Editing Hyouketsu Kyoukai no Eden:Volume 6 Final Chapter (section)

===Part 10===

“I’m sorry, my power was not enough.”

 

Even now, Horn remembered those words spoken by the Priestess who came out of the purification room on that day.

“No matter how hard I tried……when there was just a little bit left before the purification was done, the mateki would multiply and regenerate itself. ……I’ve never seen anything like this before.”

It was mateki which would multiply and regenerate itself before being completely eliminated no matter how much it was purified.

“I see, so the Priestesses have silently yielded.”

Mateki that even the Priestesses gave up on purifying.

Horn was seeing how fearsome that was in reality.

“Nyaao……”

She couldn’t hear that adorable cry as anything more than a strange sneer.

The mist which should have been hazily spread solidified in the air and supported the main body to its feet. At the same time its body which had been half-erased by shinryoku bullets was fully regenerated, it stood up as if nothing had happened. Rather than being a mist beast, it was more of a beast that was mist.

“……So this happens even if its head is completely destroyed.”

There was absolutely no meaning to having shot the entirety of its head and more than half of its torso. Even if a single leg were to remain, it would immediately regenerate.

“Captain Horn!”

“Don’t move; just focus on your spells.”

She pierced Monica, who was about to run over, with her gaze.

“It’s the same as before. Keep the barrier spell up at all times and if you have excess strength, time baptism spells to align with my shots and hammer them into it.”

……Its regeneration is being somewhat hindered by this barrier but even then it still has this speed.

……It’s shocking.

On top of that, it was troublesome that the opponent was gradually learning. It was memorizing the gun’s piercing strength and speed while deploying the most appropriate barrier. It was showing that it wouldn’t dodge the unavoidable magic bullets and instead was focusing on defense. And if there was an opening──

 

■ ■ ■, ■ ■ …… ■, ■ ■, …… ■, ■, ■ ■ ■ …… ■ ■

Oe/ Dia = U milve / x-recrey mihas I, xay xephnis xin sis.

 

“Tch!”

She jumped away to avoid the mateki which formed a giant circle. Placing a foot against the wall of gigantic crystals, she jumped to crystals which were even higher.

The eerily shining mateki wrapped everything up to the nearby crystals ── however, no changes occurred with the crystals. They didn’t decay or crumble; they didn’t even melt under super-high temperatures.

……That’s the cause of Tessha’s coma.

……Only that mateki requires caution.

“Now then, what to do.”

There was no impatience. It was her bitter enemy whom she’d been chasing for many years so this level of strength was to be expected.

“Monica, can you still maintain the barrier?”

“Y-Yes. ……At this rate, I could hold it for a few days.”

“Then we’re changing strategies. Don’t use Baptism spells and restrict yourself to Barrier spells; try to save stamina. It’ll be a protracted battle.”

There were two shots from her right-hand machine pistol and three from her left. A total of five shots pierced through the enemy’s limbs without fail. Rushing to the side of the enemy which couldn’t move, she fired another three shots at its head.

“You hide behind a crystal or something. If you don’t directly provoke it, it will come for me first. ……There’s no rush. After my reinforcements arrive, we’ll settle this.”

Other than her machine pistols, she had a rifle on her back, but these were not enough to finish this.

Then it was a simple matter: something with more power ── cannon-class power would be good enough. In the airship they had arrived on, there were also super powerful firearms for use against dragons. If the reinforcements were to carry those here, they would be able to wipe out Yuugenshu without a trace.

Ding!

“So you deflected the bullet.”

It meant that the enemy’s barrier had been adapted that far.

“Nyaao.”

With its barrier still up, it used its body’s springs and shot forward with explosive force. It was a form of combat it hadn’t shown until now.

“You’re trying to tell me you changed your fighting style too?”

She kicked off the crystal underfoot and flew into the air. She twisted her body and kicked once off a ceiling crystal, flew through the air from the reaction force and landed far away from the Yuugenshu.

The Yuugenshu which cut through the air continued on like that and crashed into a crystal. Immediately afterwards, an ear-splitting noise sounded and the crystal blew into countless fragments.

“……Just like your regenerative ability, that stupid strength is also appalling.”

Bathed in the shower of falling fragments, the monster appeared without a wound.

…………No.

……It is no problem. If my weapons arrive, it is an opponent I can certainly defeat.

“Nyaao.”

“I’d like this to be a short battle but I don’t have any intention of that.”

She continued to dodge the charging monster.

……Tessha, wait just a little longer. I will save you.

……I will be the one to save you where no Priestess could.

 

“You’re just a weakling who can’t love anybody except for the children from the orphanage!”

 

She remembered those words.

That Priestess……if Ymy Ele Soufflenictole who was acknowledged as the Priestess of Baptism was able to purify this, then nobody would have these harsh feelings.

“……Such flippant words.”

Clenching her molars, Horn muttered that with loathing.

“How can a Priestess who can’t even save a single child say that……!”

Look at reality.

She had chased down this Yuugenshu to where she could defeat it. Year after year, she had bowed her head to her older sister, Viola, caused her suffering and patrolled the harsh Biotope of her own will to continue seeking out the Yuugenshu. One’s best and tenacity are that kind of thing.

“……I am a weakling? A coward? Not relying on anybody in {{furigana|Tenketsu Palace|Sophia}} isn’t acting strong!”

The Priestesses of which not a single one could purify mateki.

There was no need to trust in {{furigana|Tenketsu Palace|Sophia}} which revered those Priestesses nor the subordinates of that {{furigana|Tenketsu Palace|Sophia}}. She merely had to make use of them as subordinates and there was no need to expect anymore from them.

Rather than the people of {{furigana|Tenketsu Palace|Sophia}}, there was nothing wrong with special treatment for her friends at the orphanage which had raised her sister and herself.

……I am not mistaken.

…………I should not be mistaken. Even so.

“Err……umm, I was fascinated by how amazing Captain Horn is.”

“I……If I practice, will I be able to become like the Captain──”

……Why am I remembering Catria now?

But what of him? In the tower, he isn’t a Priestess, apprentice Priestess or a Guard. Was there really a need to treat a maintenance boy harshly?

“……But she’s cool.”

“…………Yeah. ……Also, she always leaves the gun maintenance to me.”

Within the tower, he was the only boy that adored her.

He just innocently said that he wished to become her maintenance worker. Yes, he was attached to her just like the children from the orphanage.

On the day he was first assigned──

His eyes were shining like this underground crystal world.

 

“The Priestess named Ymy Ele Soufflenictole is……very strong. Stronger than you or me, I believe that she carries stronger feelings than anyone.”

“She was persuaded that she is the last hope and that cornered her into extending the Priestess training which should normally not be lengthened.”

 

……That Cadet’s words were the same.

Her older sister Viola would always come back weakened to the limit after training.

I hate night time ── it feels like I’ll see a dream about training. Seeing her elder sister squatting on the bed while saying that, it was apparent just how harsh the Priestesses’ training was even if she didn’t want to know.

……I knew it all from the beginning.

Just how seriously that Priestess considers Tessha and I.

“Kuu!”

Why of all times would only excess random thoughts emerge now?

Even thought she should have severed herself from all connections to {{furigana|Tenketsu Palace|Sophia}}.

……But.

……It’s the truth that Catria the maintenance worker and Ymy the Priestess and every person in the tower is putting forth their best to aid me.

……Since I can’t even acknowledge those two, I really am just like Ymy said──

“Captain!”

“!”

──When Horn came back to reality, the area ahead of her was filled with mateki.

 

■ ■ ■, ■ ■ …… ■, ■ ■, …… ■, ■, ■ ■ ■ …… ■ ■

Oe/ Dia = U milve / x-recrey mihas I, xay xephnis xin sis.

 

“Cra──”

……For me to lose focus in the middle of a battle.

Inwardly regretting it, she jumped back with all her might. Her back was on the point of freezing up at the sight of the spot she was just standing at being completely wrapped in mateki.

Crack.

The gigantic crystal which was bathed in mateki let off a sound at its base and crumbled.

“It’s different?”

This effect was simple physical destruction. It’s not the coma effect it was using until just now!?

The crystal which had become giant rubble descended from overhead. It was of such weight that she would suffocate under it without being able to move a bit.

“……I’m being mocked!”

Twisting her body, she dodged the continuous rain of falling rubble. She shot the smaller fragments with bullets to deflect them while jumping directly sideways──

“Nyaao.”

That voice came from right next to her ear.

No way……breaking the crystal with mateki was to direct me?

“!”

Without even time to turn around, she felt a large presence to her side.

In her peripheral vision, the eight-legged monster filled her view and pressed closer──

“Captain!?”

Nothing would make it in time.

The distance was too close for her to deflect it with simultaneous gunfire. Even with her firing speed, one or two shots would be the limit. But the Yuugenshu’s shield was already at the point where that wouldn’t break it.

…………Think. ……A plan to break through this crisis.

……The response is…………

There was no response.

Even with all her knowledge and techniques, she could not defeat the Yuugenshu charging at her. She intuitionally understood that.

“……It makes me hate myself from the bottom of my heart.”

Failing so stupidly right at the end. If there was a subordinate that failed like this, she would normally start with chasing them out of the unit.

“……I can’t laugh at that bunch at {{furigana|Tenketsu Palace|Sophia}}.”

Struggle in vain?

Or──

With not even a second left before the Yuugenshu reached her, she had time for one shot. In that brief instant, Horn’s right hand had cast aside her favored gun while she wasn’t thinking.

She couldn’t think of anything. No, she didn’t have time to think.

While in that lost state, her right hand gripped a single gun.

And pulled its trigger.

 

A crimson flash.

 

“………………Eh?”

Horn’s excellent vision witnessed the phenomenon that occurred in that moment without fail. A single bullet had been wrapped in a crimson light and shot through the Yuugenshu’s barrier and upper body.

A powerful mateki barrier and it went through easily.

“This, is?”

A definite weight was felt in her right hand.

It was a weight she hadn’t felt until now but the large silver gun felt familiar as if it were made specifically for her. That was.

“…………Catria?”

“Catria.”

“Ye-Yeeeess!?”

“This was in my cargo, but what is it?”

“Uh……umm, it’s a new creation. Production code, ‘Silver King <Rusty Heidt>‘……the gun’s slide and rifling are designed to be larger and it also uses special bullets.”

The gun christened Silver King <Rusty Heidt>.

She remembered having it pushed onto her by Catria at the airship.

“I wanted to make the bullets themselves in a new metallic structure. After making a request to a Priestess many times, I finally got a carved seal with a Priestess’ baptism spell applied to it. It hasn’t been tested, but it shouldn’t be an exaggeration to call it a bullet specialized to Yuugenshu!”

“A Priestess’ baptism spell meaning ane-ue’s?”

“Ah, n-no. Viola-sama was always out of the tower so the best at baptism type spells──”

Specialized anti-Yuugenshu bullets.

It was not like like those until present which were only carved with shinryoku. Most likely, a Priestess had spent a great deal of time offering prayers and applying Baptism spells. She would have done it between regular training and forgone her own sleeping time to fill it with prayers.

Then the Priestess which granted this bullet this much power was?

“…………”

She knew.

There was nobody else who could be referred to as the forerunner in Baptism.

“…………That idiot.”

She should have known. She should have also known that the one who would use this gun was me. Even so, that Priestess……not considering how much I’ve rejected her, she did this for my sake.

…………

……That idiot sacrificed her own time for this.

“That’s why……I don’t like you, Ymy Ele Soufflenictole.”

Catria as well.

Ymy as well.

Despite being treated that coldly by me, for my sake ── they have gone ahead themselves and become my strength.

……And this is.

……What that cheeky Priestess wanted of me for so long, huh.

The final chance she gave to me.

“…………”

She took deep, deep breaths repeatedly.

“U-Umm! Not many bullets have been made so there are only three loaded…..”

“I was wondering if I would just barely make it in time for the subjugation mission this time.”

“Ten minutes.”

She had two shots left.

She would get through ten minutes with those two shots.

“……And I’m sorry.”

Biting down on her lip and facing forward, Horn pulled the trigger.

Silver King <Rusty Heidt>’s bullet ── the bullet which had a Baptism spell bestowed straight upon it split into twelve smaller pellets immediately after firing. Each of those little pellets pierced through the barrier and body of the Yuugenshu which had regenerated, gouging out large holes.

“!?”

The wavering beast let out a confused scream.

 

“Now, I offer my thanks to you.”

 

The last bullet.

Facing her bitter enemy which whose body was already half annihilated, she calmly pulled the trigger.

The bullet shone silver and crimson. It pierced the Yuugenshu as if being swallowed up and completely destroyed it save one leg.

……So two shots weren’t enough.

……Meaning my skills still have room to grow.

If even a single leg were left behind, it would regenerate. And Silver King <Rusty Heidt>’s bullet count was zero. If it were to regenerate, she would have nothing to shoot it with.

“───”

Horn smiled and threw Silver King <Rusty Heidt> up high.

[Sia Sec elis arc……Is io miel]

[That day’s dream, once more……for the sake of that.]

The leftover leg of the Yuugenshu was wrapped in even more crimson light.

Then.

The sound of a hard crystal shattering.

It was transmitted coldly, sharply and somehow sadly throughout the crystal world.

“I apologize, I disobeyed your orders.”

Appearing from behind a crystal’s shadow was the girl with sakura-colored hair. The final spell which had completely eliminated the Yuugenshu was hers.

“You said to limit myself to barrier spells but……”

“……No, this is fine.”

She faced the troubled Cadet and shook her head, then looked up at the towering crystals.

……The thing I understood from the beginning but couldn’t do.

The crystal world. A natural mirror which shined because of the sunlight flowing in. A very, very small smile appeared on her face which was reflected in that.

“I finally have the courage to face myself.” [T/N: The kanji for “myself” is 弱虫 meaning “weakling/coward”.]