Editing Hyouketsu Kyoukai no Eden:Volume 5 Final Chapter (section)

===Part 9===

Governmental Sector, Building Two, Area 63′s ‘Yuumei Space‘.

In the large hall with the warning still blaring, the sound of metal scraping upon metal continued to echo.

“──Guu!”

She intercepted the descending golden arm with her {{furigana|crossed rods|Rosario}}.

The impact ran through her arm’s bone and echoed in her shoulder. But she didn’t lower the strength put into her {{furigana|crossed rods|Rosario}}. She trapped the wrist between her two {{furigana|crossed rods|Rosario}} and sealed its movements.

“Vaiel!”

“I…..got it, this damn crafted thing!”

His fists equipped with the {{furigana|iron fist protectors|Knuckle Dusters}} stabbed into the enemy’s now-defenseless back. Maha’s clone fell over with a violent shake. Aiming for the moment when it staggered, Monica threw aside the {{furigana|crossed rods|Rosario}} and ran up to it.

A golden light wrapped her bare hand. Shinryoku of the same color as Maha’s advent style arts enveloped her body.

“Crumble.”

She touched the clone with her fingertip.

In that instant, Maha’s clone stopped moving ── and returned to gold dust with a crumbling sound.

“What trick is that?”

“I just distorted the shinryoku wavelength. It’s the same kind as jamming somebody’s clairvoyance……the explanation’s pretty long so the short version is that it can beat a clone like that.”

Picking up the {{furigana|crossed rods|Rosario}} that were on the ground, Vaiel threw them over to her. Catching them with both hands, Monica once again looked up at the higher floor.

“But it looks like I already don’t have the leisure of using it.”

The door on the highest floor creaked and opened. Maha’s clones stood in a row. Behind them were red manticores and beyond those were small dragon-types.

“I didn’t want to say it but is that Cadres Guard really fighting? Are you sure she didn’t lose or something?”

“No.”

Accompanied by the luminescence of the {{furigana|machine pearl|Machina}}, Kagura took a step forward.

“That spell caster’s strength isn’t of this level. This is probably ten or twenty percent with the greater portion being forced to remain with the real Maha.”

“……Both are inhuman, huh.”

Holding back a wry smile from leaking out, Monica started walking forward again.

The members who can fight in this large hall are just these three. Ishtar dispatched Sheltis to the Governmental Sector so it’ll come down to a life or death struggle without our two strongest fighting forces.

“Monica-senpai!”

That voice came from behind her.

“I……I can help too!”

“You can’t, stay there.”

She stopped the Priestess who was running over.

“Our mission is to protect you. What will we do if the Priestess who we should be protecting comes to the frontlines?”

……Ymy.

“B-but! If I provide support, then fighting──”

“I know……but no. I can’t put you in danger.”