Editing Masou Gakuen HxH:Volume 3 Chapter 3 (section)

===Part 3===

Flames and smoke were whirling.

A large hole was opened on Ataraxia’s main street, flame was rising from there. The surrounding buildings collapsed, they were falling down while dragging down the neighboring buildings. Flames and black smoke were also rising up thickly from those wreckages.

With such flame explosions at her back, the AU woman wrapped in magic armor was standing. Equipped with three line particle cannons that were like wings of the magic armor, shining orange lines were running on the armor’s surface. Transparent windows lined up around her face. She was talking with the green haired beauty projected in the window.

{Well then Gravel. I will withdraw for the moment.}

“Roger. When I pull back I’ll escape this fortress on my own, but pick me up in the middle of the way.”

{I understand.}

The communication ended and the window that projected the beauty vanished.

The red muffler worn on Gravel’s neck was fluttering from the hot wind caused by the flames.

This flame explosion was due to the bombing of the enemy ship that approached near Ataraxia. That enemy ship didn’t stop and just left after only a single shot and dropping down a single woman.

And then right now the AU woman who landed on Ataraxia by her lonesome was surrounded by the defense unit which was mainly composed of the combat department students.

With nervous looks, all the unit members were staring at the AU human they witnessed for the first time.

They had heard the rumors, but no matter how they looked, they could only see a human. Her body was fortified with heavy weaponry, but even armored it was a female with exposed skin. To all appearances, she looked easier to deal with compared to the magic weapons.

The defense unit tightly grasped their newly developed anti-magic weapon rifle and gulped their saliva.

Their weapons were also developing day by day. It was still in the experimental stage, but they were also equipped with railguns and particle cannons developed for opposing magic weapons. Besides, right now the Masters of West USA also reinforced their force. The power of the opponent was unknown, but they should be able to repel her.

“Yo―sh! You guys, let’s show the enemy the power of the combat department’s boys!”

“UOOOOO!”

With a battle cry, the moral of the whole defense unit went up.

“The target is still not moving. Target is still in the middle of confirming the surroundings.”

“Give her a missile in place of a greeting! Don’t miss!”

Gravel looked around the surroundings, she was confirming the damage from the bombing.

‘――It was a little overdone for just a threat, but it can’t be helped. Besides with this commotion, perhaps Zeros will appear here.’

“Hm?”

Gravel’s sensor window displayed a danger signal.

The missiles the defense unit fired were falling aiming at Gravel.

Gravel’s firearm unit, the three line turret fixed around her waist turned up. The twenty millimeter caliber of the gunport emitted orange light like the consecutive flash of a camera. The flying out light cannon shell shot down the flying missiles one after another.

Gravel kept her hand crossed while staring at the explosion spreading in the sky.

“A welcoming firework huh. I’m greatly obliged.”

She smiled lightly and began to walk in the middle of the wide street. The destination ahead was a barricade built from the road rising up like an opened lid. At the other side of the barricade, the combat department of Ataraxia was standing ready with their gun muzzles aimed.

In front of that barricade, was a single woman wearing armor.

“We ain’t letting you get closer than this!”

It was Gertrude from Masters. She was wearing Heart Hybrid Gear with her hands holding her main weapon that was two high pressure particle guns in ready.

Furthermore behind Gravel there was a gun muzzle waiting for an opening from the other side of the smoke.

{This is Brigit. I can make her gray matter scatter everywhere with a headshot anytime~}

Brigit that circled behind the enemy was aiming at Gravel’s head with her rifle.

“Roger. We are commencing the situation. It’s not likely that we can establish negotiation with these AU bunch. If you find an opening, just kill the bastard anytime.” <ref>Gertrude’s talking style is a little strange, she is always using polite language mixed with verb suffix indicating contempt and disdain. Sadly I don’t know how to express it in English. I’m open to suggestions.</ref>

Strength entered Gertrude’s fingers that were on the triggers.

“Stop right there! Throw your weapon and surrender right now. I respect your guts of coming here alone, but that’s just too rash. Stop any useless resistance.”

Gravel halted her pace.

“Oho? You are unexpectedly obedient. But, if you don’t resist at least a little, doesn’t that mean I cannot kill you? I feel like telling you to read the atmosphere but……aahh, quickly take off that Heart Hybrid Gear, then crouch on the ground――”

“I’ll ask one thing.”

Nervousness ran through all members of the defense unit surrounding Gravel with that one sentence.

“In this fortress, is there any non-combatants?”

“Haa?”

Gertrude raised a stupid voice.

“Are there civilians unrelated to combat that happen to board this fortress? That’s my question.”

Grasping the meaning of the words, Gertrude opened a communication window and called at the unit captain standing by on the rear.

“I don’t understand what she meant a little, so can you answer in exchange?”

{Even if you tell me that, I too don’t understand what she meant……but, if I have to answer the question literally, then in this Ataraxia there is no civilians. All personnel, whether directly or indirectly, are related to the defense of Ataraxia and the Megafloat.}

“――And that’s how it is. Are you satisfied with this and will surrender?”

“I see, I’m relieved.”

Gravel nodded in satisfaction.

“Then, I too will state my demand.”

“Haa? If it’s your safety then I cannot guarantee it you know. All people here has nothing but resentment towards the AU after all. Just prepare yourself.”

“Hand over Zeros and its wearer. Right now. Otherwise, I cannot guarantee the safety of you all.”

All present in that place were dumbfounded.

“Are you sane? What are you saying right in the middle of enemy territory?”

The orange luminescence on Gravel’s magic armor increased in intensity.

“So the negotiation breaks down.”

“Hahaa, from the start things like negotiation or anything,”

{Is just impossible!}

Brigit pulled her trigger. The instant it fired, together with dazzling light, radiance that looked like magic circle spread. The main weapon of Heart Hybrid Gear [Legura] that was a particle rifle fired a bullet of light.

“Go to hell, AU!”

The bullet that could pierce the armor of magic weapons in one shot, flew aiming at Gravel’s head. A hole opened in the wall of flame, pierced through the wall of smoke, and arrived until several meters from Gravel’s position. Sensing the presence of the bullet, Gravel turned around and faced the bullet of light that was right in front of her eyes.

‘――Got her!’

She was convinced of that. However,

The bullet passed through several centimeters before Gravel’s eyes.

“Wha――”

The bullet of the particle rifle pulverized the digital signage display at the side of the road in place of Gravel’s head.

Gravel bent her body backward while turning back and dodged the bullet with paper thin difference.

Brigit stood stock still in blank daze.

“How……could she evade that?”

“The bullet just now, a magic armor is it?”

The turret on Gravel’s waist rotated, turning toward the other side of the smoke where Brigit was standing.

“Brigit! Get away!!”

Returning to her senses from Gertrude’s yell, Brigit immediately ignited her thruster.

Gravel’s bombing hit the flame wall and the roar of destruction resounded from the crushed concrete at the other side. The retreating Brigit showed her figure from the flame wall. She tried to circle around Gravel and flew at low altitude while hiding in the building’s cover. And then she aimed at Gravel with her rifle.

“Die!”

Bullet was fired once again from the rifle. Brigit’s trajectory was also greatly disarrayed from the shooting’s recoil, her back contacted the building. The bullet of the rifle deviated and gouged a hole under Gravel. The wings on Gravel’s back rotated, directed toward the direction where Brigit was flying. There a three line particle cannon with bigger caliber was prepared. And then, a bombardment of twelve particle cannons in total pursued Brigit repeatedly.

The stray shell destroyed the city in succession. A building was hit, its pillar broken, and glass that became pieces rained down. The parked cars had holes opened in them before they exploded in flame.

The impact point of the bombardment gradually approached Brigit. And then――

“GUAAAAA-!”

Finally, Brigit was hit directly by the bombardment.

“BRIGIT!”

Black smoke climbed up and Brigit crashed down. She crashed on the ground with a violent impact, before she was rolling on the road. And then she collided on a building wall, raising a furious dust cloud.

Inside Gertrude, the feeling of wanting to check her comrade’s safety and her impatience towards the enemy were in discord.

‘What to do? What should I do!? What can I do!?’

“Aahh, damn it-! There is no spare time to check her safety-! All personnel, return fire-!”

Gertrude was yelling that, at the same time she rushed at Gravel. As if to chase after her, the combat department unit rushed out from the barricade.

“UWAAAAAAA!”

Gertrude shot her particle guns without stopping while running at the enemy.

‘The enemy has those heavy weapons. That means she is likely a fixed battery type. Then I’ll challenge her with speed!’

Gertrude made use of her light body and moved in zigzag. Even during such tricky movement, Gertrude’s shooting was still accurate. The magic circle of Life Saver spread like ripples on Gravel’s body. It was the proof that the bullets hit.

‘I’ll overcome her like thi――!?’

Gravel’s body rushed like a rocket. She appeared in front of Gertrude instantly and grasped Gerturde’s wrists. Gertrude’s both hands that were holding her pistols were lifted up.

“Damn……”

Fear together with cold sweat flowed out from Gertrude’s whole body.

Gravel’s twelve particle cannons were directed at Gertrude from super close range.

Flame and shockwave like raising explosion spread to the surrounding. The defense unit that surrounded the area was assaulted by the shockwave, lifting up the bodies of the students high in the air.

When the black smoke cleared up, there was the body of Gertrude powerlessly hanging down with both her wrists still grasped.

“I’ve never……heard something, like this. With that weapon, how……you can be”

Gertrude’s Heart Hybrid Gear was roasted and melted blackly, smoke was raising from it. When Gravel released her hands, she crumbled down and collapsed on the spot.

“No way……two Masters, are this easily……”

The defense unit backed down.

Looking at that situation, Gravel ran towards the barricade.

“Kuh! Don’t falter! Prepare the railgun!”

The barrel of a new type of railgun cannon peeked out from the gap of the barricade. It had a considerably large system that generally it needed to be loaded on a large trailer. Just its barrel was five meters already, then there were several thick cables connected to it from the ground because the electricity was supplied from Ataraxia itself.

“Fire!”

Together with intense static electricity and heat, a bullet was fired from the railgun. The bullet attacked with speed that surpassed mach 7, there was no way it could be dodged.

But, even before the bullet fired, Gravel’s body had flew high to the sky. She flew over the railgun and barricade easily and landed on the encampment of the defense unit.

“UWAAAA!?”

The students aimed their rifle in panic due to the enemy that landed from above out of nowhere.

“Wa, wait! Friendly fire is――”

Even before the sentence could finish, Gravel’s particle cannon fired. The turret directed horizontally fired cannon shells consecutively without stopping, Gravel then twirled her body on the spot. The bombing assaulted all directions at 360°, the defense unit was falling down like dominoes.

And then the control system and the cable of the railgun was also pulverized, it exploded in flame together with the trailer where the railgun was boarded.

“Hm?”

Gravel’s eyes shined sharply.

“Blade!”

Swords flying in the sky pierced at the spot where Gravel was.

“Swords soaring freely in the sky……Neros huh.”

Gravel that jumped backward looked up. Above, there were two figures floating in the sky.

Himekawa Hayuru wearing the red Heart Hybrid Gear, Neros, and Chidorigafuchi Aine wearing the white Heart Hybrid Gear, Zeros.

“So you appear.”

In contrast with the smiling Gravel, Himekawa and Aine’s complexions were pale.

“Thi……this is-”

Himekawa’s words were lodged from the disastrous scene.

The condition of the defense unit looked from above was mostly exterminated. It was a cruel state. The members of the defense unit were mostly the students of Ataraxia’s combat department. The students from the same academy were now collapsed on the ground moaning with blood flowing from their heavily wounded bodies. Also it was not just one or two victims.

“Te, terrible……”

Himekawa murmured with a face that almost cried.

Aine opened a floating window with grim face and investigated for Heart Hybrid Gear reactions.

“The Masters should have arrived already! Just where……-!?”

In the floating window of Zeros, the markers of Masters were shining. The enlarged image of the place was projected before Aine. The shot down Brigit that crashed on the ground, and Gertrude that was bathed in full bombardment from close range had lost consciousness.

“No good! We have to take them immediately to the hospital!”

“Yes. But, first we have to defeat her before we can start.”

Aine dropped down several meters away from Gravel. Her silver hair fluttered, her figure that landed on the ground was beautiful like the goddess of war. Her state with blue light running through her white shining armor even looked like a work of art.

Gravel raised a voice of admiration.

“Truly beautiful. So you are Zeros……Aine.”

Aine stared at the woman of AU with a dubious face.

“Are you also a fan of mine I wonder? It seems before I realized it, I have become famous in the AU.”

Even while talking frivolously, Aine was observing the enemy without letting her guard down.

The woman before her eyes was smiling thinly, she was standing in a natural stance. She wasn’t even readying anything or being alert. If she attacked right now, she had the hunch that she could easily defeat her――but, the dangerous air Aine felt behind the enemy made her hesitated to carelessly rush ahead.

“This is our first time meeting face to face. My name is Gravel. I am entrusted with the sixth conquest army of Lemuria district by Vatlantis Empire.”

“Lemuria……sixth?”

Aine didn’t understand the meaning of Gravel’s words. No, there was no need for her to understand.

She just needed to think of the way to defeat her. Aine persuaded herself like that.

Victory goes to the one who makes the first move. Should she begin? However…….

A hesitation was born inside Aine.

She sensed a strange pressure from Gravel who was calm and took a polite attitude. She gave off an even more dangerous smell compared to any kind of gigantic magic weapon.

“I want to ask one thing. Do you――remember your time as a child?”

[[Image:Masou Gakuen HxH V03 BW 05.jpg|thumb]]

Inside Aine, it was not just hesitation, but mayhem that appeared.

‘This woman, what does she want to say?’

“Aine-san! You mustn’t get taken by what she says. There is no doubt that she is scheming something!”

Himekawa that was hovering several dozen meters above the ground withdrew her Sword from her waist. Matching that movement, the Blades stabbed on the ground were also flying up, their points aimed at Gravel and they halted in the air.

Gravel took a glance at the Blades, then she talked once again to Aine.

“Aine-dono, I want you to accompany me. I’ll promise that I won’t harm you and also this fortress.”

“Promise? Just how can I believe what a person from AU said?”

Aine pulled back one of her legs and turned her body diagonally. She raised her right hand to her face’s height, her left hand stretched forward in a stance. It was a stance like a kenpo practitioner.

‘――Total five meters until the enemy. This is not my range but, I have victory chance with Hayuru’s support.’

The left hand of Aine raised her index finger, and lowered it down.

“!”

Aine never even dreamed that the day she would use this combination would really come.

Himekawa needed less than a second to recall that signal.

“Bl, Blade-!”

The Blades that were floating in battle preparation were fired towards Gravel. However, Gravel only leaned her body a little and avoided the Blades.

However using that opening, Aine showed a step in with god speed. In an instant, she had filled the distance with Gravel.

“I got you!”

The fist that looked like it was fired from Aine’s shoulder struck Gravel. A shockwave that was like a bomb going off spread with the two as the center.

“Wha-!?”

Aine’s fist was blocked in Gravel’s palm.

“Splendid speed and sharpness, and then destructive power. Just as expected from you.”

Aine leaped back right away from the broadly grinning Gravel. And then she once again readied her fist.

‘――That’s impossible. The punch just now is not bad……yet she blocked it with one hand?’

Cold sweat flowed through Aine’s cheek.

“You are far different with the two from before. Should I say that it is as expected from a Ros-series.”

“What……did you say?”

“Of course, the difference in the pilot’s ability also has a large difference though.”

Gravel sent her hand to her back. She grasped the handle that jumped out from her back and slowly pulled it out to thrust it towards the front.

“My apologies, but I too will use my main weapon. I’m not so optimistic that I can cut corners against Zeros and Neros as my opponents.”

That was not a sword and also not a gun. It was a huge single edge sword with wide width, combined with a particle cannon of large caliber that was equal to a bazooka. A gunsword.

There was a trigger on the hilt, from there an ammo cylinder like a revolver with vertical length of fifty centimeters that was connected to the gun barrel. That gun barrel was shaped to half sink into a wide sword blade, the blade was lengthened longer than the gun muzzle. The length from its handle until the sword tip was even longer than Gravel’s height.

Himekawa withdrew her Sword from her waist as if in opposition.

“Fine then. Your sword and my sword, let’s have a match of which one is superior!”

The Blades that had been evaded once flew up to the air and aimed at Gravel once again from four directions. As if displaying the heightened nervousness of Himekawa, the Blades raised a buzzing sound.

Suddenly, the Blades vanished.

The next instant, there was a Blade in front of Gravel’s eyes. Only the trail of red light remaining in the air was the proof of the complicated trajectory the Blade took.

‘――So she is just all talk.’

At the same time when Himekawa was whispering that in her heart, the Blade was bounced right to the side.

‘――Eh?’

Sparks scattered, the blown away Blade tumbled on the ground.

Gravel’s gunsword flashed, depicting an orange orbit.

“That……-!?”

Gravel took a stance with her gunsword and rushed ahead. The huge blade aimed at Himekawa and attacked. The surroundings of the blade that traveled at terrific speed was wavering like a heat haze, forming a vortex.

Himekawa’s consciousness was concentrated on the tip of the sword that was approaching at herself.

“Haa!”

Just before she was slashed, Himekawa’s Sword scooped up from below. The tip of the gunsword was deflected by Himekawa’s sword.

‘――Avoided it! I’ll leap into her bosom with this chance and slash!’

The plunging Gravel and Himekawa crossed each other. Himekawa twisted her body that was back to back in close range with Gravel, and swung an attack like a gale to pass through Gravel’s body.

Gravel also turned as if in a dance. She swung down her raised gunsword in one breath.

A fierce metallic sound roared.

“Kuh!”

Gravel’s gunsword and Himekawa’s sword clashed. The shockwave reached until the ground and formed a crack in the road.

“As expected from Neros.”

“You too……however!”

The sword locking scattered sparks. Himekawa ignited her thruster and pushed her sword with all her strength. Gravel was sent flying backwards.

Gravel lifted her sword while backing down and readied it beside her face.

She was full of opening. Himekawa’s eyes shined and rushed in pursuit right away and ran her sword.

‘――I won!’

However, the instant she was convinced of her victory, something cold traveled Himekawa’s back.

The tip of Gravel’s gunsword was pointing at her.

So to speak, the nozzle was aiming at Himekawa.

Gravel’s finger pulled the trigger.

“Wha-!?”

Fierce impact ran through Himekawa’s body. It was as if she was struck by an unseen power, Himekawa’s body was blown away like a bullet.

Her bones creaked. All of the air inside her lungs were wringed out. She couldn’t defend it even with the Life Saver that she instantly deployed, crack entered the protector of the Heart Hybrid Gear and fragments were scattered. She crashed into a building that faced the main street and pierced through the wall.

“Hayuru!?”

Aine yelled with a blue face.

Himekawa’s body penetrated through the building, broke through the glass of the neighboring building, and tumbled inside.

“You bastard!”

Aine looked up at Gravel with a furious expression. She bent her knees in order to fly.

“!”

Gravel with her gunsword readied fell from the sky. Aine immediately changed the direction of her jump and flew behind close to the ground.

The gunsword stabbed the road and caused impact that was like an earthquake. The surface part that composed Ataraxia depressed down, creating a crater of around thirty meters in diameter.

Inside the rising smoke, there was Gravel smiling with her gunsword in one hand.

“Splendid. It was quite a speed to evade the attack just now. Your reflex is also magnificent.”

A shiver ran through Aine’s back.

If it hit her directly, she would surely die. But――,

“The attack just now. You intended it to miss from the beginning didn’t you? That gunsword is stabbing at the spot thirty centimeter ahead of my previous standing spot. Just what are you planning?”

Gravel shook her head.

“My objective is not to kill you. But――”

She pulled out the gunsword and directed the tip at Aine with unseen speed. The tip almost touched Aine’s chest.

“To make you accompany me, I intend to use any kind of method.”

“……That’s really forceful. A self-centered woman is going to be hated you know.”

Cold sweat flowed down Aine’s neck.

“This is also for the sake of saving the lives of many people. Please understand.”

“Saving lives……? What are you saying after stealing this many lives?”

“If you don’t come with me, then sooner or later, even more lives will be lost. In addition, all the people here are soldiers. A soldier should not have any regret if they lost their life fighting on a battlefield.”

Aine glared with a grim face.

“Just because of that!”

“But, if I can add one more thing……I respected the soldiers protecting this fortress. With such weak weapons, they bravely challenged me to battle without fear, I can’t help but being deeply impressed.”

‘――This woman, just what in the world is she?’

Aine was confused. Aldea that they fought before gave off the impression that resembled the imagination they had of the invading AU people. However, this woman called Gravel was different.

“Gravel, that’s what you are called right?”

“Yes.”

“Why are you trying to take me to the AU?”

“That’s――”

Golden light traversed the sky.

Explosion occurred in front of Aine. Light of particle cannon impacted the place where Gravel was, the dented surface unit that was now in the shape of a crater crumbled down. The moment the bullet impacted, Gravel and Aine leaped back and stood on the edge of the largely opened hole.

Aine looked at the direction from where the particle cannon flew.

“Yurishia! Also……”

There were three figures heading here by flying above the buildings. Yurishia wearing blue Heart Hybrid Gear [Cross], Kizuna in his black Heart Hybrid Gear [Eros], and then one more person wearing an unfamiliar white fuselage that emitted red luminescence. It was [Ares] that Scarlet of Masters drove.

On the back of Ares, four large boxes were loaded. They were missile units with flat shape. Two units were combined like sandwich, and like that there were two lined up and down, the large units were equipped compactly.

“I won’t let you do more than this! Deploy!”

The united missile units opened to left and right, looking from the front, the shape changed into X-shape. And then the front lids opened, showing the appearances of small missiles lined up orderly inside.

“Fire!”

In response to Scarlet’s command, the missiles all fired together with violent firing sound. The missiles were flying towards Gravel while trailing behind radiant light.

Gravel held out her right hand to the front. From her palm, a magic circle spread out. The missiles that flew nearing her with terrifying speed suddenly turned into slow motion, then their movement stopped in front of the magic circle. Even so the missiles were even now spouting light particles from behind in the attempt to attack the enemy. However, that propulsive power only crushed the missiles themselves due to the defensive power of the magic circle.

After a moment, they were all exploded.

Fierce explosion blast and shockwave broke all the glass of the surrounding buildings. The blast raised up thick smoke.

“Got her!”

Scarlet confirmed the spreading smoke below and took a guts pose.

“Not yet! Don’t let your guard down.”

Before Yurishia could finish her sentence, the sensor released a warning in the floating window.

Inside the black smoke, an orange light was rising towards them.

“Three magic armors huh. What a grand welcome.”

Piercing through the smoke, Gravel with her sword at ready appeared in front of Kizuna and the others.

Scarlet responded with a nervous expression.

“There is not only three. My comrades, Gertrude and Brigit too……”

‘――They should be here first to repel her. Where are they?’

Influenced by Scarlet’s will, Ares’s sensor discovered the other two units of Masters.

“Wha……-!”

Scarlet was shocked from witnessing the completely changed appearances of the two.

“YOU BASTARDDDDD-!”

The missile units fired in expression of Scarlet’s fury. All the missiles were fired simultaneously towards Gravel. The too many missiles made the line of fire that connected Scarlet and Gravel to be completely filled by the missiles’ trajectories.

“This really cannot be looked down.”

Gravel lifted her gunsword and waved it to her side, then its ammo cylinder jutted out to the side. A bullet attached on the back thruster detached and loaded into the cylinder, before the cylinder returned to the gunsword.

She largely twisted her body and pulled back her arm, and swung the gunsword with all her might.

“{{furigana|Reaver|Light Edge Slash}}!!”

The instant the gunsword was swung, Gravel pulled the trigger. A light traveled tracing the blade and a streak of light elongated from the tip of the blade. It was a sword of light with length that could even reach several dozen meters. That sword of light ran in a straight horizontal line. With that one swing, the missiles Scarlet fired was swept clean. Explosions occurred in succession in the air, causing secondary explosions, forming a cluster of fire in the air.

“No way-!”

The sword of light assaulted towards the flustered Scarlet.

‘――This is a lie right? What’s with this. I,’

Scarlet couldn’t move. She could only look at the streak of light slashing towards her in slow motion.

‘――I cannot do anything. What should I do? Aah, if that hit me, I will die. Even though I understand, my body won’t move.’

She was only staring at the lengthily stretching sword of light swung down at her. And then――,

Intense light like a thunder flash exploded in the air. Fierce sound that might be like an explosion sound or thunder clap roared.

‘――Wha, what?’

Someone was in front of Scarlet. That back was――,

“KIZUNA-!?”

Kizuna cut in front of Scarlet who couldn’t move from surprise. He deployed a large Life Saver using both hands and blocked the sword of light.

“Guoo! What the hell, is this!”

He stopped it with the Life Saver, but an impact ran through his whole body. The might of Reaver grinded down the Life Saver, it was even shaving off into Kizuna’s palm. His skin broke and blood scattered.

Scarlet stared at that figure in blank daze.

“Ki……Kizuna, wai-, you……”

“UOOOOOOOOO!”

Kizuna maintained his willpower by yelling. Just a little more and his arm would break, and right before that happened the sword of light suddenly vanished.

“Somehow……I blocked……it?”

Kizuna wrung out his voice while his shoulders were heaving from his ragged breathing.

Scarlet slowly reached out her finger to the hand drenched in blood from protecting her.

“Kizuna, you, you okay? There is this much blood……because, you saved me.”

“Aah, just this much is fine. Rather than that, why did the attack suddenly――”

Kizuna looked at Gravel’s direction. There, a figure of white Heart Hybrid Gear striking Gravel could be seen.

“――Aine!?”

Aine commenced flesh bullet attacks with consecutive combination at Gravel. However, Gravel held back Aine’s attacks with her wings, the three line particle cannons and shook away Aine with her gunsword.

“Ku, AAAAAA-!”

Aine’s flicked off body flew in the air like a joke and sunk into the commercial building a few hundred meters apart from here. She lost her consciousness and collapsed like that.

Gravel sighed and began to walk towards the fainted Aine.

“My apologies. As expected I don’t have any leeway to pull my punches.”

Kizuna saw the fainted Aine and immediately opened his communication window.

“Aine! You okay!?”

However there was no response.

“Scarlet, I’m going to save Aine! Can you back me up with the missiles?”

“That’s, that’s impossible. The missiles are still not replenished yet……”

Ares had the ability to create missiles inside the unit in fixed intervals. However right now it had already used up all the missiles loaded in it. Until it could create more, some more time was needed.

“Both of you get back!”

Yurishia aimed the particle cannons on both her hands at Gravel’s back and fired. Gravel turned around and causally swung her huge gunsword, blocking the bullets of the particle cannons.

Scarlet’s face pouted and she yelled angrily at Yurishia who cut in.

“There is no way I can leave this to someone like you! Just pull back!”

“You cannot fight with your bullets empty. Rather than that, you go take the injured to the lab!”

Yurishia dropped down and landed on the main street that was full with rubble. Ahead of her, the enemy from AU, Gravel was standing with her gunsword in one hand.

‘――If I bombard from the sky, Ataraxia will become riddled with holes.’

Yurishia confirmed, that Aine and the other important facilities were not in her line of fire towards Gravel.

“Then, I’ll send you something intense now♪”

Cross’s Differential Frame converted into its bombing mode, its muzzle was aimed at Gravel.

The state of the blue magic armor which was gathering golden light, was reflected in Gravel’s eyes.

“Is that, Cross? Looks like this won’t be gentle.”

With quick movement, Gravel took out a bullet from her back. It was a different variety of bullet than before. That bullet was put into the cylinder.

“However, I’ll show you the proof that this Zoros is also not inferior in fire power compared to Cross.”

Yurishia opened her glossy lips and breathed in.

“GOOOOOOO!”

The large caliber particle cannon of the Differential Frame released an extremely thick bundle of light.

“{{furigana|Bullet|Bomb Light Bullet}}!”

At the same time, Gravel’s gunsword also fired a bullet of light.

The two lights that were like comets collided a meter above the ground.

Intense light was flickering.

An impact of intense light was caused between the two. The mutual bombing was negating the other’s power. The surface part of Ataraxia was distorting from heat and began to melt.

Yurishia was staring at that radiance unable to believe it.

“No way! It’s a draw against Cross’s full power bombing!?”

However, the equilibrium between the two that made her wondered that it was a draw crumbled.

‘――Impossible.’

The power of the gunsword began to exceed the Differential Frame. The speed of her getting forced back gradually increased while the light was approaching Yurishia.

“Gah! HAAAAAAAAAA-“

Yurishia was blown away by the radiance of the Bullet, her body was thrown to the air. She crashed into a glass building, breaking the glasses into pieces and tumbled into the building.

Gravel turned on her heel and headed to Aine’s position.

“I won’t let you lay your hand on Aine.”

There was a figure standing in Gravel’s way.

“You are――a boy huh.”

Gravel opened wide her eyes.

The only man in the world who equipped a Heart Hybrid Gear, Hida Kizuna was standing.

“Aah, so what?”

“A boy wearing a magic armor huh……a magic armor is worn by a man’s body. Looks like you have quite the skill. I’ll look forward, to just how much skilled you are.”

Gravel prepared her gunsword and unleashed a preliminary attack.

“GAHA-……GUAAAAAA-!”

‘――What?’

The man if front of her eyes was easily blown away by the lightly thrust sword, then he collapsed.

“This is……well, really, what a let down.”

Gravel made a wry smile.

“Well fine. Let’s collect Zeros and the girl who called herself Aine. With that this time’s――”

Her stepping forward leg was unnaturally heavy.

Not only that, her whole body couldn’t move like she wanted it to. Just what was happening to her?

Gravel displayed a monitor in the air and confirmed the state of her body and Zoros.

‘――The magic power hit the bottom, already?’

Gravel lost her words from shock before Aldea suddenly talked to her from the window.

{Gravel, can you hear me?}

“Ye, yeah. What’s wrong?”

{The magic power of the battleship will reach the limit soon. What about you Gravel?}

“Yeah. Somehow I too am almost at my limit. Really, the magic power consumption in Lemuria is more than imagined…….how troubling.”

Gravel sent a glancing gaze at Aine.

“At the very least, I’ll take her――”

The male wearing magic armor stood up. His step was shaky, but his eyes weren’t dead. He stood in her way to protect Aine.

“I won’t let you……lay your hand on Aine.”

It was likely that he was just barely standing on his feet. Even so, he glared at her, as if he was trying to kill his opponent using his gaze.

‘――Nice eyes.’

Gravel’s mouth slackened.

“In deference to a young man’s spirit, I will draw back for today.”

Gravel ignited her thruster and flew high to the sky in one go. And then, she disappeared away towards the northern sky.

Seeing off that figure from behind, Kizuna fell to his knee.

‘We, survived?

No, this is not survival. Perhaps, we are just overlooked.’

Rubble was scattered all over the road, flames were rising everywhere. Kizuna’s strength was spent, and he collapsed on the road. He murmured inside his vanishing consciousness.

‘――The next time, that woman comes attacking. What are we, going to do?’

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