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The Unexplored Summon Blood Sign:Volume1 Opening2

2014-10-04T06:25:44Z

Chilliam: umbrella-> bamboo hat, both read かさ, fits a ronin better

==Opening X-02: Tense Beginning==

''(It’s beginning.)

''(A battle between summoners. And at the worst possible time!!)

'''(Opening X-02 Open 04/14 22:25)

'''Tense Beginning

Let us move back in time a little.

Let us return to the instant that certain twin shrine maidens realized they had failed.

“Dammit!!”

International Revived City – Toy Dream 35. Former name: Natsumi. After letting a massive foreign corporation take care of its economic collapse, all of the city’s administrative authority had been handed over and it had been reborn as a giant profitable amusement park filled with the dreams of children and the hopes of adults. This new standard had spread beyond just America and Japan to reach every continent.

In the harbor on the coast, the never-ending expanse of the dark sea seemed to symbolize the night and death.

This was the entrance for the materials needed to support the amusement park that was an incarnation of mass consumption. Like a hole in the bright festival that was covered in decorative lights and fireworks, this one spot was ruled by darkness. And that darkness that counterbalanced the ever-consuming city was a battlefield for two girls.

Meinokawa Renge.

Meinokawa Higan.

They both had smooth skin and long, straight, and glossy hair. They both wore the scarlet hakama of a Shinto shrine maiden, but while Renge had the stereotypical black hair and pale skin of a shrine maiden, Higan had blonde hair and blue eyes that contradicted that stereotype.

And they also had different roles.

Renge was a summoner and Higan a vessel. Both were necessary for the summoning ceremony.

Renge muttered to herself as if growling like a beast.

“We screwed up. …Or was this what they were planning from the beginning? Either way, this is dangerous. Higan, don’t think about fighting! The job doesn’t matter anymore. We need to escape to
safety!”

“R-Renge, um, what do you mean this is what they were planning?”

Despite her sister’s hesitant question, Renge did not have time to explain.

It was supposed to have been a simple job.

The ghost of a “white woman” was supposedly appearing in Toy Dream 35’s harbor. In the world of summoning ceremonies, that usually meant a gathering of power had been left wandering due to a few overlapping circumstances. Whether it was physical or a kind of data, it was common knowledge to summoners that the soul existed. And if some kind of conditions were thrown off, an error could occur and the soul of the dead would lose its destination. It would be stuck in this world like rainwater gathering in a drain clogged with leaves.

And in most cases, a summoner would not even need to fight. If they simply made their way to the location and prepared to summon something “not of this world”, the ghost would disappear on its own as if the clog had been removed. It was unknown whether it was simply a phenomenon being destroyed or if the soul really did go to heaven, but it did resolve the paranormal phenomenon. Compared to making use of all their secrets to ruthlessly battle other summoners, exterminating ghosts or monsters and sealing ancient texts were like odd jobs to earn some extra money. It was much like the bamboo hat-making side job of a ronin.

But this should not have happened.

The instant the clash began, all of the disposable summoners – including the Meinokawa sisters – thought the same thing: we failed.

(Like hell there was a “white woman”. This was actually a way of checking on their enemies. You could call it forced reconnaissance. I don’t know who’s behind this, but they’re trying to judge their true strength by seeing how many of us they can defeat. I should have suspected something when so many freelance summoners were gathered in one place!!)

The entire asphalt ground shook.

While hiding behind a giant warehouse, the sisters began to sweat when they realized what had caused the shaking. They could see the gantry cranes used to lower containers from cargo ships, but several objects twice their size were slowly moving through the harbor. Yellow and green light indicated the location of the monsters’ eyes in the darkness and the great height of those eyes was enough to fill the girls with fear.

And they were not optimistic enough to think these had been summoned by their allies.

“Renge, those are…Fafnir and um, uh, Yamato no Orochi…aren’t they?”

“Dammit. They’re summoning Divine-class Materials!?”

Monsters of such high purity and power did not simply appear on their own. Long ago, people had believed the gods could appear anywhere and at any time, but once it was all calculated out, the places and conditions for them to descend were so few it had left the religious leaders speechless. There was only one possibility here.

This was the work of summoners. Those monsters had undoubtedly been artificially called in with a summoning ceremony.

But these giant dragons did not swing their arms, try to bite, or spew flames or poison from their mouths.

They simply extended their bodies and collapsed forward.

It was a very simple attack, but that was exactly what made it so difficult to avoid. It was the same principle as a giant’s hand swatting at a fly. However, the result of this simple action was massive.

At the center of the blast, warehouses, piles of containers, and cranes flew up into the air. A wave several meters tall traveled through the thick asphalt ground like it was a liquid. But even if one saw that wall approaching, there was nothing they could do about it.

Renge and Higan were thrown into the air like a charging bull’s horns had jabbed them from below.

At the same time, the giant warehouse they had been hiding behind began to collapse because its entire foundation had been destroyed.

The sisters did not have time to worry about what had happened to the other freelance summoners who had been the target of that attack.

Renge’s back slammed into the ground and she grabbed and tugged on the shrine maiden outfit of Higan who was gasping and having trouble breathing. They had to move as far away from the collapsing warehouse as they could.

(I won’t let her die here.)

Renge clenched her teeth that tasted of iron and dragged Higan behind her.

(My sister means the world to me, so I won’t let some people I’ve never even seen crush her as some disposable pawn!! We will escape here. We will! I’ll do whatever it takes to ensure that!!)

“Higan! Stand up! Force yourself if you have to, but gather strength in your legs!”

If they crossed the fence three hundred meters ahead, they could escape the harbor. However, there was no cover along the way, so they would be out in the open. There were plenty of lights and they would be spotted right away if they approached carelessly, so they needed to find some other route or method.

“R-Re-Renge… Um, how many Incense Grenades do you have?”

“I have three left. I used too many at the beginning. You counted them with me before, remember? And they aren’t biscuits in your pocket, so there aren’t going to be more of them when you count them again.”<ref>A reference to the Japanese children’s song Fushigi na Pocket.</ref>

“Th-then…”

Higan was still gasping for breath, perhaps because of all the fear and confusion filling her.

“We can only begin a battle three more times?”

“Look how many summoners they have on a high enough level to bring out Divine-classes. It doesn’t matter how many we had, it still wouldn’t be enough. I said not to think about fighting, remember? If we don’t focus on slipping past them, we’ll be cornered in no time.”

Each of them was a powerful soldier, but an overwhelming army was attacking them. Meanwhile, they were forced to lament their lack of ammunition. It was just like a hopeless scene from an old war movie. If they did not shift their goal from “defeating the enemy and winning” to “surviving”, nothing but a heroic death awaited them.

A low tremor filled the air once more.

The Meinokawa sisters held their breath and checked their surroundings, but fortunately, they had not been noticed by Fafnir, Yamato no Orochi, or the other giant dragons who towered more than a head above everything else. The monsters were slowly moving in a distant area, but that meant some of their allies were on the receiving end of that fierce attack.

Higan’s face grew pale and Renge heard her mutter something under her breath.

“(Oh, White Queen who guides us to victory in extraordinary battles, please reach out to this fragile human soul. I-I’ll eat the bell peppers I don’t like and I’ll do what my sister tells me, so…)”

That good luck charm was not uncommon in their business. The unsophisticated behavior of her sister reminded Renge of something.

She had vowed to do whatever it took to let her precious sister escape.

She bit her lip at what she had promised herself and only bit down harder as time passed.

“Summoners can speak with the gods in more ways than prayer. Let’s go, Higan.”

“Wh-where?”

“Back home, of course. And now you definitely have to overcome your dislike of bell peppers.”

With that answer, Renge lowered down to hide behind the wreckage of the warehouse and she began to move once more. She was already picturing the layout of the harbor. She had an idea of a safe exit, but it was a fair distance away: 1.3 kilometers. They would have to cut across almost the entire harbor. If they did so at random, they would be found almost instantly, but they could ensure their survival by advancing cautiously as if passing through the eye of a needle.

They moved in quick bursts as if leaping from pile of rubble to pile of rubble.

They avoided the light and did their best to blend into the shadows.

When a suspicious figure – most likely an enemy summoner – passed by within two meters of them, they desperately held their breaths and waited for them to leave.

With her throat stinging from the tension and a hand over her sister’s mouth, Renge slowly but surely approached the exit.

But then she heard some nearby rubble collapsing.

In the street lights, she could see large objects littering the ground here and there. One looked like a giant dinosaur egg, one like an adult who had collapsed and was futilely moving his arms and legs like a clockwork doll, one like a dead tree, one like a doll trying to start an invisible engine with its mouths hanging half open, one like ice cream fallen to the ground, and one like a women sitting on the ground and muttering to herself.

These were the “losers”.

Summoners fought by calling in Materials which were beings not of this world. Those Materials had godlike power, but if they were defeated before your eyes, a shock on the level needed to kill a god would be carved into your heart. That was the despair of seeing the end of a legend or the end of the world. People were unable to make the obvious decision to fight it and they could do nothing more than stare blankly at the approaching wall of calamity.

They had not passed out.

They were conscious, but they could not move.

An old phrase referred to the mummy hunter becoming a mummy, but this may have been closer to becoming a zombie. They would slowly continue their meaningless actions and they would slowly obey anyone who gestured simple instructions to them. It was a disturbingly ironic fate for those who controlled such powerful beings.

Medically, it was much like the state that anyone fell into after a stun grenade’s intense flash and sound went off nearby. But while that state of not knowing if they were alive or dead lasted for only a dozen or so seconds, this complete lack of understanding lasted for over a day. There was no room for overcoming it with empty ideas like “fighting spirit” or “hard work”. The basic structure of the human mind simply could not endure it.

But that alone was not enough to kill them and sometimes they would be spared, but could they expect that kind of mercy from the enemy who was thoroughly mopping up every intruder in the harbor?

The enemy could kill them at any time and they would not resist or protest if someone pulled on their hand and led them into a blast furnace that boiled metal, so the victors were focusing on exterminating those that could still move.

The enemy would kill them when they happened across them or after all of the fighting was over. And it would be as easy as crushing a raw egg someone had left on the side of the road.

“(R-Renge…Renge! We need to help them before they’re found!!)”

“(We can’t, Higan! We can’t run around carrying people right now!!)”

The losers would follow anyone’s gestured instructions or anyone who tugged on their hands, so the sisters could guide them by tying a handkerchief to a stick and waving it. However, moving with so many people would stand out too much. They would practically be asking the enemy to kill them.

Higan almost rushed out without thinking, so Renge quickly moved to stop her.

However, something else happened first: a bloody hand reached out and weakly grabbed Higan’s shrine maiden hakama.

“Don’t… You will…end up just like them…”

It was a middle-aged man in a worn-out suit. There was no need to ask which side he was on. They had not noticed him yet because he had been hiding in the shadows and his legs had been crushed by the rubble of a collapsed warehouse.

“You lost too?”

“I quickly got rid of my Material so I didn’t end up like them, but that means I lost my protection too. I freed my mind, but I was caught in the rubble. My vessel is ''in there'' too.”

Higan looked up at the mountainous silhouette with despair in her eyes.

The middle-aged summoner gave a self-deprecating laugh.

“Guard of Honor.”

“What?”

“That’s what they call themselves. They’re willing to exterminate us to hide any information on them, so I think spreading that term is a way to get back at them. …Tell your client. I’m sure that name is just that important.”

“Guard of Honor?”

Renge frowned.

In its standard use, that term referred to special soldiers gathered for extravagant parades. However, they could be viewed both as the soldiers gathered for a ceremony and the soldiers who carried out a ceremony. When both summoners and vessels were using the name, it was difficult to say which meaning was being emphasized.

And they did not have time to sit around thinking about it.

A tremendous impact rang out in the distance.

It was the roar of a giant dragon using its body to crush someone.

Not only did another wave run through the broken ground around the center of the blast, but the few remaining buildings and the piles of rubble collapsed. The sisters were thrown into the air and began to choke as their backs hit the ground.

And once they recovered, that man was nowhere to be seen.

The giant maw of rubble had swallowed him up and all that remained was a dark red liquid dripping from the cracks.

This was reality.

The nightmare was not over yet and they were not just going to wake up.

“Cough, cough. Oh, White Queen, please watch over the path of this lost human soul.”

“Higan, we don’t have time to pray for every person who dies! Damn, they’re coming this way!!”

A moment later, something was thrown from behind cover and toward Higan. It was a cylindrical metal can the size of a hairspray bottle.

“An Incense Grenade!?”

Renge had no time to spare.

She too sprang out into the cold light just before the can exploded.

But unlike a normal grenade, no explosive blast or fragments tore into Higan. Instead, a transparent mist sprayed out over the area. The harbor air that smelled of oil quickly changed to the air next to a clear mountain stream.

At the same time, complex symbols of light were drawn on the road in the center of the blast and dim pale light filled the area. Even someone with little knowledge in the field would understand that this was a type of magic circle carefully calculated out using a system of occult techniques. It was known as an Artificial Sacred Ground.

It was also a cage.

This field was cut off from everything else to allow for large-scale and high-purity summoning ceremonies. Objects and normal people were ignored as the twenty meter square cage accurately enclosed only the summoner, the vessel, and the individual set as their target.

(It’s beginning.)

Meinokawa Renge accurately grasped the situation.

Something had changed. At some point, two people had appeared in the center of the blast. They were both white women wearing red and black riding suits. The one in black had a thick collar around her neck.

The collar was the same as the blindfold on Higan’s forehead and the bit around her neck. A vessel always wore symbols of bondage. That was to prevent a vengeful or evil spirit that had not been summoned from taking control of their mental state from the outside.

(A battle between summoners. And at the worst possible time!!)

Renge reached into her shrine maiden outfit’s pocket and scattered a bundle of Japanese paper through the air. They whirled through the air and quickly formed a hard stick about 180 centimeters long.

However, that was the most magic a single human could accomplish.

They could not shoot fire from their hands or fly through the sky on a broom. Producing a magic wand with no tricks up their sleeve was the limit.

And that was exactly why those fragile humans relied so heavily on the higher beings that possessed great power.

“Higan! Get ready!!”

As she shouted, the riding suit pair also moved. One of the glamourous beauties swung an arm horizontally and controlled sand to create a two meter rod.

(Uniquely Selfless?)

Renge frowned at the words carved into the side of the long rod.

(I’ve never heard that nickname before, but I doubt a rookie trying to make a name of herself would appear hear. Is this a hidden player who doesn’t show up in the official awards!?)

Meinokawa Renge and Uniquely Selfless made gentle strokes with the long rods in their hands and the color red trailed after the moving tip like a car’s tail light.

The name changed depending on religion, but among professional summoners, this was simply known as the Blood-Sign.

Inside the Artificial Sacred Ground cut off by the Incense Grenade, something like a hologram appeared between the Meinokawa sisters and the riding suit pair. At first glance, the object looked like a die with colorful patterns on its sixty centimeter sides, but it was not.

It was a gathering of spheres of light that were as big as apples and as red as blood.

These were the crimson Petals that were divided between low, middle, high, and lowest sounds. All 216 Petals were gathered in what summoners called a Rose. These girls in Japanese clothing had little connection to it, but the Rose had its roots in a symbol of Western magic that used a rose emblem to conceal the secrets of summoning archangels.

The appearance of the Rose acted as a signal.

Three spheres of white light suddenly appeared near Renge and the beautiful woman known as Uniquely Selfless. These spheres of light were distinct from the previous ones and they were known as White Thorns. No one there questioned their appearance. They simply gathered strength in their right hand which held the long rod known as a Blood-Sign, supported it with two fingers of their extended left hand, used all their strength by transferring the rotation of their legs and hips to the rest of their body, and forcefully jabbed the tip into one of their White Thorns.

The Rose was struck from both sides and it scattered in every direction. The Petals emitting crimson light were sent every which way. Those spheres of light contained the elements of various sounds, divided between low, middle, and high. They bounced off the ground, walls, rubble, and edges of the Artificial Sacred Ground, but they passed right through the Meinokawa sisters and the riding suit beauties. That was because they were not actually physical objects.

There was no need to stop their movement.

Renge jabbed with her Blood-Sign and its tip almost seemed to be drawn in toward the second glowing White Thorn floating near her.

A change had come over the battlefield.

As soon as the box-shaped Rose had fallen apart, Spots had appeared across the space isolated by the Incense Grenade. They appeared on the ground, the walls, in the gaps between the rubble, and in midair. These fist-sized holes would cause something to “fall” into it no matter what direction it contacted it from and there were thirty-six in all. Renge looked around in search of them.

(Fourteen. Damn, so over half of them are hidden!!)

Meanwhile, one of the ricocheting crimson Petals contacted one of the many Spots and fell inside.

All of the Petals had a single letter of the alphabet carved into it in accordance with a certain set of rules. Even from a distance, a summoner could intuitively feel the “meaning” just from seeing the light.

The low sounds were b, c, d, f, g, h, and j.

The middle sounds were k, l, m, n, p, q, and r.

The high sounds were s, t, v, w, x, y, z.

The lowest sounds were a, i, u, e, and o.

The twenty-six letters of the alphabet had the five vowels removed as the lowest sounds and the remaining twenty-one were split into the three categories of low, middle, and high.

Renge had knocked the high sound “s” into a Spot.

This was where the battle truly began.

“It’s starting! Higan, keep strong!!”

“R-right. Got it. Um, I’ll do my best!”

Before Higan had finished speaking, the change began.

Summoners called in Materials, life forms that did not exist in this world, by having them possess the physical body of a vessel. Once the Material was temporarily fixed there, it could be used. That was a simple overview of the system.

With a sticky sound, Meinokawa Higan’s body and the shrine maiden outfit she wore both changed form. She became a three meter mass of sticky liquid with the unnaturally yellow coloration of some sodas. This form was thoroughly unpleasant, hideous, and blasphemous. Floating deep in the transparent slime was a smooth one-meter human form known as the Silhouette.

That was Meinokawa Higan.

She was the Silhouette used to hold the monster in this world. Everything else was a decoration and crushing that Silhouette would end it all in a single strike.

(The Original Yellow (s), costs one high sound. And the enemy chose…)

She heard a similar sound, but it was an unhealthily red mass that created a spiral next to the beauty known as Uniquely Selfless.

(A low sound? Damn!! At this rate, we’ll be taken out by the circular relationship!!)

Renge immediately switched over her thoughts.

Basically, if she hit the sound spheres into the Spots using her White Thorns, the number and arrangement of the sounds would transform the Material. Ignoring the lowest sounds, the low, middle, and high sounds had a circular relationship much like rock-paper-scissors. If they were at a disadvantage, they only needed to switch to a different range of sound or a different individual Material.

Of course, during a deadly battle, the enemy was not necessarily going to sit idly by and let that happen.

(Tch! She’s good. This goes beyond simple technique. She’s predicting everything I try to do!!)

Both Renge and the Guard of Honor assassin sent out White Thorns. Each time one struck a Petal of the different categories of sound, complex blood-red lines would be drawn through the air and the various sounds of the Petals landing in the Spots would reach their ears. Like someone randomly messing with piano keys or guitar strings, it created a primeval song of destruction that filled anyone who heard it with confusion. The intense dance of light and sound caused the bizarre Materials to change form again and again.

They became a stuffed animal holding a bloody axe, a giant stag beetle that’s legs and pincers had been torn off by a mischievous child and who had wheels and razor blades attached in their place, or a massive gear that could roll around on its own.

The White Thorns floating in the air were replenished at ten second intervals, so they could be fired off quite quickly if necessary.

Renge interpreted this as a way of carving out a name.

The supernatural was brought in by calling its name. Every part of the world had traditions about not using a god’s name in vain or using code words when speaking about fairies. That had been raised to the level of a ceremony when the Sigil of modern Western magic had created a charm for summoning angels by laying a thin sheet of paper over a special diagram of the alphabet and drawing lines to connect together the name of the angel to be summoned.

The modern summoning ceremony had taken that a step further.

This was not contained to one’s mind.

Nor did it leave it up the gods to decide if they would come.

It was a methodology to summon legendary beings into the real world with 100% certainty. The god was not assisting a human; the human was having the god obey him.

(Honestly, it’s like asking for divine punishment. We go beyond our own minds and physically draw out the Materials floating on “the other side” so we can directly use them!!)

Modern summoners used their White Thorns and the low, middle, high, and lowest Petals to freely control those non-standard monsters within the limited space of the Artificial Sacred Ground.

The trick was how to use the Blood-Sign and White Thorns that determined what happened.

No matter how advantageous a sound range you tried to give your Material, your disadvantage would never end as long as the enemy stayed one step ahead of you in transforming their own Material into the sound range that was your Material’s weakness.

Sometimes the enemy would accurately knock Petals into Spots and sometimes she would use her Petal to knock Renge’s Petal off of its course. The riding suit woman had more than one method and she fluidly switched between them.

And meanwhile…

“Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!”

With a roar of anger, the giant monsters clashed over the summoners’ heads.

They no longer resembled the colorful slime from before. In fact, they were going through countless transformations in real time. They would become a giant wolf with a metal jaw, a giant serpent wrapped in flames, a giant fish that tore through the sky, or a queen bee with a human face. It never ended. Oftentimes, the next transformation would begin in just a few seconds, before the previous one was even complete.

It looked like two flows of never-ending transformations were crashing into each other.

The struggle between bizarre creatures gave the impression that whichever one’s evolution progressed further would win.

And while this happened, the minds of Meinokawa Higan and the summoned Material were in constant conflict.

<Gh…,kh!! I can’t…keep my aim straight!!>

By their very nature, vessels could not fully control the Material’s body. This was true even of the colorful slimes with a cost of only one.

The Materials themselves had certain desires that drove them: the desire to devour flesh, to suck blood, to crush everything in sight, or to smash everything after petrifying it.

The vessel could not stop those desires. All they could do was try to control the aim by choosing who those desires would be directed at.

With a single Material, it might have been easy to determine how they acted and work something out.

But things were different when the Material was changing every few seconds. If the vessel did not say focused, their mind could be tossed around and they would let loose indiscriminate destruction in their confusion.

[[Image:BloodSign_v01_053.jpg|thumb]]

<But I will do this. I’ll line up the cursor of my mind and…um…ride that wave through to the end! I won’t waste the Material – the opportunity – that my sister summoned!>

Currently, Meinokawa Higan’s physical body had taken the form of a squid large enough to crush a patrol boat in its grasp. Its name was DEC Tentacle (nu – o – re – a – btv – ag – y). Its yellow eyes glowed as it used the ten thick chains it had in place of tentacles to grab the enemy Material.

A great roar burst out.

A giant arm was growing from the ground like a tree. This was Guard of Honor’s Material named Tree Hand (tzf – qux – o – alc – a – ge) and it struggled against the chains binding it. Once it shook the chains loose, they crashed down from directly above Meinokawa Renge. They were as thick and heavy as the anchor that held a super-heavy tanker in place. That weight and speed alone would have made a strike powerful enough to slice a midsized truck in two.

<Renge!?>

(Stop shouting in my head. I have my protective circle, so I’ll be fine either way.)

Sure enough, Renge was unharmed as she stood within the asphalt dust.

Traditional summoning techniques involved two especially important circles. The most obvious was the summoning circle itself, but the protective circle that guarded the summoner was also important.

With modern summoning ceremonies, the top priority while using a Material’s power was to prevent the summoned monster from interfering with the ceremony. The circle’s effects could be divided into two major categories: stopping all external elements and preventing the summoner from collapsing mid-ceremony due to internal elements such as lifespan or illness. (i.e. in the unlikely event that the protective circle was pierced from outside, the summoner would not die. It could happen the instant the circle was released, though.) In either case, it was less like the monster was taking pity on the human and more like a computer’s emergency power supply. It simply let the summoner safely end the ceremony before they collapsed. Only the human controlling the monster’s existence as part of the ceremony would be protected and only so they could guide the ceremony to completion.

As such, a battle between summoners came down to the clash between the Materials they had summoned. They could swap out or strengthen their Materials, but they could not interfere any more than that and they could not directly kill the opposing summoner. For better or for worse, they could only continue to watch within the protective circle.

Yes.

As long as the Material continued to live and function, that is.

(Even so, this is bad. Really, really bad!!)

Renge clenched her teeth while hitting away her White Thorns with her Blood-Sign.

She could not relax just because she had the protective circle. It felt just as nerve-racking as diving down to the pitch-black depths of the sea in a small submarine made of thin glass. Materials were superior to humans by definition and a human alone could not avoid or defend against their attacks. In other words, the summoner’s death was unavoidable if the thin glass that was the protective circle broke. If another attack arrived after they had already lost and been put into the clockwork doll state of mind, they would undoubtedly be killed in a way more gruesome than being crushed by the water pressure of an ocean trench.

“…”

Renge shuddered as a vision of loss filled the back of her mind. She saw an attack powerful enough to kill the gods hitting her head-on and she saw herself and Higan curled up and trembling in the fetal position. Would the enemy crush them instantly or would they take advantage of the summoner and vessel’s nonresistant zombie-like state to lead them to some cruel public execution?

(There’s nothing I can do. No matter what I try, she cuts me off ahead of time!!)

She supposedly had an endless number of cards available and could continue in any direction, but no matter what, Uniquely Selfless was one step ahead of her. Rather than lying in wait, this enemy was actively matching her movements. It was like the woman could predict the future. It felt like playing rock-paper-scissors dozens of times and losing every single time. That situation continued on and on and Renge could no longer tell if it was a mere technique or if it was a subtle trick.

And that was exactly why she made a mistake she would never have made under normal circumstances.

By the time she realized what had happened, she had already used her last White Thorn.

(Oh, no! I’m out of ammo!?)

Those white spheres were automatically replenished with time and a maximum of seven could be held at a time, so she should never have run out if she had kept a proper pace.

But her confusion had caused her to lose sight of that pace. She had been too focused on switching out her Material.

The White Thorns were replenished at about one every ten seconds.

That was only one-sixth of a minute, but in that time, she could not affect the low, middle, high, or lowest sound Petals or switch out her Material.

And the fatal result arrived a moment later.

At that time, Higan had taken the form of DEC Tentacle, the giant squid with thick chains, and the Material’s chains were wrapped around the Tree Hand that resembled an arm growing from the ground like a giant tree.

The riding suit beauty then fired a White Thorn that knocked a new Petal into a Spot.

The target in the DEC Tentacle’s grasp changed form under the control of Uniquely Selfless. It became a five meter sphere that seemed to be made of balled-up barbed wire as thick as a human arm.

Its name was the Giant Hostile Eye (cuw – nu – o – qux – o – ag – du).

The red pupil in the center intently stared down its target. As soon as a faint light flashed in the center of the barbed wire ball, it expanded in every direction as if it had exploded.

That strike blasted away the ten chains and sent Higan’s giant body staggering backwards.

<Kyah!?>

The enemy’s sound range had shifted from middle to low.

Higan contained a high sound Material, so this was a fatally poor match.

The mass of barbed wire exploded and contracted again and again. Each time, it tore away at the giant squid body of Higan’s DEC Tentacle Material. It was all over if the cracks reached Higan’s soft Silhouette filling the center of the monster’s translucent belly. It was accepted practice that one could not win against your Material’s weakness no matter what. The proper course of action was to change the Material out for one with a different sound range, but Renge could not since she had run out of White Thorns.

It all came down to the circular relationship of the sound ranges. Unless there was a large difference in the cost levels of the two Materials, that relationship could not be overcome with brute force.

Ten seconds.

She only had to wait ten seconds.

More and more of the DEC Tentacle was torn away like wet paper or pieces of styrofoam and the scars of the damage were approaching Higan inside. The tentacle arms made of thick chains were torn off or blown away and a nearby streetlight was broken completely in two.

Renge clenched her teeth while listening to Higan’s screams directly reaching her mind.

(Has my stock of White Thorns still not replenished!? Higan is in danger!!)

Renge could only wait for that time to come, but she suddenly noticed something odd.

The riding suit beauty known as Uniquely Selfless was preparing to hit another of her White Thorns with her Blood-Sign.

(I was wrong.)

Renge gulped.

Guard of Honor already had the sound range her Material was weak to and that advantage would remain for the time being, so the woman had no reason to swap out her Material. That meant she had another reason to use that White Thorn.

(I misread what she was after!!)

Uniquely Selfless was not aiming for the low, middle, or high sounds.

She was aiming for the color white.

One of Renge’s White Thorns continued to slowly ricochet off the floor and walls even after she had run out. After a White Thorn was sent out, it would disappear on its own once it stopped moving. In other words, a summoner could only affect them with the initial hit of the Blood-Sign. But that also made them defenseless when they were moving. Unless a new White Thorn hit them to alter their path, the summoner could only watch them continue on.

(Taboo 3. If a White Thorn still in the field accidentally enters a Spot while the summoner has no White Thorns in stock, the summoner will be killed. They will lose control of the Material’s composition, it will be replaced by the Black Maw that Swallows All (nu – lp – eu – bf – zuh – ei – jkv – iu – a – xw) which is the worst of all the monsters, and it will devour the summoner.)

A chill filled Renge’s entire body as she recalled that standard and inviolable rule.

The enemy had never even truly focused on the clash between Materials.

She was planning to use the taboo of the Black Maw that Swallows All to directly kill the summoner.

(Not good! Not good!! How much longer? Five seconds? Three? Either way, I can’t do anything until my stock is replenished!! And if I’m killed, Higan won’t be able to use any of her power!!)

Uniquely Selfless gathered all her strength to jab with her Blood-Sign. The enemy’s white sphere of light shot forward like a bullet and the riding suit woman clearly intended for it to ricochet off the warehouse wall and then hit Renge’s old White Thorn into a Spot. Its course was aggravatingly accurate.

Renge had nothing to work with.

There was nothing she could do.

She had nothing in stock and if her White Thorn was knocked into the Spot now, she would be killed.

And so she did not rely on her own power.

“Higan!! Destroy the warehouse on the left! Hurry!!”

“!?”

The riding suit woman’s expression changed just a bit.

A moment later, the giant squid being torn apart by the exploding barbed wire collapsed on top of the warehouse to crush it. It destroyed the metal structure as easily as stepping on a paper box.

The enemy had tried to hit Renge’s White Thorn by ricocheting it off the warehouse wall.

With that wall completely gone, the White Thorn fired by Guard of Honor’s summoner strayed from its intended course.

(The enemy’s Material is the Giant Hostile Eye (cuw – nu – o – qux – o – ag – du). If you ignore the six lowest sound vowels, it’s made up of three low sounds, two middle sounds, and two high sounds. That puts it in the low sound range and lets me use ''that''.)

The small bit of time that bought gave Renge a replenished White Thorn.

That single item appeared out of thin air.

She jabbed the tip of her Blood-Sign against the floating White Thorn to immediately fire it. But she had not panicked or not given this proper thought. This time, her attack was based in calm and accurate calculations.

She was targeting the White Thorn the enemy had fired.

This was her revenge.

The two White Thorns collided, their paths changed, and Uniquely Selfless’s one hit both a middle sound and a high sound Petal floating in the air. The two Petals were knocked into and absorbed by Spots.

That made three each of the low sounds, middle sounds, and high sounds.

“Taboo 1.”

When the riding suit beauty heard Renge speak, her face froze over.

She had likely remembered what Renge went on to announce as if reading the woman’s mind.

“A summoner must not gather an equal number of low, middle, and high sounds. If they do, their own Material will transform into the Black Maw that Swallows All and swallow them whole!!”

A sticky sound rang out and the barbed wire form of the enemy’s Giant Hostile Eye transformed into a vortex of pitch-black slime. It rose up like a snake and the very top of the tornado was absolutely filled with fangs.

There was no scream.

Before the woman could make a single noise, the Black Maw that Swallows All attacked from above and instantly devoured the puny human.

A disturbing sound filled the air as a life was lost.

And as if to prove it, the Black Maw that Swallows All transformed yet again. The unconscious vessel woman was thrown carelessly to the utterly broken ground.

But there was no salvation for her either. Upon the summoner’s death, the vessel in which the Black Maw that Swallows All resided had her mind shattered. The previous middle-aged freelance summoner could not have survived being swallowed up by the rubble either, so nothing was gained from this victory.

The piles of rubble would not be returned to normal and the lost lives would not be resurrected as if it had all been a joke.

All that remained was the simple fact that they had won and survived.

That was the world summoners lived in.

Renge then heard the muttering of Higan’s heart through their linked minds.

<Oh, White Queen, please watch over the path of this lost human soul.>

“We don’t have time for sentimentality. Higan, we’re going to make a run for it. We can’t afford to hide. We’ll have to use a chain to break through!!”

In a summoner battle using an Incense Grenade, the Artificial Sacred Ground would disappear on its own when either a conclusion was reached or ten minutes had passed.

However, immediately after defeating the opposing summoner, the summoner could freely move along with the Artificial Sacred Ground for about ninety seconds. Modern summoning ceremonies were a technique to summon the gods using battles, but the “residual heat” remaining after a target was defeated could be used to borrow the enemy’s existence to run the system without it being bound to their thoughts. If a new enemy was taken in for a battle before the ninety seconds ran out, the battle would begin with the current Material intact.

That was a major advantage.

The enemy would be forced to build up their Material from the weakest level, but Renge and Higan could begin with a much more powerful Material. If that lasted long enough, they could build up a Material much more complex and advanced than could be summoned in only ten minutes. Of course, the damage taken would carry over as well and losing the chain for even an instant meant losing it all and having to start from scratch again, but keeping it up would eventually bring the strongest levels within reach. Even the lowest of rookies would be rewarded for their effort if they kept it up.

Just as some giant fireworks were cheerfully launched on the coast opposite this harbor battlefield, the two sisters began running along the asphalt with Higan still transformed into the Material.

There was no point in hiding any longer.

“Higan, we’re going to break through!! The enemy will have to start with the first Materials, so we just have to crush them before they can build it up!!”

They defeated enemy after enemy after enemy after enemy.

While keeping the negative chain going, the two ran through the nighttime harbor.

They destroyed one enemy and then hunted down the next.

And as they did so, the Material residing within Higan continued to grow.

People lay collapsed along the route they had taken. Unlike with the Black Maw created by violating the taboos, defeating the Material via normal methods did not kill the summoner. They instead became clockwork dolls that repeated the same action over and over again due to the attack that killed the god they had summoned. The standard was to finish them off at that point, but it may have been lucky for both sides that they did not have time for that now.

Standard firearms were useless against both summoner and vessel and gathering together only allowed them to continue fighting in a chain. That was what made them so useful, but they were not almighty.

Guard of Honor responded appropriately.

<The human presences are disappearing. Renge, um, what is this?>

“They’re keeping their people away to break our chain. They’re planning to try again once the Artificial Sacred Ground disappears and you return to a normal human. But this is actually perfect for us!!”

Summoner and Material ran to their destination.

After about ninety seconds, the chain broke and the Artificial Sacred Ground vanished. Higan’s body transformed from being a strange monster and back into a lovely girl, which meant their built up power had been lost.

Higan swayed to the side in her shrine maiden outfit.

“…Kh…”

“Are you okay, Higan!?”

Chaining battles together was something like a secret trick and the burden of surpassing the ten minute restriction was placed on the vessel and it grew as time went on. She was fortunate to not have passed out.

And as soon as Renge lent her sister her shoulder, they were surrounded.

There were twenty people in all which meant ten summoner/vessel pairs. While able to control a powerful Material due to their chain was one thing, these numbers put them at an overwhelming disadvantage when they had to restart from the beginning.

Renge looked around and grimaced.

The shape and sizes of their Blood-Signs were all different, but there was one trait in common.

(They all have the name Uniquely Selfless? Dammit, that wasn’t an individual’s name?)

They were directly below the giant bridge connecting the reclaimed land of the harbor with the rest of the city. It was a multipurpose bridge with a road on top, a monorail track down below, and power lines and communication cables running through it. Renge did not remember what its name was.

Amid the great din coming from the bridge, a voice slipped smoothly into her ear. It belonged to one of the several Guard of Honor summoners with the name Uniquely Selfless.

“It’s over.”

“I wouldn’t be so sure.”

“Can you not see this?”

The summoner shook a small can. The object with a pin and safety lever on the top was an Incense Grenade. When it detonated, an Artificial Sacred Ground would open and the final battle would begin.

(Honestly, I can’t believe you can summon a god with a can. Whoever invented those things was insane.)

With that thought about that tool they used, Renge felt sweat pouring from her body within her shrine maiden outfit.

Meanwhile, Uniquely Selfless continued.

“With everyone we cornered here, we’ve asked who hired them. I’ll try it with you as well, but I’m honestly not expecting much since none of the answers have matched so far. It doesn’t matter what. Just give me an answer and I’ll kill you right away.”

“Hey,” said Renge while stepping forward to protect Higan. “Sorry, but we’ve got some extra Incense Grenades. Do you mind if we start this one? It doesn’t really matter who sets up the Artificial Sacred Ground, right?”

“What, do you like exposing your belly to the man-eating beast after losing all hope yet laughing as a living mannequin?”

The summoner sounded surprised and Renge’s eyelids twitched.

However, she managed to maintain her smile.

“One, simply using the Incense Grenade is meaningless. If it is not used while looking directly at the target individual, the Artificial Sacred Ground will not appear.”

A quiet high-pitched sound reached her ears.

She had pulled the Incense Grenade’s pin while holding the safety lever in place.

“Two, no matter where the summoner and vessel are when the Incense Grenade detonates, they will be automatically moved to the center of the created Artificial Sacred Ground.”

With that said, she forcefully threw the Incense Grenade.

However, she did not throw it to her feet or into the enemy formation.

“Three, the Artificial Sacred Ground will be constructed relative to the surface the Incense Grenade is touching when it detonates. This goes beyond the floor or the ground. If the Artificial Sacred Ground is created relative to the wall or ceiling, those inside can freely run around on the wall or ceiling!!”

She threw the can directly upwards and onto the bottom of the giant multipurpose bridge covering them.

More specifically, she threw it onto a car of the unmanned freight monorail racing along the track attached to the bottom of the bridge.

After a bursting sound, the Meinokawa sisters were thrown forcefully into the air as if invisible wires were connected to their bodies. The shock was enough to knock the breath out of them and cause an unpleasant sound in their necks, but it successfully brought them from the harbor and all the enemies there. They slammed into the bottom surface of the freight monorail that was racing along at nearly eighty kilometers-per-hour. The car had a super-deformed image of a lion painted on it as part of an advertisement and Renge had a feeling the thing’s face had dented a little.

“Gah!!”

“Kh… Higan, are you okay? At any rate, we need to get up. This Artificial Sacred Ground won’t last longer than ten minutes. Do you have anything to tie yourself on with? If you don’t, you’ll fall off as soon as the effects wear off.”

The twin sisters stood upside down on the bottom of the monorail like bats.

The harbor that had been such a place of terror was growing smaller by the moment.

Incidentally, just one of the summoners surrounding them would have been dragged along with them as the Artificial Sacred Ground moved with the monorail, but that was no different from being hit by a giant wall moving at eighty kilometers-per-hour. The summoner would not have had time to summon a Material, so their supernatural protective circle would not have functioned. They had most likely been turned to mincemeat.

At any rate, the sisters were finally safe.

Or so they thought.

A moment later, the giant bridge that was also used as a landmark broke completely in half.

For an instant, the two girls did not understand what had happened.

Their vision shook like crazy, but they still spotted a cruiser in the dark ocean directly below. A woman in a pink nurse uniform stood on its deck and she rested a long rod – a Blood-Sign – on her shoulder.

(A summoner!? She interfered!?)

At the same time, what had destroyed the bridge came into view. A small short-haired girl could be seen on the cruiser’s deck next to the summoner. She wore a dancer’s outfit that’s purples cloth just barely covered the important parts of her body. Her exposed skin felt more sickly than seductive, but that may have been because she was sitting in a worn-out and rusty wheelchair. Her head was tilted and nothing resembling a will could be seen in the green eyes half-covered by her bangs. She then made a slight movement of her terribly skinny index finger.

That was all she did, but it was enough to slice apart the several hundred ton bridge.

A massive amount of seawater burst up like a giant wall and a space of several hundred meters was forcibly sliced through. The laser beam gathered any and all objects inside itself, compressed them like a black hole, and tore apart their bonds.

“That’s beyond Divine-class.”

The modern summoning ceremony using the Blood-Sign was a thoroughly simplified technique to summon and use a high-quality version of the fickle gods of legend.

Before, decades were spent carving away stone to build a temple, the movement of the stars was observed to calculate out the perfect timing, and living humans were even prepared as sacrifices, but even then it was up to the god whether they would show up or not. However, those days were over. With the vessel, the Incense Grenade, and the Blood-Sign, it was possible to invite in what was not human with perfect reliability.

The Regulation-class such as the DEC Tentacle that Renge and Higan had used or the Giant Hostile Eye were nothing more than manmade frameworks put together as stepping stones to reach the Divine class. Those true monsters could not be harmed with thermobaric warheads or laser bombardments and they could of course be used in battle, but that was merely a side-effect of being tools to reach the gods.

However, humanity had come to learn something else.

There was something beyond the Divine-class which they had assumed was the final destination of the world’s laws.

There was a territory hidden beyond that and a term had been coined for the secret residents who sat stagnant in that territory.

“The Unexplored-class.”

The Spirit of the Fluttering “Yellow” Gills that Rules the Heavens (s – a – so – voz – tix – ei – yw – za).

The “White” Queen who Wields the Sword of Unsullied Truth (iu – nu – fb – a – wuh – ei –kx – eu – pl – vjz)

And the one wielding its power against them now.

“The Lady of ‘Purple Lightning’ that Separates Good from Evil (iu – ao – eu – ei – kub – miq – a – ci – pl)!?”

As soon as Higan uttered the name, the freight monorails cars lost their connections and fell down into the ocean. The mascots painted on them continued to smile as they crashed into the cold ocean and began to sink. There was nothing Renge or Higan could do but fall along with the rubble.

They had failed.

That same thought entered Renge’s mind once more.

Even so, she desperately reached a hand out toward her sister who had been flung out into empty space.

“Higan!!”

But her wish was not granted.

She could not reach her sister and she was slammed into the surface of the dark, cold ocean.

——What had she been thinking then?

“Gah!?”

Unlike her sister Renge, Meinokawa Higan did not fall into the ocean. Inertia flung her body over the waterway and to the opposite bank.

A number of boats were moored along the bank and she seemed to have landed on one of those. She had trouble breathing and her mind blinked in and out of consciousness, but she thought to herself while unable to get up.

——What had she hoped for then?

(…ge…)

She could not form words or even cough. Her mind was on the verge of tearing apart, but she focused and gained some strength even if it was only in her mind.

As if representing the exact opposite of her mental state, great colorful rings of fireworks burst in the night sky. Their brightness and peacefulness seemed to coldly reject everything about Higan.

(Ren…ge…)

The enemy summoner had to have set up an Artificial Sacred Ground to summon the Lady of Purple Lightning from the Unexplored-class, but it had not captured the twin sisters.

However, Higan did not view that as good luck. That would not have happened without good reason.

The enemy had started by separating the summoner and vessel.

Renge’s fall into the ocean was dangerous. Artificial Sacred Grounds worked relative to one’s footing, so they did not work well in deep water. And neither of the girls could summon a Material alone. Pursuit would soon arrive to defeat them individually while they were defenseless. The man crushed by the rubble had given his own life to tell them the enemy was an organization named Guard of Honor and the enemy summoners would not allow anyone to leave with that information.

A small scraping sound proved her bad feeling true.

Guard of Honor had already surrounded the group of boats on the water. That meant Higan had been intentionally thrown right into their net.

How was just a summoner or just a vessel supposed to stand up to a Material that could not be harmed by bullets or explosives?

But despite the hopeless situation, the first thing on Higan’s mind was not her own predicament. Something more important filled her mind.

An enemy unit had been lying in wait for Higan, so what about her sister Renge? Had a group of frogmen been waiting in the ocean? Or would the Lady of Purple Lightning target her directly from the cruiser? Either way, her odds of victory were almost nonexistent. She would be unable to even set up a proper battle.

(O-oh, White Queen who…guides us to victory…in extraordinary…battles…)

She mouthed the good-luck charm she had repeated again and again since she was young. It had partially been a type of rote learning meant to familiarize her heart with the Materials which were literally not of this world, but she had also innocently believed it. She believed that if she called out and focused her heart enough, it would create some kind of connection.

(Please reach…this fragile…human soul.)

But no help was coming.

It simply could not happen.

Summoning ceremonies were a strict technique. The most useful parts of every ceremony around the world had had been re-unified to create them and they would make the gods (or that which lay beyond them) work for humans with 100% reliability. But when relying on a traditional appeal to a god, the odds of help were something known only by the gods.

And as her vision went dark, Meinokawa Higan lost sight of what she was praying to.

She just vaguely spoke the words.

“Help…”

She would lose her sister at this rate.

(Someone.)

She would lose the sister who shared her blood.

(Anyone. Just save my sister…)

She would literally be devoured.

“Help…”

No response was coming.

No help was coming.

''And yet…

An instant later, she heard a series of loud metallic sounds.

Something fell to the boat’s deck. It was a man in a suit dark enough to blend into the night. As he lay sprawled out with both his strength and consciousness gone, he looked more like an abandoned doll than a human. She was surprised to find Guard of Honor had already made it that close, but the real shock was that the enemy summoner had been defeated.

Who had done it?

What had done it?

She desperately worked her mind that was still fading in and out, but she could not find an answer. However, as she tried to focus her blurry vision, she heard a certain sound.

It was the whoosh of something lighter than a bat tearing sharply through the air. She had heard the sound countless times before. It came from a Blood-Sign, the long rod that summoners used to hit the White Thorns. However, this was not the sound of someone jabbing with the tip. They were instead casually and lazily spinning it around.

(A Blood…Sign?)

Meinokawa Higan desperately tried to raise her head.

(But there’s…no Material here. There’s no summoning…ceremony. Then…did they use it to stab like a spear…and hit the man directly?)

But just as she forced herself, her vision filled with black and she could no longer tell who was there.

“Dammit. I never thought I’d hear that cursed word here.”

And so she simply listened to the boy’s words before relinquishing her consciousness.

“This’ll make a bit of a detour. The apple sherbet won’t melt, will it?”

===Facts===
*When an Incense Grenade is used, an Artificial Sacred Ground is created. The summoning and all other supernatural phenomena can only occur within that space.
*A summoner summons by carving out the “name” of the Material and having it possess their vessel.
*Only the Blood-Sign can affect the White Thorns. The White Thorns, Petals, and Spots will pass through humans and Materials. The White Thorns disappear on their own once they stop. Three are supplied at the beginning and a maximum of seven can be held. One is replenished from thin air about every ten seconds.
*The cost of the Material is determined by the number of Petals placed inside Spots and its sound range is determined by the number of small, middle, and high sounds included. The lowest sounds do not influence the sound range.
*The Material contains the Silhouette which stores the vessel’s mind. If it is destroyed, the battle comes to an end.
*During battle, the summoner enters a protective circle created with their Material’s power. The summoner is essentially invincible during the battle.
*Taboo 1: An equal number of low, middle, and high sound Petals must not be placed in Spots and added to the Material’s stock.
*Taboo 3: When a summoner has no stock of White Thorns, a White Thorn remaining in the field must not enter a Spot.
*The White Thorns, Petals, and Spots are not affected by gravity. However, they are affected by their own sort of friction from the air.
*An Incense Grenade will have no effect unless it is used while viewing the target with the naked eye. Also, an Artificial Sacred Ground can be placed on walls and ceilings. Once the Incense Grenade detonates, the summoner and vessel are pulled toward the center of the Artificial Sacred Ground.
*An Artificial Sacred Ground has a fixed location, but it will move along with the summoner for ninety seconds after their enemy has been defeated. If contact is made with the next enemy in that time, a chain of battles can be achieved while continuing to use the same Material. However, this increases the vessel’s fatigue.
*Materials are divided into three classes: Regulation, Divine, and Unexplored. The upper two classes cannot be summoned through normal means.

<noinclude>
===Notes===
<references/>
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|-
| Back to [[The_Unexplored_Summon_Blood_Sign:Volume1_Opening1|Opening X-01]]
| Return to [[The_Unexplored_Summon_Blood_Sign|Main Page]]
| Forward to [[The_Unexplored_Summon_Blood_Sign:Volume1_Chapter1|Stage 01]]
|-
|}
</noinclude>

Talk:Mahouka Koukou no Rettousei:Volume 13 Chapter 8

2014-10-02T05:18:59Z

Chilliam:

umm why not translate the darn thing chronologically? I know beggars can't be choosers, but it just doesn't make sense to update Chpt 8 instead of 7. Afterword, preface, and that is okay-since speed might be a concern for some translators who just want a quick-go at it.<br />
<br />

ch 7 was registered for by a different translator, who took a while to get around to it... but it should be done in 5 days as a high estimate based on current translation rate... thing is it isn't being translated by only one translator, and well... from the main page:
"Independent translators come to Baka-Tsuki and voluntarily upload their translations to the Wiki for public sharing. Baka-Tsuki does not control what translators choose to translate or how fast they translate. Do not ask when the next chapter will be updated."
that aside, some translators translate on a whim, or find that some sections are beyond their translation level, and will skip them for that reason... though I doubt that is the case here...

Talk:Mahouka Koukou no Rettousei:Volume 13 Chapter 8

2014-10-02T05:18:14Z

Chilliam:

umm why not translate the darn thing chronologically? I know beggars can't be choosers, but it just doesn't make sense to update Chpt 8 instead of 7. Afterword, preface, and that is okay-since speed might be a concern for some translators who just want a quick-go at it.
ch 7 was registered for by a different translator, who took a while to get around to it... but it should be done in 5 days as a high estimate based on current translation rate... thing is it isn't being translated by only one translator, and well... from the main page:
"Independent translators come to Baka-Tsuki and voluntarily upload their translations to the Wiki for public sharing. Baka-Tsuki does not control what translators choose to translate or how fast they translate. Do not ask when the next chapter will be updated."
that aside, some translators translate on a whim, or find that some sections are beyond their translation level, and will skip them for that reason... though I doubt that is the case here...

Talk:Rakudai Kishi no Eiyuutan:Volume2 Chapter 2

2014-09-12T14:27:45Z

Chilliam: Created page with "いたいのいたいのとんでけ - pain pain fly away テメェら -possibly something simple like 'guys'/'you guys'"

いたいのいたいのとんでけ - pain pain fly away
テメェら -possibly something simple like 'guys'/'you guys'

Sekai no Owari no Encore:Volume 1 Record.3

2014-09-06T06:09:10Z

Chilliam:

==Record.3: The Condition of the Previous Demon-Lord==

===1===

Student’s town, Mstier.

What awaited them once they took a step outside the town was green plain that spread before their vision. The footpath made from pebbles continued straight ahead where it would eventually connect to a large town far away.

At the peaceful path as such,

“……It felt like an instant.”

Ren turned around to look at the path he walked from as the morning sunlight lit over him.

''—Looks like I’m going to be away from Holy Fiora Journey Academy for a while.''

''—I should have at least written a letter to my family back at home. I haven’t even seen my little sister lately.''

When he saw the student town as he turned around, it was already so small that it looked like a small dot. He was attached to it since he had been living there for three years. So there was a side of him where he was feeling lonely.

Except, more than that, he was so nervous that his heart started beating faster as he walked.

He felt as if he didn’t have time to feel sad about it due his nervousness.

After all—

“Hmm? What’s wrong?”

The silver hair girl looked up towards him as she licked the candy.

The Dragon-Princess Kyelse. She was the strongest monster in history that the Heaven and the Underworld couldn’t even touch, but not until the Sword Emperor Elline appeared three-hundred years ago. She also happened to be a Princess of the “Heavenly Silver Dragon” which was the oldest Dragon-specie.

Someone like her was holding onto his right hand, and also—

“I’m sure you have some regrets at leaving the Academy. Though that’s how a journey is supposed to be. There is also a new meeting after a parting.”

The one who was walking on the left-hand side of Ren was a tall, beautiful girl with bright blonde hair.

Archangel Phia.

She on the other hand was an Angel, the supreme rulers of Heaven, of the highest status.

Elline Sword Emperor Brigade from three-hundred years ago. Two of the girls that were known as the Three Great Princesses were walking beside Ren while leaning against him.

“Even so, there is nothing to worry about. Right, Ren?”

Phia who was holding tightly onto Ren’s left arm.

“I will teach you all the necessary knowledge. To the extent that I will teach you the lesson at night gently.”

“Well, Phia-senpai......the thing is.”

“Eh? What is it?”

The Archangel replied with a naughty smile.

As she held Ren’s arm, she naturally pressed it between her bosoms which was incredibly developed. It was on purpose. It definitely was.

“……Senpai, I guess this is how you behave in Earth, right?”

“It’s because I’m an Angel. Having a passionate body contact like this is the proof of our affection towards human—”

“You don’t have to listen to what this foolish erotic Angel has to say, Ren. It’s her bad habit where she lures human by seducing them in order to have fun by watching them panicking about it. Even the Goddess is fed up with her.”

The Dragon-Princess gets fed up with the Archangel and glared at her.

“More importantly Phia, let go of him. Ren is getting troubled by it.”

“The one who put her arm around Ren first was me.”

“……And I’m asking both of you to let go of me. I already have a hard time since this luggage is heavy.”

Ren became tired since he had both of his arms being pulled by them.

The enormous luggage Ren was carrying on his back. If you didn’t include the basic travelling gears that were taken from Ren’s room, what occupied most of the luggage was Phia’s clothing and Kyelse’s snacks.

“Putting her clothes aside, do we really need those snacks?”

“Of course. It becomes handy, just like this.”

The silver hair girl who chucked a fraction of chocolate in her mouth. She said it in her usual laid back manner, except, she had a satisfied smile on her face.

“It’s delicious.”

“……What are you, a kid?”

“Isn’t sixteen still considered as a child even for a human?”

“Even if you were sixteen, it’s about time you grew out of snacks……huh, you’re sixteen? That’s of course in Dragon’s age, right?”

If you were to use the average life span as the standard, then the three great species consisted of the Dragons, the Angels, and the Demons were said to have long lifespans in exchange of their low population. Ren thought the same would apply for Kyelse, and hence presumed she had lived long, but—

“I’m sixteen years old in human age. Also, I love snacks. It’s definitely the masterpiece among what the humans have created.”

“But the battle from three-hundred years ago was……”

“She was in a state where she was sealed for three-hundred years right after the battle.”

Phia answered as her blonder hair blew due to the gentle breeze.

“Ever since the last battle, Kyelse had been separated from this world due to the special seal she was in. The isolated space where there wasn’t time, light, and even sound. Though her time had been stopped, she still had her consciousness so she had been finding the chance to break the seal this whole time.”

“That happened about a month ago.”

Kyelse who had finished her chocolate nodded.

“Eh? Then what about your rumours when you fought Elline? How old were you then?”

“I was fourteen. But still, I was already more powerful than all kinds of Dragons ever since I was born. Though I never imagined that I would lose against a human.”

“……So you really are younger than me?”

“Yeah. So it wouldn’t be weird if I take a bite or two of snacks.”

The legendary Dragon-Princess fast walked and took out her second candy.

“Delicious.”

“You seem to be having fun……oh well.”

The silver hair girl put on a satisfied smile.

She simply looked like a lovely girl who was like a fairy when you saw her, but it was also true that Ren witnessed how she defeated a wyvern without even touching it.

“On the other hand, I’m nervous as heck. Hey, look ahead.”

Ren used his chin to point forward to alert Kyelse who was holding onto his left arm.

—The armed parties that were walking through the main road.

There were many groups of parties walking in front of them and also behind them.

If there were small parties consisted of five members, there were also big parties that consisted of more than ten members. The organisation of the parties were very different from each other. There were common types such as the {{Furigana|Knight|MASTER}}s and the {{Furigana|Spellcaster|ARIA}}s, but even {{Furigana|Spiriter|SPIRIT}}s that were equipped with special spirit armaments and also {{Furigana|Fighter|FULLTYPE}}s that weren’t equipped with even a single armaments.

“See? Everyone looks strong. They really are different from the students at the Academy.”

The atmosphere they carried were different.

Their trained body which was solid like steel, and their eyes that were sharp as a blade. Their appearance and their presence were fitting enough to be called brave warriors. If they weren’t, then they wouldn’t be able to investigate the ruins scattered through the world nor could they fight against the monsters. But—

“……Hmm, is that how it is?”

From the Dragon-Princess’s eyes, even the strong warriors from those parties didn’t catch her interest.

“Phia, are those also considered a party like ours? I think there’s too much members in each of those parties. I’m sure there were fewer members in the parties three-hundred years ago.”

“This is the choice this era chose.”

The Archangel who gave her beautiful smile to the parties that walked past them.

“Within these three-hundred years, the member types that constructs the parties itself went through some changes. {{Furigana|Knight|MASTER}} and {{Furigana|Spellcaster|ARIA}} were the only types back then, but now it’s separated into eight types.”

“Eight types, huh. I know Ren is {{Furigana|Knight|MASTER}}, so what are the other seven?”

Kyelse stared at Ren.

Ren pointed towards the parties walking ahead of them to answer the girl’s question.

“{{Furigana|Knight|MASTER}}, {{Furigana|Spellcaster|ARIA}}, {{Furigana|Spiriter|SPIRIT}}, {{Furigana|Fighter|FULLTYPE}},
{{Furigana|Barrierer|ENCHANTER}}, {{Furigana|Curer|HEALER}},
{{Furigana|Predator|HUNTER}}, and {{Furigana|Searcher|THIEF}}. I guess these are the current eight types. Even back at the academy, the lessons were separated into the type you were majoring in.”

{{Furigana|Knight|MASTER}} —They used weapon such as sword and axe. They had high risks since they would need to do perform close-combat at all times as well as making cool judgements and having excellent performance. They were considered as a “master”, the main force during battles.

{{Furigana|Spellcaster|ARIA}} —They would perform complex rituals so even the humans could use the magic and offensive-spells of the Devils.

{{Furigana|Spiriter|SPIRIT}} —They used spells which relied on spirit-armaments which possessed the power of spirits.

{{Furigana|Fighter|FULLTYPE}} —The combatant which specialised in close-combat and would combine the defensive-spells and their active body’s to eliminate the enemies simply with their body and fighting techniques. In exchange of having the strength to not rely on weapons and armours, they would need great amount of talent and training hence why they were called the “full type”.

{{Furigana|Barrierer|ENCHANTER}} — They use spell specialised by the Angels such as concealing, sealing, interception, and divine protection.

{{Furigana|Curer|HEALER}} — Other than spells that would alter the body activity and regeneration, they were type that was sought to have knowledge about pharmaceutics and medicine.

{{Furigana|Predator|HUNTER}} — The combatant that would use their knowledge about harmful animals to hunt. They specialise in shooting from long-range in order to support the party from the rear during battles.

{{Furigana|Searcher|THIEF}} — The brain of the party and in terms of field, they were more of an archaeologist.

“And there are also ranks where it’s structured in a way where your ranks would increase.”

“Ranks?”

“The eight types and their titles respectively. If you were a {{Furigana|Knight|MASTER}} like myself for example, then you would start from the III-Grade {{Furigana|Knight|MASTER}}, then the II-Grade {{Furigana|Knight|MASTER}}, then the I-Grade {{Furigana|Knight|MASTER}}, then the Official {{Furigana|Knight|MASTER}}, then the Honourable {{Furigana|Knight|MASTER}}, then the Sword King, and then the highest rank……the Sword Saint, I think.”

By the way, Elline’s title of the “Sword Emperor” was the name he had before people started calling him the Brave Hero.

Sword Saint would be the highest rank of the {{Furigana|Knight|MASTER}} and it was a title which was rarely given. It was required for you to pass the tests in several cities around the world.

“Basically each and one of the classes were said to be necessary in a party. Since there are eight types, the majority of the parties are made up of eight members.”

“Hmm? Then what about those group of five walking over there?”

“I guess they are looking for members they lack in. There are also gifted people who can take the roles of two types alone.”

Phia would be the easiest example of such people around Ren. Even though she was majoring in {{Furigana|Curer|HEALER}}, she overwhelmed the male {{Furigana|Knight|MASTER}} students with her swordsmanship and also made the students jaws dropped with her spells.

“Though it feels like Phia-senpai can take the roles of three types by herself.”

“Yes. I sure can take most of those roles—”

She finally let go of Ren’s arm. She became silent for a moment while she looked up to the sky.

“If you ask me what I expertise in, then it would be {{Furigana|Fighter|FULLTYPE}}. {{Furigana|Curer|HEALER}} would come next.”

“{{Furigana|Fighter|FULLTYPE}}!? Phia-senpai is!?”

“I’m good in martial arts despite my appearance. I could have majored in {{Furigana|Fighter|FULLTYPE}} degree back at the Academy, but a tragedy may have occurred if I couldn’t hold back my power properly against the students for the mock-battle. Well, I have the confidence to heal and regenerate them if they receive damages to a certain degree, but I guess I need to restrain myself.”

The Archangel spoke a scary thing with a smile.

“Phia-senpai, you are a {{Furigana|Fighter|FULLTYPE}}? ……But I can’t imagine you hitting anyone.”

“Ren, don’t let her appearance fool you. This violent woman is the biggest battle maniac in the Heaven who can even make the Goddess Lesfrese become silent with a single punch if she became serious.”

Kyelse said it in a manner as if she told the truth.

“Isn’t that right?”

“Oh my, that isn’t true at all. There’s no way I can do that to the Goddess.”

The blonde Angel on the other hand shook her head while putting on a smile.

“By the way Ren, your rank right now is a III-Grade {{Furigana|Knight|MASTER}}, correct?”

“……Me? Do I have to say it? In a place like this?”

“Yeah, I sure am curious about it. We certainly need to know the current strength of this party.”

Kyelse looked up towards Ren with her emerald-green eyes filled with her keenness to hear his answer.

“Since you are a III-Grade {{Furigana|Knight|MASTER}}, does that make you roughly a Honourable {{Furigana|Knight|MASTER}}? Or is it a rank above the Sword King?”

“No way. I mentioned it before but it’s the lowest rank. The only thing above the Sword King is a Sword Saint, and there are only few people in this world with that rank.”

“I see. Well, I will be the one training you, Ren. How about your first aim is to become a Sword Saint?”

“……It’s too early to have that goal. Besides, I reckon we need more members for our party if we are going to find the Encore. Though it would be weird for me to say that. Take a look at them.”

The parties that walked passed them.

For example, if the parties walking ahead of them walked past each other, you would observe how they would stop and place their hand on their chest to salute each other.

“That’s the traditional custom done between the parties. It’s a form of greetings which has the meaning for the good battle and safety for each other.”

“Exactly. Though we hadn’t received such greetings even once yet.”

They only saw them as civilian.

After all, their party was made up of one boy and two girls. Ren had a sword, but both Kyelse and Phia weren’t equipped with even a single armament. Obviously the Dragon-Princess Kyelse and Archangel Phia didn’t need any armaments. But from the perspective of a third party who didn’t know their identity, there was no way that they would realise that they were a party since they weren’t armed. There was no mistake that they were seen as a three strange fellows that were travelling.

“It’s decided that a party requires at least four members, so first of all we need to find the fourth member before anything else—”

“Then please be rest assured. I do have a person in mind who would become our fourth comrade. The triumphal town Enge. It’s planned for us to meet her there. She’s an expert who can use all types of spells.”

Phia answered with a smile as if she was waiting for to be asked about it.

“The spell expert? Don’t tell me it’s a famous person again?”

“If you ask me whether she is famous or not, then she sure is. Ren, you would reach the answer if you think a bit. Isn’t there another person we are currently lacking in for this party?”

Ren looked up the sky for a while after hearing the answer the Archangel gave with a teasing voice.

“'''It can’t be!?'''”

He certainly had someone in mind. Other than Kyelse and Phia who was the part of the legendary Elline Sword Emperor Brigade, there was one more “Princess” remaining.

“It sure can be.”

Kyelse who had finished her candy nodded with a satisfied tone.

“The previous Demon-Lord Elise. The woman who was the master of the Underworld in the past.”

===2===
Gust of the night wind.

The whirlwind that stroke Ren’s neck was so cold that Ren couldn’t resist the urge to shiver his body. If he breathed out, the air breathed out turned white.

“It’s freezing! It sure is cold if you leave the window open. This place is open to the weather after all.”

The wooden cottage.

It was one of the many base camps built on the roads between city to city, and town to town. Obviously the travellers and the parties, but even the tourists who would head to the cities for sightseeing used this accommodation.

''……I wonder how many years it has been since I stayed in a cottage.''

''……I guess the last time I did was three years ago when I went to Holy Fiora Journey Academy to take the test.''

They would be heading to triumphal town Enge tomorrow.

It was the city which was the closest to the student town. And the Demon-Lord Elise would be waiting for them there.

“More importantly, I wonder how the previous Demon-Lord would look like. This is the Demon-Lord we are talking about, so maybe she has horns growing out from her head as well as having fangs and claws while her massive body would reach the height of ten metres—”

“It will cause a stir if a monster like that was roaming in the city of the humans.”

The sound of the lock of the door being destroyed echoed throughout the surrounding.

The one who showed her face from the open door with a poker face was Kyelse.

“…..I beg you to knock on the door normally. We would end up paying up for the broken lock if we get caught.”

“Hmm? It was locked?”

Apparently the Dragon-Princess didn’t even notice that she broke the lock.

“Putting that aside, it’s time for your training. We are going outside once you leave your luggage here.”

“……Eh?”

“I told you before, haven’t I? About teaching you Elline’s sword techniques. We need to build your fundamental basics first. Move your butt by grabbing your sword this instant and follow me.”

After Kyelse said that, she headed out to the passage without waiting for Ren’s reply.

The breezing cold wind.

It was so cold that it felt like you had chilling water splashed above your head which took away your warmth from simply coming outside.

“It’s a good wind. It makes　you become motivated.”

“It’s too cold, isn’t it!? It’s so cold that I’m about to lose consciousness rather than falling sick!”

“I have my scarf.”

“And I don’t!”

“—Let’s end the joke here and start the training. Ren, hand me your sword.”

As soon as Kyelse took the sword along with its sheath from him, she drew the sword out from its sheath as if she was used to it.

How it was drawn out beautifully.

Ren honestly became entranced at how skilfully Kyelse was handling the sword that was drawn from its sheath with ease by using just one hand.

“……You’re amazing. So you can use a human’s sword even though you are a Dragon?”

“It isn’t anything hard if you can control your body. —Like this, for example.”

The sword flashed.

That instant, her right hand moved while leaving her afterimage.

By the time Ren noticed it, the tip of the sword she was holding onto pierced through the centre point of the three leaves that were floating in the air due to the wind.

“W-What was that……!?”

“I pierced it when the three leaves overlapped each other in the air. I also would like to add that I pierced it while aiming to hit the veins of the leaves.”

“The veins!? You aimed for such tiny parts!?”

Kyelse handed the sword back to Ren, so he took of the leaves that were on the tip of the sword.

The leaf veins could be considered as the blood vessels of the humans. The plant types could be separated into parallel-veined and reticulated-vein. But the main concern was that they were thin as a human’s hair.

—She completely caught the trail of the leaves floating under this stormy weather.

—She pierced all three leaves at once at the moment they overlapped each other.

—And she wasn’t aiming for the leaves itself but their veins.

The Dragon-Princess pulled this stunt off while she was talking to Ren.

She wasn’t exactly concentrated in doing it nor did she wield her sword with everything she had. Yet she demonstrated such absolute technique. It was questionable whether an experienced swordsman who had been training for dozen of years could pull this off.

“Alright, do you know what to do now?”

“I wouldn’t have a hard time if I knew how to do that with what you just showed me! Can you at least tell me a trick or something I should pay attention to!?”

“There’s nothing like a trick. Weren’t you doing the same thing as me?”

“What do you mean?”

“That night when it was raining. It was during that time when you were wielding the sword by yourself. You weren’t just randomly wielding your sword. You were aiming for the falling raindrops.”

“……You even saw that?”

“It’s because you reminded me of Elline. Putting your strength aside, that is.”

The silver hair girl made a fearless smile.

“There’s nothing wrong with your training and your hard work. You weren’t blessed with an ideal physical structure and you are not the kind of person who would take down the enemies with a huge sword. You are more of a technician who would find your opponent's weaknesses and hit them with a single strike using their weakness.”

“Seize the drop of water and a fraction of fire, and strike it down with a single slash instantly.”

“It feels like you are asking me to pull off an ultimate technique from the start……”

“This is the basic among basics. Elline’s swordsmanship lies even further past that league.”

“—Fine.”

Ren nodded his head with a bitter smile to Kyelse’s words as if she said something obvious to him.

“I’ll start doing it then. I’ll work hard till I can do the same thing as you just did.”

“'''Two will be fine.'''”

Kyelse crossed her arm and lifted up two of her fingers.

“Come back to me while bringing that sword where it had pierced two leaves. I won’t tell you to aim for the leaf veins either.”

“......Two leaves? That’s it?”

He couldn’t resist to ask her. He thought he would be told to pierce three leaves just like Kyelse did. He was also prepared to be told to continue till he could pierce four leaves.

“For today, that is. I’ll return to my room, so come back once you accomplish it.”

“Okay.”

He nodded to the girl who turned around. Ren then moved his gaze to the leaves floating in the air.

<center>==========</center>

Inside the cottage.

“Seriously, Kyelse, you are sneaky.”

When Kyelse returned to her room, a blonde girl who was wearing negligee and was half-naked was in there. She was sitting on the bed as if it was her room.

“Sneaky?”

“The training with Ren. You taught him so attentively. I also wanted to blend it.”

The Archangel bent her body seductively.

Her negligee which had her chest part open even showed her cleavage which was faintly red. Along with Phia’s natural bewitching smile, her charming figure would knock out cold boys of certain ages immediately.

“I don’t recall teaching attentively.”

“I mean that it looked like you were enjoying yourself.”

Phia smiled as she placed her hand on her lips.

“You were so focused in teaching him that you didn’t realise I was standing at the entrance of the cottage.”

“……You were watching?”

“I feel a bit relieved. It seems like you are cheerful again. It was the same three-hundred years ago, but having a journey in a large group sure is fun. Ren is an honest boy so it’s worth training him and its fun having him around, right?”

“I was cheerful from the start.”

She removed the scarf around her neck and hanged it on the coat hanger located beside the door.

—A small quantity of her sweat on her hand.

—Without realising it, there was some heat on Kyelse’s hand.

Her body that had become hot. But Kyelse felt embarrassed to admit Phia’s words so she looked away.

“Geez, you really aren’t honest with yourself……even though the temperature of your body increased.”

“S-Shut up! Don’t touch me! Don’t press that uselessly huge breasts against me!”

She brushed away the Archangel who hugged her from behind.

This was Phia’s preference rather than an Angel’s. She couldn’t help but use her body to interact with those she had a liking to which was her habit. What was a nuisance was that she had a power to read what was going through the minds of those she was touching.

“Hmm, I understand. So that’s '''how you feel right now'''.”

“……What did you understand, foolish erotic Angel.”

“Hey, Kyelse, do you think Ren would also become stronger for our sake as well?”

“What do you mean?”

“Both you and I don’t have a power which is even near of that from three-hundred years ago, correct? My old wounds hadn’t healed and the Dragon Factor which is the source of your power hadn’t awakened ever since you woke up from your seal. Certainly we can deal with majority of the opponents, but the situation right now is that we only have half the power we had back then.”

They were in a level where there wasn’t pretty much any enemy in this world that would be a threat to them even in their current condition. But it didn’t mean there was zero enemy who would be a threat. What could be listed among them were the highest-level monsters and also—

“Did you hear about the “Five Great Disasters”?”

“Just the rumours I heard at the Dragon’s valley. I heard till the part where they rebelled against the current Demon-Lord.”

“Yes. For the worst scenario, we should anticipate a decisive battle against them. I thought that the reason why you were working hard in training Ren had to do with it.”

“You think too far ahead.”

Kyelse shook her head reluctantly.

“I simply taught Ren what I remember about Elline’s training. That’s simply it.”

“I see. Then Ren might be facing a bit of difficulties then.”

Phia looked out the window. You couldn’t see Ren from this part of the room, but for an Archangel like herself, she was able to “see” him.

The appearance of a boy who was breathing heavily while he was shedding sweats due to the weariness.

“The task you assigned him to. That’s actually harder than it seems—”

<center>==========</center>

“……This is ridiculously hard.”

Ren’s shoulder moved violently.

Ren wiped his sweats that were falling like a waterfall from the tip of his chin with the back side of his hand.

“What the heck……”

The leaves were floating in the air due to the sudden gusts that were blowing at him. Ren stopped his eyes from closing and he even stopped breathing so he could concentrate on the movements of the leaves. He caught the sight of the trails of the leaves that were floating in the air in random directions, and then—

“Ha!”

Along with his loud voice filled with his spirit, Ren thrust his sword forward.

A single flash. The tip of his sword grazed the leaf by its edge.

''……That was it.''

He barely grazed the leaf by its edge. There was a saying which goes “To dance like a butterfly”, and this was indeed such thing. He couldn’t pierce the leaf by its core and the most he could do was to graze it by its side.

The leaves flickered and danced in the air due to the wind.

The same applied when the sword was thrust forward, the leaves also shook when it received the small amount of air current created by the sword. Just how hard it was to aim for the leaves.

''……No, that isn’t it. The real problem isn’t that.''

Once every two tries, the tip of the sword touched the leaves. If you repeated this procedure, there would be a chance that it would hit its core even if it was by luck. But the real issue here was—

“This again!?”

The leaves that received a direct hit from the sword get cut in half then dropped on the ground.

Yes. Even if the sword hits the core, the leaves get sliced in half without the sword being able to pierce through it.

''—I wouldn’t be able to touch the leaves up in the air if I don’t thrust it with all my strength.''

''—But if I thrust it without holding back, the leaves get sliced into pieces if it hits.''

“Oh……I get it now!”

The Dragon-Princess did it with ease, but Ren finally realised just how skilled she was and the whole aspect of it.

''“Seize the drop of water and a fraction of fire, and strike it down with a single slash instantly.”''

Ren slashed with his sword. He thrust with it. He swung it. The air current created by each of his forms were different, and the strength of the air current would change depending on the force applied to it. You wouldn’t be able to grasp the core of the leaves unless you fully understood that.

Right after that.

Exactly at the time when his sword was about to touch the leaf, he weakened his strength.

To master the sword without using your full strength, but with your minimum strength.

“……And she’s asking me to get two of them at once. Isn’t she asking a bit too much from me?”

Ren wiped the sweat that was on his sword’s handle. Ren then smiled.

''“Do you want to come with me?”''

''—I was simply happy.''

''Kyelse’s words when she said she would train me. I didn’t know what she meant at first. I simply thought she was giving me an advice where she was telling me to simply work hard and do my best.''

''But she’s training me with so much passion. She even demonstrated for me.''

''……More importantly.''

''……She even invited me to the party when she knew I was different to the Brave Hero.''

''I want to live up to her expectations.''

''I can journey to the world and she acknowledges me as her fellow comrade. Being able to achieve the dream I had since I was a child is making my heart beat faster and is giving me such passion.''

“It would be a waste if I just give up here!”

Ren put strength into his hand which was icy cold due to being exposed to the cold wind in order to make a stance with his sword.

“I have to do it, even if I can only get one of them!”

The tip of the sword which was giving sparks succeeds in piercing through two leaves.

The core of the leaves. To be precise, it didn’t get sliced in half nor did it get shredded into pieces. Both of the leaves had been beautifully pierced through by the tip of the sword.

“........................Huh?”

The one who couldn’t believe his eyes was Ren himself.

“I……did it? It felt like I did it by chance.”

He stood there while holding onto the sword. And then.

“Yeah! Awesome, even I can do it if I try!”

He sprinted towards the cottage and headed towards her room directly.

“Kyelse! Hey, check this out! I did it, I really did it!”

“!? W-Wait, Ren! You can’t enter right now—”

The door was opened violently. And the one inside was.

“……You’ve got some nerve. Peeping on my body, are you?”

A beautiful girl who wore nothing.

She had stripped off her lovely travelling clothes. Kyelse was holding onto her negligee which had cute looking frills on them. She looked towards Ren with a red face that was due to the mix of her fury and her embarrassment.

“Ah, no, it’s not what you think……I didn’t do it……on purpose……”

Even though he said that, he found himself fascinated with her body.

She simply looked purely lovely.

Her body that had curves fitting for girls her age and her white skin which was as white as porcelain. Kyelse had an appearance which was charming enough as a human and made Ren forget she was a Dragon. Especially her body since you wouldn’t have realised she had a mature body which you couldn’t tell from over her travelling clothes—

“Let me ask you just in case. Is there anything you want to say?”

“……Well……umm, I think you’re cute.”

“Fly.”

Kyelse said with her power of language with a red face. By the time Ren who had himself blown away to the wall of the pathway regained his consciousness, Kyelse had already changed into her negligee.

“Anyway, let me applaud you for accomplishing the task. To be honest, I thought it would take you at least a week.”

Inside Ren’s room.

The one who was sitting on the bed as if it belonged to her was Kyelse. Ren on the other hand was sitting on the carpet even though he was totally exhausted.

“At this rate you would be able to pierce three leaves tomorrow and four leaves the day after tomorrow. And next—”

“Next, what?”

“Try to do it while shutting your eyes close.”

“That’s a really hard hurdle!”

“Elline’s sword-techniques lay beyond that. Anyway, I acknowledge your hard work. You should rest for today.”

She said it while sitting on the bed.

''……Even though she’s telling me to rest.''

Kyelse who had said that was still occupying the bed. Ren wouldn’t be able to sleep even if he wanted to since she was still here. But it was also hard for him to tell her to move.

“Aren’t you going to sleep, Kyelse?”

“I’m sleeping together with you.”

He couldn’t comprehend her words.

Ren looked up for a while and then opened his jaws wide.

“……Pardon me?”

“I said I’m going to sleep on the same bed as you.”

Kyelse laid on the bed and put the blanket over her head without making a shy face.

“You should also come inside right away.”

“Umm……sorry. I don’t understand what’s happening right now.”

''I’m a human. Kyelse is a Dragon on the other hand.''

''Apparently it’s a morphing which was a mix of high-level spells and space distortion to change her physical appearance into that of a human girl. So I can’t help but think there would be a problem sleeping with her.''

“Can you tell me your reasons just in case? Wasn’t there also a bed in your room as well?”

“It’s part of my trait. It makes me feel calm this way.”

Kyelse wiped her sleepy eyes while wrapping herself with the blanket.

“Many of my kin were present at the Valley of my hometown. I often slept in a herd as well. I would be able to sleep easier if I sleep in a group with those I trust.”

“……The Dragon’s trait.”

Even though he was half astonished by this, he wanted to keep it as a secret that he was happy when she naturally said someone she can “trust.”

“By the way, what did you do three-hundred years ago?”

“Elline declined. He had been practising his sword even at night.”

“……The Sword Emperor did?”

“Unexpected? There isn’t a human which is strong from the start was that man’s words. Leaving aside his crazy guts and stubbornness, his strength as a swordsman wasn’t something he was born with. The reason why he was called the Sword Emperor was merely a title he obtained by working harder than anyone.”

Maybe Kyelse found Ren’s shocked reaction amusing, so Kyelse softened her expression.

“I’m sure that was the first time I heard that……”

The legend of the Sword Emperor that Ren knows of was that he was born as a genius. Unlike himself who had poor talent, Ren assumed he was born to this world with the talent he was given.

“I want to hear more about that story.”

“I will, but I’ll end it here for today. Hey, let’s go to sleep quickly. We are waking up early tomorrow.”

“H-Hey!?”

He had himself hugged by Kyelse who got up from the bed and then had himself thrown onto the bed. Kyelse was already inside the blanket by the time he found out she put the blanket above his head.

“H-Hey, can’t Phia-senpai be the one who sleeps with you!?”

“She’s no good. She’s annoying since she tries to hug you whenever she finds the chance.”

The Dragon-Princess came close to him where they could feel each other’s warmth inside the small bed.

“Yeah, I sure do feel calm.”

“……No, I’m—”

“What is it?”

“……It’s nothing.”

The silver hair girl looked towards him.

Her peaceful smile was so gentle that he couldn’t say more.

The tyrant who had been feared as the strongest monster on Earth and who had been refused by the Heaven, the Underworld, and also her fellow Dragons till Elline showed up. But the girl who was sleeping with her eyes closed right beside him was simply a lonely girl who was completely different from the rumours he had heard. In fact she was—

Maybe the one who was in front of him was the true Kyelse. That was what Ren thought.

“But my main problem is……”

He rarely saw the faces of the opposite sex of his age while they were sleeping. And she was sleeping with him where she was so close to him that he could feel her breath. There was no way he couldn’t be bothered by it.

“……There’s no way I can sleep like this.”

Even though Ren knew he was turning red, Ren simply kept repeating those words for the whole night.

Then the next morning.

“? Ren, didn’t you have enough sleep? Your eyes are red.”

“Whose fault do you think it is?”

Ren replied tirelessly to Kyelse who had woken up from her deep sleep.

[[Image:Sekai_no_Owari_no_Encore_V1_Non-colour_005.jpg|thumb]]

===3===
The triumphal town Enge.

It was a town located closest to the student town Mstier and it was surrounded by a giant walls to prevent the invasion of the monsters.

“I believe it was the town Elline returned to after he finished his journey to both the Heaven and the Underworld.”

The Heaven and the Underworld.

The town Elline returned to after he suppressed the two forces that were at each other’s throat and also stopped the battles between the two forces.

For that reason, this town still had strong connections to Elline even till this day.

“Hey, Kyelse, let’s get going! You too, Phia-senpai!”

“Calm down. There’s no point getting hyped over it.”

“……Geez, Ren. You are acting like a child.”

Kyelse who was partially astonished at him and Phia who was putting on a bitter smile.

“It won’t leave my head at all. Even I want to have a look at the real thing once!”

Ren walked through the road that were crowded with people walking by as he left the two of them behind.

Compared to Mistier, this town was the largest within the nearby towns so the number of people as well as the number of buildings were significant.

The public roads that were connected to the main road had booths on both sides. The people that walked by also included those who were walking with their families to even merchants, tourists, and even armed travellers that appeared to be a party.

Ren ran past the front of the chapel which was so large that he had to look up——

“There it is!”

Ren couldn’t help but gasp at what he saw within his site.

'''The Sword-Emperor’s sword. '''

The memorial area which was built as a plaza.

As the water fountain was set behind it, there was a single sword impaled into a stone where it was heavily guarded.

——The Spirit-Sword Vierge.

Even though the handle of the sword lost its colour and looked old, only the blade of the sword still had a transparent shine like that of a surface of the clear water to it.

The most valuable treasure of the triumphal town of Enge. No, it wouldn’t be far-fetched to be called the most valuable treasure for all of the swordsmen within the world. It is one of Elline’s sword which was one of his legacy scattered throughout the world.

“H-Hey. Is it really true that Elline was using that? I think it was called the Spirit-Sword Vierge.”

“It’s indeed the truth.”

The highest part of the step-cased plaza.

Kyelse nodded as she looked down the memorial area filled with hundreds of tourists.

“That sword itself as a Spirit-armament which is possessed with strong power of a Spirit. That’s the sword which was used to take down the Archangel who was acting tough at the Heaven and the Demon-Lord who was acting like a boss at the Underworld.”

“……The sword Elline used when he fought the Archangel and the Demon-Lord huh.”

Ren gulped as he stared at its blade which was giving out a beautiful glow.

“Even so, that was the sword Elline used when he was still a novice.”

“When he was a novice!?”

Ren couldn’t help but ask Kyelse again with a loud voice at the unexpected answer he heard from her.

“Just now you said that he used that sword to defeat the Archangel and the Demon-Lord.”

“It was during the time when he was an unrecognised swordsman and the only appropriate equipment he had back then was that sword. I think it was during the time when he entered the second year of his journey, was it? Apparently it was a sword he found in a ruin by luck.”

“Well, putting the sword aside, the main concern is how he picked a fight against a Demon-Lord and an Archangel when he was a novice swordsman. And how on earth did he manage to win against them?”

“Hmm? Well, that is—”

The Dragon-Princess put on a meaningful smirk.

“Ask the great Archangel over there. Three-hundred years ago, she was trying to teach a lesson to a cocky swordsman only to get her butt kicked and she happens to be standing right there.”

“Eh? Don’t tell me that was Phia-senpai—”

Ren who was about to ask restrained from saying any further than that. ''Which remind me, she had been awfully quiet since we arrived here.''

“Ah……now that you mention it, something like that certainly did happen…………fu, fufu…………”

The blonde Angel who smiled.

However, her expression was forced and even Ren could clearly tell that her crunched fist was shaking.

“The urge in my fist won’t stop when I remember about it.”

“……Ah, I s-see. So you are saying that you still hold a grudge about your defeat itself?”

“No. Let me be clear that I don’t hold a grudge.”

The Archangel made that part very clear.

“Except, I just remembered about how my fame as being the strongest in Heaven was tainted.”

“……I-It was?”

“That accursed sword, I shall make sure I break it this time.”

“You have a dreadful grudge against it after all!? H-Hold on Phia-senpai!”

Ren tried to stop the blonde girl desperately who had walked ahead with a crunched fist.

“T-The thing is. You remember about the former Demon-Lord……”

“Oh yes. We were meeting up with Elise.”

Phia returned to usual self.

“Then let’s get going, Ren. This place is dreadful.”

“Rather than being dreadful, isn’t it simply you who hates that sword——ah, h-hold on!”

He had his hand pulled by Phia without any warning.

They walked past the main road which was filled with lively people. They turned right at the crossroad and entered the back-alley. Unlike the main road which was filled with lively people, this back-alley was mysteriously quiet.

“Phia-senpai, is this really the place?”

“There’s a store which is known very well to small portion of people. It had been a place where the parties would gather to have a private conversation since ancient time and it could be considered as a store used by parties. Wouldn’t that be convenient for us as well?”

Ren simply followed the Archangel who was walking ahead and was leading them.

After they turned into the back-alley which had split into complicated paths—

“!? W-Was there a fight? ……Hey, are you okay!?”

The words that came out of his throat was loud.

After they turned into one of the path, there were sturdy men that belonged to a party all battered to the floor.

There were five of them in total. Each one of them were large men that were a head taller than Ren and they all had well-trained bodies. Even the armaments they wore were first-class products that were engraved with powerful resistance against spells.

''……Are these burn marks? And is this a frostbites?''

''……None of them came from swords nor sharp weapons.''

Spell that was so powerful that it could break the resistance of these battle clothes which would nullify average spells.

“Hey, are you okay!? Looks like they are. Phia-senpai, can you heal these guys—”

“It would be fine even if you leave them alone, Onii-chan.”

It wasn’t neither Phia nor Kyelse who was behind him who said that.

The one who said that was—

“These guys made fun of me because I’m just a kid. It seemed like they didn’t know who they were picking a fight with, so I guess you can call this as their punishment? Oh well, you don’t need to worry about them since they would treat their own wounds or even head to the hospital once they wake up.”

A tan girl.

She had twin-tails which could appear as black or even brown depending on the sunlight. Her eyes that was filled with curiosity.

She seemed like she had reached the age of ten or not.
[[Image:Sekai_no_Owari_no_Encore_V1_Non-colour_006.jpg|thumb]]

“Ren was your name, right? I certainly did hear about you, but you really do resemble Elline, don’t you?”

“……Eh?”

“Why do I know you? Obviously because I was waiting for you, Ren. Oh, yeah, and also those two behind you as well. I spoke to Phia sometime ago but it had been a long time since I met with Kyelse. Is it exactly three-hundred years? How were you doing?”

The young girl waved her hand towards the Archangel and the Dragon-Princess in a laid-back manner.

“Rather, haven’t you completely broke out from the seal yet, Kyelse? Hasn’t your power decreased rapidly?”

“Likewise to you. I never expected that you would have to start from that appearance by reincarnating yourself.”

Kyelse answered grumpily as she crossed her arm.

Ren nudged Kyelse by her elbow and asked with a low voice.

“Hey? This is my guess but is this small girl perhaps ''her''……?”

“She indeed is. She was finally able to succeed in reincarnating herself ten years ago. Her physical body as well as her spells returned back to even before that of her prime. I suppose you’re exactly in the state when you were ten years old?”

“Pretty much. Though being in this appearance is also fun. Humans that doesn’t even know who I am acts kinds at me when I fawn on them. Even though they ran away soon as they saw me during my time as a Demon-Lord.”

The tan small girl started to chuckle.

While there was “something” that lured behind her innocent eyes that even made you shiver—

“Then you must be……”

“Yup. The previous Demon-Lord Elise. Let’s get along, Ren.”

The previous Demon-Lord pointed at cafeterras right behind her.

“Anyway, let’s get inside the caféterras and talk. I’ve become thirsty.”

Caféterras “Albireo”.

Behind the door with such sign was filled with lively people which wouldn’t even hinder against those that were at the main road.

“Wow. I’ll be darned……so all of these guys are members of parties’ right?”

The interior of the caféterras was so large that you couldn’t tell from the outside.

The counters had twelve seats and there were roughly the same number of tables meant for four people. So in total there were seats for exactly hundred people. And that much amount of spaces were taken by the parties. There were those that were having a discussion while standing up. So you couldn’t tell exactly how many people were in here.

“Here! Over here, Ren. This is the last table so be quick!”

Elise waved her hand at them after she secured the table next to the wall.

She was clearly the only young girl here where it was a gathering of experienced parties. But the girl herself didn’t care about how she was standing out.

“Looks like there was one empty table left. Excellent. This place is usually full.”

“It seems like they have variety of alcohols here, but do they have any juices here?”

Kyelse sat right next to Ren.

Elise and Phia sat opposite them.

“…………”

“What’s wrong? Ren, the menu-list is over here.”

“Ah……yeah. I know, but—”

Ren replied vaguely.

The strongest Dragon-Princess on Earth was sitting next to him while the Archangel from the Heaven and the previous Demon-Lord who was the former master of the Underworld sat opposite him in a friendly manner. They were all present on the single table.

“……I feel left out.”

“You don’t need to be so concerned. Anyway, let’s decided on the drinks.”

Elise said that as she held the menu-list in her hand.

“Ah, waitress, over here! I’ll have a hot milk. What will you three drink?”

“I’ll have an apple juice.”

“Then I’ll have club soda. This one which isn’t sweet. What will you have, Phia-senpai?”

“Then I’ll have a champagne.”

“Hey, Senpai!? A minor shouldn’t drink alcohol. Senpai, you’re still eighteen—”

“Rather than being a minor, Angels lives so long that you can’t compare them to humans.”

Kyelse’s calm judgement.

“……Oh, yeah.”

Because he had been with her for so long at the academy, Ren couldn’t help but make judgment while thinking that Phia was his senior at the academy. The age of her being eighteen years old was simply the age she used when she was acting as a human.

“Hmm, so I’m seventeen years old and Kyelse is sixteen years old. Elise is—”

“I’ve just reincarnated so I’m exactly ten years old. That’s why I ordered hot milk. See? It’s suitable for my age, isn’t it? Kyelse also ordered a juice as well.”

Elise took the hot milk with both her hand that had been brought to them.

If she puts it that way, then they certainly ordered drinks suitable for their age which was agreeable since Ren ordered a club soda and Kyelse ordered an apple juice since they were minors.

“I see. Then Phia-senpai is the only one who in human years is—”

“I’m eighteen years old.”

The blonde Archangel answered with a smile.

“Just your appearance. Haven’t you been living the longest right after the Goddess of Heaven? Then that means, let me calculate—. Oh, then you are exactly…………ouch!? It hurts, Phia! That was my fault so stop pinching my buttocks from below the table!”

“It’s a taboo to talk about ages to a girl. Isn’t that right, Ren?”

“Y-Yeah……”

The blonde Angel took the champagne glass elegantly.

Ren couldn’t help but shake his head hard due to the pressure he received from her dangerous smile.

“Then cheers! Ren, let’s get along as well, okay?”

Elise drank the hot milk deliciously while she held the cup using both her hand. She looked too young to be a previous Demon-Lord and she looked adorable in the way she acted.

“Ms Waitress, I’ll have this white wine next. Please bring me a bottle.”

“Hey, you drink so fast Phia-senpai! ......Are you a heavy drinker?”

“The species known as Angels loved alcohols from the beginning. Though I endured it when I was at the Academy.”

The Archangel didn’t change her expression even if she drank a glass of champagne in one go.

“Now then, Elise, it’s regarding the matter I have discussed with you for some time now.”

“The talk about finding the Encore together, right? I was obviously interested in it since I reincarnated myself ten years ago. It’s basically the last message that Elline left behind.”

The previous Demon-Lord who was taking small sips from her hot milk.

“Well, the truth is, I was initially wondering what I should do. In my case, I was looking for a way to return my body back to the way it was. So I was thinking of taking my time finding the Encore.”

“And if the humans found them while you were doing that?”

“We should just steal it from them. That will be much easier.”

The previous Demon-Lord said a dangerous thing naturally.

“Except, I myself know that the humans throughout the world are looking for the Encore. Just by looking around this caféterras, I can understand how there are so many parties. But the whereabouts of the Encore is still a mystery. So it made me think that Elline hid the Encore in a special place. For his comrades’ back then……in other words he left it in a place where only we can find it.”

“I thought the same.”

Phia nodded while holding the wine glass with one hand.

“For that reason, I thought we would need you after all if we were to search for the Encore. Depending on the circumstances, it might be necessary for us to enter the Underworld.”

“I don’t mind, but there’s a tiny little problem……”

The young girl suddenly sighed.

“Let me ask a question to Ren who is a human. Do you know any rumours about how there’s some mess going on in the Underworld right now? The rumour about one of the Five Great Disasters going nuts on Earth.”

“Ah. Are you perhaps referring to the Great Demon who is causing a rampage at the “Great Volcano of Galia”?”

It happened several days ago.

Ren remembered how the instructors warned the highest-grade students that went out of the Academy.

“The rumour that the highest-grade Demon appeared and resided on Earth……”

“Yup. She belonged to my personal guard group called the Five Great Disasters. Since I retired as a Demon-Lord after turning into this state, she stopped listening to the orders of the current Demon-Lord who I passed on my authority to and left the Underworld.”

Elise shrug her head as if she was troubled by it.

“By the way, why did she do something like rebelling against the current Demon-Lord? She was your subordinate when you were the Demon-Lord, right?”

“That’s because she’s stronger than the current Demon-Lord.”

“You must be joking!”

“It’s true. In terms of strength, myself when I was the Demon-Lord would be the strongest. But the Five Great Disasters were the second strongest after me. They were originally a candidate to become the Demon-Lord. But I turned them into my subordinates when I won the election to become the Demon-Lord. But because I had to retire my position as a Demon-Lord all of a sudden, I ended up choosing my little brother in hurry to take my position when a problem arose about who would become the next Demon-Lord. But my brother was so weak……ah, don’t get me wrong since he would have the strength of the previous generations of Demon-Lords, okay? But the Five Great Disasters were just as strong as the other historical Demon-Lords.”

The Underworld which is ruled by the current Demon-Lord who happened to be weaker than the Five Great Disasters. Due to such bizarre relation within the supremacy, there might be parts which wasn’t easy to accept for the Five Great Disasters that were the candidates of becoming the Demon-Lord.

“More importantly, Elise, your brother is the current Demon-Lord? So your little brother means that ehmm……”

“It’s okay to assume it as the similar logic of human siblings. Though their appearance differs greatly.”

The Archangel placed her empty wineglass on the table.

“The Angels, the Dragons, the Demons, and the humans. The species with the most population among these four are the humans. But the one with the most diversities are the Demons. Not just their appearance, but even their strength has a huge gap in ranges. The current Demon-Lord would exactly have the appearance of what you imagined, Ren.”

“By that, you mean……”

“Only his appearance looks vicious. He’s too big as well as having fangs and claws. He would most likely be treated as a monster if he was to show up on Earth. He’s butt-ugly despite being my brother. Though he does carry an impact.”

Elise said it in a happily manner.

“And one of the Five Great Disasters that rebelled is—”

“The Demon-General of Blaze.”

Kyelse said it plainly.

“Ren, even you should have heard of the name Achendia.”

“She’s the Great Demon since ancient time!”

—Achendia the “Demon-General of Blaze”.

The legendary level highest rank Demon who was even called the embodiment of hell fire that even appeared in fairy tales.

“That’s why I’m having a hard time.”

Elise sighed with an unpleasant tone.

“She was my former subordinate so I thought I should do something about it. But it would be impossible to stop her in this weakened form, you know? So I was troubled to whether I should focus on returning my body back to its original form and put the search for the Encore on-hold. So, this is my suggestion—”

“You’ll help in finding the Encore but you want us to help you in stopping Achendia. Right?”

“Just to be expected from Phia, you get to the point quickly.”

“I did predict what was going on behind the scene due to the Five Great Disasters appearing on Earth.”

The Archangel nodded with a bitter smile.

“How about it, Kyelse?”

“I don’t mind. Both Phia and I are far from our primes, but there’s no way we will be beaten if all three of us are present. Also, I want Ren to know it right away.”

“……Know what?”

“'''The meaning to form a party with the three of us''', that is.”

Kyelse’s tone that sounded peaceful at first—

It carried so much pressure that made Ren shiver.

“Even though the action to find the Encore is the same, our party is different to other parties. This is a good opportunity to have you understand that.”

His comrades’ strength was immeasurable, but likewise, the strength of their enemy were also in a different league.

The ones that would stand in front of them would be a legendary-level monsters. The enemies he would meet would be all superior to him. The journey where point between life and death would await him right after he survives through a situation where he may die.

“What do you think?”

“……Bring it on.”

Ren held the glass of club soda with his shaking hand.

“Nothing would change from the time back when I was at the Academy if I get scared here. I also don’t mind who our enemies are. I simply have to go forward until I find the Encore!”

He declared it with all his might. He then drank the glass of club soda in one-go.

That instant.

“Gua!? C-Cough……i-it got caught inside my throat……”

“I-Idiot! That’s disgusting and don’t throw it up on me! What fool would drink a carbohydrate drink in one-go!?”

“……Looks like the road ahead doesn’t seem promising.”

“……Ren, that’s disgusting.”

Ren who had just threw up the club soda he had just drunk, and Kyelse who got wet by him due to sitting right beside him.

Seeing those two—

The Archangel and the previous Demon-Lord sighed at the same time.

===4===

The party departed the triumphal town—

They walked across the grass covered in rich green towards the west where there wasn’t any road.

“Unlike the previous road, there sure aren’t many people around here this time. Why can’t I see any parties anywhere?”

“That’s because this isn’t the normal path.”

Kyelse had her shining silver hair blown by the blowing wind. As Ren walked next to her, he pointed towards the horizon on his left.

“The constructed road would be located far over there.”

“I prefer this grassland. This sense of feeling walking on the grass sure is nice. I even want to walk barefoot.”

“It’s not like I don’t like this either……”

The grasslands covered the sight of every direction he looked towards.

The path they were walking on wasn’t a regular road towards other towns. Instead, they walked off from the regular road since this was the shortcut. It was a grassland where there wasn’t any guidepost anywhere. The advantage of this path was that the distance they need to walk had decreased a lot.

“Hey, Elise? Achendia of the Five Great Disasters hadn’t moved from the Great Volcano of Galia, right?”

“She hasn’t. She’s the Demon-General of Blaze so she loves hot places. So she prefers places like active volcano where it has magma bursting. I guess made that location as her base while acting as she likes.”

The young tan girl who answered while skipping.

“Like I mentioned before, I doubt Achendia has any motive like conquering the Earth. The Dragon-species are also present on Earth after all. Though it would become problematic if we don’t stop her quickly. Since a big shot like one of the Five Great Disasters appeared, there are rumours that parties from all over the world are coming to hunt Achendia down. She would be the best target for parties who wants to become famous.”

“……So that means they will get slaughtered instead, huh.”

“Exactly. Humans loves to replace the word reckless with the word challenge. The highest-level Demons such as the Five Great Disasters. There are only few parties that can put on a fight against them.”

That was the reason why they took the shortcut.

The parties whose aim was to hunt down one of the Five Great Disasters. So in order to keep those parties from challenging Achendia and getting killed instead, it was necessary for them to head to Great Volcano of Galia quickly as possible.

“Well, there’s another reason why I chose this road.”

Elise chuckled and put on a teasing smile.

“I acknowledge Kyelse and Phia’s strength. But I don’t know about Ren really well yet.”

“……?”

“So do your best.”

The previous Demon-Lord winked at him and made a distance with him by stepping back.

When Ren realised it, both Kyelse and Phia had also stopped. They were staring to the right—

“……Is there something wrong with that forest?”

The large and rich forest that was present alongside the grassland.

At times, the cries of unknown birds can be heard along with the wind. Its voice—

It quieted down all of a sudden which made it creepy.

“!”

Ren discarded the luggage he was carrying and drew out his sword from the holder equipped on his hips with his reflex.

The reason why Ren drew out his sword wasn’t due to his instructor’s teaching but more of an animal like instinct.

The forest then shook.

It scattered many leaves and what appeared from there was a single giant snake.

“A {{Furigana|Quetzalcoatl|twin-headed snake}}!?”

A snake covered in an ochre colour.

A monster which lived in the forest widely throughout the world. It becomes so large and cunning where it could live for dozen of years long. The announcement to hunt it down were given to the parties immediately if it was spotted near towns. It must had come out after it was stimulated by the presence of Ren and others who were walking through the grassland.

“Ah, I get it now!”

The Quetzalcoatl was after Ren who was standing closest to it.

It was a monster which comes charging ahead by crawling on the ground where it has a speed as if it was skating on an ice. Even though it was a medium-size among its species, its total length had already surpassed that of an adult Quetzalcoatl. It was impossible to escape from its grip once caught even for a lion. Even so, all of its movement seemed slow from Ren’s eyes.

“It’s slower than the wyvern.”

He simply said that.

He jumped exactly to the side of the monster which had raised its head. Ren turned around, and the large snake’s tail came striking down at him so he used the ridge of his sword to block it. He made the impact of the shock slide towards the back.

''—Guarding won’t be good.''

''—The sword would break if it gets hit by it directly. Even if it didn’t, my hand which is holding onto the sword would go numb due to the impact.''

The three years he spent at the Academy. It was something he learned so many times during the unofficial match he had against student {{Furigana|Knight|MASTER}}s. You shouldn’t guard against an attack with your sword.

What conquers an attack wasn’t guarding but evading.

The moment Ren’s sword clashed against the enemy’s sword (its tail), Ren let the impact slid away to the back as if it was washed away.

“Impressive……”

“That’s it. I would give a passing mark for that move.”

Elise who had a meaningful smile and Kyelse who nodded her head in satisfaction.

However, the reaction of those two who were behind Ren didn’t reach him.

—A do-or-die situation.

Losing even a single sight of the enemy’s move would lead to your defeat.

“Ha.”

Ren thrusts his sword forward after he took a quick breath.

An instant moment where the Quetzalcoatl shrunk its body and halted its movement in order to focus its target on Ren. The tip of Ren’s sword missed by an inch and cracked the twin-headed snake’s fangs.

[Hsssssss!?]

The monster whose body was shaking.

But that only happened for a moment. It then carried the emotion of rage within the red eyes of its two head—

“Yup, that’s good enough. Bye-bye.”

The young tan girl waved her hand light-heartedly.

Immediately after that. On the ground which was directly under the Quetzalcoatl who was about to attack Ren starts to build up and then exploded. It blew away the monster’s large body to the opposite direction far away.

Curse-explosive.

What was left was a huge crater and a spell’s circular-symbol which was giving a bright blow.

“H-Huh?”

The opponent who had himself blown away in an instance.

Seeing such thing, Ren blinked in an astonishment as he held his sword.

“What was all that struggle for……”

“It’s okay. The fight you just put up was enough to show me how much effort you put in that fight, Ren. Wouldn’t it simply make you exhausted if you continued to fight any further? Our journey has only started.”

Elise whose tone was high due to the excitement started skipping again and approached Ren.

“Way to go, Ren. To be honest, I was wondering how weak you were since I heard that you were still a student {{Furigana|Knight|MASTER}} and tested you. But you were able to put on a fight nicely.”

She approached so close to him that their body would touch each other. She looked up while her eyes carried a sense of curiosity.

“Hey, have you ever fought a Quetzalcoatl before?”

“No way. A monster like that would never show up at in the student town. Rather, that was my first time fighting a monster……ah, though there was an exception like that wyvern.”

“Hmm? Then you were able to fight that much in your first try?”

“W-What?”

“Nothing really. I just thought you were more capable than I thought. Right, Kyelse?”

“It would be a problem if he wasn’t.”

The silver girl who was the only one eating a chocolate quietly and nodded her head.

“Either way, let’s move on. Keep on walking, Ren. It’s still far away from our destination, the Great Volcano.”

“……I know.”

Ren carried the heavy luggage on his back once again and started walking to the West once again.

The one behind him were the members of the legendary party, the Three Great Princesses. While he sensed their gaze on his back, Ren started walking across the grassland which had no road.

===5===

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Talk:Daybreak on Hyperion

2014-07-31T00:04:02Z

Chilliam:

I sincerely enjoyed that novel and look forward to reading more of it especially since i understand some of the influnces behind the work -Soulwave

Thank you ^^ your support will definitely help keep this project going :) - Aorii

congratz on your first volume aorii- soulwave

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Only two words: Très Bien! - Nainodel

Thanks =) - Aorii

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Good job man. I really liked your work. Waiting for more. If possible though tone down the Crusader kings references :p -Random guy

Thank you. And wow, someone actually noticed! XD -- I laughed quite a bit at this. Although I think 'Papal Investiture' (which is a realworld thing) and 'Matrilineal Betrothal' (not so much since it's culture-limited) are the only 'references' I used (=P). - Aorii

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Hello!
Enjoyed the novel, hope to see more. Just a question here, are you Swedish? Because I am, and I couldn't help but chuckle when you used Västergötland (since I live there) in the story.
If not, where did you get your inspiration? :)
Best of further luck. /--[[User:Novium|Novium]] ([[User talk:Novium|talk]]) 10:52, 27 February 2014 (CST)

No, I'm not. Most locations here are inspired by somewhere real in our world actually, often presented in their original language rather than English so most people just don't necessarily realize it xD. Västergötland is picked for its implication of 'West Gothland' -> west of the goth people's homeland (or within this setting, what the protagonists keep referred as 'Northmen' thus far). - Aorii

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if posible please add a full text. I really liked the synopsis and I would really love to read it in one sitting. On a side onte it, reminds of Zero no Tsukaima which is forever will be without an ending. - anonymous

Done. Thanks for your interest x) - Aorii

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So, when do we have guns & rocket launcher? :) - Anon

Already made my point on guns clear in v1ch13 ^^ No powder musketry > no evolution into cartridge firearms. Not sure about rockets yet, as they have a completely independent teching path... but Weichsel's military design is finished and it's certainly not part of their arsenal =P - Aorii

And here I hoped that Kaede would bring some technological breakthrough :( Actually, what do you consider about merging modern weapon concept into existing design? Though that would imply that Kaede know any at the first place. -Lazgrane

Kaede isn't really a tech expert, but not all technology is hardware. Subutai didn't need any tanks to conquer Russia, a feat that neither Napoleon nor Hitler managed to repeat hundreds of years later because neither had any mastery of 'logistics'. Weapons-wise, it will mostly stay Hyperion-tech (a magically influence post-medieval level); Kaede isn't a technologist who turns towards science for solutions; being a historian, she looks towards brilliant minds of the past instead. - Aorii

Guess I should not pester you to change your course. But that idea had been bugging me for a real long time so I hope you don't mind me inject my own version of Kaede into the story of my fanfic :)

Haha, go ahead I guess. I should note that I won't hold back from introducing a tech should the opportunity arise. But in my experience an overly technical-oriented approach often (1) belittles the local charas when dropping simple ideas that should of been thought up by people of its era or (2) use tech that is obviously beyond their level because the writer lacks appreciation for a "tech base" (i.e. rocketry requires a strong chemicals industry). Etc. - Aorii

We'll, if powder musketry is out, then the next thing to look at is electromagnetic propulsion (ie: coil guns and rail guns), which well, for rail guns at least, excluding the electrical source (which you could use magic for and doesn't require complicated electronics) the design is on the high school level, after all, all they do is run current through a projectile between two conducting rails, and the projectile moves forward with just this (although there is the issue of friction wrecking the rails, so some level of material science is required). Well, I'm only adding this because "fear the cyclic rail gun wielding kaede" possibly with disintegration runes on the projectiles... And, it's just an option for you - Chilliam