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Chrome Shelled Regios:Volume9 Chapter5

2010-06-16T08:11:40Z

Burningsteel: TYPO

===Chapter 5 - Chaos===

Vance was more frustrated and bitter than anyone when he saw the filth monsters appearing in this situation. This was the second Military Arts Competition and the chaos in the enemy city far exceeded his predictions. This was something for Zuellni to rejoice over. The first and second waves had already taken complete control of the battlefield. What they needed was to wait for Vance’s defense team to defend against the enemies and obtain victory. However, Vance wasn’t too focused on victory. After all, he was the Leader of the Military Arts course. As the chief commander of Zuellni’s Military Artists, he had to grasp hold of the situation no matter what.

Filth monsters. The larvae had appeared on the outskirts of the city.

“Alchemy technicians, prepare to release the safety locks on the Dites. The team here and the cannon team are responsible for holding up the filth monsters. The rest of the teams, get your Dites’ safety locks released and join the battle,” he gave the orders through the flake and went to stand in front of the troops with a long staff in his hand.

“Listen up. Stop them. But don’t be too reckless,” he roared and jumped into the crowd of larvae.

The report on the invasion of the larvae had reached Karian.

“Who would have thought………. So unlucky,” he said in a small voice as if he didn’t want anyone to hear him. The rest of the Student Council members located in the underground conference room didn’t have to hear what he just said.

“Switch on the city’s defense system. If necessary, we have to use the cannon.”

“But that’s……..” the head of the Business course objected. He couldn’t ignore the consequence of using the cannon that would result in the city losing a large amount of its resources. It didn’t matter that they used some of the resources now, but they needed to preserve the resources that could be used in the reproduction phase. For example, the metal and fuel used for every shot were all precious to the city. They were things that couldn’t be recovered. Although the city could mine more resources in its route, it might sink into a period of a severe lack of resources.

“I understand you. But this is an emergency. It’d be too late if Military Artists became sacrifices.”

“Isn’t he here?”

No one needed to ask who “he” was but Karian shook his head.

“There’s something else we need to be aware of,” he then gave a detailed explanation.

What did it mean for the filth monsters to suddenly appear? Why did Zuellni and Farune hold a Military Arts Competition in the vicinity of filth monsters? Was it simply because both sides hadn’t noticed it? And was this the same as last time with a female filth monster giving birth underground? However, the report said there were only around 30 larvae. The number was far lower than before. According to a report from another psychokinesist, a huge something laid beneath Zuellni’s multi-legs. The larvae seemed to have come from that “something” which was broken. Looking at the damages on the multi-legs, it appeared that “something” had been tossed from a far distance to crash with Zuellni’s multi-legs. If that was the case, could a normal female filth monster undertake a feat like this?

“I don’t think so.”

Felli’s flake was currently heading for that direction. Everything meant this attack wasn’t as simple as it seemed.

“……. Meaning there might be an aged phase filth monster around?”

All members of the Student Council had accepted the knowledge of filth monsters they had heard from Layfon. An aged phase filth monster had given up its reproduction functions. Instead, it turned to evolving.

“I’m not sure. Anyway, the Military Artists are fighting the 30 or so larvae. So just in case, we’ll have to use that insurance,” Karian said and urged everyone to action.

One group rushed out of the conference room and the other group stayed behind to discuss further strategies.

“……… Really, I’ve already acted the villain once to ensure our victory in a Military Arts Competition, and then we have this. So annoying.”

The last time was the Salinvan Guidance Mercenary Gang. This time was filth monsters. What next? He didn’t want to think further, but he still fell into contemplation.

Unfortunately, his prediction had come true.

Zuellni and Farune’s Military Artists all witnessed the coming of the larvae.

“What’s that……….?”

Thanks to the connection between the teams and the speedy work of the Dite technicians, the safety lock releasing procedure had gone ahead smoothly. Zuellni was now in a counterattack mode. Although Layfon had taken care of most of the larvae, Zuellni’s Military Artists had eliminated around 10 larvae when he returned from Farune. It was fortunate that only a few Military Artists had sustained light injuries. This was the result of Vance’s speedy reaction and everyone’s daily training. And luckily, the larvae had gathered in one place. But this wasn’t the time to rejoice over luck.

Everyone’s gaze was now on the thing floating in the air. A black hole that slowly moved as it expanded. Psychokinesists voiced their warnings. A sound grew louder as the hole expanded. When he understood the meaning of that sound, Vance shouted, “Everyone, retreat!!”

Something as massive as a mountain had appeared. All Military Artists began retreating from the city’s outskirts.

An intense and ear-piercing rumbling filled the space, shaking the entire city and making Military Artists’ knees go weak. Pillars of earth rose up from outside the city to meet the sky. Soil particles fell through Zuellni’s air shield.

A moaning of metal sounded behind the retreating Military Artists as the rain of soil hit them. The original form of that noise was finally confirmed. A large pillar on the outskirt of the city… one of the city’s multi-legs broke before their eyes and fell onto the earth.

“Damn!” Vance burst out.

The rain of soil, not yet filtered by the air purification system, fell to make new wounds. It wasn’t enough to cause death, but it was enough to lower the students’ morale.

The rain of soil stopped after the pillar of soil disappeared.

Many more larvae appeared from where the multi-leg had fallen. Vance could deeply feel the impending crisis. Someone had thrown over the larvae. Because whatever huge thing that carried the larvae came from somewhere so far away, even psychokinesists failed to detect it. Vance failed to imagine the power behind this. This attack would never end if they couldn’t defeat the real enemy.

“Damn……….”

The number of new larvae was about the same as the first wave of larvae. Zuellni’s attack power was enough for it. However, they couldn’t predict the location of the third wave. If the third wave came from the side of the city, then Zuellni’s attack power would have to spread out, and that would lower the speed of attacking. And if every time a toss of “something” managed to damage Zuellni………..

“Damn!”

With staff in hand, he gave the order to attack. They must eliminate the larvae before them. But what next?

“ARR!” Vance shouted. As the chief commander, he couldn’t show his weakness here.

Layfon pinched his nose. He remembered this feeling of pollutants burning his nose. Numerous larvae lay beneath him. He could defeat them in one swift moment if he used the steel threads, but Harley currently kept the Safiadite. Thinking that he couldn’t use it, he showed a bitter smile. Harley and Kiriku were making adjustments on the Safiadite, and that would take time. If Layfon returned now and asked someone to fetch the Safiadite for him, he’d probably be granting that person relief.

He looked at the outskirt of the city. A scenery of the wilderness that he was already used to seeing. Since Zuellni was so hot, it must have moved into the tropics. The third wave came straight after the second wave attack. It didn’t cause direct damage to Zuellni, but as Vance had worried, another side of the outskirt was lacking in attack power.

While still counterattacking the second wave, Vance ordered the first unit, led by the 17th platoon, to take care of the third wave larvae.

“Seems we can rest a little bit.”

“……. Seems so,” Layfon nodded at the voice. He turned around and saw tiredness on Nina’s face. Exhaustion was unavoidable since they had been participating in the Military Arts Competition, facing the sudden emergency and now fighting filth monsters.

His nose still hurt.

This level of pollutants wouldn’t bring him any life-threatening danger. Judging by how the outside scenery blurred and twisted, the density of the air filter had increased. No more pollutants would leak into the city. Vance’s orders for other teams sounded from the flake. The first unit was ordered to wait at its location and defend its area. But the Military Artists’ gazes were attracted to the figure outside the air shield. Farune. When Zuellni was fighting against the second wave of filth monsters, Farune had suddenly moved……… Fled. This meant Zuellni had become a target. Farune had chosen to abandon Zuellni and escape.

“……. I can’t blame them.”

“True.”

Complicated feelings filled Nina’s voice. Yes, the people living in Farune were not responsible. Just like the students in Zuellni, they drifted in a region in this wilderness and had to rely on their city alone to survive. The city’s consciousness, the Electronic Fairy, had made the decision to leave. One couldn’t judge an Electronic Fairy. It had only made the best decision to protect the people living in the city, and as such, Zuellni had been left behind. This wasn’t a vile act. It shouldn’t be.

Almost all Military Artists had witnessed the moment of Farune’s leaving. The sound of metal denoted the breaking up of the contact point, and at that moment, two shining things appeared. One was the figure of a young girl. The other was of a grown male. Many people hadn’t seen these two figures before, but they all knew what they were. Zuellni and Farune’s Electronic Fairies. Farune’s aura was like a beast, courageous. On the contrary, Zuellni appeared innocent and naïve with its long hair swaying behind her. But there wasn’t a feeling of inferiority and superiority due to the difference in appearance.

Farune’s eyes were closed. Zuellni gave an imperceptible nod.

Light expanded from the two Electronic Fairies and clashed, vanishing the next moment. Next, Zuellni changed. A sudden intense light blinded her figure, and a teenager girl was revealed.

Then the two Electronic Fairies disappeared. Farune moved away from Zuellni.

“What do you think?”

“How should I put it……..” Layfon said, perplexed. He felt the two Electronic Fairies had said something during that time and had made a decision. The end result was Farune’s leaving. If that was the case, then what had happened? What was the meaning behind Zuellni’s growth?

“……… I think Farune has given the victory to Zuellni.”

“Uh?” he reacted, surprised at Nina’s conclusion.

“I think some kind of relationship exists between Electronic Fairies. The two of them must be discussing, and they made a decision about who won and about the current situation. They might have compromised. That was why they showed themselves.”

Yes. That explanation seemed plausible. The two of them appeared to have discussed something. Finally, Zuellni had accepted something. That probably was just it. In that case, why did Farune give Zuellni the victory? Because Zuellni had the advantage at the time of the Military Arts Competition? Or was it guilt for abandoning its fellow Electronic Fairy? Layfon didn’t understand. Besides, this wasn’t the time to dwell on speculations.

The two of them looked at Zuellni’s broken multi-leg. Either way, this had become a problem.

“Zuellni can’t move?”

“It has lots of multi-legs. I think it can still move even though it’s lost one……..”

But one couldn’t quite make that conclusion since Zuellni wasn’t moving right now. Perhaps it was already having trouble maintaining its balance. Other areas of Zuellni might also have been damaged. Layfon looked at the sky.

“Still haven’t found it?” he said to Felli’s flake. Felli was currently searching for the location of the thing that was throwing the larvae over. Only she could spread out and control flakes both inside and outside the city. Karian had sent out probes too, but they hadn’t found anything.

Two waves of larvae came from the same direction, so what Felli was searching for should be in that direction. If she discovered it, Layfon would immediately move. Only an aged phase filth monster could execute this feat. Probably a very ancient filth monster too.

“Still haven’t found the target within 30 Jimels.”

“I see.”

30 Jimels. It wasn’t possible to cover that distance without a bike. There was the problem of the bike’s speed and the endurance of the suit against pollutants. Compared to that, one should also consider the possibility of a long running fight and being unable to make it back because the city was too far away. But with a bike, one should have a higher chance of returning as the bike could carry food, and the psychokinesist would also be with him. But thinking of how that filth monster could throw something so far from 30 Jimels away………..

His nose still hurt even though the pollutants were gone from the air. No. If this was caused by pollutants, he should have a nosebleed. Then what was it?

“Haven’t you ever thought that the smell in the air changes before a battle?”

Layfon recalled that voice.

“I get excited whenever I feel that. Aah, a strong enemy is coming. I wonder how high of a level my body can reach this time.”

Those lines felt surreal to him, but he could now understand some of that feeling. The tension one felt in face of a strong enemy. In the past, he had never wanted to see how much strength he had. He only focused on the reward he would get after defeating his enemies. Of course, it wasn’t a performance to increase one’s power. An opening would make one weak, and weakness meant death. He couldn’t make money if he died. That was his naïve theory.

For some reason, he felt that if he now possessed the feeling he had during those fights, he might not be able to defeat this filth monster. But if it were that person, he probably wouldn’t think like that. He would only want to fight his enemy.

In the past, Layfon only thought of how to earn rewards. Failure was possible, and his only choice was to flee if he did get trapped in that situation. This meant he had relied too much on Grendan. The current situation was different. If Layfon lost, no one in Zuellni could take his place. No, to say it correctly, this wasn’t a problem of losing or not losing……….

(Over 30 Jimels………..)

He hoped that thing was somewhere close to 30 Jimels. 50 Jimels would take up a lot of time. And what should they do if it was over 100 Jimels? The bike would have to run not on a city’s street, but on the arid land. The burden on the tires would destroy them. Besides, the longer Layfon was away, the more larvae would be thrown to Zuellni. What would the result be if 30 larvae were constantly thrown to Zuellni? The Military Artists would have more strength if not for the Military Arts Competition. Losing to the filth monster wasn’t what made Layfon scared. He was scared that when he returned, Zuellni would already be destroyed.

(Aa, why am I only realizing that now.)

This wasn’t Grendan.

In Grendan, the Queen would ensure the city’s safety even if all Heaven’s Blades were sent outside. But Zuellni’s strength wasn’t as high. It didn’t have a Queen. It didn’t have Lintence, Savaris, Delbone, Cauntia, Reverse, Troiatte, Ruimei, Barmelin, Kanaris, or Tigris. Even though they weren’t here now, Layfon still felt there were people there to take care of the defense behind him.

(Why now…………)

Leerin’s figure appeared in his mind. If something happened to her when he was away... If she became food for the larvae…….. That thought was enough to numb his limbs. He felt like his feet were glued to Zuellni as if they had taken root.

(Please, find it within 50 Jimels.)

But the report that came to him after a few hours failed to grant his wish.

“At 50 Jimels, and no target spotted.”

During Felli’s report, Layfon was fighting the 5th wave.

A positive report finally reached the office of the Student Council the next morning.

“Thanks for the work. You should go and rest.”

“Then I’ll take a rest.”

Karian touched the flake in his breast pocket as a way of comforting his sister. But……. The distance was a problem. 150 Jimels. He could not imagine the power behind that something that could throw a huge rock from 150 Jimels away. He didn’t even have the strength to guess that power. He might glint some information if he asked students from the Alchemy and the General Studies courses, but he had no strength to hear those reports. A Military Artist who could defeat such a foe……..

“Only him.”

But Karian had felt the same uneasiness that Layfon was feeling. 150 Jimels. This was about the same distance the last time when Layfon went to fight the aged phase filth monster. Taking the terrain into consideration, it’d take one day to reach the destination. No one could guarantee what the filth monster would do during that time. Perhaps it would do other things. Even filth monsters had things to take care of. So how long could Zuellni hold? They were now fighting against the 8th wave. Each wave had become slower than its predecessor. But they couldn’t let their guard down.

The Military Artists were exhausted. Karian must make a decision.

They could shoot down the larvae group with the support of psychokinesists, but that had its limit.

“Can I only leave it to him? But………..”

An Electronic voice sounded, coming from the bottom of the building. The female receptionist sounded shaky, saying someone was here to see him. Karian immediately understood her reaction after hearing the name of the guest. He had seen him two times. Once during Zuellni’s madness, and the other time during the match with Myath.

“What’re you planning this time?”

“Nothing. We sell “strength”. This should be essential under this situation,” the electronic voice sounded as the door closed.

A person wearing a cold mask. No one could tell whether it was male or female. However, Karian remained calm despite the uniqueness of this person – Fermaus Foa, the Mercenary Gang’s representative. Not the leader but the representative. Was it because he was a psychokinesist?

Karian nodded. “ I see. You only appear now to push up the price?”

“Not only that. There’s the event in the past too. In truth, this side feels awkward to visit you.”

“Uh, meaning……… you’re willing to help to compensate for the earlier event?”

“……….. I never thought you would be one to hold a grudge.”

“I don’t forget people with bad personalities,” he pushed away the hair from the side of his face. As he had not had any sleep, his hair had lost its shine. He had put aside his glasses too. His countenance right now was extremely exhausted, and the headache that came whenever it wanted urged him to stop thinking, but he kept at it.

He needed the Mercenary Gang, but what was their purpose?

“We can leave anytime, but then we can’t reach our purpose,” Fermaus said.

Karian wondered whether he said it to alleviate the atmosphere or that he had already guessed Karian’s thought.

“This is the best time to obtain the Haikizoku. It’s not interesting to be hated if we fail to retrieve it.”

“…… So you want to control the situation?”

“Yes. We’re on the boundary of winning and losing. Let us reinforce you. Of course, we won’t ask for money in return.”

“The reward is the Haikizoku?”

“According to the situation, it might be the possessed Military Artist,” Fermaus said without holding back.

“…… So you want me to abandon Zuellni’s student? Do you ask for this regardless of how I answer you?”

“You should know that the current situation is different.”

True. They were reducing the number of larvae, but if they kept fighting like this, people might die. They already had 11 students heavily injured, and numerous students sustained light injuries. It was lucky that no one had died so far. But that was just a problem of timing. The possibility of death would rise if Layfon left Zuellni. This was why Fermaus chose this timing to show himself. Felli had said that he was an incredible psychokinesist. He must have also discovered the thing throwing the larvae and so gave his suggestion to Karian based on his speculation? Or, had he hidden a flake in this room and eavesdropped on Karian’s conversation with Felli? Either way, the other side held the upper hand. This masked person seemed to be saying “Here is the fighting power that you want”.

“All right,” he said, nodding slowly.

“Then the deal is sealed,” Fermaus said. Karian watched him leave.

“Are you serious?” the reproachful voice came from the flake in his breast pocket. It appeared Felli hadn’t been resting.

“Shouldn’t you do something before I answer you?”

“I already searched the room. There’s no hidden flake. He might have retrieved it already, or it might not be there in the first place.”

“Good.”

As expected of brother and sister. Satisfaction filled him with his sister’s action. He smiled.

“Don’t try to cover it up.”

“We do need their fighting strength.”

“But……..”

“Yes, but. You don’t think your brother will sacrifice people’s lives?”

“…… That is possible.”

So his sister did harbor such great hate for him. Perhaps Layfon was one of that reasons. That must be it. But, never mind.

“Get Nina Antalk to monitor them.”

He had heard from Nina of the events when she went missing. As long as the Haikizoku was here, Zuellni might go on a rampage. Hence, he had listened to Nina’s explanation. However, Nina also had a stubborn side to her. That wasn’t because she was dissatisfied with the Student Council. She had a mission. As such, not wanting to waste more time, he released her from the room. He wondered whether Fermaus knew that the Haikizoku was now in Nina. The Gang must also have something planned. Zuellni had calmed down with Nina’s return. No one could deny that truth.

“We must protect her when the time comes…. At least until Layfon returns,” he said, even though he felt they wouldn’t do well in resisting the Gang. At the same time, he cursed himself for having no choice but to make such a decision.

<center>◇</center>

“Restoration.”

The Safiadite shone at the cold key word. A Katana. The blade was now thicker to maintain its new form. It was more suitable to call it a Katana used to cut wood. Layfon swung the Katana to feel it, and restored it to the Dite form, putting it back into the weapon harness. Next was the Adamandite. He restored it. A Katana. Not much different from before. The shape of it had changed according to the metal Dite – the Dite that Derek had given him.

“How is it?” Harley asked anxiously. Exhaustion of working for days without sleep showed on his face.

“Good. Very good.”

He restored it and put it into the weapon harness, feeling the weapon harness’s gained weight and the fight looming before him. 150 Jimels was too far away. No matter what, he must reach it before midnight.

(What should I do during that time?)

He had received Karian’s instruction from the flake. Karian had told him that the Mercenary Gang would help, and that Fermaus was in charge of the Gang.

The Gang would do this even though they kidnapped Felli before. But Layfon held gratitude for the Gang’s resolve. The Gang could take care of the larvae even without Haia. However, the enemy could control the number of larvae it threw and the direction it threw from. Nothing was guaranteed even with the Mercenary Gang’s participation. But Layfon couldn’t hope for more. He knew the situation was against them. The longer he dragged it, the worse the situation would become.

After thanking Harley and Kiriku, he headed for the bottom of the city. He would take the bike and drive for the filth monster. He took the lift to the ground floor and put on his protective suit as he traversed the corridors.

Nina appeared underneath the city.

“Captain, don’t you need a rest?”

“You need a rest more than me.”

The team that the 17th platoon led was given time to rest. The short two hours were enough.

“Isn’t it better to take a rest?” Nina said.

“I need rest before the battle, but that’s only if the action hasn’t been shifted ahead.”

The filth monster hadn’t moved for now. But who knew when it would take action?

“I see,” she sighed.

“Compared to that, you should adjust the amount of Kei you use. Reduce the number of times you use external Kei in a long fight. That’s different from Internal Kei as it can’t be recycled. Especially with you, the type who uses heavy weapons………”

“How can you still worry about others now?” she smiled bitterly.

“I’m sorry…..”

“No, you’re not wrong…. It’s just, I’m too unreliable.”

He wanted to say “Not at all”, but he swallowed it.

“Gongoukei and Raijin. I already learned these two moves, but I still can’t support you……”

“Captain……”

“But I can at least guarantee you that we’ll protect Leerin. Please rest at ease.”

“Ah……..”

Did she come here especially to tell him this? So that he could fight without worries. He wanted to say sorry, but he felt that wasn’t what he should be saying now. The Katana was now in his weapon harness. Nina had done everything to persuade him to hold the Katana. What was he like to that Nina at that time? He wanted to apologize, but this wasn’t the time to say sorry. He had already given it.

“Thanks.”

Nina’s eyes widened then she smiled. She smiled as if she was relieved.

He was drawn to that smile of hers.

“…? What?”

“Ah, no….. Nothing. I’ll definitely win and come back.”

“Don’t be reckless.”

“Yeah, I know.”

Nina moved aside. He opened the door. A bike waited for him in the dim space.

“You must return,” she said as the bike took him out. When he turned his head around, the door had already closed.

<center>◇</center>

He had arrived later than he expected. It was deep into the night. He stopped the bike 10 Jimels from the target and hid himself to observe it.

“So huge…….”

This thing was like a monster with four legs. It had lost its wings to only move on the ground. With its abdomen on the ground, it kept a resting pose like a gigantic statue. But the part jutting from its back that looked like a gargantuan chimney didn’t look like part of something living.

“…….. This shoots out the larva,” Felli’s voice came from the flake in his helmet.

“Can’t tell whether it’s male, but this aged phase monster can reproduce,” Layfon said as he continued observing. He wanted to jump in and eliminate it now, but looking at its size, he didn’t know where to begin.

“……… Got it.”

“Eh?”

“I just checked the ground. There’s a huge hole there. I think there’s a female filth monster there.”

“You mean…….”

“Yes, I can’t see it from here, but a tube-like thing connecting its abdomen to the female’s abdomen. That might explain how it sucks in the larvae.”

And shot to Zuellni like bullets.

“In that case, I must first……..” he took out the Adamandite and the Safiadite.

“Fon Fon? Shouldn’t you wait till the morning? You should rest first……..”

“I can take care of the larvae.”

“But it might notice the light when you restore the Dites. You must remain calm when you move.”

Sunlight could cover up the light of the Dite, but not during the night. If he did so, he’d start the battle. How tired was he right now? He hadn’t slept for two nights, but he had just drunk the dense nutrient liquid to replenish his strength, and his Internal Kei flow was in good condition. What about psychologically? He took a deep breath. No problem. It had calmed down. And his Kei vein? He did fight in the Military Arts Competition and against the larvae, but that level of tiredness was light. No problem.

He had the Adamandite. Looking at this filth monster, it was at the level of gaining a name. That thought made him uneasy, but in this situation, he couldn’t have any false hope. All he could do was attempt what he could do.

“I’m going in.”

“Wait…”

He restored the two Dites without waiting for her to finish. The filth monster reacted to the light. Its body shook. However, the skin of a filth monster just climbing out of slumber could not immediately regain its level of hardness. Layfon let the steel threads from his left hand run into the filth monster’s abdomen to move through the tube into the ground. A bad feeling came from the steel threads.

“Tsk.”

The cannon on the filth monster’s back swelled. Layfon tried cutting the tube with the steel threads but failed. The external Kei was deflected. Smoke rose from the abdomen. He jumped up to swing the heavy Adamandite. His target was the mouth of the cannon.

The colossal thing jumped along with the massive pressure. The pressure prevented Layfon from landing on the mouth of the cannon. His Kei move was executed as he lost his balance.

Extermal Kei variation – Sendan.

The Kei cannon rebounded off the filth monster’s body and failed to damage it.

“Wu!”

He adjusted his body for the landing. During this time, the steel threads had killed off the female filth monster and the left behind larvae. But he had only killed some of the larvae. The rest were already in the cannon.

The filth monster stood up, leaving behind the useless tube. The sound of rock breaking came from the massive body. Layfon put the handles of the Dites together. The blade of the Katana pointed to the left of his waist. His left hand held its handle.

Psyharden technique – Flame Cut.

The move he executed earlier, Sendan, had given him an idea of how hard the outer skin of the filth monster was. Hence, he chose to use another technique against it. As long as he managed to cut out a part of the outer skin, he could concentrate on attacking that wound.

A filth monster’s skin was softer once it emerged from its sleep. As tiny cracks ran through the outer skin when the filth monster stood up to spread its limbs, Layfon disappeared, leaving behind flying sand. He reappeared underneath the filth monster’s abdomen.

Flame cut.

External Kei exuded from the blade. Along with the Kei covering his left hand, the two Kei merged to become flame. Pressing those two powers together, he swung the Katana down.

Flame return.

The second swing of the Katana opened the wound further apart. Body liquid spilled. Layfon didn’t stop moving. A Whirl Kei jump took him to the tail end of the filth monster. The enemy bent down at the severe wound, causing the earth to groan intensely. Was it too hurt to move? Or did it want to crush him? Or that it just wanted to protect its wound……

It was too late to give the filth monster a third attack. Layfon defended against the filth monster’s counterattacks as he pulled his distance apart from it. Holding the handle of the Adamandite, he concentrated his strength on the Safiadite. The steel threads were still underneath the enemy’s abdomen. He wanted to cut open the enemy’s body from its inside, but…

“Tsk.”

Trapped in the heavy muscles, the steel threads had failed to move. He only managed to pull them out by pouring external Kei into it. The filth monster leapt, wanting to crush him with its weight. The rebound of its leap kicked up a screen of dust. Layfon jumped away.

As he turned away in his jump, his gaze met that of the filth monster’s. It was a monster, but its mouth didn’t look that ferocious. It had eyes. Multiple eyes that seemed to be its only difference from a human being.

It opened its mouth. Sensing danger, Layfon jumped away again. A loud and shrill sound came from the place that his jump was taking him to.

“What’s that?”

The sharp things shooting from the filth monster’s mouth stabbed the earth.

“Its teeth,” Felli said.

The filth monster had shot a few of its numerous teeth in its mouth.

“So troublesome.”

Who would have thought it had such tools along with its size……. Layfon kept moving, preventing himself from presenting a still target for the monster. His enemy moved to keep up with him and he in turn moved away. This prevented him from attacking it.

“What’s it?”

“It’s hard. It’s huge, and it’s hard to grab a good timing. Difficult,” he replied as he ran. He attempted to ready an attacking pose with the steel threads while drawing a distance from the filth monster. However, it already took too much strength to cut open the outer skin. Not only that. The wound he made earlier had already healed.

“As expected. Amazing revival power,” he said and landed in front of the filth monster.

“Fon…..!” Felli’s voice filled his helmet.

The sharp teeth flew for him. He stepped back to avoid the assault.

“About 500 meters is the shooting range.”

“Fon Fon?” she said, confused.

He didn’t reply. He ran, matching the filth monster that tried to close in on him. If he had wanted, he could draw it away, but he didn’t do that. The certain speed that he maintained dictated the filth monster’s direction.

Someone was watching this fight from far away.

“What’s he doing?”

The man sitting on the bike replied to the flake. “Probably measuring its strength? It seems hard to end the fight quickly, so he must be planning and doing this to figure out his opponent’s true strength.”

“I see,” Fermaus said. “Then aren’t you going to take action? Aren’t you planning to fight it?”

Savaris had done little in the past three months. Today’s scene was what he had been waiting for, but he never thought this would happen so far away from Zuellni. What were they thinking?

“Don’t worry, I’ll obey the Queen’s order……… They should also abide by the agreement.”

“Agreement?”

“Well, that depends on the result. Compared to that, I’m more interested in what Layfon wants to do,” he said in a relaxed manner.

What was this man planning? Fermaus couldn’t tell. Even though Savaris had been in Zuellni for three months, Fermaus didn’t see him much. It seemed Savaris had appeared before Gorneo several times, but he didn’t live with his brother. Fermaus had tried trailing him, but Savaris had easily thrown him off his trail. In the end, he could only give up and wait for the other person to come.

But the Mercenary Gang was impatient. Because of Haia’s actions, the Gang was almost disbanded. Now they wanted to return quickly to Grendan. Savaris’ arrival was to them an urge, but he didn’t say anything to them. It was as if he didn’t care at all. However, he had suddenly appeared before him. The Gang’s morale was low. Fermaus had already explained to the members about what had happened. If not for this filth monster’s attack, he probably couldn’t unite them.

(Because we relied too much on Haia in the past.)

Fermaus couldn’t do this alone. Not because he was a psychokinesist, but because he was firmly seen as a strategist by others. They had already accepted him as a strategist, and he himself was used to supporting the leader. It was hard for everyone to accept his changed role. Besides, Savaris was here to replace Haia, yet Savaris didn’t care to contact them……….

(……. I have to keep this home for him.)

Considering that Haia might return, Fermaus did all he could to keep this home together.

“…….. Never mind,” Savaris said, submerged in heavy feelings.

“Ha?”

“I originally wanted to see what Layfon was doing, but never mind. I’m tired of observing. It’s been three months,” he said and took the bike.

Trouble and annoyance in Fermaus’s mind.

(Aa, that guy has never thought of us.)

Savaris just did whatever his personality wanted.

“Good,” Layfon nodded. He had grasped hold of the filth monster’s strength.

“Then what do you plan to do?” Felli asked. She had been observing him.

“I can’t defeat it with a normal method,” he said.

“No way…”

“The Dite isn’t hard enough. If I don’t use it well, it won’t last.”

It wasn’t because the Dite was bad in its filtering function. Only a Heaven’s Blade could sustain all of Layfon’s Kei.

“Even if I have that, that doesn’t mean I can fully suppress it. After all, the opponent can be given a name……..”

“So, time to escape?”

Her suggestion was the safest option. The larvae he destroyed earlier were the last group, so the danger to Zuellni was gone. That was why he now had time to think through some strategies.

He put the filth monster at bay as he talked with Felli.

“No, if I do that, it’ll probably head for Zuellni.”

“Then…….?”

Though he wanted to drag out the time to weaken his opponent, the first to use up all the strength would probably be Layfon himself. The filth monster could ignore its wounds and let them heal, but with Layfon, he had nothing to defend against the pollutants if his suit was damaged. A long fight was not the best possible decision.

“I’ve a way. Can’t guarantee though…….. How’s Zuellni?”

“…… Who’d have thought you still have the time to worry about that.”

“True…. Sorry,” he apologized. Yes, because he already decided to trust them.

“Stop thinking of other things. Just tell me what you’re planning. If there’s something I can do to help, I’ll do it.”

“Then please set the psychokinesis mine in the place…..” he noticed something.

“What?”

A large flow of Kei suddenly appeared and a figure wearing the coat of the Mercenary Gang stood in the direct line of Layfon’s gaze.

“Haia?” Layfon said and then rejected that thought. The color of the Kei was different. And……

“Bare-handed?”

No, Dites were equipped on his hands and feet. Hand to hand combat. And Layfon had seen him before…….. The man moved. He almost failed to capture this man’s movement.

“Eh? No way……” he doubted his eyes.

It wasn’t because the man’s movement was too quick. The color of the Kei, the movement, and………

One swing of the man’s fist sent the filth monster flying.

“Eh? Eh?”

Confused. But if it was that person, he would definitely do this. The man continued to rain down his fists on the side of the filth monster’s abdomen. The enemy’s outer scales fell like flakes. Layfon could tell how happy this person was. A fighting maniac.

“Savaris……. san?”

His only conclusion. Layfon jumped to the ground.

“Fon Fon?”

He increased the density of Kei. Though he didn’t know what just happened, this was the best timing to attack.

Internal Kei variation – Water Mirror.

His figure disappeared in the screen of dust that he himself had kicked up. The next moment, he reappeared on the other side of the filth monster, the other side of where Savaris was attacking. He and Savaris had perfectly sandwiched the opponent between them. Layfon attacked. As if knowing his thought, Savaris pushed the face of his palm into the filth monster.

Psyharden technique – Hamonnu.
External Kei variation – to thoroughly break the monster into pieces – Kouga.

Layfon’s move peeled off the entire filth monster’s outer skin to damage its internal cells. At the same time, Savaris’ attack dealt a heavy blow to the opponent’s internal structure. The filth monster groaned and moaned under the two severe attacks.

“………..Wu.”

Layfon jumped away and kept his distance from the enemy. A part of the blade he was holding had turned red. Black smoke issued from the gap in the weapon. If he kept releasing his Kei, the Adamandite might not last.

“Aa, as I thought. We couldn’t fully suppress it,” Savaris said in a relaxed manner, appearing beside him. The equipment on his hand had also changed color.

“Savaris-san, where’s your Heaven’s Blade?”

“I can’t just take it outside anytime I like.”

“Unbelievable.”

Layfon watched the sky. It was hard to gain powerful reinforcements, yet Savaris was limited in the same way as he was.

“Not at all. I’m quite happy. Don’t you find this great to know how weak the outside Military Artists are? Ah, you’ve already experienced it.”

Layfon watched him with a cold gaze.

“Are you after the Haikizoku?”

“Yes,” he nodded without hiding anything. “But this seems more interesting now.”

“Why did you…… No, the person who delivered Leerin……..”

“Yes, that was me,” he admitted.

“………..”

Strange. No matter how lucky she was, as a normal person, it wasn’t possible for Leerin to traverse the battlefield of the Military Arts Competition. He had thought of her receiving help, yet he never thought it was a Heaven’s Blade successor.

“Why is the Queen doing this to obtain the Haikizoku?”

“Uh, I can’t answer you, especially now that you’ve left Grendan.”

“………..”

“It’s got nothing to do with you,” Savaris said. “Well, let’s put that aside. We’ve to defeat this monster, right? I haven’t fought with you since the battle against Behemoth. At that time we had the Heaven’s Blades and Lintence. We were also on the outskirts of the city, so it was all right to sustain injuries. But now we don’t have Lintence or the Heaven’s Blades. And we’re only wearing this kind of suit. Aaaa, so many disadvantages. I just want to dance.”

“As you wish,” Layfon restored the Adamandite into its Dite form and returned it to the weapon harness. He had to let it cool down a bit before using it again. Instead, he restored the Shimu Adamandite.

“If I can’t defeat it, then it matters not whether you’re here or not.”

“Oh? Well said.”

Even so, Layfon was happy to have Savaris here. The filth monster had been rendered immobile by their simultaneous attacks. This was a good timing to give the Dites some rest.

“Since you don’t plan to interfere, can you help with something?”

“Ohoh, seems like you’ve a plan. Sure.”

Here they made their decision. The filth monster moved once more, opening its mouth to shoot out numerous sharp teeth. Layfon and Savaris split up as they leaped aside to avoid the attack.

<center>◇</center>

If the enemies were only the larvae, then there was a way to solve this crisis. The tragic scream from her right halted Nina’s steps.

“My hand……..!” the man screamed and fainted. Nina pulled him over and let the medical team treat him. The rate of people getting injured had increased drastically in just a day of battle. Feeling the cruelty of reality, Nina changed her direction, attempting to deal a blow to the larva before her. The heavy hit of the iron weapon broke through the larva’s hard shell to strike its body. The hand in the larvae’s arm, which had been separated from its owner, had already been bitten into an unrecognizable state. Nina wanted to attack again but her feet slipped.

Stand firm.

That one opening caused her movement to slow, and the larva took that chance. A massive mouth appeared right before Nina.

“Nina!”

“Wu!”

She stuck the iron whip into the mouth and executed an external burst type Kei move. The entire body of the larva shook and the larva stopped moving. Using the corpse as a shield, Nina used Kei again – Raijin. External burst type Kei executed with extreme high speed. The friction in the air created lightning and destroyed a number of larvae in one split second. Nina immediately leaped back and breathed in deeply.

“Don’t stop.”

“Sorry,” Sharnid said. His bullet earlier had saved her life.

“We don’t have time to drag it out with these guys,” he said, sweat rolling down his face. He was looking at the direction ahead of her. The Kei cannon had played a hand in keeping the larvae at bay, but filth monsters were still approaching the city, and they weren’t larvae.

They were matured form of male filth monsters.

The things shot over at Zuellni earlier were massive egg-like rocks. Inside each rock hid around 20-40 larvae. There had been 15 waves of attack since Felli reported that Layfon had made contact with the filth monster. However, that was just the number confirmed by psychokinesists. In fact, nine battles had been fought altogether since the landing of the first wave. Felli had reported that the group of larvae they fought now was the last wave, making this the 10th battle. The rock of the 5th wave had been shot down and now lay immobile. But now it finally woke from its slumber, revealing not larvae but five male filth monsters. What changes had the inside of the “egg” underwent? Accelerated growth? Or that the larvae had consumed each other to give birth to the male filth monsters? No doubt this posed the greatest threat to the fighting Military Artists.

“How’s Dalshena?”

The liquid splashing from the vibrating wings of the filth monsters gave off a red shine under the sunlight. Dalshena had sustained an injury during the 8th battle and had left the field.

“She’s got a broken leg, but that shouldn’t have any lasting side effects.”

“I see.”

Dalshena wasn’t the only one. Naruki had fainted due to overworking her Kei vein. She used Karenkei too many times when she still hadn’t completely grasped hold of how it worked.

The air shield reflected dusk. The earlier shot of the Kei cannon had missed its target to draw an arc in the sky.

“Don’t shoot another cannon,” Nina said.

“Makes me think of that stingy Head of Business, hugging his head in regret,” Sharnid smiled.

The fact that he could still joke in this situation eased Nina’s heart. Forget the male filth monsters trying to invade the city. They must first destroy the larvae here. Having had her brief rest, Nina jumped back into the frontline. Sharnid’s accurate shots took his bullets through the cracks in the shield of the larvae to either kill them off or slow their movements. And Nina no longer held the fear she held when she first fought the filth monsters. She could now wield the iron whips to deal heavy internal damages and defend herself using Gongoukei.

When she first fought…… she met Layfon and knew of his strength and past. She had fought the larvae after a setback. At present, she had definitely grown compared to the past. She truly felt it in this battle but she didn’t feel happy about it. The enemies were still outside. Even so, Nina and the others had successfully eliminated all larvae in their designated area. Were they to fight the matured forms now?

The male filth monsters that were waiting for their chance outside the air shield were creating a huge negative setback for the Military Artists around them. Exhaustion swiftly turned to despair.

Next came the report that added frost to ice.

“A number of larvae have broken through the outskirt and destroyed the cannon. We can’t use the cannon anymore.”

Felli was concentrating in supporting Layfon. This was another psychokinesist’s voice.

“What!” Nina said in despair at the report.

“What happen to the larvae now?”

Nina was horrified at one other thing even though it was bad they couldn’t use the cannon.

“The filth monsters had broken through the third defensive line. Some people have gone chasing after them but they have yet to eliminate them……”

“Then we’re heading over too!”

“Hey, don’t be reckless! If you don’t rest……”

Nina didn’t listen to Sharnid’s advice.

“I’m leaving this to you!” she left him the defensive job and headed for the inside of the city with part of the team.

Filth monsters entered a city to eat people. She didn’t have to fathom what the larvae’s destination was.

The shelter.

Nina knew the locations of the shelters even without the help of a psychokinesist. She increased her pace as she drew the location of the third defensive line and the shelter around it in her head. She wasn’t thinking of the Military Artists following her at all.

She had promised Layfon to protect Leerin. Of course this wasn’t the only reason. She knew clearly that it was every Military Artist’s job to protect the citizens. But now, all that filled her mind was Layfon’s disappointed face when he returned.

Nina’s speed was faster than others.

One only needed to turn the mechanism on the entrance to open the door. Right now, the door was tightly shut. Humans only needed to look at this sign to know it as an entrance, but the illiterate larvae were heading straight for this shelter. Perhaps they could sense the presence of numerous people. Perhaps they could smell them because of their keen sense of smell.

There were six larvae winging their way in.

Nina arrived earlier than them and she breathed regulated her breathing on top of the shelter. She swung her iron whips and attacked one of the larvae.

“Wu!”

Pain shot up her right arm. Did she twist her wrist? No. Her right arm was tired for having held the heavy weapon for a long time. Her nerves had reached to the attack she dealt the filth monster just then.

“The movement of your right hand is too easy.”

Layfon’s words flashed through her mind. She couldn’t keep swinging this heavy weapon without considering the side effects of rebound, especially when it was a long fight…….. Layfon had reminded her of that.

“Damn!”

Tolerating the pain, she gave the filth monster a fatal strike with her left iron whip.

Five more to go and her reinforcements had yet to arrive.

The remaining filth monsters rushed her immediately.

Combination of external and internal Kei: Kongoukei.

The Kei covering her entire body deflected two larvae. The other two filth monsters didn’t have time to fold their wings before Nina’s consecutive strikes hit them, killing them.

Three more to go.

“Wu……Wu!”

The pain running up her right arm was intensifying, making it unable to move as she wanted. The rebounding Kei caused pain in her joints. She was using her left hand more to cover for her right, and that hand felt heavier than before too. Both of her arms felt heavy.

(Just when…….)

Without her knowing, she had sunk into pondering something that had nothing to do with the fight.

(When did he start calling me Captain?)

Layfon. At first, he called her senpai. Somehow, he had started calling her captain. Just when did it happen? She had only realized it now. But she felt lonely, being called captain.

(What do I want to be called?)

Captain, senpai or Nina?

(So stupid.)

She was in a battle right now.

The three remaining larvae folded their wings and closed off their shells. Clothed in hard black shell, the three huge insects closed in on Nina, their multi-eyes shining emotionlessly.

Nina’s arms felt so heavy. The fingers holding the iron whips shook. But only three more to go.

(It’s ok.)

She was gathering Kei. She had to protect this place.

(Because I’ve promised Layfon.)

She didn’t want to see his sad expression again.

Internal Kei variation – Raijin.

Run.

Lightning pierced the filth monsters. They exploded before they were sent flying away.

Nina could already grasp hold the key of this move. This had before her ultimate move, the move taught by Layfon that she could show to Dixerio.

“I…. did it.”

She tottered on her feet and collapsed onto the ground. She couldn’t move. It was already a miracle that she was still holding the iron whips.

She had protected Leerin.

Completely exhausted, she felt for a split second that she had finished her mission. Yes, just a split second. She only saw some shadow when she looked at the sky, but she then understood what it was.

They were five black spots. Shadows then blocked off the sunlight to shade Nina’s entire body.

Male filth monsters. The five male filth monsters hovering outside the city had finally broken through the air purification shield, and all five were in top condition. As for Zuellni, all of her Military Artists were exhausted for having fought the larvae.

(If this continues……)

Zuellni would be destroyed. Layfon would lose the place to return to. Leerin would die. Not only that, all other students here would die. What was the Mercenary Gang doing?

No…. They had lost Haia. The Mercenary Gang’s prime purpose was the Haikizoku. They weren’t trustworthy. These words echoed in Nina’s heart.

Is this… the real purpose? Did the Mercenary Gang deliberately allow Zuellni to face a crisis so all students sank into despair? So that the Haikizoku in Nina could awake?

“This……..”

Her voice was lost. She was surprised at her own condition. She couldn’t even get up. Right now, her body kept shaking and her flesh refused to listen to her.

She couldn’t lose here. The cannon was useless, but Zuellni still had Vance and Gorneo.

(But, but………)

She couldn’t do anything more. She had promised Layfon, but she was sleeping here. Just why did she want to be strong? She didn’t think it was bad to let others do the work. She had kept training till now to make herself useful in battle. Even so……….

(Even so!)

“This is your true personality,” a sudden voice said. “Though that stubborn wall protects your usual heart, that is your real heart. It is the heart that seeks to protect the city, the heart that hides deep in the side of the hard shell.”

The owner of the voice was next to her, but Nina couldn't turn her head. It was in her blindspot.

“Who… are you?”

“Do you want to cry?”

The words touched Nina’s heart.

“Wh…”

“It’s your promise with the Electronic Fairy. Yes, the promise. You always live in promises. A promise between Military Artists, a promise you made in the childhood and even now, a promise with the person who can touch the most vulnerable part of your heart.”

“Wu…. Wu…”

Who? Who’s speaking?

“You also cannot live on your own. No need to hide that truth. You just need to give voice to your wish. Say you want power.”

Stop the nonsense!

She wanted to shout but she couldn’t. Her body failed to move.

“Let me give it to you. The power that can pierce through a forest of spears. Awake from your body.”

The hand of that voice appeared in Nina’s sight. The hand was holding something. A something filled with complicated curved lines fill her sight.

Then she didn’t see anything else.

A mask had appeared on Nina’s face.

Leerin lifted her head without realizing it.

“?”

She seemed to hear something.

“What’s it?” Mei-Shen asked. She looked paled.

“Ah, nothing.”

It must be her imagination.

Leerin and the others were in one of the underground shelters. She was leaning against the wall. Because she had nothing to do, she was looking at the ceiling, spacing out. Bags for emergency use lay by her feet and piled on top of them were neatly folded blankets. The air-conditioner continued to work but it was useless. The vast, sealed space was filled with the body odors of many people.

The booklet on living in a shelter said to stay in the middle of the shelter, but Leerin had chosen the location near the wall. Mifi and the others agreed with her after knowing why she did it. But Mei-Shen was still hesitant as she was cautious in her approach with things. However, even Mei-She didn’t say much after living in here for three days. She looked at the people in the middle of the shelter with sympathy.

This shelter contained close to 1000 people.

Toilet. Shower. The passages connecting to other facilities were all located by the wall. It was natural for Leerin to choose this place as she had plenty of experience living in a shelter. However, it was different for others. Not that the people staying the middle of the shelters were any better, they were just naively fearing to live in a shelter. On the other hand, Leerin was used to it. She herself must be stranger than anyone else.

“Speaking of which, this time it’s so long,” Mifi said, less careful than her usual self.

Everyone must be very tired. Perhaps they were used to danger now, many more people came to walk in the corridors, and as such, more arguments ensued.

Right now, it was happening somewhere too.

The commotion quieted down quickly. The City Police was taking those people away to another place.

Mifi saw someone familiar among the City Police and waved.

“How’s it? Your spirit still up?” Formed asked.

“Hoho, I’m a bit tired,” Mifi smiled bitterly.

“How’s the situation above the ground?”

“Uh? Going all right. But it takes time to resist successive waves of enemies.”

“Really.”

“Ah~” Mifi lay down on the blanket. At the same time, Mei-Shen fell.

“Mei?” Leerin said, finding it strange.

If it was Mei-Shen, she wouldn’t do something like that.

Mifi found it strange that Mei-Shen was not responding. She looked at her face. Blood had drained from Mei-Shen’s face and she was panting heavily.

The two girls quickly sent her to the clinic.

It appeared she had come down with a fever due to over-exhaustion. The doctor said it was caused by extreme tension. A few people who were diagnosed with the same thing lay on the beds around Mei-Shen.

As she had to look after Mei-Shen, the burden was becoming heavier for Mifi.

(Because Naruki’s not here.)

The three of them were always together. This separation was weakening them. Leerin thought of this as she told Mifi she’d leave and get some food. Mifi nodded tiredly.

Leerin walked out of the clinic and took in a deep breath. Even she herself was about to collapse. Was it because this wasn’t Grendan? Because there weren’t any Heaven’s Blade successors? But Layfon was here. She never once doubted his strength. She could be so calm because of this belief. But what else was she thinking? Was it because her strength hadn’t recovered since she fainted the last time?

Leerin pondered as she headed for the canteen.

Suddenly, she halted her steps. She stopped, not knowing why.

A path branched off before her. It didn’t connect to the toilet, the shower or the canteen. This path led to the outside. For some reason, Leerin had entered this path. At present, the entrance was blocked with numerous heavy metal walls.

But she kept walking in that direction.

No one else was on the path. No one would risk it as filth monsters were still outside.

Leerin stopped after walking a while. Thick walls blocked her way.

“What am I doing?” she said.

She had no idea, but she felt there must be a reason behind her action.

“Wu……..”

All of a sudden, she covered her face with a hand and kneeled down on the floor. Her right eye hurt. This wasn’t the usual pain. The pain was such that she couldn’t even make a noise. It felt as if the nerves in her right eyeball had been cut, and the pain was now individualized, as if her right eye didn’t belong to her anymore. And tears kept leaking from the eye.

(What…?)

The pain prevented her from opening her right eye.

That was what she thought, but she did see the metal wall before her. Even though her hand was covering her eye………

Her mind was blank. This wasn’t even connected to the pain anymore. Who knew when, but the figure of a woman had appeared before the wall. That figure was blurry……. Why so blurry? Because Leerin only saw this woman with her right eye.

Black clothes and black hair. The woman appeared before her as if attending a funeral.

(Who… are you?)

Right eye kept crying tears. Was it too painful? Or because it was suppressing an intense emotion? But, she didn’t know.

This woman did not turn back. She just faced the wall.

What was on the other side?

So slow. No, she hadn’t taken any actions. He knew clearly the filth monsters were attacking, but Dixerio hesitated in front of so many enemies. No matter the consequences of his action, it’d affect many people. What kind of influence would it be? Maybe that was the Wolf Faces’ true aim?

It’d have been good if she knew nothing. But he couldn’t say that now.

The mask danced in the air. Her hands held two iron whips.

Nina Antalk.

But there remained some difference between her mask and those of the Wolf Faces. The shape was the same, even the pattern was the same.

But something was different.

Using the building as a foothold, Nina jumped. The green light that seeped from the mask to envelop her entire body was something that the Wolf Faces didn’t have. This was the proof of a Haikizoku.

“Damn, it’s awakened.”

Dixerio didn’t know how Nina became possessed, but the truth was here before him.

Had she walked the same doomed road as him?

“I won’t let you guys win!”

Dixerio jumped and killed the final filth monster with his weapon. Nina’s iron whips had already eliminated the other four. Corpses filled the land of Zuellni.

Dixerio stood on the head of the filth monster that fell from the sky. On its back stood Nina. The two of them faced each other.

“Hey, you still conscious?”

Nina didn’t reply.

“Give me the mask. You’ll feel more relaxed that way.”

Still no reply.

“Damn, already swallowed up?”

She was the same as him back then…..

“………”

Nina crossed the iron whips before her. How was she viewing Dixerio? As an enemy? A strange creature?

“Well then, guess I’ll have to take it by force. It’s good to take what I want with my power.”

Dixerio readied his metal whip on his shoulder. His other arm was stretched in front of his face. When that arm was removed from his vision…

“And that is the essence of the city of Strong Desire – ss”

The same mask appeared on Dixerio’s face.

The corpse of the filth monster touched the ground.

At the same time, the two Military Artists jumped to cut two green traces in the air.

<noinclude>
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|-
| Back to [[Chrome_Shelled_Regios:Volume9_Chapter4|Chapter 4]]
| Return to [[Chrome_Shelled_Regios|Main Page]]
| Forward to [[Chrome_Shelled_Regios:Volume9_Epilogue|Epilogue]]
|-
|}
</noinclude>

Chrome Shelled Regios:Volume7 Chapter3

2010-06-16T00:54:15Z

Burningsteel: type, "once" should have been "one"

===Chapter 3: Two paint scrolls===

Leerin adjusted the binoculars to the highest power and finally got a good look at the crest on the flag. “That is Zuellni……..”

Zuellni, the city where Layfon was. Realizing this sudden truth brought her a wave of happiness, but the next wave of tension pressed hard on her chest.

“Only one more day,” Savaris murmured behind her.

“So the war will begin tomorrow?”

Leerin and Savaris were in Myath, and this city was also an Academy City like Zuellni. Cities only fought those that were classified as the same type of city. That rule might last forever. This meant an Academy city wouldn’t fight any other city unless that city was in the same class that it was.

Myath had stopped its movement in its journey to meet Zuellni. Leerin had been complaining about that delay, but she was too surprised now to say anything. Zuellni was right there. Was this luck?

“I think so, but if Layfon participates as a Military Artist, then there’s no way they can lose. Of course, that’s if he’s still the Layfon I knew.”

What was Savaris trying to say? She looked at him. His smile still told her nothing.

“Is Layfon really strong?”

A slight movement of his eyebrow. Surprised at the question, he answered, “One cannot become a Heaven’s Blade successor if he’s not strong.”

“Uh, that’s true.”

She knew already.

“I knew already, but I can’t look at it like something natural. Whether it’s Layfon being a Military Artist or Layfon becoming a Heaven’s Blade successor, and the truth that the orphanage wouldn’t have survived if not for him. I knew all that, but I can’t accept it without reservation.”

Perhaps she was spoiled. She liked watching Layfon train alone in the dojo, but she never wanted to connect him with the battlefield.

“There’s no doubt as to Layfon’s strength. The other Heaven’s Blades and I all acknowledged him after watching his match for the Wolfstein title. Aaa, but I’ve only fought with him once,” Savaris said, closing his eyes, as if he was trying to recall something. “That was a terrible fight. A filth monster in its 6th stage named Behemoto. I, Layfon and Lintence fought it. If we don’t count the combination of Cauntia and Ruimei, that was a rare cooperative fight between Heaven’s Blade successors.”

He opened his eyes as if he was seeing that scene of that day. He began his narration. “Aaaa…….. That fight was really….. really interesting.”

<center>◇</center>

The smell in the air seemed to change before the battle. The change was so tiny that it was hard to notice it. It was a pain that felt like water being poured into one’s nose.

“Really?” the new Heaven’s Blade successor replied to Savaris’s question with a tone that didn’t make him likeable at all.

Layfon Wolfstein Alseif.

He looked like a student who had just graduated from primary school, but he had already taken the Heaven’s Blade title one year ago. He also had lots of experience in fighting filth monsters alone. No emotion showed in his eyes. On the contrary, darkness seemed to rule them.

“Sensei, do you have such a feeling?” Layfon lifted his head to ask the other Heaven’s Blade successor.

Lintence Savoled Haden.

This Heaven’s Blade successor always gave an expression of being in low spirits. He was patting the stubble on his chin as he watched somewhere far away.

“No. Rather than wasting time on such feelings, it’s better to train ten thousand times.”

“Thanks for your advice.”

An attitude that was always the same. A reply that suited the notorious reputation of Lintence as someone who hated socializing. But for some reason, he had taught this young man his steel thread techniques. Why did he do that?

“Speaking of which…….” Layfon looked around. “Is this really a good place?”

The three of them were standing on the outskirt of Grendan. Grendan’s outskirts were much more spacious than those of other cities due to its frequent contact with filth monsters. This area was made for the fighting convenience of Military Artists. Currently, only three Heaven’s Blades stood here, and that wasn’t a meaningless action.

“Delbone…… That old woman said so. It can’t be wrong.”

Delbone Quantis Myuura. The three of them gathered here because they listened to the prediction of the only psychokinesist among the Heaven’s Blades.

“But she fainted again after saying it. She should just die and give up the Heaven’s Blade title.”

“Don’t think that will happen before the person to replace her appears.”

Delbone was already over 100 years old. She stayed most of her time lying on a hospital bed, but no one had yet exceeded her in the ability of psychokinesis, so she retained the Heaven’s Blade title. As if predicting the future, her psychokinesis had discovered the invasion of an aged phase filth monster. She had also predicted that it would appear here today. That was why the three of them were guarding this place.

“Lintence, no reaction yet?”

“Not yet”

Lintence held a restored Dite. He wore a pair of leather gloves with white gold covering the fingertips. And stretching before those tips were millions of fine steel threads that spread to the outside of the city like antennas. The filth monster in Delbone’s prediction had not yet appeared.

“But if Behemoto really appears here like Delbone had said, then we can be sure that it reaches a place in a blind spot of the steel threads.”

“Ah, that’s possible.”

Behemoto, a name for the filth monster. No other cities had done this, and it was rare enough even in Grendan. Only a filth monster that had fulfilled a condition was given a name. An aged phase monster with fighting power that was unusually huge. Behemoto had already fought the Heaven’s Blades, but it managed to escape.

“That was before I became a Heaven’s Blade successor. And Delbone became a Heaven’s Blade after that event. Behemoto must have some reason behind its actions,” Lintence said.

Savaris looked at the scenery outside the city. A large number of huge filth monsters nests were currently located in Grendan’s vicinity. Numerous filth monsters had left their nests for the city, and the ones to handle them were the Heaven’s Blades and other Military Artists. But only Lintence and his two fellow Heaven’s Blades stood in this spacious area at the outskirt of the city. The siren rang through the air. Normal citizens were now hurrying to the shelters. The rest of the Military Artists had gathered around the palace in case anything happened – in case Savaris, Lintence and Layfon lost the fight.

But that probably wouldn’t happen.

“But no outside city gear was given for fights taking place outside the city. Her Majesty gave a bold order.”

“We’ll know once the fight begins.”

“Ha.”

”Millions of guesses cannot beat the truth. Here it comes,” Lintence said suddenly without varying the tone of his voice.

First it was the mad shaking of the ground.

“Earthquake…………? No.”

Next came the sound of metal, so shrill that it was about to pierce the eardrums. One of the multi-legs supporting Grendan was pulled back by something, causing an intense shaking of the city.

“Something………” Layfon said in a small voice.

And it was suddenly here. That something almost took over the entire field of vision, blocking out the sun. It was climbing up the city from the city’s edge. Its back was covered by numerous slabs of rock. A displeasing noise of something rubbing against something accompanied its entrance.

Savaris lifted his head and saw a part in white.

“……….. Either way, this is a giant,” he said.

Yes, that gigantic thing did resemble a human. More precisely, it resembled a mud doll made by kids. The filth monster Behemoto stood on Grendan as if waiting to be served in a restaurant.

“My first time seeing something this massive,” Layfon said with the sword lowered, his pupils staring at Behemoto as if they were sinking into darkness. His expression was neither unease nor fear. He was just observing the thing in front of him – Behemoto.

Something fluttered down from the filth monster. Soil. Wet and humid soil from the depth of the earth was stuck on the entire body of the filth monster. It had been moving below ground, a blind spot of Lintence’s steel threads. As for the psychokinesist, she couldn’t have predicted the movement under the ground without huge powers of concentration. Only Delbone could do it.

“Well, time to get rid of it?”

“True.”

Savaris and Layfon nodded, and at that moment, they ran for Behemoto like wind. They naturally split without communication. One headed for the left. One headed for the right.

“Can you release your dirty hand?”

Savaris released his Kei as he headed for the hands that were about the same size as Grendan’s multi-legs, clamping on the city’s edge.

External Kei variation – Gourikitepa Kouga.
External Kei variation – Sendan.

Savaris’s palm faced Behemoto’s right hand. A move of Kei that was released from the outside to the inside of the target and shattering the target at the same time. As expected, the front part of Behemoto broke into pieces as if it was bitten by a fierce beast. At the same time, Layfon cut apart Behemoto’s left hand with his sword.

Savaris’s move was intense and exciting, whereas Layfon’s was quiet and calm. Losing balance, Behemoto fell and was trapped between a number of multi-legs.

(Aa? That was unexpected……….)

Both of them were surprised at how easy it was to defeat their target. The filth monster had once slipped through the hands of Heaven’s Blades in the past, and it also had its own name. But it was so weak. Its muscles were weak.

“Fools, hurry and get away!” Lintence’s voice sounded behind them.

The cut off hands changed, expanding in a shocking rate and exploded. Scale-like things scattered along with the explosion, and they were sharp. Leaping through the air did little to evade those scales because of the close distance between them and the projectiles. The two Heaven’s Blade successors ended up sustaining some damage.

“I see. That’s why we don’t fight outside the city.”

Lintence had landed somewhere above one of the multi-legs. He quickly checked himself. The injuries weren’t deep but his clothes were in tatters. Blood seeped from torn skin. If they fought outside the city, the protective suit would definitely sustain damage. And when that happened, even Heaven’s Blades could do nothing but wait for death from the invasion of pollutants.

“Her Majesty and the others are really mean. They should have told us about that already.”

Lintence glanced at Layfon. It seemed he had sustained similar injuries. Meanwhile, parts of Behemoto were gathering at the place where the filth monster was attempting to stand up.

“That isn’t regeneration. It’s gathering its parts and combining them. Doesn’t that make it an undying thing?”

Behemoto moved. It once again reached out for the city with its upper body. Savaris looked closer and saw its lower body was fused with the earth.

“Has that thing become the earth? That level of evolution is beyond common sense.” He had the time to stand surprised and sigh because Lintence was here.

Lintence’s steel threads cut away Behemoto’s hands. A final shield stood between the city’s outskirts and its outside. The second explosion came but the scales never reached a distance as far as before, and they became dust in the next instant. Lintence had weaved a net, controlling it with his Kei. The scales were cut by that net. He raised his right hand. His left hand controlled the invisible net, then what about his right hand? In there he held a weapon so fine that no one could see with his naked eyes.

Steel threads. That insignificant weapon had become powerful in Lintence’s hands. His right hand moved, weaving the steel threads into a shape above him. Even a Heaven’s Blade’s power of vision could not discern the steel threads, but they now showed themselves through the Kei running in them.

A long cone.

“Break into thousand pieces,” he said as the cone hammered into Behemoto’s chest.

A song. The jumping of worms.

The huge cone entered Behemoto’s body in waves of successive explosions. The cone underwent changes inside the body. The steel threads gathered together were now unraveling in a shocking rate, damaging the filth monster’s body and shredding it into pieces.

“He really did show something else in a crisis………” Savaris said, crouching down to avoid the scales.

The upper half of the filth monster had been destroyed by Lintence. Would it revive again? Or……. Savaris floated on the air with all his might, observing. But there were no signs of stopping.

“Tsk.”

Something huge was nearing him at high speed. Something that looked like an antenna with numerous mouths, its teeth grinding against each other. It must have escaped Lintence’s attack. Savaris kicked it away and used the momentum of the kick to return to the ground. What about Layfon………

He saw Layfon cut open the antenna in the air. A closer look. What wonderful skill in riding the air. Every time, Layfon managed to swing his sword and obtain balance, ready for the next move. He was fighting with room to spare in a stage that was disadvantageous for him. He also did well handling the explosions of the scales.

“I can’t lose to him.”

The density of Kei rose exponentially in Savaris. At the same time, changes came about in the Kei gathered in his wrists. A silvery white flame burst out from his wrists.

External Kei Karenkei – Jaryu.

Rooted on the spot, his lashed out with his fists in lightning speed. Strange was that the fists did not produce any loud voice. His fists were quiet as of training. However, those attacks did reach Behemoto. Silvery white explosions blew one after another on the damaged upper body where countless antennas stuck out. The directions of Savaris’s fists were anywhere but Behemoto, yet Behemoto’s body was sustaining heavy damages. The attacks of silvery white flame cleared out the antennas, and those fallen antennas then exploded. Savaris could see Layfon’s figure caught in the explosions.

“………..”

Layfon’s determined expression was unchanged. His wordless eyes seemed to have seen through his opponent’s moves. His posture showed his was readying for his next move.

Heaven’s Blade move – Karou.

One flash and Layfon had executed numerous cutting paths, destroying all scales before him.

“Just Sakkei?” (Sakkei – murderous/killing intent)

Layfon landed and didn’t look at Savaris.

Savaris laughed. “If you died at that level, I wouldn’t need to save you.” He could feel the excitement inside him. How interesting. All three Heaven’s Blades were each using their ultimate moves, yet the filth monster still lived. How many such filth monsters were there in this world? So interesting. So interesting that he couldn’t control himself. This was more interesting than anything else.

The sound of stirring coming from outside the city never stopped. The Heaven’s Blades’ attacks appeared to be only scratches on this monster.

“Looks like we have to keep going,” Savaris began using his Kei.

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“I did enjoy myself,” Savaris said, sipping tea after his meal as he reminisced.

The current location was the canteen. The announcement had just conveyed the discovery of Zuellni, and a wave of festive atmosphere from the people gathered in the canteen spread through the air.

Although this would be a fight to decide the winner of the Military Arts Competition, a fight between Academy Cities would not shed blood. In other words, this was like a festive activity on a large scale. The impending fight brought excitement to the audience, spreading out naturally from the crowd.

Leerin listened to Savaris talk about the past as she ate. She had never seen Layfon fight a filth monster. As an average person, she always headed for the shelter when an emergency arose. She’d probably never get to see a real battle. Hence, Savaris’s description of Layfon was to her something refreshing and new, as if she was hearing about someone she didn’t know. Either way, she had never seen that side of Layfon. And her heart acknowledged this fact, especially after Layfon’s match with Gahard. Loneliness stuffed her chest. The Layfon who lived with her as a kid, whom she shared pain and happiness with, but suffered everything in a place she didn’t know, suffering it without saying a word to anyone.

The man sitting behind Leerin spoke, “Who will win?”

“This side? Myath recently beat up some filth monsters. I heard Zuellni had a record of defeats. The strengths of Military Artists over there are low.”

“Ah, that might not be it though. What if a very promising newcomer appears over there? It is an Academy City. They receive new students every year.”

“Haha, who’d let a promising Military Artist leave a city so easily?”

“Wanna bet?”

Leerin looked behind her. They might be travelers who spent a long time traveling. They probably survived by buying and selling information. Savaris was also listening in. A promising newcomer in Zuellni. Of course, no newcomer was more promising than Layfon. But instead of talking about Layfon, he mentioned another person.

“It seems my brother fails to change the battle’s fate. How sad.”

Savaris’s younger brother was in Zuellni. He had said that before in the roaming bus. Gorneo. If he was in his 5th year now, that meant he must have participated in the previous intercity match.

“Do you have a bad relationship with your brother?”

If one were to understand Savaris’s words on the surface, then the Heaven’s Blade really held little feelings for his brother.

“Not really. But my brother fears me. He probably feels pressure just by standing in my shadow.”

A younger brother who had an older, elite brother. Leerin probably couldn’t understand that feeling. She had no siblings. She couldn’t comprehend Gorneo’s feelings. Gorneo had to choose the same path as his brother.

“It might be better if he had no ability at all. Maybe it’s because we’re in the same family. He’s not bad, but it’s his bad luck to be born after me. But that’s not a bad feeling.”

A chill went down Leerin’s spine at his last words.

“But he’s your younger brother.”

“Yes, so what?” he didn’t seem to care about her retort. “Heaven’s Blades only seek power. If he was preventing me from reaching that goal, I’d kick him out of the Luckens family even though he’s my brother.” The smile on his face became hard to discern. He had spoken his true feelings.

Leerin was an orphan. She didn’t have anyone blood-related who would love her unconditionally. One could say from another angle that because one didn’t have someone blood-related, that was what made one an orphan. So she understood better than anyone how precious it was to have a family.

“Aa, you’re wrong if you think I’m the only one who thinks like that. Actually, most Heaven’s Blades think the same.”

“Eh?”

“Heaven’s Blades are the most powerful Military Artists in Grendan, and they also make the most unusual organization. They chase after power with any means they can find. Layfon is the only exception.”

Only Layfon was different. That pleased Leerin. Savaris’s tone seemed to exclude Layfon from the unusual organization.

“Excuse me, but if Layfon had wholeheartedly sought power, Gahard wouldn’t have been able to grasp hold of his weakness, and he wouldn’t have been exiled.”

Leerin’s comfort disappeared.

“Layfon’s motivation to become strong is probably more complicated than us ‘normal’ Heaven’s Blades’ motivations. Of course, that reason might explain why he was so powerful in the past. But because of it……”

Leerin didn’t know how to react to what he said next.

“He’s now lost his reason to fight. He might have become quite weak. That’s what I think.” Savaris’s thoughts turned back to the past, submerging himself in the excitement of past battles.

Leerin remained silent, holding her breath. Had Layfon really become weak? It’d be good if he wasn’t like that. Yes, she thought from deep down that it’d be good if Layfon stood before Savaris again.

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Three days and three nights. They kept on fighting Behemoto. Three days. One move came after another to destroy the filth monster. Power kept surging. Moves were improved. Kei was weaved again and again.

“About time. I’ve had enough.”

Dry impatience shot through Layfon’s voice. That wasn’t because he was tired. Heaven’s Blades would not collapse from a mere three days fight as they fought with internal Kei. However, psychologically, he was reaching his limit. He had fought countless times with countless numbers of enemies. He had fought much longer than three days. But usually he could see the results of his attacks in the forms of corpses. But Behemoth continued to recombine and recover. No result could be seen, and that had cracked through Layfon’s mind. Besides, Behemoth varied its strategies as the fight progressed. It wasn’t increasing its strength in self-explosions. It laid traps to cancel the enemy attacks. Every attack hid behind it a plan. Instead of weakening, it had become stronger. Layfon was probably thinking of how to quickly end the fight.

(He’s reaching his limit?)

It was enough already that he had this level of fighting strength at his age, but his mental toughness had yet to match the level of his strength. This was a good time for him to flee the battle, but Savaris wouldn’t know whether that was a good choice for him.

(Not good, if he dies now.)

Actually, he cared naught for Layfon’s death. What he cared about was that he, falling under his own psychological trap, might interfere with the battle.

(And it’s been so long since I had such enjoyment.)

Unlike Layfon, Savaris exulted in high tension. And that tension didn’t weaken through time. Affected by this feeling, he felt satisfaction every time he used Kei and executed a move, as if he was discovering new things in this battle. The Behemoto standing before him told him that he could turn stronger so he must not allow interference in this fight.

(Let him retreat.)

Just when Savaris made his decision…

“What? Can’t take it already?” Lintence called to Layfon.

“No way.”

Lintence nodded. “Good. You ought to know this situation is nothing. You’ve been fighting filth monsters till now, and you might keep living life like this forever after becoming a Heaven’s Blade successor. One mistake can send you down to the god of death. And impatience is always what leads to tragedy. I think you have experienced that already.”

A rumor had it that Layfon had tried out a move of the steel threads on his own and had sustained almost fatal injuries.

“…… Yes.”

“Then you know what you need the most now?”

“Endure and keep on fighting.”

“Since you understand, then keep at it. If you keep on being so shameful, I’ll cut you up.”

“Yes.”

The impatience in Layfon’s eyes gradually disappeared, and he turned silent again.

(Eh……..?)

That was unexpected for Savaris. It was already rare for a Heaven’s Blade to teach another, and that someone was none other than Lintence, the notoriously anti-social person.

Lintence continued, “Of course, I hate this kind of fight too. It’s about time to think of a way to end it. 259,200 seconds. We’ve spent too much time appeasing this guy’s hunger.”

“But what do we do?”

The fight continued throughout the conversation. Behemoto’s position hadn’t changed much. He was still outside the city. The inside area of the outskirt had become a mess after the three Heaven’s Blades’ attacks and the exploding scales. Deep furrows tore the ground, and nearby buildings and facilities had been destroyed. A three day, three night fight, and the three Heaven’s Blades had still to suppress the filth monster’s attacks. Savaris thought the same as others, but he just didn’t seem dissatisfied……

“Take a good look,” Lintence said, and everyone turned to study Behemoto.

It was still aiming for the city, climbing up its surface and releasing all antennas for that purpose. Savaris and the other two were attacking those antennas. However, nothing much had changed.

“Deceived by its large size? Or because we were too focused on it and missed it? In truth, that guy has become small.”

“Eh?” Layfon made a surprised noise.

Savaris didn’t entirely agree with that point.

“Meaning it can’t revive 100%. One possibility is because of its numerous self-destructions. If that isn’t the case, the only possibility is because we’ve kept releasing Kei. The accumulated effects of each attack are decimating it.”

“If that’s the case, does that mean we still have to drag out the fight?” Savaris said, blocking the antennas reaching at him from all sides.

“Power isn’t the only factor in preventing this guy from reviving. We’ve to think of whether those pieces of it, scattered around, move on their own. Our attacks are powerful, but if we look at Behemoto as a combined form, then we can’t destroy its entire being.”

“You mean…….” Savaris didn’t reply, but he got an idea of what Lintence was saying.

“Behemoto isn’t a single life. It’s multiple lives, made of many small cells?”

Lintence nodded.

So that wasn’t self-explosion. It scattered itself for the main body to reform and move. It was a self-defense mechanism. Compared to that, enemy attacks were just side-effects of its main objective.

“Not one thread, but one face. Not one part but the entire. We have to kill all its cells in a short time through some super-heavy pressure attack.”

Lintence’s declaration made the other two Heaven’s Blades speechless.

“Use your most powerful Kei in the next attack. I’ll take the first attack, then you two go at it at the same time…… Don’t tell me you need more than 10 seconds to prepare?”

A direct provocation that made Savaris’s heart leap.

“Sure, let’s do it.”

“I get it, sensei.”

The two of them nodded at the same time.

“I probably don’t need 10 seconds. You?”

“Anytime. As you like.”

Layfon’s reply was indifferent, but he had to also view this with anticipation. A wish to push himself to his own limit. Releasing Kei that far exceeded anybody’s, executing a move that was more incredible than anyone else’s. This was a competition between the three Heaven’s Blade successors.

“Then, I’ll start,” Lintence said as he counter-attacked, destroying the antennas invading the outskirts with lightning-fast speed as if he intended to destroy the outskirts area too. Huge explosions blew in successive waves, enveloping Savaris and Layfon. A close study showed the two of them had already left the zone of explosions to stand on the very outer edge of the city – the last of Lintence’s defense. In here, not even debris could get through.

Lintence had been working on the defense line till now, but he was gathering Kei and had no strength left for anything else.

“Hurry and……..”

“Leave!”

The two of them executed their Kei techniques as they roared.
External Kei variation – Fuuretsukei
External Kei variation – Kakei.

Wind spurted from the tip of Savaris’ foot in his kick and from the blade of Layfon’s sword as he swung down. They destroyed the cells that were scattered from the explosions. The air on the outside suddenly calmed. Lintence’s preparation was done. An immense amount of Kei suffused the steel threads above them. The light radiating off of the steel threads covered the sky. Behemoto, trying to revive its antenna and the cells that had been turned to dust, were all sealed into that huge net of Kei in one split second.

“Let me send you to the other shore.”

A song. White light flooded the surroundings. The Kei in the steel threads became Shou Kei. Huge waves of Kei crashed from the net to the inside. The side effects of those huge impacts were sealed inside the net. Nothing leaked out of the net except the light. At the same time, Lintence ran Kei through the steel threads to sustain the Kei lost from the net. This perfect barrier was sealing the pressure inside it, gradually breaking down Behemoto.

Of course, it wasn’t impossible to hear the filth monster’s tragic moans from outside the barrier. One could probably see this huge block of light from the other side of the city. However, this powerful Kei technique wouldn’t last long. Ten seconds. Lintence had used that number as a provocation, but that was also his limit. His level of Kei was reduced to his lowest level after 10 seconds, and the strength of the steel threads wavered. The block of light cracked. Numerous steel threads floated in the air, unraveling, returning to their master. Behemoto’s howl didn’t even sound like a voice. The sparkling particles around it were the remains that had lost their ability to revive. Even Savaris could see how small Behemoto had become. He and Layfon had already jumped into the air for this moment, closing fast on Behemoto.

Savaris was the first to make his move. No, he was already making it when he leapt. Internal Kei variation, a Luckens secret ability, thousand person rush. The number of Savarises heading for Behemoto increased from one to two, to four, eight, sixteen, thirty two, sixty four, a hundred twenty eight…… The number exploded until it far exceeded one thousand. And that all happened within a few seconds.

Lintence’s steel threads had all loosened, releasing Behemoto’s remains from the light. A thousand Savarises had planned their locations and started attacking the filth monster’s right hand side.

Considering that he was in the air, the strength needed to dispel the side-effects from executing the move, and stopping himself in the air, so he only had 5 seconds left to fight……. Savaris laughed. An honest and cruel laugh caused by elation. This was his first time reaching this level. Would they finish Behemoto, or……… Yet Lintence had managed to seal off this massive Behemoto’s movements while releasing such terrible crashes of Kei at the same time.

How many Heaven’s Blade successors possessed this secret technique?

“Ok, I’ll show you,” one thousand Savarises said.

One must use a secret technique against a secret technique.
External Kei variation, Luckens secret technique – Roar Kei.
Waves powerful enough to eradicate cell particles shot out of one thousand Savarises’ mouths.

Layfon was still in the air. The sword in his hand was releasing a frightful light. An onlooker wouldn’t be able to tell whether it really was a sword or not.

Not one thread, but one face. Lintence’s strategy wasn’t an easy task for Layfon who used a sword. But Layfon wouldn’t say it was an unreasonable request. Lintence had shown him that he could do it – executing a heavy pressure attack in a short period of time, overwhelming and annihilating the target with an immense amount of Kei. Besides, Savaris was also making an incredible move while increasing his number with a Thousand people rush. Layfon had no other choice.

“I can only do this.”

He raised his sword and swung down.
Shou Kei.

It didn’t involve any technique. It was just a move to simultaneously release the flow of immense Kei and its destructive power sealed into the Heaven’s Blade. A colossal pillar of light swung down, bathing the left half of Behemoto in a storm of Kei.

Savaris had succeeded in executing the two Luckens moves that no other person had managed to use. And Layfon, possessing a shockingly immense amount of Kei, had summoned a storm of Kei with horrible destructive power. These two people had already exceeded the limit that a Military Artist of their time could imagine. The filth monster could not counterattack or move under these two assaults.

Half of Behemoto’s body became a mountain of sand. As if blown by a wind, the mountain collapsed.

The other half seemed to be bitten by a gigantic, insane beast, bitten into pieces.
Behemoto began to collapse completely under two destructive forces.

“Aaaaaaaaa!”
“Aaaaaaaaa!”

The limit was near. Same as with Lintence, the time limit was about 10 seconds. These types of moves that exhausted lots of Kei needed its wielder to continuously release that amount of Kei for the move to work. As expected, the release of Kei gradually slowed.

“Did we….. get it?”

Savaris had turned back into only one Savaris. He fell from the sky, exhausted, trying to confirm the result.

Numerous grey particles danced in the air. The remains of Behemoto showed no signs of joining. Did that mean it was defeated? Can’t be sure yet. As Lintence had said, Behemoto was a body cohabited by multiple lives. It was difficult to confirm the death of each cell but if not all of them were destroyed…..

“Huh!” Savaris’s gaze was pulled to somewhere.

One of the grey particles was falling and twisting strangely. It was alive. The size of it was about the same as a human. Savaris wanted to rush over and destroy it, but affected by the impacts of using two moves at the same, he couldn’t even lift his finger. The filth monster didn’t seem to want to fight, but it’d return to attack Grendan if they let it escape now. Savaris got a good fight today in which he could reach his limit, bringing him a dose of fulfillment. However, that sense of fulfillment suffered from the thought of being unable to eliminate the filth monster.

He called up the internal Kei in him, doing all he could to dispel his tiredness. But this was only enough to prevent him from falling to death. He didn’t know whether it was enough for him to catch up with Behemoto. Urged by impatience, he increased his internal Kei flow. Just a bit more, just a bit more……. He confirmed his level of recovery as the one second passed. Exhaustion began to fade. The numb Kei path began to awaken.

Three seconds. He had taken that much time from noticing Behemoto’s sign of life to recovering enough to move.

“Good!” he readied his pose, pouring Kei into his running feet to increase his speed, at the same time…….

Doh!

A shadow appeared in Savaris’s line of sight, accompanied by a rumble of explosion. A gaze from silent pupils pierced through the fleeing Behemoto. Layfon and his silvery white pillar of light were here.

Savaris was about to touch ground, and that was the moment when Layfon swung his sword without hesitation. The explosion made a large pit in the ground. The wind from that impact blew the grey particles into chaos. Savaris lay on the ground.

Layfon stood in a cloud of grey particles that spread out in the savage gale. Behemoto’s remaining body had been split into halves and pounded into pieces by the Shou Kei.

(Why?)

Savaris was speechless. Layfon was the first to recover. Just one second. Perhaps it was a difference of less than a second. But he had thought that only half a second was enough to decide the victor if he were to cross blades with Layfon.

(How)

A young and new Heaven’s Blade successor. The youngest Heaven’s Blade successor on record who held no awareness of himself. Layfon was quicker by half a second. What feeling did it bring to him? Anger? Jealousy? No.

“As I said, this city is the best.”

Fascination. Drunk.

“I’ll never get tired of it,” Savaris murmured.

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Her chest tightened as she listened to the story, but she quickly recovered. The Layfon that Savaris had described might not equal to the current Layfon. That was Layfon’s past, but fortunately, it might not become Leerin’s reason for worry. True. He might have become weaker than when he was still a Heaven’s Blade successor. That might be true, but, what could she say?

That was Leerin’s reply. To her, Layfon’s value wasn’t measured by how powerful he was as a Military Artist. She didn’t care how powerful or weak he had become. She was just worried whether he was suffering from something. What she needed was not guesses based on his past, but preparation for the future based on his current condition. That was why she had come to Myath to bridge the past and future. Tomorrow, Myath would make contact with Zuellni. She had to move over to that city.

(Anyway, it’s better to meet than to make guesses on my own.)

She had enough troubles in Grendan. And she came here because she had made up her mind. Staying at one place was the same as being stagnant. Thinking of this, she suddenly realized she was never good at making sense of big things. Actually, she didn’t have the time to consider such a big thing, but the sudden appearance of Zuellni had given her a shock.

“Savaris,” she said, calling back the daydreaming Heaven’s Blade.

“What?” he said, reaching out for the tea. He drained the cup of tea that had gone cold, his eyes showing he wanted one more cup. Leerin stood up and poured him new tea.

“Ah, thanks. Uh, what’s it?”

“I thought, aren’t we going to move to Zuellni?”

“Ah, oh no,” he sighed without feelings.

Leerin lowered her head.

“Sorry, it’s just that my way of thinking won’t be as appropriate.”

“You mean normal travel won’t work?” she asked.

“Yeah. Though I don’t have much experience in intercity fights, but think about it. Normal passage should recover after the winner’s decided. Well, Leerin, you’ve been in the shelter every time a fight happened. It’s normal not to know what happens outside.”

An unexpected difficulty had arisen.

“What should we do?”

Roaming buses wouldn’t move for now. Did that mean they had to walk over to Zuellni? That wasn’t something a normal person could do. Even without much knowledge in fights, Leerin knew the place where the two cities met would become the most intense arena. Then was she to wait till the fight was finished to ride the next roaming bus? No roaming buses were coming near because of the impending intercity match. A roaming bus might head over a few days after everything had settled. But………

(I don’t want to wait anymore.)

She could see Zuellni from here. She already knew she was so near the place she wanted to be in. How could she wait any longer?

“Well, don’t have to worry so much,” Savaris said, looking quite happy.

Leerin glared at him. If this atmosphere continued and he said something wrong, she might just get angry.

“Ah – Have you forgotten? I’m also a Military Artist.”

She noticed what he hadn’t said from his attitude.

“You mean………..”

The unpleasant memory surfaced.

“I can send you to Zuellni without being discovered,” he guaranteed with a smile. He blew at the tea to cool it down. “Please prepare to leave.”

Leerin went back to her room to pack. It didn’t take long, as she hadn’t planned to stay here long in the first place. She had washed the dirty clothes she wore in the roaming bus and had left the ones she needed for the next day, putting everything back into her luggage.

(Tomorrow…….. Can I see Layfon?)

That made today feel so long. She couldn’t sit and stand. She couldn’t calm herself. If she were in Grendan, she’d do chores.

“Yes.”

She walked out into the corridor and took out the cleaning equipment. In theory, Myath’s students were responsible for cleaning the facilities, but one couldn’t expect a high level of service in an Academy City where its habitants’ main purpose was to study. For example, meals were handed out in buffet style, and rooms weren’t cleaned everyday. Instead, cleaning equipment was stored away for travelers to use. Leerin had cleaned her own room several times too because she thought the students didn’t do a thorough enough job.

“I might not be here tomorrow, might as well do some good cleaning.”

Time would fly if she were to aim to clean every single speck of dust. At the end of the day, she’d be so exhausted that she could get a good sleep.

(Speaking of which……..)

She thought of something while holding the handle of the broomstick.

(Could that event have happened during that time?)

She recalled what Savaris had said in the canteen, and something else surfaced in her mind through Savaris’s story.

(Three days. That was about it.)

A fight that lasted for three days. Leerin and the young siblings had left the shelter to return to the orphanage. She had then taken the shopping list and left the orphanage.

<center>◇</center>

She found Layfon standing on a street corner.

“Ah, Layfon.”

“Leerin.”

She ran to him with small steps. “Welcome home,” she said, feeling at ease at seeing him safe. ………. Huh. Why was he staring at her with widened eyes?

“What’s it?”

“Ah, no, nothing,” he shook his head in a fluster. The shocked expression on his face slowly faded.

“I’m back.”

“Yeah, welcome back,” she smiled. She was happy to see he had safely returned.

“Going to buy dinner?”

“Yeah, didn’t have time to buy anything before heading for the shelter, so the fridge is empty. Layfon, what do you want to eat?”

“What did everyone say?”

The children at the orphanage had endured at the shelter by eating preserved food, so Leerin had gotten many suggestions when she said she was to go shopping. But today was special.

“Because you worked hard today, didn’t you, Layfon? Let me reward you a bit.”

“Um, how about adding burger meat on vege? I think that’s good.”

That wasn’t just because he found it tasty. That dish was popular among the other kids too. It was one of the suggestions Leerin had received too.

He accompanied her naturally to the shops. They walked slowly, touching shoulders.

“Layfon, you do like sweets.”

“Not really. That dish is really tasty.”

“Ok, but I won’t make anything sweet today. It’ll be bad if we got rotten teeth, and we won’t have space for dinner if we have sweets.”

“I know.”

He took her basket with a bitter smile.

No one would have doubted that Layfon had hoped to see her.

<noinclude>
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| Back to [[Chrome_Shelled_Regios:Volume7_Chapter2|Chapter 2]]
| Return to [[Chrome_Shelled_Regios|Main Page]]
| Forward to [[Chrome_Shelled_Regios:Volume7_Chapter4|Chapter 4]]
|-
|}
</noinclude>

Chrome Shelled Regios:Volume6 Chapter6

2010-06-15T23:24:57Z

Burningsteel: "rather than" and "management"

===Chapter 6: The owner of the blade===

“Time for you to go,” Karian calmly said, despite feeling a little terrified.

“I don’t have the confidence to win.”

The filth monster was leading them…….. In this unbelievable situation, Layfon was sitting on a bike with Karian and talking with him.

It was an ancient filth monster. So ancient that even Layfon couldn’t tell which phase it was in. Its swift appearance had brought fear to the entire city. Karian had then called for the special team to stop its attack. Did he trust the words of that filth monster? Or was it because he was in despair?

The filth monster didn’t make a move against the Military Artists and Zuellni. All it did was hover above the city. The Leader of the crowd……. It was waiting for the Student President Karian to finish his preparations. Karian had then ordered Layfon to go with him.

“This is my first time seeing such an ancient filth monster. It is my first time knowing it can speak human language. I don’t think I can win.”

“We don’t know whether we need to fight yet.”

Layfon couldn’t see Karian’s face, hidden by his helmet. Karian’s words, transmitted by the flakes, did nothing to ease him.

“If we have to fight, doesn’t that mean we’d be annihilated in one moment?”

“Perhaps……..”

Felli was still recovering and had not received permission to leave the city. The psychokinesist of the 1st platoon was acting as their support.

“I’m not interested in how powerful this filth monster is, but rather in what it proposes.”

“I don’t think we can deal with it…….”

“That isn’t an issue,” Karian said, putting his hands together. “So long as it understands human language, then there’s room for negotiation. We have to quickly understand what it values, then decide how to negotiate.”

So Karian really was here for the negotiation. Layfon pressed on the accelerator to keep up with the flying filth monster. He didn’t think the negotiation would work. Their bike sped along the uneven ground. It leapt over an edge of a raised piece of earth to land heavily.

“I’ve had this doubt for a long time,” Karian said loudly. “Filth monsters. They eat pollutants. Do they really have to consume human meat to survive?”

“Uh?”

“I’ve investigated the living conditions of the filth monsters. The most beneficial information for a City is the way to fight filth monsters. And what is the best is to be able to avoid a fight. Fighting filth monsters guarantees a certain level of harm. No matter what city it is, one or two Military Artists would die in a fight. That’s the same with Grendan. Even with Zuellni now. Sending out a Heaven’s Blade successor again and again to fight them is still detrimental to our fighting strength.”

Layfon himself was the best proof here.

“But filth monsters will attack us.”

“Yes, but why?” Karian said.

“The way the larvae consume each other isn’t anything special. It’s the baptism needed for the fittest to survive, and it’s also a hunt. Eating each other isn’t evil in their eyes”

“But they never thought of it this way.”

“Yes, that’s the problem. A human baby isn’t immediately aware of his consciousness. Humans live together to find food. But what about filth monsters? They prefer to obtain nutrients rather than consuming pollutants. In that case, what about the matured filth monsters that can think for themselves? How so? Isn’t that in itself a complex way of communicating?”

Layfon’s cold reply had an opposite effect and made Karian more excited.

“When we solve that problem, we can perhaps find new ways to deal with filth monsters.”

“By talks? But would they not eat us rather than listen to us? They’re hungry.” Layfon’s experience at the orphanage placed him firmly on Karian’s opposite side.

“We might have to kill the larvae, but it’s different with a matured form that possesses knowledge and the capability to negotiate.”

“So what do we do?”

“We’ve to understand why they attack cities! Is it really just for human meat? Human meat and any other animal meat is the same in terms of being nutritious. We just need to make food that caters for them. Besides, we can replenish the loss of food in the city by selenium.”

Layfon shook his head. Allow filth monsters to come into the city to buy food? Filth monsters to buy food with money…… Ridiculous. Impossible.

“Reality isn’t like that though!”

“But it’s worth trying. And………”

The filth monster slowed as the ground evened out. Karian put his hands together again.

“That filth monster didn’t attack the city without reasons. It requested the head of the pack to attend the negotiation, and that really bothers me!”

“………”

Then Layfon realized that it wasn’t the speed of the bike that had changed. It was the filth monster. They were getting close to their destination.

“I wonder whether anyone has ever gone to a gathering of filth monsters?”

Shocked by Karian’s curiosity, Layfon sensed the atmosphere around them. No killing intent from hungry filth monsters.

But next came the change of scenery. Layfon quickly gripped the handle and made an emergency stop to the bike’s movement.

“What?”

He heard Karian’s muffled voice. The sound came from outside the helmet. The psychokinesist’s support had been cut off. His vision had turned narrow.

“Please reply!”

No matter how many times Layfon called, the psychokinesist did not reply.

“What’s going on?”

“Psychokinesis is blocked off here. Please be careful.”

Layfon took out his Dite but Karian stopped him. “Wait, we’re here to negotiate. Don’t do anything to provoke the other party.”

“But…….”

“Let’s see how it reacts,” Karian slid off the bike.

Endless plain surrounded them. The dry earth looked like it had been cut apart by a blade. However, the color of the air was much more transparent. The color of the sky where the filth monster was remained the usual rusty red, but the scenery here was what one could see only in a city. The air that was clear as water. This place was obviously different from others.

“Is this space a 3D image? What’s going on?”

“This kind of technology……..”

Layfon looked around to confirm Karian’s words. The gear he wore for outside city use prevented him from having contact with the air, so looking around did nothing to help him discern whether this reality was true or not.

“Uhah……? Layfon, what is it?” Karian pointed.

Layfon strengthened his vision with internal Kei. He took the bike further up and saw a rocky mountain that sat like teeth, blocking his way.

“Eh? …….. Impossible!” his eyes widened in shock.

He returned to Karian’s side.

“What’s it?”

“Come and see!”

Karian took his seat and Layfon pressed on the accelerator with his foot, pressing all the way so he couldn’t press on it anymore.

“What did you see?” Karian asked.

The time it took them to arrive at the place seemed so much longer than Layfon remembered.

“This is……..” Karian understood. He slipped off the bike to stand as of someone sleepwalking.

The sound of rushing water shook their helmets.

“A lake……… or a waterfall?”

In the middle of the mountain range that resembled teeth sat a large lake. A waterfall fell on the opposite side of Layfon’s location. The rumbling of water and a screen of hazy water shrouded the lake.

“This doesn’t look like a 3D image!” Karian wiped the surface of the helmet.

A few droplets of water had also splashed onto Layfon’s helmet.

Green grasses and small flowers adorned the side of the lake. Pollutants had conquered the arid world. All animals and plants besides filth monsters were dead……. That had always been Layfon’s belief. But this place that the filth monster had shown them………

“This? This isn’t affected by pollutants?” Karian said calmly.

“How, how is that possible……..”

“We won’t know till we bring this back for investigation. Besides, the filth monster here is already different from the ones we know!” Karian dug up a small plant and put it in the bag hanging around his waist.

“So you’ve shown us what needs to be seen. Isn’t it time to show yourself?”

“Uh, you’ve noticed?” The filth monster was already above the lake. Had it hidden itself? Or had it used teleportation just like the time when it appeared in Zuellni? Karian couldn’t tell.

The filth monster spoke as if it was already holding a conversation with him. “You do hold the air of a leader!”

“Thanks. But I still don’t know your true purpose,” Karian replied without shock.

Layfon held tight to his Dite, observing the filth monster solemnly as he suppressed his urge to snatch out his Dite and restore it.

The huge body of the filth monster was on top of the lake, but the surface of the water remained calm without a ripple.

(Illusion……..?)

But the pressure of the body felt real. That long neck, that gigantic body, those huge, curved wings. They all felt so real.

“Uh………”

“Speaking of which, what is your name?” Karian asked, unafraid of those massive eyes of the filth monster’s.

“Though I hadn’t used it for long, people have called me ‘cell.separation Maza number 4 Harupe’.”

“Can I call you Harupe?”

“As you like,” Harupe nodded with its long neck.

“Then, Harupe. I’m guessing that this is the real meaning behind your negotiation. One, you want to prove that humans and filth monsters can communicate. Two, humans are a threat to the survival of filth monsters in what we call this world, but there is a bigger mission. Three, you don’t wish to fight humans. That’s all,” Karian said it all in one breath. He lifted his head to look at Harupe, and waited as of a student waiting for a response.

“Hohoho, we’ll leave the first two points. Do you think I don’t want to fight humans?”

“Yes, if you wished to fight, Zuellni would have been destroyed. You didn’t do that, so I think you don’t wish to fight. All the same, you don’t want Regios to enter this territory.”

Harupe called through its nose. It eyes studied Karian. “Got a good brain there. Well, to want to hear the words of another creature’s heart isn’t something that can just be done. How about we just say the truth and hear the truth?”

“It’s my wish for a beneficial negotiation,” Karian nodded in satisfaction.

“Then allow me to start the question. What made your city enter this territory? A normal city wouldn’t have come here.”

Karian answered that question honestly, telling Harupe about the contact with the ruined city, the invasion of the Haikizoku, the City’s Electronic Fairy on a rampage.

“Haikizoku…… The insane Electronic Fairy? I see…….. Does it hate us?” Harupe said with his long neck bent in apology. Its short foreleg scratched its lower jaw. “The invaded system caused the city to go on a rampage?”

“Yes. This isn’t our will, nor is it Zuellni’s will. I hope you understand this point.”

“All right, I forgive you for entering the territory.”

“Thank you.”

Harupe and Karian actually held a conversation. That fact didn’t keep Layfon from abandoning the belief of this as something unbelievable.

“But this only holds in the present. The city has not stopped moving, and if the Haikizoku forces it to invade the territory further, we’ll do all we can to eliminate it.”

“I understand,” Karian said.

“Then onto the next topic. I heard what you said while you were riding that thing.”

“Well…….”

“I’m Cell.Separation Maza number 4. I know everything that happens in my area.”

“That’s amazing.”

“Um, well, the business trade you talked about isn’t impossible. It’s not impossible to happen in the area that I control, but I can’t do anything about filth monsters outside my area. Besides, no city can enter this territory.”

“What a shame.”

“You want to resolve this quickly, I see. For humans who are limited in their movements and are weak in survival, it must be extremely difficult for you to fight your enemies.”

“I’m afraid so, so we’re looking for solutions. Harupe, do you know the way to fight against the Haikizoku?”

“No. I’m Cell.Separation number 4 Harupe. My purpose is to guard the boundary between the edge of the world and the Aurora Field. I do not have any information that lies outside the management of the Human Preservation Plan.”

Aurora Field. Human Preservation Plan. Terms that Karian had never heard of.

(And why is this the only filth monster……..)

“…….. I see. I got it,” Karian nodded.

Layfon felt uneasy.

“Then let’s find a way to solve the problem of the city. Harupe, please allow the city to stay here for a while.”

Harupe had lifted its long neck. “……. There’s no need,” it said. Its gaze turned to the sky and it spread its wings.

“Your city is moving away from my area. You better hurry and catch up to it.”

Layfon was surprised at those words as he supported Karian under the beating of the wind.

“The city is moving……..?”

And it was moving away…….. So the city had started evading filth monsters? Meaning……..?

“Hurry, the city moves as fast as the bike. It’d be troublesome if we end up having to chase after it,” Karian said.

Harupe was gone. The presence of the filth monster that had a name had disappeared, as if it was just an illusion.

“I know.”

They mounted the bike.

(Captain……. Is she safe?)

That wasn’t his naïve dream. He must confirm the reality. The tires of the bike bit the dry ground and the bike began its mad dash. The scenery changed after a time of riding.

“Oh, Oh!” Karian’s voice drowned out the engine’s call. A group of matured filth monsters stood in a file as they watched Layfon and Karian leave.

“Such grandeur!”

Layfon felt like he was a doll under those gazes, but Karian’s attitude remained unchanged. The same as when he held the negotiation with Harupe, except his voice was now different.

“……. Let’s hurry!”

Layfon accelerated to the maximum. There were more than ten filth monsters watching them, and all of them looked like Harupe. Filth monsters that were born from the same mother shouldn’t all look the same in their matured forms.

(I feel………. Something feels really bad.)

The bike continued to run madly.

“Not working. Still can’t contact Zuellni! Are we heading the right way!?”

“The direction is correct.”

But they would miss Zuellni if they erred in the direction. Harupe had said the city was moving, so it must also know Zuellni’s direction. Layfon and Karian had left the sight of the filth monsters.

Layfon saw something ahead of them and stopped the bike.

“What’s wrong?”

“These are the city’s footsteps!”

A human made pit in the shape of a square. Not dugout, but pressed with a huge weight that could cut through the dry earth. Layfon looked far ahead and saw similar footsteps.

“We won’t get lost if we follow them.”

The problem now was whether they could safely catch up with Zuellni.

“If we can contact them, the city can come back for us.”

“Anyway, let’s catch up!” Layfon started the engine and the bike ran for a whole day.

Night. Layfon could keep on going but considering Karian’s strength, he had found someplace to rest instead.

“Anything wrong?” Karian said. He had climbed off the bike for a rest.

“Nothing………” Layfon felt as if something was lurking behind them.

(Filth monsters? Or is Harupe watching?)

They might be monitoring them to make sure that they left. And that feeling didn’t sit well with him.

(Well, it is a machine.)

He meant Harupe. That filth monster moved like a robot.

(So humans in the past made filth monsters?)

He couldn’t think of any other explanation. Pollutants filled this world, and only filth monsters could live in it. But reality was that the machines that humans made had taken on unusual changes – that must be it?

(I wonder what the Student President thinks?)

He wanted to ask but Karian probably wouldn’t say anything here. They were still in Harupe’s territory, and anything they said was apparent to it. That hateful presence was still here.

(Can’t fight it.)

Karian was already asleep.

(The Aurora Field, the edge of the world………..)

Layfon returned to the bike and fell into a shallow sleep.

(Is that place really the edge of the world?)

They had lost the map of the world. Was there really an edge? An edge like the Regios edges? If there was such a place, why the monitoring………? The light sleep stopped Layfon from thinking further, besides, returning to Zuellni was their main problem now. About the reason behind Zuellni’s movement – he needed to find out whether it matched his speculations…….

He and Karian moved from their camping spot before dawn. It was during the day when contact through psychokinesis recovered.

“Finally found you.”

“Felli?”

Layfon and Karian exchanged a glance at the sudden voice inside their helmets.

“Did you get the doctor’s permission?”

“Saying this means you two are ok! I got permission this morning and went to search for you. A bit of a confusion at the start because I couldn’t use psychokinesis in the area.”

“That’s good. Please give us the directions.”

“Right.”

“…….. If possible, please find a route that the Student President can drive on,” Layfon cut in.

“What do you mean?”

“Here they come!” he pulled out his Dite while the bike was still rolling across the plain. He inserted a card into one of the slots on the Dite.

“You can drive?”

“Ah, yes, but…….”

“I sense a number of presences behind us, 0402 and 0840.”

“What?” Karian looked back.

Layfon stopped the bike. “Filth monsters!”

“How come?”

Filth monsters were flying towards them.

“Are they not the same as Harupe?”

“They’ve been hiding in this area.”

The presence of murderous intent born out of starvation. The presence that Layfon was similar with.

“So Harupe’s control isn’t absolute,” Karian sighed. Layfon stepped down to the passenger seat of the bike.

“Please don’t mind me when you drive.”

“All right,” Karian pressed on the pedal and the bike started running again. Layfon connected the handles of the Adamandite and the Safaiadites and restored them.

“Layfon, the flow of psychokinesis is obstructed in my investigation of the filth monsters,” Felli said.

“What’s happening?”

“I don’t know, but is there a reason why the filth monsters can’t let you go?”

“We’re still in the area……. It’s not strange the use of psychokinesis is affected. We can’t deny the possibility that Harupe might have changed its mind. These filth monsters might be as powerful as Harupe. Anyway, it has its own purpose,” Karian speculated.

“How far can you use psychokinesis?” Layfon asked.

“Not for long distance. It’d work better if I can come to your side but that isn’t possible……… If you go inside the group of filth monsters, your transmitter and visual aid would fail. I might even end up losing your position.”

“Pretty bad?” Karian said.

“If it is just fighting, I don’t find the situation too bad.”

A number of matured forms. They wouldn’t be cut open with the steel threads as easily as did the larvae. Karian immediately understood the implication in Layfon’s words.

“I’ll be troubled if you don’t come back. Is there a way to make some of them head another way?”

“I don’t think so. Perhaps this is their first time coming across food other than pollutants. They’ve been enduring for a while. Now they can’t wait anymore.”

What should they do? It was useless to ask. Layfon was the only fighting force in this situation. None of the filth monsters were in their aged phase, but they were matured, males that were probably in phases 1-3. Lintence was the only Heaven’s Blade who had the skill to slaughter a large number of filth monsters at the same time. But Layfon hadn’t managed to learn all of Lintence’s skills.

“If you’re correct, then they’re just heading over for a change of taste. Felli, please find a route that the Student President can drive on at full speed. If possible, find one that isn’t too far from Zuellni.”

“Got it.”

The Dite changed into its steel thread form in place of the sword form held in the Safaiadite. The Adamandite did well to support jumping on steel threads over a large area.

“Did a lot of thinking?”

“Just thinking on what I can do.”

“I don’t mean that. I mean you,” Karian said. “Academy City is like a passage. All who associate with it will leave after they graduate. Is this place really worth protecting? It isn’t because the Military Artists are yet to mature that explains their weak fighting strength. It’s because they all hold the same doubts. What can they protect? Is what they’re protecting important enough to them that they should die for it? Military Artists lose courage and flee because they fail to solve that problem.”

The bike made a huge leap. Karian’s body shook violently when the bike landed, and Layfon steadied him to prevent him from falling off. His helmet smashed against Karian’s.

“Why are you fighting for Zuellni? Not for money. If you were that type of person, I’d be very willing to put you beside me, but you’re not like that. Your purpose is to survive, and you rely on Nina Antalk to survive. Because both you and she won’t change much in the next few years,” Karian said as Layfon continued to pour Kei into the steel threads. The distance between the trap and the filth monsters was shortening.

“There are people who exist to help point out the path of life. Before the end of their lives, people are solving their own problems in different situations. But you’re not one to fight at the cost of your life. Will you fight for Zuellni even if it costs you your life?”

“That kind of thing……..”

The filth monsters had entered the steel thread area. Layfon leaped onto the threads and howled, “How should I know!”

A few filth monsters had been cut by the steel threads and fell onto the earth. Layfon concentrated on a filth monster before him instead of checking to see whether the others were dead.

Karian went to meet Harupe for the sake of Zuellni. He was just a normal person, yet he did it to protect Zuellni. Then was Layfon the same? The Layfon who had been pulled through by the intense will of Nina?

“How should I know!”

He pulled the steel threads, controlling them as he ran on them. Blood spurted from filth monsters’ bodies. The distance between Layfon and the bike became wider. Zuellni might be the reason why the filth monsters had chosen this path. The destination that both Layfon and Karian were heading for. In that case, Layfon must take care of them here. The problem now wasn’t with the number of steel threads he had but with the length of them.

“What’s it?” Felli said.

“I don’t think it’s a problem handling them here, but it’ll be difficult to fight filth monsters that are further away,” Layfon said.

“Um…… we’ve a tiny problem here,” Karian said.

“What?”

“Felli, how much longer till we reach Zuellni?”

“Two hours minimum. What’s wrong?”

“The batteries. Two hours. Amazing!”

“Ah……..”

Two hours. They had spent two hours resting at night and cutting off the engine.

“We already used the spare battery.”

A bike wasn’t the same as a roaming bus. Still, the bike was made for long distance travel, so the batteries shouldn’t run out so easily, and they did change a new battery before they slept!

“No way! Perhaps it sustained some damage during the ride. A place that can damage the battery…….”

“How come?”

“We won’t make it unless Zuellni comes to meet us……… What should we do?”

It wasn’t possible to kill all of the filth monsters in two hours.

“You’re calm, Nii-san.”

“Getting into a panic does nothing. So what does Layfon plan to do next? If you plan to stand there and fight with your life, I’ll stay with you.”

“Nii-san!”

“The filth monsters might not split up even if I run away as bait. So we can only rely on Layfon and buy some time for Zuellni to finish its preparations!”

“You don’t have to do that,” Layfon said. He didn’t really like Karian, but not many people could show his calmness and resoluteness while conversing with a filth monster. “Zuellni cannot lose its Student President.”

“Thanks, but……..”

“Leave this nonsense and come back!” someone else said angrily.

“Ah! Vance, you heard us!”

“Of course! We’ve relayed the current situation to all Military Artists. We’re making preparation. You just need to head straight back. We’ll take care of them.”

“That’s reckless……..” Layfon said.

“You shut up. I’m the Head of Military Arts! I won’t allow you, a platoon member, to disobey an order. Just keep those filth monsters together while you head straight back for Zuellni. This is an order!”

The anger in the voice allowed no protest and kept Layfon silent.

“Do you really have a plan?”

“I’ll show you the defense we have. Just come back!”

“That makes me glad,” Karian said.

“That’s right. I’ll lead the way,” Felli said.

“I’m counting on you, Layfon. You can return while keeping them like this, can’t you?”

“Got it.”

He wasn’t satisfied but it was true that he couldn’t fight them all alone. Layfon returned to the bike.

“Counting on you!”

Karian put his attention back to driving as Layfon did his best to herd the filth monsters together. The filth monsters chasing them were tangled in the steel threads and those who tried to split up were herded back by Layfon’s external Kei.

“Isn’t this unbelievable? He…….”

“What do you mean?” Layfon said, keeping his eyes on the filth monsters.

“He made a decision to fight so many filth monsters!”

“Well……..”

“You said you couldn’t win against Harupe. To you, the meaning of a fight depends on the gap of strength between you and victory. I don’t mean you aren’t prepared to die in a fight, but that’s about what your fight is like – chosen from the few to enter the arena. What did you fight for? It must have been money in Grendan.”

“………”

“You fought under disadvantageous circumstances. You haven’t fought differently so you don’t understand their feelings.”

“Student President, understand what?”

“To understand that they have what you don’t have!”

The reason to protect Zuellni. The reason to fight even at the cost of one’s life.

“What?”

“Glory!”

“Eh?”

“You might think what kind of reason is that. But most Military Artists fight for the pride and glory in them. Only they can protect the city. They’re to protect their citiess with their hands……. And that’s the meaning of survival!”

Layfon recalled Karian’s speech at Zuellni.

“So you did it for that?”

“Yes, in order to summon their pride. They chose the pride of a Military Artist, and that is a reason worthy of throwing one’s life away for.”

“So stupid, how…….”

“But what else is left? A Military Artist has the duty to fight filth monsters once he’s born to this world. That’s why the society made changes for them. In order to obtain glory. Duty doesn’t mean simple sacrifice. Military Artists fight with their pride to protect the city. That’s what society trains them to do.”

“……….”

What’re you saying? That’s a lie! You’re wrong! But Layfon didn’t give voice to those thoughts. He understood deep down that Karian was right.

Karian glanced at him a bit sadly. “You weren’t trained like that. Perhaps you had that question before you received your training…….. Either way, your pride is as a Military Artist who doesn’t die. And for that, you can keep on walking no matter how hard life becomes. As a Military Artist, you don’t escape from reality. And because of that, you have to find your reason to fight. I wanted to say this to you too, Felli.”

Was this Karian’s love for his sister?

Felli didn’t reply. The bike continued on its path. The murderous intent of the filth monsters shrouded Layfon and Karian, as if that tension was about to explode. The steel threads cut through the murderous intent. The liquid spurting from filth monsters’ bodies turned into a mist. Those monsters who fell onto the ground writhed in agony, and were immediately consumed by their brethren.

The two hours long flight was about to come to an end. Karian’s bad driving skill allowed the bike to slide on the ground, and that wore out the tires quicker than usual. The brake wasn’t as sensitive now. The engine was overheating and parts of it were melting. The bike wasn’t the only thing edging close to its limit. Karian had almost exhausted his physical strength and concentration as he experienced the terror of filth monsters outside the city. He did all he could to keep himself calm and dispel the fear in him like all other Military Artists.

“The signal’s out. Seems we’re about to run out,” Karian mumbled.

A red light was flashing in the middle of the control panel, and the status of the battery showed “low”.

And Zuellni finally appeared before them.

“Great……..” Karian’s words were cut off. The bike swayed as his head lulled.

“He’s lost consciousness!” Felli said in a shrill voice. The sight of Zuellni had broken Karian’s concentration, causing him to sink into a slumber. The bike crashed into a huge rock and Karian was thrown out of his seat.

Layfon caught the Student President in the air. The engine sparked and the entire bike exploded. Pieces of the bike scattered and cracked wheels shot upward. Layfon ran ahead of the explosion. The weight of Karian prevented him from dashing at full speed.

“Five more minutes. Keep at it! Run!” Vance shouted.

Layfon bit his lower lip, the steel threads waving madly behind him.

Jump, run, leap……… He ran through a sea littered with debris to where Zuellni stood. Something sounded on the surface of his helmet. The pieces of earth shattered by Zuellni’s passage danced everywhere, and those pieces of small debris hammered Layfon. Praying the debris wouldn’t damage the protective suit, he kept running. Unable to evade the shattered pieces, Layfon headed underneath the city.

A presence behind them suddenly surged. His steel threads closed in on the filth monster and cut apart its wing. It lost its balance to slide on the ground.

“Wu-!”

But the filth monster didn’t give up. It slid with the momentum of its fall with its jaws wide open, planning to sweep Layfon and Karian into its mouth. Layfon could’ve jumped up to avoid the attack, but he couldn’t do it with Karian on his shoulder.

“Keep running!” Sharnid’s voice sounded from Layfon’s helmet. Gun shot. And the filth monster wailed. The bullet had shot through its eye.

“Compared to attacking the enemy head on, sniping really is much more enjoyable!”

Layfon kept running. The door of the city was closed, and he could see Sharnid standing there. Two new figures slipped through the door and leapt past Layfon, one holding a lance and one holding a baton.

“Aaaaaaaaaaa!!” Naruki roared. She adjusted her landing trajectory in the air and swung her baton with all her might at the weakest scale of the filth monster – in between its eyebrows. The attack bounced Naruki off the filth monster’s body, but her attack managed to shatter the scale and expose the meat beneath. She tossed out a rope and it hooked itself onto the filth monster’s lower jaw.

“Aaaa!!”

She slid down the rope, the rope stopping the filth monster’s movement, pulling its head down to the ground.

“Heee………” Naruki pulled at the rope to keep the filth monster in place. Her shoes sank deep into the ground and the rope made a moaning voice at the pressure. The tug of war didn’t last long. Naruki let go of the rope and left her spot.

Dalshena leapt up. Her lance stabbed deep into the wound that Naruki had made. The bone of the filth monster’s head broke as Dalshena’s external Kei destroyed the brain cells. Blood spurted from the filth monster. Its head crashed heavily onto the ground. It died.

Shocked at what had happened beside him, Layfon hadn’t stopped running.

He then felt a change above him.

(What’s it?)

A massive amount of Kei was being gathered on the outskirt of the city.

Layfon arrived below the door. No time to use the lift. Should he jump………? A new figure appeared at the door. Wearing a protective suit, the figure slid down the rope, its length coiling around her waist.

[[Image:CSR vol06 263.jpg|thumb]]

“Give me your hand!” her voice sounded in Layfon’s helmet.

--The voice he had wanted to hear for so long.
-- The voice filled with colors.
-- The voice that shone before him.

Layfon leapt and took hold of her hand. He handed Karian over. They confirmed each other at the closest distance possible.

“You’re back!”

“Yes!”

They spoke without using the force of psychokinesis.

A great flash of light enveloped them the next second. A huge ball of Kei had shot out from the city, obliterating a large number of filth monsters and triggering chain explosions.

“Let’s go!”

“Yes!” Layfon retrieved the steel ropes and turned the Adamandite into a sword.

The feeling of the tightening of relaxed nerves. The feeling of his flesh and his concentration coming together. The feeling of Kei exploding from head to toe. He was confirming what he had – some kind of meaning that could release his strength. Something that was like a parasite……….. This was the current Layfon Alseif, howling alone as he leapt into the battlefield.

Pulled back into the city, Nina put Karian down. The medical team, its members all wearing protective suits, rushed over to tend to the Student President. Nina looked at the battle. The second shot of massive Kei closed in on the filth monsters like a ball of light.

“This is………”

A weapon she had never seen before. The intensity of the Kei made the air vibrate.

“The Kei cannon!” Karian said, standing up with the support of the medical team. “It’s not on that huge a scale. We need about 100 Military Artists to recharge it. Not a very good weapon.”

“To make this weapon, that means……..”

“We don’t have to cower under the threat anymore, besides……..”

Nina watched Karian’s eyes.

“He has become his original self.”

“No! If he does that, then it’s meaningless for him to come here. You’re the Student President. You shouldn’t be tolerating his condition. Don’t you realize that you’re using him like a tool?” Nina reproved.

Academy City. A city that no one could view it as home – that was the city’s fate. A cold yet gentle place that nurtured newborn birds that had yet to fly.

Karian was shocked by Nina’s words. “I’m using Layfon as a tool…….?” Outrage surged in him. It wasn’t like that! – He wanted to shout it out, but ended up swallowing it. He calmed himself down. “I’d receive punishment if I did that.”

But Leerin had said.

“He has to shoulder the agony that is the result of his punishment. When that time comes……..”

Reproving himself and reproving everything around him.

Nina watched the battle. Layfon was dancing with the filth monsters, sword held high.

“When that time comes, and till the end ………”

She wanted to stand with him.

“He shouldn’t feel regret at what he himself has done.”

Nina continued to gaze at the battlefield. She felt a sigh coming from Karian.

Birds called somewhere out in this world.

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