Editing Saijaku Muhai no Bahamut:Volume 2 Episode 4 (section)

===Part 3===

They crossed swords about ten times.

Slashes at a speed which the eyes couldn’t catch were mercilessly damaging <Bahamut>’s armor.

“Haa… Haa…”

Each time, getting his energy absorbed by <Aži Dahāka>, Lux’s breathing became rough.

Even so, he was keeping a match on equal terms with Barzeride who was using <Reload On Fire> which he wasn’t used to, but Lux’s body was also finally reaching its limit.

“––Kuh!”

Along with Lux’s breathing becoming rough, even <Bahamut>’s airframe began to gradually shake with a rattling sound.

“So the omen of rampage has come. The conclusion is near, “Black Hero”.”

Barzeride who struck a smile approached Lux with a composed expression.

He foresaw that with the attack of Lux who lost <Reload On Fire>, he would no longer be able to break through <Aži Dahāka>’s threefold barrier.

“Isn’t it time to admit your defeat already? “Black Hero.”

While continuing fighting, Barzeride interjected in an amazed tone.

“Since it’s a rare opportunity, I’ll tell you something good. As a Prince, you seem to be fighting for atonement –– but such a thing is just a vain effort. No, I should say it has the opposite effect.”

“…………”

Lux, confronting him, kept silent.

While breathing with his shoulders moving up and down, Barzeride calmly stared at him.

“I… The “Title Holder of the Kingdom” am trying to save this country’s future. Do you know? Lux Acadia. The crisis which is approaching this country currently –– something called the Ragnarok.”

“––I know.”

Lux answered briefly.

The negative legacy of the Old Empire, together with the other countries of major powers it was soon going to befall as the New Kingdom's misfortune. After waking up, he heard about it from Lisha.

Also about the fact that the New Kingdom’s Prime Minister issued instructions; so as to stop anything which could cause harm to Barzeride.

“Then, it saves me the long talk. There are no Drag-Knights appropriate for subjugation with that monster as the opponent at this time in the New Kingdom. Except me, that is.”

Barzeride raised his voice so that even Krulcifer could hear.

“I’m saying that in order to save this New Kingdom, I will be fighting that monster. Therefore, it’s necessary to obtain further military power from the ruins. So, it’s necessary for me to marry that girl. And from here on, I must use that woman as soon as possible, let scholars check her body in various ways and dig up new weapons and technology from ruins.”

“……!?”

Krulcifer hearing that revealed a scared expression.

“Fallen Prince. If it’s you, you should understand, right? This is something necessary. It’s for the future of the New Kingdom. There is no victory without sacrifice. With one girl of a foreign country coming over to me, this country will be saved. Even so, are you saying that you’ll still get in my way? After having failed to save this country, are you once again going to plunge this country into a crisis?”

“…………”

Listening to the speech full of deceptions, Krulcifer’s expression became cloudy.

Barzeride was trying to break Krulcifer’s heart by using Lux.

In order to throw her into despair and make her yield, he was telling Lux himself to abandon her.

''There is nobody who will save you.''

Lux knew it and took a posture of resistance. At that time––

“It’s fine already, Lux-kun.”

“…Krulcifer-san?”

To Lux’s roughly breathing, Krulcifer plainly said.

“It’s enough already. You have properly accomplished my request.”

“That’s not true. It isn’t over ye––”

“No, it’s fine. Since it is now, I will tell you –– but I was using you. It is only with this intention that I approached you from the start. That’s why you no longer need to feel either responsibility or obligation.”

Krulcifer revealed her usual cool smile and continued.

“That’s why, give up already. You should not have to die in such a place. You will fight for a country that is your ideal, right?”

With thoughts like vomiting blood, Krulcifer span her words.

That she wanted him to abandon her.

With an ice-like expression, she continued so.

“For me, you were just a tool. Therefore, I want you to say so, too. That you are a tool… If I had explained so from the start, it would've ended without expecting something like “maybe”. I wouldn't have ended with such thought, so––”

<nowiki>*</nowiki>plop*

A single tear drop, as she was not able to bear it, streamed down Krulcifer’s cheek.

The solitary, noble, and icy girl.

Something that she, who kept on smiling without revealing to anyone any weakness, truly desired.

''Perhaps, we might be able to become a family.''

She had kept fighting alone with only one thought in her heart.

『If you had became the Prince of the New Kingdom, would you also have saved me?』

Now, he clearly understood the true feelings that Krulcifer was hiding.

That’s why Lux asserted.

“You’re–– my lover. So, I will definitely save you.”

Then, he turned to Barzeride and glared at him.

“Hou, even though you’ve no chance of winning, you still want to continue? Your so-called “lover”, she doesn’t seem to want that, though. In the first place, how do you intend to save the New Kingdom from the crisis after defeating me?”

“I’ll look for someone more suitable than you and persuade him. If I don’t find anyone –– at that time, I’ll go out.”

Shaking the large sword, Lux declared.

“Why…”

Lux looked back again at Krulcifer whose eyes were moist, and smiled.

“It’s because I also want to be taught how to study by Krulcifer-san again. You were very kind to me. I want to be your strength. Please let me fight. For you who is important to me––”

Then, he turned his bottomless gray pupils that those who saw them felt fear, towards Barzeride.

“––It’s a match, Barzeride.”

The only wish which he swore in his younger days.

In order to achieve it, he had killed his self and sharpened his sword to the utmost limit.

Lux’s <Bahamut> which was gradually shaking further creaked.

The lines carved on the airframe were tinged with red light as if it was on the brink of collapse, showing signs of rampaging.

Shaking the shoulders so as to repress it, Lux brandished the large sword.

“Ha! How foolish. Your boring talk––”

At that moment, Lux moved while muttering.

<Bahamut>, who was shaking until just now on the verge of rampage so far shone red and swung the sword.

But,

“Fool! As if you can break this barrier with your power!”

Suddenly, the special armament possessed by <Fafnir>, the <Auto Shield> built a shield barrier in front of <Aži Dahāka>.

“…!? You stole even my special armament!?”

<Aži Dahāka>’s Divine Raiment which had been hidden until now.

An ability which temporarily stole even the right of control of a Machine Dragons’ special armaments.

From there, Barzeride furthermore activated <Reload On Fire>.

The absolute defense <Auto Shield> and the threefold barrier where the compression was strengthened.

The armor of the title holder that had never received one scratch not only in the tournament of the Capital, but even with an Abyss or a Divine Drag-Ride as opponents.

He intended to block Lux’s sword with that absolute shield.

“Die! You Fallen Prince and self-proclaimed Hero!”

When he saw through the moment of the attack with the future foresight by <Wise Blood> and the barrier strengthened with <Reload On Fire> was about to crush Lux––

“I don’t want to become a Hero. But––”

Lux’s mutter quietly echoed at the moment of crossing under the moon.

“At that time, from that day when I swore to destroy the Empire –– I had already made the resolution to fight.”

Bikiiiiiiiiiiiiiih!

A dissonant sound which informed of the collapse echoed in the church site at night.

[[File:SaijakuBahamut v2 0017.jpg|thumb]]

“––Wha!?”

Lux’s slash, coupled with a spin, was sharply released.

That flash in no way inferior to the Quick Draw in speed easily flipped the shield of the <Auto Shield> on all four sides, easily pierced the threefold barrier several times strengthened and directly hit <Aži Dahāka> which boasted of its hard armor.

“Gu, gyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!”

A shock, like that of hundreds of millions of needles, spreading from the point of contact of the blade which touched the top of the shoulder broke through and the Machine Dragon began to collapse.

The mountain of rubble behind and even the hard ground of the wasteland were also smashed up by the aftereffect of the shock.

Barzeride who was in the middle of that destroyed space gushed blood from his whole body, vomited blood and fainted in agony.

“Impossible..! Why is such a thing… such a thinnnnnnnnnggg?”

Barzeride who screamed as he was in agony, nonetheless struggled to wield the halberd.

But, the brandished halberd and even the <Devil’s Glow> of both shoulders activated, then cracked and simultaneously broke into pieces.

Be it his Drag-Ride or Divine Raiment, all of these were lost.

『Shall I tell you? Lord Kreutzer』

To <Aži Dahāka> which received a fatal destruction, Airi sent her voice through the dragon voice

『This is –– the second hidden technique that Nii-san created, “Recoil Burst”. A special ultra-move where he intentionally lets his own Machine Dragon rampage and releases it against the burden of just before self-destruction.』

Recoil Burst was a skill released by an approach completely opposite to that of the Quick Draw which combined two operating systems simultaneously.

A hidden technique which creates the accumulation of utmost limits by restraining through one’s own mind processing, an action at full power by body manipulation.

An attack at full power and the order to stop it.

It originally releases an ultra-powerful blow which is contradictorily performed through powerful operation at the same time as the Machine Dragon was intentionally allowed to rampage.

A forbidden technique where, if he could not perfectly perform the braking of energy flowing from the Force Core, <Bahamut>’s power would go on a rampage midway, and he would expose his surroundings and even his body to the danger of death.

That power boasted of a power dozens of times that of a normal blow released at full power.

Thus, it was able to destroy even <Aži Dahāka>’s “wall” equipped with the special armament of absolute defense and a strong barrier in one blow.

“D-Don’t be kidding me! As if such a thing could happen! Such a–– *gobo*! Something like this!”

“The match is already over. But––”

Lux calmly said, and stared at Barzeride’s face at last.

“If you intend to interfere with her again or anyone of the academy any more, then I’ll have no mercy. –– Can you promise that?”

“…Ku! Hahahahaha!”

Barzeride who heard that leapt back with an ugly smile.

Iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiih!

The partially destroyed <Aži Dahāka> raised a harsh roar.

“That just now––”

“Kukukuku…! It’s just a signal. To my private army –– my subordinates; Drag-Knights deployed to disperse the surrounding neighborhood from the duel, that is!”

“…Does that mean that you had planned that from the beginning?”

Lux calmly stared at Barzeride and asked so.

Since Alterize fainted midway, there was no eyewitnesses.

If he disposed of even Lux saying it was by an unfortunate accident, he could threaten Krulcifer and keep her quiet.

He had prepared the place of the duel with that intention from the beginning.

“This is also a splendid plan, Hero. Matches are such things! The “Title Holder of the Kingdom” can’t afford to lose! Even you, a Prince of the Empire, should know that!”

Barzeride revealed a triumphant smile.

Lux, who used his hidden technique, and Krulcifer’s stamina had already exceeded their limits.

They should have no spare energy to further defeat Barzeride’s private army from here.

The last plan considered so.

“I know. After all the Old Empire’s way of doing, I saw it enough times that I got disgusted when I was a child.”

“Kukukuku… so that’s what you mean by you’ve resolved yourself, huh? Well then––”

The moment when Barzeride was about to send a dragon voice, or send a message through the dragon voice to his private army––

“––Are these guys your private soldiers that you talked about? They’re quite reliable people, eh.”

“*Gefuuh*…!”

<nowiki>*</nowiki>gashan*. A man wearing an <EX Wyvern> was thrown down near Lux and company from the sky.

“What…!?”

When Barzeride looked up at the sky with his eyes wide opened, a giant red dragon was there.

The New Kingdom Princess Lisha and her Divine Drag-Ride <Tiamat>.

One of the prominent strong people (individuals) even in the Royal Military Academy was staying in the sky where clouds floated.

“Where did the other guys go!? There should have been 50 machines including mercenaries! I must quickly make them––”

“Lu-chan, are you all right?”

In response to Barzeride’s shout, a dull voice came from behind.

“Wha…!”

Having appeared carrying dozens of private soldiers whose armors were cancelled was Philphie wearing the Divine Drag-Ride <Typhon>.

“Sorry, but I will have you tell me all your evil plots, Lord Kreutzer.”

In addition, Sharis wearing a <Wyvern> declared so.

“Yes. Well, you can’t make excuses at this late hour. I also heard it. Resign yourself.”

Tillfarr with a <Wyrm> consented, and Nokuto who was behind her also put up her Machine Dragon’s arm.

“Yes. With the monitoring function of my <Drake>, I recorded the conversation within range. About how you had threatened Krulcifer-san, a student of the academy. The suspicion of having employed thieves. And the suspicion of the rules violation of the duel as well as the attempt to kill your opponent intentionally. We had the people of the army you brought along confirm all of this, so––”

“U, gu… uh!”

Sharis’s father was a soldier of the New Kingdom and he acted as vice-commandant.

Using that connection, she requested the guards of the Fort City to tag along and had them standby in the neighborhood.

In order to avoid interference, Barzeride deployed his private soldiers and had them dispersed people from the duel place, but those obstacles were easily broken through by Lisha and Philphie.

“Give up, “Title Holder of the Kingdom”.”

Lisha wearing <Tiamat> solemnly told so from the sky.

“––Fu”

It was no longer Barzeride’s personal problem.

While being aware of his defeat, he executed his last action.

<Aži Dahāka> which already lost all its weapons turned its back to Lux and the others and started running.

“Wait! Are you trying to run away!?”

A dense forest spread immediately near the church site.

Had he also prepared an escape course?

Did he intend to escape from the Fort City, go back to his territory and leave everything unsettled using his influence?

Or, live under an organization outside the country and plan his revenge?

When he set up this match,

“––Too naïve.”

A translucent voice and a gunshot resounded in the church site.

“Guh…!”

Immediately after, the shooting of <Fafnir>’s special armament, the <Freezing Canon> froze <Aži Dahāka>’s armor.

“Krulcifer…san!?”

Lux stared in wonder at the very precise shot of the girl whom he thought had run out of strength long ago.

“I said, right? That you should not underestimate me.”

Showing her usual cool smile, she muttered as if speaking to herself.

Krulcifer had the highest Machine Dragon aptitude value in the academy.

If she could prevent even the absorption of energy by <Aži Dahāka>, it would mean that she had accumulated enough power to be able to shoot back once.

<Aži Dahāka> which had already received fatal damage fell and completely shattered; and the user Barzeride lost consciousness.

“In the end, you are the only person who did not abandon me until the end.”

She suddenly showed a somewhat farsighted profile to Lux and continued.

Barzeride, who, though evaluating the girl called Krulcifer as the “best tool”, threw her away and fled.

“That isn’t true.”

The moment when she showed her sentimental side, Lux suddenly smiled at Krulcifer.

“…Eh?”

“When I said that I will go to the duel, everybody cooperated. Lisha-sama, Philphie and even everyone of the Triad… So––”

As Lux looked at Lisha who landed next to him and said so,

“Is that right…?”

“Errr, well yes…”

Lisha who was suddenly accosted slightly blushed and averted her gaze.

“It seems that I got you to cooperate even when you saved me the other day. Besides –– it was Lux’s request after all. With that said, I beat that man’s private soldiers, so from tomorrow when the request will be over, give him back to me.”

“It’s me who beat more than half though.”

When Philphie muttered so behind her, “Ah geez, shut up!” shouted Lisha and dodged it.

Krulcifer seeing that chuckled.

As both of them cancelled their armors, Lux took Krulcifer’s hand.

“Well then, shall we return? To our academy.”

“Yes.”

Thus, this incident calmly came to a close.<noinclude>
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