yuika-senpai’s presence was fading the further she was due to the interference of the magic power cloud. When she was at the distance limit already, Kazuki raised his right hand.

A moment later, Kazuki felt disappointment.

Yuika-senpai’s presence halted just for a moment. However――she soon advanced further and vanished completely from the range of the bond.

Part 2

The moment [the king] raised his right hand, she felt disappointment.

‘……It’s still only this far! There is no meaning being a scout at this kind of distance!’

The power of Valefor……couldn’t make use of the full meaning of her existence!

Kazuki had became unable to see her figure since a while ago. However Yuika’s eye could see Kazuki’s figure as if he was right nearby. It was to the degree that she could even feel his breathing.

There was a large gap in the way they were sensing each other. That was why Yuika naturally brought her leg to step even further ahead.

Even so she also had the basis of why she thought that it was fine. Valefor’s magic――[Step of CowardEscape Step], it was a special magic where it was possible to be used consecutively even though one needed almost no incantation to do a [space-leap] for five kilometers.

Even in the case that she encountered [something], she could immediately return to the range of the bond.

In the first place there was nothing that he needed to worry about.

Being underestimated……. For Yuika who had worked hard until she was selected as one of the Imperial Guard Knights in the end, it was a sad thing that pierced her heart. She wanted to obtain trust that was suitable for her hard work. She thought that maddeningly.

That was why even after seeing his right hand lifted up, she advanced several steps ahead.

After advancing for several steps, the other side had also noticed that she was advancing even further, so she noticed that she would soon be chased and she would get scolded.

It was meaningless. It was several steps that weren’t accompanied by logic. It was nothing more than the disarray of her emotion.

She soon noticed that she better return. But――,

{Why are you alone?}

――Suddenly, a voice came from behind.

Enemy!? No way it couldn’t be this fast!!

She quickly turned around, behind her a gigantic old woman that was like a mountain was towering over her.

She was gigantic, but she was half assimilating with the surrounding forest as if overlapping with each other――an avatar that wasn’t accompanied by the real body.

The red eyes that were opened round like a fish were looking down straight at Yuika. She was an eerie old woman. The remains of her mostly falling out white hair was hanging down like a fleeing samurai, her cracked skin had uneven bumps swelling all over. An evil countenance that couldn’t be thought of as coming from a Diva, as though the old woman was a monster.

{How pitiful, are you abandoned? Then <I’ll> welcome……}

While smiling repulsively, the old woman’s arms that were covered by old rags were stretching out to Yuika’s direction.

‘Which country’s mythology is this!?’ Yuika snapped to her senses and invoked her magic.

“O protector god of thieves, from here until beyond, cut and connect the path! Escape Step!!”

The space behind Yuika was extinguished and her body leaped toward far behind. Putting a distance of five kilo’s in less than a second――it wasn’t a move that could be followed physically no matter how fast you were.

……But in front of Yuika’s eyes that should have performed the emergency escape already, the old woman was still smiling without change.

The old woman didn’t leave her for even an instant, as if she was an evil spirit haunting her.

‘What kind of magic is this!? This isn’t physical, something more conceptual……!

It’s invoked after fulfilling some kind of requirement, it absolutely won’t let go no matter what……!’

The arms of the old woman embraced Yuika tightly. Even though it didn’t have a real body, her spine froze.

Her mentality completely became unfit to fight an enemy.

{Come to <me>. Come to <me>……. It’s fine, even if you don’t return back. Nowhere……}

“Hii!?”

While still inside the old woman’s embrace, the figures of Yuika and the old woman were fading starting from their legs. Her consciousness was also getting farther. From her legs to waist, and then to chest, her body and senses were vanishing.

She was taken away to somewhere that wasn’t here!

She had to Resist……. There was no magic that couldn’t be resisted. If she understood the phenomenon that was happening to her body and produced the phenomenon that countered it…….

……She couldn’t. She couldn’t grasp it. She didn’t understand. Lies, lies lies! ‘I lost already!?’

She wasn’t lying when she said that this was the meaning of her existence. Rather than the danger to her life, what was scorching her mind was the fear that she would lose without accomplishing anything for the sake of the world.

“N, NOOoOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!”

If she just bought a little more time, everyone will come to save her! However, Yuika noticed after she yelled.

The old woman appeared from her back. That was why when she used the magic of emergency escape……she became separated for 5 kilometers in the opposite direction of the main group!! No one……would come to save her!!

{Nowhere……}

Yuika vanished together with despair.

Kazuki ran at full speed, but the figure of Yuika-senpai couldn’t be found anywhere.

It was strange. There was no way she would go ahead at the speed that couldn’t be caught up with even with his full speed.

The moment she went out of the range of the bond, something happened.

Enemy intervention? Were there enemies right nearby? Was Yuika-senpai kidnapped without being able to detect it?

The enemy attacked with a perfect grasp of the range of the bond?

This fast? It seemed that the gate for each country was equally distanced but…….

“Fuuka-senpai, please use the magic before one more time.”

If that magic was used one more time, this time it should display the direction of where Yuika-senpai was.

“Uh huh. That’s fine but, there is a risk that we will take a detour. Perhaps we are being thoroughly lead into a trap. Also Purson’s magic is influenced not only by logic but also by emotion. If in your heart there is anger like [How dare she ignore my order!] or distrust like [It’s dangerous to go saving just one person when there is still ninety nine here], the magic surely won’t be able to forecast Yuika’s whereabouts.”

“I have no such feeling at all.”

“……Got it. You won’t be able to assert your feelings that surely without considerable conviction. You are a good king aren’t you. ……Direction Witch!”

Small heart marks flew from Fuuka-senpai to him while she was re-chanting the magic.

The line of red light was pointing at a new direction.

It was unknown how much distance there was, but Yuika-senpai should be ahead of there.

Because they had lost their scout, this time Kazuki and the swordsmens became the vanguard unit and advanced.

Even while hurrying they needed to advance while being vigilant.

Kazuki thought that it was a fifty-fifty whether Yuika-senpai was safe or not. If an enemy managed to kidnap a person, what would the enemy do then? Would the enemy easily make the one kidnapped unable to battle, or would the enemy use her as a bargaining material…….

If the enemy was someone who knew that Kazuki was a person who put the importance of his comrades above all else, perhaps the enemy would choose to use Yuika-senpai as bargaining material. In the case that he was asked to do something absurd in exchange of the girl’s safety…….

He was the King, so he had to hold the resolve to reject the things that ought to be rejected.

If he weighed the important matter that would be controlled by the end of this decisive battle and the life of Yuika-senpai, he had to abandon her. No matter just how tragic what happens in front of his eyes…….

There was a watering place with rainbow moss growing on it and a rare butterfly traversed in front of him, but he advanced without giving a glance to all of those things. Each time he took a step forward, the dark cloud of anxiety in his chest grew heavier.

And then――,

“……I haven’t laid my hand on the girl. Nothing at all.”

He saw Yuika-senpai being captured.

There was a faint half-transparent hut composed from magic power. It even looked like a birdcage. Inside it, the figure of Yuika-senpai laid down on a bed through the hut. It seemed that she lost consciousness.

Beside that hut, a silver queen and her knight order were waiting.

The scenery inside the forest was like a fairy tale from somewhere.

“I haven’t done anything to her.” That girl said that one more time.

Ilyailiya Muromets!

It was the opponent that Kazuki didn’t want to meet the most inside his heart.

The knight order Ilyailiya led, eighty percent of them were women wearing Magic Dresses, the remaining twenty percent were wearing the uniform of the Russia knight order that was a dark grey jacket and pants complete with a military cap. It seemed that her hundred of people weren’t composed with only Magika Stigma. They had a very little amount of decoration, their appearance was more of a military rather than knights.

When he followed the magic power from the hut that captured Yuika-senpai, it was linked to the Magika Stigma standing beside Ilyailiya. Behind that woman, the avatar of a gigantic old woman was floating.

It was an old woman with a horribly eerie look. It couldn’t possibly be thought of as the figure of a Diva that represented Order.

“Our side has no intention to attack. To prove that, let me introduce her.”

Ilyailiya talked with a voice that kept her cool.

“This girl’s name is Izolda. Her contracted Diva is Baba Yaga, an evil spirit of the forest. Perhaps it’s closer to the impression of Japanese people if I said that it’s a forest monster.”

“You say you don’t have any intention to attack……?”

Kazuki asked back while taking battle readiness without letting his guard down.

The old woman of the forest <Baba Yaga>. Kazuki who had investigated mythology beforehand obviously knew that name. Its popularity was high even as the legend of Russia, one of the existences that was most feared there.

“With this magic of Baba Yaga……[My Fun HouseHome Sweet Home], we took custody of your comrade. This magic can pull close a girl who wanders alone inside a forest to the user’s side. There is no way to resist without advanced Resist or powerful magic power ejection. The number it can catch at a single time is only one person. However the further the target is the larger the consumption of magic power.”

Wandering alone……the moment Yuika-senpai got out of the range of Kazuki’s power of bond, the condition of being [alone] without anyone being able to detect her was fulfilled.

An abduction magic that activated without question when the condition was fulfilled. Distance was unrelated. Yuika-senpai was helpless no matter how many kilometers she could look ahead with Valefor’s power.

That was how it was……the existence of magic that they couldn’t even imagine.

The initiative was taken by the enemy. They were surpassed by the enemy on the first move.

However……she didn’t ask any compensation at all? Why did she politely explain the magic?

“Why didn’t you do anything to her? Are you planning to make a deal?”

“I want you to be relieved.”

There was no way he could be relieved.

“From what I guessed through the particulars of your battle against Regina before, your group is able to sense the whereabouts of your fellow companions. Therefore when I saw that the captured person was a Japanese, I thought that you would surely come rescuing her even if you have to brave through danger.”

It was an exceedingly accurate deduction. After this much it was scary to hear the continuation of her talk.

“We could even kill this girl and then leave behind this place. All of you who come searching for her would be reunited with her dead body……. We also had enough time to do that. We didn’t do that because I want to rebuild a good relationship with your force. In order to prove our goodwill, we didn’t lay a single finger on her.”

“You are talking about friendly relationship, not negotiation?”

Ilyailiya smiled sweetly. The ice queen who usually never made a smile at all mechanically warped her cheek muscle and showed a stiff smile.

“We of Russia wish for a new alliance with your force.”

Kazuki fell silent with a baffled feeling.

Ilyailiya was waiting for a reply with a smile she wasn’t used to doing.

Enemy――furthermore it was exactly the one he recognized as the most troublesome enemy in the early stage.

“What are you going to do about your alliance members? We are absolutely incompatible with China and Loki.”

Ilyailiya smoothly answered that as though she had prepared to be asked that beforehand.

“Now that we have become unable to cooperate with each other, our alliance with them has already become a dead letter. It’s not useful at all. What is more important than that is to avoid fighting with the force we encounter in the very beginning. Each force will reach balance sooner or later. If we suddenly fight then even if we win there will be no future ahead.”

“Then you, you planned to propose an alliance to the first force you encountered no matter who they were?”

“It’s fortunate that the first force we encountered is your group. Because your group is the party that is the most reasonable. My standpoint is actually similar to you. Not Order and also not Chaos.”

“I’m not thinking that it doesn’t matter whether one is Order or Chaos. You who thinks that whichever side is fine as long as you win, and I who wants to find out the best path, we are not similar.”

“Victory should be necessary in order to find that best path you are looking for. Aiming for victory……at the very least our objective coincide until the middle of the way. If it’s you who is more open-minded than any other King, you should understand that this is only logical.”

Kazuki kept silent and pondered. He had to hypothesize every kind of possibility regarding joining hands with Ilyailiya right here.

There was only one point that was unnatural. What she was saying wasn’t logical.

For her there should be an easier way to make use of him by making use of her forte.

It was fine if she herself didn’t notice it. It wasn’t like all the enemies would be cunning like Clark. But if that wasn’t the case?

‘……Weren’t we actually lured by the ability of Baba Yaga and brought into the most terrifying situation that could possibly happen?’

The most terrifying enemy that needed to be watched out for the most at the early stages in Atlantis wasn’t even Loki or Fu Xi. The reason was because this girl――in this insulated battle royale, was the fastest person here.

There was an out of place feeling that she would wait fixedly for them here like this.

“Besides I know after forming an alliance with them. Fu Xi of China is terrifyingly strong.”

Kazuki had also heard the story from Shouko, how she was [an existence that was out of the norm].

“Even if I join hands with Fu Xi of China and defeat other forces, it will be meaningless if in the end I am defeated by Fu Xi. First all the other forces need to join hands and defeat Fu Xi of China……I think that is the most logical for all the other forces. Because that’s just how strong Fu Xi is.”

“I see.”

Perhaps, at a glance that was reasonable.

However even so the doubt Kazuki was harboring didn’t clear away.

But there was no need for him to stupidly press the question honestly, because he had learned his lesson in the battle with America. Cold sweat was going down through his back.

“Got it. I too want to avoid sudden fighting and exhaust my forces. Let’s make an alliance.”

Kazuki held out his hand.

After thinking for a moment, Ilyailya took his hand as though she was just remembering [Come to think of it again, there is the custom of shaking hands in this world isn’t it]. Her palm was cold to the touch.

{……Everyone.}

Kazuki called out through telepathy to all the Chouki like Mio and Koyuki and Kaguya-senpai.

{For now we will pretend to form an alliance. While pulling out information from them, if there is something that you think is suspicious……match our timing and attack all at once. Perhaps she doesn’t know that we can even match our timing using telepathy.}

When the half-transparent hut vanished, Yuika-senpai that was captured inside it immediately woke up.

She raised her upper body and looked around, then when she discovered Kazuki, she rushed to him with a face that almost burst out crying.

“Sorry, sorry I, that time I took a step……!”

That single step where she exited the range of Kazuki’s bond. That surely wasn’t something logical, but an impulse that couldn’t be helped. For a human, anyone must of have had that kind of moment.

“Please don’t mind it. The magic was invoked without caring for anything like distance. Something that I or senpai cannot even imagine happened. That’s all.”

Those words came from his heart, but senpai still powerlessly looked down in dejection.

It would be bad if she withered just from a single failure.

“It’s fine. It hasn’t become a bad situation from there.”

His hand propped up the withered shoulder and he grasped with a little strong grip. Yuika-senpai’s shoulder twitched with a start and she lifted up her slightly reddened face.

“Ilyailiya only used that magic before in order to call us out. Japan and Russia will temporarily fight together.”

“With Russia……will it be okay?”

Yuika-senpai directed an uneasy look at Ilyailiya.

“Our interests coincide with each other.”

The ice queen showed a stiff smile once again.

“We were able to avoid the most feared result which was [contact with another force].”

He said that to encourage Yuika-senpai as though what happened was a matter of great celebration, and also with the intention of letting Ilyailiya hear that.

For the time being he only intended to pretend making an alliance. However, he couldn’t convey that to Yuika-senpai in front of Ilyailiya. That was why he needed to make Yuika-senpai accept the situation from the bottom of her heart.

Not just Yuika-senpai, all his other companions whom he couldn’t speak with using telepathy were also unable to calm down and made bewildered expressions. He had to calm down everyone.

Yuika-senpai tensed her expression that seemed like she wanted to cry and looked around the surroundings.

Her scouting eyes that could search for the enemy in the surrounding ten kilometers went around the surrounding area.

“Understood. ……But I’m sorry for going against the order.”

It seemed that she ascertained that there was no ambush in the surroundings. He was thankful for that quick wit.

There was no ambush, the problem was only the one hundred people before their eyes. ……He didn’t know whether their number was accurately a hundred though.

“Then how are we going to advance?” Ilyailiya asked.

“We have divination magic. Although it doesn’t mean that we can accurately understand where we will arrive at.”

That they could understand the whereabouts of Yuika-senpai was actually thanks to this magic.

“I see. We don’t have that kind of guiding magic. Then we will follow with where your group is going. That’s because I believe that is the best path for us whose interests coincide with each other.”

When Ilyailiya gave the command, Russia’s knight order took position that attached themselves in a line at their left.

Kazuki secretly transmitted his voice to everyone with positivity level above 150, the ones with whom telepathy was possible.

{The line will naturally become disordered when advancing through the forest, so everyone use that disorder as cover to secretly move to the right side. Pull the hands of the Magika Stigma around you to move following you. The Magika Stigmas are to distance themselves from Russia’s knight order and push the swordsmen near that side. The point is to nonchalantly create heaven and earth formation that is facing left. It’s so that we can fight Russia anytime.}

If the members who could use telepathy with Kazuki took some action wordlessly, the others were to consider that the same as an order from Kazuki. He had made everyone understand that beforehand, so there shouldn’t be any confusion.

“Then Fuuka-senpai, please.”

“Uh huh. Direction Witch!”

A string of red light stretched out ahead to the forest once again. The destination was a little different compared to the first time. It was unknown whether the target had changed or the target had moved.

“Yuika-senpai, can I ask you to be the scout?”

“……Yes! This time I won’t get out of range again!”

Yuika-senpai went ahead from Kazuki and group once more.

“I see, a scout. There is no Diva in our Mythology that is adequate as a scout. Consequently we can only walk around aimlessly while putting expectation so the magic of Baba Yaga would luckily succeed.”

There was no personnel that was adequate as a scout?

There was no way that was true. Kazuki was convinced of his doubt. He wanted to press the question to her but he understood that in doing so would become the trigger that would become bad resultsexplosive.

This was the same like the time with Clark. They were mutually gauging the timing of when to betray the other.

He didn’t understand what Ilyailiya was waiting for.

The Japan knight order was starting to move in succession. The Russian knight order was following right besides them.

Advancing through the forest, the trees that blocked the path disorderly threw the line of the knight orders into a mess. Kazuki’s comrades took the advantage that was created from that and secretly changed their formation.

Their formation changed into the heaven and earth formation that faced toward Russia’s knight order who was lining up at a few meters to their right side.

“I want to ask this before we decide the alliance but, if you obtain <the ultimate illusion> then what do you plan to do with it?”

Kazuki was thinking to occupy Ilyailiya’s attention with conversation.

Ilyailiya answered. “We are fighting for the sake of reviving the gods and spirits, and the simple monsters of ancient Slavic Mythology whose existences were deleted.”

“Their existences deleted?”

“You should have heard about the story of the three great Mythologies. Because of the defeat in Ragnarok, the gods of Slavic people were sealed for a long time until now due to the oppression that occurred since then. We are fighting for the sake of taking revenge for that.”

Revenge……that was an act without any productivity at all.

It was another matter if that was a personal emotion, but that wasn’t something that a whole country would do en masse.

“After achieving revenge, what are you going to do?”

“We are already not even Order or Chaos. Our Mythology that has been worn down throughout the long history no longer has any teachings left to lead mankind. There is no ideal in us. We will only win to the end and stand at the top while absorbing the doctrines of the Mythologies we defeated. That’s all that we are going to do.”

There wasn’t any emotion surfacing on her expression, Ilyailiya was speaking with her eyes still on the path ahead.

What a truly futile story. It wasn’t to realize their ideal, it wasn’t because there was something they wanted to do, they were going to stand at the top because they wanted to stand at the top. It was just like someone that was lusting for power only because he wanted to become famous.

And she was talking about that not with an expression which was overflowing with ambition, but merely with an apathetic tone and an expressionless face.

“What kind of meaning is there in that?”

“Meaning? If you love your god, it’s only natural to wish for your god to stand at the top. It’s because we loved the gods of Slavic Mythology.”

“Loved?”

Ilyailya’s eyes opened a little wider, as though she was shocked by her own words.

“We……loved……there is no mistake. This is because the current me has no emotion remaining.”

Strange, painful pity ran through Kazuki’s chest.

“The current you has no substance……”

Gods who lost their substance. And the believers who forfeited their own substance in order to reach victory. It didn’t matter if there was not even Order or Chaos, it didn’t matter what kind of teaching it would be, it was fine as long as they just had Slavic Mythology…….

There was no more faith in that. It was a failure, nothing more than a completely withering cycle.

”There is no substance in me, is it. That’s correct but, it’s a mysterious feeling to have that pointed out to me once again. However, I believe that the idea of enlightenment that is talked about in the orient is something like this.”

Enlightenment. The imperviousness that came from being liberated from egotism. Emptiness.

The heart of this girl wasn’t moving. She was moving automatically by being reduced into her habit.

That was why this girl was fast.

“There is substance inside your words.” Ilyailiya said to Kazuki.

“Your words come from your heart, resounding inside me. It’s different from the words of someone like Loki. Before I knew it, I began wanting to get a chance to talk with you like this. Surely in the end it will become a battle against you. However……I judged that undoubtedly there is meaning in the talk just now.”

“A human who said that she had lost her emotion, has that kind of feeling?”

“Because if I defeat you who is my antithesis after associating with you, then I will be able to become even more pure.”

She still hadn’t reached her ideal self. Her emotions still hadn’t completely become empty.

In other words these guys……became stronger the emptier they were!

That was the strength of Slavic Mythology, the authority of Ilyailiya as King.

“An opponent who makes me feel like this, is only you.”

Ilyailiya turned to his direction, and declared.

Their eyes met. Her eyes were like jewels without impurities. An automatic killing intent in emptiness.

However, Ilyailiya was being zealous. She was pouring her nerves into the conversation with Kazuki. She accepted Kazuki with all her strength, she was saying that she could become perfectly pure by defeating that.

She looked expressionless, but for her this was a fervent speech. As though it was a confession of love.

Sensing that zeal, Kazuki decided.

{Everyone! Now, attack!!}

The next moment, Kazuki and his Chouki magicians moved together like a single living thing.

Ilyailya opened both her eyes in surprise from the magic powers that were expanding in a single breath. However, even Ilyailiya that was logical and decisive in everything stiffened and stood still.

“Mode Phoenix!”

Kazuki poured magic power into Zekorbeni and invoked instantly towards the opponent before his eyes.

“O the undying bird that repeated life and death! Liberate the final flame, become the sun of the surface……Imitation Flare!!”

A gigantic bird of fire was emerging from the arm that Kazuki held aloft. The fire bird released all the flame of life that was residing inside its body and bulged into a ball that was like a sun.

The gigantic solar flare swallowed Ilyailiya as well as the knights of Russia following behind.

Phoenix’s level 8――he wasn’t being stingy. His comrades also followed after him.

“Flap thy wing and scatter from the bottom of the earth. Trail the wind of spiral, become the bullet that expose the rage of this star! Flap and shoot! Volcanic Barrett!!”

“O will of whirling heaven god, I become the agent of the rage of god! O radiance of royal divine gift, become the storm of dazzling brilliance! Arrow Storm!!”

Mio and Hikaru-senpai successively invoked the fastest level 1 magic. By turning into Chouki Magicians, both <Barrett> and <Lightning Line> obtained attribute of rapid fire and shot rapidly like a storm.

Ilyailiya didn’t make it in time to use defensive magic and she became rooted on the spot due to the impact of her smashed magic.

“O maddening desire of the depths, bloom the forbidden flower right here! Consume greedily beautiful things in no time at all! Timeless Black TentacleInfinite Tentacles!!”

Kaguya-senpai summoned glistening violet tentacles from underground and the tentacles twisted around Ilyailiya. Ilyailiya’s white modest limbs were pressed hard by the terrific number of tentacles without leaving any opening as though they were going to tear her apart.

“O tear of mermaid, reveal the pain of the chest to the world. The chair at the side without that person, the blank album, summon the freezing world……Desolate Ice WhiteSolitary White Album!”

In that opening Koyuki invoked level 5 magic. Inside that prison of tentacles――a world of intense cold was created where the output was compressed into an extremely cramped space.

The attack magic were invoked in sequence postponed by the level.

“The alliance is a lie for the sake of a surprise attack! Swordsman squad, go!!”

Kanae who was the only one among the swordsmen who could receive Kazuki’s telepathy ordered the swordsman squad.

The swordsmen of Japan who followed the doctrine of strength obeyed Kanae without hesitation and descended on Russia’s knight order like a surging wave.

The knights of Russia began to show resistance even while being bewildered. The Magika Stigmas of Russia moved back in panic while beginning to chant.

“This son of a bitchSobaka!”

The uniformed Russian knights yelled their abuse. They weren’t carrying weapons and attached iron armor on both their legs and arms. And then they handled the slash of Japanese katanas using peculiar breathing and motion. Russia’s hand to hand fighting art――Systema. By draining the strength using peculiar ways of breathing and in reverse reading the flow of tension of the opponent’s flesh and magic power, they showed flowing blows and evasion.

The elusiveness that was a mix of mystery and logic had similarity with Chinese kenpo.

The [Systema Wall] splendidly obstructed the momentum of the swordsman squad.

Kazuki tried to pour magic power into Zekorbeni once again. But before he could do that, he sensed presence of action from Ilyailiya that was caught inside the cage of tentacles.

“……Burst into flame, silent flux of all creation. Ogni Fonarei.“

It was Ilyailiya’s instantaneous magic invocation. The entwining tentacles bloated and silver flame overflowed from the gaps. The silver trail of the flame was flickering while hardening, changing into a sword.

“Mec.”

• shun shun shun!* The silver blade made several laps and carved apart the tentacles.

“ShieldficationSicieto.”

Ilyailiya that recovered her freedom was being vigilant of further attack coming at her and changed her silver fire into a shield next. This silver fire could freely change its form and nature into all kinds of metallic shapes.

If Kazuki chose to attack using Summoning Magic, this silver shield would surely repel it back. But Kazuki didn’t do that, he unsheathed Ame no Murakumo and rushed closer.

In the battle against Ilyailiya, to Foresight her movement was too slow. He had to Foresight the <killing intent> produced before she moved――the sign of her mental world from the flow of magic power that was produced together with her will when she decided she was going to move. That was what he learned when fighting her before.

“Distort, Ame no Murakumo! Battou Kaikon――Kushihebi no Tachi!!”

Kazuki faced Ilyailiya and released the power Ame no Murakumo was hiding.

Ilyailiya wasn’t holding up her shield while perfectly understanding the situation. She was only holding up her shield as soon as she was liberated from the tentacles.

Surely that would be enough against simple attack magic that flew at her. But the blade of Ame no Murakumo that Kazuki wielded twisted like a snake and encircled the shield, attacking Ilyailiya from the shadows.

The move of the snake that couldn’t be blocked by a shield――the sensation of defensive magic power being smashed was conveyed to his hand.

Ilyailiya formed a sword in her right hand and repelled the snake sword with sweeping movement. But the snake sword didn’t get discouraged from being repelled and persistently attacked Ilyailiya even now by twisting its body.

Ilyailiya was overwhelming in speed. The sword in the girl’s right hand and the shield in her left hand were reacting with dizzying speed and warded off the snake’s attack. Kazuki was Foresighting her defensive movement while twisting and turning Ame no Murakumo in an attempt to pass through. Sometimes the blade was repelled and sometimes it succeed in biting at Ilyailiya. Twice, thrice the magic power of Ilyailiya broke.

Ilyailiya’s forehead slightly formed the wrinkles of irritation.

“Flow down, cutting flash of sky. Plijie Zvezda.”

The sky. Kazuki sensed the sign of an attack coming from the sky and his body evaded from the trajectory that he predicted. Small meteorites sharply rained down diagonally. *pshuu pshuu pshuu!* Countless holes were gouged on the ground.

“Run around, Domovoi.”

Even while managing her sword and shield, in rapid succession Ilyailiya floated small a fireball at her side this time. It was small, but it was a compressed flame that one should be on guard against.

However, all of it was magic that he had seen when fighting in Fuji’s sea of trees. Ilyailiya was trying to fight with only the magic that he had seen before so as to not expose her trump card even more.

“Don’t look down on me! ……O rejection of absolute zero, become the armor of isolation that protects my body! Freeze Barrier!”

Before Domovoi could rampage, Kazuki exchanged Zekorboni into Vepar and put up an ice barrier. The fireball and cold barrier clashed and extinguished each other.

While reacting to deal with the opponent’s swift attack, Kazuki continued to swing his snake blade.

“I am also trying to read the flow of your tension as a user of Systema but…..it seems I cannot match you in martial arts.”

Ilyailiya let out her voice while continuing to move her shield and sword sharply.

“……However what are you planning with this? Aren’t we joining hands with each other?”

“What I’m planning, you ask? ……This alliance is just too convenient for you isn’t it?”

Kazuki answered while trying to pass through the silver sword and shield using the snake blade.

“With me acting together with you……what are you going to do if the next force we meet is a Chaos force? Aren’t you going to redo your alliance with the Chaos force and then bare your fangs at us? How can you declare that you won’t do that?”

“……So you cannot believe me, that’s unfortunate. You are being taken by excessive paranoia.”

“If you want to be believed then don’t tell barefaced lie. Stop the joke, like you saying that there is no one on your side who can scout. You yourself are the strongest scout in the world, aren’t you, Ilyailiya!”

‘Isn’t this girl finished already with her action’――that was Kazuki’s doubt.

This girl had already acted one turn faster than his side.

If at the moment they landed this girl flew around Atlantis by herself with all her speed then…

Normal scouts would move carefully so that they wouldn’t be separated too much from the main group.

But if it was a King that could boast of being the fastest then it was a different story. She had the confidence of safely escaping even if she encountered an enemy. She had the combat force that could resolve any situation no matter how unexpected by her lonesome.

Yuika-senpai was also contracted with the optimum Diva for scouting, but Ilyailiya was in a different dimension.

The fastest King was the sole scout who could fly around Atlantis alone as she pleased.

With that speed, just what had this girl done…….

“Since a long time ago, you had contacted forces other than us already right?”

It was a terrifying fact that almost made his lips trembling now that he said it out loud.

“You had already contacted your alliance partner, then from there you chose one or two people to bring back to your own camp as a combat force didn’t you?”

The concentration and dispersion of battle strength. The basic concept that was the most fundamental in strategy.

Inside this forest, it wouldn’t be that easy to determine whether there were a hundred or a hundred and one people. It might be just one person. However there was an existence that could change the battlefield just alone.

Ilyailiya didn’t say anything. That was why Kazuki talked even further.

“Loki or a King, is already mixed inside your group.”

Loki was also troublesome, but even worse than that was a King. And the worst King even among the seven Kings…….

“Good discernment.”

There was a voice.

In the surroundings the Magika Stigmas were attacking each other with Summoning Magic, while the battle of the swordsmen and the Systema users became a clashing battlefield.

Despite so at the rear line of Russia’s knight order, there was a knight that didn’t participate in the fighting at all. Even though she wasn’t wearing Magic Dress but the uniform of the Russian knight order, she didn’t go to the front and become a shield of the Magika Stigma. She was wearing the military cap low over her eyes and remained a spectator to the situation.

With a shine that uniform was disassembled into magic power light――transforming into a Magic Dress.

Kazuki opened his eyes wide together with a shudder.

“We were also reluctant to hide like this.”

What emerged after the uniform vanished was the silhouette of a petite girl. However, a ring of dazzling light was floating on her back, her four limbs covered by dragon scales that looked like amethyst, while her chest and waist were enveloped in colors restricted only for nobles.

Correct, it was only this girl whom he had never met face to face until now.

Even so, just at a glance, he understood who this person was.

His worst assumption came true. As expected, Ilyailiya was telling him the worst lie.

“Chukadou’s <Reborn Emperor>, Fu Xi.”

The girl emperor where the dragon of destiny resided gave her introduction.

There was an extreme difference between a hundred people with one King and a hundred and one people with two Kings.

He understood something like that. That hopeless understanding overwhelmed Kazuki’s heart.

“Ilyailiya. Wouldn’t it be better to do as we said? If the difference in battle strength is overwhelming, then we should crush them as soon as we discovered them without using coaxing/flatterycajolery like an alliance.”

Fu Xi was talking while staring at the fighting Ilyailiya with a composed face.

“Because I wanted to fight him after talking. This is a battle between Kings, therefore there is meaning in that.”

Ilyailiya answered. She didn’t even look timid. Kazuki’s decision to launch a surprise attack was correct.

However, just because one took a correct decision didn’t mean that it would surely create hope. What did some damage given from the successful attack bring to him?

This was the worst openingcontact.

At that time, feeling the presence of magic power getting closer, Kazuki lifted up his face.

Ilyailiya and also Fu Xi turned their heads too.

From the other side of the forest, a gigantic ship came flying by weaving through the trees’ gaps.

A flying ship. Originally it wasn’t something that could fly between the densely packed trees. But that ship was emitting light while sometimes distorting, sometimes the hull was folding while passing through the gaps swiftly.

Rather than calling it a ship it also looked like a gigantic dragon, but when it came closer it was a ship as expected――a dragon ship that the Vikings boarded.

“I see, just when I rush to take a look it already became this kind of situation. Ilyailiya made use of her speed and transported her ally quickly to fight Hayashizaki Kazuki. However, the one with confidence in their speed is not limited to just you. Perhaps my way is slower just for a little, but I’m still not too late am I?”

It was the <Skidbladnir>, the extraordinary sacred treasure of Norse Mythology that Kazuki had seen in America. Perhaps it couldn’t fly in the sky due to the influence of the magic power cloud, it was floating while zigzagging forcefully inside the thick foliages of the densely packed rainbow eucalyptuses.

The Queen of the Vikings was looking down with an air of composure at the bow of the ship.

Hrotsvit Lesedrama. The contractor of the famous chief god Odin.

“Furthermore on my ship, elite brave warriors are riding together with me.”

Shadows of ten people were lining up behind the queen. There was a presence that Kazuki knew really well there.

“Let’s go, Beatrix. This is the beginning of the enjoyable Ragnarokwar.”

Chapter 4 – Mountain of Olympus

Part 1

Someone whom he wondered ‘Is it okay to trust this kind of person’ appeared in the middle of this desperate situation.

The Norse knights jumped down from the ship like Vikings and reinforced Japan. And then, Skidbladnir folded up into a small shape and vanished into Hrotsvit’s palm.

“Fufufu……Haa―hHA-HA!!”

Fu Xi laughed loudly.

“Gathering in one place for us like this only shortened our effort that much! To be able to suddenly strike down two Kings right here is exactly what is called a godsend! You can prostrate yourselves before us, you savages!!”

Fu Xi’s petite body soared largely. She passed over the Magika Stigmas of Russia towards the front lines where the swordsmen and Systema users were clashing――.

Fu Xi was chanting a spell.

“Flame element!” Kazuki Foresighted the magic power and commanded his comrades. It would be a disaster if they were late even for an instant. Magic power to a repulsive degree was whirling in Fu Xi’s small body.

“O eight dragons of China, become the blazing field that reside in Shangdi’s hand! Kyuuryuu Shinkatou!!”

Dragon avatars of eight colors were emerging one after another at Fu Xi’s surroundings. Because Fu Xi herself was clad in a Magic Dress that was like a dragon, it was like nine dragons were flying in a group.

The dragons of eight colors were twining on each other while converging at Fu Xi’s hand, becoming a single treasured sword. The radiance of eight colors were compressed into that huge treasured sword that was almost as big as Fu Xi’s height.

“Prostrate yourself! No, die!!”

While yelling unreasonable things, Fu Xi swung around the sword. At a glance it was clear that her sword skill was like an amateur. However, the treasured sword that was carelessly wielded spouted out intense winds of flame with each swing.

A fierce heat wave was turning the surrounding rainbow eucalyptus into cinders one after another without any time for the flame to even spread!

“Freeze Barrier!”

Kazuki was the first one who deployed a barrier of cold. His comrades also continued after him and invoked their defensive magic.

Nevertheless, the swordsmen at the frontlines were blown away altogether with Russia’s Systema users like wood chips by a blowing flame. The vanguard was crumbling!

‘This is bad’, from behind Kazuki who was impatiently thinking that――the silver queen was swinging down her sword at him. The enemy wasn’t just Fu Xi alone. He must not forget this girl too. Kazuki evaded by rolling forward.

“My soldiers also got swallowed together with them.”

Ilyailiya directed a chilly tone to Fu Xi while attacking Kazuki from behind.

“It cannot be helped. Attacking little by little like that doesn’t fit our character.”

Was it just his feelings that faint irritation was visible on Ilyailiya’s expression?

And then, one more HrotsvitKing that rushed over here was――.

“Beatrix, go bite her.”

Hrotsvit commanded as though she was ordering a hunting dog. Beatrix said a single “Ma’am-!”, and then she rushed at full speed without any fear towards Fu Xi, rather it was like she was being rewarded.

Beatrix sent a brief glance at Kazuki for a moment. But she didn’t say a word.

Hrotsvit herself held a mace as her weapon and cut in between Kazuki and Ilyailiya.

“……Ilyailiya, I have a proposal.”

“?” Ilyailiya obediently stopped her attacking hand and entered a listening stance.

“How about forming an alliance of Germany-Russia-Japan for the time being and defeat Fu Xi who is isolated alone like this. Thinking about the future, I believe it’s better to eliminate that first and foremost.”

Hrotsvit talked so without knowing that just a little while ago Ilyailiya was saying almost the same thing to Kazuki.

“Plijie Zvezda.”

In exchange of a reply Ilyailiya dropped down meteorites. Hrotsvit Foresighted the trajectory of the meteorites and evaded leisurely.

“Why? Isn’t it a rational proposal?”

“You are……”

Ilyailiya was staring at Hrotsvit with a look that was different than what she directed at Kazuki.

“Among the people congregating on this Atlantis, you are the one who cannot be trusted the most. It’s a different matter if it was a proposal from Hayashizaki Kazuki.”

“My my, I’m even lower than Fu Xi over there and Loki? It cannot be helped. Then Hayashizaki Kazuki, you believe in me right?”

Hrotsvit turned at him abruptly. When Kazuki was unable to reply immediately, she was making doubly sure by saying “Right―” while still smiling. It was a pressuring smile.

“Ye, yeah……really it’s this kind of situation. I feel really thankful.”

“My alliance partner, Hayashizaki Kazuki. Fu Xi possesses vast power, but the way she wields that power is not polished. She had never fought except in the way of kicking around small fries. That’s why if the enemy in front of her eyes is tenaciously facing her then her field of vision will turn narrow. Beatrix is a masochist so she is surely able to attract Fu Xi’s attention with utter gutsiness. You too, please send someone from your camp that is the most excellent in martial arts. In that way she will surely show an opening no matter how vast her power is.”

Hrotsvit proposed a [strategy] with rapid talk like an otaku that suddenly became a fast talker when talking about the story that he liked. The contractor of the god of war Odin…….

“Kanae, Karin, Kohaku! Cooperate with Beatrix and stop Fu Xi!”

Certainly even if normal swordsmen fought Fu Xi by ganging up on her, they would be unable to do anything and would only increase the number of casualties. [Strength of number] without every single person possessing the minimum standard wasn’t a practical story. And when the opponent was Fu Xi, that minimum hurdle became terrifyingly high.

“Yes, Nii-sama!” Kanae replied with energy and she took along Kohaku and Karin with her.

“The both of us who have a wide field of vision will push Ilyailiya back while aiming for the opening Fu Xi will show.”

Hrotsvit was talking with a vague hint of cheeriness coloring her words.

Indeed, there were four people in this place, but there was no need to equally fight two against two.

Concentration and dispersion of battle strength. If it was with Kazuki and Hrotsvit then they could conduct themselves quite advantageously. It meant pushing off that Fu Xi to his other comrades but……certainly Fu Xi looked like someone with a personality that would be at a loss against Beatrix’s persistence and Kanae’s nimbleness.

While attacking Ilyailiya with the two of them, they would aim from the side at the opening that Fu Xi would surely show.

However, it was a way of fighting that would be accompanied with sacrifice. No matter how many advantageous conditions his comrades could pile up against Fu Xi this wouldn’t be over with everyone safe and sound. He had the feeling that he could see the true quality of the person called Hrotsvit with that moment of command. ……No, perhaps it was also an expression of trust towards Beatrix.

Fu Xi was a monster. To push her back wasn’t just an ordinary danger.

“Onee-san!”

Beatrix raised a joyful voice after ascertaining the girl who came as reinforcement. She liked fighting against strong warriors more than anything, but she also liked fighting side-by-side together with strong warriors.

Kanae lost her temper with ‘funyaa―!’

“Every last one of you, there is no reason for me to be called sister-in-law by you guys-!!”

Kanae who was once called ‘nee-san’ by Mio too was unwilling.

But both Beatrix and Kanae, at that time they mutually thought of each other as reliable.

Fu Xi who was swinging around the treasured sword called <Kyuuryuu Shinkatou> was at the center of a tornado of flame so getting close to her carelessly was impossible. The might of that tornado of flame was on a different level from what one would imagine from the word flame. Furthermore, while doing that, Fu Xi was chanting even more spells.

The able warriors named by Kazuki and Hrotsvit had to do something about this situation ASAP.

“What is the meaning of this, presenting small fries instead of the King in front of us!”

Fu Xi raised an angry voice and swung her treasured sword to Kanae-Kohaku-Karin who arrived before her. With a single swing, a wind of flame that would swallow all three of them together blew. But the three of them were notorious warriors. They Foresighted and sensed the simple magic phenomenon and were able to escape from place to place.

“You bastards, so you understand our movement before hand!”

Fu Xi was―with a glance she perceived the true nature of her opponents’ movement and raised an irritated voice.

“Be careful, it’s dangerous to get hit by even one attack!” “Yes, Kana-nyan-senpai!”

Kanae aroused caution and Kohaku answered.

This was exactly a fight of heavyweight class against lightweight class. Fu Xi’s wind of flame was evaded nimbly by Kanae and the others, at a glance it looked like an even fight, but everything would end if they received even a single attack.

Beatrix was laughing joyfully “Fuhahahaha!”

“This peerless formidable enemy, a joint-struggle with heartening allies, it’s really thrilling! But……nothing will start if we don’t get close first!!”

Beatrix charged straight at Fu Xi while guffawing. Fu Xi naturally swung her treasured sword to meet her attack. BeatrixThe berserker that jumped right from the front into the wind of flame caused Karin to scream “That’s reckless!?”

Karin directed the defensive magic that she was chanting to Beatrix in panic.

“Mark in hand, truth in mouth, resignation in soul……the defense doctrine of ancient times that repels disaster right here……Abolishment Samskara Klesha MantraOnkirikakusowaka!”

Karin’s contracted Diva <Tamamo no Mae> was known as an apparition, but she was a fox that was revered with faith as a god in the ancient Japan. Karin’s spell chant――no, perhaps it should be called [prayer] here. With that Tamamo no Mae exhibited power as a god and gave rise to winds of protection.

Beatrix who was rushing headlong was enveloped in wind that repelled disaster.

The wind that attacked Beatrix right from the front was weakened in momentum at that moment.

“My gratitude fox kid!”

Beatrix leaped into the winds of flame that was weakened only for an instant and held her ground even while her magic power was being shaved off grindingly before she rode across. And then she crashed her large sword at the treasured sword that was the source of the flame.

“O divine protection of valorous man, whirl in my body and double the Megin! The will of god that spurs me to infinite fight, in this body! ……Meginjord!”

Blade and blade was pushing hard at each other while Beatrix invoked reinforcement magic.

Blade locking contest. Now that it became like this Fu Xi became unable to swing her treasured sword anymore.

The whirl of flame that turned the surrounding area into a blazing field finally stopped with that.

“Now……Shin’iki!!”

Kanae immediately plunged in. Fu Xi right now was in the timing where her chanting was going to end anytime.

Surely this must be an unknown special move for Fu Xi.

Shin’iki――by perfectly reading and understanding the magic power wave of the spell chanting and by swinging the blade at a perfect timing, a small wound would be gouged at the most important framework of the magic power stream that composed the spell. With that single small wound, the magic phenomenon that should be completed would be crushed into pieces――it was a [chanting disruption technique].

It was unrelated to how vast the magic power that Fu Xi had. With one attack of a small black cat, the magic of Fu Xi that was on the verge of completion right now was dispersed.

Losing control of the whirling magic power, it melted into the air and vanished completely.

“Just now, what’s that!”

Fu Xi whose reset button was pressed from the side in a development that she had never even imagined leaked out a shocked voice.

“I will do a good fight, welcome a good death, become a person who wishes to participate in even more battles of heaven! The divine protection of blood color in my eye! Berserk!!”

Beatrix jostled the treasured sword while piling up even more reinforcement magic.

However――Fu Xi’s treasured sword was unmoving like a boulder. Fu Xi’s arm strength……wasn’t the cause, the vast magic power Fu Xi’s whole body was clad with was the cause. Fu Xi pulled herself together and smiled smugly.

“Hmph, you all, are you planning to stop us? Fufufu, I sense you who are in front of our eyes. How your magic power is being shaved grindingly even just by matching blades like this. Do you understand now? You who are desperately enduring the weight of our blade, are under the control of us.”

The more someone was under the control of Fu Xi, their strength would be stolen from there――that was exactly the King’s Authority possessed by Fu Xi.

That wasn’t something limited by country’s territory. If her standpoint towards the enemy in front of her eyes became dominant, the enemy’s strength would be stolen gradually by that much. Smile was fading away from Beatrix’s expression.

“Shin’iki!” “Shintoukei!” “Getsuei no Tachi!”

Kanae, Karin and Kohaku, the three of them simultaneously assaulted Fu Xi whose sword was locked against Beatrix.

But the attacks of the three, all of them were repelled by something unseen.

Fu Xi wasn’t moving――the three martial artists sharpened their senses to detect just what in the world had blocked their attack. And then their eyes opened wide in shock.

A colossal magic power was floating behind Fu Xi, it was forming the shape of a human.

As though it was the guardian god of Fu Xi.

“Fufufu, understand that the density of our magic power is different with you all. This is not Summoning Magic at all. The great force of will of us gave birth to one more us……”

The Enchant Aura enveloping Fu Xi’s body detached from Fu Xi’s body as it was and moved independently, it was protecting the unmoving Fu Xi.

“Something like that is useless if the trick is known!”

The three of them quickly released the second wave of attacks. But Fu Xi’s shadow clone was hindering them, there was no way <Shin’iki> or <Shintoukei> would succeed. Kohaku’s <Getsuei no Tachi> perfectly hit, but that attack that was specialized in hitting didn’t have that much strength.

While they were doing that Fu Xi was restarting her chant once more. The countdown of terror began once more.

“Because our close aides are not at our side protecting us, even chanting is a pain but……no matter, surely even a low level magic like this will be enough for the likes of you all.”

Even though she said that it was a low level magic, but it was a magic phenomenon that was invoked with Fu Xi’s colossal magic power as the trigger.

――The invocation couldn’t be prevented. Kanae, Karin, and Kohaku leaped back with maximum vigilance. Only Beatrix didn’t do that. She was left behind while stopping Kyuuryuu Shinkatou and endured patiently.

“O history of China’s four thousand years wartime fire……become five swords with blades filled with grudge. China Five SwordsChuuka Goken!”

Five treasured swords were created along with light of five colors at Fu Xi’s surroundings.

Those swords were like birds with their own will, they flew around with wind cutting sound.

“First sword, Hitou!”

One of the swords swooped down at Beatrix that couldn’t make any movement.

“Shintoukei!” Karin jumped in to cover for Beatrix and struck the side of the flying blade with her palm heel. She read and understood the flow of magic power of the <Hitou> and then she poured in magic power that ran counter to it to nullify the magic power while her palm heel conveyed shockwave to the blade――<Shintoukei>. The Hitou was smashed into small pieces suddenly.

“Second sword, Gokouken!!”

The five swords were moving in turn――the next one moving was a large two bladed sword.

It did something unexpected and split vertically right in the middle, becoming twin swords with single edge each and flew towards Beatrix from both sides.

“……Wind God PositioningFujin Sokuitsuke!” This time it was Kanae who jumped in while rotating like a spinning wheel and swung her katana from right to left and caressed away the intersecting twin swords. With a speed that handled left and right at almost the same time, Kanae repositioned the swords with the minimum strength. <Gokouken> was shifted from Kanae and Beatrix to miss by a hairs breadth and stabbed into the ground deeply.

“Third sword, Konmeiken! Go!!”

In succession the third sword moved. It flew to the wrong direction and stabbed into the ground where there was no one. Kanae and the others readied themselves instantly wondering what it was planning.

The next moment, pitch black mist spewed out from the sword that stabbed the ground like a grave marker. The mist was enveloping not just Kanae’s group, but even the allies in the surroundings and also the Russian knight order.

All at once the people lost their strength as if their whole body was ravaged by a nerve poison. Several people fell on their knees weakly. Even Beatrix that was locking swords with Fu Xi right now was swallowed by the black mist and groaned “guh”, it weakened her herculean strength and she was gradually being pushed back by the pressure of Kyuuryuu Shinkatou.

If Beatrix was outpushed then they would be exposed to the threat of the flame storm once more.

At that time from the battlefield that was covered by the mist of curse, Shouko who was straddling the divine beast <Shifuzou> was flying high to the sky swiftly.

“That become the whip of god that shoot out the soul! Awaken the surge that disturbs the origin god right here! Dashinben!”

Shouko swing down the thin wooden pole from the air towards the black mist. The wooden pole that hit empty air *DOON!* reverberated throughout the surrounding area with striking magic power.

That was a special surge that obstructed every kind of magic power wave and magic phenomenon.

At once the black mist dispersed and vanished. The people recovered their strength.

Beatrix also recovered her strength and pushed back the Kyuuryuu Shinkatou with a strain.

“Hmph, so you came through that, how troublesome. Fourth sword, Bakuya Houken!”

Without almost any time to rest, the fourth treasured sword emitted fierce light.

That white light blinded the eyes of all people who were present there. It was a light that disregarded even when the eyesight was strengthened with magic power.

The people lost their eyesight temporarily, <Bakuya Houken> became the very streak of light and flew towards Beatrix with the speed of light. It was truly an attack that wouldn’t let one see through or defend against it.

But at that time a darkness that seemed to swallow that light was enveloping Beatrix protectively.

“O god of destruction Shiva, pull down the curtain of jet black right here! O calamity, rotate! Great Darkness of ReconstructionBairava Mahakala!!”

The contractor of Shiva, Silirat of Ryouzanpaku emitted [darkness]. That was the darkness that symbolized Shiva’s cycle of destruction and regeneration――the enshrouding phenomenon was immediately dismantled as an error.

When the darkness swallowed the treasured sword that emitted light, the treasured sword lost its light and speed and turned into a blunt sword immediately. Karin shouted “Haa!” with spirit and smashed it apart.

Fu Xi’s both eyes became sharp like a dragon, her eyes goggled at Shouko and Silirat that suddenly appeared.

“Heh! It’s shocking that tyrant-sama is properly remembering the faces of us lowly people!”

Silirat bared her teeth and talked back provocatively.

“I really ain’t got any duty to be the ally of Japan, but I had long awaited for this day where I can face you like this yeah, Reborn Emperor Fu Xi!”

Shouko also yelled at Fu Xi with a fierce grin.

The expressions of Shouko and Silirat were filled with happiness of finally confronting the hated enemy.

Both of them lost their birthplace because of China’s invasion, they were war orphans that formed Ryouzanpaku.

“Fuh, that’s because we also have smart minds! Those guys that are slightly better even amidst the small fries, I remember them!”

Fu Xi’s young face burst open into a smile and she puffed up her chest with a proud huff ‘ehhen’.

It was a really innocent smile even towards opponents who were directing glares filled with killing intent at her.

“Shut up you demon!”

Silirat pointed the tips of her <Trisula> at Fu Xi and took her stance.

“That’s right! You are the bad one!!”

Suddenly Karin also raised a yell of hatred.

“Nee-san wasn’t bad by any means! I also wasn’t unfortunate! Everything……everything was because of you, the source of all evil!!”

The smoldering feelings inside Karin’s chest that didn’t have any place to vent to was suddenly realized towards the enemy before her eyes.

Being raised as a puppet without affection to be a spy of China, in the end she parted with her step-sister without being able to exchange any feelings at all. Even so Karin was unable to resent her step-sister.

To give it up as a mere misfortune gave her a feeling of loss that just was too heavy. ‘Just why did it have to become like this’, that emotion which didn’t have any outlet to vent out to had been inside her all this time without her understanding it.

And then right now, she herself overlapped with the figures of Shouko and Silirat and she was finally able to understand.

Chukadou, King of domination, Fu Xi.

This girl’s urge for domination was what was made her whole lifedestiny into a mess!

The naïve Karin was pierced by a hatred so great, one which she had never harbored towards anyone until now, that it made her tremble. Her small body was boiling strongly with the heat of rage.

“We are bad you say? Foolish, ignorant people. Whether it is good or bad, it is decided by us!! The sin of saying that we are bad, deserves a thousand deaths!!”

The last sword shined dazzlingly.

“Fifth sword, Seikoui Tenken!!”

“Silirat, its light element again! Do the one just now one more time!”

“Say that after you bought me time for chanting you idiot-!”

Kanae yelled and then Silirat yelled back.

The last sword――Seikoui Tenken was shining brightly while climbing up to the sky. All the swords until now were rapidly increasing in power corresponding with the increasing turn. Then surely this would be the strongest sword.

When the sword was absorbed to the sky, with a flash the clouds split and light was overflowing down.

“Bridge to the surface from the sky, o rainbow of supremacy path! Mow down the worms!!”

Fu Xi yelled, then rainbow colored light was pouring down from the sky.

Red, blue, yellow……any of those colors were a laser beam formed from compressed magic power. It made their hair stand on its ends. All the lights were heading accurately to Kanae and Beatrix respectively.

“Block and endure, <Taroutachi>! Battou Kaikon――Taiju no Shinogi!”

Kohaku poured magic power into her Sacred Treasure and enlarged it until the limit and protected the overheads of her comrades.

The roof of thick steel blocked the colorful rain of light. But Taroutachi endured only for an instant. It used up its power at once and it withered back to its original size.

But thanks to that instant, Shouko’s chanting made it in time.

“O evil lurking in the sand pattern, shut the surge and scatters the light! Wind Scattering FlowerTao Art – Kazesange!!”

Shouko controlled wind and compressed the density of the atmosphere overhead. The clump of air compressed by soaking it with magic power became a shield that obstructed every element of attack. The air isolated the temperature, blew away material, and then the light――was being dispersed while being refracted.

When the rainbow laser passed through the wall of air its vectors were refracted, its accurate aim was slightly shifted. Due to that the target barely escaped from being hit.

The heat ray passed through by a hairbreadth right besides them. However, just the radiating wave from that smashed their defensive magic power with a colossal amount of heat and it blew away the swordsmen everywhere.

“ “ “ “ “UWAAAAAAAAAAAAH!” ” ” ” ”

“NUOWAAAA-!”

Even Beatrix who was blocking Kyuuryuu Shinkatou while being protected by her comrades had her back burned by the radiating waves of the heat ray, her knees finally slumped down.

She was already unable to block Kyuuryuu Shinkatou and became exposed powerlessly in front of that tyranny.

“Hahahahaha! That’s as far as you go!”

Fu Xi kicked the slumping Beatrix and sent her flying, then she largely swung up Kyuuryuu Shinkatou in order to swallow her up with flame wind.

“You did well enduring this long, but you are finally devoured! And then prostrate yourself!! No, die!!”

――But at that time Fu Xi’s field of vision had exactly shrank down. She became absorbed with the prey in front of her eyes and separated her eyes from the existences that she should originally pay attention to the most.

And that was creeping unnoticed, from dead angle to dead angle, while killing the presence of its magic power.

“――!?”

The shadow creeping close was finally noticed by Fu Xi when it reached the stage where it swelled up its magic power, she turned behind her. She was too late.

“Near Death Roulette!!”

“What the!?”

Kazuki swung down the scythe of the death god.

Part 2

“Hayashizaki Kazuki, on the fifth move!”

Hrotsvit yelled while fighting.

“I get it!” Kazuki also returned a nod.

That was the moment when Fu Xi used the first sword <Hitou> among her five treasured swords.

Fu Xi didn’t do something like [launching the five swords at the same time]. It was reasonable to think that the magic she used wasn’t something where doing such thing was possible. Those five swords couldn’t be handled at the same time.

From now on Fu Xi would launch her five swords in turn. Even though she would not need to chant any spell during it, but her action until five moves ahead had became definite.

Kazuki and Hrotsvit noticed that fact at the same time.

In the case that their comrades defended against those swords one after another until the fifth one……Fu Xi will surely lose her temper. She would lose her cool. She would perform an act that they had predicted beforehand without her cool.

――This was the extremely rare chance where her field of vision narrowed. There would be an opening created without fail.

The problem was how far their comrades could defend themselves. Kazuki who aimed for the surprise attack couldn’t chant defensive magic in order to help his comrades.

That was a gamble but there was no time to feel hesitation. Even if they had predicted her action five moves ahead with certainty, it didn’t change that it was like watching someone pulling the trigger of a gun filled with five bullets ‘bang bang bang bang bang!’

Retreating from the battle against Ilyailiya that was jumping and flying around, Kazuki rushed towards the direction of Fu Xi.

“……I won’t let you go.”

Ilyailiya who changed her right arm into a silver blade tried to block Kazuki’s path.

However, having predicting that high speed movement, Hrotsvit cut in with her body.

Hrotsvit was also able to perfectly foresight the killing intent of Ilyailiya.

Precisely because she didn’t have eyesight that she was even more sensitive to it than Kazuki.

Wisdom. Prophecy――those were things that symbolized Odin.

“You won’t let him go? Do you really think so?”

Ilyailiya was repelled away by a powerful body blow, Hrotsvit then swung her large thorny mace *buun!*. Ilyailiya barely blocked it with her silver shield and her movement was stopped with the strength of the two reaching equilibrium against each other. Kazuki successfully retreated from there.

“……Domovoi!”

Ilyailiya summoned spirit of flame and sent it at Hrotsvit.

“Calamaity has already been reflected on my blocked eyes……Hidden Letter of ProtectionOrto Rune!”

Runes were shining red while emerging at Hrotsvit’s surroundings as if to protect her, the fire spirit clashed against it and both magics offset each other.

“Automatic defense magic in response to the foresight……!”

Ilyailiya analyzed with a clear face and voice.

“You can see as you wish any unforeseen attack.”

“I wish I could do that―. You, since a while ago you were completely devoting yourself to defense weren’t you? Sometimes you counterattacked but you only kept using the same magic like an idiot that only remembers one thing. Are you underestimating us? Or else……you too are someone with a considerably cunning personality?”

“……”

Ilyailiya didn’t answer and put her strength into her silver shield in the attempt to push back.

“A safe mode that thoroughly protects your own body without showing your trump card at all. It is an annoyance that no sufficient damage is inflicted on you after fighting you with the two of us……hey, were you really thinking of [won’t let him go]?”

Ilyailiya didn’t answer. Hrotsvit showed a smug faint smile and peered into Ilyailiya’s eyes.

“Your true intention is to [do her in], am I wrong?”

――And then when the fourth sword was launched, Kazuki rushed until nearby Fu Xi and the others.

At the fifth swords, with effort he endured the feeling of wanting to protect everyone with defensive magic. He believed in his comrades.

And then, while he sensed the movement of Fu Xi’s eyes, he was rushing from blind spot to blind spot.

While he was inside a battlefield where attack magics were bursting everywhere in all directions, his magic power was endlessly thin. He didn’t even let a drop of sound leak out from his footsteps by using Psychokinesis as a cushion.

He emitted his presence only for an instant when he invoked magic using Zekorbeni.

His comrades were desperately defending. They somehow pulled through the fifth sword too. However, Beatrix finally fell on her knees and Fu Xi brandished her Kyuuryuu Shinkatou. He couldn’t postpone it for even an instant more.

“Hell King DressMode Asmodeus!”

At that moment, Kazuki made it in time.

“The five stars shining at the interstice of life and death, pillaged by the circling whim of the god of death, become an unspeakable wretched clay doll! Near Death Roulette!!”

Magic power exploded in his palm and a huge scythe was created, he swung it.

“What the!?”

Fu Xi noticed and turned around but――she was already too late. From Fu Xi’s shoulder until her lower body, the black scythe cut her up without any resistance. There wasn’t even any reaction from defensive magic power.

This scythe didn’t posses even the tiniest bit of attack power.

In exchange, every single attack would randomly plunder one of a human’s five senses.

The moment the scythe cut up Fu Xi, his two hands felt weight that he had never experienced until now. Rather than a physical weight, the weight was resounding in his mind. It was a weight that he had never felt when using this magic until now. Kazuki immediately stepped back and took distance.

Fu Xi who was full of composure was shaken up for the first time.

“You, you bastard, what did you do!?”

Fu Xi flapped both her hands and she stamped both her legs on the ground as though to make sure of the ground’s feel.

……Perhaps the sense that was stolen was her sense of touch. Fu Xi was supposed to feel uneasiness as though her whole body was floating in space. Actually he wanted to steal her eyesight but…….

Nevertheless what was with the weight of this scythe?

{That’s just how heavy the thing that you stole is.}

Asmodeus’s voice resounded inside Kazuki’s head.

Certainly, he was using this magic against an opponent that was on a different level compared to all his opponents until now. In the first place, Kazuki hadn’t used this magic all that much until now.

However, hadn’t Kaguya-senpai been able to easily use this scythe skillfully? She was able to nonchalantly steal several senses from a great number of opponents as she pleased. No matter how much out of the norm Fu Xi was as an opponent…….

{Kukuku, that’s because the compatibility of me and you and this magic is lacking. You are thinking that you don’t really like using this magic right? It’s not your style.}

Now that he was told so, he had no choice but to agree.

{Though the compatibility between me and my cute Kaguya is perfect you see.}

Kaguya-senpai who was being favored until this much by this female ero demon king…….

<Near Death Roulette> stole one of the senses with each attack, the sixth attack would sever the magic power itself. However……with the scythe getting this heavy from just one attack, he guessed that that really wasn’t realistic to carry out.

“Now! She is feeling shaken!!”

Kanae gave the command and then she started attacking together with the comrades who had fixed their stance.

“Chih……o flame of Nanden, burn the vigor and work the mind, fill the full scope of heaven and become the sun god. Exiting divinity from Taizoku, change shape into garments that is one with origin! Tempering God Purple Ribbon Hermit ClothesReijin Shiju Sen’i!!”

It seemed that Fu Xi was spewing out a large amount of magic power from her mouth, but that magic power was enveloping her whole body and became a garment that repelled the all-out attack of Kanae and the others.

“Useless…… attacks from the likes of you all are useless against us! ……That’s how it’s supposed to be……yet, what have you done you bastard!?”

Even while showing such an overwhelming defensive power, Fu Xi glared at Kazuki with a look of rage.

The girl had received an unknown attack that she couldn’t recover from.

Most likely two words of [temporary retreat] were also flashing inside Fu Xi’s head.

It wasn’t a bad point of compromise to have her retreat after this little skirmish.

In the first place she should be bearing a risk too, having China’s main force acting separately from her continuously like this. ……Now that he thought about it, where was the main force of China?

Kazuki looked around once again and grasped the situation. Thanks to the reinforcement of ten people from the Norse Knight Order, Japan could oppose Russia in a superior position. However Russia’s side wasn’t really damaged that much. ……Right now Kazuki noticed, that Russia as a whole was putting importance on defense.

Perhaps in this situation, the one who was being forced into exhaustion the most was Fu Xi alone.

Needless to say, the one who arranged that was obviously Ilyailiya.

It looked like this was a battle of two against two, but the truth was that it wasn’t like that.

……*Shudder*, Kazuki suddenly felt a chill.

He looked up to the sky. On the battlefield Kazuki was constantly honing his senses towards magic power. Kazuki who was doing that was sensing a magic power wave from a direction he didn’t anticipate as a [bad premonition] and [chill] instinctually.

“Everyone, be careful! Something is coming from the sky!!”

He didn’t understand at all what it was, how was it coming and who it was aimed at, but anyway he yelled.

Something was sparkling in the sky――in was approaching in the blink of an eye.

It was an arrow wrapped in magic power! The moment he understood that, that arrow pierced Fu Xi who was in front of his eyes.

“……What the!? Whose work is this!!”

Fu Xi’s [Reijin Shiju Sen’i] had cracks running on it.

It wasn’t just a single shot. With that as the start *hyun hyun hyun*……arrows were flying in succession. Those arrows’ aim weren’t limited to Fu Xi, the arrows were flying accurately at many people.

The knights who were right in the middle of battle were falling into panic.

“……” Taking advantage of the mayhem, Ilyailiya’s figure vanished. Hrotsvit was facing the sky and her attention was shifted from Ilyailiya which made an instant of opening.

She rushed around between the knights of Japan who were in disorder and were preparing to flee, there was no doubt that she had the ulterior motive of chopping up everyone like a slasher. Kazuki too was late in his reaction.

But the instant Ilyailiya moved, an arrow accurately flew as if it had beaten her to the punch. Silver armor broke and magic power light was overflowing. Ilyailiya stumbled her step and stopped still.

The arrows were also aiming at Russia. They were flying here without discrimination between Japan, China, or Russia.

“Which interloper is firing these arrows!!” Fu Xi raised an angry voice.

Kazuki and Kanae Foresighted the trajectory of the arrows with senses that were nearly like prediction, they protected the nearby allies. However, when their attention got fully occupied by the arrows, Russia’s knights came in assault with their Systema. Those Russian knights also became the victim of those arrows. The battlefield was displaying a state of chaos.

Kazuki recalled the silhouette of a mountain floating on the other side of the sky he saw before. This was…….

“We are being sniped from the top of that mountain. The highest place in this battlefield is being occupied.”

Hrotsvit talked with the same thinking as Kazuki.

“Arrows that are hitting perfectly at the same time numbered as far as two. There are two shooters.”

Hrotsvit nodded back at him after Kazuki said so.

Two arrows were flying here simultaneously, however the speed of the rapid-fire was terrifying. The power wasn’t that high but it was annoying with the huge number of the arrows. Indiscriminate……that meant, they couldn’t see the appearance of the people here?

“I never even imagined that someone would attack from the top of that mountain.”

In a place that was enshrouded by a magic power cloud this thick the attacker was able to snipe this accurately.

In the first place it was difficult to fill projectile weapons with magic power. Even the Summoning Magic of Divas couldn’t cause magic phenomenon outside the range of perception. This was a long range attack that should be impossible.

“This is really outside of common sense……however, come to think of it, there are two Divas that might be able to do this sniping that is like foul play on this Atlantis.”

Something suddenly came to Kazuki’s mind.

“……So this is an interruption from Italia!”

Hrotsvit nodded.

“The strongest bow users in every mythology of all ages and countries……Greek Mythology’s Apollo and Artemis.”

Part 3

The scenery the girls were looking down at was enveloped by a sea of clouds. The sea of clouds weren’t white, but were faint blue clouds filled with magical power.

It was at the peak of the mountain. The rainbow eucalyptus forest spreading at the lower world was completely covered by the sea of clouds, no matter how great the clairvoyance one had the situation inside the forest couldn’t be peeked at. Even sensing magic power was impossible.

It was like a mountain where the hermits were living, that place was a world that was completely isolated from the lower world.

That was how it was supposed to be. With the exclusion of just two people as the exception.

“The arrows, are they hitting the target properly?”

Vera Garibaldi softly asked the two who were earnestly firing arrows rapidly above a steep boulder.

“Hahaha, of course we don’t know that. We cannot see after all.”

The contractor of <Apollo> Valextra Versace laughed showing her shining teeth.

She was a handsome and tall female that possessed both good spiritedjovialness and gallantness like the sun. Her air was like Hoshikaze Hikaru that was made into a westerner as she was. Her body was wrapped in a bright red Magic Dress.

“It’s not like we are going easy at shooting them. Believe in us and rest assured Vera.”

The contractor of <Artemis> Diana Versace admonished Vera calmly.

She was a clearly transparent beautiful female possessing both refreshing coolness and calmness that was like the moon. The atmosphere of this one was like Ryuutaki Miyabi who was even quieter. She was wearing a champagne gold Magic Dress.

In the first place there was much beauty among the Magika Stigma, yet even so, these two were a duo that looked picturesque.

Vera whose atmosphere was a little plain compared to the two was pressing on her chest with a look that was kept in tenterhooks.

“I’ll recognize that I’m worrying too much……it’s just that everything progressed too smoothly exactly as planned. But there is just one thing that I want to properly confirm……those arrows didn’t hit Regina-sama inadvertently did they? The current Regina-sama will die if she got hit by an arrow you know……”

“Hahah, that would be amusing too.” Apollo’s Valextra laughed large-heartedly.

“You cannot laugh that off-!”

“This bow of Apollo……<Light Arrow of God SlayerAganaverea> will shoot accurately through magic power from a far distance. It won’t react to the current Regina.”

“This bow of Artemis……<Shadow Arrow of Beast SlayerGinekaverea> detects fast movements from a far distance and shoots it through. Though if Regina is moving quickly than this bow will react……”

When Artemis’s Diana said that coolly, Vera raised a voice “hieh” that sounded like a hiccup. Valextra laughed heartily saying “Hahaha, your voice just now.”

“But it won’t aim at an object that is moving independently. It’s attached with that much distinction. It will only aim at keen and nimble movement in a group……in other words only at people that began fighting.”

“Is that so? The two of you……you two are lacking in loyalty towards Regina-sama so I’m worried.”

“Hahaha, loyalty to Regina you say, hahaha.”

“Fufufu, loyalty to Regina you say, fufufu.”

“Why are you two laughing about that! Regina-sama is an amazing person. I’ll report this to her you know!”

“That’s scary that we are going to get reported isn’t it.” “That’s scary that we are going to get reported, yes.” “That person, she is short tempered after all.” “That person, she is someone that cannot be joked with.”

Towards those three talking people, one more [top brass] was approaching with brisk footsteps they were familiar with before that person joined the talk.

“Don’t slack down at your shooting because of doing stupid talk, both of you. Are you two planning to make the strategy go to waste?”

Vera’s expression slackened down in relief.

“Zenia……your loyalty is also questionable, but it helps that you are serious.”

“Don’t look for loyalty every single time.”

The contractor of the god of war Athena, Zenia Veneta replied with a hard voice.

“You know that we <Olympia’s twelve gods> especially don’t have that kind of relationship.”

She had hair that was cut and evened up shortly with a sharp and cold look that had no opening at all. Iron woman, female sergeant, she was a female with that kind of atmosphere.

“I’m not telling you to show respect to Regina-sama because she is Zeus-sama’s contractor. Everyone ought to respect the magnificence of Regina-sama as an individual more, that’s what I believe.”

“If you are talking from that point of view, then I cannot understand at all even more. Regina is a mere eccentric.”

When Zenia frankly cut down what Vera said, the Versace sisters also raised “hahaha” “fufufu” chuckling voices like the chirping of little birds.

When Vera heard Regina getting talked about badly, she got dejected as if it was herself that got deprecated.

‘Certainly Regina-sama also has aspects that is a little bit like that but, I think she is a wonderful person, yet…….

Regina-sama won’t listen well to other people’s opinions, but if she is not acting that overbearingly, then she surely won’t be able to unify and lead these members who are like this. I’m thinking of that as even more true now that I’m made to be the substitute leader.’

“Don’t be so down like that Vera.”

One more person joined the conversation with a tone that sounded somewhat viscous.

“Even though with their mouths everyone is talking like that, in actuality they should love Regina. And then more than anyone else…..I love Regina-sama. We are in love with each other. Super love chuu chuu Regina haa haa”

This time Vera was turning at the owner of the voice with her eyes getting damp behind her glasses.

“Diadora……. Zeus and Hera are a married couple of gods, however, I don’t think that means that you and Regina-sama are also a married couple.”

The contractor Magika Stigma of the goddess <Hera> that was the wife of Zeus, Diadora Fermani was breathing roughly ‘haa haa’ with a sexually perverted look.

“Fufufu, [Heifer’s EyeDuorasis]……my eyes even now are reflecting the figure of Regina-sama. It cannot be helped that my breathing got somewhat disordered.”

“For some reason I feel like Regina-sama is being dirtied……”

Talking about Zeus, he was a god that was like the synonym of infidelity, but Hera that was his wife was a goddess that was the most yandere in the world.

Hera wouldn’t fail to notice Zeus’s infidelity by any means, she absolutely wouldn’t forgive that infidelity partner.

The magic that was modeled after that legend, the [Duorasis]――it was able to look from a distance at the figure of Regina who was the contractor of Zeus from anytime and anywhere no matter how far it was.

It was the ultimate observation magic that ignored even the dense magic power cloud of Atlantis as though it was nothing.

That Regina separated from Italia’s knight order and took independent action by herself.

She was moving around Atlantis freely by transforming into various animals. ……It was common knowledge that Regina could transform into an animal, so if Regina wasn’t thought of as being already dead, perhaps Fu Xi and Ilyailiya would kill every animal that entered their sights.

But right now, where everyone was under the impression that Regina was already dead, Regina who transformed into an animal was completely turned into a blind spot.

Kazuki named Ilyailiya as the strongest scout, but the current Regina wouldn’t lose to her at all. With the appearance of an animal and her magic power erased into nothing, there was no one who could catch a sight of Regina.

And then the scenery that Regina was seeing was shared with Hera’s Diadora so that she could also see the same scenery.

Regina hated Diadora’s stalking ability and her personality from the bottom of her heart, but for the sake of victory she had resolved herself to use any kind of method.

Perfect spying action and information delivery. The ultimate that was demanded from scouting was in their hands.

“Aah……the happiness of being able to observe Regina’s figure without any reservation……”

Diadora’s expression had surpassed ecstasy and turned criminal.

Vera renewed her determination “I have to support Regina-sama…..”

Putting aside the personality of her comrades, the strategy was going perfectly.

Regina was freely moving around and communicated the safe route that had no enemy to Italia’s knight order’s main force, and so their main force could climb this mountain at full speed without anyone being alerted and made the spot their base. It wasn’t a difficult mission in the first place because it was only Apollo and Artemis who found tactical value for this mountain, but nevertheless everything was going smoothly.

Firing their arrows from here, naturally the enemy immediately noticed that they were being sniped from atop of the mountain.

However…….

From the steep cliff before their eyes, someone was flying up vigorously and landed before Vera.

“Vera-dono, Hermes’s ninja corps’ deployment and the placement of the trap, everything has been completed gozaru.”

“Thank you Faraone. But I think that you and your subordinates aren’t actually ninjas though.”

The contractor of <Hermes> Faraone El Shaarawy.

Hermes was a god of ingenuity, swindling, and a messenger that was the swiftest in the world of mythology.

His activity was exactly like a ninja.

Faraone changed this mountain into an impregnable fortress with Hermes’s trap magic.

If some force became eager to stop the arrows and tried to climb this mountain, the troublesomeness and the unpleasantness of the god called Hermes would be taught to them until the depths of their flesh and bone.

“The time that the ninjutsu that this lowly self had kept training to finally become useful……is truly this lowly self’s long cherished wish gozaru.”

Faraone was a maniac of the Japanese ninja.

However, with the severed diplomatic relations and the faith’s influence, her knowledge about ninjas was a little dubious, she was wearing an outrageous hairstyle that was a mix of a Mohican and a topknot.

She was a good person, but Vera couldn’t understand her sense of aesthetic even a little. Vera averted her eyes. She couldn’t look straight at her. Even though her face was completely beautiful but with that Mohican topknot hairstyle, it made Vera’s brain fall into mayhem looking at her. If a male looked at her face then surely he would writhe and groan saying “Why is a beautiful girl like this doing that kind of hairstyle!”

“Fu-fu-fu, everything is going smoothlyswimmingly.”

The contractor of Athena, Zenia was also chuckling with a slightly slackened expression.

“Yes, it’s perfect. ……Everyone! Everyone everywhere is underestimating us because they are under the impression that Regina-sama is dead. However Regina-sama is alive……even though Regina-sama is not here, but we will make them realize how terrifying the united power of Olympia’s twelve gods is!!”

Vera yelled so to her comrades in order to heighten the morale of the knight order.

After a silence that was still as death “Hahaha, Olympia’s twelve gods uniting she says, hahaha” “Fufufu, aren’t we a Mythology that is the farthest from that, fufufu” the Versace sisters laughed as though chirping.

“Regina-sama……every one of them are all problem children but, this right hand of Regina-sama, <Poseidon>’s Vera will unite them well without fail……! Please watch over me!”

Vera clenched her fist tightly.

“Don’t say something like that out loud but say it inside your heart.” Zenia pointed that out coldly.

“Please look over there? No, I am looking at Regina right now. Haa haa……Regina that is turning into a white bird and flying inside the forest of rainbows……what elegance and grace that is……hauuun!!”

Diadora was shivering all over.

Putting aside their power of unity, Italia’s knight order was at their best form above the mountain.

It was chaos. The battlefield that welcomed Japan-Russia added with Fu Xi of China and Hrotsvit of Germany together with ten of her elites had lost the order even more due to the indiscriminate attacks of arrows from the sky.

When everyone there thought that they didn’t want to accumulate damage in this early stage, instead their attention was taken completely by the arrows from the sky and they became unable to concentrate on the enemies before their eyes.

The one who especially became noticeably unmotivated was Ilyailiya. She was expressionless even at the best of times, but now that she had drastically lost her motivation and both her eyes became exactly like that of a dead fish.

Hrotsvit suddenly pushed her shoulder on Kazuki and whispered.

“Did you notice?”

“The regularity of the arrows you mean?”

“You said that there are two right―. ……Fufufu, I want to be spared of having an alliance with a person of bad judgment but, you are unexpectedly a partner that is easy to work with.”

Hrotsvit nodded as though to say ‘that’s exactly what I think too’.

“There are two kinds of arrows here. One is flying the moment to where there is magic power growingswelling.”

“And then the other arrow is flying the moment someone tries to move quickly and it flies towards that movement.”

Hrotsvit nodded with a friendly grin.

Kazuki and Hrotsvit who excelled in [seeing through] had no more fear at all towards these two arrows the moment they saw through the regularity, It was easy to deal with it if they understood where and when the arrows were going to come.

Kazuki communicated this regularity towards his Chouki magicians using telepathy. From them, the way of dealing with the arrows also began to permeate towards the whole Japanese Knight Order.

“Eei, annoying! Annoying! We cannot chant magic like this!!”

In contrast Fu Xi was irritated.

The arrow that aimed at the moment of magic power inflation aimed frequently at Fu Xi who was the magician with the strongest magic power in this place. And then, each time she was hit by an arrow the shock of smashed magic power shook her whole body. Fu Xi who had lost her sense of touch on her whole body was inflicted with confusion each time her body received an impact. At the time her body shook violently, both her legs didn’t have the sensation of stepping on the earth. Only her sight was shaken. Just that kind of thing was really confusing her mind.

And then the other arrow that was flying with aim towards fast movement was flying a lot toward Ilyailiyas whose distinctive characteristic was her speed.

The cause that made Ilyailiya waft off the mood of war weariness in her expression was that.

Be that as it may it was difficult to give damage to Ilyailiya when she was in preparedness to flee. It wasn’t skillful to expose your trump card to an opponent that was devoting herself to defense……when Kazuki and Hrotsvit thought like that, the lack of motivation of Ilyailiya also infected the two of them.

The battle was losing its direction.

“Is your main force heading to this place right now?”

Kazuki asked Hrotsvit. That was an important factor that decided the state of the war.

“I inserted runes as a substitute for path signs while advancing through the forest with my ship. ……However it will take some time before they come.”

“It will be our victory if the reinforcements come……we cannot really say that easily huh.”

“The other side also has the main force of China after all.”

……Was Germany’s main force really heading here?

Suddenly a doubt floated inside his head. Perhaps they wouldn’t come. If China’s main force arrived here first……surely Hrotsvit would make Kazuki’s group as a decoy and quickly retreated using <Skidbladnir>. When he noticed Hrotsvit had already gathered her ten elite knights causally at her side. What a really amazing cunningness.

Perhaps there was a need for him to hurry. Perhaps he should tear down either Ilyailiya or Fu Xi without giving a care to the damage.

But if he used up all his cards here, most likely Japan’s chances of victory would decrease drastically…….

“Your face is stiffened you know?”

Hrotsvit whispered.

“Your Beatrix is also considerably exhausted yeah.”

Kazuki immediately talked back. Beatrix took charge of the close range combat and bore the brunt of Fu Xi’s [Kyuuryuu Shinkatou] continuously. The contractor of Thor shouldn’t be a light combat strength that could be easily used up before abandoned. Beatrix should be the most important card for Hrotsvit.

“……The opponent is Fu Xi. It cannot be helped.”

Hrotsvit’s forehead was also trickling cold sweat unpleasantly.

“Eei, Ilyailiya! Link up with our elites and crush the bunches at the top of the mountain!! Underhandedly aiming at us is unforgivable!!”

“Affirmative, we will retreat for the moment.”

When Ilyailiya replied like that, Fu Xi’s whole face became bright red in fury.

“Retreat you say!? Are you saying that you are turning your back to us!”

Even though it was herself who was ordering to go to the mountain, she reacted excessively to the word [retreat].

“I am not turning my back on you. While the whole army is retreating, You and I will shake off the opponent’s pursuit as the rear guard. That is not an act of turning my back to you.”

“Mu!? ……………Is that so! Tis’ no problem!!”

After Ilyailiya replied soothingly, Fu Xi accepted her explanation comparatively easily.

And then, Russia’s knight order began to retreat like the pulling back wave from a beach.

Fu Xi was standing at the end of the line in full vigor and wielded her might as the rear guard.

If Fu Xi was standing at the rear, then Japan too couldn’t possibly pursue recklessly.

Kazuki and the others moderately launched attack magic while seeing them off.

……Thus the first battle came to an end.

“Now then, what are we going to do from now on.”

Hrotsvit said. When the battle ended the arrows stopped coming.

“First it’s best for us to link up with your main force that still hasn’t arrived yet. After that we need to link up with Arthur.”

Kazuki was thinking that Hrotsvit might have reservation towards Britain, but Hrotsvit only nodded calmly saying “I guess so.”

It seemed that she was completely unconcerned with the incident at the British Museum.

“It seems that Britain is not together with Italia, so most likely Britain is moving independently. It would be dangerous for them if we don’t quickly link up.”

If Italia was together with Britain, then Arthur wouldn’t allow that kind of indiscriminate arrows. However, he was wondering for what reason Italia was acting like that.

“Was Italia thinking to make us into enemies firing their arrows like that, or did they think that if it’s me and Hrotsvit we would be able to deal with it, we don’t really understand that. Russia and China are heading to the mountain but, should we go help them or not……”

“They attacked in a way that let others know about their location and in such a manner that it can’t be helped if it was thought as indiscriminate, then surely they won’t mind even if they are left alone. They should have prepared a way to escape by themselves. Perhaps that mountain is full with traps. We also suffered damage, but with this China and Russia will be forced to exhaustion more than us.”

“……Ilyailiya seemed like she noticed the regularity of the arrows in the middle. Despite so she didn’t tell it to Fu Xi. She is also planning to act in a way that exhausted Fu Xi.”

Most likely after this Russia would move in a way that pushed the damage to China too.

Kazuki taught Hrotsvit about the [Direction Witch]. After they were able to link up with Germany like this, the string of red light was supposed to point at Britain without doubt right now.

Hrotsvit made a complicated face.

“……Your force is looking mediocre somewhat, but you have an exceptional magic that lets you move advantageously even in this situation isn’t it. It’s dangerous to think that it is only us who can steal a march like this.”

……In this situation, what kinds of moves and strategies were Britain and Loki using currently he wondered.

Part 4

“I am Sienna Gattuso. The contractor of the Olympia twelve gods <Ares>. The gatekeeper of this mountain of Olympus. With all of my might, I won’t let all of you pass from here on ahead.”

At the foot of the mountain, by the entrance of the mountain where rock surfaces that became a steep slope could be peeked at more and more, that girl was lying in wait.

She was a petite girl with height around 140 centimeters. However her body was clad in armor with a dark red color that looked like blood while her two hands were holding a huge sword that might be twice her height.

From her appearance she looked like she belonged in the battle faction, but when one heard how she was the contractor of the god of fury Ares then it stood to reason.

The one confronting her was Ilyailiya and Fu Xi―― and the two hundred knights of Russia and China.

Until they reached the foot of this mountain, they had tasted so many trap magics that it made them get fed up and exhausted.

Trap magic――even when the caster wasn’t nearby, if the attack target stepped their foot on that spot it would be triggered and an attack would be invoked. It was plain but it shaved off defensive magic power with certainty.

Fu Xi’s forte was crushing the enemy in front of her eyes, but detecting magic power that was set on the ground wasn’t her strong point. It wasn’t just about sensing magic power, her physical sense was also greatly blunted because her sense of touch was stolen by [Near Death Roulette].

Even though Ilyailiya could deal with the traps, the scene of Fu Xi bearing damage was continuing.

Fu Xi’s subordinates that were rich in battle experience didn’t give any advice to Fu Xi――they weren’t allowed to do that.

Why did it become like this? Fu Xi began to think so inside her heart. Since she followed Ilyailiya’s plan and traveled together with Russia it was only her side who was continuing to be inconvenienced.

She wasn’t thinking that this was Ilyailiya’s plotting but, her irritation was piling up steadily.

But finally in front of her eyes a target that she could beat up with her all appeared.

“Only you alone? How rash.” Fu Xi raised her eyebrow.

“……There are presences of magic power here and there at the slopes. About ten people.”

Ilyailiya sensed the presences of magic power while talking.

“Even so it’s just ten people.”

“This means that they are the few elites while their main force are already planning to retreat.”

“Mu, we see, so that’s how it is. Then……we have to quickly finish this.”

“Naturally time will flow away.”

Sienna lifted up her large sword with both hands while talking.

“Your blood and sweat will flow too from there.”

“Stop prattling! ……Go!”

Fu Xi’s command caused the knights of China to head towards Sienna without even raising their voices.

At the same time with the start of the battle, arrows rained down from the top of the mountain once again.

“Abominable archers. However, now that we have approached near until here where even a gate guard is waiting that’s enough. Hmph, it’s fine if we just destroy everything including the mountain.”

“Because we had been exhausted from before this, this time Russia’s knight order will become the support.”

Ilyailiya who was aware that the arrows would come if she moved said that with zero motivation.

“You can do as you please.”

Fu Xi sent her subordinates forward while beginning to chant her spell at the rear guard. Fu Xi’s powerful attack power could be exhibited at maximum strength by standing at the rear guard.

Suddenly at that time the slope of the mountain was tinged with magic power. The weeds that the knights of China carelessly stepped on rapidly grew and became long ivies that entangled their feet. The knights fell forward.

“Trap magic again!”

Furthermore, there were trees growing tall in front of Sienna that became a wall standing in the way.

“What are you all doing! Just tear apart the ivy like that!! Destroy that wall to pieces!!”

Fu Xi yelled angrily. ……Ilyailiya noticed beforehand how magic power was set up on the ground, but she didn’t tell Fu Xi and she was only staring in a daze from behind.

Sienna invoked magic while that was happening.

“O blood howl, the avatar of strife drag out the latent power. In exchange for my rationality, erupt in my body……The Increase of BerserkerBloody Resize!”

An extremely simple magic phenomenon happened――Sienna’s body was enlarging explosively.

Her muscles inflated and her skeletal structure stretched long as though being pulled by that, rationality vanished from her eye glint. She was transforming into a five meter high being with the appearance that should be called an ogre.

The large sword her arms were holding that looked really unsuited for her before, is now looking like a short sword.

“……-GAaAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!”

The ogre shouted, Sienna then mowed down the knights of China who were being entangled by ivy as though they were children.

“……O blue dragon who guide the divine will, cut open the path of faith under my hand. Seiryuu Engettou.”

“…….O divine rare steel possessing infinite mass, hand down the attack of certain death to thousands of evil. Nyoi Kinkobou.”

At the head of the Chinese knight order, two Magika Stigmas slipped out from the ivy hell and invoked their magic with a somewhat melancholic spirit.

One was the contractor of Guan Yu, she created a large halberd in her hand and swung it.

The other one was the contractor of Son Goku, he created a freely expanding pole in his hand and swung it.

The two of them assaulted with a momentum that wasn’t stepping back at all against the huge ogre.

They rained down attack magic one after another and pulverized the wall of trees all at once.

The fierce attack of China’s knight order was assaulting the ogre.

“Plijie Zvezda.”

Ilyailiya was also reservedly attacking from afar with meteorites.

Although she was a giant but she was alone. Sienna staggered.

“Ilyailiya! You, don’t be lazy!”

Fu Xi yelled angrily in spite of the [do as you please] that she had said just now. Ilyailiya ignored that and tilted her head wondering “……When will the ambush come out?”

There was no mistake that by being a contractor of Olympus’s twelve gods, Sienna was a powerful person that was prominent in the Italian knight order, but at this rate she would be simply disposable. There was no way it would end just like this. There should be something else.

However, Fu Xi had almost finished her chanting.

“O land polluted by the surrounding barbarians, be purified under China! Descend down right here o spear of destruction at the end of everything!”

Fu Xi spiritedly lifted her right hand. Above that hand was a bright red cone floating.

The cone received Fu Xi’s colossal magic power and it enlarged in the blink of an eye.

“Four Direction Spiritual Protection of the State Crimson Bird CannonShihou Chinkoku Shuchouhou!!”

When Fu Xi swung down her right hand, the cone flew as though it was thrown away. It went past the head of the enlarged Sienna before the tip of the cone pierced into the mountain slope and dug deeper inside.

Rather than a spear it was a [missile]――after the red cone slipped deep inside the slope it exploded. The ground shook, countless cracks ran, bright red light overflowed from the fissures.

Inside the bright red light, the silhouette of the towering tall mountain was crumbling into pieces.

“Fuhaha, what mountain of Olympus! See, it’s breaking apart! It’s break……mu?”

Fu Xi’s eyes turned round. Ilyailiya’s eyes also opened slightly wide.

The mountain was crumbling due to red light. The trees became ashes in an instant, the surface was stripped down……and steel material appeared from underneath it.

Under the silhouette that was thought as a mountain, a steel fortress appeared.

No, that steel fortress was moving, it stood up.

Half of the thing that was thought as a mountain, wasn’t a mountain.

A steel titan was bending down as though snuggling close to the mountain.

It was hidden with soil and trees as camouflage above it. Right now that camouflages was all blown away and the steel titan hidden underneath was standing up right here.

Looking up at it, it was a huge iron titan that was far taller than even the Siennaogre standing in front of it.

“……Adelina Costacurta. The contractor of <Hephaestus>……is here!”

The iron titan lifted up one foot largely――stepping on the knights of China underneath.

Hephaestus. The god of flames and blacksmiths that created the weapons the gods of Greek Mythology. At a glance it looked like a giant robot, but when looking carefully that appearance came from the giant armor it wore.

Talking about Ares and Hephaestus then they were two people with deep ties even inside Olympus’s twelve gods, but on this occasion they were standing shoulder-to-shoulder for the sake of the shared objective in this Ragnarok.

From the shadow of the iron giant, the ambush troop that was hiding together with him also jumped out one after another.

They were Italian people that might be having some misunderstanding with the ninja costume they were wearing.

A beautiful girl with a staggering hairstyle that was a mix of a Mohican and a topknot yelled.

“The contractor of <Hermes> Faraone El Shaarawy arrives! ……O raging soul, guided by the sound of ancient time sink into the darkness of oblivion……Hundred Reed Pipe of SleepAlgeibontis!!”

Faraone sounded out the flute in her hand loudly. The wave of sound wasn’t spreading but flew straight to Fu Xi, piercing Fu Xi’s eardrum.

“Wha……!?” Fu Xi who had just invoked magic felt her whole body getting heavy like lead.

Her consciousness felt like it was getting farther to pure white.

The most famous legend of Hermes, it was the flute of sleep he used on the occasion of killing the giant of a hundred eyes, Argos. Fu Xi wasn’t completely asleep but for an instant her body couldn’t move. Her mind wasn’t working. She became unable to evade or Resist well.

All the Italian knights there were waiting for that moment. Their timing was perfect.

“Star of scorching heat, the single stroke of bisection resided in the blade of spilled blood! Mars Indestructible SwordMars Gladius!!”

“O rage of earth, use my body as a magazine and shoot without end! Lava Unconventional Ring CannonYavista Volcanus!!”

Sienna’s two handed sword turned red hot and swung down at Fu Xi. Countless volcano mouths was created on Adelina’s full body armor, from there lava bullets were endlessly fired rapidly like Vulcan cannons.

The ninja magicians that leaped forward following after Faraone were also combining their aim at Fu Xi altogether. Of course, the arrows from the sky were continuing to rain down.

The mountain of Olympus was――trampling underfoot the emperor Fu Xi.

“Now then, how about we retreat soon.”

Valextra and Diana finally got rid of the bow and arrows that they were continuing to fire rapidly in earnest.

From the shockwave that shook the mountain, Vera discerned that everything was going well.

“Strategy……. It really went surprisingly well just as you said hasn’t it……Loki.”

Vera talked to the devilish man standing at her side.

Loki was mingling among the Italian knight order with an innocent look while answering “Yeah”.

“Looking at Atlantis where normal animals are living here, if Regina is actually alive then……that was what I thought once again. If that girl could freely move around in Atlantis……Italia’s knight order would aim for this mountain first and foremost. If I waited at the top of this mountain then perhaps I could meet with you guys, that was what I thought. I’m really glad with these various chances……I brought Midgardsomr until this far but the rainbow eucalyptuses randomly have deep roots that Midgardsormr cannot move well underground, yet the rainbow eucalyptus is not densely packed on this mountain so I was able to climb easily. After all I thought that if you guys listened to my story, then you guys would surely join hands with me.”

Loki was convinced of his own reasoning. For Vera it was an unapprovable threat. She had no choice but to join hands with him. Because it would be dangerous if Regina who was flying around in animal form was aimed at by Loki’s group.

And then the strategy that Loki proposed certainly looked advantageous for Italia. With that strategy they gave damage to Japan and Germany and exerted tremendous damage to China. With Loki secretly joining hands with Italia, he secretly betrayed China.

“Regina-sama had resolved herself to not be picky in choosing a method for the sake of victory.”

“Kuku……she really had shed off her old self huh. If we talk about which force it is that needs to be crushed first then as expected its China after all. Kazuki and Hrotsvit are far more quick-witted compared to someone like Fu Xi, Ilyailiya too her personality is cheap like that so she is pushing the damage to Fu Xi bit by bit all the time……so obviously it became like this. What’s left is how much the brave fighting of your abandoned rear guard comrades can exhaust Fu Xi……ku-ku-ku. Ah, which reminds me.”

Loki suddenly stopped laughing from remembering something.

“Kazuki’s group……Japan’s movement, how much can you check on them?”

“Apollo’s magic power detection and Artemis’s moving body detection cannot go as far as chasing after the movement of Japan. Regina-sama in her bird form sometimes saw them from afar, she is only sharing that field of vision with Diadora, but she cannot check on them that frequently. After all there is a chance Regina-sama will be suspected doing that.”

“So, what is the situation?”

It wasn’t Vera but Diadora who answered.

“After they linked up with the German knight order they begin to walk towards somewhere. ……Come to think of it their pace is awfully sure. Hrotsvit also readily followed without complaint. Perhaps they have some kind of compass that clearly lead their action.”

“I see. ……Those guys, there is the possibility that they understand the location of Arthur. A magic that discovers the thing one is looking for……seriously, thinking carefully that kind of magic might exist in the Solomon 72 Pillars.”

“You wanted to avoid them linking up right?”

“No……there is that but……those comrades of mine that I left behind are gonna be in danger. Midgardsomr can just bring a few people so I came this far completely alone. I gotta go back quickly.”

After Loki made Midgardsomr bring him to the top of the mountain he made Midgardsomr go back and waited alone for the Italian force. He had the confidence of joining hands with Italia using his eloquence, but he was uneasy making his comrades stand by for a long time without him there.

Although there were a lot of materialized Divas there, the majority of his army was possessed magicians with completely broken minds. Regulating them was extremely difficult and it was a great burden for Midgardsomr and Fenrir whom he entrusted with house-sitting.

“……Is that really something that urgent? There won’t be any enemy for a while right?”

Vera asked as though she hadn’t grasped the point.

“In this Atlantis the one who can move as they pleased the most is Britain. That’s ‘cause Robin Hood is in the camp of those guys. That guy is the number one cheater regarding enemy search and movement inside the forest.”

“…….! But then, why aren’t they joining up with Japan?”

“That’s obvious, because Arthur has something she prioritizes even more than that yeah. For Arthur what she prioritized the highest is……Lancelot and Mordred.”

That was what was decided in the myth. And talking about where Lancelot and Mordred were, they were together with the Loki Einherjar right now.

“Perhaps, they are already battling.”

Part 5

“ “It’s a one on one fight. Any interference by anybody won’t be forgiven.” ”

The voices of Arthur and Mordred matched. Arthur towards her own subordinates, while Mordred to the subordinates of Loki, they talked to their respective sides.

But the one facing Arthur wasn’t Mordred.

[Knight of the Lake] [Honor of Chivalry] [Britain History’s Ideal Knight]――Lancelot.

Arthur and Lancelot……there was no one at all between these two people. No one was allowed to be between them. When these two faced each other, everybody except these two vanished from the world.

This was a destiny that should be prioritized above all, where no one could meddle in between.

In the legends, Lancelot loved King Arthur’s queen, Guinevere. Just how could that forbidden love happen? The reason is it is unneeded for man and woman to be attracted to each other. Guinevere also responded to that. Lancelot that should of been a perfect knight deviated from his path at that time.

That it didn’t end as a mere disaster was because Mordred was there. Mordred who wished for King Arthur’s fall made use of that rift and split the Britain Kingdom apart. The reign of King Arthur who was supposed to be an ideal ruler was meeting its end due to Mordred’s rebellion.

Of course that shouldn’t be what Lancelot wished for.

The fall of King Arthur was because of the fault of Lancelot and Mordred, but Lancelot and Mordred weren’t fellow comrades. That was why Arthur asked.

“Why are you acting together with Mordred?”

“Because, as Lancelot, I must point at your mistakes.”

“King Arhtur is a perfect king. The mistake lies in Lancelot’s betrayal.”

Both of them had already straddled on top of their horses and readied their lances――it was a battle in the form of a jousting match. A duel form that was the most honorable for Britain knights.

“With you as the representative of your contracted Diva, I, King Arthur, as his advocate, I accuse you.”

Arthur pointed the tip of her spear, Rhongomyniad, to Lancelot from atop her beloved horse Dun Stallion.

“As the representative of my contracted Diva, Sir Lancelot, as his advocate, I accuse you.”

Lancelot was pointing a nameless spear at Arthur above a nameless horse.

Something chilly was flowing on Arthur’s back. This difference in weapons was exactly the difference between the two of them. The strength of King Arthur originated from illusion. Sir Lancelot’s strength came merely from struggling through real scenes of carnage earnestly. Many times Lancelot lost his weapon and his horse so he had to continuously replace them. Therefore the name of his spear wasn’t left behind. However, that was exactly the appearance of how a knight originally should be.

King Arthur wasn’t a knight or even a martial artist, until the end he was nothing more than a king.

Arthur, and most likely the Diva King Arthur too, was harboring a sense of inferiority. Therefore at the very least the contractor Arthur was devoting her time as much as possible in martial art training.

Even so……could she stand a chance against that Lancelot?

In front of Lancelot’s nameless spear, such thought was coming and going inside Arthur’s chest.

In contrast, Lancelot’s complexion was calm like the surface of a quiet lake itself.

“The illusion of King Arthur is mistaken.”

When Lancelot chanted that, the supernatural power was thinning from Arthur’s Rhongomyniad and Dun Stalion. The power of illusion these two possessed may work if the opponent was another Mythology, but it wouldn’t work against Lancelot.

……There is no problem at all. Arthur pulled herself together like that.

Both of them spurred their horses at the same time. Spur, what was meant by that originally was using the metallic wheel attached on the knight’s heel to stimulate the horse’s abdomen to give the signal, but both of them emitted magic power from their legs and sent the signal to the horse. The horses that were enveloped in magic power left a streak of light behind them like meteors.

The two who were shining with dazzling flashes clashed.

The shield of the two blocked the tip of the spear of the opponent right from the front.

The spear of the two didn’t allow the opponent to redirect the impact and pierced the shield right from the front.

Lancelot’s shield was smashed apart. In contrast Arthur’s shield Prydwen endured through the impact even though it was shaking and rattling.

The two horses were toppled over writhingly and the two’s body tumbled down from above the horse.

They immediately stood up and summoned their swords.

“Golden serpent spout fire, thousand torches light up……the blade glistening to that radiance, sever all creation! Glorious Sword of KingExcalibur!!”

Arthur’s hand gripped the famous golden blade that was tempered by a fairy.

“Alas, Guinevere!” Lancelot yelled the name of the beloved person. “O manifestation of my chivalry, the happiness devoted to the beloved person right here……The Vow is Eternal Love and ProtectionJoyeux!!”

Even after getting through countless scenes of carnage and everything ended up broken, only this beloved sword remained in Lancelot’s hand until the end, the name was conveyed to the future. That sword was surely the eternal proof of Lancelot’s love. Joyeux was shining silver like a pure maiden.

Excalibur’s golden glint and Joyeux’s silver glint bit each other solidly.

“Even killing a friend and falling as a demon sword……o my unbroken chivalry, right here as the fang to smash the harm of the beloved……The Vow is Eternal Curse and PillageArondight!!”

In the other hand of Lancelot that was empty, a jet black blade that was enveloped in magic power that was red like blood was created, and she swung it down.

Arthur’s shield firmly blocked Lancelot’s other beloved sword.

“Joyeux of love and Arondight of curse……two sword style huh.”

“Love and curse are two sides of the same coin, Arthur.”

“Then Sir Lancelot is no different at all compared to the enchantress Morgan!”

Arthur launched a front kick at Lancelot’s torso and repelled her away.

Lancelot corrected her posture and immediately her figure vanished like a heat haze. She was thinking that the shield would become a hindrance if she slashed from the front.

‘……But don’t you dare think that this Arthur cannot follow the movements of Lancelot!’

Unerringly sensing the presence of Lancelot that was trying to circle around her with speed the eye couldn’t even follow, Arthur turned behind. She splendidly bounced back the black flash flying at her with her shield immediately.

In continuation Joyeux was attacking with twisting like a snake. Without being led astray by the skilled swordsmanship, Arthur blocked it too with Excalibur.

While sparks were scattering, the two were repelling each other’s swords. The strength they put in was also equal.

“Is this your Order!”

Lancelot was yelling while burning her own magic power and unleashed a technique that made it seemed like her limbs were exploding. Passion and technique became one in a fierce attack.

“Is this your Chivalry!”

But Arthur blocked it right from the front and repelled it.

The battle between a king and a knight was truly equal.

Mordred and the army of Loki’s subordinates were watching over that battle with impatient feelings.

Part 6

On the other hand, at the foot of the mountain.

“Hmph……taking our time like this……perhaps I put a little too much magic power. If you didn’t grow stronger half-bakedly like this then we wouldn’t need to go as far as taking your life. But as the believer of Order, throwing away your life must be your long-cherished ambition too.”

Even after they used up all their magic power both Sienna and Adelina received an attack that couldn’t be defended before they fell down. The attack of tyranny destroyed as far as their flesh body.

Fu Xi’s hand was holding Kyuuryuu Shinkatou.

Sienna and Adelina whose shoulder until stomach was cut up by that treasured sword were torn apart without even any bleeding. That was because the blade of super high temperature was solidifying the protein at the cut part.

Because of that the falling down two girls looked like dolls that seemed unreal somewhere.

“It’s inefficient being unable to adjust strength. You should think more about the consumption of your magic power.

“We are not very good at adjusting strength. ……Now then, the contractor of Hermes what-your-name. Your name is too long that I forgot it. You missed your chance to escape.”

Hermes’s contractor Faraone was letting her subordinates get away while remaining behind until the very last minute.

“Perhaps you intended to escape after holding out until the last minute, but no matter how much confidence you have in your running away, our partner is faster.”

“Partner……” Ilyailiya whispered expressionlessly.

The appearance of Faraone who was standing stock still in front of the army of China and Russia could only be thought of as her missing her timing to escape.

“If you obediently don’t resist, we will go easy and not go as far as taking your life.”

“Fufufu……” In this scene of a desperate situation, Faraone laughed.

“It helped that you didn’t go easy and killed these two. If you didn’t do that then this lowly self would have to do it by one’s self. This lowly self had made the resolve but, it’s a little painful.”

“What?”

Faraone’s both hands formed a seal like a ninja.

“Escape……unthinkable! This is still the first round you know!”

She quickly activated magic. Fu Xi and the others readied themselves to the possibility of any kind of surprise attack still remaining. However the magic power was traveling below Faraone and made a huge crest emerge on the ground.

The center of the crest was the corpses of the two.

“O life that has already rotted away, now, once again, see the dream of the transient world! I am Hermes! O friend, pass through the gate from the bottom of mud and come! Purgatory Gate OpeningPsychopomp!”

The two corpses that looked dead in every aspect were absorbing the magic power of the crest.

Something hard to believe occurred in front of their eyes. Sienna and Adelina that were supposed to be dead already were recovering their strength and rising up once again.

“……I should have said already……you won’t pass that easily……”

Losing circulation of life, with cloudy white eyes burning in tenacity, Sienna bared her fangs at Fu Xi.

“Shed more of your blood!”

“These guys……they decided to be disposable pawns from the start, and planned to do this……”

As expected, Fu Xi shook with her voice filled with agitation.

“A barrier was put up beforehand on the battlefield, because thorough preliminary preparations were needed, the first time this magic is used will be the last. The sacrament of hell reincarnation of this lowly self cannot be shown so often, so taste it to your heart’s content! Sienna, Adelina, apologies but this lowly self is retreating!!”

Hermes kicked on the air with the power of the golden sandals <Talaria> to retreat by flying. If Ilyailiya tried to chase after her, the two corpses would stand in her way.

“……This pertinent!”

This time Fu Xi’s whole face was filled to the brim with rage. The emotion of surprise had passed away…….now she felt rage.

“Although it is a different Mythology, but for the likes of a retainer to become emotional until that far! The likes of two people who escaped death, you will be pulverized by our elites!! GOOO!”

The Chinese knight order regrouped their battle preparations all at once. Without any battle cry, without any expression, they were a wordless army.

…..Fu Xi showed rage at the persistence of Sienna and Adelina, but Hermes felt fear at their expressionless faces when he looked back while retreating.

No, rather than calling it expressionless…..they had already, lost their face.

“ “UGOoOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOH!!” ”

Sienna and Adelina raised a terrific hoarse voice like a shriek from the bottom of hell, they attacked as though trying to give even one more attack more to the enemy before them.

“Don’t yell! Emotion is the privilege for only a ruler! Go, o <Red Nopperabou>…..!!”

……Italia was also thorough in shaving off the strength of China.

Ilyailiya wasn’t getting deeply involved with the battle against the dead and pondered while staring at Fu Xi’s back.

Was Vera Garibaldi someone who could polish a strategy this elaborately she wondered. The action of this side……or more accurately Fu Xi’s action was perfectly foresighted, a tactic that made it feel like she was dancing in the palm of someone.

Wasn’t this really like a method that Loki would think of? Italia who lost their master was played around by Loki’s eloquence and made into a puppet――such hypothesis emerged in Ilyailiya’s mind.

No, the explanation wasn’t enough with just that. Sienna and Adelia were holding on and fighting exactly with the resolve of putting their lives on the line. Would they exhibit this much desperate effort for the sake of Loki’s strategy?

No. This fierce self-sacrifice wasn’t something that could be displayed for the sake of the likes of Loki.

These two……were burning their lives for the sake of a [lord] to whom they gave their absolute trust.

…………In other words, Regina Olympia Fornar was……alive?

Ilyailiya became the second person who reached the truth.

“If Regina is alive……her aim will be……?”

Part 7

Kazuki and Hrotsvit gulped their breaths while watching over that offense and defense. From looking at the state of the people surrounding the battle, they understood that it was a battle where interference was unneeded.

The duel between Arthur and the two sword style knight……it was his first time seeing her but he understood in a glance. That owner of martial prowess was exactly Lancelot’s present representative, she was undoubtedly his contractor.

King Arthur versus Sir Lancelot! Obviously he couldn’t help having his eyes and soul stolen by that sight! Although there were a great numbers of dream duels that anyone couldn’t help having in the world of Mythology, however how many of those dreams could surpass the showdown between these two!

“……Is this reality?”

Even Beatrix who rushed together with Kazuki leaked out a faint voice as though she would faint.

“Certainly this is something that one should really feel surprised about. King and knight……I don’t know what is the authority of King Arthur but, the basic spec of the two of them should have an overwhelming gap in between. Nevertheless Lancelot is fighting her equally! Most likely the moment they landed on Atlantis the two of them immediately sought each other out and have continued to fight until now.”

The battle of Atlantis began since noon, right now the sun had already begun to go down.

“It’s emotion.” Kazuki thought after looking at them.

“Lancelot is changing the explosion of her emotion into magic power to cross swords with Arthur.”

Magic power was the power of the mind. Even Kazuki had the experience where he was able to exhibit more power than he originally had when his emotions were heightened. From the magic power of Lancelot, there was the atmosphere of masterfully using well such [explosive instability].

Lancelot filled each of her swings with emotion and fought as though she was throwing her rageyell towards someone. Despite that she had no opening……the explosive power of an amateur and the finesse of a master were in complete harmony.

Why, how was she able to fight in this way? Just how much of a reason was it that made a human able to become this emotional? There was only one possible thing……there was no doubt it was love. The same like how Kazuki was loving the comrades with whom he had tied bonds with, there was no doubt that Lancelot loved King Arthur.

“It seems the weapon will decide the match doesn’t it?”

Hrotsvit talked. “Arthur’s Excalibur……and then Lancelot’s weapons, if it is following the legend then they must be Arondight and Joyeux. Any one of them is an outstanding Sacred Treasure. In contrast with that Arthur’s shield……Prydwen is an unfavorable comparison.”

Exactly at the time when Hrotsvit pointed that out, Lancelot challenged.

“HAAAAAAAAAAA!”

Lancelot swung Arondight that was remarkably large and struck Arthur’s Prydwen――with that attack, Prydwen was smashed.

Lancelot whose balance crumbled from swinging an attack with all her might, was attacked by the golden flash of Excalibur. Lancelot was slashed right from the front, both her feet braced and she withstood the shock of the smashed magic, her body didn’t even sway and her other hand counterattacked with Joyeux. Arthur let go of her broken shield and put her hand quickly on the sheath hanging at her hips. With that, she blocked Joyeux.

If it was just a mere sheath, then surely it would be impossible for it to receive the attack of Joyeux.

“Sheath of fairy <Avalon>!” Hrotsvit yelled.

“Hiding a power that is not inferior even compared to Excalibur, the sheath of Excalibur. It brought about regenerative power in the owner……the greatest factor that caused Arthur to still have far more spare energy remaining even in this equal battle must be that sheath. Even with her shield destroyed, there is still the next one. ……The battle is decided then.”

“King Arthur……” Lancelot sent her voice while Joyeux was pressing down on Avalon.

“As long as you have Excalibur and Avalon, you are a perfect king. Because of that, as long as those are present, you won’t be able to look back on yourself……”

“If I’m perfect, then what is it that needed to be looked back on.” Arthur talked back with a strong voice.

Lancelot answered with a voice that was calm like a lake. “It’s love.”

“……!” Arthur, no, the girl was surely King Arthur itself right now. Her eyes were bared open with a snap.

“Because you are a perfect king you abandoned love. There is no way I can allow that, for the sake of Guinevere!”

“The likes of an adulterer like you have no qualification to say that!!”

The ultimate adultery drama in Mythology, it could be said that it was the one between Lancelot and Queen Guinevere.

“As the perfect king you were born and raised with destiny attached on you. For the sake of protecting Britain from enemies in all directions, you who were still young searched for a backer and married Guinevere. Surely if you continued to love her from your heart then Guinevere would answer your love! Yet, you had to become a perfect king and you didn’t have that leisure. And then……humans cannot truly love a perfect being.”

“Such thing…….is just an excuse to varnish over the immorality of Sir Lancelot!”

It wasn’t adultery but immorality, Arthur accused with words that rang even stronger.

“O king, on Lancelot’s chivalry, there is no way any lie or deception towards the king exists in it.”

Lancelot recklessly swung Arondight and Joyeux. Arthur put up a defensive fight with Excalibur and Avalon as though she was using a two sword style. If Arthur kept like this without showing any opening, Lancelot would collapse before long just by enduring it until the end.

“Arthur, you too abandoned being a woman for the sake of becoming the perfect King Arthur! That way of being is not correct! I wielded Joyeux because I love you. And then I curse that perfection with this Arondight!”

“There is no justice in a curse!”

“I mourn the deed I once done. However, no matter how much I mourn it, surely if I visited the same time once again I will choose to do exactly the same deed. That’s what a human is. A perfect order is not the way for humans to live. O king, while humans are watching the dream of ideal order, they are animals that love the emotion of chaos. Humans are the the most natural personification of that, haven’t you witnessed him at the island country of the orient?”

“!!” Arthur’s movements stiffened.

Kazuki felt Arthur turning her awareness this way just for an instant.

“I bet my all on this stroke of the sword!”

Aiming at that disorder of heart, Lancelot swung up Arondight powerfully.

“I’ll smash your perfection!!”

Arthur held up Avalon even while being disarrayed in emotion.

Arondight was filled with Lancelot’s everything――and severed that sheath, Avalon, into two. It was a sword stroke that was nothing but splendid.

Lancelot who had finished swinging Arondight, staggered powerlessly.

She had used up all of her spirit.

“Even so……this is my victory.”

Arthur raised Excalibur in order to end the duel.

“I’m satisfied nevertheless.”

Lancelot responded with a voice that was like a calm lake.

“I’m satisfied just by giving you a moment of agitation. The current you is not a perfect being anymore. Please continue to be human. Be human to the bitter end……Mythology……Order……rather than adoring such things, I believe that love between humans is absolutely everything……”

“That’s Celt-style’s duel!”

While rushing down the foot of the mountain, Loki yelled in a fluster while sensing the presence of a duel that was being carried out in the forest.

The perceptivity of the Diva Loki who was the materialization of a trickster could sense from afar even inside the enshrouding magic power cloud, even though it was not to the level of <Valefor>.

“In that duel, the rune of Celtic……a pledge is included in it! The winner will fulfill their pledge and obtain even more power! Don’t let them finish it!!”

If Britain’s knight order pinned down the location of Lancelot and Mordred right away with Robin Hood’s ability, it was unavoidable that this duel was carried out while Loki was away.

Loki yelled in his good luck of being able to come running there before the conclusion could be decided.

“Apollo, Artemis! Shoot all the arrows you two got! Aim at the two……no, at Arthur! If an opening is opened at Arthur, that Lancelot can still fight!!”

The Versace sisters obediently pulled the strings of their bows as though they were commanded by their own King.

The king of knights and the knight that were excellent martial artists noticed the coming arrows at the same time. However, Arthur who was swinging down Excalibur with all her strength wasn’t in a stance that could take evasion.

“King Arthur!” Lancelot who yelled that covered Arthur.

In front of Excalibur that was swung down on her, Lancelot turned around. And then she spread her arms widely, throwing her body in front of the coming arrows. The accurate arrows aiming at Arthur pierced the few remaining magic power of Lancelot who barged in between.

And then her back was further gouged by the attack of Excalibur that couldn’t be stopped anymore.

“With Avalon destroyed, and this duel cannot become your strength, that’s my only regret.”

“……Lancelot!” Arthur called her name with grief filling her voice.

Lancelot turned around at Kazuki’s direction with a stagger.

“Man of love, Hayashizaki Kazuki. This is for you.”

Lancelot who finished fighting sheathed her beloved sword Joyeux in her right hand with dignifiedly beautiful movement, she then threw that Joyeux together with the sheath at Kazuki’s direction.

“Please take care of my beloved King Arthur.”

“Wait, don’t die, Lancelot!!” Arthur yelled.

“No, I’m dying. It’s my pledge.”

Arondight separated from Lancelot’s left hand. Arondight floated in the air and flew as though it possessed its own will――it pierced through Lancelot’s heart in one go.

Kazuki witnessed the moment the pledge was handed down. The pledge certainly stole her life.

{When Arthur Basileus is defeated by the hands of another Mythology, her life will be lost by her pledge.}

Robin Hood informed Kazuki so.

{Please take care of my beloved King Arthur.}

With what kind of intention Lancelot said that to him.

The two sentences that contravened each other tore up Kazuki’s chest.

“YOU BASTARDSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!”

That Arthur raised a yell like a dragon breathing out flame.

“Fiend! You savages to whom even the word fiend is wasted on you all trash are lower than fiends!! How dare you……how dare you dirty this duel with Lancelot!! Unforgivable!! I won’t forgive this no matter how many times I stab Excalibur into the chest of you bastards!!”

Arthur straddled Dun Stallion powerfully and glared at the direction where the arrows were coming from. The direction of the mountain――at the other side of the magic power cloud it started to became visible how a knight order was being deployed. Italia’s knight order! Arthur led the knights of the round table and spurred her horse following her rage.

“We are meeting their attack.” Loki said to Vera.

“Italia’s knight order will meet Arthur from the front, we the Loki Einherjar will stab them at the back.”

King Arthur that was rushing following her violent emotion had forgotten that right beside her was Mordred and the others waiting. If they met her attack then naturally it would become a pincer attack. Vera also understood that.

“We don’t need to be ordered that by you.”

Vera who was the representative of Regina raised high one of her hands and declared.

“O powerful knights of Olympus, right now is exactly the time of the decisive battle! Although there is no King on our side, show a battle to the heavens that won’t shame us to anyone!! Even now Regina-sama is inside our hearts!”

Only at this kind of time the Italian knight order became united as one and raised a battle cry.

Loki whispered to Vera.

“……Don’t oppose the momentum of Britain’s knight order’s charge, spread out to the left and right and overturn the positioning advantage skillfully. It will make it easier for China and Russia who will come from the mountain to attack Britain.”

“……Acknowledged.” Vera nodded.

The ground under Loki’s feet bulged up and a purple haired woman showed her face from there.

“Nyoro nyoro.”

Midgardsomr was coming to meet Loki.

“Yosh, I’m going to talk with China and Russia. I’m going to make a friendly suggestion so that China will get even more exhausted. Ilyailiya will surely guess the gist of my intention. You’re gonna give the signal to Regina too yeah? Do it just as arranged ‘kay, Vera-tan.”

“……Why are you calling me over-familiarly like that.”

“Kukuku……something like a combination attack of Italia and the Loki Einherjar of all things, even Kazuki won’t be able to predict this. It’s going to be a sight, seeing what kind of face he will make yeah.”

“Hayashizaki Kazuki, what are you doing getting dazed like that!”

Kazuki who was standing still with Joyeux in hand was scolded by Hrotsvit who didn’t know of the storm inside his chest.

“Britain’s knight order is heading there driven by their rage. At this rate they will turn their back to Mordred and the other Loki Einherjar.”

Even though there was an enemy right besides them, Arthur and her group were running headlong towards a different enemy.

“I don’t know about Lancelot but Mordred’s intention was surely this from the start. We have to block them! Hurry!!”

Kazuki returned to his senses with a ‘hah’. And then he looked back at the situation and understood.

“……! Wait, I’m going to stop Arthur!! I don’t understand whats the intention of Italia pulling their bows at us and Britain, but if we don’t calm them down first……”

“Certainly it’s strange. It isn’t clear if Italia is our enemy or not, but now that it has come to this its better to let Arthur do as she pleases and charge at them! Don’t be naïve!”

“It’s not naïve, China and Russia are supposedly pursuing after Italia! If Britain is charging at them in rage like this and they got avoided, they will be turned into a shield!!”

“!” Hrotsvit made a face that seemed to say [Uwah, certainly it’s like that], and pondered.

“……Can Italia, who doesn’t have their King, think wisely like that……no, the movement of Italia until now is certainly suspicious……”

……There was no presence of Loki on the battlefield until now.

“By any chance is Ilyailiya and Loki related with……”

The moment Kazuki uttered that, Hrotsvit’s lips chilled.

“Those inconvenient matters are all Loki’s scheme, something like that is just…………no, it’s possible isn’t it. It’s possible. Truly……certainly, Loki is that kind of existence.”

“Anyways, we cannot leave the clash between Italia and Britain alone. I’m going there, so Germany, attack Mordred and the Loki Einherjar for us.”

Chapter 5 – ZeusLightning Thunder and OdinSeverance Spear, Twisted Dragon of Destiny

Part 1

He was unable to stop the clash between Britain and Italia.

The Britain knight order formed a [column] that was fast. All of the one hundred members were riding a horse, perhaps he should say just as expected from the knights of the round table.

The one standing at the head of it was Arthur, Gawain……furthermore there were also the faces of Bors, Percival, Tristan, who were unable to participate at the Camlannlast battle in the legend.

Lancelot wasn’t among them but the figures of the round table at their golden age before they met their decline were right here.

“Here we go!” Arthur swung Rhongomyniad right to the front.

It liberated its mystical power that couldn’t be shown at the battle against Lancelot, the pure white flash that was shown when they were at America struck out like a beam.

The large numbers of the knights followed after her and swung spear Sacred Treasures.

Several streaks of flashes traveled through the Italian knight order, Kazuki and his group witnessed that while chasing far behind them.

The figure of Magika Stigmas that became an army and attacked was something overwhelming when looked from the outside.

However the defensive side was also able to defend by bundling their defensive magic.

“Lend the majesty of Zeus right here! The great protection promising victory that repel all calamity right here! Kithemonikos Aigis!”

The avatar of Athena together with [the shield of Aegis] famous for its defensive barrier was deployed at the front of the knight order. The shield of Aegis was a Sacred Treasure that was shared between Zeus and Athena.

“O raging wave, open that large mouth and swallow everything that will harm us! Greedy Wall of Surging SeaWave Wall!!”

The avatar of a Diva that seemed like <Poseidon> was floating, putting up a defensive wall of sea water.

Athena and Poseidon――continuing after the Divas that were leader class in Greek Mythology, Italia’s knight order chanted defensive magic one after another and blocked the beam flying from Britain’s spears.

They didn’t counterattack. Italia’s knight order was chanting defensive magic while splitting left and right as though to make a path for the column attack of Britain’s Knight Order.

He guessed they were planning to avoid the charge and then pincer attack from the left and right.

Furthermore……if it was just like what Kazuki guessed, then the Italian knight order that was having the mountain at their backs was undoubtedly planning to make Britain stand right in the front against China and Russia that would come from the other side of the mountain. If China and Russia found Britain right in front of their eyes then they would surely attack in high spirit.

“Mio, look at the situation behind from the sky!”

Kazuki made Mio who could fly in the sky to check the situation behind.

Mio immediately reported to him through telepathy.

Hrotsvit and her force clashed against Loki Einherjar――or so he thought but Loki Einherjar was also in a defensive stance and endured the attack of the German knight order while following to his side as though to chase after Britain.

……For Mordred, Arthur’s head would be the thing she would aim above all and so perhaps she didn’t have any enthusiasm to fight against the Germans.

As for the whole Loki Einherjar too, Russia and China that were supposed to be their alliance partners were further at the other side of the mountain with Japan-Britain-Italia between them. Perhaps they wished to avoid being isolated.

As the result the battlefield wasn’t divided into parts and it was going to become something like a long and narrow lump of a battlefield.

Most likely China and Russia were on the other side of the mountain, Italia and Britain clashed at the foot of the mountain, then Japan was heading there to intervene, Loki’s Einherjar that were slowly approaching this side while being attacked by Germany, and the Germans that were chasing after them.

Japan was just right in the middle of the long battlefield.

“Kanae! Lead your squad and move to the rear!”

“Yes, Nii-sama!”

Because they were forming Heaven and Earth Formation normally there was no swordsman in the back, that was why the back would be brittle if some force came attacking there. If Loki Einherjar was sidling up to their behind then there was a necessity to prepare.

“I will go to Arthur-oneesan’s location desu!”

Lotte proposed that. Kazuki was also about to rely on Lotte for that matter.

Lotte possessed high mobility, furthermore if it was Lotte then she could use telepathy with Kazuki. It would be obstructed by the magic power cloud, but with Lotte’s positivity level then it should go through even from considerable distance.

“Be careful so you won’t get targeted by the enemy’s attack magic in the air!”

“Yes desu! O guardian of mankind, the wisdom that opposes the will of tyrannical god right here……Custom Liberion!!”

Equipping the mechanical armor that stressed maneuverability on her body, Lotte shrank down the distance with Britain in one go.

He left the role of calming down Arthur to Lotte……if Britain and Italia clashed, Japan could only reinforce Britain. Italia was already the enemy.

They would strike one side of Italia that was splitting to left and right and hinder them from launching a pincer attack at Britain!

The Magika Stigmas that used the Summoning Magic of Athena and Poseidon were included at the right side from Kazuki’s viewpoint.

That side there――that was to say [Italia’s left army] had the commander. If he was going to strike, then that was the place.

Kazuki was leading the Japanese knight order towards the direction on the right.

Even though it was called leading an army to fight but after all they were only a hundred people. Each force reacted to the changes in situation with sensitively and moved in accordance to the commander’s thoughts without any chaos.

Britain’s knight order suddenly stopped charging as though they were pulling an emergency break.

And then the column began to spread to the left and right, they were trying to change their formation to a horizontal formation.

Lotte’s story was conveyed to Arthur and now Britain halted their center penetration tactic.

But Italia who split left and right made a move ahead and came out to attack in reverse in the forceful effort of launching a pincer attack. Their attack was trying to keep Britain still in their column formation until the end.

The speedy judgment that switched from defense to offense the moment they guessed the change in Britain made Kazuki feel the height of the commanding ability of Vera Garibaldi.

{Kazu-nii! Loki Einherjar are starting to move to the left side! Germany is also following them!”

Hearing Mio’s report, Kazuki felt a chill.

Looking at Japan going to attack at Italia’s left army, Loki Einherjar was heading to Italia’s right army to make contact. In other word…..as expected Italia might be truly communicating with Loki.

However, if that was the case then what was the relationship between Italia and China-Russia? Italia also attacked China and Russia. He didn’t understand.

It was at that moment.

“O awareness, fade away from cranium, get closed inside the mist……listen to my trumpet’s white timber! Destructive Sound of IgnorancePsycho Jammer!!”

He felt a peculiar magic power surge that was different from attack or defense.

It was similar to Shouko’s [Dashinben]. Added to that, he had felt this quite far in the past before this……. Just now……the magic of Nyarlathotep!

The surge of that magic power was echoing far and wide on the battlefield. Thereupon it felt like there was a faint mist hanging inside his head. It wasn’t that his thoughts became foggy――it was making his perceptiveness towards magical power turn foggy.

Kazuki had confidence in his perception towards magic power more than other people, but that perception was suddenly dulled.

A magic that made it hard to feel magic power.

But why was this kind of magic used? Perhaps because Kazuki and Hrotsvit fought while sensing magic power, so this was a countermeasure for that?

However, if he concentrated, then the jamming power wasn’t that great that it caused him to become unable of sensing the magic power of the enemy in front of him. It was like his awareness was narrowed but…….

Japan’s knight order was increasingly getting closer to Italia’s left army. The other side also noticed his side.

……Attack magic was coming!

“Everyone, prepare defensive magic!!”

He instructed the Magika Stigmas at the rear to prepare defensive magic while heading for a charge with the vanguard swordsman squad.

“Kazuki-oniisan, I came back!”

Right at that time Lotte returned back from Arthur’s place.

Kazuki responded to the voice and looked up to the sky.

Lotte was flying towards him.

There was something else moving that entered his eye, Kazuki inadvertently moved his gaze over there.

The one flying in the sky wasn’t just Lotte.

A bird flying in the sky entered his eye right at that time.

It wasn’t something strange. It wasn’t something really big that would make him aware of it right in the middle of battle. There was no Demon Beast on this Atlantis, normal animals were living here.

Bird…….

A small out of place feeling was bubblingly and foaming inside his head. For a moment even he didn’t know what this out of place feeling was about. But suddenly an idea electrifyingly traveled his mind and his thoughts seethed radically.

Italia and Loki. Interference to magic power perception. The aim was to narrow the field of vision. A bird that crossed the sky.

Connecting all that, a terrifying answer welled up inside his head.

“Everyone! Chant defensive magic!! Large scale attack magic of lightning element is coming from behind!!”

‘――What if that girl was not dead?

Didn’t I have such assumption right from the start!’

“Regina is chanting while circling behind us!”

Kazuki screamed to his comrades.

The moment Kazuki screamed at his comrades to react.

“The other space mystery mankind cannot reach right here……o Poseidon, please wash away the polluted world! World Prison of Beyond Ocean DepthAqua Scutum!!”

Italia’s left army that was positioned in front of Kazuki and the others――the glasses girl standing at their head chanted the magic of Poseidon. Vera Garibaldi. That girl didn’t have the seat of King or anything!

“This is the Original One created only for the sake of helping that person! Taste it thoroughly!!”

• DOPON!* The battlefield sank into the sea.

No, large amount of sea water was overflowing from the ground and reached the height far higher than the height of Kazuki and the others in the blink of an eye, swallowing all of them.

When he looked to his side, Britain’s knight order was in the same situation. However, Italia’s knight order wasn’t sinking. The effective range was terrifyingly wide and yet it was beautifully controlled.

The sea water violently twisted. Several of his comrades that were trying to chant defensive magic had their chant annulled by the twisting. At the same time the whole Japanese knight order was going to be washed away to the left side――towards Britain’s knight order. Britain’s knight order was also washed away to their side. And further behind――Germany’s knight order too.

Japan-Britain-Germany were going to be made into a single tight cluster.

Most of all, it was trying to confuse the chain of command.

Kazuki too, if he wasn’t struck by his hypothesis even an instant faster than the activation of this magic then he wouldn’t think much more than this. But the main event would be coming right after this.

Kazuki’s gaze became fixed upon the bird traversing through the sky. The bird traversed far through the sky and it was going to land down behind Japan-Britain-Germany right about now.

The bird――it changed into a figure of a woman while landing on the ground.

A beautiful metamorphosis that spontaneously stole his gaze.

Vera Garibaldi raised a voice of joy.

“Realize this! Our King is right there!!”

The landing down woman was already grasping extreme light in her hand while responding to the voice.

“Realize this! I am right here!! I am Regina Olympia Fornar!! I won’t tolerate any insults towards me by anybody!!”

That was the magic with the strongest destructive power among all the magic Kazuki had experienced until now.

“Keraunos!!”

Sublime light that couldn’t be expressed just by the word lightning was launched from Regina’s hand.

Kazuki and the others were getting moderately wet inside the sea water.

Part 2

Loki’s Einherjar moved matching with that timing.

“Just as planned, we are killing Arthur now.”

Mordred who said that took the hand of Nyarlako. So that they could sneak up at Arthur in this moment, they continued to endure the attacks from Germany while avoiding coming into contact with Japan.

“Yup.” Nyarlako obediently nodded and followed Mordred.

Mordred knew――the knights of the round table were weak against mind attack magic.

And then Nyarlathotep was the ultimate evil god in the field of mind attack magic.

Mordred even thought that she was like a piece that existed for the sake of killing Arthur.

“This is the absolute chance, I won’t let it get away. I’ll have you cooperate.”

“I’ll cooperate. ……Fufufu, the flesh of Arthur, it seems delicious.”

It was as though the mask of a merely obedient girl was flaking off.

The jet black girl floated an eerie smile that made even Mordred get startled and felt taken aback.

Arthur heard the voice.

{Everyone! Chant defensive magic!! Large scale attack magic of lightning element is coming from behind!! Regina is chanting while circling behind us!}

For some reason the voice of Hayashizaki Kazuki echoed inside her mind.

……King Solomon displayed various special abilities with the girls he had tied a bond with. But that was only in regards towards comrades……even though that should be unrelated with her.

But in any case just before [Keraunos] was invoked, Arthur heard that voice and she was able to just barely order the subordinates around her.

“Raise your shields!!”

Right after that they were swallowed by a sea and jostled by rough current, but a lot of the knights of the round table managed to summon [shield] and took defensive formation calmly even while being jostled in the sea.

What symbolized the knights of the round table the most was actually shields. They who were wore full body armor on the occasion of battle were displaying their own identity by the ornaments on their shield.

A shield was the face of a knight, their name, their pride.

The defensive formation of the knights of the round table readying each of their Sacred Treasure shields that were crowned with their name all at once became a powerful defensive barrier with extreme magical defensive power.

Even so the shields receiving the piercing lightning were all broken, many of the knights were penetrated by damage. Arthur spontaneously awakened from her rage and groaned.

“……Just now was Keraunos, of all things……”

Of course even while they were being like this the Italian knight order was continuing their attack. One side was also being met by Japan’s knight order but the other side had to be dealt with by themselves.

“……UWAAAAAAAAAAA!? Ilyailiya!! Why!?”

A shrieking voice was suddenly raised inside the defensive formation of the round table.

“That voice just now, Kay!?”

“Arthur-sama, Kay was done in! Suddenly……uwa!! Ilyailiya!!”

An abnormal event happened. It was not a battle against Italia knight order.

Inside the formation that should be solid there was a silver stormy wind blowing.

An intruder that took advantage of the chaos――fast. Once this enemy entered into the bosom of the army it was difficult to even catch the after image.

Russia’s Ilyailiya! She had heard from Japan’s knight order’s messenger that Russia and China were at the other side of the mountain. But……since when did she slip in here!?

If it was this girl’s speed……amidst the interference of magic power perception and in that instant when their awareness concentrated on that large scale magic, that was more than enough.

Once Ilyailiya turned into a slasher amidst the confused crowdthrong of people then there was no one that could overtake her. She was a person that would not hesitate at all to do a cheap act like that even though she was a King.

“Calm down! No matter how fast she is but as long as we calm down we can catch her! Don’t forget that every single one of you are the proud knights of the round table!!”

Arthur proclaimed her encouragement.

“……Tristan! Bedivere!!”

“Sir-!” “Yes-!”

Tristan concentrated her mind and pulled the string of <Bow Without FutilityFailnaught>. As expected the bow was inferior compared to Apollo’s and Artemis’s, but even among the knights of the round table she was the owner of the best bow skill.

She launched the arrow――it flew accurately on the advance route of Ilyailiya and made her put a sudden break. The silver shadow was reflected in the eyes of the people as a human figure for the first time.

Bedivere also concentrated her mind and tackled Ilyailiya at that moment. She was the knight that boasted the fastest speed in the knights of the round table.

The King, Ilyailiya was captured right in the middle of the formation.

“Even if it’s you but flying into here alone is making light of the knights of the round table! This is the end!!”

If the King who held pride in her speed had her movement sealed in front of the king of knights who held the conceit as the strongest in close-range combat, then her fate was clear to see. Arthur brandished Excalibur triumphantly.

“Absolutely no……because the one whose fate is ending here is you.”

The silver Magic Dress of Ilyailiya whose movement was sealed quickly changed into an ominous black color. Towards that appearance that couldn’t possibly be thought of as something brought about by a Diva of Cosmos Side…….

“What the, what’s that eerie change!?”

Arthur was taken aback, yet even so she still felt the presence of chanting and a surge of tremendous magic power from Ilyailiya who changed color into jet black, she put even more strength into Excalibur and was going to swing it down. She had the premonition that she must not let her invoke her magic here.

But just before that attack reached, there was even more change happening.

“O consciousness, rotate your cranium while going mad in between the sound wave……dance on the stage, listen to the blue tone of my trumpet! Destructive Sound of MadnessPsycho Confuse!!”

Inside the formation of the knights of the round table, an unpleasant magic power wave was resounding.

It was like the forehead was struck in surprise attack, Arthur felt her own head shaking *gakun!*. At that moment, all five of her senses went astray and the electric signal in her whole body ran amok.

Even though she planned to swing down Excalibur straight down, both of Arthur’s hands danced to the wrong direction like a string puppet that was badly made.

She didn’t hit Ilyailiya. And not just that, Bedivere was also staggering drunkenly like an old man with weak limbs, letting go of Ilyailiya completely.

“Aye. Your fate is to end by my hands here. Arthur!!”

There was a voice. Just whose voice was that――Arthur turned around dizzily.

The owner of that voice appeared by pushing aside through the suffering and writhing knights.

The woman who was determined in the Mythology with the role of bringing destruction to Arthur――Mordred!

And then, she was bringing along a pitch black elf girl that carried a sinister shadow. She had heard about the existence of this black girl who was possessed by the Diva called <Nyarlathotep> from Hayashizaki Kazuki.

Just how could this black girl create this kind of bizarre sound from the vocal cords of a human, a singing voice that was making the head become strange was resounding in the surrounding area.

……Everything until now was calculated. The surprise attack of Regina who was cleverly hiding her existence. And then Ilyailiya, who sneaked in during the chaos it brought about. And then these two who took advantage of the confusion that Ilyailiya further created.

And then while her movement was sealed by mind attack magic, Ilyailiya right now was beginning to count down the time towards destruction. If she let that magic get invoked then it would be absolutely bad……!

“O fluctuation of Prima Materia, lead out the end of everything right here from the beginning of everything……”

Prima Materia were shining sparklingly at the surroundings of the jet black Ilyailiya while they began abnormal chaotic movement.

“Someone, someone stop Ilyailiya’s chanting!!” Arthur yelled.

The knights who were in a distant spot and could still move freely obeyed that order and tried to rush at Ilyailiya, however right after that their whole body was made to stagger like string puppets with shoddy make.

“It’s no good, no one can move properly! The knights of the round table who were led around by the nose due to the sorcery of the likes of Mordred, there is no way they can oppose the evil god of Cthulhu residing inside this girl! Kukuku……!”

“Acting great from other people’s achievement……anyone, anyone soften this accursed sound even for just a little!!”

“You said that, but aren’t you also relying on others for help……kukuku, kuhahahahahaha!”

“ “Acknowledged.” ”

Two clear voices overlapped in answer to Arthur’s call.

It was just like when a goddess suddenly appeared from the lake in response to King Arhur’s call.

“Ha?” Mordred turned around with wide open eyes.

The duo clad in Magic Dresses that was obviously from Japan’s knight order in a glance pushed their way through the knights suffering from the madness magic and arrived besides King Arthur’s location.

These two weren’t in a state of suffering from the sound of madness.

“O beast of dream dweller, please devour greedily the wave of madness nesting in the heart……Baku’s Dream EatingBaku no Kyouki Kui.”

The Japanese knight wearing glasses made the avatar of China’s divine beast <Baku> emerge and invoked her magic.

“O pure moon, please reflect the original heart of the righteous person and keep away the madness……Translucent MirrorMoon Healing.”

The silver haired elf Japanese knight made the avatar of the moon goddess <Gremory> emerge and invoked her magic.

The Psycho Confuse emitted from the mouth of Nyarlako was devoured by the avatar of Baku from nearby. The light of the moon floating in the sky ignoring the time illuminating the hearts of the people writhing in pain, It was containing the madness magic!

The knights of the round table stood up powerfully all at once.

Mordred faltered while saying “I, impossible!!”

“Thi, this is not a joke, you bastards! Don’t you know there are things that are good to do and things that are bad to do!! If I don’t kill Arthur here destiny will change! The pledge will befall me!! Don’t screw with me!! Ilyailiya, quickly finish your chanting! What are you doing tardily like that, this dunce―!!”

Ilyailiya was visibly making a sullen displeased face.

“……The chain of world creation reside in my body, the white flame that destroy the world and……”

“ “I won’t let you!!” ”

Arthur swung down Excalibur and Tristan shot her arrow.

Ilyailiya’s spell chanting that was near completion was unbearably annulled.

“……I received pointless damage.” Ilyailiya glared at Mordred spitefully and returned to her silver Magic Dress. Just what was this transformation about?

After that the movement of Ilyailiya was terrifyingly fast.

First she circled on Mordred’s back and kicked her flying in the back towards Arthur. The awareness of Arthur and her group were directed to Mordred. The next moment she lifted up Nyarlako and floated softly in the air.

It was a fast reaction that came from a complete decision in her heart beforehand that she would do this if this kind of situation happened.

“Wa, wait! You are going to run away alone!?”

Mordred whose back was kicked flying and left behind alone yelled.

“A decoy is needed for my escape too……it’s because I’m a dunce. Well then, sayonara.”

“Wa, wait―! You bastard, I’m going to remember this―!!”

Ilyailiya flew towards the direction of the mountain.

Mordred desperately tried to chase her and turned her back on Arthur and the others.

“Bedivere!” “Yes-!”

But Bedivere tackled hard at that back and caught her.

“Shithead, release me! Don’t screw with me!!”

Mordred was yelling with dirty words that were unthinkable to come from a knight, she used all her might to shake off and untangled from Bedivere. However, at that time she was already surrounded by enough members of the knights of the round table.

Mordred drew out her sword while suddenly making a gallant voice to yell.

“It’s a one on one duel now, Arthur!”

The knights around were making deathly apathetic faces, but Arthur responded with a serious face.

“This place is not even Camlann and you are not even Lancelot you know, Mordred. Know your place, you have lost your role as the cursed child.”

Arthur vanished Excalibur from her hand and in exchange summoned the silver spear Rhongomyniad.

“Not yet, I’ll change this place into Camlann……here I go!”

Faster than Mordred saying ‘here I go’, a pure white flash pierced Mordred.

Mordred wasn’t even allowed to enter the range of the sword <Clarent> that she held. No, she couldn’t even hold aloft her sword. Pure white meteors was once, twice, thrice……countless thrust were striking Mordred’s whole body, her magic power was made sport with and erased in the blink of an eye.

Arthur withdrew her lance. The match was decided.

“Sto, stop……stop……!!”

Mordred wasn’t talking to Arthur, but to Clarent that her hand was holding.

Clarent ignored its owner’s voice and moved as it pleased, piercing deeply through Mordred’s chest.

It was the pledge. In contrast Arthur who defeated Mordred and changed fate obtained even more power from the pledge.

“It’s unfortunate, Mordred. It’s as though your scheme……didn’t work at all against my Kazukipartner’s quick wit.”

Arthur said that and looked down on the collapsed Mordred.

But there was no proud feeling at all in her chest.

Kazuki too……he noticed her weak point! That was the meaning of him dispatching these two knights!

Arthur turned at the two Japanese knights.

“Why did you two come here?”

The two knights――the elf girl, Ryuutaki Miyabi, answered with a little rapid-talking.

“We are conveying the message from our King, Kazuki.”

Actually the two of them wanted to convey this message as fast as possible, but they were also unable to be a nuisance in the duel.

“The moment Keraunos activated, Kazuki was convinced that Italia and Loki are colluding. And then if Italia and Loki are colluding, China and Russia will also take advantage of the chaos from Keraunos’s activation and they are still scheming something further, Kazuki thought so and sent us here.”

The one coming together with Miyabi here was Yumeno Shiori.

She was also a mind magic expert that once made Kazuki suffer.

“What is the damage to Japan from Keraunos?”

“Japan also succeeded in activating defensive magic even while drowning in the sea magic and the damage is insignificant. Above all……it seemed that Japan was at the farthest spot from the ground zero of Keraunos.”

“Ground zero?”

“The ground zero of Keraunos was Germany’s Einherjar. That attack was aimed at Hrotsvit. Right now Germany is the one who received the most damage from Keraunos and on top of that they are fighting Loki’s Einherjar.”

At that time a knight rushed from the front line against Italia’s knight order.

“My apologies King! Italia’s knight order left army that was battling us is retreating from us and is heading to Germany’s direction!”

“This is bad, we have to reinforce them!”

“Please wait, there is Russia and China at the mountain’s direction!”

Arthur who was burning from her chivalry was halted by Miyabi in panic.

As though to endorse that, one more knight was rushing to their position.

“King Arthur, the figure of Russia’s knight order appeared from the direction of the mountain where Ilyailiya escaped and they are now descending towards us! China’s knight order is rushing towards Japan!!”

Arthur and the knights of the round table stiffened with an understanding face.

Ryuutaki Miyabi and Yumeno Shiori, the two of them had heard the prediction from Kazuki that it would become like this.

“At this rate, the Einherjar will be done in.”

It would be an inevitability if on top of being the one who received the most damage from Keraunos, they had to take on half of Italia’s knight order and Loki’s Einherjar at the same time.

“But if we go to reinforce Germany then our backs will be aimed at by Russia……no, Russia will change direction and crush Japan together with China!”

If Japan took on China and Russia and the other half of Italia’s knight order, an inevitable result would be waiting at their side too!

Britain’s knight order that managed to slip through danger by a hairbreadth was pressed by two outrageous choices! To talk even further……if right now Arthur had been subdued by Mordred then everything would have been over already!!

“How about splitting into two!”

Gawain of the knights of the round table proposed.

“If you entrust half of the soldiers to me……this is what Italia’s knight order is doing too!!”

“Please wait desu!” At that time, it was Lotte who came flying here from the sky as the messenger of Kazuki.

“Arthur-oneesan, that’s no good!”

“Why!?” Gawain looked to the sky and talked.

“This is not my word but Kazuki-oniisan’s desu. I can talk with Kazuki-oniisan using telepathy that’s why.”

Lotte answered after saying that as a preface.

“Italia’s knight order dividing their forces into two is bad because they have made arrangements beforehand. In addition to that between Vera and Regina they have a method to share information desu! Based on how Regina was taking independent action all the time until now, that’s the only possible explanation! Britain likely doesn’t have a method to share information……there is none right desu?”

“…….” Arthur nodded.

“Perhaps Loki and the others had also easily predicted that Britain’s knight order doesn’t have an information sharing method. If Britain splits into two groups, you won’t be allowed to meet up anymore.”

“Are you saying that there is no way other than choosing one between Japan and Germany……”

……Hayashizaki Kazuki knew about her weakness. That fact flashed inside Arthur’s mind for an instant.

Arthur was secretly getting distressed while shaking her head.

“Then the answer is simple. The current us owe a favor to Japan of having been rescued. It’s wrong for Germany but……if I am told to choose then I can only choose Japan. That’s only natural as a knight. We are advancing like this to crush Russia.”

Lotte shook her head.

“Please go reinforce Germany, that was what Kazuki-oniisan said desu. We will endure for a while, he said.”

All the people present there froze, Arthur raised her voice that she was nearly screaming.

“That’s absurd! Reckless! China and Russia and half the number of Italia……the difference in strength is nearly twice there!!”

Lotte further spoke as the proxy of Kazuki.

“It’s fine desu……our King said that it’s okay.”

“There is no way it’s fine! That’s merely a bluff!!”

“Please believe!”

Lotte was not talking as Kazuki’s proxy, Lotte said her own words.

“Please believe. If it’s Kazuki-oniisan then he will be fine desu. If Kazuki-oniisan is fighting for the sake of protecting someone, then he will protect that someone to the end no matter how despairing the situation is, that’s the kind of person he is desu.”

“……Even through this kind of situation huh.”

Miyabi also gave a push towards Arthur who was clearly showing an expression of fear.

“That’s right. ……If it’s our King then he will be fine. Please hurry! The slower you are, the more disadvantageous it will be no matter which battlefield it is! Hurry while Kazuki is holding out!!”

Part 3

In the northern European countries, it was told in legend that aurora was the radiance of the armor of the gods traveling the sky.

Beatrix also heard the voice.

{Everyone! Chant defensive magic!! Large scale attack magic of lightning element is coming from behind!! Regina is chanting while circling behind us!}

For some reason Hayashizaki Kazuki’s voice resounded in her brain.

But her difference with Arthur was that Beatrix wasn’t the commander of her force. Of course, Beatrix immediately looked around her and yelled. However, Beatrix wasn’t the commander and her words that were said with an unknown reason made the surrounding Einherjar slightly late in reacting.

Hrotsvit who immediately comprehended the severity of the situation yelled “Do as Beatrix says!” but the moment of lateness became a fatal wound.

There was already a raging Regina in front of their eyes.

Defensive magic was insufficient against the scale of the opponent’s attack magic.

Hrotsvit was approached by choices.

“O armor of illusion, bring the glimmer of rainbow and reflect everything! Armor of RainbowRüstung Aurora!!”

[Rüstung Aurora] had two ways to be used.

If it was used to be worn as one’s own armor, it would protect the body from injury against attack magic approaching from the front exceedingly well.

If it was not used as a personal armor and was deployed behind one’s back as a curtain of rainbow then it could protect a wide range. However it wouldn’t protect the caster’s body at all.

“Conceal the weaved sky, aurora!!”

Hrotsvit unhesitatingly chose the latter and she received Keraunos with her body that was standing at the lead.

If that attack was accepted right from the front, then even a King――.

Part 4

[Keraunos] was aimed at Germany’s knight order, furthermore Japan made it in time with their defensive magic.

Even so its might inflicted impact on Japan’s knight order as a whole.

The whole of Japan’s knight order was reeled.

Vera Garibaldi who was confronting them didn’t miss that moment and made the left army of Italia’s knights charge ahead. Italia’s knight order was split into left and right and inside the left army――in other words fifty people, were going against Japan’s knight order. However, although they were only half the number, they understood [Keraunos]’s timing beforehand and in unison with that all of them were chanting large scale magic.

“Zenia! Please match your breathing with my water magic!!”

Vera was standing at the head of the charge while yelling so.

“No need to tell me!” The one who replied that was the contractor of Athena.

“O tsunami of divine ancient that destroy the silver nation, ruling the sea from Zeus call that judgment once again as Poseidon! Heavy FloodsOgygoson!!”

“O tsunami of divine ancient that destroy the bronze nation, call that judgment once again as the daughter of sea god Tritonis! Heavy FloodsOgygoson!!”

The flood in legend that destroyed mankind twice was once again given rise to by the hands of the Olympian sea gods.

The objective of this magic wasn’t to control the battlefield like [Aqua Scutum] before this. That manifestation was crushing the target to death with the power of the stormy sea. A sea manifested itself on the battlefield and a tsunami that was like a mountain was surging in.

“O swaying sea surface due to my singing voice, gather the ripple without pattern and become a giant tidal wave! Coming from beyond and washing away to far away……Tidal Wave!”

Kazuki used Zekorbeni and opposed the enemy magic using Vepar’s tsunami magic.

Koyuki was trying to use the same magic, but it took time to chant level 4 magic and she was left behind.

“O stream of atmosphere, converge in this body, become the storm that rejects the hated enemy! The eye of the typhoon is exactly my throne! Storm Fort!”

In exchange Hikaru-senpai chanted defensive magic of wind. The power of wind gave a help to the momentum of his tsunami.

“Gouge the afar, <Doutanuki>! Battou Kaikon――Tenran Kamaitachi!!”

“Yell the refusal, <Sukehiro>! Battou Kaikon――Touranba!!”

Kohaku’s Sacred Treasure squad also invoked their Battou Kaikon that didn’t need chanting which supported the [Tidal Wave] that Kazuki summoned.

However even so the they couldn’t oppose the large amount of water from [Ogygoson] those two pillars of Olympus invoked in synchronization――,

Kazuki’s tsunami was completely swallowed by a far larger tsunami from the front.

“Tidal Wave!!” Koyuki also invoked her magic late.

But even so it was useless, like peeing against the tsunami.

The giant tsunami swallowed the whole of the Japan knight order, it then formed a whirlpool that whipped their formation, the chanting of the magicians were obstructed by the violence. The enemy struck like an avalanche at that timing.

“After the bubble of sea embers, o life bathing the light of Venus, resurrect! Regeneration Light of Mother VenusMaris Stella Ishtar!!”

The avatar of a beautiful goddess――Aphrodite was emerging overhead Japan knight order who was in pandemonium. Just when it seemed that avatar was shining golden, at the ground after the tsunami finally passed through greeneries were budding all at once. Sprouts became young trees, then became gigantic trunks, from there wriggling branches and leaves entangled at each other while growing up. A sea of trees descended. The sea of trees without any gap became a prison of mother nature that didn’t allow Kazuki and group to move.

“Burn them away!” Kazuki gave the instruction while half screaming. He himself also invoked Phoenix’s magic using Zekorbeni. Commencing with Mio, the fire magicians were continuing after him.

However, the sea of trees the goddess of good harvest grew luxuriantly repeatedly regenerated no matter how many times it was burnt.

“Charge! Right now is exactly the time to show the power of Greek Mythology who united as one!!”

The fifty people of Italia’s knight order raised a battle cry in response to Vera’s voice.

They charged towards Kazuki and the others――it seemed that Italia’s Maigka Stigmas were all-around types that could fight in close range skillfully as well. They were able to create Sacred Treasures with Summoning Magic and invoked reinforcement magic.

“Trample under the blessing of goddess Hera’s golden mat! All of you are heroes that surmount the twelve trials!! Goddess’s GloryHeracles!!”

Hera’s avatar floated and rained down light of blessing upon the soldiers of Greek Mythology from the sky. Italia’s knight order was wrapped with reinforcement aura and pressure as though they were all transformed into Heracles.

And then the Greek-style charge that was approaching near was exactly a Sacred Treasure heavy infantry chargephalanx.

“Calm down! The unfavorable situation is exactly the time where the swordsmen who has no need to chant ought to show their strength!”

Kanae finally escaped from the binding of the sea of trees and yelled.

“We are the swordsmen of Japan! Now we can fight against the heroes of Greek Mythology, think of the honor of the samurai and face them!!”

That encouragement of Kanae lit a fire in the spirit of the twenty swordsmen who were formed as the elite squad.

Until now they had been continuously treated coldly as existences that were below the Magika Stigma, however, they were indomitable warriors who had come this far not with the strength of Solomon’s 72 Pillars, but with the prided ancient art of Japan as their pillar.

In regards to the force of will towards an unfavorable position, they were exactly the true elites of Japan.

“CHESTOO―!!”

Kohaku who studied the school of Kyushu raised the yell of Jigen-ryu. Her spirit was also transmitted to the surroundings.

“ “ “ “ “CHESTOOOOOOOOO!!” ” ” ” ”

The swordsmen slipped out from the sea of trees one after another and went to clash against the approaching near Italia’s knight order.

The charge of Jigen-ryu――only its aspect as a mere suicide attack was emphasized, but Jigen-ryu was exactly the completed form of Japan’s real sword battle and group sword fighting. If all the people of Italia’s knight order were transformed into Heracles, then the samurais of Japan all became the demon Shimazu.

“Instantaneous rallying force? Japan has this many soldiers that can fight this much without chanting?”

Vera raised a confused voice. Looking from the other side the <swordsmen> were abnormal warriors.

But even if the swordsmen showed deception with their spirit and technique, the heavily equipped Italia knight order with their Sacred Treasures and strengthening from Summoning Magic was far more powerful. Just mere twenty swordsmen were repelled immediately.

But they were undaunted by the shock of the smashed magic and held their ground, they desperately endured.

Protecting the Magika Stigma as the vanguard――that was exactly the duty that was instilled in them for many years, it was their obstinacy. So that no death came out from among them, he secretly shared magic power using the Power of Harmony. And then to respond to their hard work, they had to stand up.

“Arrange the formation while the swordsmen are enduring for us! If we can just stop being in disorder we are actually twice their number!!”

Being inspired by the swordsmen, the Magika Stigmas were also burning up. The flame magics that were released undauntedly swelled up explosively, finally the sea of trees was turned into ash until it was impossible to regenerate.

Next they all chanted defensive magic for the swordsmen.

Japan’s knight order finally recovered their composure.

Kazuki looked around at the situation. There was quite a damage done to them, but they were able to somehow absorb the momentum of Italia’s left army’s charge.

……Italia’s left army shouldn’t be in contact against only Japan, they should be in a position that was in contact with Britain too.

But he couldn’t feel any reinforcements from Britain at all.

Inside their formation there was also something happening amidst the chaos that was caused by [Keraunos].

“Miyabi-senpai and Yumeno-san!”

Kazuki immediately raised his voice. “Please go to reinforce Britain’s knight order!!”

Kazuki said that to the two at this timing.

“Only the two of us!?”

“Both of you are enough! That’s because if something can endanger Arthur, it will be mind attack magic!”

There was no need to explain more than that. Both of them had self-awareness of their specialized field.

Kazuki asked them to deliver a verbal message. Italia and Loki were colluding. Keraunos was aimed at Germany. Right now the one who should be in the most danger was Germany…….

Japan was able to endure the danger, but he wondered about what was happening to Germany and Britain.

Miyabi-senpai and Yumeno-san dashed away at full speed.

“……Kuh, so we can only inflict this much damage with that best chance!”

He could hear Vera raise a regretful voice. The girl was swift to make decisions from there too.

Perhaps her ability as a commander was higher than even Regina.

“We are withdrawing as planned while in the defensive formation!”

The girl unhesitatingly abandoned the momentum they earned from the charge and instantly adopted thorough defense.

That speedy clean decision made Kazuki get impatient.

“It will be bad if we don’t crush them right away! Everyone, attack them even if you have to force yourself!!”

Slowly crushing them using the difference in battle strength……was something that could be done. There was a reason why they couldn’t do that.

This time the samurais were charging while the Heracleses stopped the blow perseveringly.

“Kazuki!” Yuika-senpai was calling out to him while looking at afar with Valefor’s power.

“I can see China’s knight order from above the mountain!! They are coming here!!”

They finally came!

After the phalanx of the Heracleses……would be the cavalry charge of the brave generals of the three kingdoms!

The Cossacks of Russia might be coming along too. That depended on Britain whether they would come or not.

‘There is no war more gorgeous than this huh!’ Kazuki sput out inside his heart.

And then, what happened with Britain!?

“Lotte, fly to Britain as a messenger!”

――After a while, due to his telepathy with Lotte the situation of Britain’s knight order was communicated to him.

About how thanks to Miyabi-senpai and Yumeno-san, Arthur had barely repulsed Mordred.

And then of how Britain’s knight order was at a lost of whether they should head to reinforce the Einherjar or Japan’s knight order.

……Kazuki gave the instruction to go save the Einherjar.

He hardened his resolve to stop the blow of the incoming China, Russia and Italia’s left army, that was made up of Vera and her group, that was approaching in front of their eyes altogether.

Part 5

“Why!” Beatrix yelled at her lord who accepted the Keraunos in front of her eyes.

“Why didn’t you protect your own body!!”

“Why you ask?”

Hrotsvit whose magic power had been mostly evaporated from the thunder expressionlessly turned around.

“Beatrix!! Is the Hrotsvit Lesedrama bastard you know a naïve person? Huh!?”

“……N, no. You are a person who does everything to the best of your ability for victory.”

“Then shut up. Butt in only after I die. I’ll kill the dregs that let their mouths talk faster than their swords. Did you forget about my authority already.”

Beatrix kept silent.

“This is quite the damage.”

Authority of the Lunatic King――the more she got nearer to the verge of death the more her attack power was magnified.

“Beatrix. From here on you will lead the Einherjar. Thor is the semi-chief god of Norse Mythology. Take the command with the intention of doing it on my behalf.”

Semi-chief god――if Thor’s contractor was in the middle of good health while Odin’s contractor fell, the King’s Authority would be succeeded by Thor’s contractor. Of course it wasn’t at all something that could be immediately used skillfully.

“I dare say that naïve boy Kazuki will dispatch Arthur’s bunch this way.”

“Kazuki is……in order to protect us……”

“You are to pull them back and head together to give help to Japan. In this battle royal, surely Japan will survive until the end. Act together with Hayashizaki Kazuki.”

‘!? Then that means, Hrotsvit-sama will……!”

Even though she was told not to butt in, Beatrix couldn’t help but speak. Even from what Beatrix saw……she could clearly understand just how much Hrotsvit’s remaining magic power was.

“Are you saying that in order to let us escape, Hrotsvit-sama will remain here alone……!!”

“Hahahahahahaha!! I’m going to kill you Beatrix if you say something that looks down on me like that!! Don’t make me say it twice!! Is the Hrotsvit Lesedrama that you know a person who fights with the intention to lose huh!?”

“……No! You are always a person who wins!!”

“It’s troubling for that naïve boy to think of trying to protect me or anything. You too don’t misunderstand. Of course there is the possibility that I will die. However, that’s only the story if there is a warrior among those guys who can deal even a single attack to me before my attack hits them, and I’m including the ReginaKing in who I mean. Hahahahahahahaha, just come, you dimwits! Now, go!”

Beatrix didn’t hesitate anymore and she left while leading the knight order.

The exhausted Hrotsvit was left by herself.

Hrotsvit stood up in order to enjoy that exhaustion alone.

There was Regina in front of her gaze.

“Hrotsvit Lesedrama. The sin of insulting this me, I’ll make you make up for it with a thousand deaths.”

Around that Regina……half of Italia’s knight order was linking up with her one after another.

Loki’s Einherjar also joined up with them before her eyes and they became a large army.

――In contrast, Hrotsvit had made Beatrix and all her forces withdraw, she was alone.

One versus a hundred and fifty.

Hrotsvit laughed.

“Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha! You bunches with a flower field in your head make me laugh! Just try it if you can! I’ll make you teach me how many true warriors there are among you bastards with my spear!! Come at me!!”

“Go!” Regina ordered.

One Magika Stigma wearing golden sandals rushed at Hrotsvit.

“This lowly self is Hermes’s contractor Faraone! Your true strength, this lowly self will measure it!!”

“Fighting for the sake of measuring? Die and come again you shitty brat!!”

Faraone’s hand shined together with her spell chanting.

“O spiral snake bringing about wisdom and life! Amplify my magic power, smash his magic power! Staff of SageCaduceus!!”

In Faraone’s hand she was holding a long and big staff made from twin snakes entwining. The light the staff emitted accelerated the movement of Faraone who was already fast to begin with.

In contrast Hrotsvit’s hand also shined together with her spell and it grasped a Sacred Treasure.

Mad laughter quietly vanished from Hrotsvit’s expression.

“Kill. Severance Spear Evil PlunderGungnir.”

It was a long spear that was red like blood.

Attacking like the wind and and with a flash, Faraone swung down the staff with a force that could even break boulders. The twin snakes entangling the staff would devour the magic power from the opponent the staff hit, absorbing it to increase the might the staff had.

The approaching speed of Ilyailiya and the destructive force of Beatrix were approaching at the same time.

The attack that was supposed to be like so was foreseen by Hrotsvit without any change in her countenance and she dodged.

While dodging she thrust out [Gungnir].

The magic spear stabbed through Faraone’s heart.

“Trash.”

As though she was shaking off the trash hanging on her spear, Hrotsvit threw away the stabbed Faraone. Faraone scattered all her heart blood everywhere while rolling on the ground.

“Ho……w……this lowly self’s magic power……”

The flesh who was rolling down the slope of death was leaking out a gasping voice.

“If you want to measure me then I’ll teach you. Defensive magic power or whatever doesn’t matter, massacring those who are not resolved to die is my style.”

It was an impossible scene. With just a slight crossing of attacks, Faraone’s life was severed.

The chilly silence of death momentarily froze Regina and the others.

Gungnir――the spear of Odin loved warriors and blessed special moves. If that spear accurately gouged at the human body’s vital spot then the spear would ignore magic power and pierce the opponent to death.

However it didn’t have any attack power at all towards body parts that weren’t vital spots of certain death.

It was a Sacred Treasure that Hrotsvit could only create when her [Authority of the Lunatic King] was displayed at maximum.

……It was only Loki who correctly understood what kind of existence the contractor of Odin was.

“Let’s play plucking out the flower, you Oppekepe twelve gods.”

Hrotsvit smiled while being stained by the spurt of blood.

Apollo and Artemis fired their arrows.

“Brush off. Hidden Letter of NeutralizationOrto Rune.”

Avatar of rune letter was floating in front of Hrotsvit. It possessed material body and collided with the arrows and they erased each other.

Hrotsvit’s defensive rune would react automatically to all attack under Hrotsvit’s awareness. For Hrotsvit except a surprise attack, there was nothing that could pass through this rune.

And then this defensive rune, when Hrotsvit activated the [Authority of the Lunatic King], the less her magic power remained the more the performance of the rune would have. Since her magical power was low the rune accelerated faster.

“Group up and attack!” Regina ordered her subordinates.

Fifty Italia knights matched their breathing and fired attack magic in groups.

[Group magic] was fired against an opponent of just Hrotsvit alone.

Terrific raging waves of attack magic were surging at Hrotsvit――even against that the rune letters quietly extinguished them without any sound.

When the Authority of the Lunatic King was activated at maximum, the defensive runes at its greatest output would erase any kind of firepower. It forced the opponent to pick a method that wasn’t simply relying on brute force.

No matter how cornered she was, it was only the last finishing blow that wouldn’t be able to be inflicted on her.

Odin could only be defeated by a wise man that was above even him.

“……I don’t think people lower than a warrior will be able to do anything.”

However, Hrotsvit’s own flesh body wasn’t wrapped in even a fragment of defensive magic power right now.

Spear of instant death. Absolute defense rune that would continue as long as she foresaw everything.

However, if she failed to foresee then she too would instantly die.

Surely there was no other King’s Authority that was as hard to be used as this. But its instantaneous destructive power when it was used skillfully was without a doubt the strongest. That was exactly the power that Hrotsvit preferred.

And then based on Fu Xi and Regina’s personality……there was no way they could win against herself who became like this, she thought. Her words of massacring them all alone were serious.

“Crush her directly!” Regina commanded.

If long range attack magic in groups also couldn’t crush her then there was no other way except piercing at the opening in direct attack. If the fifty Italian knights were to attack her one after another, there was no way she would be able to foresee them all.

It was unthinkable that she was able to do that.

Attacking that was like a surging wave sooner or later should become a surprise attack inevitably.

But that meant they had to plunge into the distance of death of Hrotsvit.

The knights of Olympia loyally carried out the King’s command and assaulted Hrotsvit.

Hrotsvit danced next to death.

She foresighted all the future, dodged, defended, and killed.

In every single breath there was a blood pillar raised with certainty.

“Loki! What the hell is that! Are you screwing with me! You bastard, you make us stand to take the brunt of that knowing Hrotsvit is someone this nasty!!”

Regina raised a furious voice.

Loki replied even though his figure wasn’t there.

“Don’t say such a stupid thing, something like this is obviously outside even my prediction!!”

Of course he actually knew. Loki was playing his once in a lifetime act of confusion.

For a materialized Diva whose selling point was their magic power amount, this was an opponent that they absolutely wouldn’t want to get close to.

Part 6

The cavalry of China was dashing down the foot of the mountain without even a speck of disorder in their formation.

Japan took a stance of defense.

A charge of one hundred cavalry――even imagining that made one’s hair stand on end.

From the other direction fifty people of the nimble Italia’s left army shifted to give way.

……Was how it seemed, but Italia’s left army was rapidly distancing themselves from Japan and retreated from the battle area.

It was so they could take a long detour.

While taking distance from Japan, they were moving with the other side of the battlefield as their destination.

“……Are they planning to link up with their right army?”

The right army was the unit that was supposedly fighting Germany together with Loki’s Einherjar.

“It must be because Britain is rushing to the other side……”

That was what Kazuki thought.

Vera and her group had some kind of method to communicate with their King. While Italia’s right army and Loki’s Einherjar were trying to crush Germany, Britain arrived to reinforce them and so Vera must have judged that their other half needed help.

There was no doubt that Britain was moving following Kazuki’s instruction. Then what Japan needed to do was simple. With a hundred people of Japan’s knight order, they would endure the attack of two hundred people of China and Russia. Believing in Arthur, Hrotsvit, and Beatrix, he would endure through this determinedly!

It was exactly right now when China’s knight order’s cavalry squad was descending down the foot of the mountain in a stroke!

On the other direction Russia’s knight order was following behind them, their movement was excessively dull.

It was because they weren’t cavalry but infantry, such reason also applied he guessed. However, perhaps they also had a cheap ulterior motive of trying to preserve their own battle force by making China do everything.

In that case, Japan had to make use of that. First they were able to concentrate only at China.

……The cavalry of China who approached before their eyes.

Their atmosphere was strange.

When Japan fought them before, they were more unruly, they had the wildness that was really like a [mounted bandit].

But the cavalry rushing down the mountain foot right now was orderly and tranquil like a machine.

And then when they finally could see their appearance, Kazuki and his group shuddered.

The ones standing at the forefront of the cavalry squad were Son Goku and Guan Yu’s contractor, they were opponents he had exchanged blows with once before. However they――with the exception of Fu Xi, everyone had become Nopperabou.

All of them, had no face.

<Red Nopperabou>――they had already become that.

Unable to endure the sight, screams could be heard sparsely from Japan’s knight order. Their defensive formation was shaken.

China’s cavalry squad was charging while launching attack magics here.

Their timing perfectly overlapped like a machine, it was [group magic].

Even while being shaken, Japan’s knight order repelled the attacks firmly with the defensive magic they prepared. The inside of the formation was rattling due to the impact of the magic power rivalry.

After their shudder calmed down――Kazuki suddenly felt doubt.

That was a doubt to which he still kept his cool so much that it was out of place even if he said so himself.

Just how much reasoning was still left in these Nopperabou bunches.

Shouko once explained to him before that <Red Nopperabou> was like a [colony]. Every single Nopperabou was nothing more than a single cell who supported the giant existence that was Fu Xi.

They lost their faces, and their humanity was denied.

Then those Nopperabou, were they controlled by the King of Domination Fu Xi in everything?

That was absurd. It was impossible to control all those people in real time using the processing power of a single human.

So that was to say those Nopperabou had their freedom stolen and their personality was endlessly leveled down, while they were moved not by Fu Xi’s control, but by the program that had been determined beforehand……was his assumption.

While Kazuki’s mind was in full operation, China’s cavalry squad finally clashed with the vanguard swordsmen of Japan’s knight order that were lying in wait defensively. The swordsmen were all blown away altogether, without delay the swordsmen at the back replaced them and clashed with the cavalry. Even so the impact wasn’t stopped and several of the Magika Stigmas were also blown away.

The Heaven and Earth Formation of the Japan knight order was pierced by the cavalry charge until half way.

Fierce impact echoed until the rear guard where Kazuki was. The Magika Stigmas were pressed to invoke defensive magic in great panic. The swordsmen were also standing up immediately and rearranged their stances.

“Hey Shouko, that Red Nopperabou thing, are they moving with some kind of regularity that was decided beforehand?”

Kazuki called at Shouko who was beside him. She returned an exasperated face to him.

“You, what are you sayin’ while being strangely calm like that in this kind of situation!? ……I too hadn’t ever fought Red Nopperabou itself before but……most of their self should be gone.”

“Then those guys are like machines that cannot attack except with the decided pattern.”

Shouko understood Kazuki’s intention, but she soon felt exasperated at him in another aspect.

“O, oi! You, we just only got to exchange blows for ten seconds here you know!? And now you plan to finish this already!? That’s not a fast decision anymore but just blind selection!”

“If those guys are like a colony, then if we just defeat the brain part Fu Xi the other guys would lose their function.”

Kazuki ignored that and continued his conjecture.

China’s knight order was obviously not normal. He had to grasp that peculiarity and then stabbed at the weak point. It needed to be done as fast as possible.

“I’m going to devote myself to analyze the attack pattern of those guys! If I grasp something then I’ll share it to everyone with telepathy! Like that we will establish a defense pattern that is effective towards their predictable attacks! After that we will move out to counterattack for the first time, hitting Fu Xi with concentrated fire! How about that. The tactic of totally ignoring Nopperabou!”

“Yo, you are an exasperating asshole huh……it’s only about twenty seconds since we clashed. What you are thinkin’ is just wishful thinking y’know. Ain’t you getting desperate here?”

There are ideas that could only come to you because you were desperate. Kazuki had gone full circle from that desperation and became calm. He was aware that right now his head was a little in the clouds. However――,

“There is no other way. Right now we are trying to find a single ray of hope in the middle of a fatal situation.”

What kind of situation Japan was in right now……Shouko’s face warped unpleasantly.

“If you are going to leisurely do analysis or anything then Russia too is gonna arrive as their reinforcement yeah.”

“Rather it is exactly because we are fighting China and Russia simultaneously that we don’t have any other way. At the very least I’ll finish the analysis before Russia arrives. The deciding match will be from there. If we cannot do that, then with this difference in battle strength it won’t even be a match.”

“……I had never fought Red Nopperabou before, so even if you ask me I cannot guarantee that what I’m sayin’ is correct though……”

Shouko was actually not good at gambling he guessed. Her personality looked hearty like this, but in Las Vegas she made full use of statistic calculation and she only kept making little bets.

However, her face finally became clearly decisive.

“……Certainly there ain’t any other way. If this is a good hand you got the idea for after thinking your hardest, then you better do it fast.”

Listening to this conversation from the side, Akane-senpai bared open the white of her eyes and she froze.

Only a few tens of seconds after the clash, Kazuki decided on his tactic.

Japan and China clashed.

Kazuki concentrated in sensing the magic power of the whole battlefield.

The nature of China’s knight order’s magic power was just like a television screen. From afar it looked like a single movie, but when he concentrated at looking further, the picture was made from an aggregation of small pixels. But, there was no disorder at all at every single one of those pixels――it was truly an assembled life form, a colony.

Group that fired flame element magic. Group that fired lightning element magic with delayed timing.

All their members weren’t taking a single action. However they separated into several groups and the several units in those groups were made to act synchronously. The group wasn’t constantly the same, they were substituting and taking turns. As expected it wasn’t simple.

But certainly it had regularity……Kazuki was convinced of that after several moves. It would be the end if he was mistaken.

Kazuki communicated the next moves of the opponent that he read towards his comrades, he made them chant defensive magic to deal with that. He made the offense and defense with effective rivalry to negate each other. He included the swordsmen, all members became as one and proceeded to defend.

Even so, damage was still slowly accumulating.

Especially Fu Xi’s attack magic, their formation would crumble if it wasn’t blocked by devoting the defensive magic of several dozen people.

Flame was coming, lightning was coming, non-element was coming, the ground would split…….

Foresight――command――defensive magic, Japan’s knight order was enduring with Kazuki’s order.

In order to build the ultimate efficiency in their direct movement, there was the necessity to discover the attack pattern of the enemy. If they could do that then a leeway to counterattack would be created. Possibly they could endure till the end even when Russia participated.

――The flow of magic power had no flavor of humanity the more he looked.

There was no off point that originated from personal thinking. It was just like programming.

He took an overhead view of the whole magic power nature…….

Including Fu Xi too, there was a lot of flame magic…….

A lot of time lightning magic was coming after flame magic. That was because there was the common point that heat was generated from the two elements. Using water or cold magic after heat was generated had bad efficiency.

That was why after heat generating magic they would surely alternate it with physical magic. After that water or cold would come.

The pattern after water and cold was the wind coming, possibly they would alternate it with physical attack again before coming back to fire.

Flame-lightning-physical-cold-wind-flame……. Possibly flame-lightning-physical-cold-physical-flame…….

These two patterns happened a lot……that was his hunch. He had no positive proof.

Certainly those patterns were efficient. Those Nopperabou almost never did something inefficient.

Efficient elements were managed efficiently and continued to be invoked without interval……these were patterns that Fu Xi properly thought up and formed. She was really a girl with a smart head.

But something like this……couldn’t be called a warrior. It couldn’t be called a commander.

She only had a smart head but couldn’t build tactics, her simple personality was transparently visible.

Furthermore she was looking down at her enemies in the fundamental matter…….

{Flame, lightning, earth, water……that order is coming.}

As a test he tried to convey that to all his comrades. That was supposed to be the next pattern,

{Is, is it really okay if we prepare for four moves ahead like that all at once!?}

Mio immediately replied back to him anxiously.

{Of course, if it’s wrong I’ll tell you to revise it so it’s fine.}

{Hm……ah, it really happens like that!? Kazu-nii amazing!}

However he got strangely relieved like this hearing Mio’s voice in the middle of battle, why he wondered.

……What was Russia doing?

“Kazuki, Britain and Germany are coming from our left rear!”

Yuika-senpai suddenly said.

“Russia is heading over there!!”

Kazuki was shocked.

What was the meaning of this? Did Britain not go help Germany?

Or else did they end the battle in the blink of an eye and then came here……?

No, even Italia’s left army was moving from the battle area here and heading over there. There was no way they could be this quick in deciding the battle.

What this meant……Britain and Germany left behind only the minimum combat force over there and sent the majority of their main force over here. Thinking normally that minimum combat force was only a sacrificial pawn, however that sacrificial pawn displayed an unexpectedly hard fight and it made Vera who saw that to head there for reinforcements in panic.

Was the chronological order something like that?

{ “Kazuki!!” }

A loud voice he was familiar with――Beatrix’s voice resounded to here.

The one leading the German knight order here was her.

For some reason at the same time when her voice directly reached his ear, her voice also echoed inside his head.

It was as though her physical voice was mixed with telepathy, a strange chorus.

If it wasn’t like that then even if it was Beatrix’s loud voice it surely wouldn’t be able to reach until Kazuki’s ear in the middle of this chaotic battlefield. Telepathy with Beatrix was half passing through to him.

Her voice continued without giving him time to think of how this happened.

{ “I’m telling you the message from my King!! ‘I don’t need any soldiers!!’ ” }

‘………………The one holding back Loki’s Einherjar and Italia’s knight order, is Hrotsvit!?

No, don’t tell me, just by herself alone!? With only Hrotsvit alone as the opponent, that Vera got pale and headed there for reinforcements!’

{ “If you still have gutless leeway to protect others, you better use it to pulverize the enemy before your eyes!! The words of my King, the great warrior Hrotsvit, I imparted it to you right here!!” }

Just what kind of fighting Hrotsvit was doing, he couldn’t imagine it at all.

{ “Pulverize them!” }Beatrix repeated her words once again.

……But, there was no need to hesitate if that was the case.

He had already seen through all of China’s attacks.

Germany and Britain were hitting Russia for him.

It was exactly at that time Kazuki yelled at his comrades.

“Everyone, we are counterattacking to beat Fu Xi!! We are going to pulverize China until not even their dust remains behind!!”

When he thought back, Japan was always one-sidedly defending against Chukadou.

That too would be only until now.

Part 7

The battlefield was often called as a [living thing that is constantly changing continuously].

If one had to say why it felt like a battlefield was continuously changing, that was because the opponent’s hand was unknown and something unexpected would occur without fail. Kazuki too always had such sensation when he confronted Loki.

The battle on this Atlantis was also like that the whole time.

They were continuously instigated by winding upheaval and fought until now while dealing with that desperately.

But Red Nopperabou and Fu Xi were weak to the wave of that upheaval.

Even Fu Xi was showing action that was trying to deal with the change of the Japanese knight order.

Japan’s knight order somehow suppressed the damage of Fu Xi’s powerful attack magic by devoting a large number of people for defensive magic. However, they would run out of strength bit by bit sooner or later in this one-sided defensive battle. Fu Xi understood that and so she didn’t change her way of doing things and kept repeating what she did until now.

But when Kazuki began to vaguely feel the attack pattern of China and increased his defense efficiency, Japan was gradually beginning to counterattack. In the interval of defense magic and defense magic, attack magic began to be mixed in.

Those attack magics were all flying pin pointed towards Fu Xi.

Although Japan didn’t attack at all until now, China’s knight order still put up defensive magic. However the attack magic that was focused in one point broke through the defensive magic that was spread widely and carved some damage on Fu Xi’s magic power.

It wasn’t particularly big damage. But for the first time Fu Xi showed a change in action with that.

First she understood that it was only her who was targeted and so she concentrated the defensive magic on herself. And then she stopped firing attack magic continuously at wide range aimlessly and created [Kyuuryuu Shinkatou] before beginning to move towards the front line.

Attack magic from afar would scatter its power to a wide range no matter what. The damage could be focused by attacking at close range. She judged that by doing that the enemy wouldn’t be able to reduce the damage and defeated people would appear.

If she reduced the number of enemies with close range attacks with certainty, the flow of the battle would tilt to one side in one go.

That was only a natural decision. In fact it was an efficient decision.

The change that Fu Xi showed was a really easy to understand change for Kazuki.

It was just as he expected. That was why together with his comrades that were the most optimum to fight Fu Xi, Kazuki was waiting for Fu Xi at the front line while chanting reinforcement magic. He was planning to make that spot the place for the decisive battle.

“So it is you all again!”

Fu Xi who was coming out to the front lines where attack magic was flying overhead, looked at the awaiting opponent and raised a voice of hatred. Kazuki was taking along Kanae, Kohaku, Kazuha-senpai, and then……Karin, Shouko, and Silirat whose eyes were strongly carrying enmity.

“It’s well for the King to come out greeting us. Those three swordsmen are also well. But you three directing persistent emotion to us! You three are unpleasant……! You don’t have the privilege to harbor dissatisfaction or grudge to us!!”

Fu Xi wasn’t allowing other people to have dissatisfaction towards her.

As the King of China’s ideal, she was raised to think that it was only natural.

That was why she was able to remorselessly destroy other people’s hearts and spread unhappiness to the surroundings.

The little supreme ruler. Surely she didn’t feel any need to be prudent to her surroundings until now. One who was born with the destiny to be the King was that kind of existence.

“Everyone, we are going to educate this selfish kid.”

Kazuki said. For an instant Fu Xi was making a face that was unable to understand what was said to her.

“You said something nice Nii-sama!! You had said out exactly what everyone had been thinking all this time!! Kanae is numbed from that, I’m in admiration!!”

Kanae was in great joy and she hopped up and down as though to provoke Fu Xi in front of her eyes.

“……You bastard, what did you say just now……”

Fu Xi became dazed for a moment before her whole face was dyed bright red in seething fury.

“Educate……you say? Educating is……something done by a superior existence to lower a existence you know……? You……you are saying something that is looking down on this we!! Very well, we will kill you just as you wished for!!”

“I’m not wishing to get killed or anything though.”

“What you bastard said just now is the highest grade of honorific language that means [I want to be killed in an incredibly brutal way]!!”

Fu Xi was howling a strangely elaborate expression.

She looked to be around fourteen, fifteen years old, but as expected she was a clever child.

Only, this child had something that was strangely warped burdened on her little shoulders.

He wanted to give her defeat. The reason of why he mustn’t lose increased by one more.

“I, Kanae, Kohaku, Karin, the four of us will disturb her and occupy her attention at a close range battle. Kazuha-senpai and Silirat, focus at attacking. Shouko, do as you please.”

“Oi, aren’t you acting apathetic at just me there?”

“It will help if you are moving in the way that is suitable for the moment. I’ll Foresight the magic that is not close range attack and suppress it with defensive magic. Though it’s impossible to completely suppress everything.”

Even if he Foresighted and used the advantageous element but he wouldn’t be unable to block it due to the difference in output. Fu Xi’s [King’s Authority] was undoubtedly something that fully increased the simple force of Summoning Magic.

……But was that all?

Perhaps there was something more to it. He needed to put more attention to that hypothesis.

“Here we go!”

Hearing Kazuki’s command, his comrades went towards the small but powerful enemy all at once.

First they had to stop [Kyuuryuu Shinkatou] from spewing out flames. Kazuki put reinforcement magic on his whole body while plunging in towards Fu Xi’s bosom.

Fu Xi simply and plainly lifted up her treasured sword and she was going to swing it down. Kazuki jumped in at that timing and blocked it with Ame no Murakumo and Joyeux crossed.

Miyamoto Musashi’s defensive technique of Two Sky One StreamNiten Ichiryuu. It wasn’t suited for precise movement but it was a rigidly strong stance.

‘……ugeh!”

Kazuki felt like an old man whose waist felt like it was ruined by trying to lift up a heavy barbell, his feeling became despairing like that. It was absolutely impossible what he was doing, he immediately understood that.

“Fuhahahahahah! You bastard, just now you were making an amusing expression!!”

Fu Xi seemed to regain her good mood and laughed while pressing down hard on Kazuki’s two swords.

Beatrix was enduring this……!

Kazuki couldn’t endure and shifted to the side and warded off Kyuuryuu Shinkatou with blade control. *BUUN* With such terrific air cutting sound hellfire was blowing out. Even though it didn’t hit him yet only the waves of heat was enough to smash his defensive magic power. This too was unbearable. Kazuki poured Vepar’s strength to Zekorbeni.

“Freeze Barrier!“ “Freeze Barrier!“ “Freeze Barrier!“ “Freeze Barrier!“

Four continuous instant chanting.

He was putting armor of cold to himself, Kanae, Kohaku, and Karin.

If it was this range then they surely could evade or redirect the attack without any harm done somehow.

They absolutely mustn’t get hit directly.

There――Karin and Kohaku began attacking.

“Haa!” “Sei!”

Fu Xi swung around her treasured sword towards Karin who was rushing at her. Karin halted as though she was pulling emergency break and her body dodged from the flame that was spewed out by the treasured sword. At that opening Kohaku attacked with her Sacred Treasure.

Kohaku also attacked not with her all so that she could escape anytime, the strength of her attack wasn’t really much. But their role was for disturbance so that was fine.

Of course Fu Xi was attempting to chant a spell.

“Shin’iki!” Kanae slashed so as to not allow her that. Fu Xi showed a sensitive reaction.

“Black cat! Your sword is loathsome for some reason!!”

Fu Xi jumped back with exaggerated vigor. She had zero martial knowledge of how to move the body but she was purely fast. It was surely difficult to inflict Shin’iki against an opponent who was moving like that. Kanae clicked her tongue.

As expected her learning ability was high. No matter what……he wanted to defeat Fu Xi right here.

“O honored lightning that rain down due to god’s fury! The spilled blood of Kagutsuchi drips and gather at the hilt, become a blade of flash! Sky drum thunder sound of lightning speed, Mikafutsu Mitama!!”

“O power circulating the world! Converge in my hand under the guidance of the god of destruction, become the attack of rage that pierce the three worlds! Trisula!!”

At the opening when Fu Xi jumped behind largely, Kazuha-senpai and Silirat shoved in their powerful attack.

Powerful attack, it was supposed to be so. But Fu Xi didn’t stop chanting.

“Dashinben!!”

Shouko emitted the wave of chanting obstruction in panic.

“We are unstoppable! We are the emperor because nobody can stop us!!”

Fu Xi didn’t stop chanting and activated her magic.

“Spring up from the ground, o China’s royal ancestor! Five Emperor DescentGotei Kourin!!”

When Fu Xi directed her left hand to the ground, five shadows were emerging from below.

“Go down from the heaven, O China’s divine ancestor! Three Sovereign VisitSankou Kourin!!”

When Fu Xi lifted her right hand to the sky, three shadows were floating overhead.

Each of the shadows became the figures of the five emperors, and then three gods. Fu Xi commanded to each of them.

“Go, Fukugi! Shinnou! Joka! Kokuou! Gyouou! Shun’ou! Uou! Touou!”

The three gods who were considered as the creators of the world in Taoism, and then the five emperors who created the country of China in that world――those were figures that were worshipped as the Sankou Gotei in Taoism.

“Summoning Diva!? No are they something like illusions……!?”

So to speak they could be called imitation Divas.

At the very least the three stars should be existing separately as the Divas of Taoism. He had met that Joka before this with her contractor.

Fu Xi’s contracted Diva was <Dragon of Heaven’s Decree> which was the very incarnation of China’s ideal, the original Daoism and its high ranking Divas that were the Sankou Gotei that were swallowed and made into that dragon.

Consequently he guessed that it was able to create fake Sankou Gotei from inside itself. The Dragon of Heaven’s Decree swallowed Taoism, and so there was no doubt that this was the magic that symbolized that.

The materialized eight imitation Divas were causing magic power vortex while beginning to chant their respective magic. This was exactly a Summoning Magic in the literal sense.

Fu Xi chanted a magic that was extremely troublesome to the limit from the very start. They were trying to defeat Fu Xi alone with seven people yet the opponent easily exceeded them in number, this wasn’t a laughing matter!

“What to do Nii-sama!”

“Everyone doesn’t need to change what they are doing! I’ll increase the number of my moves!!”

Kazuki commanded while hammering in his magic power into Zekorbeni.

Zekorbeni could rapidly invoke magic without chanting.

If he just wasn’t frugal with magic power then there would be no problem no matter how many enemies there were.

“Kazuki, although you have mapped the pattern to some degree but even now you are sensing the magic power nature of the whole of the Chinese knight order, Foresighting them, and then giving directions to everyone else with telepathy while fighting aren’t you!? You okay!?”

Kazuha-senpai was concerned for him with a voice that was nearly a scream. If he was asked if he was ok or not, even now it felt like his head would pop like a balloon. However, “No choice but to do it!!”

The Sankou Gotei blew fire, spouted cold, split the earth, and so on, they invoked magic as they pleased. In response to that, Kazuki was invoking defensive magic in full operation.

Furthermore Fu Xi was swinging around Kyuuryuu Shinkatou while beginning to chant a spell he remembered.

This presence of magic power chanting was the [Chuuka Goken] that she used when they encountered her for the first time.

Most likely it was the magic with lowest level among the Summoning Magic of the Dragon of Heaven’s Decree.

Fu Xi was planning to increase her number of moves. While she was swinging around Kyuuryuu Shinkatou, she employed Sankou Gotei, then she would use the five treasured swords in turn, that was her intention. It was as though she was testing Kazuki on how far he could hold on.

If what he need to do increased even more than this then his head would go pop auspiciously.

“Absolutely don’t let her invoke that! Shit-, Shin’iki!”

Kanae desperately attempted to activate Shin’iki. However Fu Xi was running away from Kanae while saying “The other bunch is fine but only you are no good!!” Conversely her attention was taken by his other comrades.

“Uwaa―! Come on, stop your chanting―!”

Kazuha-senpai raised a low level voice while slashing buzzingly with [Mikafutsu Mitama].

Her attacks were hitting straightforwardly. ……No matter how it was put, but Fu Xi was getting hit too much.

When Fu Xi escaped away from Kanae in great panic, her feet were staggering. Her movement was lacking in stability, Kazuha-senpai and Silirat were aiming for that.

She still had lost her sense of touch――for the emperor who had little experience in moving her body, to fight personally with her body, that loss of sense gave her such a fatal impact.

“……Dashinben!!”

Shouko struck the back of the head of Sankou Gotei’s Fukugi *pokan!* with Dashinben.

“Now foxie! Match your timing.” And then she instructed Karin.

Shouko walloping the honored god of China Fukugi looked terribly blasphemous, but at that time the figure of the materialized Fukugi distorted with noise mixed in.

The Sankou Gotei were being materialized by a complicated flow of magic power. Shouko was making that flow get wrecked using [the whip that threw out of order the flow of magic power]

That disorder was nothing more than an instant. But Karin immediately guessed her intent.

“……It’s like this huh! Shintoukei!!”

Fukugi who was covered all over with noise was hit by Karin’s palm heel.

Shintoukei――a superhuman feat that worked by sensing the flow of the opponent’s magic power and then smashing in magic power with an opposite vector to neutralize the enemy’s magic power, with that the user could deal impact to the flesh itself.

Originally sensing the flow of complicated magic power construction like imitation Diva must be difficult for Karin. But Shouko was making that complicatedly advanced magic power flow wrecked with her Dashinben.

Fukugi that was materialized exploded as though his inside was blown away.

“Wha, what!? Our divine ancestor is!?”

It was very unexpected for Fu Xi that it made her get shocked and stiffen. There “Shin’iki-!” this time Kanae severed her chanting for sure. “You bastard-!” Fu Xi raised an uncontrolled voice.

While that was happening Shouko and Karin were rapidly destroying the imitation Divas.

“Just what is that accursed technique!!” Fu Xi was trembling in fury.

“This is……Nee-san’s Shintoukei!! I’ll make you taste it too!!”

Karin’s eyes were burning in hatred once again.

She recklessly rushed forward and tried to strike the palm heel on Fu Xi too.

“Stop it, don’t get sloppy!”

Kazuki raised his voice to stop her but Karin charged driven by her emotion.

“Eei, don’t direct hatred to us! I won’t allow that kind of unpleasant emotion!!”

Fu Xi was yelling in disgust while swinging Kyuuryuu Shinkatou like a spoiled brat. Tremendous belts of flame hit Karin directly from the front.

Finally someone was hit! If someone got hit by that then perhaps they would be unable to fight just by a single attack!

Kazuki tried to share magic power to Karin with the Power of Harmony.

But――*bachin!* something bounced the magic power……something was protecting Karin’s body from the flame.

“……Something is repelling our flame!?” Fu Xi yelled.

“Nee-san!!” For some reason Karin yelled that with conviction.

Karin’s small body was blown away like dust from the recoil.

But Karin twirled in somersault and landed on the ground before glaring at Fu Xi.

Shouko too, Silirat too, they were glaring with eyes burning with hatred.

“Just what…… are you all taking about……”

Fu Xi was……making timid eyes like a child that was isolated in class.

“Damn, we won’t recognize this! Even though we said we are not recognizing it, even though we are fighting seriously, why don’t you all die!”

Fu Xi was clamoring like a kid that for the first time since she was born confronted something that wouldn’t go the way she wanted it.

“You ask why we don’t die?”

Kazuki answered provocatively.

“……You discharge magic power all over miserably, you cannot even dodge our attacks satisfactorily and keep getting hit. Too bad for you but at this rate rather than us who are supporting each other, it will be your magic power that will get emptied first yeah.”

“……What?”

Kazuki and the others had the Power of Harmony.

Right now these seven people who were fighting Fu Xi were greatly burdened. But there wasn’t anyone among these seven who became unable to fight. That was because they were lending each other magic power with the Power of Harmony.

The magicians of Japan could mutually lend each other magic power. In all cases any attack towards Kazuki and the others was as though it was reduced into an attack that spread towards the whole Japan knight order.

Fu Xi planned to decrease their side’s numbers using powerful direct attacks and came to the front line. But what Fu Xi was doing essentially was no different at all than when she was firing wide range attack magic in rapid succession from afar.

It merely got easier for her to be attacked by coming to the front like this.

In contrast with Kazuki and the others who were like that, Fu Xi was――already bearing quite some damage since before this battle.

Right after the landing on Atlantis until now……all forces were taking action in order to shave off strength from Fu Xi. To that Fu Xi lacked skills in planning. Just what in the world had been done to her by Italia’s knight order at the top of the mountain――now that they were confronting Fu Xi once again like this, her magic power amount had been decreased beyond recognition.

“Plijie Zvezda.”

Meteorites were raining down from the sky.

Kazuki felt their presence, but it was fine even if he ignored it. It wasn’t flying at him.

The meteorites were all aiming to attack Fu Xi.

“What!? This magic!!”

Fu Xi was hit hard by meteorites all over her body and she looked up to the sky.

At the sky that was dyed by the setting sun, there was a silver shadow floating.

“Ilyailiya! Why are you! We and you……are in an alliance right!?”

Supposedly Russia too was in the middle of fighting Britain, it was as if she was looking down here as though to say [it will be the time soon so how about I go helping].

“Plijie Zvezda.”

Here Ilyailiya fired magic rapidly as if to display her characteristic chanting speed. Meteorites were pouring down one after another as though it was her reply’s substitute.

It was a magic that was extremely difficult to dodge for Fu Xi who had lost her sense of touch.

“Stop it! Stop it Ilyailiya, just why!?”

Fu Xi was running about to get away from the meteorites with a seemingly sad voice. Fu Xi who staggered because she lost her sense of balance was chased around mercilessly by the meteorites. The damage might not be that considerable. But Fu Xi was receiving damage from the fact that her companion who had been acting together with her all this time since landing was attacking her, that was what she was trying to escape from.

Fu Xi’s gaze was wandering at her surroundings as though she was looking for help.

There was no one except Kazuki and the others of the Japan knight order and the Red Nopperabou.

The Nopperabou was already not an existence that could give her advice from experience. Fu Xi didn’t have or give assistance with ideas for victory nor was she quick-witted. Those things weren’t Fu Xi.

They were only obeying the constructed program, and were firing magic at Japan’s knight order.

They weren’t existences that could present the thing that Fu Xi was currently looking for.

They were allies, but they weren’t comrades.

“Even though everyone is fighting supporting each other with their hundred comrades, it is only you who are in solitude.”

Kazuki even felt emotion of pity while saying that.

“Solitude you say…..absurd……we don’t……fear such thing. Until now we had never experienced such thing. Until now everyone feared and respected us, they came and became our ally……that’s right, Loki too was like that. Where is Loki!? Just where in the world is Kaya!?”

“Italia’s knight order firing arrows from above the mountain was at Loki’s order you know.”

Fu Xi’s expression froze.

If Loki and Italia were colluding then it was only natural that it became like that.

“Right now, on this Atlantis, there is not even a single person who thinks that they want you to continue to exist.”

The one who handed down the decision to change her comrades into a part of her colony cells, was her herself.

The meteorites were continuously pouring down like rain.

“Ha……”

From Fu Xi’s mouth, a distorted voice spilled out.

“…….hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!”

From the contractor of the Dragon of Heaven’s Decree that boasted an enormous presence, there was a sensation of something smashing up.

Kazuki was convinced of the timing to decide the battle. With one large move Fu Xi would be broken soon.

“Kanae!” Kazuki called out like that and embraced Kanae.

“Ni, Nii-sama……finally!”

Even though it was this kind of situation, but Kanae’s eyes were shining in great joy.

Intermission – ReincarnationWar God Reincarnation

Part 1

Ikousai was lurking alone in the rainbow forest.

No, in the flesh she was alone, but she wasn’t alone. Hel and Susanoo were possessing her body.

{Sorry……Ikousai. I cannot see anything……I cannot read the presence of even a single dead person……although there is no one there is none at all……}

Susanoo was intently taciturn, but Hel was communicating telepathically with Ikousai.

“……Is that so. It can’t be helped, this is because we didn’t expect this magic power cloud.”

……But now that [Helheim Invite] couldn’t be used, what were they going to do?

Ikousai had bet everything on that. The last Helheim Invite that would use up all of Hel’s little remaining magic power. With that she would warp with the soul of a dead person as the intermediary and suddenly appear, she would then use that surprise attack to defeat a King. ……She was betting everything on that move.

If that person fought, a casualty would surely appear at the ideal time. Exactly because she understood that, she bet on this method.

But for the searching of the dead to fail because of the interference of the magic power cloud…….

{Wait! I see it! Something is suddenly……inside me something is……}

Suddenly Hel spoke.

“……Something inside you is, what? What is……?”

The thing that Hel felt could also be seen by Ikousai who was sharing her senses with Hel.

That was the scenery of the battlefield.

A small girl was resolutely challenging a King wearing the Magic Dress of a dragon――Fu Xi. And who was this small girl she wondered. She had seen her before but, Ikousai didn’t remember her.

That moment when Fu Xi swung down her treasured sword at the small girl, Hel yelled the girl’s name in conviction.

{……Karin!!}

No, it wasn’t Hel, it was the yell of someone inside Hel.

That yell produced something. She didn’t really understand what that something was.

However, the mysterious backlash force that was created at that time protected Karin from the flame the treasured sword spouted out.

“What is this scene? Just who is, this person called Karin? What is, that power just now.”

The countless deceased that were swallowed inside Hel……a part of that reacted to the danger of that girl called Karin, was that what happened? The phenomenon just now could only be explained like that.

But what was important wasn’t that. Right now Ikousai and Hel were able to sense the battlefield!

“You can sense if it’s the surroundings of that girl called Karin right!? Take care of that sense! Keep holding on to it and don’t you let go!! And then concentrate on Fu Xi!! The time is coming!!”

Part 2

“You are sending your underlings while preparing to flee!? You trash!”

Hrotsvit yelled. She wouldn’t tolerate cowardice――even if it was coming from the enemy she was facing.

But it wasn’t a yell of fury. She was constantly calm in her mind and continued to grasp the situation.

It was a stupid battlefield. Regina wasn’t standing in the lead to fight Regina. Even though Hrotsvit right now was on the verge of death and would be defeated just by a single attack.

Regina was hiding in the shadows of her subordinates and continued to send her fifty subordinates at Hrotsvit. The assaulting small fries became a smoke screen that hid and erased Regina’s magic power.

Loki’s Einherjar didn’t even participate in the fight, they had scattered in escape like baby spiders.

Even though they numbered 150 people, they were just rabble in the first place……!

The attack of Italia’s knights who were assaulting in rapid succession was foreseen, evaded, erased by runes, and as though dancing Hrotsvit was killing every last one of the enemies in turn by swinging her spear.

It was a flow of movement that had been completely calculated in every factor. A master art that had no faltering at all.

The lunatic king that would be defeated if only one attack hit her――but that one attack was endlessly far off.

Even when surrounded by dozens of people her foreseeing wasn’t clouded, the spear didn’t let the heart get away.

Blowing through the tornado of death――three people……five……eight……ten people died raising a blood pillar.

“Hih!” One of Italia’s knights cowered in fear while still holding her Sacred Treasure. It was a shameful sight that mustn’t be shown as a warrior or as a believer. Among the enemy even this kind of fellow was also mixed inside. The overwhelming menace to the degree of invoking this existed inside the [Lunatic King] in front of them.

There was not even worth in killing her. No, the fear created a route.

Hrotsvit passed through besides the cowering knight.

She didn’t kill the enemy but passed through her. That improbable act created even more openings. The knight that confronted Hrotsvit after her passing through felt Hrotsvit suddenly appear before her eyes and this act again made this knight’s body freeze. Dread infected the knights who were ruled by fear and a path was created in the dense formation.

The attacks that were exerted in desperation were erased by the rune as a matter of course, Hrotsvit passed through the side of those. Without even wasting effort to kill she cut across the crowd of several dozen knights――,

The Lunatic King suddenly sprang out before Regina’s eyes.

“What are you doing!?” Regina scolded.

“You yourself what are you doing hiding? Die, cowardly king.” Hrotsvit abused.

――But at that time Hrotsvit felt the [presence of a new player].

If she continued attacking Regina like this……Regina was in a stance of defense. In Hrotsvit’s calculation――as expected she couldn’t finish this easily with a single thrust. She would need to mix several feints before she could kill her.

During that time the approaching new presence would make it in time to launch their attack.

If there wasn’t at least a moment for her to be aware of the enemy then she wouldn’t be able to foresee perfectly.

The current Hrotsvit mustn’t receive even a single attack. Hrotsvit put a sudden break and stepped sharply and urgently withdrew from Regina’s range.

And then she confirmed the magic power wave to look at the new player that was approaching.

“Regina-sama!”

Vera Garibaldi standing at the lead of the remaining 50 Italian knight order was rushing to here.

Vera’s body was shining with magic power light, she activated magic in a hurry for situation confirmation.

“Wait, don’t come! That’s careless you know Vera!!” Regina who could be thought of as to have escaped narrowly from death yelled.

“O lunatic wave surging at wave wind, please carry my body even faster than the wind! Gale Surging SeaWave Slider!!”

Sea water spurted out from below Vera’s feet, floating her body in the air. The spurting out sea water lurched towards Regina and Hrotsvit and became a tsunami that traveled in a straight line. Vera rode above the white-crested wave like a surfer and approached with the force of a surging wave.

Fast――but, for the current Hrotsvit speed wouldn’t be a problem.

“Cut apart, Billowing BladeSolid Blue!!”

Vera was riding the tsunami while manipulating freely the spraying water splash. The white-crested waves became a pure white blade that flew to Hrotsvit.

“Orto Rune.” It was pointless.

The rune letters floating around Hrotsvit were dyed red and then with their high temperature the water blade was evaporated in the blink of an eye.

At the same time Vera who was riding the tsunami prepared a ramming attack. The petite Vera was going to ram the opponent with the force that was like a gigantic whale. However, Hrotsvit who foresaw everything easily evaded even the second stage attack. The tip of the magic spear leaped when they passed each other, drawing an orbit of death. Indeed the girl was careless. That was if losing control of yourself for the sake of the one whom you loved above all else was called careless.

“You stupid……why did you come here?”

……Regina moaned.

Vera didn’t reply. Even though she was a girl who absolutely wouldn’t do something like ignore Regina.

“You really are stupid aren’t you……even though if you wracked your brain you are more likely than Regina to deal an attack that can hit me.”

The magic spear deeply pierced Vera’s heart. Hrotsvit turned her spear and with respect that she usually didn’t have for her opponent she laid down that body on the wave. The wave that was called by magic slowly seeped into the ground and vanished.

“Stupid…….Vera, if you are gone, who will, to me……”

Vera instantly died while she still hadn’t said even a word to Regina that she was reunited with.

But even though she didn’t say anything, until now Vera had continued to say countless words to Regina.

It was Regina herself who kept ignoring her all this time and acted as she pleased. Inside Regina’s head, the admonitions of the subordinate that she ought to cherish were rushing about again and again.

Because she ignored those, she committed many mistakes and almost died. She regretted that, and she changed her way of thinking.

That was why she didn’t need to say anything anymore.

Regina was only sadly thinking, that she wouldn’t be able to hear Vera’s voice that calmed her heart anymore.

When she kept back her rage that was like a raging fire, only cold sadness remained inside her heart.

Similar with how Regina felt earnest hatred, this was the first time she felt earnest sadness.

‘……I am not the Regina Olympia Fornar who moved due to violent emotion like before.’

She couldn’t be like that anymore.

“……Are you crying?”

Hrotsvit called out to her in astonishment.

“Hrotsvit. You betrayed me, insulted me, and then now you killed Vera, I will make you atone for it by your death!!”

Regina replied like that as though she was driven by fury.

“Hmph.” Hrotsvit scoffed uninterestedly.

She was looking down at Regina’s fury.

However in opposite from her voice, inside Regina’s heart wasn’t dyed with anything like fury, her heart was coldly sharpened.

‘Just look, Vera. I will choose any kind of method, with composure that is not driven by rage, I will definitely, show you how I killed this woman with hatred and sadness.

Look――and then admire me with your usual warm voice.’

“Everyone, step back.”

Italia’s knight order that was divided into two groups had finished regrouping here. They gathered around Regina in great panic trying to protect her, but Regina stopped the knights who were doing that.

Both of them faced each other.

“The preparation is finished. There is no need for anymore pointless sacrifice.”

“Preparation? Your appearance has become a really ugly state like that though……”

Hrotsvit sent Regina a cold gaze while talking in spite.

“Is that appearance and Keraunos the preparation you said for the sake of killing me? Compared to the beauty of Vera’s loyalty, your appearance has become really ugly.”

Regina presented her subordinates to Hrotsvit while she was doing something with the surge of magic power from the fight as her camouflage…….

Regina repeatedly overlapped partial transformation magic and changed her body parts into different animals, her appearance became like a chimera.

Head of a lion, arms of a bear, tail of a snake, legs of a horse and so on, her appearance had become a hodgepodge of chaos. On top of that Regina’s upper body was unnaturally thick.

In a certain meaning her appearance had a mythological impressiveness. But Hrotsvit thought that it was too ugly.

Was Regina saying that this was her strongest mode?

Furthermore her hand was grasping a condensed earth-shattering lightning.

It was [Keraunos].

……Hrotsvit was disappointed. Hrotsvit understood that even Keraunos would be completely erased by the defensive rune of her current self. But it seemed that Regina who was driven by her fury didn’t want to recognize that. If she was in her strongest form launching her strongest magic then any kind of protection would be blown away, such thought of hers was simply foolish.

Stupid. Truly completely stupid. Her appearance was truly without any scheme or wisdom.

After all Regina would be Regina. A person who could do nothing but wield her anger.

“You are right, stop creating pointless sacrifice. Let’s finish killing you.”

“You are the one that is going to die!!”

Regina raised a yell with a look that was exactly rage itself, and kicked the ground.

Driving her gigantic body forward, she approached like a heavy tank.

Regina was holding thunder in her hand while Hrotsvit was holding the magic spear.

……She didn’t even need the defensive rune. There was a difference in martial arts and weapon skills between them that couldn’t be closed. If they moved at the same time in this close range, the magic spear would be faster in gouging the heart than Regina firing the thunder――,

The instant Hrotsvit was convinced, Regina’s large body suddenly halted.

She couldn’t foresee that halting at all.

It was as though an outside factor forcefully halted Regina’s rush.

Because it was a movement that wasn’t due to Regina’s will, Hrotsvit was unable to foresee it.

…………What happened? The blind Hrotsvit sharpened her awareness.

She soon ascertained the truth――the snake tail stretching from Regina’s waist was moving independently from Regina’s will, it became one with the ground and changed into a chain.

Absurd. Even though it was transformed into an animal but it was still a part of Regina’s body.

It wasn’t supposed to move unrelated to Regina’s will.

Then that snake wasn’t a part of Regina’s body.

Odin knew that snake.

“Midgardsormr!”

This girl……she was slipping in a Diva of Chaos in her transformed chimera body.

The magic spear that wouldn’t display its strength at all other than at a vital spot had its aim shifted due to Regina’s unexpected sudden break and was repelled by Regina’s thick defensive magic power.

At that time the expression of Regina that was colored by fury changed like a mask that was torn down. The rage was just an act. Underneath the mask was a cold bare face that was dyed by hatred.

It was the face of a different person than the Regina that Hrotsvit knew.

“I decided that I will kill you no matter what method I have to use. You will be killed by my hand……I don’t mind even if that is not the case. As long as you just die in the end, I don’t care whose hand is doing it.”

That Regina, was saying that she was borrowing other people’s hand.

Furthermore that hand she borrowed was the power of chaos that she ought to hate the most! She even buried it into her own flesh!!

She misread――the change that was brought to this girl by her betrayal at Dover Strait, was growth!

The possibilities humans had――the explosive power that was impossible to predict bursting out from a chaotic mind!

The next moment, Regina’s torso split into two. It looked just like a ball splitting up.

From that split, a gigantic wolf leaped out.

……Fenrir!!

The evil beast Diva that possessed enough killing and wounding ability even without kneading magic power! Fenrir slipped into Regina’s flesh while killing all his magic power presence to the last drop, so that he could leap out in a surprise attack!!

Fenrir’s large jaw that was told in legend that it would bite apart the whole world was approaching to swallow Hrotsvit. This guy was trying to kill Odin in accordance with the myth!

Hrotsvit’s whole body trembled in happiness. Her warrior blood was boiling from this offense and defense that couldn’t be predicted. In this moment where she was driven to a corner, the Hrotsvitberserker felt exaltation from the bottom of her heart.

There was no magic power remaining in Hrotsvit’s body. She dragged out a small handful of magic power from Astrum. Even though it felt like her consciousness was going to become distant she endured while making her limbs explode with that magic power――move! Move!!

Hrotsvit shouted while shifting her body from Fenrir’s large jaw with desperate martial arts. Only Fenrir’s large jaw, that was the only thing she mustn’t be done in with.

She mustn’t let Odin taste that kind of humiliation for a second time no matter what.

The moment she thought that she had dodged Fenrir’s large jaw by a hairbreadth.

Hrotsvit saw a sight that she ought to be even happier with.

“Yoo”

Inside Fenrir’s mouth, a face she was familiar with was lurking.

This guy……when she was thinking that he wasn’t showing his appearance even though he should be here, yet in that kind of place he……!

“I was like a middle school student worrying what kind of present I gotta give to the girl that I like……I was cooking up this surprise desperately yeah, the kind of surprise that can make Odin the happiest.”

“……Loki!!”

Hrotsvit laughed delightedly. This was completely――surpassing her expectations.

“Hahahahahahahahaha-!! Inside the wolf’s mouth!? Are you red riding hood-chan you bastard!!”

It surpassed her expectations. Both Regina and this arch-enemy too!

Just who could possibly foresee this development!

“I’m carrying out my longstanding desire yeah, Odin. Weapon Invite――Laevateinn!”

With the magic sword that was even said to have ruined the world, Loki cut down Hrotsvit who wasn’t even clad in magic power already. The lunatic King was laughing madly while blood was spurting out, and she fell down spread-eagled.

Part 3

“Ni, Nii-sama’s lips is approaching! It’s coming!! Nii-sama, NII-SAMAaAAAAAA!!”

‘――Even though it’s only for hiding her shyness but what she was doing was awful in this kind of situation.’

The lips of Kanae who was yelling stupid things were blocked by Kazuki with a kiss.

His strong connection with Kanae became a circuit of magic power, the ultimate magic of the black cat demon king <Beleth> who transformed into Kanae’s Sacred Treasure was flowing into his head. Kazuki chanted that spell following the aria floating in his mind.

“……O jet black demon king of aloofness, o supporter of martial and love that knows no compromise”

The figure of a huge bodied cat demon king wearing black mantel was materialized from the overflowing magic power.

“Reside in the darkness of mind that is cleared from all mundane thoughts! Stupor Path WindSoujin Doufuu!!”

The materialized Beleth, however when his ultimate magic was invoked he immediately vanished as though being dismissed. The black cat demon king made his black glossy magic power that was like fur to be worn over Kazuki as though dressing Cinderella with a dress.

――That was really similar with <Kuroneko Michikage>, the Sacred Treasure that Beleth bestowed to Kanae.

The black magic power wrapped Kazuki’s whole body and became armor.

That armor possessed the power to tremendously expand magic power in concert with Kazuki’s power of Foresight. All blows and movement of the opponent was foresighted. All vital spots were sighted, locked on to, and he was entrusted with destructive power that would bring about certain death in all cases.

The enemy attack that had been Foresighted would be repelled back by the black armor that increased in hardness.

As long as the opponent’s movement was under Kazuki’s perception, he would obtain tremendous divine protection of attack power-defense power.

Such jet black aura was wrapping around Kazuki’s whole body.

“Right now, the warrior that really resembled you, and can compare favorably with you on this Atlantis……the warrior that ought to be respected had passed away. The special characteristic that person possessed……it gave influence to my ultimate magic.”

Beleth left those words behind and vanished.

Warrior……immediately the existence of Beatrix floated in Kazuki’s head. But if talking about someone that really resembled him then, if that person’s special characteristic was related to this effect then…….

Hrotsvit……. Hrotsvit was supposed to take on Italia and Loki’s Einherjar by her lonesome. Looking at how Vera’s facial expression changed, then surely she was displaying a fight that was like a monster. That Hrotsvit was defeated.

Even this battle of Atlantis finally entered the climax. He couldn’t help but feel that for real.

And then even here right now…….

In front of Kazuki’s eyes, Fu Xi looked small exactly like her age.

Ilyailiya who was aiming at Fu Xi from the sky drew back towards Russia’s main force as though to say that they should conclude this by the two of them. At that direction, the fierce battle between Russia against Britain-Germany should be in progress too.

“A King is……kissing with his subordinate……and obtained power……?”

Fu Xi trembled from the happening in front of her eyes, and then her voice was colored by rage.

“Are you joking around……”

Certainly, something like harem king was a joke, that was what he thought at first.

But it wasn’t a joke. This power was a power that he could believe as precious from the bottom of his heart.

“Bond is exactly the most primordial strength of humans. You abandoned that.”

To rule at the seat of the supreme ruler, was nothing else but abandoning what it is to be human. The likes of a King that couldn’t even have a companion whom he could kiss, connect his heart to, was something that Kazuki absolutely didn’t want to be.

“Right now, I’ll correct your mistake.”

“I won’t accept this!!”

For existences at the opposite extreme of each other, this development was only natural. If two Kings whose path was different from each other to the extreme were in confrontation, there wouldn’t be understanding between the two until a conclusion was decided.

Fu Xi raised up Kyuuryuu Shinkatou and rushed at Kazuki.

Cutting wind of flame――something like that wouldn’t be able to hit the enemy in front of her anymore. Fu Xi overflowed all her remaining magic power and explosively accelerated both her arms, she was going to swing around Kyuuryuu Shinkatou to hack her opponent to pieces.

Vertical, horizontal, diagonal――she swung around without exhaustion and scattered a storm of flames everywhere. She created a thick condensed wall of flame without even any gap to evade while rushing at Kazuki.

Kyuryuu Shinkatou was a Sacred Treasure that was sucking Fu Xi’s magic power and spewed out flames. The efficiency of the conversion from magic power to destructive power was terrific, producing an abnormal destructive power.

However, if she was randomly slashing like this――even if it hit Kazuki wouldn’t she be the one with a greater expenditure of magic power? The barrage of the flame slashes were to the degree that made one think that.

Kazuki naturally faced Fu Xi.

Kazuki transferred his body weight on his right leg. Fu Xi reacted to that and sent the net of flame slashes to the right. Kazuki feinted with that and instantly jumped to the left.

“!?” Fu Xi reacted in panic――and her body pitched forward. She currently had lost her sense of touch.

Because she was manipulated by a simple feint her posture crumbled. The curtain of flames at the left side thinned down. Kazuki sheathed Joyeux and readied Ame no Murakumo at his side before plunging into the flame starting from his shoulder.

That skillful movement of Kazuki was blessed by Beleth’s [Soujin Doufuu]. The jet black armor amplified in magic power and protected Kazuki’s body from the flame.

Even so……his magic power was shaved down. He felt himself receiving damage. Fu Xi’s flame had that much might. He could only say that she was an opponent that ought to be feared.

“Don’t come!” Fu Xi raised a panicked yell.

Kazuki felt his whole body filled to the brim with magic power. Through the Power of Harmony, magic power of Karin, Shouko, and Silirat were flowing in. Kazuki wasn’t the one doing that. The feeling of the three was naturally flowing into Kazuki. Right here he would sever the destiny of those three.

A beheading light flashed diagonally from a lower stance.

The technique of certain death magnified the jet black impact, severing Fu Xi’s defensive magic power into two.

Fu Xi who boasted that much magic power, after getting through the first half of the battle of Atlantis that was excessively harsh for her, only had this much magic power now.

“U, oo……”

Fu Xi stepped back staggeringly. She swung Kyuuryuu Shinkatou powerlessly as a vain struggle, but there was not even heat that spewed out from the sword.

Kazuki’s second move. He reversed his raised up blade, and swung down from above following his first slash’s trajectory in reverse.

Fu Xi’s small body was blown away and crashed onto the Nopperabou who were continuously exchanging magic attacks.

“Fu……fuhahahahaha!”

While falling on her bottom, Fu Xi suddenly laughed. “……We are isolated you say? So what then we say! It’s only a natural truth that there is no existence that stands equal to a King!”

“That ain’t a speech you say while you got cornered.” Shouko said in spite.

“We are cornered you say……foolish. What you all defeated is nothing more than one of ourselves. How about you try to think. We are a colony you know?”

They felt relieved from being convinced of victory, but they froze from those disturbing words――colony.

Colony――that was to say everything was Fu Xi.

Fu Xi sprang up from her falling posture and thrust Kyuuryuu Shinkatou to the heart of the Nopperabou that she collided with just now. The blade deeply pierced without any resistance of defensive magic power.

The girl basked in the blood spurting out from there as though it was a blessing.

From the sword wound, magic power light shined out intensely.

“These guys, all of them are a part of us! Every single one is like the spare of us! The lives of these guys, all of them can be supplied to us!! Despair……! Whether it is the emotion of you all that is trying to oppose us, or the likes of bond that doesn’t exist in us……everything will be gnawed to pieces by this Dragon of Heaven’s Decree!!”

“……You really are, a stupid girl aren’t you?” The wound told Fu Xi.

From the Nooperabou’s fatal wound that Kyuuryuu Shinkatou pierced open, there was a voice.

It was as though death was giving its opinion to Fu Xi.

“……What?” Fu Xi asked back dumbfoundedly.

“The King that is trying to aim at godhood while being in human body, is denying the heart of humans……that’s foolish!!”

The wound where the voice came was torn up with *biki biki biki!* sound.

The wound wasn’t torn open physically, the dimension was pulled apart altogether with the Red Nopperabou’s flesh.

That was a phenomenon Kazuki remembered seeing before.

It was like a malignant abnormality…….

Loki……no, it wasn’t him. This phenomenon was cutting apart dimension with death as the starting point……!

This was……! Furthermore this voice was……!

Kazuki’s body was numbed by an impulse that made him want to yell out, his eyes snapped wide open.

The voice echoed from the other side of the rip into this world!

“Your power is wasted on you……hand it over!!”

That was just like the moment when a butterfly broke free from its chrysalis. That dramatic moment made him feel like he was watching in slow motion, like a sequence of photographs in a picture book. The wound of the corpse that was colored by bright red blood was spreading wide with a ripping sound, from there a woman wearing glamorous Japanese clothes with a drawn sword in one hand slipped out.

Kazuki knew this woman’s figure!

In front of the eyes of Fu Xi who was trying to restore her magic power from death, that woman revealed her figure from death.

“O noble youth of storm, release everything of that fury right here!!”

After coming out from the corpse that was like a doll costume, she yelled that.

“Recapitulate the tragedy of Taka-Amahara residing in my body……!”

That was the strongest reinforcement magic in Japanese Mythology.

“Bougyaku Fujin!!”

The sword was swung down powerfully simultaneously with the activation. There was no way Fu Xi could react at all.

How could this kind of thing happen.

“……I, impossible……why”

“I think an opponent that is beaten up just enough so they don’t die is better. What I received is not your life.”

That woman landed with the fringe of her Japanese clothes fluttering noisily before turning to face Kazuki. As though passing one another, Fu Xi who lost all her magic power, lost her consciousness and collapsed on the ground.

“I’ll take over your role. You were really anticipated as the strongest King weren’t you?”

‘Don’t tell me’…….the moment he thought ‘don’t tell me’ a situation that made him think even more ‘don’t tell me’ happened.

Kazuki who was watching over that scene in astonishment was,

Finally, he yelled her name by squeezing out his voice.

“Aisu Ikousai!”

The power this girl had, if he remembered correctly, don’t tell me……!

“A, hahahahaha!”

Ikousai laughed out loud. The semi-chief god of Japanese Mythology she was contracted with <Susanoo> possessed a single Authority as a temporary King that contested the seat of the true King.

[Power of Usurpation]――it was an authority that if she defeated a King, the authority of that King could be made into hers.

“Dragon of Heaven’s Decree is residing in this me now, Hayashizaki Kazuki! Now, how about we compete for the seat of the strongest!!”

Afterword

This is Mihara Mitsuki that is a little late! Due to various reasons it became postponed for a month, my deepest apologies. This is because regarding the publication pace the editor K-nyan for some time,

“If you don’t publish at 3~4 months then it will be easy for the sales to drop you know.”

like that his mouth continuously talked sourly, so in my heart (he simply said that for the sake of cornering me mentally then……) I was doubting him like that while still desperately doing my best, but finally I got completely disheveled because of that pace. Sales drop is scary……now that we have come this far please by all means keep accompanying this story until the end without dropping out in the middle.

Even if I say that Magika too is approaching the climax. After this far it doesn’t seem likely that this will get something like aborted end because the sales is in trouble or anything, but I’m in the middle of doing my best vigorously that my head is balding so that we can turn towards the greatest climax. So even if there is just one reader more to accompany this series until the other side of the ending……I eagerly implore you readers. While I’m at it, if you readers will also accompany the new series that right now is still in preparation then that will be an unexpected happiness for me. Just now while I’m writing this afterword I welcomed my thirtieth birthday. A thirty years old with the principal occupation as a light novel author……there is nothing but anxiety for the future but anyways there is nothing I can do but continuing to write good things. When I fall, I’ll fall forward!

I don’t even understand what I’m talking about now so I’m changing the talk, but yesterday, at the light novel festival held in South Korea I was made to do an autograph session. So far, even domestically I had done an autograph session just once, but who ever thought that for the second time I was to be invited from abroad. The world famous Mihara Mitsuki (30). The truth is that I, this was my first time going abroad since I was born. In this present day, isn’t it rare for someone who became thirty yet never went abroad? However I didn’t have money when I was a student, and when I became a working adult this time it was my friend from my student period that cannot really match their schedule, on the other hand going abroad alone is scary……things like foreign language other than [Basileus] and [bonjour] I don’t know anything else……and so on that I hesitated. And so while I was helped by the editor-san he was greatly happily saying ‘you can going abroad, ain’t that the best yeah!’ The meal was too delicious that I ate too much since the first day, at the second day my stomach was already bursting out, but the readers of South Korea were horribly passionate. From them, their energy got shared with me, so I was able to safely get the autograph signing & get together stirred up. That country is extremely vigorous whether the city or the people……!

And so we are moving to the thanks. Everyone of Somi Media that published the translated version in South Korea and guided me on-site! Even though I came there for work I had fun there so much it made me wonder if it was okay to get that happy. Editor K-nyan and head department Misaka-san, I troubled you by rising up late and getting a stomachache……. Magika got published throughout the world, my greatest thanks to the whole world! And then, CHuN-san thank you very much for the wonderful illustrations in this volume too. The cover for this volume is Regina! And then Monrin-san that made the manga become increasingly perfect in form, I’m looking forward to it every month. And then, and then, above all is all of you readers, thank you very much for accompanying me in this volume!

Mihara Mitsuki (30)

Translator's Notes & References

Back to Volume 11

Return to Main Page

Forward to Volume 13