Saijaku Muhai no Bahamut:Volume 8 Capítulo 5

Capítulo 5 – Eclipse Sagrado —Ark—

Parte 1

Ela pretendia treinar não apenas seu corpo, mas também seu coração.

Ela se condicionou para ser capaz de manter a calma constantemente e tomar as melhores decisões em qualquer situação.

Mas, quando seu professor que lhe ensinou isso se transformou em monstro, Celis olhou para cima com um olhar aterrorizado e ela estremeceu.

“O que é isso... isso é—!?”

Dentro do terreno da Academia.

Logo após a força de ataque da Dragon Marauder e os soldados da guarda lutarem, a ilusão de seu professor Wade que apareceu mais uma vez, teve sua aparência transformada.

Estava se transformando em um Abyss bizarro com algo como um tentáculo flexível crescendo em suas mãos.

A ponta que se projetava para fora por dezenas de ml ficou nitidamente pontiaguda como uma agulha e imediatamente correu em direção à divisão Earth Dragon da Dragon Marauder – os usuários de <Wyrm>, perfurando o peito de vários deles.

“E-ESSE MONSTROOOO!”

“—M-MORRAAAAAAAA!”

Os vários Drag-Knights restantes da Dragon Marauder fizeram uso da Breath Gun e canhão para lançar fogo concentrado sobre ele.

O tentáculo do monstro foi baleado e ficou parecido com uma colmeia, mas logo depois disso, a carne se regenerou em um piscar de olhos e contra-atacou.

*Doguu–! * Os tentáculos que se esticaram mais uma vez perfuraram a barreira dos <Wyms> e arrancaram o corpo.

Flores de sangue fresco desabrocharam uma após a outra, gritos surgiram ao redor.

“......!?”

Airi deu um grito curto e Celis cobriu os olhos com o braço.

Enquanto os soldados da Dragon Marauder eram mortos um após o outro, os guardas que usavam seu Drag-Ride antes do hangar ser selado chamaram Celis.

“Deixe isso conosco, por favor, fuja!”

“Deve estar seguro dentro da Academia, rapidamente—”

Mesmo enquanto eles estavam tremendo contra a ameaça sem precedentes, os soldados disseram isso a ela bravamente.

Talvez o ajuste de <Lindworm> não tenha sido concluído ainda porque ela ainda não conseguiu invocá-lo aqui.

Nesse caso, a melhor coisa a fazer era proteger Airi enquanto se retirava deste lugar e fazia os preparativos.

Chegando a essa conclusão, Celis começou a correr em direção à Academia.

“Você está fugindo? Você ficou quieta sobre como eu morri por causa das palavras que você me disse até recentemente, não ficou? Você achou que poderia escapar mantendo isso escondido?”

“......!?”

O tom de voz impuro que parecia lama veio de trás de Celis.

Quando ela virou apenas a cabeça ligeiramente para olhar para trás— a maioria dos Drag-Knights militares já foram derrotados.

“Como......!?”

Estranho.

Não importa o quão poderoso o Abyss o inimigo era, para os Drag-Knights que estavam preparados para a batalha serem derrotados assim facilmente era simplesmente—

Além disso, ela tinha visto em algum lugar a maneira de lutar desse inimigo.

O poder de regeneração capaz recuperar instantaneamente a carne e o poder destrutivo avassalador usando tentáculos.

Era uma força que a lembrava do Ragnarok Poseidon que eles lutaram no passado.

Naquela hora, quando ela começou a correr enquanto puxava a mão de Airi, o demônio parou de repente.

Quando Celis, perplexa, olhou para trás, um som pôde ser ouvido.

“Som da flauta de chifre. —Não me diga que esse Abyss pode até chamar outros Abyss!?”

Sua previsão estava correta. Abyss que pareciam estar se escondendo em algum lugar até agora estavam surgindo da escuridão.

O tipo deles era o Abyss que era chamado de demônio do mar, Kraken.

O som da flauta de chifre tocava continuamente no corpo do demônio.

Esse som foi ficando cada vez mais alto, como se um final interminável estivesse sendo tocado.

Era como se estivesse tentando invocar até mesmo o Ragnarok de outras Ruínas que estavam distantes.

“Essa é a sua fraqueza? Minha discípula Celis.”

“Um demônio que assume a forma de humano... isto é, não me diga—”

Airi, que testemunhou aquela visão aterrorizante, murmurou com a voz trêmula.

“Não é um mero Abyss. É uma calamidade de classificação superior que ultrapassa o Nocturnal. Isso é o que os Lords mencionaram—”

A arma de aniquilação que levaria o mundo à destruição – o Ragnarok com forma humana, Eclipse Sagrado.

Vários outros reforços vieram correndo ao mesmo tempo quando Airi estava tremendo ao perceber sua verdadeira identidade, e o inferno foi reiniciado mais uma vez.

—

Parte 2

Naquele momento, havia as figuras da Dragon Marauder que se infiltraram na parte de trás do prédio do campus dentro do terreno da Academia sob a cobertura da luta.

“Oh, vocês estão muito atrasados. Graças a isso eu fiquei muito atormentada, sabe?”

Uma jovem com ambas as mãos algemadas e acorrentadas sorria dentro da prisão.

O que estava naquele lugar dentro do terreno da Academia era um dos três chefes da Dragon Marauder que foi capturado por Lux antes disso, a Comandante da Divisão Human Dragon, Drakkhen. Ela estava sendo interrogada aqui.

Sabendo disso, os dois Comandantes de Divisão restantes da Dragon Marauder vieram aqui para salvá-la.

“Já recuperamos seu <Asp> aproveitando esse caos. Vamos sair daqui rapidamente, Drakkhen.”

Quem disse isso a ela foi um jovem que vestia camisa e calça de tamanho curto.

O Comandante da Divisão Earth Dragon que estava liderando a força que basicamente consistia de <Wyrm>, Vine.

Suas feições ainda tinham a inocência que era típica de um menino, mas ele estava vestido com a aura de um soldado veterano.

E então o veterano que poderia ser considerado no auge de sua vida, o homem com traços de grande constituição física e pele escura, Gatouhan.

Ele era o Comandante da Divisão Heavenly Dragon que liderava uma força que tinha <Wyvern> como sua base, e ele também era o líder da Dragon Marauder em essência. Continuando após Vine, ele mostrou um sorriso ousado.

“O Eclipse Sagrado apareceu aqui. Foi uma coincidência que nem nós previmos, mas foi logo depois que o hangar Drag-Ride foi coberto com Chaff Slime.”

“......O que você disse?”

Drakkhen que estava mostrando compostura até então, reagiu após ouvir as palavras Eclipse Sagrado. Ela mostrou um olhar ameaçador.

“Nós planejávamos nos retirar porque seria problemático apenas enfrentar os Drag-Knights que poderiam se mover, mas— se usarmos essa chance, talvez possamos esmagar até mesmo a força principal dos Sete Paladinos Dragão.”

“............”

Quando Gatouhan se gabou disso, Drakkhen estranhamente mostrou uma expressão perplexa.

“Estou brincando. Depois que o Eclipse Sagrado apareceu aqui, nossa vida também estará em perigo se ficarmos aqui. Os subordinados que reunimos para te salvar já foram devorados. Perder ainda mais força do que isso afetará negativamente nosso plano no futuro.”

“Então tudo bem. Mesmo assim, estou refletindo sobre como deixei meus subordinados morrerem da última vez. —E o que nosso empregador disse?”

“Disseram-nos para cumprir o objetivo do mesmo jeito. Obstruindo aqueles caras e conquistando a Ruína. Se pudermos chegar a Avalon primeiro, nesse ponto, seremos capazes de colocar este próprio mundo em nossas mãos. Então, o dia em que nós, que fomos condenados ao banimento como bandidos, levarmos tudo sob o céu como se fosse nosso, não estará tão longe.”

“No entanto, será ótimo se não formos enganados. Afinal, nossos oponentes são assim.”

Drakkhen, que foi libertada de sua algema, sorriu amargamente em resposta ao tom autoconfiante de Gatouhan.

“Eu sei sobre o risco. O problema é a gestão do método. Não é verdade?”

Em resposta à pergunta do jovem Comandante de Divisão, Vine, Drakkhen também acenou com a cabeça e disse ‘Você não está errado’ honestamente.

Depois disso, ela foi carregada no braço blindado do Drag-Ride Divino que Gatouhan pilotava e eles deslizaram atentamente para a escuridão, voando para fora do solo.

“Não sejam gananciosos, todos dos Sete Paladinos Dragão. Se a sua sorte estiver ruim, eu nem terei a chance de contra-atacar vocês.”

Não foi apenas um sarcasmo, mas palavras que vieram do verdadeiro sentimento de Drakkhen.

Deixando para trás o murmúrio que era cheio de leve expectativa, eles se retiraram da linha de batalha.

–

Parte 3

Celis, que protegeu Airi do Eclipse Sagrado e escapou, estava sendo vigiada por um homem escondido.

Ele era um caçador. Não é um vigarista ou mesmo bandido.

Ele disse isso a si mesmo em seu coração e esperou silenciosamente por uma chance.

Pensando bem, ele só havia passado por uma vida sem valor até agora.

Ele foi abençoado com algum talento como um Drag-Knight.

Mas, ele não obteve força para ir muito longe e se tornar o melhor, e a realeza e a nobreza também tinham preconceito contra ele.

Gerdaf foi punido e jogado na prisão pelo crime de saber sobre a corrupção de seu superior e, ainda assim, ficar quieto sobre isso.

“—Que história irracional.”

Todo mundo estava cometendo um crime silenciosamente nos bastidores de qualquer maneira.

Apenas as pessoas mais poderosas faziam coisas que eram normais.

E ainda— por que ele foi culpado por ficar quieto sobre isso?

Mas, ele foi notado e floresceu uma segunda vez de prisioneiro para ser um Drag-Knight.

Embora fosse um criminoso, ele era uma pessoa poderosa, cujo feito foi reconhecido.

Gerdaf fixou a mira de sua <Circular Edge>, o armamento raro com o qual seu <EX Drake> foi equipado, então ele sorriu presunçosamente mais uma vez.

“Ah—”

Um prazer derretido estava brotando dentro de seu cérebro junto com seu suspiro.

Diante de seus olhos, Celistia, dos Quatro Grandes Nobres estava lutando.

Para salvar suas colegas estudantes, ela se opôs ao inimigo sem se desesperar, mesmo sem usar Drag-Ride.

O momento em que Gerdaf sentia prazer, era quando ele degradava algo tão lindamente nobre ao solo.

No final, quem ganhava eram aqueles que realizavam o mal habilmente—

Ele não podia resistir a empurrar essa realidade para o humano que estava trilhando o caminho correto.

Desta vez, ele recebeu a ordem para se livrar dessa garota fazendo parecer que ela havia cometido suicídio.

Esta era uma chance rara, então ele a faria ser comida por aquele estranho Abyss, então ele dissecaria seu corpo até que estivesse irreconhecível.

Sua mão puxou o gatilho com um desejo tão ebscuro fervendo dentro dele.

As bocas de disparo do armamento raro instalado em ambos os ombros de seu Drag-Ride soltaram instantaneamente uma luz fraca.

“......Ali–!”

As lâminas em forma de anel tingida de luz roxa foram disparadas consecutivamente naquele local.

Celis não percebeu. As lâminas definitivamente acertariam.

“—<Howling Roar>!”

Logo depois que Gerdaf se convenceu disso— sua previsão foi traída e as oito lâminas foram desviadas.

“O que–!?”

Os olhos do homem se arregalaram de choque. Logo depois disso, sua visão pegou a figura de um Drag-Ride preto enorme.

Lux, que estava usando o dragão violento <Bahamut>, ficou em seu caminho.

“Então é você quem tem como alvo a Celis-senpai?”

“......O que você quer dizer? Sou apenas um soldado da guarda do Novo Reino. Para derrotar aquele monstro, estou procurando uma chance de atacar—”

Na verdade, o homem estava vestido com o uniforme do exército do Novo Reino.

Mas Lux estava calmo até o fim e apontou a ponta de sua espada para ele.

“O fragmento de armadura que foi raspado da minha luta anterior com você combinou com o dano em seu <EX Drake>. Se você quiser provar sua inocência, desfaça sua armadura.”

Quando Celis também foi atacada naquela época, o homem roubou o uniforme de soldado da guarda e o vestiu.

Quando ele atraiu Coral anteriormente, ele devia estar elaborando outros truques sujos enquanto estava nisso.

“............”

Gerdaf deixou escapar um pequeno suspiro com o que Lux apontou.

Após alguns segundos de silêncio, sua atitude mudou drasticamente.

“É chocante. Você seguiu aquela mulher, prevendo que eu ia atacar novamente?”

Lux não encontrou Gerdaf por coincidência.

Ele pediu a Noct da Tríade para vigiar os arredores de Celis de longe.

Havia a possibilidade de que, depois de fazer Celis cair em uma armadilha, o inimigo viesse novamente para atacá-la enquanto seu coração e corpo estavam enfraquecidos.

“Posso prever a ideia aproximada de algo como pensar em uma pessoa cometendo o mal na sombra.”

“......Hoo. Mas isso é um pouco inesperado. O Novo Reino entrou em apuros por culpa daquela mulher. Para se preocupar tanto com a segurança de tal perdedora—”

“É algo que você nem consegue imaginar? Você que nunca lutou uma única vez pelo bem de outra pessoa?”

O olhar de Lux estava frio, como quando ele tentou fazer uma revolução no Antigo Império do passado.

Gerdaf, que era visto por aqueles olhos, mordeu os lábios e se deparou com Lux.

“Hmph, o criminoso do Antigo Império se declarando como um santo. Tudo bem, então vou te ensinar uma lição! Eu, que sou humilde por natureza, sujarei seu caminho correto e o levarei ao desespero do qual você não poderá se recuperar!”

*Dou—* O <EX Drake> saltou para trás e disparou a <Circular Edge> mais uma vez.

Todas as direções— cada uma das lâminas circulares desenharam trajetórias diferentes de oito direções e atacaram Lux simultaneamente.

Um único golpe de espada desviou várias das lâminas, mas as lâminas circulares restantes rasparam a armadura do <Bahamut>.

“Eu sou um dos ‘Servos’, o corpo de assassinos de Heiburg, o ‘Punição da Caça’ Gerdaf Veil. Eu vou rasgar você membro por membro e destruir o orgulho daquela filha do Duque!”

Ele se distanciou. Ao mesmo tempo, as lâminas circulares voltavam como se estivessem sendo puxadas para dentro.

Lux voou no ar com seu <Bahamut> antes que o armamento fosse disparado mais uma vez e a batalha começou.

—

Parte 4

No centro do terreno da Academia.

O corpo principal do Eclipse Sagrado que emitia uma melodia que parecia o som de uma flauta de chifre e invocava muitos Abysses.

Testemunhando isso, vários homens Drag-Knights que guardavam a Academia concentraram seu ataque de força total.

Balas leves perfuraram a carne e cortes jogavam membros para o ar.

Com isso, o Ragnarok humanoide que assumiu a aparência de Wade – Eclipse Sagrado, teve seus quatro membros arrancados e se transformou em incontáveis pedaços de carne que eram irreconhecíveis de sua forma original.

—Mas, cada um daqueles fragmentos que foram espalhados imediatamente começaram a se regenerar simultaneamente.

Celis que viu aquilo teve um palpite do que estava acontecendo.

“Por favor, corra! Eu ficarei aqui para—!?”

Ela começou a falar com Airi, mas então percebeu que era impossível.

Ela não podia usar seu Drag-Ride Divino <Lindworm>.

Naquele momento em que Celis hesitou em sua fala, os vários Wade revividos criaram tentáculos de suas mãos e pés e perfuraram a armadura dos soldados.

“UGYAAAAAH!”

Celis estava desesperadamente elaborando um plano enquanto ouvia os gritos dos soldados restantes.

Naquela hora, ela de repente ouviu uma voz atrás.

“Celis-senpai, tenho mensagem de Lisha-sama. ‘Concluí rapidamente o reparo e a manutenção. Se for agora, <Lindworm> pode ser convocado—’ela disse.”

Antes que o quarto hangar fosse lacrado, Lisha levou <Lindworm> ao seu ateliê.

Assim, contanto que o reparo fosse concluído, o Drag-Ride poderia ser invocado.

“Noct!? Por que você está......?”

Aquela que se aproximava por trás sob a função de camuflagem era Noct em seu <Drake>.

“Por favor, deixe a conversa para mais tarde. Agora vamos exterminar o inimigo.”

Noct interceptou os Krakens com sua Breath Gun enquanto respondia calmamente.

Da mesma forma que <Bahamut> e <Lindworm> que foram retirados para reparo e manutenção pós-batalha, as três da Tríade eram capazes de se mover porque retiraram seus Drag-Rides do hangar para patrulhar.

Devido ao pedido de Lux, Noct estava se escondendo e permanecendo em guarda como a guarda de Celis há pouco tempo. Shalice e Tillfur agora estavam se movendo sob o comando de Lisha.

“Vou levar Airi até um lugar seguro. Posso pedir à senpai para ganhar tempo até lá?”

“—Sim. Eu mesma lidarei pessoalmente com esse inimigo.”

Celis sacou sua espada enquanto murmurava isso ao mesmo tempo. Ela olhou para o Eclipse Sagrado que a perseguia.

Ela imediatamente equipou a armadura de <Lindworm> e voou para frente em alta velocidade.

O ataque relâmpago que ela desencadeou imediatamente transformou um dos clones em cinzas.

Mas, as dezenas restantes de Eclipse Sagrado falaram enquanto ainda usavam a aparência de Wade.

“Kukuku...... você é imprudente como de costume. Você disse que até mesmo encontrou alguém em quem confiar, mas parece que até essas palavras são apenas você blefando.”

Ele sussurrou como se tivesse visto através da hesitação de Celis, mas ela não teve tempo de se sentir abalada.

“Afinal, sua existência é apenas nesse nível. Você não pode lutar mais do que isso. —Descanse em paz!”

O Eclipse Sagrado que se dividiu até que dezenas de corpos espalharam um número terrível de tentáculos ao redor.

Mas, Celis usou a Veste Divina de <Lindworm>, o <Divine Gate> para se esquivar. Então ela apunhalou sua enorme lança por trás de um corpo.

“Mesmo que seja esse o caso, cumprirei meu dever. Assim como o verdadeiro Wade que advertiu o Antigo Império com determinação pelo bem do povo!”

Mesmo que ela estivesse apenas blefando, ela tinha seu eu treinado. Ela poderia lutar.

Não— ela podia lutar porque acreditava.

Celis acabou com as dezenas de clones do Eclipse Sagrado, um por um, enquanto queimava com espírito de luta.

Então, uma transmissão veio do <Drake> de Noct que estava recuando com Airi.

「Você pode ouvir Celis-senpai? Eu evacuei Airi. Shalice e Tillfur também querem ir para aí como reforço assim que a situação mudar, mas—. Antes disso, vou realizar o desejo de Lux-san. Eu irei até onde ele está e transmitirei sua própria voz para você através da comunicação.」

Atualmente Celis não tinha liberdade para responder.

Foi por isso que ela seguiu o que Noct disse e recebeu a voz através do Dragon Voice como ela era.

「Escute Celis-senpai. As palavras daquele que está lutando para acabar com sua desonra—」

—

Part 5

One of the Servants, a corps of Heiburg, Gerdaf revealed his true color and pressed hard on Lux.

The enemy’s scheme to stain Celis’s dignity and drove it onto the ground, and then killing her by making it to look like suicide.

In order to stop that evil scheme, Lux drove Bahamut flew inside Academy’s ground.

The Drag-Ride Gerdaf wore was the special equipment type EX Drake.

The four legged Drag-Ride freely used jump. It would then change trajectory midair and avoided pursuing attack.

Originally Bahamut’s mobility should be superior, but due to that superb escaping technique, Lux found it difficult to catch him.

「How long you’re planning to chase me huh, hero-sama! A lot of Abysses are appearing at the other side right now. Are you feeling like to let those spoiled girls of the Academy died to defeat me!?」

Gerdaf cackled loudly while taking distance. At the same time he was using Circular Edge to obstruct Lux.

With the end of the campus festival, the inside of the Academy was dark with few watch fire. Lux too couldn’t display his maximum speed.

On the other hand, the enemy used his radar to detect the obstacles like the booth and stage that hadn’t been cleared away and grasped the terrain. He was nimbly weaving through the gaps.

The Drag-Rides of Lisha and others of Syvalles and the Seven Dragon Paladins were sealed because of Chaff Slime’s thin membrane covering the hangar. The majority of them couldn’t move and were ordered to stand by.

It seemed that it was only the vice captain Singlen who didn’t trust the new kingdom and moved the storage location of his Divine Drag-Ride, but it appeared that he was heading outside the Academy in order to defeat the Abysses that were gathering from outside.

His aim was the protection of the important people from various countries who were staying in the government office building at the first block, in order to raise his own achievement.

Singlen who was attempting to stand at the top as Drag-Knight was trying to build up achievements while raising his World Rank and obtain support from the influential people of various countries.

In order to stop Singlen who was envisioning the establishment of a ruling class by Drag-Knight, perhaps Lux ought to head over there too.

But,

「I won’t be misled anymore. Even if everyone else won’t recognize me, I’ll still fight for the sake of everyone who believe in me!」

The phantom of Fugil that coiled around him.

Lux accelerated Bahamut as though to shake it off.

‘Chih’ Gerdaf clicked his tongue and changed his trajectory. He changed route toward the courtyard where there were several Abysses at there.

He wasn’t cutting off his own path of escape.

When Lux and the Abysses were connected in a straight line, he erased his figure using EX Drake’s camouflage.

「He aim to make me clash with the Abyss──, no」

Lux immediately cut down the two Kraken approaching him from the front.

But, Gerdaf scattered Circular Edge aiming at the slight opening that was created the moment Lux attacked.

The circle shaped blades that were tinged with purple light rotated.

They were fired toward Lux and approached from many directions once more.

「Kuh……!」

Lux was lacking in defense method. Even when he tried to guard using his large sword, he could only deflect around half each time.

The joint of his armored arm was targeted. Strong impact also ran through Lux’s body.

The rotating blades clung to the armor for a fixed interval, weakening him with certainty.

「Aa──this is the best. This sensation of making sport of someone powerful who is far more skilled than me, this is why I cannot stop doing this job.」

• Slurp* The sound of licking lips and laughing voice could be heard from the darkness.

But, Lux ignored even the pain in his whole body and flew once more to catch Gerdaf’s figure.

Lux finally entered the sword range, but Gerdaf fired his Circular Edge once more. The blades didn’t aim at Lux but scattered to left and right.

「……-!?」

Lux was taken by surprise for a moment, but he immediately noticed the enemy’s aim.

Lux who almost caught up with the enemy changed direction and quickly flew at the direction where the round blades were fired.

There were the figures of two girls running to evacuate there.

「Kyaaah!」

「Howling Howl!」

Lux immediately fired the vortex of shockwave and shifted the orbit of the round blades.

But, the students received the after wave from the impact the round blades emitted and they were sent flying for several ml from that spot.

Lux immediately took stance in front of the girls and became shield to cover them.

But, Gerdaf who predicted that took distance from Lux once more and leaped toward the direction of girl dormitory.

「HIYAHAHAHA! How cool. That’s how the prince of justice got to act yeah!」

Gerdaf’s mocking laugh echoed inside the darkness.

‘Calm down’──Lux told himself.

Gerdaf’s blunt provocation was an opening move.

Till the end it was a tactic to agitate Lux and exhausted him.

He had to assist Celis who was battling Divine Eclipse, but he couldn’t leave behind this Gerdaf to go and help her.

But, that rare armament Circular Edge was troublesome.

The current Lux didn’t happen to have the technique to slip through that simultaneous attack that was hiding an atrocious performance within.

The only technique that could possibly do that──was incomplete.

「Hah, don’t try to keep up your outer appearance. That duke daughter of four great nobles is also the same. I hit her many times at inconspicuous spots, several spots like her arms and legs were even bruised, and yet! She tried to hide her own failure and didn’t told anyone!」

『Let’s go, Lux. I can fight.』

「────」

But at that moment. Lux recalled the words that Celis muttered calmly and his emotion shook intensely.

Lux didn’t notice at all when they were fighting together at the skill exhibition battle.

Celis bluffed saying she was all right because she didn’t want to hold Lux back.

But, it wasn’t because she didn’t trust Lux or even because she didn’t want to expose her own failure.

「What does someone like you understand about her resolve-!」

Along with his rage, Lux pushed his body forward and flew while making his large sword to roar.

「Nuuh!?」

The slash that was unleashed from that intense acceleration caused Gerdaf to back away in terror.

He took the tactic to make Lux clash with the Abysses that were called here by Sacred Eclipse, but Lux’s movement surpassed expectation.

Multiple Krakens reacted to Lux and manipulated their tentacles to assault Lux.

Lux deflected the attack using Howling Howl, and when a gap was created he forcefully pushed on and cut apart the enemy standing in his way.

By fighting the same Abysses consecutively, Lux grasped their trait, predicted their movement in less than ten-odd seconds, and made it possible to attack using Reload on Fire.

「Celis-senpai was fighting like usual even with her injury. She fought so naturally that no one even noticed, not me, not everyone else. And then, even after the fight ended in a draw and failure, she didn’t make any excuse!」

That wasn’t because she was fixated with her pride as someone from the four great nobles or even because she feared getting reprimanded.

The two days period of the campus festival.

For some reason, Celis was hiding all that time while trying to support Lux.

It wasn’t because she didn’t want to face him or because she had done something to feel guilty about.

「It was so that I won’t get unnecessarily worried. Everything was her fighting for my sake.」

He wasn’t under the wrong impression or anything, Lux didn’t try to understand Celis’s feeling.

His life at the imperial court in the era of the old empire.

He was looked down as a 『man』 who was positioned the farthest from the imperial throne succession right. There was no one who properly evaluated him then.

Even after he became hated by the common people and abandoned, where he lost his mother in an accident, it was still like that all along.

Since the time he parted from his childhood friend Philuffy and betrayed by his eldest brother Fugil who he thought as heartening in his heart, Lux’s heart was broken somewhere.

At the innermost depths of his heart, he was keeping away other people from himself except of those who had been close to him from the beginning like Airi or Philuffy.

The legendary Drag-Knight the Black Hero──or perhaps, the ruined prince of the old empire.

Or else perhaps, as the grandson of Wade who was Celis’s teacher.

There were people who were genuinely feeling worried and concerned for Lux himself, without caring about those backgrounds of his. But Lux was unconsciously walling himself toward those feelings.

That was why Lux didn’t understand Celis’s feeling.

「I am──a big idiot. I haven’t changed at all since that time I failed at the revolution. It was just as Nii-san said. I didn’t understand anything, nothing at all.」

「Hah……! Just what the hell you are moaning! Do you finally got a screw loose in your head?」

Gerdaf kept up his guard toward Lux who was hot on his heels and approached him in high speed while taking even more distance.

He had already made Lux fought in Bahamut enough already, Lux should be exhausted right now.

If he didn’t finish off his opponent soon, he would be blamed for his failure and got killed by his master.

Thus, Gerdaf was going to deal the finishing blow. It was at that timing it occurred.

──*PAAN!*

That instant when Gerdaf glared, a streak of flash was fired suddenly from the sky above──the sniping from a rifle shot through the shoulder of EX Drake he was wearing.

「──WHAAT-!?」

The shot that was fired from unexpected direction caused Gerdaf to look up to sky with horrified look.

It wasn’t the work of the student Drag-Knight who arrived nearby Lux.

What was floating in the shadow of dark cloud that covered the moon was an unknown Drag-Knight under the cover of darkness.

Gerdaf reflexively let out electromagnetic wave from his EX Drake and investigated the unidentified Drag-Ride.

Unit name verdict – Divine Drag Ride 《Zahhak》.

Pilot──Analysis uncertain.

(Who, is that……!? This guy, is it a Dragon Marauder newcomer!? No──wrong!?)

The moment of agitation caused a lapse in attentiveness.

Lux didn’t let go of that slight opening.

「──Reload on Fire」

Using compression of time, the Drag-Ride’s speed was accelerated by several times over. Consecutive slashes were unleashed in super high speed from that.

His barrier was cut up without even any time for defense, countless slash lines were carved on his body.

He immediately fired Circular Edge to protect EX Drake’s armor, but Lux evaded them and ran his slashes on his flesh arms and legs.

「GU, GAAaAAAH!?」

The after wave from the impact that pierced the armor caused Gerdaf to raise an anguished shriek.

He was still alive, but his four limbs already couldn’t move. He rolled on the grass.

「Nugu, uUUuUUU……! This is, this is impossible!?」

Lux pointed his great sword at Gerdaf who was groaning in pain before he turned his gaze toward the sky.

It seemed that Noct tried to back him up using her Drake, but the attack just now wasn’t her work.

It might be his other comrades──Lux thought, but no one came to mind.

Above all else, the Drag-Ride that performed the cover fire has vanished completely from that place without any trace behind.

「…………」

After a moment, Lux stopped thinking.

He looked down on Gerdaf who was prostrating on the ground and then he slowly changed the direction of his gaze.

At slight distance away, Sacred Eclipse──the human shaped Ragnarok of the beginning and the end, and then Celis who was clad in Lindwurm were fighting.

「Celis-senpai……」

『Yes. I was unable to assist her but, I told Celis-senpai properly. Lux-san’s feeling, toward Celis-senpai──』

Unnoticed Lux had arrived at the location of the Sacred Eclipse, the last place where Gerdaf was leading Lux toward in order to crush him.

Over there were the figures of the last remaining clones of Sacred Eclipse and Celis who were acting a mortal combat against each other.

–

It reached Celis’s ear through the Dragon Voice.

The defect of Lux who was unable to accept someone’s good will honestly.

That was why, Lux was unable to understand Celis’s worry that was derived from her fondness toward Lux which Celis herself didn’t understand.

That confession was conveyed to Celis through Noct’s Drake and now she knew Lux’s feeling.

「I’m sorry Lux. I avoided you all this time──」

Celis smiled powerlessly, then she also confessed her own mistake.

「I am really weak. No, while I said that I trust you, I couldn’t have the courage to entrust even my weakness too to someone else……」

She was the daughter of a great feudal lord who had existed since the old empire era.

Her true nature was exactly because of her position as the daughter of a duke who was one of the four great nobles.

At the old empire at that time which had the tendency of male chauvinism, woman was treated as unnecessary.

Celis’s mother could only give birth to female successor.

In order to protect her mother from the cold gaze their relatives turned toward her, Celis imposed to herself the duty to become an existence that was stronger than anyone, who wouldn’t shame the name of noble.

「Thanks to Lux, I was able to convey my true feeling to everyone in the Academy. I could accept taking off my mask of persisting in my aloofness and refusing male. But──」

Celis fixed her posture with a somewhat lonely smile.

「But, I was unable to go as far as exposing my weakness. As the eldest daughter of one of the four great nobles, I who said that the position as a noble is irrelevant was adhering to it without noticing. That was why, I caused trouble to you all.」

It was also the same with how she became unable to look at Lux’s face around the time of the campus festival.

Also with how she was unable to report about the wound on her own body before the skill exhibition battle.

「Even so, Celis-senpai, you──protected me.」

Lux quietly objected at Celis’s words that she muttered self-depreciatingly.

She became embarrassed to look at Lux face to face, she couldn’t show herself to him, she was hesitating.

Even so she continued to fight without running away or keeping him away at distance.

「You were hurt for the sake of me who was unable to notice everyone’s feeling.」

The imperial family and the people of the old empire era who abandoned and betrayed Lux.

And then Celis, who tried to protect and watch over Lux from the shadow even while resolving herself to stop being an aide of Seven Dragon Paladins.

He thought that she was really clumsy, and serious.

And then, he also thought of her as a proud and strong person.

She didn’t think about how she wouldn’t be able to do something, she chose an even harder path by her own initiative──but, she was fighting without losing against loneliness.

It was exactly because Celis held such feeling that Lux himself could realize his own defect.

「Thank you very much Celis-senpai. Thanks to you──I can still fight.」

「Is that so……then, I cannot lose, I too──」

Celis muttered that and took her stance once more.

At the same time, the cannon muzzle installed on her shoulder fired a compressed light bullet.

The wide range destructive blast special armament, Starlight Zero.

The small light bullet that was slowly floating in the air burst open *kaat-* along with a flash.

A space with a diameter of a few dozen ml was scattered away along with an impact that shook the ground.

「GU, OooOOO-……!」

The number of the propagating Sacred Eclipses was decreased by quite a lot, but parts of Sacred Eclipse that was scattered to right nearby gathered in high speed and began to receover.

The immortal Ragnarok that repeated regeneration from splitting itself.

Even if it was attacked with unlimited attack with Lux’s hidden technique, End Action, it would regenerate midway from a part of its body that was cut off and resurrected completely.

But, if it was fired with Starlight Zero with maximum strength that was exploded in even wider range, this time the damage would reach even the students who were evacuating inside the building.

Then, there was only one method that could be taken.

It was by examining the trait of the fighting strength they were wearing, the armaments and Divine Raiment of their Drag-Ride and comprehending their own strength.

Celis immediately derived the plan to deal with the enemy using the thinking of maneuver tactic that she polished together with her physique.

「──Break Purge – On」

She grasped her Sword Device and lightly sent her thought into it to activate the basic technique that she once learned.

She purged part of the armor she wore and left behind only a part of it.

She left her special armaments, the cannon muzzle of Starlight Zero, and the defensive armor that deployed the barrier.

Furthermore she even purged a part of her back wings that were the vital point of her mobility, transforming her Drag-Ride to a form that was specialized for attack.

The removal of armor using Break Purge was essentially a basic technique to decrease the burden to oneself, but if it was carried to the extreme it could be transformed into a hidden technique.

Depending on the situation, the unnecessary armor part could be cut off except the part for accomplishing the objective.

In this mode where the Drag-Ride’s output was wrung out and focused to one point, it was a double-edged sword that could corner oneself into extreme danger if the user didn’t accurately grasp their own strength and the enemy’s strength.

But, this technique could be handled if it was by the current Celis.

She believed that with the addition of Lux’s strength, this method was the best to defeat the enemy.

「Noct. There is something I want you to transmit while you continue keeping yourself camouflaged like that.」

『Yes. What is it? I will give assistance as much as I can.』

To Noct who said that, Celis told her that she wanted her to clear out the people from the surrounding area.

At that moment, the presence hiding inside the bush moved with a leap.

「Omen of annihilation and lamentation confirmed. Granting thou salvation.」

「──!?」

In a moment, Lux and Celis opened their eyes wide at the sight that they didn’t expect.

Sacred Eclipse that revived and recovered its human shape in the form of a girl stabbed its fingertip into the dying Gerdaf.

The body of Gerdaf whose whole body was already carved into a state that was impossible to recover from──.

Black pattern spread out from the spot that was stabbed, his four limbs was healing from their wound in the blink of eye.

Both his eyeballs were tinged with the redness of fresh blood, his upper body was dyed with the blackness of marble pattern.

「Ruin’s secret medicine……the true identity of Elixir, don’t tell me──」

「Was it the liquid that Sacred Eclipse has!?」

The moment Lux and Celis returned to their senses, Sacred Eclipse leaped back and took distance from them.

At the same time Gerdaf who achieved recovery from the devi transformation raised a howl like a beast.

「Hihihihi……HyaHAHAHAHAA!」

Gerdaf who became nonhuman distorted his lips in an arc shape and laughed monstrously.

「This is lucky, if Sacred Eclipse crush you all for me, then I can fulfill the mission from my master. With this the new kingdom can also be shredded into pieces. Aa, I can see it, the despair of those left behind when you two dieeed」

The devil transformation by Elixir invaded human’s mind and amplified their malice.

In other words, this must be the true essence of the man called Gerdaf.

Due to his hard life where he was toyed by misfortune, he came to curse people’s happiness and existed with the creed of making other fall.

The evildoer Drag-Knight who supported the master of Heiburg who held immorality as righteousness.

「I won’t allow anyone becoming happy from doing the right thing. This me won’t recognize such thing, Black Hero. You show off hypocrite, be betrayed by your own benevolence and get exposed at human’s malice, then despair──and die!」

The pair of eyes that were crimson like fresh blood snapped open, then Gerdaf started to move.

When the moonlight shined down from the gap between clouds that covered the moon, the incarnation of malice drove his EX Drake and leaped with terrific momentum.

–

Part 6

「Captain Magialca! It’s an emergency situation! The many Abysses that appeared around Cross Field──they have marched until this neighborhood!」

At the first block a bit distance away from the Academy, inside the government office building where the government officials were staying, the second floor.

The captain of Seven Dragon Paladins who was staying there, Magialca was still wearing her housedress.

Or rather, it was mostly just underwear──she was sitting cross-legged in such appearance calmly.

「I have heard. But, with the hangar sealed even us cannot take any action, so there is nothing to do but staying at standby. I have given instruction to the lot who are equipping their Drag-Ride by coincidence. At the Academy, the trio called the Triad are at work in removing the Chaff Slime. And then──」

Saying that, Magialca stared outside the window with a clear gaze.

Over there was the Blue Tyrant, Singlen Shelbrit who was intercepting the Abysses that were already moving toward the Academy’s gate.

His figure could be seen at the distant even from this building’s window.

「Bu, but it’s a herd that large. Sir Singlen alone is──」

「Leave him alone, that guy right now is fighting for the sake of 『achievements』 that he loves. When he is like that we don’t need to worry. After all, if it’s only in the aspect of pure strength as Drag-Knight, that sleazebag is more outstanding than anyone.」

Magialca was muttering while glaring once more at outside the window.

Ahead of her sharp gaze was Singlen wearing a huge blue Drag-Ride.

「Divine Drag-Ride Leviathan. Its ability is an extremely simple water control, but it’s extremely difficult to find any weakness even after knowing the true shape of its ability.」

The messenger soldier gulped after hearing Magialca’s words. He then also looked at outside the window.

Right after that, several Abysses from the swarm that was attacking Singlen were carved apart by spouting up blades of water torrent and they were instantly turned into countless chunk of flesh.

–

Ahead of the gaze of Magialca, Singlen who was wearing Divine Drag-Ride Leviathan was slashing apart the Abysses that were coming at him one after another.

He created countless water blades from the ground and destroyed the enemy’s core in one attack.

He also defended against counterattack using water shield and displayed an overwhelming battle.

「How extremely boring. Against this Sacred Eclipse of beginning, it’s still not worth it for me to get serious it seems. By the way you──who permit you to peek at my technique?」

「──!?」

Singlen who was facing the swarm of Abyss in front of him suddenly turned around and glared at a spot above the sky that existed between clouds.

At the same time, a water bullet was fired from Leviathan’s surrounding with a speed that eye couldn’t follow.

• DOUNN!* It was just a simple water lump, but it made a thunderous sound like an explosion and caused drizzle to rain down.

The Drag-Knight targeted by that bullet barely defended against it before immediately turning around and retreated.

「That’s not one of the Seven Dragon Paladins. The Lord fellows huh? Was that an attendant who acted by the imperial princess’s order? No, or perhaps──well, doesn’t matter. Your scheme won’t work on me.」

Singlen who smiled suggestively gripped his Sword Device silently.

He faced the closing in large swarm once more and resumed fighting.

–

Part 7

「I’ll keep you company Celis. You who seek my salvation.」

Sacred Eclipse that was standing before Celis’s eyes transformed into an enormous tentacle monster that looked like Poseidon──the form of Ragnarok, while talking with Wade’s voice.

She couldn’t defeat it by herself──right now, Sacred Eclipse transformed once more into an opponent that was her weak point, the wall that once defeated her.

Furthermore this Ragnarok possessed both regenerative power and offensive power that were superior than the Poseidon that Lux once defated.

The tentacles attack with clawed tips that were like steel.

They possessed power that could easily pierced Drag-Ride’s barrier, furthermore if she was forced into defense she would be killed.

She flew in the air and ran around to that the tentacles couldn’t lock on her──but, this time the enemy predicted her trajectory and readied its attack ahead of her direction.

The blue tentacles pierced empty air like bullet and burst out shockwave.

Those impacts pierced the surrounding trees, smashing the water tank that was above girl dormitory and scattered water around.

「──Divine Gate.」

Thus, Celis dodged using the Divine Raiment of instant movement.

She reset the disadvantageous situation where her escape path was blocked.

「Buying time until your comrades come as reinforcement huh? That’s naive──my disciple.」

「……-!?」

The giant sea monster muttered and sneered with Wade’s voice.

Celis faced a hard fight because she had purged a part of her armor and shaved off her defensive power.

But, if it was with the stamina that Celis had trained for many years, she could still endure using her technique and Divine Raiment.

「──How many times you are planning to repeat the same mistake. You try to save someone and challenge a battle that is out of your league, and in the end you get hurt. Sooner or later that body of yours will surely perish. See?」

Sacred Eclipse──the Ragnarok that was creating Wade’s voice suddenly stretched its tentacles toward a bush between the trees.

What the tentacles caught and pulled out from there one a female student of the Academy.

「NOOOO, HELP MEE-!?」

Celis reacted to the girl’s scream and her body reflexively moved.

Almost at the same time, Noct who was hiding herself with camouflage yelled through the Dragon Voice.

『Please wait Celis! That girl is a fake!』

「────」

If it could transform its outside appearance to mimic human, then it was also possible to partially disguise the tip of its tentacle.

Celis noticed Sacred Eclipse’s trap, but countless tentacles grew out from the ground in that opening where her judgment lapsed for a moment.

The attack of sharp tips pierced the thin barrier and grazed Celis’s side.

–

Part 8

「Celis-senpai-!?」

At the open space within the Academy’s ground slight distance away, Lux saw Celis receiving Sacred Eclipse’s counterattack and he yelled.

Taking advantage of that opening, Gerdaf who was clad in EX Drake violently assaulted Lux.

He leaped and fired Circular Edge at the same time.

After that a beat later, he was falling while slashing down his Blade from overhead.

It was a flowing chain of attacks that was making use of the rare armaments strong point.

As expected Lux couldn’t dodge all the projectiles that were flying from many directions simultaneously. Bahamut was sent flying backward from the impact.

(That special armament──, it can even homing and luring the opponent!)

Lux should have evaded the round blades that were in the trajectory that his sword couldn’t block, even so several of the blades still hit him directly.

There was no way he could fly and escaped to the sky.

If Lux didn’t lure Gerdaf who went through devil transformation, he would surely change his target to Celis who was fighting Sacred Eclipse──or to the female dormitory that wasn’t so far from here.

His opponent Gerdaf also understood that. From some time ago he was attacking based on that understanding.

And then, Gerdaf became unconcerned with the burden to his body due to the effect of the devil transformation. He was making acrobatic movement that originally he couldn’t do due to the burden on his body; He was leaping using wall and trees as foothold while firing multiple layers of attack at Lux.

(I cannot keep this up for long. At this rate──)

The enemy’s combat strength surpassed the imagination.

Gerdaf erased his presence within the night’s darkness. Lux was completely unable to see through Gerdaf’s attack preliminary movement.

But, he was already starting to grasp the timing when Gerdaf’s attack started.

If he calmly predicted it, Lux could settle this with a counter at the next chance.

When Lux was focusing intently to look for that chance, the mocking voice of Gerdaf who was slipping into the darkness could be heard.

「……I really cannot stomach it, that ugly mug that is believing in the future. Even though I have set up the stage to make that duke daughter-sama fall in disgrace after much trouble」

「What, do you mean?」

Lux silently took his stance.

He deliberately responded to the conversation in order to grasp Gerdaf’s location accurately from the direction of his voice.

「Kukuku, I pretended to be an ordinary visitor who watched the fight by accident and secretly spread a rumor. Because that woman got too impatient to raise achievement, the new kingdom fell into a predicament now. Even if you guys actually overcome this battle, that woman will still meet wretched experience. After all humans who don’t have anything are sensitive to the weakness of the strong yeah.」

Gerdaf’s provoked to enrage Lux and threw his control out of order.

Even so Lux kept glaring forward with a cold gaze without a single change in his expression.

「──Even then, it doesn’t change what I should do. I’m not scared anymore of getting avoided by her!」

「Hah!? Of course you are! As expected from the cold hearted prince yeah! You don’t care a whit about your comrade or anything aren’t ya! Then, try to dodge this too-!」

Gerdaf let out a laughter of contempt and his presence moved at the same time.

At the same time, the rare armaments burst out once more from the bushes at the darkness some distance away.

Circular Edge──the eight blades that were fired toward Lux in arching trajectory were sent out with even more atrocious speed that surpassed the previous times.

At the same time Gerdaf skated as though to chase those blades and approached Lux in a straight line with his Blade readied.

His true aim wasn’t Lux’s agitation, it was to make Lux stopped moving from the talk.

From within the eight blades, the enemy would surely directed two of them to the direction of the girl dormitory.

He fired the blades one after another with the anticipation that Lux would deflect those two blades.

At the timing when Lux somehow deflected the round blades, Gerdaf would aim at that opening with his Blade attack.

After a short pause, calculating the time of just around a second after firing the pursuing attack, Gerdaf leaped.

The shockwave of Howling Howl couldn’t blow away Circular Edge that was guided with rotation.

Thus, Gerdaf was convinced that he had surpassed Lux’s foresight and obtained victory at hand.

「Die hero! Die while gritting your teeth in frustration of yourself who cannot protect anything!」

But at that moment, the scenery of the surrounding that was centered on Lux distorted.

From that space that was created like a spreading sphere, the colors other than black and white were fading.

「After receiving my teaching, you has mastered Drag-Ride within unprecedented short time. It’s not just because of your innate talent. Your wish of wanting to protect someone important to you. That’s exactly what draw out your strength and guide you to that power. In other words──」

Five years ago. The advice that Fugil told him was replayed at the back of Lux’s mind.

『If there is something that you think as important from the bottom of your heart at your side, your strength will surpass the limit in respond to that──making you strong.』

「──HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!」

And then, Lux raised a howl like a dragon.

It was the gesture for the sake of removing his body restriction and liberated his strength.

The advice that was bequeathed to him from Fugil at the past was given to him once more from Celis, releasing his shackle.

That was a power that he definitely learned once, but was lost with Fugil’s betrayal.

Reload on Fire──time was decelerated due to the Divine Raiment of compression and strengthening.

The time of Bahamut’s surrounding was compressed and rapidly decelerated until a fragment of the original speed. The eight round blades stopped in place, as thought they were stopped along with time.

「Wha──!?」

Gerdaf’s pair of eyes that were dyed crimson due to the devil transformation snapped open from shock.

The activation of Divine Raiment in wide range and with high power output.

Gerdaf had obtained information that he used to form his prediction about the compression strengthening.

But this power output far surpassed his prediction. It even made him hallucinate as though space itself was standing still for a moment.

「WHAT THE HEeLL-……!?」

Immediately after, the round blades that were fired toward the girl dormitory at the back were deflected by the great sword that Lux swung in similarly decelerated speed, all of them got their direction shifted.

──But, that should be impossible.

It might be probable if Lux went through devil transformation like himself, but he had confirmed that Lux had no strength to realize Bahamut’s high power output while still handling the Drag-Ride with more than average skill, and yet.

「Kuh……, even so! It will work if it’s with this attack!」

He had gone through devil transformation, and he controlled his Drag-Ride while ignoring the burden to the body that normal human wouldn’t be able to endure──the EX Drake was dashing in super speed.

But, at that timing when Gerdaf was going to unleash the attack with all his might, something shot through his chest easily.

「──Wha, guah!?」

The time when Reload on Fire was activated just now.

Lux conversely threw a dagger aiming at Gerdaf.

That blade was thrown while Lux’s surrounding──the time was still super decelerated. Its speed was then super accelerated until more than ten times and attacked Gerdaf.

Gerdaf’s balance crumbled, but he himself couldn’t oppose the inertia and kept charging toward Lux.

The one who got trapped was himself.

Gerdaf shuddered in terror after knowing that fact, and right after that, the Quick Shot of Lux who was waiting for him splendidly ran Gerdaf through.

「──U, GUAAaAaAAAAH!?」

The EX Drake’s multi-layered armor was smashed apart. The upper body that went through devil transformation was cleaved. Fresh blood spurted out.

It was settled instantly.

Lux’s breathing quickened after he was released from the extreme state.

「-……!? Not yet──」

The enemy in front of him was defeated, but it wasn’t over yet.

The mankind’s enemy. The mechanism to annihilate the world──Sacred Eclipse.

He had to move once more for Celis’s sake.

If it was now, he understood the thought of Celis who trusted and hung her hope on him.

That was why Lux endured the fatigue that even now could make him faint and looked at her who was fighting on the ground right nearby.

–

Part 9

「The way you attack, it’s so that my clones──won’t increase in number? And then why are you continuing to struggle pointlessly even after understanding that you are unable to finish me off?」

The human shaped Ragnarok with repeated inexhaustible regeneration and splitting──Sacred Eclipse.

That thing that took Wade’s appearance once more smoothly stretched out tentacles from its body and attacked Celis without stopping.

「──Divine Gate」

Celis who removed a part of her armor using Break Purge was flying by squeezing out her few remaining stamina.

She freely used her Divine Raiment of instant movement to take the Solar Eclipses by surprise and defeated the clones one after another but──she couldn’t completely defeat the enemy no matter what.

• Splat splat*, she only scattered the clones’ body fluids on the stone paving.

Even the main body would split and regenerate. It was a formidable enemy that surpassed Poseidon. The current Celis didn’t have the mean to defeat it.

「Why did you yourself remove Starlight Zero that can defeat me? Was it because you don’t have the resolve to get your comrades mixed up in it? Making such judgment, it’s also the role of noble who is standing above the people. ──Isn’t that right?」

「──!?」

Sacred Eclipse snapped its wicked eyes wide open, then it unleashed its tentacles like whip.

The attack struck Lindwurm’s remaining armor and blew away Celis’s body.

Because the armor and barrier became thin due to the Break Purge, the impact would be transmitted even just from a grazing attack, making her flesh and bone to creak.

Coupled with the blows she received before the skill exhibition battle, her movement was getting duller and duller.

Fatigue and injury were gradually robbing her movement.

Even so Celis was still emitting that aloof air from her body.

「Are you waiting for reinforcement, my disciple? Are you thinking that it’s fine to become sacrifice if it’s for the sake of your comrade──? How stout-hearted. Are you trying to walk the same path like me who became the cornerstone to stop that old empire?」

Sacred Eclipse was sneering boldly like that with a tone turned completely into that of her teacher Wade.

But, even while Celis was gasping for breath, she leaked out a faint smile.

「Thank you very much. For allowing me to meet with Wade-sensei one more time.」

「────」

Sacred Eclipse didn’t give back any reply.

But, its expression was simply stiffening, as though it was bewildered by the words of gratitude.

「But, in the end you are a fake. It’s like you are taking such shape in the attempt of learning about human. Both of our study is still insufficient isn’t it.」

With her lightened equipment, Celis moved up to the sky──escaping out of the tentacles range. Then she took a stance with her lance.

She moved higher than the girl dormitory rooftop, surpassing the height of the bell tower.

And then, she flew to right below like a streak of falling star.

「What are you saying my disciple? Calling me study insufficient. Even an attack that is accelerated from that position won’t defeat me. It’s pointless even if reinforcement arrive. From here one──I will achieve even further evolution.」

「The techniques I’m using are mostly learned from sensei. But, you cannot defeat me. The reason is……」

Celis paused her words slightly and smiled.

「──because the one who taught me to believe in other, is the boy I love.」

Celis took a stance with her lance, and accelerated toward the ground where the swarm of Sacred Eclipse was standing.

She poured all her energy into her lance and the propulsion device the back wings, transforming her very body itself into lightning arrow.

「──!?」

It was a lightning that vertically split apart the night sky.

The vortex of power clad in terrifying destruction and electric heat attacked toward the main body of Sacred Eclipse.

The enemy of human who possessed power that surpassed human knowledge──Abyss.

This Ragnarok stood at one of those summits. But its reaction, was surpassed by Drag-Knight’s skill.

The tentacles that were launched to intercept were easily burned off, the core of Sacred Eclipse was pierced.

「You failed, my disciple! The real me is countless! No matter how you struggle, with your strength it’s──」

At that moment, Sacred Eclipse noticed how the space between it and Celis was losing color.

The Divine Raiment that Lux’s Bahamut possessed, Reload on Fire was exerting the compression strengthening on it.

「……What is, your aim?」

At that time when Sacred Eclipse murmured with a baffled expression, Celis in front of it roared.

「──HAAaaAAAAAAAH!」

She focused the Drag-Ride’s strength using Break Purge and unleashed a lightning attack with maximum power output that surpassed the limit.

The girl in her solitude killed her weakness and continued to discipline and polish herself until now.

Lux moved in concert with her full strength that she obtained from untiring hard work.

Celis moved without any deciding any advance arrangement with Lux, but Lux pointed the tip of his Sword Device forward as though his movement was in resonance with her.

「──Reload on Fire!」

The lightning that was fired from the lance concentrated into one point was amplified by more than ten times due to Bahamut’s Divine Raiment.

Thunderous sound reverberated and the atmosphere burst, flash was completely blanketing the surrounding.

「……But it’s pointless-! By the time you defeat a single body of mine──」

By the time the body was reduced to the ash along with the core, Sacred Eclipse let go of its own consciousness and sent signal to the clones at its surrounding.

As long as its clones survived, it would turn them into its main body as replacement, it would be able to revive no matter how many times──was how it supposed to be, but, it was unable to do that.

「──!?」

The large amount of clone bodies at the surrounding were showered with lightning attack and burned black.

Celis repeatedly attacked the clones of Sacred Eclipse that possessed Poseidon’s trait wasn’t just for the sake of reducing their number.

So to speak, it was a diversion to make her original plan worked.

The clones were destroyed many times and their body fluid was scattered around in large amount.

The Lightning Flash in maximum output was transmitted through the liquid that was scattered at the surrounding in order to burn down the whole herd in one go.

The attack’s might that was insufficient even with her spending all her strength was increased until more than ten times by Divine Raiment Reload on Fire.

She had learned tactics for every situation, and with that she implemented the best plan right on the spot.

Celis’s thinking ability that had been thoroughly tempered──her Maneuver Tactic.

If it was Lux, he would surely predict her aim, and on top of that──he would surely use Reload on Fire for her. She was able to believe so.

And then, this cooperation was accomplished by him answering her expectation.

It was an attack that came from their bond, an attack that would be impossible if they weren’t equal in strength and possessed equal knowledge in tactics.

「That’s splen, did. Human」

Sacred Eclipse that was pierced by Celis’s spear was carbonized and crumbled into pieces.

The threat of world destruction──, the source of the discordant sound that continued to summon Abysses left behind few words and dissolved into the air, vanishing completely.

「Haa, haa, haa……」

The backlash and fatigue from unleashing an attack of the greatest level caused Celis’s body to stagger.

Her armor was dispelled and her body tottered. Lux clad in Bahamut softly caught her.

「──Thank you for your hard work, Celis-senpai.」

The gentle and kind smile of the young man.

Seeing the presence of the man who was supporting herself, Celis felt relieved from her heart.

Her heart was throbbing hard even now, but she didn’t avert her face anymore, she also didn’t run away.

Therefore,

「I’m sorry Lux. I lied to you──」

She talked to speak her feeling, to properly say what she couldn’t say until now.

「I said that I trust you, I told you that I want to rely on you, but I didn’t have the necessary courage. I couldn’t entrust to you, my weakness that I didn’t want to recognize.」

「…………」

Celis confessed with a lonely look.

But, Lux didn’t feel that the regret she harbored was a sin or anything.

Anyone needed courage to speak of their weakness.

It was all the more when it was an unknown feeling that bewildered them and they themselves couldn’t understand.

Even so Celis didn’t run away. She compromised and tried to protect Lux.

「The one who is weak──is me. I said that I want to know everyone’s feeling, all this time I believed that I was fighting for that sake, but I didn’t know anything. At the bottom of my heart, I’m scared to accept the feeling of other.」

The day of coup d’etat five years ago.

A wall was created in Lux’s heart due to the betrayal of the elder brother who he trusted the most. Celis destroyed that wall.

But, there was something he understood clearly thanks to Celis.

At the very least, the advice that Fugil once gave him was correct.

That Fugil didn’t plan to betray Lux and make him fall right from the very beginning.

「That’s why, thank you very much Celis-senpai. For freeing my heart, for staying at my side──」

He conferred words filled with gratitude and deep affection to this girl who was important to him.

The cheeks of Celis who was still being held up reddened and she got flustered.

「Su, such thing……I’m troubled that you are saying it to me face to face like this! N, no, I’m not troubled I permit it. Bu, but, right now it’s embarrassing──」

She covered her face with her hands.

Even though usually she was a strong and dignified senior, but seeing her like this, Lux got a thought that might be disrespectful toward Celis.

He thought that Celis was terribly cute at this kind of time.

At that time when he was thinking of such thing, there was suddenly a sound from behind.

「──DI, EEEeEE-!」

Gerdaf who was crouching in a dying state drove his worn out EX Drake and brandished up his Blade from behind Lux and Celis.

But,

「That’s meaningless. Your Drag-Ride cannot move anymore.」

Lux calmly said that over his shoulder. At the same time, the armored arm of the EX Drake broke and fell.

Because the user Gerdaf went through devil transformation, the Drag-Ride itself wasn’t dispelled, but it was already in a state where fighting or escaping were impossible.

Lux had learned from the fight with Dilwy, that to subdue a demonized person who possessed vitality and toughness that surpassed Abyss, destroying their Drag-Ride was effective.

If they interrogated Gerdaf after this and proofed that the incident this time was because of Heiburg’s intrigue, the result of the skill exhibition battle could be overturned.

「Damn, you, bastards……」

The effect of Elixir was also gradually vanishing.

The jet black pattern that was dyeing Gerdaf’s upper body was receding, his body was returning into flesh body that was soaked with blood and sweat.

When he was trying to struggle even with that wholly injured body, his complexion suddenly changed.

「──Hah! Acknowledged! As expected from my master!」

The expression that was gasping from pain drastically changed into a wicked smile. Gerdaf leaped up.

It would be impossible for him to escape with the EX Drake that was almost seventy percent destroyed, but even so Lux was going to chase after him. It was at that time, a chill ran through his back.

「────」

His hand that was going to move Bahamut to fly to the sky stopped moving just barely.

It was because the movement of Gerdaf who seemed to receive instruction through Dragon Voice was slightly unnatural.

(Why is his leaping trajectory to above? If he is going to escape, normally he should leap backward──)

「Lux! Watch out!」

Celis who was being held by the armored arm yelled, at the same time Lux leaped right to the side from his spot.

A second later, the space before his eyes was painted out with extremely large flash.

「Ah……」

Gerdaf who leaped at slight distance away was directly showered by the cannon attack.

The overwhelming impact and torrent of flash swallowed him, and like that he exploded along with his Drag-Ride──annihilated into nothing.

「……-!?」

Lux quickly turned toward the direction where the cannon attack came from and took his stance.

Inside the night scenery that was illuminated by the moon, outside the Academy’s ground──above a slightly elevated open space, a bizarre Drag-Ride was standing.

From the long distance it looked like the size of a speck, but compared to the surrounding building, it could be seen that the armor and the Cannon armament were unusually huge.

Most likely the Cannon possessed equal or superior destructive power than the special armament Seven Heads possessed by Lisha’s Tiamat.

The face of the pilot was of course couldn’t be seen.

That person was merely standing with the moon’s radiance behind them.

「Is that, Rosa Granhide……?」

That Drag-Knight made Gerdaf leaped up for luring Lux to get in the air, so they could get rid of the two of them altogether.

That was the only thing that came to mind, but there was something strange.

That Drag-Ride had a completely different armor shape compared to the Gorynych that Lux and Celis fought before.

This wasn’t at the level of special armaments combined into one, the Drag-Ride’s very size itself was different. He could perceive that even from this distance.

Tartaros Frame──the Divine Raiment to remodel one’s own Drag-Ride and making it taking new form right on the spot.

Perhaps, this was a power that wasn’t revealed at all at the skill exhibition battle some time ago──.

「What in the world, is that──」

When Noct who was using Drake’s camouflage to perform monitoring of the battle situation and information transmission showed up, her voice was quivering in wonder.

Celis was relieved that Noct was safe, at the same time she immediately gave instruction.

「Noct, can you investigate the Drag-Ride that launched the cannon attack just now?」

「No. It’s outside the range of my detector. Besides──it already escaped.」

It was just as Noct said, the Drag-Knight who was like a demon just now had immediately left the open space and vanished from the sight of Lux and others.

「Is that so. ──Yes. We here are also safe. Lux-san and Celis-san has succeeded in safely repelling the Sacred Eclipse.」

The other Triad members who were working in removing the Chaff Slime that was covering the hangar seemed to be contacting Noct. Noct raised her face.

「Thank you for the hard work. The Abysses that were advancing to Cross Field has also been annihilated. For the time being we can feel relieved with this.」

It seemed Singlen lured the majority of Abysses that were attacking Cross Field, during that time the hangar that was sealed by Dragon Marauder’s scheme was liberated, then the surviving Abysses were moped up immediately.

A loud sound came from behind as though to support Noct’s words.

「Oooi Lux! Are you safe──?」

Lisha who was flying in Tiamat at the forefront called out, while the figures of Krulcifer, Philuffy, and the Triad could be seen behind her.

The moment Celis saw their figures, she coughed once before jumping down from Lux’s arm in hurry.

「That, entrusting my weakness to you and displaying it to everyone are different matter altogether.」

Her cheeks slightly reddened and she made a firm expression.

Even though currently she should be so tired that she would want to flop down, she tried to show a splendid appearance as the captain of Syvalles.

As expected, it seemed she had no intention to speak out complaint so easily.

It was really like her to pretend to be tough like this, at the same time he thought that such her was adorable.

「Then, please tell me secretly when senpai want to collapse. At that time I will support you no matter when──」

「──I’ll permit that. Perhaps I will presume upon your kindness sometimes, but please keep it a secret from everyone, Lux.」

Like that Celis returned a smile to Lux, and he also nodded back.

Trying to depend on a partner wasn’t pampering oneself, it meant being able to accept one’s own weakness.

The day of revolution five years ago.

That time when Fugil betrayed him, he lost an answer. Celis taught back that answer to him.

Lux thought that she was reliable, and she was someone that was worthy of respect.

At the same time, his bond with this senior who was similar with him at some respect now was something that he cherished from his heart.

「Yes. From here on, please take care of me too so that I won’t make a mistake.」

Lux showed a smile and told her his honest feeling like that.

–

And then the battle this evening──the contact with Sacred Eclipse that would ruin this world came to an end for the moment with this.