Editing Saijaku Muhai no Bahamut:Volume 3 Episode 3 (section)

===Part 6===


A high-speed battle where four machines danced was unfolding in the practice grounds.

Lisha fully activated the <Legions> and used all of them to corner Celis, but this time Celis did not use <Divine Gate>.

“I heard that that boy fended off all your attacks.”

She skillfully wielded her special armament, the great spear tinged with lightning ── the <Lightning Lance>, and repelled the <Legions> attacking from all directions one after another.

Unlike Lux, who dealt with them using various weapons and tricks, she had fended off all the storm-like attacks of the 16 <Legions> with only a single spear.

Even so, Lisha’s attacks still continued, but as they lost a little of their mobility each time they were repelled by Celis’ spear, all of the <Legions> dropped to the practice ground before long.

“Your attacks are strong, but that they are brittle when it is against me.”

To the words of Celis, Lisha fearlessly laughed while breathing heavily.

“……I see, you’re really hurting my pride, Miss Strongest. How many people in this world do you think can pull off what you’re doing?”

Krulcifer, while engaging in battle in the sky with Saniya’s <Wyvern>, looked for an opening on Celis.

However, Saniya devoted herself to support Celis as she kept Krulcifer occupied.

Saniya, who fought using a general-purpose Machine Dragon <Wyvern>, fought to separate Krulcifer from Lisha.

Thus, she skillfully handled her two breath guns, maintained an offense and defense in middle range and moved around with great tact without using any winning move. She just attacked to interfere with Krulcifer’s movement.

On the other hand, Lisha’s stamina was already about to reach the limit.

“Then, with this──……!?”

The moment when she set up <Seven Heads>, Celis moved.

With the minimum movement, she threw three Daggers at <Tiamat>. Almost at the same time, the seven halos wrapped <Lindwurm> and it disappeared from where it was.

“Don’t tell me this is──!?”

“It’s over. Scarlet War Princess.”

The moment when Lisha activated her barrier to defend against the daggers, Celis launched an attack from Lisha’s rear and smashed <Tiamat>’s propulsion device.

“Guh……!? So, this is──!”

“Yes. A concerted attack by Celis-neesama alone. It’s a technique that we call “Heavy Strike”.”

To the mutter of Lisha, whose armor was smashed, Saniya revealed a smile.

A simultaneous attack from multiple directions would eventually overwhelm an opponent.

With <Lindwurm>’s <Divine Gate>, she was able to pull it off with perfect timing.

The female students of the audience raised cheers at the special move only possible through concentration and technique, that Celis possessed, and the Divine Raiment’s ability.

“──It’s your lost.”

Bluntly saying so, Celis turned her back on Lisha.

Since the propulsion device of the back wings was destroyed, she no longer had any choice other than falling.

In the worst case, she had to show vigilance towards Krulcifer’s side as she was unable to attack her until the landing, but──

“Where do you think you’re going? Your opponent is still here, Strongest.”

“……!?”

At that moment, Lisha grappled Celis’ <Lindwurm> from behind and restrained it.

<Tiamat>’s Sword Device was grasped in her hand.

“Grovel in the name of the god, <Sprayshot>”

──Doon!

Together with the dazzling radiance of the Divine Raiment, <Lindwurm> fell along with <Tiamat> that grappled it.

Being slammed onto the ground at high speed, a rising cloud of dust wrapped up the two girls.

“……Gravity control ── so by getting rid of your own gravity, you can remain in mid-air, huh.”

Celis said while suggesting slight agitation at the terrible shock of the fall.

By <Tiamat>’s Divine Raiment, <Sprayshot>, she remained in mid-air by erasing her weight first, and the moment she grappled <Lindwurm>, she switched to a strong gravity load and succeeded in getting her for the first time.

In addition to the weights of the two Divine Drag-Rides themselves, a gravity several folds greater was applied, and the two machines’ feet sank.

“If I’m not mistaken, there should have been a restriction in size in transferring with <Divine Gate>, right? Your own size when clad in <Lindwurm> is the limit. In that case, by applying gravity on us together while grappling you like this──”

Even if she were to normally apply the gravity load with <Sprayshot>, her opponent would escape with her Divine Raiment.

Thus, as she waited for this chance of grappling until the very last minute, Lisha splendidly got her.

“Krulcifer! Come!”

At the same time as Lisha shouted, no, already before that, Krulcifer had moved.

After flicking off Saniya, who was fighting at long range, <Fafnir> approached <Lindwurm>at a high speed like that of a bullet.

It became a flash of light, tearing the blue sky, and brandished a medium-sized blade.

The moment when the flash of <Fafnir>, which reached its maximum speed, was going to attack Celis,

<nowiki>*</nowiki>Bashiii*!

With an earsplitting roaring sound, <Tiamat> and <Lindwurm> were wrapped by lightning.

“UAAH……!?”

“──!?”

Lisha screamed, and Krulcifer was blinded by the intense flash for an instant.

Immediately after, the aloof girl’s voice echoed out.

“<Starlight Zero>”

Before anyone knew, Celis had escaped from Lisha’s restriction and spoke after teleporting to the other side of the practice grounds.

Immediately after, the gun barrel, which was connected to the shoulder, activated as it raised a growl and fired a spherical light bullet.

“……!?”

Lisha and Krulcifer simultaneously held their breaths while squinting their eyes at the radiance of the bullet.

The speed of the flickering yellow light bullet was by no means fast.

But after just a few seconds, as the light bullet reached the center of the practice ground, it flickered there and exploded.

BOOM!

A flash as to burn the retina and the blast to the point of being unable to breath swirled violently within the practice ground and the students in the audience seating raised screams.

Roughly 80% of the practice ground’s area was filled with light and explosive flames.

<Starlight Zero> was another special armament that <Lindwurm> possessed.

It was a wide area ultra-powerful extermination weapon that shot a light bullet called “Star” which compressed the energy amassed to its limit and exploded a few seconds later covering a space of 300 Mels in radius.

Celis perfectly calculated the bombardment and fired while adjusting so that damage did not befall the audience seating.

“To think that Celis-neesama went all out──”

As she received an instruction of evasion from Celis before the bombardment, Saniya escaped from the attack range a step earlier.

Even so, her expression showed her surprise as she cast her gaze at the practice ground below.

As the aftermath of the tremendous impact and flames disappeared and smoke cleared away──

“……Looks like I somehow made it in time.”

“Krulcifer!?”

Krulcifer’s <Fafnir> was standing in front of Lisha’s <Tiamat> so as to protect it from the blast.

Lisha, who was surprised at that fact, unintentionally raised her voice.

“I have heard the rumors, but it’s quite the tremendous power…… It’s regrettable, but I’m already at my limit.”

<nowiki>*</nowiki>pashiin*! Shedding light, <Fafnir>’s system went down.

Immediately after, Lisha’s <Tiamat>’s system went down too, and both girls’ armors were released.

Because they defended against <Starlight Zero>, they had invested all the energy into the barrier and armaments; they had run out of energy.

“Deeming that they are unable to continue the battle, I declare the third-year Celestia/Saniya pair victorious!”

That moment, Raigree quickly announced the outcome and the bell rang the mock battle’s end.

Immediately after, great cheers poured down inside the practice ground.

“Even <Fafnir>’s automatic defense, <Auto Shield>, had been blown off. As expected, she’s not to be taken lightly──”

“I-I don’t mean that!? Why did you save me──?”

“You have fought until your very limit after all. Even if Celis-senpai had calculated the power, there was a chance, even if slim, that you might be hurt.”

With a matter-of-fact face, Krulcifer told Lisha.

And then, she brushed up her long, beautiful hair and smiled refreshingly.

“Honestly, I was surprised. I believed that your ability to think up tactics is hardly comparable to that of a princess, but you exceed my expectations and cornered ''that'' Celis-senpai. At the same time as I was impressed, I didn’t want you to get injured here.”

“S-Something of that extent isn’t really that big a deal…… I have already thought before about a strategy of remaining in the air by lightening my own gravity with <Sprayshot>, so──”

“I don’t mean that. What I acknowledged was the fact that you, who is the New Kingdom’s princess, has gone to such lengths regardless of appearances in order to win. Even though I had already half-given up at that time……”

Saying so, Krulcifer turned her gaze towards Lux in the audience seating.

“That you seriously think of wanting to make him stay in this academy. On that point, I can sympathize with you──”

As she whispered so, Lisha slightly blushed and hung down her head bashfully.

“Wha…… what is it, all of a sudden?! I’m only doing it for my own sake, you see──!”

“Yes, I know. If possible, let’s have a peaceful quarrel<ref>Quarrel about Lux, that is.</ref> from now on. Of course, I intend to win in the end though.”

With just a slightly happy expression, Krulcifer lent a hand to Lisha sitting on the ground.

Celis watched that scene from a slightly remote place.

“…………”