Magika No Kenshi To Shoukan Maou:Volume 13 Chapter 1

Chapter 1 – Nightfall’s Cthulhu

Part 1

Kazuki immediately performed instant invocation of offense magic――towards Ikousai who was laughing wildly.

It had become an absurd situation. Just when they thought they had finally defeated Fu Xi and the Dragon of Heaven’s Decree, Ikousai who suddenly appeared took advantage of the little opening that was like a needle’s thread and took over the power of that Dragon of Heaven’s Decree.

The was the authority that Japan Mythology’s sub-chief god Susanoo possessed. It was a power that stole the power of the King that was defeated by this power’s possessor.

Before, Ikousai and Susanoo aimed to steal the seat of Japan Mythology’s King with this power, but they were obstructed by Kazuki.

But, Ikousai who was defeated by Kazuki didn’t obediently leave the stage after that, she infiltrated into Atlantis, and then of all things she aimed the point of that power towards the chief god of China.

Thinking normally, it was something overambitious and difficult for the likes of a sub-chief god of the puny Japan Mythology to wish to defeat the Kings and chief gods of grand mythologies that were gathering on this Atlantis. But Ikousai managed that using a tenacious ambush! She performed a terrifying giant killing by snatching the majority of Kazuki’s achievement!

Right now, in front of Kazuki’s eyes the vast power of the Dragon of Heaven’s Decree was residing inside Ikousai and Susanoo! It was the comeback of the loser where everyone could do nothing but be at a lost for words.

――And then the aim of this Ikousai infiltrating this battle where the fate of the world was at stake was undoubtedly only Kazuki. She was here just with the determined purpose of wanting to win against Kazuki.

「Hahahahaha! A―hha-ha-ha!!」

The girl was drunk on an overwhelming power while laughing wildly in front of Kazuki.

She was really a nuisance…….

But how much could she skillfully use that power so suddenly without any test run beforehand?

Kazuki was swift. He would pushed, pushed, and pushed while the opponent hadn’t gotten used to that power yet and shaved off all her magic power! In the first place Ikousai’s magic power amount was average compared to Fu Xi, no matter even if it was the power of the Dragon of Heaven’s Decree that was residing inside her, there was no way she would be able to match that immortal toughness of Fu Xi. Even Kazuki himself was also average, but he could use to his benefit!

「O undying bird that repeated life and death! Liberate thy last flame, become the sun of the surface……Imitation Flare!!」

He annulled the chanting time by pouring magic power into Zekorbeni and instantly invoked a high level magic.

The avatar of Phoenix that symbolized the sun exploded, and the energy of a solar flare poured onto Ikousai who was in the middle of laughing wildly.

「Hahaha! ……Send defensive magic on me!!」

However, Ikousai yelled like that.

The Red Nopperabou swiftly responded.

Red Nopperabou――they were nothing more than a terminal in a network that was centered on Fu Xi. Even now they obeyed the command that was programmed in them by Fu Xi and semi-automatically performed group magic battle against Japan’s Knight Order.

Several of those nopperabou obeyed the new command from Ikousai, they halted their battle over there and sent defensive magic to Ikousai.

Defensive magic of matched element from several people enveloped Ikousai’s body. That element was cold which directly opposed the heat magic that Kazuki unleashed. It wasn’t a coincidence, it was what Ikousai chose. In the blink of an eye, a thick ice wall was standing up in front of Ikousai.

The ice wall was increasing in thickness. The solar flare was melting that. Torrents of reflected light due to the flame and ice burst out in the middle. Kazuki and Ikousai glared at each other within less than half a second.

……She is seizing the nopperabou. She is already skilled in using the power of heaven’s decree!

『Imitation Flare』 used up all of its strength and vanished. Even though Kazuki managed to discard the chanting time but there was a limit in how much magic power he could pour all at once. A magic at the level of 『Imitation Flare』 couldn’t be fired consecutively without waiting time.

Ikousai grinned at the other side of the ice wall that couldn’t be melted.

「……I see, I can control the nopperabou as though they are my own limbs. It feels like I have several hundred arms and legs. My head will burst if I normally move them one by one, but looks like I can move them instinctively using simple orders and images. ……And then」

Ikousai picked up 『Kyuuryuu Shinkatou』 that fell on the ground. That sacred treasure had still not disappeared because its magic power source had changed to Ikousai. When Ikousai gripped it tightly, its shape was tinged with Susanoo’s magic power and it warped in a transformation.

「It’s an interesting coincidence that Dragon of Heaven’s Decree can use sword magic. This sword is meant to be used, not by this little girl, but by this me……if it’s you, my rival, then you understand, right!?」

It’s annoying to be seen as a rival by you but, I get it…….

「Everyone, defensive magic against flame attack!」

Kazuki yelled driven by a maximum sense of danger.

The fires of war that continuously burned the land of China throughout history, it was compressed into a single blade of a Chinese sword, Kyuuryuu Shinkatou. That shape was changing into a bizarre ancient sword that was divided into eight branches.

――The shape of Susanoo’s beloved sword 『Ama no Habakiri』.

The flame of China resided inside Ama no Habakiri, accomplishing a fusion right here!

Moreover, the sword skill of Fu Xi and Ikousai were on different levels!!

「The phrase giving a metal rod to an ogre is exactly referring to this! ……Sacred Flame Sword of Ten Snake BundleTokka Orochi no Shinkatou!」

The ice wall vanished. With that as the signal Ikousai swung that bizarre sword.

That swing was far sharper compared to Fu Xi’s sword swing――it was equally sharp as Kazuki or Kanae’s slash.

Raging flames were gushed out with the swings of Kyuuryuu Shinkatou, but was sword skill expertise unrelated with that effect? ……No, there was no such thing! The power of heaven’s decree responded to the sharpness of Ikousai’s sword flash! The flames were thinned down and compressed into high temperature responding to that sharpness, increasing its fury by several times!

「O rejection of absolute zero, become solitude armor that protect my body! Freeze Barrier!」

Kazuki invoked defensive magic of cold in front of the approaching flame slash. In addition it didn’t stop solely with that single magic, 「Freeze Barrier!」「Freeze Barrier!」, he poured magic power into Zekorbeni and consecutively invoked the magic to form overlapping layers.

「O blizzard of my chest, please shake off the person closing to him……Blizzard Barrier!!」

Koyuki also overlapped a magic of the same type that had been strengthened by her turning into a Chouki magician.

A blizzard was compressing down around Kazuki.

「Emblem in hand, true word in mouth, acceptance in soul……ancient defense of dharma that remove the disaster right here……Polluting Curse RemovalOnkiri Kakusowaka!」

Karin also added her defensive magic. Wind of true word that possessed the power to repel disaster was mixing into the winds of the blizzard.

The wind slash of flame of Ikousai struck there. Winds neutralized each other and scattered, and Kazuki staggered from the impact. He couldn’t defend from the attack fully even after going this far.

Without any delay Kazuki unleashed the power of Yasakani no Magatama.

「Shut and seal, ! Kaicho Kaimon――Yamon Shibari!!」

One of the three sacred treasures that was wreathed on his right wrist untied itself as though it had its own will and launched off like a snake flying in the air toward Ikousai. That string of light wrapped over and over on Ikousai’s right hand that was holding the sword and bound her movement.

Ikousai’s movement that was going to slash back Tokka Orochi Shinkatou’s blade stopped for a moment.

「Lend me your strength, Joyeux!!」

Kazuki swung the sword that was entrusted to him from Lancelot with his left hand and struck away Ikousai’s sword. Ikousai whose movement was sealed, on top of that her sword was struck had her posture crumble.

At the same time, Kazuki raised Ame no Murakumo in his right hand. There,

「Burn to ash everything that you touch……with the embrace of a flame without any place to go! Self Burning Embrace!!」

Mio matched her timing from afar and wrapped Kazuki’s whole body with flame. Kazuki quickly concentrated that flame onto his blade using Psychokinesis and turned a defensive magic for attack. It was a polished combination between him and Mio that the two of them were the most familiar with.

Kazuki’s flame blade carved Ikousai.

When Kazuki reversed Joyeux’s blade to add more attack, it was almost at the same time when Ikousai tore off the binding of Yasakani no Magatama.

Kazuki clicked his tongue inside his heart, while giving up adding more attacks with Joyeux. Before Tokka Orochi Shinkatou’s blade could gush out terrific flames once more, he clashed Joyeux against it and brought the fight into a sword locking contest. If the sword couldn’t be swung then it couldn’t create flames. Kazuki restrained the sword using Joyeux while he tried swinging Ame no Murakumo in his right hand.

……But, the pressure was heavy! He couldn’t restrain the sword with just one hand!

Kazuki stepped back in panic.

He quickly crouched his body, and then Tokka Orochi Shinkatou’s flame slash passed through just at a hair’s breadth above his head.

「Fufufu, I have become even stronger.」

Ikousai spoke with a tone that sounded like she was drunk at Kazuki’s attack.

「I also feel even more strength from you……. Each time we fight, both of us are mutually becoming stronger. That is exactly what is called a rival.」

「I don’t want to hear that from the person with more losses than wins. You are just going to continue until you win huh……」

「I’m not going to allow you to quit while you’re ahead just so you know! Hahahahaha!!」

Ikousai didn’t mind at all with Kazuki’s banter. Ikousai laughed with the conviction that she was in the superior position.

「Shit-」

……It wasn’t like Kazuki hated fighting Ikousai. He also didn’t hate to be considered as a rival by her. He even felt admiration that Ikousai powered up by taking up a chance that appeared only within an instant.

But, even so, he wished that she didn’t stand on his way at this kind of timing!

She was a stalker that stood on his way at the worst timing with absurd strength.

She was the strongest stalker in history of all stalkers.

He couldn’t take her on honestly from the front. However, Japan’s Knight Order was still locked in a magic battle against China’s Red Nopperabou even now. It was also not a situation where he could obtain cooperation from Britain or Germany. ……He guessed that they were in a battle against Russia.

There was no external factor that he could use. There was no room where he could figure out a scheme in his tactic.

Was there no other way then to resign himself and fight her like this from the front?

However, in the end could he win……?

When he thought that, something shuddering ran through Kazuki’s instinct as a swordsman.

As expected, before Kazuki was a King he was a swordsman.

Shit, she is an enormous noisy annoyance but……I’ll keep her company! Kazuki was self-aware with this strange happiness while he took the stance of two-sword style.

But at that time, a beastly howl resounded.

「YOU BASTAAAARRRRDDDDDD! UNFORGIVABLEEEEEEEEEEE!!」

Kazuki and Ikousai simultaneously jumped away from each other.

Pure white flash was swung down at the place where both of them were standing at and the ground was deeply gouged.

The true identity of the pure white flash, was a giant blade.

It was a great soul of martial art that wasn’t inferior even against Kazuki and Ikousai――Green Dragon Crescent BladeSeiryuu Engettou.

Kazuki and Ikousai turned their heads to the side to follow the handle from the blade.

There they saw the contractor of Guan Yu who was turned into a Red Nopperabou.

A nopperabou whose free will was stolen, even though she had no mouth but how did she yell just now?

Kazuki and Ikousai gulped. The smooth face of nopperabou of Guan Yu’s contractor had undulation surfacing on it in the blink of an eye, as though the seal was being undone, eyes, nose, and mouth were created! The face’s color was still bright red――however that color was because of rage.

「Unforgivable……unforgivable! That power……is Fu Xi-sama’s streeeeeenght!!」

「She recovered the ego that she should have lost, with her loyalty to her true master!? Hahahaha!」

Ikousai laughed like a child.

「Are you saying that you won’t be lead astray by this me! Interesting! I too felt my heart dance by the Annals of the Three Kingdoms when I was a child!! 『Guan Yu won’t serve two lords』, that is exactly Guan Yu! That is exactly the hero of China!!」

「That strength, RETURN ITTTTTTTTTTTTT!!」

The contractor of Guan Yu was turning into a giant billowingly like a cumulonimbus cloud.

「Hahahah! Tenro Kaidan!!」

Seiryuu Engettou that was swung around by the giant as though she was trying to cleave even the sky and earth was evaded like a monkey by the laughing Ikousai.

But as though to send flying the jumping around Ikousai from the side, another huge something was flying. To this Ikousai raised a rough voice 「Uwah!」 in panic.

What came flying at her was a staff. And then a familiar voice rang.

「Yai yai yai, this ain’t a joke yeah! You dare make light of us! For someone like you bitch to hold the heaven’s decree of China, this me and Son Goku won’t allow it!!」

The contractor of Son Goku, Son Shouryuu was also recovering his ego with his whole face dyed bright red in rage.

「Who the hell is going to listen to what you say bitch huuuuuh!」

Not only those two. With those two as the beginning, one after another people who recovered their eyes, nose, and mouth were starting to appear one after another. They directed bright red fury straight to Ikousai and attacked!

「Ahahahaha, the heroes of China, every last one of you don’t disappoint! Fine then, as an usurper I’ll take responsibility and savor the delicacy of China altogether!!」

The angry knights violently launched their magic and martial arts like a storm of fury. Amidst that, Ikousai who had the Dragon of Heaven’s Decree residing inside her was laughing wildly while dancing. Her body was light, and her blows were heavy. Ikousai was beautifully turning the table on them. However the knights of China strongly stood up persistently no matter how overwhelming the power that was displayed to them was.

Kazuki witnessed that situation and grasped the circumstances once more. The Nopperabou that betrayed Ikousai was only around thirty percent of the whole. The rest was continuing to fight Japan’s Knight Order. But because of the decrease in their fighting strength, the Red Nopperabou were gradually falling into disadvantage, their formation was starting to unravel.

Could he cooperate with Son Shouryuu and the others in this place to finish off Ikousai……?

He was beginning to think like that, however he immediately understood that it wasn’t possible. When Kazuki tried to approach them by a step, the knights of China would direct bloodshot eyes and magic power towards Kazuki too.

The hostility that told him to not be a nuisance was transmitted. Possibly they would rampage indiscriminately if he dared to interfere.

If he approached carelessly, it would become a chaotic battle where there would be no distinction of ally and enemy.

「Everyone, let’s retreat!」

Like a sportsman Kazuki looked up at his comrades and yelled.

He didn’t just yell that but also used telepathy to broadcast it toward the Chouki magicians that were divided at each unit, allowing Kazuki to permeate his order to the whole Knight Order instantly.

While the rampaging China’s knights were fighting Ikousai, their side would hold their advantage against the remaining seventy percent Nopperabou so they could calmly retreat.

Like a current that was calmly pulling back to the sea, Japan’s Knight Order was continuing to fight back while also withdrawing.

Ikousai went 「Ah!?」 while fighting.

「Kazuki, you want to run away huh!」

「Ridiculous, you think I can keep you company like that!!」

「Tha……that way of speaking is too cruel! Do you know with what kind of feeling I came here!?」

「Who cares! Read the mood idiot!! I’m pulling back!!」

Beside him Kanae was in a daze. 「……It’s rare for Nii-sama to be this badmouthed.」

「Shit-! Hmph, I’ll let you run away for now! But, if you lose to someone else than me by some kind of mistake then I absolutely won’t forgive you!!」

「If you are aiming to be the strongest then there is no need at all to be fixated on me you know!」

「Don’t say something stupid! There is no one stronger than you other than me! Absolutely don’t lose okay―!」

Kazuki was receiving an incomprehensible cheering yell from Ikousai while he was overseeing his comrades drawing back. They were getting farther from the terrific surge of magic power at the other side of the magic power cloud.

「Just what’s with that girl……」

But there wasn’t even a time to sigh in relieve.

『――Kazuki-oniisan!!』

Lotte’s voice resounded inside Kazuki’s head.

Lotte was together with Miyabi-senpai and Yumeno-san in reinforcing their allied country Britain. That was because Britain who was weak in mind magic would need the support of Miyabi-senpai and Yumeno-san in a battle against the enemy army that possessed Nyarlathotep among them. Lotte who could use telepathy because of her positivity level held the communication role.

However it was a seed of anxiety for him that they were at a place where his eyes didn’t reach.

Had something happened?

『Kazuki-oniisan……Miyabi-oneesan and Yumeno-oneesan are!』

『Had something happened to them!?』

Kazuki demanded an answer while feeling something seething inside his head for a moment.

Part 2

At the wasteland that was just burned, smashed, and filled with floating dusts due to attack magic, Hrotsvit was lying down with her face looking up to the sky with blank eyes. The place from her shoulder until her chest was carved apart cruelly.

Loki was looking down on Hrotsvit as the victor.

Hrotsvit was the contractor of Odin and his agent. Loki and Odin, their battle of fate was decided here.

However, Loki’s chest had no joy from defeating a bitter enemy. After such joy filled his chest like a surging wave, for some reason it burst like a bubble and vanished immediately.

Even though he had finally accomplished his revenge, but what was with this emptiness. It was just like when he had finished watching a long movie and stood up from his seat. His head was drifting lightly, he felt like the whole world was made from paper mache.

The wind blowing at the wasteland merely felt futile. Like paper mache…….

……This great me materialized in this world, harboring a peculiar emotion. And then feeling anger and resentment towards Odin, I hold the wish of wanting to make chaos run rampant in this world.

I had accomplished one of my great objectives here just now. Yet why is it feel this empty?

A peculiar emotion……however this peculiar emotion, just from where in the world did it come from?

……Past experience? Loki felt a chill the moment such thing occurred in his mind.

For a materialized Diva, the past before they were materialized is……?

「Fufufu-」A laughing voice came from beneath him.

Hrotsvit was still retaining her consciousness while shedding a great amount of blood.

Both her eyes that had faint vitality looked up at Loki. Her silver eyes that were supposed to be blind looked at Loki, a faint laughing voice leaked out from her, as though she thought of something.

「……What are you laughing at, you bastard?」

Hrotsvit didn’t answer. Her consciousness was hazy. Perhaps it was just a meaningless laugh.

Loki pulled himself back together and snorted 「Heh」.

「You look like shit, Odin. Even though you swagger around just because you are chief god, but you bastard ain’t a perfect being at all. You pretend to be a wise man or whatever but actually your greed is dirtier than anyone, even when you are acting self-important but you bastard always neglected what is under your feet, that’s what you are! That’s why you always got the carpet pulled from under you by this me!」

Just like what happened once at Aegir’s mansion, Loki loudly hurled abuse, convinced in his victory.

Hrotsvit replied.

「That’s the way it is don’t you agree? After all Divas are nothing more than shadows born from the hearts of humans.」

「Wha!?」 Loki once more felt the chill that he experienced just now.

「You are the king of all those believers, what the hell are you saying!? This is about the god that you have faith for here!」

「In the first place they are empty existences. The teachings of our Norse Mythology only begin after accepting the nihility. That’s why Odin and I had noticed from the beginning, about what you have finally noticed right now. Whether they stay inside humans, or try to materialize outside, the true nature of a Diva is――nihility. A bubble floating in illusion. Even the happiness welling up in your chest, it immediately pops like a balloon doesn’t it?」

The pale face of Hrotsvit that was nearing death sneered in amusement.

Loki’s expression stayed frozen and he lost his momentum as though the victory and defeat had just been overturned.

「I don’t know if it was at the ancient time, but for an empty thing like Diva dabbling unseemly towards the world of reality, please stop that. This is the world of humans.」

「……Ain’t you guys trying to change the human world under the order of faith?」

「We Germans only fight to protect the rule, enjoying the 『honor』 and 『plunder』 that we can obtain by means of victory, that’s all. ……Fufufu, hahaha!」

The mad king that ruled over the berserkers laughed loudly. It was a mad laugh that was like a prophet.

「Please don’t put me in the same lump with the other idiots! Those carefree idiots who even now, when they are standing on this last battlefield don’t notice that the true nature of their faith is despair……. Those idiots who don’t even notice just what is the true shape of the thing that Basileus Basileon brought about to the modern world……」

Regina was also silently watching over the exchange of the two. Her expression was also frozen over.

Just what is this woman talking about? This is the words she is speaking on the verge of her death, is this just her incoherent muttering after all?

Hrotsvit that was heading toward death gave an oracle for Loki and Regina.

「Despair and resignation fully shrouded the world! For mankind to raise swords and magic to fight after it being this late, what can you call that if not a hopeless amusement!! However Odin and I had fully enjoyed the festival’s hustle and bustle! From the outset mythology holds no dream or anything! Exactly because we knew futility that we sought blood! Controlling magic like the dream of a child! Dancing our body to the battle of life and death!! We who comprehend the true nature of nihility should win……it’s unfortunate that we didn’t win but……we are satisfied.」

Hrotsvit Lesedrama’s silver eyes were closing slowly. Her faint breathing finally stopped. The blood that was continuously flowing in large amount dried up from her carved chest and stopped. Her flesh changed into a corpse, that existence was disappearing into the silence of death. Regina leaked out her voice.

「This woman……did she see nothing but despair?」

Even so Regina was calm. After all, those were just words that were said by the believer of a different mythology. She who possessed the conceit that she was the absolute was a possessor of a mind of steel who was able to immediately cast away those words like that.

But Loki was agitated. Both his eyes were roaming around without any calm in them, just like a scared child.

The avatar of Odin floated up like a bubble from Hrotsvit’s remains.

He was clad in a hat and robe of deep green color that looked like moss, an old man with a white beard.

『But Loki. You……might reach what is ahead of mythology.』

The avatar that was vanishing toward Astrum left behind those words.

「……What did you say shitty gramps?」

『I who understand all only with thinking head that is only thinking of everything, and you who incarnate into flesh in this world before anyone else. It cannot be said that from two things that are opposite, either one of them will be ultimately correct. Of course I am convinced that I am correct but……even so you are, ……』

The Diva Odin also vanished.

Loki’s whole body felt like it has gooseflesh, he was driven with an impulse that made him want to dash from that place while screaming. It was a sensation that he felt for the first time since he materialized in this world.

He felt like for the first time since he was born he was confronting something complicated and difficult to understand. He intended to understand everything. He was always getting carried away. He didn’t understand. If he denied his revenge toward Odin, he felt like there was nothing definite or anything in him. Even though he was materialized, but his self was thinning.

No, perhaps he was just getting confused about something that was extremely simple.

――How will beings with physical bodies solve their doubt towards their own existence?

Shit, it’s like I’m a baby that was just born.

「Oi, we have to think about our next move now.」

Regina strongly shook the shoulder of Loki who was standing still.

「……You’re, right.」 Ragnarok was still continuing. He had to pull himself together.

Loki faced Regina who became his ally.

The subordinates of Loki and Regina, they all were also gathering toward the two’s position.

All the members of Italia’s Knight Order who were contracted with Greek Mythology, they were a group that were more gorgeous and splendorous compared to any other forces. However they received great damage due to Hrotsvit. Some even died, and the surviving people were dirtied with blood.

The disposition of Loki’s subordinates the Loki Einherjar was completely different than other forces, it was composed from the freaks of materialized Divas and possessed magicians. They were spotless because they kept running away from Hrotsvit.

The knights of Italia glared at Loki Einherjar. It was only natural that there was a thorn in their gaze. Although it was a plan to defeat Hrotsvit with certainty, it was only Italia who got covered in mud at the battle just now.

Loki looked over the two armies that were in friction while speaking.

「Let’s confirm the situation. Germany’s Knight Order left behind Hrotsvit alone to buy time and they returned to the battlefield over there. Over there China and Russia who are allied with us got to fight against the three countries of Japan, Britain, and Germany. Our alliance partner fell into a disadvantage of numbers and is in a hard fight. Ain’t no way they are still fresh.」

A grand stalling by a single King made them suffer thorough damage. ……Hrotsvit wasn’t buying time but she was seriously planning to slaughter everyone here.

Suddenly Loki’s Einherjar raised a bizarre yell.

「AIGEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE-!!」

「WOGAAAAAAAEEEEEEEEEEEE-!!」

「What’s with you guys, that’s noisy!」 Loki yelled angrily at his subordinates.

Most of the illegal magicians that made up the majority of Loki’s Einherjar were losing sanity. Their Divas possessing them were unable to steal the leadership of the body and the humans who were almost breaking down came out to the surface.

They more or less listened to Loki’s order, but their actions were basically deranged.

Loki went through hardships to look after them every day. They were constantly honest to their instincts and acted ambiguously. For example, Loki was once attacked by one of them with pro-wrestling techniques playfully, or Hel who got someone trying to flip up her skirt. The everyday life of Loki that was unknown to the public was mostly similar to that of a teacher in kindergarten.

For these guys to suddenly yell from an unknown reason like this was actually not a rare occurrence.

「ABIRAUNKENSOWAKA―! YO INDIA PEOPLE COME BABY―!!」

「CHINITSUDORADORATSUMO―!! TANTAN NOODLE EXTRA JUMBO!!」

Regina directed suspicious eyes at them.

「……Just what is your subordinates talking there?」

「Papa won’t be this tired if they are talking sensible things.」 Loki said that while sighing.

He was always perfectly executing secret tactica while leading this kind of group, so Loki’s leading capability wasn’t something ordinary.

That was how it was supposed to be. But an unusual phenomenon occurred.

「KUKEEEEEEEEE! GRAND FIREBALL!!」

「HOAAAAAAAAAAAA! THUNDER FORMATION!!」

Magic power surged from two possessed magicians who were yelling raw, and then with chanting speed that was characteristic of Drive, they invoked magic towards Regina. Huge balls of fire flew at her while electricity barrier enveloped her.

Regina immediately used general magic to plunder heat from the fire ball and annihilated the electricity by controlling electron. That excellent reaction was truly worthy to be called as a sorcery king.

「Guh」 Even so she was unable to turn the attack completely harmless and her defensive magic power got smashed. Regina staggered.

「You bastards, what are you planning!?」

One of Regina’s aides, Zenia Veneta, yelled sharply.

Loki was shocked――it was a situation that he didn’t foresee from the bottom of his heart.

「What? What is going on……?」

It was impossible for this kind of stupid thing to happen. Possessed magicians weren’t sane, but they at least had the discernment to not ignore Loki’s orders and suddenly attack an ally.

「Are they rampaging? Or betrayal?」 Regina asked Loki gravely.

「It ain’t any of that! Ain’t no way those are possible! But this situation is……!?」

The two possessed magicians were still yelling even now while directing their magic power to the other.

「Not only you made us splatter in mud, you even tried to raise your hands against the King! I’ll kill you right here!!」

Zenia raised a voice that was burning in fury and quickly invoked the magic of her contracted Diva, Athena.

「Oy, wait!!」 Like that Loki’s voice futilely echoed.

「O protector of holy ground, eliminate and kill those approaching!! Defensive Shield of SlaughterBig Crunch – Shield Bash!!」

A huge shield attached with thorns was floating in the air, and then it flew towards the two possessed magicians like a beast that had determined its prey. The two possessed magicians were firing more offensive magic, but the shield was blocking those while approaching. It was truly defense and offense in one body, and then due to that shield’s size, the other Loki’s Einherjar also got dragged into the attack altogether.

Ten-odd possessed magicians raised vulgar screams when they got blown away by the shield.

「YOU BIIIIIIIIITCCCH! WHAT THE HELL!!」「DON’T SCREW WITH ME!!」「HIT BACK!!」

「You are still asking what the hell I’m doing, you traitor!! Ask to yourself what the hell are you doing!!」

Hearing Loki’s Einherjar raising voices that were really the representation of chaos itself, all the members of Italia’s Knight Order also entered attacking preparation. Strange whirlwinds were blowing on the sea surface that should have calmed down, in the blink of an eye two tsunamis were created and clashed, as though a mutual destruction would be started anytime.

Loki could only be flustered with that situation before his eyes.

「Wait! We are allies here!! This kind of mess is meaningless!!」

Fighting Italia here had no merit at all.

A strange whirlwind…….

This was a plotted alliance breakdown! A scheme to split the impulsive Regina from him!

But if this was the intention of someone then……this was something tremendous. The possessed magicians were having their mind interfered by someone who was not here, from a very long distance with terrifyingly accurate timing.

This Atlantis had a magic power cloud filling it so thickly like a dense fog which obstructed magic power interference from long range. Yet despite so, was such a thing possible? This was something that couldn’t possibly happen without a really skilled master in mind magic and very meticulous preliminary arrangements.

「This is, don’t tell me……is this that guy’s work!?」

A person who was in the position that could do such a thing, he could only think of one person in his mind.

Part 3

The battle of Ilyailiya Muromets was hectic.

She showed her figure at every place on the front line.

The King who boasted the fastest speed――the ones who could stop her were limited to warriors who could foresee that movement of hers. Only a prophet could stop a human that moved instantly.

One might well say that the fact that Russia’s Knight Order could right now take on Britain and Germany alone truly equally was not because of the fierce exhaustion of Germany’s Einherjar, but actually it was also because of Ilyailiya displaying her distinctive characteristic amply.

Ilyailiya’s figure appeared at every place, she dealt a severe blow against the enemy while giving appropriate instructions to her subordinates before immediately leaving that place.

It was said that an excellent strategist would grasp the whole situation of the battle while staying at headquarter, but she was everywhere. Therefore Russia’s Knight Order didn’t show even the smallest disorder, perfect leadership was constantly being maintained amongst them.

The army that was Russia’s Knight Order was like a giant monster that had electrical signal, which was Ilyailiya, rushing around inside it.

At this time too Ilyailiya finished making a circle at the front line and she returned to the deepest part of her army’s headquarters.

And then she spoke to the 『guest general』.

「It seems that your mind attack magic is not having that much influence.」

The guest general who was told that――Nyarlako raised a voice of 「Ee―h」 in disarray.

In order to take advantage of Britain Knight Order’s weak point, Loki entrusted Nyarlako to Russia.

Just as could be guessed from her name, the evil god of madness was residing inside Nyarlako.

That she was able to broadcast waves of mind attack magic throughout the whole wide battlefield thoroughly, it was just as expected from the evil god of Cthulhu but…….

「It seems that Britain’s Knight Order is also entrusted with mind magic experts from Japan. Those two are mitigating your mind magic.」

「Even though there will be no problem if Ilyailiya-san finishes off those two right away for me.」

「Both of them are at Arthur’s side.」

Even while Ilyailiya was rushing about the battlefield freely, she wasn’t approaching Arthur whose true strength was still unknown, just in case.

「Ilyailiya-san is faster than Arthur so it will be fine.」

Ilyailiya ignored those words. 「And then Germany’s Einherjar are focusing on the battle that they now that they have become free from obstructive thoughts, so all noise are struck out from their minds, they are enduring through your mind magic.」

「I see, because before they could be driven mad they are already mad warriorberserkers. Uu―n, no matter what, my compatibility with them is bad.」

She said that with a nonchalant attitude. Her speech was showing that she was troubled, but it looked vaguely like an act.

……Was she a girl with this kind of personality since before?, Ilyailiya thought dubiously.

「Is the power of Cthulhu’s evil god just this much?」

「Ah, that’s cruel, don’t say something like that. ……If I have to say, through the whole battle until now I have resounded six types of magic. 『MadnessMind SoundPsycho Noise』, 『DestructiveSound of IgnoranceDementia』, 『Reverberationof DizzinessAfter Dizzy』, 『Footsteps Soundof DerangementBlack Visitor』, 『Buzzof HateHum Hate』, and 『Labial Soundof BewitchmentHoney Trap』,」

「Every single one of those doesn’t bring about that much effect. I think they are diluted too much in this wide battlefield. You should use them in a narrower range.」

「Well, wait. I did them like that because I have an idea. Even though these six derangement sounds don’t show any effect right away, after a while they will be left with a deep stain inside the brain. If at that timing my last sound that I keep in reserve, 『Controlling Sound of Second AdventFlash Conductor』 is added, the total seven sounds will be integrated into a melody.」

「Not sound, but melody?」

「Right. Like that a one person timed combination magic 『Melody of HeresyMelody of Cthulhu』 will be born. All the effects will combine and attack them. ……The six sounds until now are nothing more than an opening performance.」

「Say that right from the start.」

「This is my trump card. Besides I thought that if it is against Britain then they will be all messed up before I reached six sounds so I didn’t think that I needed to say it. ……Eeeh? By any chance are you really flustered actually?」

Nyarlako peered into Ilyailiya’s eyes with a smiling face that looked teasing.

The situation Russia was put into was by no means a favorable one.

It was unexpected that Britain would take along the majority of Germany’s forces and rushed to her way. In that case then why weren’t Loki and Italia’s Knight Order rushing here no matter how long she waited?

If they weren’t fighting Germany, then just what in the world were Loki and the others fighting?

……This time, there should be no way for the logical Ilyailiya to even imagine it.

Something like Hrotsvit remaining alone to hold back Loki and Italia was unthinkable for her.

Could it be that Loki betrayed her……even such a thought flashed through her mind. No, the possibility of Loki betraying her while Japan and Britain were in good health was low. For Loki that was something irrational…….

This situation wasn’t good. She was entrusting her fate to the action of Loki and the others. A situation where she couldn’t do anything with just her strength wasn’t something she preferred. She had to constantly grasp the initiative and move the situation actively. If by any chance, before Loki and Italia could rush here, Japan finished annihilating China and then they moved onto the battlefield over here…….

Had she overdone it by giving help in defeating Fu Xi?

「It will be okay you know, if you do as I told you.」

Nyarlako spoke as though she had seen through the inside of Ilyailiya’s heart.

「I’ll make an opening in Britain and Germany using 『Melody of Cthulhu』. This is something that is absolutely certain, so please fire your magic that has the greatest firepower by matching the timing well with that. I want you to change into 『Black Mode』 and use that attack magic.」

Was she telling her to entrust her fate even to this girl?

But, Ilyailiya’s decision was always fast. 「Fine then. I’ll do it.」

Without even her commanding it, the magic dresses of her aides who were standing by in the headquarters shined, their silver colors were changing into jet black as though being smeared.

Seeing this Nyarlako’s eyes turned round as though she was shocked from the bottom of her heart.

「……So the one who can use two modes is not just you.」

The contracted Diva of Ilyailiya had two faces.

Granted her a silver magic dress, which specialized in super speed battle.

Granted her a jet black magic dress, with weapon of transcendental firepower.

「We, the whole of Russia’s Knight Order possess double facetwo faces. Not having the distinction between order and chaos is not the special characteristic of just my Svarog. It is the special characteristic of the whole Slavic Mythology.」

If the whole knight order put on a silver magic dress that specialized in speed, they could obtain defensive ability that could even toy around with Britain and Germany altogether.

If the whole knight order put on jet black magic dress that specialized in destruction, surely that instantaneous maximum firepower could surpass even China’s Knight Order.

Under the perfect leadership of Ilyailiya, they were able to use those two modes properly. That was one of Russia’s trump cards.

However, if she believed Nyarlako and transformed her whole army jet black, it would create a large opening. The jet black mode had powerful firepower, but in exchange it was slow.

「I’ll go tell all the soldiers. You too, immediately activate the 『Melody of Cthulhu』.」

Ilyailiya vanished from that place still in her silver magic dress. Russia’s King was also the greatest messenger soldier.

「O melody from the abyss……alter and carve, bind the brain in many layers. Bring right here, the Flash Conductor.」

Nyarlako played her tune in response to Ilyailiya’s trust in her.

「Hear the consecutive songs of resentment from the king of terror……Melody of Cthulhu!!」

The knights who were there at the headquarter of Russia couldn’t hear that sound. However, they could certainly feel ominous magic power being radiated in waves.

The next moment, screams echoed from across the battlefield.

Everywhere changed into hell.

「We are saved thanks to you two.」

Arthur smiled to the modest duo――Ryuutaki Miyabi and Yumeno Shiori.

That smiling face was filled with gratitude and affection from the bottom of her heart.

The contractor of Gremory, Miyabi. The contractor of Baku, Shiori. As specialists of mind magic, the two of them gave back up to Britain’s Knight Order’s weak point.

「Both of you are amazing desu.」 Lotte was also watching over the conspicuous effort of the two seniors smilingly.

「However, the situation is strange.」

But, Shiori talked without getting conceited.

「Until now the enemy has activated six mind magic. All of those were magic of a different type. Each of them is a magic that magnifies different madness……. What is strange, is that all six have strength that is almost equal. It’s just that their wavelength each is out of sync little by little. And then all of them are sound magic……」

「Indeed……」

Miyabi also put her hand on her mouth and let out an anxious voice. 「There is no way to classify all those magics until now into levels. All of them are of the same rank. But for magic of a Diva, that is something strange.」

「All are magic of the same status, and the same rank……. By any chance there might be a possibility that all those magic until now is a magic that consisted of several to form one set.」

Shiori said. Hearing that caused Arthur’s expression to turn grim.

「If that’s true then that means even though we have defended against them one by one, we cannot feel rest assured?」

「I think so. I cannot even imagine what will happen and what will be the effect but……. That’s why it’s better to attack as fast as possible and stop the caster directly instead.」

They wouldn’t be in this hardship if that was possible. Arthur’s expression turned bitter.

「The opponents are nimble like this though.」

With the addition of Germany, they were superior in battle force, that was why they had to quickly crush Russia so that they could go help Japan that was fighting China.

Or possibly they had to intercept Loki and Italia who would be pursuing after them sooner or later from behind.

That was the current position of Britain, but…….

Ilyailiya also understood that circumstances, that was why she was thoroughly persisting to buy time using her perfect leadership. Every single one of Russia’s Knight Order was an owner of shocking speed. They were opponents who were hard to fight as though being inside a fierce blizzard where one couldn’t even lift their eyes, where they could only swing around their sword.

Furthermore Arthur could only stay in the headquarters without being able to go out. As long as that user of mind magic wasn’t defeated, she couldn’t move carelessly.

No matter how fast the opponents were, if she came out to the front lines then……that was what she thought thought.

However, Ilyailiya was boldly rushing around on the battlefield by her lonesome that was why Arthur was irritated. Those factors wrote off the difference in battle strength between two sides.

Miyabi quickly looked up to the sky.

「Mind attack magic’s wavelength is coming again! This is……this is bad!」

「What do you mean!?」

Shiori who raised a perplexed voice like that didn’t have sensing ability of magic power at Miyabi’s level.

Miyabi was reading a terrifying premonition from the flow of magic power.

「This is……it’s such a thing! The sounds of mind magic that is out of sync little by little until now, they are overlapping and are turning into a melody! It is magnified by several fold than everything until now……something like this cannot be defended!」

At that moment, an accursed evil echo was overflowing everywhere.

The waves that were carved inside the heads of the knights of Britain – Germany were resurrected even though they didn’t even have the intention of recalling those sounds, the sounds that were summoning madness were systematically overlapping, transforming into a blasphemous harmony.

「UAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!」

Beastly screams that were unthinkable to come from female knights were raised everywhere.

「This is the seriousness of Nyarlathotep!!」

「Let’s narrow the defensive magic to just the headquarters!」

Shiori yelled, and so the two coped against this attack like that.

The one who schemed this was Nyarlathotep alone. On the other hand, on their side there were the two of them. However even with the two of them it was impossible to protect the whole army――for the first time the two of them became aware of the large difference in strength.

They had to make a reliable protection even if it was just at a small range. If they didn’t…….

At that time, the two of them felt the wind of death breathing on their neck. They sensed death vividly.

If Arthur and others submitted to madness then the ones who would be killed the very first would be the two of them.

Arthur and her aides were on their knees while letting out anguished voices.

Their sanity was already like a candle light in front of a blowing wind, it seemed that they were only barely hanging on to their consciousness.

That was the degree of the damage they got thanks to Miyabi and Shiori’s protection, but the knights on the front lines were having their minds violated all at once. Filthy English slang that they, the knights of Britain were supposed to never speak from their mouths were yelled while running off to the wrong direction from their Russiaenemy.

Their destination was――the ally Germany, the Einherjar.

The knights of the Einherjar……were also screaming madly while raising their blades to meet the British knights.

「Stop! Germany is our allied country!!」

Arthur was yelling while desperately enduring the unbearable unpleasantness she experienced.

Even Lotte who excelled in mental control technique was writhing in pain.

Even Miyabi and Shiori also began having their minds invaded, they were crouching while holding their heads.

From behind Miyabi and Shiori, *ja-* the sound of a blade drawn out from the sheath could be heard.

The aides of Arthur――the knights with the most honor among the Knights of the Round Table: Gawain, Percival, Bors, Bedivere……with clouded eyes and painfully convulsing expression, they looked down at the backs of the suffering Japanese and raised each of their beloved swords.

Lotte raised her face from sensing a magic power presence, and noticed that.

If the attacks of the Knights of the Round Table were rained down simultaneously, it wouldn’t end with just magic power intoxication. It would be a one hit kill…….

『Kazuki-oniisan……Miyabi-oneesan and Yumeno-oneesan are!』

She sent telepathy towards Kazuki who was far away imploringly.

――Though there was no way he would make it in time by the time the notification arrived to him.

「Concentrate on the fight before your eyes! If it’s us then this trifling thing can be ignored just by us doing that!」 Beatrix commanded that and made her comrades to endure the blasphemous mental attack that rung from deep inside the enemy formation.

The Einherjar recognized the contractor of the sub-chief god Thor, Beatrix as the new King and responded to that command with a fight that was free from obstructive thoughts. Let’s just say that was the fruit of her original popularity.

「This trifling madness cannot violate our well trained mind!」

The warriors yelled that in high spirits.

That spirit couldn’t hold out for long.

They were soon made to know, that all the sounds until now were nothing more than the opening performance.

The instant the seventh sound rung, the six sounds that were supposedly passing through already were resurrected, all of the sounds overlapped with each other and sang an evil melody. That wasn’t something that could be endured just by willing one’s self to endure.

Their brains were directly churned up, it was a sensation that couldn’t be opposed, as though their mind was going to be destroyed.

Nausea, dizziness, auditory hallucination, headache, every kind of shakes assaulted them all at once.

It had enough might to make the Norse knights to forget the battle.

What should they do to escape from this pain!? From the bottom of their mind, someone whispered…….

『Go mad, discard your sense, obey my command without doubt……』

If they obeyed what the melody ordered, they could escape this pain…….

The many knights immediately discarded their senses and chose madness.

They were liberated from their anguished look, bared open their eyes, and ran at full speed towards their ally, Britain’s Knight Order, while drool was scattered from their mouths.

Oo, the knights were liberated from agony and returned to their beloved battlefield!

However the opponent that they were about to fight, was their allied country!!

「Stop!」

Beatrix yelled. There was Hrotsvit inside Beatrix’s heart. There was Kazuki inside her. There was no way her heart would break pathetically because of something this trifle. That was why she endured.

However she couldn’t help but despair at the situation before her eyes.

Internal strife. Was there any strife more unsightly and tragic than this in the world?

No, what was even more terrifying was……

「Stop! If the current us turn even Japan into an enemy then that’s the end!!」

That was what Beatrix feared the most waiting ahead of this internal discord. The objective of this magic was that. To tear off the balance between Japan-Germany-Britain!

The wave of madness stopped.

If time passed then perhaps this magic wouldn’t even be active that long.

But no salvation came. The knights of Germany and Britain

Even when the sound of madness stopped, they continued to fight the opponent before their eyes.

They should have their sanity returned already. However, while that may be true there was an opponent wielding a weapon right in front of them, there was no way they could stop their own swords like that.

Their sanity was returning――but their normal judgment wasn’t returning.

They continued to fight following the inertia. Cut, got cut, driven by rage and hatred towards the opponent…….

「Stop, calm down! Remember your true enemy!!」

Beatrix yelled that while suddenly she realized.

While their attention got averted to a battle like this……what was their true enemy doing?

There was no way they would just fold their arms and observe quietly.

Beatrix turned her head……and noticed Russia’s Knight Order quietly kneading vast magic power. The majority of them were having their magic dress change color, from silver to jet black.

Color change.

The jet black knight order was kneading tremendous magic power.

They were going to invoke an unknown, and terrific large scale attack magic.

Their aim was directed towards Germanyhere.

Just what in the world this magic was, she wondered.

――In Russia there was the 『Illusion of Destruction』 that was created in the modern era.

The terrifying concept that a push of a button could destroy the world.

Originally it was an unnatural power to be called magic. But people had no confidence that it could be controlled by human hands. Even though it was the power of science, but a power that couldn’t be handled was magic. Just like how the ancient people feared darkness, people feared the behavior of that minute particle. Fear became mythology.

Slavic Mythology, a mythology that was gradually forgetting its substance, it was overwritten by that jet black faith. The empty mythology that could be affirmed as order and also chaos, it accepted that and attained dual nature.

That was the most feared destructive power among every phenomenon that mankind recognized in the physical sense. Even Beatrix who was a person of faith knew about that within her knowledge.

This was, that.

The next instant――the Einherjar was enveloped by a sphere of 『Nuclear』.

Beatrix and the others were pulverized by a large explosion. Overhead, a mushroom cloud blew up.

Ilyailiya whose whole body was dyed jet black was ascertaining the ascendance of the mushroom cloud while asking toward Nyarlako beside her. 「What did you do?」

Nyarlako distorted her cherubic face craftily and replied.

「Melody of Cthulhu invades the mind and can only force one command to a human. I manipulated all those people at the same time so I was limited to a simple message that could command just one action. What I commanded, was 『direct your attack to anyone other than Russia』.」

「Hmm. 『Direct your attack to the ally right beside you』, wouldn’t that command be a better one?」

Britain and German were fighting with considerable distance between them. If the effect would last only for a short time, making them attack the ally that was right beside them should produce greater damage.

「Wrong wrong. It’s important to make them chose 『whether to attack their own army or the allied army』. If they were given those two choices, they would choose the allied army instead of their own army. That’s why……even though they did it in madness, but an actual feeling that 『they chose to betray their ally』 will remain. That will become a burden. Furthermore, although they are allied but they will harbor strong anger from getting attacked by a total stranger whose face they don’t know. If they attacked their own comrades, then calm thinking to consider it even because they had attacked each other might well up inside their heads……that’s because of the strong mutual trust between them. If someone attacks, if someone got attacked, none of the two sides will be able to bury the hatchet. Because there is that kind of mentality, they will have almost no actual feeling that their mind was manipulated. They will feel that they had pointed their sword to their ally with their own judgment, that they cannot back away anymore.」

Even after the effects of the Melody of Cthulhu stopped, the falling out between Britain and Germany continued.

Russia Knight Order’s attack magic exploded from their flank.

「Look there at Britain’s Knight Order that should have their sanity returning! Even though the Einherjar got swallowed by the attack magic from Russia, they don’t remember Russia’s existence but instead incessantly attack, there is only the thinking 『This is a chance to stop the breathing of Germany』 in their mind! They completely forget our existence! Kyahahahaha! This is how you manipulate the hearts of humans!!」

Nyarlako also laughed like she was mad. There wasn’t any trace left of the appearance of the naïve and slightly cowardly girl that she had shown until now.

Ilyailiya thought, didn’t this girl also went mad suddenly, like that.

No, perhaps this was the true nature of this girl after she discarded her mask of falsehood. She didn’t know the background of this girl but, by the point of time this girl cooperated with Loki and the others there was no way she was someone proper…….

At that time the ground beneath Nyarlako suddenly swelled up and Midgardsormr’s face poked out. Midgardsormr――it was a Diva of a giant snake that could travel underground by melting into the ground.

「Nyoro」 It raised a single voice then it grotesquely stretched out its face’s skin and opened its large mouth.

It was an inviting gesture――the large mouth was opened to the size that was just right to swallow a small statured girl inside.

「Whoops, my ride came. It looks like something happened where Loki and the others are at so I’ll be going.」

Nyarlako said that and she was going to leap into the mouth of Midgardsormr that was largely opened.

Midgardsormr was a powerful transport warship that could store people inside its torso and travel beneath the ground.

But before Nyarlako could enter, a silver wind blew.

「……Blaze up, silent constant flux of all creation. Agouni Koparyof.」

The whole body’s color of Ilyailiya transformed from jet black to silver instantly, in addition she also chanted the magic that wrapped her body in silver flame that could transform to either weapon or armor and activated it with instantaneous recitation.

「Mec……!」

With a speed that was truly lightning speed, a silver blade was created on her right arm.

A silver blade cut interrupted in front of Nyarlako who was going to jump into Midgardsormr’s large mouth. Nyarlako’s eyes turned round at that fast action while making an emergency break.

「……Fast-!?」

Ilyailiya slid the blade smoothly at the black skinned neck of Nyarlako.

「What’s the meaning of this? Is something happening on the other side?」

Ilyailiya asked that whisperingly.

「Wha, what you asked? A pick up for me came, and I have finished what I should do in this place, so I’m going to go back over there, that’s all you know? I didn’t do anything strange just now. I’m not here because of your order anyway. I can go back freely if I judged that my role is finished.」

「This snake came in at a really good timing. Why was its timing that good?」

「……That’s just a coincidence surely.」

「You used some kind of method to contact Midgardsormr, and made him to come here to pick you up. But if that is really the case, then why didn’t you use that long range communication magic until now? If you have that kind of magic, then it should be possible for me and Loki to communicate even more closely and the battle on this Atlatis can be progressed to an overwhelming advantage for us. Therefore, Loki doesn’t know about the existence of that communication magic of yours. Right now you are calling Midgardsormr here using a method that you are hiding even from Loki. In other words」

「……You thought of that kind of crazy idea just in an instant? Just no way, I told you already this is just a coincidence with good timing.」

「In other words――you and Midgardsormr are betraying Loki.」

「Do it, Shudde-M’ell!!」

Nyarlako yelled an unfamiliar and mysterious name, and Midgardsormr reacted to that.

「Earth Gouging EvilTitan Claw!!」

The surrounding ground was suddenly filled with countless cracks and twelve pitch black tentacles were growing out simultaneously to entangle Ilyailiya.

The silver blade stopped for an instant.

Nyarlako slipped away from the blade in that opening.

That Ilyailiya was taken off guard was because she had been taught by Loki all the magic that Midgardsormr could use. Midgardsormr who was able to travel underground alone was viewed as an important messenger that connected Loki and the others with Russia’s Knight Order. In practice Midgardsormr could only fulfill that role in a limited fashion because of the rainbow eucalyptuses crowding Atlantis had deep roots that obstructed its ability but……in order to enable Ilyailiya to use Midgardsormr’s ability to maximum effect, and also to be the proof of their alliance, Loki taught it to Ilyailiya.

But, she didn’t know of this magic.

A similar magic like this had been used by Otonashi Kaguya but…….

Nyarlako secured that opening of an instant and leaped with her head first into Midgardsormr’s mouth. Midgardsormr swallowed Nyarlako in one go and *zumo-!* dove into the ground.

Like that Ilyailiya could do nothing but see them off.

But just right before that, Ilyailiya saw the appearance of Midgardsormr transforming into an unfamiliar shape.

They escaped. Just what in the world was the transformation that occurred in Midgardsormr? What was Shudde-M’ell?

It was irrational to worry about something that couldn’t be understood even by pondering it…….

For the present, Ilyailiya pondered about the situation with a calm state.

Nyarlako caused a falling out between Britain and Germany and she was able to pour lethal damage onto Germany. The winning chances of Germany were already crushed.

Having said that Germany still wasn’t annihilated. Exactly because they hadn’t been annihilated yet that Britain’s Knight Order that was still in confusion was aiming the brunt of their attacks towards Germany.

However the one who fell into a true predicament was actually them, Russia.

「This situation meant, that even if we wait, we couldn’t expect Loki and the others to rush here as reinforcement.」

Nyarlako betrayed Loki. It shouldn’t be strange even if Loki and the others had arrived here to reinforce them from some time ago, but instead they still hadn’t shown their figures even now, that was surely because of Nyarlako’s scheme.

Just what would Nyarlako do after leaving this place?

No matter what, there was no chance that Russia would be able to simply link up with Loki.

She guessed that Hayashizaki Kazuki’s arrival here would be far faster after he annihilated China.

Ilyailiya recalled her impression of that man at the back of her mind.

Impression――it was dangerous for her to make her judgment using such a vague thing but……that man…….

Right now, in addition to Britain and Germany, Russia was also in the process of being surrounded by Japan. The situation of Loki’s group was covered by a dark cloud, so she was forced to take that point of view.

Ilyailiya decided swiftly.

「All troops charge! Break through Germany while Britain and Germany are having a falling out!! Don’t waste time!!」

Ilyailiya ran around her own army once more with all her speed and yelled around her order.

Russia’s Knight Order moved out in offense in one breath like the charge of a giant beast.

Part 4

「Fufufu…」

Nyarlako was advancing underground along with the strange shape that was Midgardsormr while sneering.

「So Loki has never noticed at all……how I was remodeling Midgardsormr……」

Midgardsormr that was digging through underground was currently turning into a blasphemous figure that didn’t resemble a snake. That shape was like a grotesquely strange giant squid shining black. The upside down squid head was revolving like a drill, digging through the ground.

This kind of bizarre organism, just whose imagination could make this?

A Diva that transcended human knowledge.

<Shudde-M’ell>. The ground’s evil of Cthulhu Mythos.

Earth……the earth attribute of Midgardsormr became the bridge.

Nyarlako was secretly changing Midgardsormr into a completely different Diva named Shudde-M’ell.

Before in the middle of the war between Japan and Yamato, Loki-Joka-Nyarlathotep, their each respective power was made as relay to mass produce possessed magicians.

At that 『mass production process of illegal magicians』, Nyarlako was secretly planting her own factor into the brand new mind of the host just before the Diva was planted in. It was also at that time that Midgardsormr was among one of the Divas that were planted to parasite at the new host.

<Faceless God> Nyarlathotep who was no one and anyone was an existence that was able to split himself into several parts.

The Cthulhu factor that was planted carried out evolution by matching the attribute of the host.

The giant snake of earth received the influence of Cthulhu factor and transformed into the evil god of earth.

Originally something like that was a miracle that couldn’t possibly occur. Among the Diva of Cthulhu Mythos, it was only Nyarlathotep alone who was able to manifest his appearance in this world.

Cthulhu Mythos were illusions of 『existences outside human understanding』. They were Divas that mankind couldn’t recognize……they didn’t have any way to manifest their appearance in this world of magic.

Once Nyarlathotep lamented that 『This world is made with humans as the center!』

Because it was only Nyarlathotep who possessed the attribute and nature as 『emissary』 that he was able to manifest his figure with humans’ recognition and fellowship. A mere lone, single Diva…….

But the situation changed due to an unforeseen event as the impetus.

Nyarlathotep who was defeated against Hayashizaki Kazuki, lost his power and vanished, his factor was then planted by Loki into an orphan elf girl. The elf girl used her magic power as feed to gradually restore Nyarlathotep’s power, with the hope that she would be able to control and dominate that power while it was weak.

On that occasion, inside a human Nyarlathotep was performing internalization with the form of human superiority, mutating the nature of the whole Cthulhu Mythos.

Cthulhu Mythos was mostly fusing inside human――and changed into something that could be understood.

Right now it appeared that――Cthulhu Mythos was together with human.

Nyarlathotep wasn’t alone anymore. If he prepared a connecting bridge between Cthulhu Mythos and this world, the old rulers and retainers of Cthulhu could be made to descend to this world!

This was thanks to Loki making a strange attempt like playfully planting his factor to an elf girl. Thinking that he could be tamed while he was weak and then dominated…….

「Fufufu, even Fu Xi didn’t notice.」

Nyarlako was also planting her factor inside the knights of China’s Knight Order.

When Fu Xi manufactured the brand new minds of 『Nopperabou』, Loki and Nyarlako were also there due to them requesting to be allowed to observe.

At that time Nyarlako secretly searched for an opening and planted her factor inside several people.

Nopperabou with brand new minds――there was no host that was easier to eat than this.

「I can sense what they are seeing, they will also wake up with a single signal from me. Even from far away……」

Nyarlako grasped the situation of the whole battlefield.

The battle between Japan and China, she grasped it through the people she slipped in among the Nopperabou.

The situation between Loki and Regina, she grasped it due to the people she slipped in among Loki’s underlings.

And then the battle between Russia against Britain and Germany, she grasped it using her own eyes.

Right now I am the one who understands the war situation better than anyone, I can control them just as I wish…….

From inside Shudde-M’ell digging through underground, Nyarlako reverberated a mosquito noise that could only be sensed by the people who were in possession of her factor.

About right now surely the falling out between Britain and Germany was continuing due to the provocation of the madness magic. In that situation Germany would be crushed by Russia, and Russia would be crushed by Britain and Japan.

And then Loki and Italia’s Knight Order too……this was the short tempered Regina that was concerned here, at this rate they would undoubtedly have a falling out. She made the people she slipped in between Loki’s underlings to rampage to induce the two sides to be like that.

And then……Aisu Ikousai who suddenly jumped into the battlefield while emitting a radiance that couldn’t be ignored.

If I can use this idiot with an empty head well…….

「The one who can skillfully manage chaos the best isn’t Loki……it’s this me, Nyarlathotep!!」

Yes, the girl wasn’t Nyarlako anymore.

The trifling elf girl had been completely consumed since a long time ago where he then mimicked her.

Now she was the very Nyarlathotep itself.

「And then my aim is the mind and flesh of a King! If I embed my factor into a King’s body, and consume that King’s mind and contracted Diva, the chief god of Cthulhu――<Azathoth> will revive!」

Part 5

Arthur yelled.

「Regain your pride as knights!!」

Thereupon, a noble happening that would make anyone doubt their eyes occurred.

The countless blades that were going to be swing down on Miyabi and Shiori twirled and flipped.

The blades were recovering their radiance while flipping……and the knights stabbed themselves.

Gawain, Percival, Bors, Gareth……the pillar knights of the Round Table stabbed their sword into themselves and fell to their knees on the spot while scattering sparks of defensive magic power.

The command that was handed down inside their head was 『Direct your attack to anything other than Russia』――they had to attack either their own army or the allied army. They submitted to madness and raised their blade towards the two people that were entrusted to them from their ally.

However the moment they heard Arthur’s yell, they just barely recovered their pride as knights.

Rather than pointing your blade towards your comrades or your alliance partner, cut yourself instead! That’s what is called a proud knight!!

It was easy to say but hard to carry out. Their pride as knight had to surmount their survival instincts in their current condition where they were driven by madness. And they did just that.

The sound wave of madness stopped.

They bore great damage, but they were able to face that moment with a feeling of pride.

We are true knights!!

Miyabi and Shiori fell on their butts at that spot lacking the energy to stand.

The king of knights loudly commanded.

「My knights, see the figure of Gawain and others here! They are exactly the models of a knight! It’s not too late even now, don’t submit to madness! Stand up, knights!! Stop pointing your blade to the comrades you ought to fight together with! For the sake of taking each other’s hand once more, receive your own blade proudly!!」

Arthur commanded repeatedly.

「Britain’s Knight Order, is to accept the blade before their eyes!!」

There was no other king in this world who would give an order this terrifying.

However the pure resolve was transmitted to the whole British Knight Order like a spreading blue flame. All the knights of Britain that saw the figure of Gawain and the others felt ashamed of themselves and surrendered to their allied country.

And then with the German knights pointing their blades towards them, driven by rage and confusion right before their eyes, the British knights resigned themselves and exposed their body wide open.

The knights of Germany were desperate to death. They were grilled by flame of nuclear and fell under the wrong impression that the attack came from the British knights, which caused them to recklessly swing their swords following their confusion and rage.

Those single strikes, two strikes of those heavy swords……were resignedly received by the British Knight Order.

Thereupon, the knights of Germany were also gradually beginning to notice their mistake.

At that time, it was Beatrix’s voice that resounded this time.

「Stop pointing your sword to the proud knights! Remember now the true enemy you all should defeat!!」

Beatrix had magic that could reinforce her eyesight. Witnessing the proud figures of the British knights, undaunted by the proud figure of Arthur, she commanded that.

She also reinforced her voice’s loudness using magic power and conveyed her command throughout the battlefield at one go.

「We too have the pride to recognize our mistake!!」

The Einherjar knights returned to their senses all at once.

Arthur was in admiration. 「Hrotsvit is gone, but they still have a very excellent general. She is greatly visible with a loud voice. Her lead is followed well.」

The Knights of the Round Table and the Einherjar once again recognized each other’s proud figure.

Like that they finally recalled their true enemy.

「Join our hands together once more and crush our true enemy……Russia together!」「Ou!」

They shouted at each other like so without any ill feeling, the two armies that fought each other just a few seconds ago synchronized their breathing and changed the direction of their battle line towards their original enemy – Russia’s Knight Order.

――It was exactly at that time when Russia’s Knight Order charged at Germany like a surging wave.

「NOWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!?」 Beatrix spontaneously yelled.

If they came back to their senses even just for a moment later, then surely they would be trampled down helplessly.

Russia’s Knight Order made a complete change to their defensive formation to buy time until now into a drilling formation. They gouged at German’s formation like a silver arrow. At the brief moment after they were liberated from their madness, they fell into a new terror that caused even those robust female warriors to scream.

「We are protecting our sworn friends, go!」

Arthur moved her force in order to protect the collapsing Germany from the flank.

The Knights of the Round Table exhibited their true worth exactly when they were protecting others.

Lotte made a ‘hah’ face of realization and dashed to Arthur.

「Message from Kazuki-oniisan desu! For the time being he finished dealing with China! Japan’s Knight Order will immediately assist desu!」

「I see! For the time being he said, that way of speaking is concerning though……」

Arthur raised such a joyful voice. Nevertheless, this really great timing of Russia’s charge, even if it was just good luck there was nothing she could call it other than splendid. God was blessing them.

Arthur suddenly felt magic power blowing like a wind right beside her and she turned to look there.

Ahead where she turned her head to……was Ilyailiya.

「I see, I have to hurry all the more then.」

That was what Ilyailiya said with an expressionless face that looked like a Noh mask.

「Wha!?」

Arthur was at a lost for words. Ilyailiya vanished right away from there while Arthur was bewildered. It was as though she was a ghost.

「Don’t tell me……she even slipped until the headquarter’s information network!」

The situation at this side had been leaked to the other side. Whether it was the sudden charge or the bold infiltration to this headquarters, for Ilyailiya to suddenly start doing things that she hadn’t done until now, perhaps the situation at the other side had also somehow changed.

But…..it didn’t change at all what this side should do.

「Eei, anyway protect Germany!! Don’t let Russia break through!! Hold them in place until Kazuki and Japan arrive here!!」

Beatrix was standing at the lead of the Einherjar and encouraged her comrades.

「Britain’s Knight Order is stabbing the flank for us! Just keep them back so that the enemy cannot break through!!」

She couldn’t lament the absence of the King. Right now, she…….

Beatrix whose eyes were strengthened using 『Berserk』 confirmed the silver flash that was conspicuously fast.

……Ilyailiya was heading here!

「I’ll stop Ilyailiya!!」

Beatrix intercepted the approaching Ilyailiya.

The gaze of the two intersected for a moment.

「……I’ll finish you in a minute. Mec!!」

Ilyailiya’s right arm was clad in the ever-changing silver flame that hardened into a sword shape.

Beatrix tried to see through Ilyailiya’s movement using her reinforced eyesight.

「Over there!」

It looked like Beatrix’s large sword caught the silver trajectory.

「This body become the flash that embodies judgment. Austere ThunderGroz Nui.」

But the moment it seemed Beatrix’s large sword cut through the silver light, Ilyailiya’s body scattered sparks and its form disappeared.

It wasn’t that Ilyailiya’s body was terminated――with some kind of terrifying magic phenomenon, the flesh body of Ilyailiya became the very lightning itself.

「A magic that makes physical attacks invalid!?」

Something immaterial couldn’t be slashed with a blade――not only she couldn’t be cut, Ilyailiya that turned into lightning was split into two.

Furthermore while she was lightning, Ilyailiya was continuing to be Ilyailiya. The mass of lightning had faint undulation on its face that shown her facial features, her right hand was carrying a silver blade. It was only the silver sword that wasn’t turned into thunder, shining glisteningly sharp.

Ilyailiya who was split into two slashed at Beatrix from left and right simultaneously. She was already fast even at the best of times, but now she became two and came from everywhere! Beatrix’s body was helplessly mangled and she came to a standstill due to the smashing of her defensive magic power.

The two Ilyailiya stuck to each other and materialized into one figure――it appeared that the lightningfication magic had a time limit. However, she had already finished the chanting of new magic.

「O son of fire, dance and consume everything. Domovoi.」

This time she fired a fireball that could fly freely using magic power control. If it was just that magic alone then it could be dealt with somehow. However Ilyailiya cleverly attacked from the right while the fireball came from the left, confusing Beatrix’s senses.

「Eei, annoying……!」

She was in a situation where she would be slashed from the back if she tried to disperse the fireball.

「Rain down brilliantly, Plijie Zvezda.」

Even further small meteors showered down from overhead. What was fast wasn’t just her movement, her chanting speed too.

「This time it’s from the sky!?」

Beatrix raised a confused yell.

「I won’t spare anything……because I haven’t been exhausted at all throughout the battles until now.」

At first she simply rushed towards Beatrix in order to lure Beatrix to swing her sword. After she avoided the sword using evasion magic and her body split, she continued next with ever-changing high speed solo combination.

Ilyailiya wasn’t merely fast. She understood the way to lead astray the opinion more than she was fast.

Beatrix realized that this was not an opponent that she could be a match to at all just by being able to follow her fast movements using eyesight.

It was foresight. If she couldn’t foresight the movement like Hrotsvit-sama, then this wouldn’t even count as a battle for Ilyailiya.

「I don’t know why Hrotsvit is not here but……you cannot become her substitute.」

Ilyailiya was whispering while inflicting a storm of high speed slashes and distracting Beatrix using magic.

Ilyailiya wasn’t a person who would talk pointlessly due to emotion’s stimulation. She spoke those words in order to agitate Beatrix. Beatrix understood that, even so she was still succumbing to fainthearted feeling.

After all I’m just a warrior who likes to fight……. Something like a King’s caliber is…….

No, Hrotsvit-sama was also just someone who likes to fight though…….

「But, even so, this role was entrusted to me!」

Beatrix’s resolve burned and she lifted her face.

At the surroundings of such a Beatrix, avatars of rune character were dancing while shining.

Ilyailiya gulped in surprise. Ilyailiya also recognized those avatars. They were the same as what Hrotsvit used…….

Beatrix didn’t understand the theory, but she understood the way to use and the meaning of this phenomenon at once.

<Rune of Foresight>. These were the words of the sage.

Rune characters, were guidance.

She understood, what Ilyailiya would do next. She understood, what kind of trajectory the fireball’s flight would trace. She understood, where the meteors would rain down.

「THEREEEEE!!」

Beatrix didn’t follow using her eyesight but she slashed her large sword toward the movement of Ilyailiya that was naturally coming to the forefront of her mind.

「What!?」

Rather than saying that the sword hit, the slash hit as though it was Ilyailiya herself who was sucked into it.

Ilyailiya took distance by flying back.

「That power……I see, Hrotsvit has passed, and the King’s authority now resides in you.」

Ilyailiya understood now that Loki and the others were being held back by someone.

「Hrotsvit……for the King to stake her life for buying time……how irrational. Is that how much she trusted this aide of hers named Beatrix?」

「A part of Hrotsvit-sama……is residing inside me……」

Beatrix also understood what was the meaning of the runes suddenly residing inside herself. The King’s authority transferred to her, in other words…….

Beatrix roused up her heart.

「You said that you will finish me off in a minute, but soon that one minute will pass!」

She yelled provocatively at Ilyailiya.

It was exactly at that time from the direction of the east a joyful voice 「It’s Japan! Japan came as reinforcements here!!」 could be heard from Britain’s Knight Order.

Just a bit more. If she could hold back this woman just for some more time…….

「Now, let’s continue the one-on-one!!」

Beatrix readied her sword vigorously.

Ilyailiya let out a bit of irritation at her expression. For Ilyailiya to show that kind of expression……without even any time to be surprised of that, she lifted up her right arm a bit.

A signal――Beatrix suddenly noticed and she expanded her awareness to the surrounding.

She had focused too much at Ilyailiya. That was only natural if she took on Ilyailiya whose way of fighting was dizzying like that but…….

Several Russian knights changed their magic dresses into a jet black color, they already took aim with their magic at Beatrix. This was the way Russia’s Knight Order fought. The silver knights distracted while the jet black knights sniped. That way of using the modes were exactly the true forte of Russia.

Silver and jet black…….

「Something like one-on-one is meaningless.」

Along with Ilyailiya’s dry voice, Beatrix was enveloped in a flame explosion and was sent flying.

「NUOWAAAAAAAAAAAH!」

Flying faster than the sent flying Beatrix, Ilyailiya stuck at her side.

「If it’s Hayashizaki Kazuki, he would foresight the whole battlefield.」

She intentionally caught up right beside Beatrix and whispered that.

「……Why, you say something like that now-」

Was it pointless talk due to her stirred up emotion……?

Ilyailiya kicked Beatrix hard to the side.

And then she lifted her hand high up and commanded.

「The formation crumbled! Breakthrough in one go!!」

It was the form of an army command that caused Beatrix who had just succeeded as King to be entranced.

And then while she was taking on Ilyailiya in an one-on-one fight, the formation of the Einherjar in the surroundings was already broken through, which finally made her realize at this point of time.

If I don’t look at the whole battlefield…….

Russia was fast if there was an opening even for just a little. Like water that flowed down from a bowl with a cracked bottom, the silver knights broke through the hole-riddled formation of the Einherjar without any pause.

Beatrix could only see them off. The breakthrough retreat of Russia’s Knight Order that had all its member returned to silver mode was completely impossible to be pursued from behind.

「We cannot hold out huh……」

Beatrix whispered in dejection while feeling her unripeness smearing her inside.

Even though Japan’s Knight Order……Kazuki was already rushing to here for them.

――If it’s Hayashizaki Kazuki, he would foresight the whole battlefield.

Ilyailiya’s idle talk echoed inside Beatrix’s head.

Part 6

「GUGEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!」

Loki saw.

Amidst the confusion that was the developing falling out between Italia’s Knight Order and Loki’s Einherjar that was like a quagmire, several possessed magicians were raising strange voices while running away to the wrong direction like startled rabbits.

Among them there were the two people who acted rashly and launched attack magics at Regina.

While running away, those several people were transforming into strange shapes that he had never seen before at all.

Loki yelled inside his heart. Ain’t it just as I thought, that’s the monster of Cthulhu Mythos!

This is Nyarlako’s work!

His underlings were taken over by Cthulhu. How?

On the other side Italia’s Knight Order with Zenia whose face was like a demon in the lead was firing attack magic here, Loki’s subordinates were also burning in anger and counterattacked to protect themselves. These bunches didn’t even notice the fellows who were running way while turning into monsters.

He had to stop them before this invited a confrontation that couldn’t be undone.

「Wait, this is a scheme! We must not have a falling out among ourselves!!」

Loki desperately yelled that, but it would be pointless if only Loki’s subordinates stopped. If Italia’s Knight Order also didn’t stop their attack…….

「Oi, Regina, you do something too……」

「Stop the attack! I’m have given you all any command yet!」

Regina’s thundering voice caused Zenia and the others to stop chanting completely.

With that Loki’s subordinates also stopped.

「I think this is enough.」

Regina kept her cool while turning her face to Loki and said that.

Loki was taken aback.

There was no doubt that Nyarlako had saw through Regina’s short temper and schemed for them to have a falling out.

But that was the Regina of the past, the current Regina had learned to not show her emotions outside in her fight.

「Even if we fight here the one who will win is your side, but it will be stupid of you to intentionally attack us right from the front and waste your forces that has stayed mostly unharmed until now.」

「Ooo―……you have really grown, dad is really proud of you.」

Loki who relaxed himself made a stupid joke unconsciously.

「As expected perhaps it’s better to kill this kind of troublesome guy while it’s still possible.」

「Wait wait!」

「Explain now.」

Although she had stopped being short tempered, but a scary woman was scary.

「……Errr see, this is because the betrayal of the Cthulhu Diva that is in my camp. I got this idea what will happen if I made him possess a brat that was my follower while he was still weak and then I observed him until now feeling thrilled, but it seemed that brat’s mind and body had been easily taken over.」

「How unsightly. You didn’t sense the sign of betrayal beforehand?」

「Of course I thought that something was fishy, so I made up some excuse and pushed her to Ilyailiya. I expected that she might do something to Ilyailiya, but I never thought even in my dreams, that she would dabble here like this from so far away in this place that is filled with magic power cloud.」

Even now he didn’t understand just how she had done this.

「So the point is that you got your hand burned because of you messing around huh, you idiot.」

Regina clicked her tongue ‘chih’. It was a splendid summary.

「But I understand that this is a foolish situation. There is no value of quarreling with each other here.」

Is this girl really Regina?……Loki was astonished inside his heart. Even though he understood but he couldn’t help but feel surprised at this drastic change of Regina. It was reassuring……but also troublesome for him.

「Yosh, then let’s link up with Russisa. If we don’t hurry that side will also get bad.」

「Wait. ……It doesn’t stand right for me to leave my subordinates who were sacrificed and Hrotsvit like this.」

Loki felt that such a thing was tedious. Even so, he thought that he shouldn’t rub this kind of human sentiment’s subtlety the wrong way, so he nodded.

Regina instructed her subordinates and they began to dig holes at that place.

The ancient Greek believed that the world of the dead was underground and so they carried burial into the ground. It seemed that their method was an ancient Greek burial.

「……Just when I thought why you didn’t come and it’s like this.」

They heard an emotionless voice and looked back. There was no need to even confirm, it was Ilyailiya.

Continuing after her, her subordinates also arrived from the mist of the magic power cloud behind, their shadows emerging on the mist.

……Loki noticed how the magic power cloud was becoming even thicker.

「So you withdrew here with your own strength! My bad, a miscalculation happened……」

「Hrotsvit and Nyarlako isn’t it. I understood the gist of the situation. ……Let my subordinates help out too.」

Ilyailiya’s proposal caused Regina to send her a gaze filled with ill feeling just for a moment, but she immediately nodded a bit and let her helped. It was the joint effort of two countries who were once hostile towards each other…….

「Yosh, let’s name this gathering of us as Loki Alliance Army.」

Loki spoke out something shameless while not helping with the burial.

「Do as you like.」 Regina warded off his joke without particular fixation.

Loki was making stupid frivolous talk while sending his gaze at his subordinates with a pensive look.

……He couldn’t imagine what kind of logic made it possible, but a part of the possessed magicians were remodeled into Cthulhu Diva.

Cthulhu Divas other than Nyarlathotep couldn’t manifest in this world. He thought that and let his guard down. He didn’t understand the how, but it seemed that his assumption had been overturned completely.

Remodeling……thinking about that reminded him of the time of the war between Yamato and Japan, about when they mass produced the possessed magicians.

Loki suddenly realized.

The faceless god who was no one and anyone Nyarlathotep was able to divide his mind. Perhaps that guy had achieved revival at that time and secretly planted his factor into the mass produced possessed magicians.

「But the problem ain’t how he did it. The problem is……I don’t know how many more guys here that have been taken over by Cthulhu.」

It was unthinkable that those fleeing guys were all of them. If he was at Nyarlathotep’s position, he would undoubtedly leave behind several people here to make use of them at a critical time.

Furthermore those guys most likely could share senses with Nyarlathotep. That was why that action which invited falling out could happen with really good timing like that.

It was like monitoring cameras and remote control explosives had been set up among them.

Conversely……perhaps it was possible to intentionally show an opening to lure them out.

「We kept you waiting, it’s finished already.」

Regina called out to him while he was pondering.

Loki looked around to the surroundings. The sun had sunk down a long time ago.

It seemed that the magic power cloud became thicker the more the curtain of night lowered.

「We managed to link up after much trouble, but perhaps tonight we won’t be able to fight anymore huh.」

Part 7

The contractor of Guan Yu finally exhausted her strength and collapsed on the ground.

「That was splendid loyalty. I have tasted to my heart’s content, the valor of China.」

Ikousai sighed in satisfaction at the end of the blissful time that was filled with respectable martial artists.

「By the way……what are you?」

Ikousai looked behind and asked.

Behind Ikousai, the Red Nopperabou who were turned into her limbs due to her obtaining the power of the Dragon of Heaven’s Decree were lining up in a row, but among them was something strange mixed up.

Something that was somewhat strange was mixed up there.

Or rather than mixing, more accurately while Ikousai was fighting Guan Yu and the others, around ten-odd Red Nopperabou suddenly made strange screams like 「KIKEEEEEEEEEEEE」 or 「GUGEEEEEEEEEEE」 while transforming into monsters.

Monster……it was hard to describe that appearance with a single word. Ikousai was looking with perplexity.

That figure standing upright with countless tentacles wriggling without any hands or legs, it was far removed from an ordinary organism living on land. If she had to say it was similar to a grotesque fish from deep sea. It emitted slimy luster, staring at Ikousai with countless eyeballs, with its countless lips breathing out stinky breath.

However, they who transformed into monsters didn’t particularly do anything bad, they were observing Ikousai’s fight with good behavior. Even now they didn’t reply or anything to Ikousai, they were breathing out stinky smells while staring fixedly at Ikousai. Their eyes were really round. She didn’t understand at all whether they were ally or enemy. However all things considered……,

「Gr, gross……too gross.」

Ikousai endured her nausea while leaking out her voice.

「They didn’t particularly do anything harmful but……no, it feels like they are harming this world just by existing. Should I cut them down? No, I really don’t want to cut them. My katana will get dirty……what to do. Gross.」

「We……are not, your enemy……」

「It talked!?」

「If you look carefully……we look really cute……right……?」

「No, you aren’t cute at all though!?」

「Comrade……comrade……comrade」「I want……my head patted nyaa……」

「No way! I don’t want you guys as comrades or anything!!」

At that time the ground beneath Ikousai swelled up into a lump. Ikousai sharply jumped back while readying her katana in her hand, putting her battle stance in order.

「He cameee」「Our master……he cameee」 The monsters began to be noisy.

「Your master you said!? Something very ugly is coming!?」

Ikousai shuddered, but what leaped out from inside the ground was a monster that looked like a giant squid. The part where the squid’s fins were attached rotated in circles, it moved like a drill seemingly to dig through underground to arrive here. There was a large mouth at the lower part of the drill, that mouth opened wide in a flash, and then a pitch black girl leaped out like a robot pilot.

「How rude of you to call us 『Cthulhu’s Blasphemous Circle of Friends』 as disgusting! We are not disgusting at all! Rather than disgusting……we are just hard to describe!」

「What, so it’s you Nyarlako. Just what are you doing in this kind of place?」

From the beginning, the two of them were acquiantaces at the base of Yamato along with Loki.

「I also betrayed Loki just now. Hey, let’s work together. Your aim is just Hayashizaki Kazuki right? But Japan is teaming up with Britain and Germany so you will surely need battle strength to remove the obstacles.」

「Mu? ……Hmm I guess.」

「Besides it will be troublesome if you encountered Loki and his group while you are wandering around looking for Hayashizaki Kazuki right? I also can constantly observe the position of Loki and the others. When Loki and his group fight Japan and Britain, we will barge in when the hindrances crushed each other nicely……what do you think of that strategy?」

「I see, that’s super convenient.」

「It’s really convenient. I am super convenient just so you know. I’m the embodiment of a supporting actor. That’s why, let’s be comrades.」

Ikousai took a glance at the monsters.

「There is no reason to refuse……but those guys are disgusting so I don’t want to.」

「Wai-, what are you saying!? There is no disgusting or not disgusting in a fight isn’t it!? Even though this is a hard to get proposal that has nothing but advantages for you, you are going to throw it away just because of little thing like your taste in appearance, you’re just impossible!」

「But isn’t it impossible for a 19 years old girl to become these bunches’ comrade?」

「What are you doing speaking like a normal female college student like that!? You aren’t that kind of character!」

「No, usually I’m a college student. I’m someone who is really particular about aesthetic. Seriously this alliance is impossible.」

「Wait! Come on, look carefully! If you look carefully they are very grossly cute see!!」

「Weeeei……exchange Line address……let’s……」「Follow my twitter……please……」「Onee-chan……@naa_sukebe……」「Offline meeting……with sex service……」

The old rulers that transcended human knowledge were giving their best efforts to make themselves pleasant to the taste that seemed like it would match with a female college student.

「H―mm, feels like there is also familiarity forming from them. These kind of bunches can be found at university I think.」

「Right!? Cthulhu is super popular among the young people now after all!!」

Even Nyarlathotep was also desperate. If he didn’t obtain an ally here then he wouldn’t have any way to move about. Ikousai was nonpolitical without strong fixation to this war while possessing the greatest class of power, she was the most important recruit target there was.

「If you join now I’ll also add various perks you know!」

「What are you going to add? Detergents or something? I actually want an art gallery ticket.」

「Of course of course, I’ll prepare anything. ……But do you have someone that will go with you there?」

Ikousai wordlessly reached her hand to her katana’s sheath.

「Wait! I’ll also add a handsome man as a perk! I’ll prepare a handsome man for sure!!」

「……Handsome man prepared by Nyarlathotep will absolutely be Nyarlathotep yourself in disguise right? Besides I have no interest in men or anything.」

「Mugy. My true identity is exposed.」

Even Ikousai could guess that much. If Nyarlako said that she betrayed Loki while taking along Cthulhu Divas with her, then this existence before Ikousai’s eyes wouldn’t be Nyarlako that she knew well.

This person was the sneering evil god Nyarlathotep himself.

An invitation that came from this kind of guy, if they were someone who knew about his true identity then it would be impossible that they would accept it.

「Well fine, putting aside the jokes, something like an invitation from the Cthulhu only reeks of bad taste but, I’ll accept. After all, the current you has no leeway to deceive me or anything.」

「……I think that other than Loki, there is nobody else but you who will take this hand even after knowing my true identity.」

Nyarlathotep presented his hand to Ikousai. Ikousai also understood that if Nyarlathotep won――then it would be the most outrageous thing for the world compared to the case where any other force won instead.

But.

「I guess you are thinking that I’m someone that is not thinking of anything and that’s why you want to ally with me, but even I barged into this battle with the faith that I am the 『strongest』. Don’t think that you can make me into a tool.」

「Faith as the strongest……?」

Nyarlako’s expression distorted as though she was enduring her sneer.

Ikousai snorted 「Hmph」 seeing that expression while grasping back the hand offered to her.

「This is the birth of the third force. Then I’ll ask quickly, what is going on with Loki and his group?」

「Fu-fu-fu」 Nyarlako let out an evil chuckle.

「I had scattered the seeds of discord so that each force will have a falling out among themselves. First Loki and Italia are……」

However just when she was about to speak, Nyarlako’s expression distorted 「geh」.

「Looks like Regina unexpectedly settled down the scene with calmness at the last moment. Ilyailiya’s Russia also linked up with them safely. They even named their group Loki Allied Army.」

「Your plan, it’s totally no good it seems.」

「……But for Ilyailiya to be safe, that means that Britain and Germany had a falling out nicely I think.」

「Falling out between Britain and Germany? Hmph, I cannot imagine Kazuki will simply let that happen.」

Currently Nyarlako wasn’t grasping the movements of Japan and Britain anymore.

At this time Nyarlako had no way of knowing that the Knights of the Round Table had recovered their senses at the last moment and nicely brought to a close their foolishness of friendly fire.

In reality, everything didn’t move like what Nyarlathotep expected it to be.

「At the very least you can consider Germany to have received a fatal blow.」

「The magic power cloud became thick huh……」

Ikousai suddenly whispered while looking around. It was as though the temperature was decreasing the more the night advanced and mist was shrouding down, the density of Atlantis’s magic power cloud showed signs of increase that even the face of Nyarlako right before her eyes looked faintly hazy.

「It looks like Loki and his group also rest because the magic power cloud is thick.」

「If Loki doesn’t move then they won’t be a hindrance during that time even if we quickly go to fight Kazuki, that won’t be bad……」

「You are joking right? Even though I am able to spy on Loki and his group’s movements after great pains, you won’t use that and instead clash against Japan and Britain right from the front, that’s stupid.」

Ikousai scowled after her new ally objected at her with a really decent reason straightforwardly.

「Each comrade has their own good and bad huh. Even though I have obtained this much power yet I still have to move carefully and efficiently, how stressful.」

「Just as I thought, you don’t have any friends at college, don’t you?」

Translator's Notes and References

Back to Illustrations

Return to Main Page

Forward to Chapter 2