Editing Saijaku Muhai no Bahamut:Volume 4 Episode 4 (section)

===Part 2===

The fourth day of the training camp.

Following their usual plan, after completing their individual training in the practice ground, they carried out the Ruin investigation once more.

「Airi-chan and I will come along today, too. This was originally a dangerous activity, so we’ll try to not be much of a hindrance.」

Relie who was putting a bundle of ancient text in order consulted Celis and they decided today’s unit composition.

Lux, Relie, Philuffy, and Tillfur, these four names would form a group and advanced forward.

「Philuffy, how is your condition?」

Lux asked Philuffy in consideration of her recent poor physical health and anemia.

「Yes. I’m okay.」

She gave a concise answer with her usual serious face.

「Tell me right away if your condition worsens. It’s no good to force yourself you know?」

Lux felt some kind of unease while saying that.

It wasn’t towards Philuffy, but regarding this situation.

But, he couldn’t put into words about what was strange specifically. Everyone entered the Ark, with him unable to resolve that feeling.

Using what the Ruin’s girl, La Cruche told them as reference, Airi highlighted the route until the control room area in the map and distributed it.

The turnaround point of the Ark that was divided into eleven level in total──the sixth floor. They had already finished determining the safe route until that point.

Therefore, as long as they didn’t encounter any Abyss, they should be able to reach until the control area with their fast pace but,

「Everyone. I’ve been waiting. It has been a long time.」

Everyone reached the sixth floor after marching for dozens of minutes. When they assembled there, La Cruche was waiting there following the prearranged place and time.

「Waaa, she is tiny and cute!」

「She looks like a doll doesn’t she? Let me touch her too.」

「Aa, the, the ears are delicate so please don’t touch them!」

The automaton La Cruche who looked like a little girl was surrounded by the girls who weren’t wearing their armor in order to save energy.

「Will she be fine……?」

「It’s all right I think? I’ve told her beforehand to not say anything important.」

When Lux smiled wryly seeing what was going on, Krulcifer smoothly said so.

According to La Cruche, she would obey the command of Krulcifer who was a Xfer, so she was told to keep it a secret about their relationship──it appeared that La Cruche was following that order properly.

「But, there is one thing that concerns me.」

Krulcifer was watching over La Cruche from afar while she suddenly muttered that.

「Concern?」

「According to what she said, I am simply her supervisor, and above the supervisor it seems there is the existence of the LordCreator. A possessor of authority that surpasses mine──」

A figure that was even more important than her that was the Ruin’s supervisor.

Lux couldn’t imagine at all what kind of position such person had but,

「But, that kind of person rarely exists isn’t it?」

Krulcifer who was discovered inside a Ruin.

And then, thinking back about how La Krusche had never awakened until now inside the Ark, it should be fine to believe that the possibility of encountering the existence of a person with such high position was really low.

「Most likely the possibility is really low, but it’s safer to not let her meet with anyone else other than us. Especially in a situation like this time.」

The investigation of an unknown Ruin where they didn’t know what would happen.

In the case that a hostile opponent snatched the control of La Cruche, they didn’t know what would happen.

「Krulcifer-samaaa! Then, let’s depart immediately.」

La Cruche went towards Krulcifer after all the members were affectionate with her.

While they were marching, La Cruche would be entrusted to Krulcifer.

「Then, see you later. Be really careful okay?」

「Yes. Krulcifer-san too, be safe.」

They exchanged light words, and then they formed small groups once more under Celis’s instruction.

When it was over, Relie walked to the front and talked lightly.

「The seventh floor ahead seems to be a place that is called as the manufacture area. According to the Drake’s enemy search, it appears there is signs of the Abyss there. They aren’t moving, but their number is quite a lot.」

「…………」

Hearing those words, everyone present tensed their loosened expressions.

「So that we won’t get discovered by the Abyss and aimed from the surroundings, we will circle around the center and advance through the corridor route. Everyone, be careful okay?」

「Yes!」

After everyone replied, they began advancing.

When they advanced through the seventh floor, the passage immediately branched into five paths.

There was the main center route that was blocked by a sturdy door, and four other small corridors.

Lux and company planned to split into four groups and march in the four corridors.

There was no doubt that all the paths would lead to in front of the stairs towards the eighth floor, but although the center route had the shortest distance, it was spacious and there were a lot of the Abyss signs detected from there.

Therefore, they chose the detouring route that was the four corridors other than the center path.

Lux’s group advanced through the corridor at the very left.

Lux and Tillfur were clad in their Drag-Rides and protected Relie, while Philuffy was saving her energy and walked on her own feet.

Even so if everything went according to the plan, they should be able to reach the ninth floor within today.

「Even so, we almost haven’t seen any Abyss in this Ruin isn’t it? No, it’s better if we don’t meet any but, somehow, it feels unnatural.」

Tillfur muttered while walking at the lead.

「Certainly……」

Just because they were inside a Ruin didn’t mean that they would encounter the Abyss for sure, even so, although they had moved for quite a long distance in this exploration, they had only encountered the Abyss two times until now.

Was that just a coincidence, or perhaps something else──

『Everyone. We will soon pass through the side of the center main street. Please be quiet so as to not awaken the Abyss.』

Noct’s dragon voice that suddenly came into hearing tensed Lux.

The wall of the corridor Lux and company were passing through became glass on the right side. They could look down at the center route from there.

The glass was different from the glass Lux and the others normally saw, it seemed to be made from a solid material that was unique for a Ruin but──

「……Lux-chi. That’s, could it be」

Tillfur looked down towards the center route and she gulped.

「Yeah……」

In the large hall spreading at the other side, there were countless things that looked like giant bottles lining up.

Inside them was crowded with grotesque figures they had never seen before.

Inside the transparent bottles, were Abyss immersed in liquid of various colors. They couldn’t see whether the Abyss were conscious or not from where they were.

But, even just from a simple estimation, the number of the bottles was a few hundred.

If by any chance all of the Abysses awakened all at once, even if it was Lux and the others they wouldn’t stand a chance.

「Manufacture area……could it mean, that they were manufacturing the Abyss?」

Relie nodded toward Tillfur who was raising a cramped voice.

「Looks like it. From the start it had been speculated that something like that exists somewhere inside the Ruin though, most likely the Abyss manufactured here will appear inside the Ruin or in the surrounding area.」

「By that you mean, all of those are actually alive! Please stop saying that!」

Relie smiled wryly seeing Tillfur’s body shaking along with the Wyrm she was wearing.

「Then, let’s get through this place quickly without delay.」

They were going to resume their march further while talking like that, it was then,

「Wait.」

Philuffy who was walking quietly until now lifted up her absentminded face and spoke.

「Something is──coming.」

*GASHIiiiIN!*

Right after that, a loud and heavy metallic sound resounded from behind Lux and others.

At the same time, the lighting illuminating the corridor with bluish white light instantly flickered and switched color to red, piercing warning sounds could be heard.

「This is……!」

「Wai-, what happened!? We didn’t really do any──!」

When Lux and Tillfur raised a bewildered voice,

 

*GUooOoOOOON!*

 

Such heavy bass roar passed through the corridor and entered their ears.

It was the existence of a powerful Abyss that they felt for the first time since coming here.

They felt that dreadful killing intent from the other side of the long and narrow corridor, and then,

「Be careful.」

Philuffy whispered and pulled out her knife-shaped Sword Device.

The moment Relie reflexively withdrew behind, a gust blew from the front.

「GURURURUGAAAaAAAAA-!」

「Kuuh……!?」

Tillfur blocked the coming high speed flying attack with the battle axe of her Wyrm and she was blown away.

The large body that could only barely be seen didn’t pause and rushed forward. When it circled to the back of Lux and the others, it twisted its body and accelerated once more.

When a front leg that was thick like a log attacked, Lux’s Wyvern blocked it using its blade.

「Lux-chi! Thank you! ……-!?」

Tillfur leaked out a relieved voice for a moment, but she then held her breath when the true identity of the attacker became clear.

It was a gigantic dog.

No, it was too halfhearted to call that shape as a dog. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to call it a monster.

It was as though it was outside the categorization of animals, a grotesque huge body that easily surpassed a house.

Violet fur that was nearly black, pointed eyes and sharp pupil that were laced with madness.

Inside its mouth was packed full with knife-like sharp fangs without any gap.

And then above all else, it had two heads, seven snakes were growing on its back, they were crawling around.

Its size took the space of more than half of the corridor’s width, regardless of that it was abnormally agile.

And then, it possessed terrific strength just as its appearance suggested.

「Ku, u……」

The giant dog put its strength to smash the blade stopping it, but Lux somehow parried the attack and dodged.

After that the mad dog’s figure vanished deeper into the dim corridor──into the darkness once more.

It wasn’t running away. Piercing sharp killing intent was still directed towards Lux’s group of four.

「Wha, what’s that……!? It’s something I’ve never seen at the academy’s Abyss picture book. In the first place, just what is going on!?」

Tillfur couldn’t hide her agitation and yelled. Relie whispered with her face also looking tense.

「Someone wrenched open the gate of the center route and infiltrated the manufacture area……. The possibility is high that this Abyss appeared in response to that.」

Most likely that manufacture area had great importance even among all the mechanisms in this Ruin.

Most likely because there was someone who infiltrated that place, the defense mechanism activated.

「GUAAaAAaAaaaaAH!」

When the mad dog Abyss growled once more, Lux leaped forward.

「Howling Roar!」

It was the basic technique of a Drag-Ride, the howl of a Drag-Ride that deployed a vortex of shockwave.

Originally it only possessed the strength that could only frighten the enemy, but in this cramped corridor that was only a straight line, it was able to definitely stop the enemy’s momentum.

But──

「Lux-chi, be careful! It’s not faltering at all!」

Tillfur whose gaze was focused at the darkness further ahead readied her battle axe while covering the other two behind her.

Immediately after, the wall of shockwave was easily pierced through, and the mad dog Abyss came attacking.

「-……!」

*GIIN*, a piercing sound stabbed the eardrum.

The front leg attack the Abyss unleashed once more was blocked by Lux’s blade, at the same time *crack*, a crack entered that huge claw.

Critical hit.

The Scale Blade that Lisha created──a sword that had a barrier running along its blade, by using that, it was possible to force back the enemy’s attack if the user moved with unparalleled accurate timing and positioning. It was Lux’s special move when he was using his Wyvern.

By focusing the opponent’s strength into one point and returning it back, it became a counter that brought about destruction.

Lux use of Howling Roar wasn’t to give the enemy damage, it was to limit the offensive option of the enemy.

「GU, ooOOH!」

Even though Lux couldn’t defeat it with his attack just now, but it seemed that the Abyss was at least damaged. The mad dog leaped backwards and then turned around.

And then it hid its body inside the darkness once more and this time even its presence vanished.

「Haaa, that was scary……」

A few second after the threat left, Tillfur exhaled out deeply.

「Just what in the world was that……」

Even Lux was still agitated.

That he could use Critical Hit in a large part was because this area of the corridor was narrow, so the direction of enemy’s attack was greatly limited from one direction.

He would need some more time until he was able to see through the enemy’s movement and matched the timing perfectly.

For the time being, he confirmed that Relie and Philuffy were safe. And then when he was being vigilant of his surroundings once more,

『Lux-kun, can you hear me?』

A dragon voice from Krulcifer that was exclusively sent to Lux came in.

「A large dog Abyss came out, but everyone here is safe! What about Krulcifer-san and the others!?」

When Lux replied like that, Krulcifer let out a faintly relieved sigh, then she talked with a voice that was tinged with tension once more.

『That Abyss is most likely Orthrus. According to La Cruche, when the Ark entered the alert state, three of that Abyss will be released. The first will target the one that caused the alert, the second will patrol inside the ship, and then the third will go outside the ship and attack the surroundings. They are the Ark’s watchdogs. It seems that they are quite strong even among the Abyss.』

「…………」

『I’ll give you the message from La Cruche. This warning sound is coming from quite far in the back, it seems that it was because someone wrenched open the door of the manufacture area.』

「Just who was──」

『If the door was opened because the Ruin confirmed someone to be related to the Ruin like me, it wouldn’t become like this. The one who forcefully opened the door was most likely──the group of that Marquis Dobar. This is their work.』

「But if I remember right, they should be several floors above──」

『Yes, I don’t know how they caught up to us but……. They’ve arrived until the beginning of this seventh floor, at the bow area. And then right now they are planning to break through the shortest center route in order to overtake us.』

「But, if they do that……!」

They would be rushing through the very center of the Atelier that was manufacturing the Abyss.

Surely there was no way that all the Abyss inside those bottles would start moving all at once, but it would still be extremely dangerous.

『Yes, it’s possible that they will get surrounded by the Abyss and get killed. But, we can only ask the headmaster and Celis-senpai to make decision of what we are going to do now.』

「Yeah……」

After the communication with Krulcifer was cut, Lux hurriedly reported the information he heard to Relie and the others.

Marquis Dobar’s private force suddenly raised their marching speed, and there was a high possibility that they would catch up.

As a result of wrenching open the door in their attempt to break through the manufacture area, this alarm sounded and three powerful Abyss appeared.

Marquis Dobar’s force was also in danger.

Relie who heard all that information hesitated slightly.

「It can’t be helped. Let’s hurry ahead.」

Relie brushed up her hair and declared that.

「……Eh?」

「From the start we had talked about this with them. That we will investigate this Ark at our own risk. Besides we are already half-way through this seventh floor corridor. If the Abyss came out in response to this alarm, then we won’t make it in time even if we turn around.」

「…………」

The corridor route Lux’s group was in didn’t have a direct connection with the center route of the manufacture area.

If they tried to return until the seventh floor entrance from here, it would take several minutes even with the top speed.

Besides, in the case that a swarm of the Abyss appeared inside, if Dobar’s group attempted a forceful breakthrough, then they would simply miss Lux and others, and not only that Lux’s group that headed out to save them would instead become surrounded by the many Abyss that appeared to chase after Dobar’s group.

If they assumed such a worst case scenario, then it would be the safest to reach the control room area at the tenth floor below.

But,

(Is that okay? Is it really──)

「Come…… Typhon」

That moment Lux was pondering, the Divine Drag-Ride Typhon was summoned in front of Philuffy.

「Philuffy?」

When Lux turned towards the direction of the voice, Philuffy’s body was clad in armor.

「I think, that it’s better if Lu-chan and I return to the surface, for the moment.」

And then, she continued with her usual calm voice.

「Because perhaps right now, that Abyss is going outside the Ark too.」

Philuffy muttered while sending her gaze towards the reinforced glass along the wall.

According to La Cruche’s explanation that he heard from Krulcifer, certainly it was said that one of three watchdogs would head outside the Ark.

Currently there was almost no military Drag-Knights on Ries Island.

「I understand……」

Hearing her little sister’s words, Relie looked down with a face that looked worried and then she gave a new instruction.

「Lux-kun. Can you pursue that Abyss together with Philuffy? Everyone else will hurry to reach the eighth floor while no Abyss is pursuing.」

「Yes! But, headmaster is」

「Ah, it’s fine about that. There was contact from Noct just now, it seems like the group of Celis-senpai that reached the eighth floor earlier will hurry to come here so──. Until they come, I can hold out here even alone!」

Tillfur readied her armament, the battle axe and showed a confident smile.

Her body was still shaking a bit, but she was encouraging herself as a member of Syvalles.

「Just as I was taught, it’ll be fine if I move after calmly looking at the opponent’s movements, ain’t it, sensei?」

Tillfur recited Lux’s teaching that he gave her when giving personal guidance in the practice ground.

Lux’s expression loosened seeing the girl’s enthusiasm and he nodded.

「Yes. If it’s Tillfur, you can do it. ──That’s why, do your best.」

「Ro-ger, instructor-sama.」

After exchanging salutes with Tillfur, Lux turned towards Philuffy.

「Philuffy, is your body all right?」

「……Yes. I can go.」

Philuffy responded with her usual serious face.

It was hard to notice inside the corridor that was lighted by red light, but Philuffy’s condition looked worse than before.

Her cheeks were slightly red, and her breathing was rough.

Above all else, her reaction when the Abyss attacked just now was unthinkably slow compared to her usual movement.

When Lux ruminated about those facts and hesitated, Philuffy took a deep breath.

「Let’s hurry. If we have to search for the Abyss that headed outside, it would be too late if we don’t split.」

「……Got it. Let’s go.」

The safety of the islanders was the foremost.

Lux accepted Philuffy’s will and he pulled out his other Sword Device.

「──Manifest, the violent dragon that devours the gods’ flesh and blood. Sever the sky of dark clouds, Bahamut!」

Lux pushed the button on the grip together with the Passcode, and summoned a jet black Divine Drag-Ride.

That huge dragon that possessed a streamlined shape quickly covered Lux’s body and changed into armor.

And then, he flew glidingly through the corridor that was still filled with ominous alarm sounds.

When fighting an Abyss that he had never seen before, normally Lux would first use the Wyvern that was specialized for defense.

Bahamut’s Divine Raiment was the ability of compression strengthening──Reload on FireViolent Eater.

In the first five seconds, one’s own time would be decelerated by several times over, and then in the next five seconds the flow of time would be accelerated until several times over. Using that special ability, Lux could use Quick Shot that would instantly destroy the opponent’s mobile parts, but to perform that attack it was necessary for Lux to be able to see through the enemy attack’s preliminary movement with great precision.

In order to see through the attack, Lux needed to confirm and learn the enemy’s behavior through many exchanges of offense and defense. Wyvern was effective as the preparatory steps for that, but as expected this time there was no time for that.

In order to pursue the Abyss heading outside of the ship from the seventh floor, the flying speed of a Wyvern was undependable, and above all else Lux was impatient.

(I also don’t want Philuffy forcing herself, if I don’t protect everyone on the island……!)

For that too he had to defeat the Abyss without wasting time. Lux glanced briefly at Philuffy who was following behind using her Typhon, and then he accelerated Bahamut even further.

「This is…… bad!」

Lux noticed a certain fact after he passed through the seventh floor and continued to retrace their steps from the sixth floor until the first floor.

With Bahamut’s top speed, even that Orthros could be pursued. But he couldn’t use that much speed in order to avoid the obstacles inside the Ark.

And perhaps because of the alert state of the Ruin, bulkheads appeared in a part of the route and blocked Lux’s path. Because of that he lacked behind the Abyss.

He finally reached until the portal of the Ark, but he had to wait several second until the transfer to outside started.

(If the Abyss gets outside the Ark like this, then everyone, the people of the island will──!)

「It’s fine, Lu-chan.」

When Lux was losing the presence of his mind, Philuffy drove Typhon to his side and talked to him.

「But……!」

「That Abyss still hasn’t gone outside. I know from its presence……」

「……Philuffy?」

A suspicious presence and an empty tone.

Lux’s back became slightly cold seeing Philuffy’s atmosphere that he had seen before.

The alarm sound that felt unpleasant to the ear he was hearing inside the Ark.

In the beginning he didn’t notice, but it felt like he had certainly heard it somewhere before several times──.

「Say, Phi-chan.」

Anxiety was suddenly born inside Lux’s chest. It was an awkward time until the transfer began.

It caused Lux to speak out the question that he was unable to say until now.

「Have you ever, come to this island, before……?」

「…………」

There was no light in Philuffy’s eyes.

She didn’t even react to Lux’s question.

It was as though she was already unable to hear anything right from the start.

「…………」

His throat was dry.

It felt suffocating, an indescribable uneasiness stabbed his chest.

Lux was going to try calling out once more, but it was then the pattern beneath them shined faintly. A pillar of light enveloped the two of them.

Gravity vanished from beneath them. Right after that a mysterious sensation,

 

「GURUaaaAAAAA……!」

 

They could see the form of Orthrus jumping towards the island from the edge of the deck along with a loud howl.

It was the Abyss that had one of its claws cracked by Lux’s Critical hit.

One of its heads glanced towards where Lux and Philuffy were, and right after that it ran inside the forest at high speed.

「Damn it! At this rate──」

The Abyss was already heading inside the island.

The only silver lining was that it wasn’t going toward the residential area, but they would lose sight of it if it entered deep inside the forest.

Lux was about to fly Bahamut to quickly pursue it, it was then,

「Lu-chan. Tell me the location of the Abyss while you pursue it.」

Philuffy who was skating behind spoke to Lux with a calm voice.

「That’s──, could it be?」

Lux guessed her intention just from that.

「Yes. If you stop its movement for me just for a moment, I can catch it.」

「Got it……」

There was no time for hesitation.

Lux raised Bahamut’s speed and pursued the Orthrus that was changing its route irregularly in order to shake him off.

The Abyss wasn’t counterattacking right away must be because it was trying to camouflage its figure by hiding inside the forest.

Its aim was to make Lux worry that he would lose sight of it and make his motions simple.

(But, I’ll let it escape if I hesitate because I’m scared to take the bait……!)

Lux resolved himself and tried to raise Bahamut’s speed even further, it was then──

『Lu-chan. It’s fine. We aren’t that weak you know?』

『……Thank you, Philuffy.』

Hearing Philuffy’s voice, Lux recovered his composure.

He took a deep breath and accelerated Bahamut further.

He reached the position right above the Orthrus that was dashing agilely inside the forest and he gradually shrank the distance.

「Gu, urururururu……!」

Even Lux could hear its ferocious voice that was mixed with the sound of grinding teeth.

It must be irritated towards Lux that was sticking close to it without choosing to attack forcefully.

But, Orthrus was gradually approaching the practice ground.

And then when it came out of the forest, the strategic moment came.

「Howling Howl!」

The practice ground was surrounded with bulky stone walls, there was a single path that connected its entrance with the forest.

Lux struck with the impact of Holwing Howl in that place where there was no obstacle at all.

But,

「GU, RURURUaAA……!」

That instant, Orthrus’s eye glint shined and it accelerated even faster.

It dodged the Howling Howl’s shockwave and slipped through the gate of the practice ground.

「……!?」

A moment later, Typhon’s Divine Armament, the wire of Pile AnchorDragon Bite Binding Chain cut through the air.

Their coordination failed.

The Orthrus that saw a good chance filled its four limbs with strength and leaped towards Lux above who was showing an opening, it was then──

「That was perfect, Lu-chan.」

Something unusual happened at the same time as Philuffy’s slow voice.

「GA, GAH……!?」

The leg of Orthrus that should have avoided the attack completely was snapped by the tip of the wire that was modeled after a snake’s jaw.

Looking there, there was phosphorescence twinkling around Lux, flickering like flames.

Linker PulseResonance Wave.

It was the special armament loaded inside Bahamut. It formed a force field in the surroundings with a power to generate some amount of attraction or repulsion force.

By using that, the trajectory of the Pile Anchor that should be cutting empty air was adjusted and captured the prey. It was a two-stage trap.

A coordination that made use of Lux and Philuffy’s special armaments.

「GURU……AaaaAAH!」

[[File:Saijaku 006.jpg|thumb|right]]

While the mad dog growled and struggled, an anchor rolled it up at high speed and pulled it towards Typhon.

「……ei」

Philuffy who pulled the Abyss up until the outer wall of the practice ground unfastened the entangling wire, and at the same time her fist punched the Abyss flying with a wide swing.

「GUGAaAAH!?」

The Orthrus that was blown away towards a direction where there was no signs of people started running again after it fell.

Chasing after it, Philuffy also jumped down the outer wall.

「Yosh!」

Next Lux also chased after the Orthrus.

But, he noticed something in the middle of doing that.

「This place, if I’m not mistaken──!?」

Lux followed Philuffy and the Orthrus into the abandoned monastery.

A part of the floor of the moldy building was broken, exposing an underground room and path below.

「Uu, kuh……!」

Lux who kept floating above that ruined building, felt a sharp pain behind his eyes and he held his forehead.

The scenery below him shook fiercely and a memory of the past overlapped his sight.

(What……is this!? This sensation──)

His five senses remembered it along with a strong stimulus.

The blackness of dried blood, and the rotten smell filling the air.

The echo of screams that couldn’t be made out as a voice anymore.

Black remains with skin and hair clinging on it.

The disposal place for things that used to be human.

Lux desperately moved his gaze that was shaken by despair to the surrounding, searching for 『that』.

And then,

「──U, AAAAaAAAAH!」

Lux raised a yell from the sharp pain in his chest and breathed roughly.

「There is no way……that’s true!」

He remembered.

The day of the coup d’etat five years ago.

A few days before that day, Lux came to this place.

His childhood friend Philuffy was brought here to be a test subject for medicine. Hearing that, he located this place and came to save her.

What he found inside, was dead young girls that looked as though they were devoured apart from inside.

Human experimentation for developing a new weapon that was carried out in the era of the Old Empire.

This facility was built as a monastery on the surface. Below it the true tragedy was ensuing.

After the success of the revolution, this facility was abandoned and the corpses of the girls were given burial, but the traces in this place still remained the same as in the past.

(──But, that time. Philuffy wasn’t here……)

A while after the coup d’etat succeeded, he got a letter from Relie which told him that Philuffy was safe.

That was why, he must have luckily saved Philuffy.

Everything was just Lux’s absurd fear, there wasn’t anything wrong.

It should be so.

Even though there should be nothing more than that.

 

OOOoooOOO……!

Orthrus’s growl was echoing strangely and reached Lux’s ears.

Lux who came back to his senses landed down in a large room in the underground facility. The dark shadow suddenly wavered.

「GUSHAAAAAH……!」

Lux received the claw attack that stabbed at him in high speed and parried it.

Then, the mad dog didn’t stop moving and immediately rushed through Lux and hid itself.

「-……!」

Lux was spontaneously shocked when he saw its figure just for a moment.

Orthrus’s shape changed.

There were dark red veins running through its whole body, its cloudy jet black pupils were shining gold.

And then above all else, the claw that Lux broke with Critical hit was completely regenerated.

「That’s, it’s the same as the Chimera Celis-senpai saw, and the Poseidon──」

Revival from a state of near death into a shape that achieved flesh regeneration and strengthening.

It felt like the enemy’s movement that he was in the process of learning until just now was reset.

At present, when it was difficult to see through the enemy attack’s preliminary motion, it was extremely dangerous to use Reload on Fire, but,

「SHAAAAAAAH!」

The mad dog’s violent attack that assaulted from the darkness once more was blocked by Lux from the front.

Orthrus’s fang attacked at Bahamut’s armor. At that moment its left eye was slashed.

「GU, GAAH……!」

One of the three hidden techniques Lux invented at the end of his training──Quick DrawGodspeed Control.

Lux aimed at the eyeball because he saw it difficult to deal a lethal wound to the body of Orthrus that was in a rampaging state.

Orthrus’s expression distorted in anguish. It tried to leap back, but its jump ended incompletely.

「GU, GA……?」

The flash of Quick Draw that Lux unleashed once more severed the tip part of its front leg this time.

Orthrus that confirmed what happened raged and the countless snakes growing on its back squirmed.

「GUAaAAAAAaAAAH!」

It attacked not using its front leg or its fang, but the countless snake head that attacked simultaneously.

Judging that it couldn’t win by defending and attacking one by one, it increased its number of attacks to the maximum and launched simultaneous attacks.

But─

「Reload on Fire.」

Super high speed instantaneous attacks using Bahamut’s Divine Raiment.

Red slashing line that created a total of twelve lines ran through Orhtrus’s whole body instantly. Right after that, its body fell into pieces.

The mad dog that was severed apart until its core became black ash and crumbled.

It welcomed the same end like the Chimera and Poseidon before and scattered apart.

「Fuu……」

Lux who finished defeating the Abyss dispelled Bahamut for the moment.

In the first place Bahamut’s fuel consumption was really bad even among the Divine Drag-Rides that already had a severe consumption rate. Even though it was Lux but it was really hard to use Bahamut consecutively.

After he met up with Philuffy, he would use Wyvern to return back. And so he was going to search for her, it was then──

「Philu, ffy……?」

He noticed that Philuffy herself wasn’t anywhere he could see.

But, he could hear a frail, faint breathing sound from the other side of a broken wall.

In that instant, a strange sight surfaced at the back of Lux’s mind, and he could hear a voice.

 

A certain day five years ago, a few days before the coup d’etat.

Relie Aingram visited him at the outskirt residence he was living in.

Her face was haggard and lethargic, her eyes became red from weeping her eyes out.

And then, her lips that were forcing out a smile silently opened.

「I want Lux-kun to also attend that girl’s funeral. She surely, will feel happy. Xxxxx too──」

 

「──U, AAAAAAH……!」

An intense headache attacked Lux and he crouched on the spot.

Strange disordered memory.

Lux shook his head in denial to shake off that memory.

「There’s no way that’s true……! Philuffy should have been saved that time!」

That day five years ago, when Lux searched for Philuffy here, she wasn’t here.

After that a letter from Relie came telling him that Philuffy was safe.

(Then, what’s this? This strange painful memory……? I certainly──)

 

「Haa, haa……」

A rough breathing voice pulled Lux’s consciousness back to reality.

He suddenly could hear a girl’s voice from the corner of the large room.

「Philuffy!」

Lux hurriedly ran towards the direction of the voice. There Philuffy was leaning on the wall and sat as though she was sinking down on the floor.

She wasn’t injured.

Lux who was thinking about the worst case let out a relieved sigh and walked towards her.

Most likely she forced her anemic and feverish body and she reached her limit.

「Get a hold of yourself. I’ll carry you to the boardinghouse right away, that’s why──」

「Lu……chan?」

Lux was slowly walking towards Philuffy to lend her his shoulder so she could stand. But then Philuffy opened her eyes slightly.

「Are you okay!? You are really feverish──」

Philuffy silently lifted up her face beside the hurrying Lux.

「Don’t. Nearby, an Abyss is……」

And then, she deliriously whispered with an emotionless voice.

「It’s okay. If it’s the Orthrus, I defeated it already. That’s why don’t worry──」

「No, it’s here.」

「Eh……?」

Lux was unable to say his next word.

His neck was grabbed far faster than he could speak and he was lifted up high.

「Wha──!?」

Both his feet left the floor. Lux was flustered.

His neck was strangled by Philuffy’s right hand. At the same time he was hanging in midair.

It took Lux several seconds until he realized his situation.

「U……guh! Philu, ffy……?」

The moment Lux questioned with an anguished expression, he saw it.

Faint red patterns entered Philuffy’s skin, both her eyes were dyed black.

Her pupils shined gold, a smile was pasted on her mouth.

「……-!?」

The girl’s smile was infected with madness that he had never seen from her even once until now.

Seeing the completely changed Philuffy, several images of the Abyss emerged inside Lux’s brain.

Chimera, Poseidon, Orthrus.

The form transformation all those Abyss displayed.

However, why?

Why was something like that, in Philuffy──

「Ka, ha……!」

His breathing and blood flow stopped, and his consciousness became distant.

Right after Lux resolved himself for death, Philuffy’s hand suddenly let go.

「Gehoh……! Kohah……!」

Lux was breathing roughly on the stone paving he was thrown at.

[[File:Saijaku 015.jpg|thumb|right]]

Before his eyes, Philuffy’s eyes closed and she abruptly collapsed face down.

The strange dark red pattern emerging on her skin was vanishing.

Seeing that, Lux approached Philuffy once more.

 

「Oh, oh-hoh. Are you two in the middle of having fun? My bad for being a nuisance here.」

 

「……!?」

A scornful laugh came from the large room of the underground facility.

At the same time a small statured shadow wearing a jet black robe showed up in that place.

「You……!」

Silver hair that was the same as Lux, and gray and blue eyes.

The girl who possessed an asymmetrical pair of eyes was standing there.

The arms dealer of darkness that was secretly maneuvering by selling weapons and information in various places.

Previously, this girl named Hayes she showed her face when the Academy was assaulted and introduced herself as Heiburg’s strategist.

「Why are you here!?」

Lux pulled out the Sword Device of Bahamut while yelling at the same time.

「Don’t scream like that prince, I’m getting cold feet here.」

In contrast Hayes showed a sticky smile while sitting on a table and crossed her legs.

「……That Abyss too, was it your doing?」

The enemy didn’t seem like she would take a fighting stance, but Lux didn’t bother with it and closed the distance.

He reached a distance where his blade could reach in a single breath, faster than a Drag-Ride could be summoned.

But, Hayes didn’t look perturbed at all. She lifted her face in enjoyment.

「……Ku-ku-ku. Just when I thought that you were just a brat enjoying the harem life with those sluts, but you bastard is actually one cruel guy huh. You’re planning to let your lifesaver die? I’m referring to your childhood friend croaking there you know.」

Ahead of her gaze was the collapsed figure of Philuffy.

「What……do you mean?」

A shadow entered Lux’s face.

Somewhere in his heart, he had suspected the answer.

「RatatoskrParasitic Plant.」

The mouth of the sitting down Hayes distorted into a repulsive arc.

「The woman behind you has a part of a Ragnarok’s body that I implanted into her──a seed of the Yggdrasil you see.」

「────」

「That woman’s body is already half assimilated with an Abyss, turning into a part of Yggdrasil.」

Like that, she told the answer.

The fact that Lux feared and wanted to deny the most.

「Her heart is assimilated with an Abyss’s core. She’ll die if you try to remove it forcibly. Usually the seed is just sleeping inside that woman, but sometimes it will appear because of the danger to her life and abnormal agitation of the mind. It basically shows up as abilities the same as what you’ve seen until now.」

Abnormal super recovery and the improvement of body functions.

But, when the life energy was used up because of the abnormal consumption rate, the Abyss with those abilities would become black ash and crumble at that time.

「And then your childhood friend cannot go against 『Yggdrasil』, my Ragnarok that is the master of that ovule seed. Usually she is no different at all from a normal human, but the parasite target that receives the sound wave commands Yggdrasil emitted would be instinctually urged to carry out that command. If the parasite target goes against that command, they will be tormented with high fever and headaches, and their body function will start to go out of order. It’s at the level that it’ll be hard even to just stand up straight.」

「Don’t tell me──」

Lux shuddered hearing that explanation.

「Yes, that woman has been opposing the order Yggdrasil gave all this time. Kill Lux Arcadia. She had been obstinately refusing that command, and inside the pain that feels like hell, she was finally at her limit just now in this place.」

Hayes cackled while jumping down from the table.

That moment Lux thrust the tip of his blade toward her throat.

「Stop that command. If you don’t──」

「Oi oi, calm down okay, prince.」

Hayes wasn’t perturbed at all. She raised both her hands and played the fool.

「You at least already understand the reason why I appeared in front of you like this right? It’s too late even if you kill me now. ──No, instead it will be a disaster if you kill me or something. No one will be able to control Yggdrasil if I’m gone, and the last order given to it won’t be revoked for eternity. You trash, pull away this rude sword right away. Or I’ll kill that monster woman.」

Hayes fiddled with the horn flute in her hand, both her eyes opened and she sneered.

Unable to oppose her, Lux gritted his teeth while withdrawing the sword.

「……Now, calm down and listen to me. That woman doesn’t have long. The reason is because she has committed the greatest taboo for a parasite body of a Ragnarok.」

「Taboo you say……?」

Hearing Hayes’s completely unexpected words, Lux responded by parroting her words.

「That’s right. The greatest taboo for Yggdrasil’s parasite body isn’t going against an order, it’s attacking another parasite body. That woman attacked an Abyss with a parasite inside its body just now. She tried to kill it.」

The body of Orthrus that turned into ash and vanished just now.

Most likely before Lux went into the underground facility, Philuffy cornered the Abyss until near death once already.

Therefore, it became the greatest rebellion against the controller of the parasite body, Yggdrasil, and her body reached the limit.

「What a sad reality. That woman is basically beyond help. She will die for sure within a few days. Just like the Abyss with a parasite body inside it that you guys killed, she will turn into a pitch black ash.」

Hayes declared indifferently.

Lux’s heart rapidly chilled hearing that.

Lux understood not logically, but instinctually that what she was telling him was the truth.

「You understand what I’m telling you? Then, let’s get to the main point.」

「What do you, mean?」

Lux whose eyes expression was shadowed asked with a dark voice.

「You are really slow huh, prince. Has even the screws in your head gone loose because of the shock from your cute childhood friend’s condition? Do you think that this me intentionally showed up here just to harass you?」

「…………」

「This is a transaction. I’ll especially give the order to Yggdrasil to save that woman. If you open the door at the deepest level of that Ruin──the Ark that you guys are sneakily searching.」

「……What does that mean?」

「To open the door at the deepest part of every Ruin, the authentication of XferKey’s Supervisor is needed see. I also have one Xfer, but unfortunately after they use their authority once, they won’t be able to use it again for a few months. If possible I want to have the Xfer with you, that woman with blue hair, to open the door.」

The Xfer that Hayes was talking about must be Krulcifer.

From the beginning of the investigation this time the objective was to reach the deepest level of the Ruin, so that condition could be achieved without any problem.

However──

「……What is your objective? What are you planning as the strategist of Heiburg? Can you guarantee that Philuffy can be saved by doing that?」

Even so, he couldn’t imagine at all that this wicked girl would fulfill her promise.

Hayes let out a thin smile at Lux’s question and she threatened.

「Hee, I’m shocked. You bastard still don’t understand your position even at this point, huh.」

And then, she made an evil look and her face came near Lux.

「You didn’t have any choice right from the start. If you want to let that woman die then do whatever you like, you hero pretender false prince.」

Hayes said only that before she wore her hood low over her eyes again and turned around.

「I’ll confirm whether you did your task by confirming whether the room at the deepest part is opened or not. You don’t got much time left y’know. Finish your investigation in two days. About the time──let’s see. Open it in the afternoon when my eyes can follow your group’s movements. Even if you open the door when I’m not here, it will be closed from inside so there won’t be any meaning doing that.」

「Wait! Hayes!」

Lux yelled towards Hayes who turned her back at him and walked away.

Her steps stopped, and she turned around with a fearless smile.

「Who are you? Those eyes and hair color, they are the same as the Old Empire’s Arcadia family. Are you a survivor of the imperial family that I don’t know about? Or else──」

「Hah」

Hayes laughed off Lux’s question.

「I’m troubled if you’re misunderstanding. I’m the real thing, different from you all.」

She only said that before her robed figure vanished ahead of the passage.

After that only Lux and Philuffy were left behind.