Leviathan:Volume 2 Chapter 5
Chapter 5 - Time for Another Covenant
Part 1
"Anyway, my life is extended by half a day for now..."
After Pavel Galad departed, Hal collapsed to sit on the ground.
The magic gun of steel and gold had vanished from his right hand, presumably because the battle had ended. However, it would reappear again when needed. Hal was deeply convinced of this.
"Haruga-san! Are you hurt!?"
Hazumi rushed over to him in worry. Although the unfamiliar combat had exhausted Hal, he smiled weakly to help reassure Hazumi.
"Yeah... I'm unexpectedly fine. That white light of protection is pretty sturdy. Although I get rocked hard as though in a fishing boat sailing through a typhoon..."
"Then Haruga-kun... Is it possible that you have become able to fight a dragon one on one?" Orihime asked.
The complexion on her face looked quite poor, possibly because she had spent a great deal of stamina on sustaining Akuro-Ou.
Gazing at Hal, her eyes could not hide her worry.
"Like members of a Space Garrison from a certain Land of Light... With a shout of 'DWUAH!' or something, I transform into a red and silver superhero, even becoming giant-sized—"
"I don't think you can wrestle with giant monsters and finally win with a beam attack."
Despite cracking a joke, Orihime's expression remained very serious.
She was probably remembering what Sophocles had said. Hal decided to confess honestly.
"Although I'm quite sturdy, I still have a fragile human's body after all. Fighting that guy one on one is too much of a stretch. And right now, there are no signs that I can transform."
Hal looked up at Orihime's face and smiled weakly.
"I'm not lying, honest. I do feel sorry since you like heroes so much."
"Well... It is a shame that I won't be seeing a transformation, but..."
Perhaps feeling a load lifted off her heart for the moment, Orihime finally smiled.
"I believe you are fine the way you are, Haruga-kun. Doing a pose to transform doesn't suit you at all."
"Well, I can agree with that. But with that, the key to victory still lies with Akuro-Ou and Rushalka after all? They'll have to wrestle with a giant monster in my stead..."
Victory. The word coming out of his own mouth was making Hal feel exhausted.
In terms of games, Hal preferred RPGs and SLGs. He had no interest in fighting games. Then he recalled Sophocles. That man had called the Road to Kingship, which led to the ascension of dragon kings, a "game"...
"It's time we got some rest? I am dead tired and it must be the same for you, Haruga-kun?" Orihime suddenly asked.
Hence, Hal nodded immediately.
She should be the one with greater depletion of stamina. She needed rest as soon as possible.
"Since I already promised to let you sleep until you wake up naturally, Juujouji, let's rest here for now. If you're up for it, we also have food."
"Of course I want to eat. I haven't had anything since yesterday!"
The group could finally rest as much as they wanted at the ruins of Shinjuku Fukutoshin.
From the supplies on the car, Orihime picked out chocolate, biscuits and a sports drink for instant consumption to begin simple renourishment.
A long-awaited meal after almost twenty-four hours. If it was Asya instead, she would probably wolf everything down ravenously.
However, Orihime broke the chocolate bar into small pieces, also splitting the biscuits into halves before savoring her food patiently and thoroughly. Hal wondered if this explained how Orihime was unbelievably giving off an image of politeness despite eating quite quickly.
Was this the gap in feminine charm? Hal felt deeply impressed.
Despite hiding many tomboyish hobbies, the impression Juujouji Orihime gave was a girl to the very letter. Perhaps this was the difference between Orihime and Asya.
After eating, Orihime lay down on a seat in the wagon and wrapped a blanket around herself.
Her breathing instantly indicated slumber, a display of fortitude so strong that she did not seem like someone who had narrowly missed death. Seeing that, her cousin, Hazumi, suddenly slumped her shoulders.
"What's wrong?"
"Oh nothing. I just feel completely inadequate when I compare myself to Nee-sama."
Hazumi gazed in mesmerization at her cousin who had rapidly fallen into deep sleep.
"I clearly became a witch first, but I couldn't protect her. Neither can I teach her anything..."
"That's because of unfavorable timing. After all, Minadzuki is currently in that state."
"But Asya-san still shone in last time's battle despite Rushalka's poor condition. And this time, she helped you a lot too. After this experience, I am feeling a desire to get stronger for the first time..."
Hal originally wanted to tell the depressed Hazumi the following:
No no no, the fault lies in humans who cultivated gentle girls into witches—people like Haruga Haruomi—You are completely blameless.
However, he did not think the self-blaming "angel" would find salvation in these words.
Hal came over to Hazumi and patted her shoulder as gently as possible.
Spontaneously relying on body language when he had no idea what to say, this was probably a bad habit he had picked up from living abroad for so long. However, there was no choice apart from staying silent in times like these.
In any case, Hal summarized a thousand thoughts into a few words.
"How should I put it? You really are a good girl. Like an angel indeed."
"N-No way!? Nothing of that sort. Although I do not see myself as a bad child, I am nowhere good enough to be described as such..."
"No no. For some reason, this is the first time in my life I want to adopt a girl from another family as my little sister."
"L-Little sister? For me to become your sister, Haruga-san!?"
"Yeah. I never thought I'd be into that sort of thing. In fact, I have a friend in Taiwan called Phillip who's an authority on this genre of game."
"By game... Are you referring to 'little sister games'? I cannot imagine what they are about at all."
Reserved yet more inquisitive than average, Hazumi made an expression approaching a smile, seemingly forgetting her earlier melancholy within the blink of an eye.
"I would like to try playing one."
"Really? Then next time there's a chance—"
Just as the conversation livened up, Hal and Hazumi looked up at the same time.
This was due to feeling a chill along their spine. By the time they noticed, concentrated magical power had filled this corner in western Shinjuku. The density was high enough to adhere to skin, producing a feeling as though one could reach out and touch it.
"This feeling is the same as inside Tokyo Station last time...?"
"Precisely. Thanks to the silvery brat opening the secret records of Ruruk Soun and your forging of a wand too. I never expected to obtain the essence required for a ritual this quickly."
Having taken corporeal form at some point, Hinokagutsuchi spoke patronizingly.
"Energy from the ocean of stars you summoned back then has gathered. Well done."
"By ritual, don't tell me you mean—"
"Yes. O little lady, make haste and prepare yourself if you have yet to do so."
Hinokagutsuchi stared squarely at Hazumi with her golden eyes.
"Fulfill the earlier deal. Do as I demand. In exchange, I shall grant you power—or rather, kindling leading to power. Whether you can turn it into a blaze depends entirely on you."
"Kindling leading to fire...?"
"I shall have your 'serpent,' that Minadzuki something or other, undergo a transformational rebirth."
The self-styled devil smiled mysteriously and extended her hand. This situation prompted Hazumi to gasp in surprise, her entire expression frozen.
Part 2
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Part 3
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Part 4
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Part 5
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