Magika No Kenshi To Shoukan Maou:Volume 8

Novel Illustrations

These are the novel illustrations that were included in Magika No Kenshi To Shoukan Maou Volume 8

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  Cover and color illustrations
  

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  Page 42
  

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  Page 66
  

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  Page 123
  

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  Page 169
  

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  Page 236
  

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  Page 240
  

Chapter 1 – The Best Shortcut to Become Strong

Part 1

Kazuki was inside a pink space.

The floor, the walls, the ceiling too, it was a hall with everything like mirrors. There, lascivious pink light was reflected randomly, enveloping Kazuki. Inside the pink light, Kazuki’s head was empty and tinged with a haze.

A whispering voice from somewhere was audible on his ear.

{Iyaa~n}

{Ahaa~n}

{Ufuu~n}

It was a voice he had a memory of hearing before that sounded kind of awkward like the owner was forcing herself somehow.

{Ufuu~n. Ka, Kazuki…it’s okay you knoo~w.}

What’s with the ufu~n, Kazuki retorted inside his hazy head.

*Pa-!* From inside the pink light, a naked girl appeared in front of his eyes.

It was someone he knew. Ryuutaki Miyabi―it was Miyabi-senpai. The surrounding mirror also reflected Miyabi-senpai’s naked appearance, Kazuki was surrounded by naked Miyabi-senpai from all directions.

However it was true that she was naked but―the risky spots were faintly shaded off and couldn’t be seen.

{Kazuki…come, your worldly desires that have kept piling up, it’s okay to unleash it if it’s in this world you know…}

Miyabi-senpai in front of his eyes walked up to Kazuki and embraced his neck. Thereupon Kazuki’s clothes vanished like a smoke. But Kazuki’s naked body was also vague with shading off fixed on it.

It was a world without any feeling of reality.

Power was filled into the two arms of Miyabi-senpai that embraced Kazuki. The sensation of the bared breasts of Miyabi-senpai that was pressed on him―was not there. There was none at all. A girl’s sweet smell too―there was none.

The master of this world was hesitating to convey all of that after all.

Kazuki’s hazy head was gradually filled with an out of place feeling.

If he had to say it, it was subdued. Consequently he woke up in one go.

“…Miyabi-senpai, what’s with this absurd mind hack magic!!”

Shaking off Miyabi-senpai’s arm that hugged him closely, Kazuki stepped back from her.

Inside Kazuki’s both hands, his beloved blade <Doufuu> was produced in response to Kazuki’s will.

Directing it to the world itself in front of his eyes, he swung down Doufuu directly.

That instant, all of the mirrors were smashed apart all at once. *barabarabara*…mirror fragments crumbled down, the mental world created from magic was buried into a total darkness. And then―

“Ka, Kazuki-!?”

Miyabi-senpai became flustered and twitched in front of him.

She was pouring magic power into Kazuki’s mind. But with that connection severed, Kazuki’s consciousness was recovered clearly.

The pure white morning sun peeked out its face from the horizon, the deeply green colored trees of the early summer were swaying under the sunlight. Right beside them was a building made from brick. Here was―the garden of the Witch’s Mansion.

The usual place and time of his morning training. Just that the training this time was different from usual and not with Hikaru-senpai.

“…Fufu-, to bounce back from the magic that is my trump card like that, the result of the special training has come out hasn’t it?”

After Miyabi-senpai *kohon* cleared her throat, she recovered her refreshing smile of composure.

She was wearing a dress-type Magic Dress that was smooth like pearl and tinged with luster. It was the Magic Dress of <Gremory>, the demon of Solomon 72 Pillar that specialized in mind attack magic.

“Fufufu…as a [teacher], I’m proud of my pupil’s growth. For that Kazuki who didn’t have any resistance to mind hack until that much to display how easily he rejected my magic, how amazing.”

“Err, senpai…”

Kazuki tried to interject but he was ignored.

“Fufu-. But as a woman, to get repelled that easily just now, there is no way I won’t feel my pride get hacked apart into pieces, or to feel just a very little bit hurt…”

“Senpai!”

Kazuki made a strong tone and cut off Miyabi-senpai’s rushed talk.

“Senpai, it’s not me that has grown, there is unnaturalness in the magic just now.”

“Uu-“

“Senpai, a repertory of getting embarrassed of something absurd you did yourself is a little, you know.”

Hearing that merciless fault-finding, the elf’s white face of Miyabi-senpai became bright red in a flash.

“Sto, stop it! Stop pointing those out again so calmly!!”

“When I thought that you were naked, but there was nothing visible from all the mosaic.”

Kazuki dared to continue finding fault of Miyabi-senpai.

“…Even though I was planning to lay bare all of myself as I used that magic boldly…”

Even if she thought so in her own imagination, but surely she hesitated unconsciously.

Senpai always kept forcing herself to do something absurd.

“Senpai also made me naked, but there was also mosaic on my body that time.”

He continued finding fault. Even though Miyabi-senpai tried to construct an alternate world that had reality but she failed.

That was what urged Kazuki’s kill-joy―awakening.

Miyabi-senpai threw off her usual cool attitude to the wind and became deviant.

“You too, you have never seen a woman’s naked body right!?”

Kazuki was startled. He immediately remembered―something clearly came to mind.

At the Gate of the Celestial Rock Cave, about when he was made to do Japan Mythology’s traditional [naked dance] with Kazuha-senpai.

Both of them danced naked, matching their rhythm with the music that resounded in the Gate of the Celestial Rock Cave. They danced madly.

While they were dancing they couldn’t hide their body anywhere.

Rather, that dance was something that drew out their respective [sexual charm] without any to spare, a dance of fierce instinctual motion. Completely like animal’s courting action―.

Inside that passionate melody, Kazuki saw [the everything] of Kazuha-senpai’s body.

Her breast, her butt too, even the spot where it should be hidden more…Those scenes were even now were burned in his brain.

And then while both of them were getting excited with each other, they embraced each other hard. Not like the space of mental magic from before but feeling each other’s body’s sensation for real while being absorbed in a greedy kiss.

Even the usually shy Kazuha-senpai was only at that time….

“Ka, Kazuki…wait, that face means…”

Hearing Miyabi-senpai’s flustered voice, Kazuki came back to his senses with a look of realization. Somehow it seemed that what he thought came out in his expression.

Guessing something from Kazuki’s reaction made Miyabi-senpai start trembling all over.

“Li, like this I’m, just a clown in the end…. Using the [special training for resistance against mind attack magic] I planned to make Kazuki’s heart go ‘kyun kyun’ and fall for my sexy temptation but, I exposed something unsightly like this and got shown of the difference in our experience instead…”

“Senpai, that’s not it! Just now, the various things I’m pointing out were not for making senpai shamed or anything like that…”

His sadism was stimulated for just a little but he didn’t mean anything malicious.

“Senpai always looks like you are forcing yourself to do something unreasonable after all, I just want senpai to please not continue trying to hurry our relationship strangely!”

Getting her feeling impatient because she wanted to get along better and in the end she tried to tempt him using her naked body that she actually didn’t even want to show, such a thing was mistaken. Senpai was a lovely person and that was why he wished for her to treasure herself.

Kazuki seized the shoulders of Miyabi-senpai who was trembling all over and talked.

“Kazuki…”

Miyabi-senpai raised her face and faced Kazuki with damp eyes.

Miyabi-senpai was always trying to feign herself as someone cool and composed.

From the persecution she received because she was an elf since she was small, she was constantly donning the [mask of bluff] and he guessed that it had completely become a habit of hers.

It was as if she was saying [I’m not particularly bothered here. I’m just full of composure.]

Kazuki wanted to peel off that mask.

Right now, Miyabi-senpai was laying bare her emotion as it was and she was facing Kazuki with eyes that became slightly teary.

“Senpai is always doing bold things in a hurry trying to shorten your distance with me, but in truth senpai cannot prepare your feeling to do those kinds of things right?”

Miyabi-senpai was strongly wishing for a companion that could communicate heart to heart with her. She tried to pour that feeling into Kazuki who didn’t care about the matter that she was an elf, however her effort was completely fruitless.

“Please don’t do that kind of thing. I don’t dislike senpai or anything…I too want to get closer to senpai, that’s why I think like that.”

In reality, the positivity level was taken naturally, Miyabi-senpai that did this kind of action didn’t have a high positivity level.

Ryuutaki Miyabi―50

It could be said that he got along really well with her though.

By no means that tempting someone in nude even though it was only in a mental world could be seen as a proper relation.

“…Oh well.”

Miyabi-senpai was a gracious person when she recognized her own mistake.

“…When Kazuki asked me that [you want me to accompany you in a special training that drilled your resistance against mind attack magic], I thought that I could use this as an excuse to shorten our distance in one go by tempting you in the mental world with a ‘bam’…”

“And then senpai stepped on the accelerator too much with the [ahaa~n] and fell off course completely.”

“I think I only went off course just a little…”

“The people who get into traffic accidents all say that.”

“I have the confidence in my drift you know…”

Miyabi-senpai looked down dejectedly again. It couldn’t be helped that she wanted to get along well with other person, but she didn’t want to break her cool image and expose her weakness so she tried hard too excessively and did strange things instead.

It was just like someone that tried to give his friend some really expensive present as their gratitude yet it only made the other party troubled instead.

“Senpai is really a lovely person.”

Kazuki petted the head of Miyabi-senpai that sunk down in depression.

The silver hair glittered silkily while unraveling apart under Kazuki’s hand.

“…Calling your senior cute like that, I want you to stop treating me like a kid really.”

Miyabi-senpai who tried to affect a stylish air averted her face aside with a ‘pui’.

“Let’s just stop trying to look cool senpai.”

Kazuki tried to make her look back at him and so he kept poking repeatedly at her smooth cheek.

Miyabi-senpai released a deep sigh ‘fuu’ while a heart mark of positivity level up was flying at him airily.

“How troubling this is, you can immediately see through my bluff completely.”

“I have confidence in my observation ability after all. Putting that aside senpai, thank you very much for keeping me company in my special training.”

Kazuki stopped his poking at her cheek and once again he lowered his head to the girl.

“I too had felt that my resistance against mind attack magic is my weak point, so you really helped me.”

“Oh well. Before I did something unnecessary so my illusion got broken, but other than that one time you kept falling into my trick a hundred times out of a hundred. Fufufu, don’t get too carried away okay.”

Miyabi-senpai recovered back her composure as the senior and brushed up her hair. She was a woman so beautiful that could make those watching her pop their eyes and her body was wrapped in a beautiful dress, so the truth was this kind of behavior looked appropriate for her.

“But I feel an improvement inside myself. I became able to feel something like a tentacle of magic power that reached out from senpai to me, I have a feeling that I have became able to resist. That’s right…Miyabi-senpai, there is something I want to test, so can you do me a favor of accompanying me one more time?”

“I don’t mind.”

“Thank you very much, please let me prepare myself a little.”

Kazuki himself first began to chant his spell.

“What kind of magic that you as the receiving side is going to…?”

“I am the shaman of sword…rock cleaved, root torn, sin severed, that spirit sword of crushing evil now in this hand! Draw sword, Futsu no Mitama!!”

In front of Miyabi-senpai who was making a dubious face, Kazuki created the sword of evil decapitation and took a stance of aiming at the eye.

“Please senpai.”

Sensing the abnormal sign, Miyabi-senpai tightened her expression.

“O eternal full moon that goes pale, forget your waxing and waning, become the mirror that illuminate the world! Disturb the world filled with moonlight here…Lunatic Labyrinth!!”

Miyabi-senpai’s Magic Dress emitted a strong light with a flash and her magic was cast.

But that was all. The mind magic didn’t cause anything in this world, it was a silent magic.

However if he concentrated his senses, he could perceive a single streak of [line of light that looked like a tentacle] was stretching from Miyabi-senpai to Kazuki.

Kazuki finally became able to perceive that.

He guessed that the speed of this magic power tentacle―easily surpassed the speed of sound.

But Hayashizaki-style’s Foresight got the better of speed.

“Fu-!” Kazuki made a sharp exhale while reversing the tip of Futsu no Mitama and mowed it horizontally.

There was no need to enter strength. He aimed for the weakest and the fastest swordsmanship.

The magic power tentacle was caught by the streak of the sword. The line light passed through the blade without any resistance―and got bisected with a snap. Futsu no Mitama was a Sacred Treasure that severed evil.

From the bisected line of light, Miyabi-senpai’s thought wave lost its destination and dispersed.

…Becoming aware of the magic’s failure, Miyabi-senpai opened her eyes wide in shock.

“I did it! The magic power was faintly visible and so I thought whether it [could be cut] or not and it was!”

Kazuki floated a satisfied smile and made a guts pose all of a sudden.

Miyabi-senpai wordlessly approached him and reached out both her hands to Kazuki’s face.

“…Senpai?”

Both of Kazuki’s cheeks were pulled apart *gunii~* by Miyabi-senpai’s both hands.

“Se, senpai! It huwt!! It reawwy huwt!!”

“Just now…my pride as a senpai just got smashed apart into pieces. I got defeated in sexual experience point, and then even the mind magic that is my strong point also got destroyed…”

The pain of getting his cheeks pulled apart was not prevented by his defensive magic power, Kazuki resigned himself to accept the pain while pacifying Miyabi-senpai with “Pfease sfoopp!”

Miyabi-senpai separated her hands from Kazuki’s cheeks and dejectedly hung her head down.

“…I cannot stand back up again…my glass heart was completely smashed up into powder already…”

“Senpai, this is just trying a little test and not really a real battle. I cannot do this without pulling out Futsu no Mitama first in preparation before the enemy uses the mind magic.”

Even if he sensed the aim of the opponent’s mind magic beforehand, he wouldn’t make it in time if he started the chanting for Futsu no Mitama from there.

…Only as long as he hadn’t raised Kazuha-senpai’s positivity level until 150 and he was unable to invoke the power of [Zekorbeni] though.

“Rather senpai also said things like sexual experience, please stop saying such strange thing. My body is pure. To the degree that I want to praise myself for my self-restraint you know.”

Miyabi-senpai puffed out her cheeks ‘puu’ and became sulky.

“Stop using showy words like pure body or whatever. How about you just say it clearly, ‘I’m a virgin boy’.”

“Tha, that’s the truth but somehow I don’t want to say it out from my mouth!”

“I am a virgin just so you know!!!!”

“Is, is that so, I’m happy.”

“Fufufu, the moment you heard that I’m a virgin you were completely staring at me greedily.”

Miyabi-senpai said out strange thing out from a weird flow of conversation. Of course Kazuki didn’t actually direct such gaze or anything at her, but Miyabi-senpai had already decided that such a thing happened and elegantly brushed up her hair.

“A young boy is completely a beast isn’t it? However with the power of moon maiden…with the tolerance of a senior, I will accept that carnal desire for you…fufufu…”

It seemed that senpai was attempting to regain her footing in a superior position even if she had to do it forcibly. Though it was not like Kazuki particularly minded to be thought as someone like that, so Kazuki just watched over her with a warm gaze.

Miyabi-senpai turned and turned with twirls while taking an elegant pose. She was a pleasant person.

When her skirt spread out gently like a single flower in full bloom, Kazuki got fascinated.

―Killing intent!

Kazuki suddenly sensed a killing intent and took a distance in a flash from the twirling Miyabi-senpai.

Senpai didn’t notice anything and continued to turn around in twirling.

This was…Summoning Magic’s sign.

That’s right, that person had been monitoring them for a while since before!

“O the wolf lonely wandering the forest, thy is granted the moonlight from the goddess. That light is the strength of warrior…change the sharp fang into blade, show that bravery! Blade Tusk!!”

Two streaks of cutting light surged at the spot where Kazuki was just standing before.

The twin swords that were manipulated by an unseen swordsman came flying through the air. They were boorish blades as if they were made from polished fangs of a giant beast. The damage would be big if he got hit by those directly.

“Fu-!”

Kazuki saw through the two consecutive attacks of the twin swords that were approaching him and repelled them back with Futsu no Mitama.

The twin swords, being exorcised by the blade of evil decapitation, became particles of magic power and vanished.

At the same time Futsu no Mitama also used up all its power and vanished.

Miyabi-senpai stopped her rotation precisely like a ballerina and raised a surprised voice.

“…This magic is, Shinobu!”

From the shadow of the trees that surrounded the Witch’s Mansion, Shinobu-senpai slowly showed her figure in response to the calling of her name. Her sharp gaze was directed at Kazuki straightforwardly as if in challenge.

The Magic Dress that wrapped her body was a black combat uniform that was decorated with crystals of flame and ice. That nimble figure with the majority of her supple skin exposed had the atmosphere of a wild beast in some aspect.

It was the Magic Dress of the female wolf demon that possessed two elements of flame and ice, <Marcosias>.

Kazuki…deflected her sharp gaze like a swaying willow, ‘As expected, what a beautiful person’, while thinking like that.

Her big and beautiful eyes that showed her strong will and her sharp facial features.

She was glaring here with a grave expression, but her graceful face and figure were just that much prominent. If Miyabi-senpai whose smile had never cease was an elegant lily flower, Shinobu-senpai was like the blade of a drawn sword.

She was slightly similar with Kanae of the past―that time when his relation with her was still not good.

“…Why are you looking at me with such a stupid face?”

Shinobu-senpai talked sharply as if those words struck the side of Kazuki’s face.

“A master of a real battle sword art, against an opponent that might be preparing an attack magic again, in such a situation why are you exposing such an idiotic face full of openings?”

“If I keep putting my guard up against someone that I want to get along well with from now on, then even something that can go well will surely turn out no good.”

That was what he learned based from getting closer with Koyuki and Kazuha-senpai.

Kazuki tapped the handle of his beloved sword on his waist with a slap.

“Besides if it’s in this distance, then no matter how the table is turned on me it’s still my range.”

Looking at Kazuki who didn’t display any sign of agitation at all, Shinobu-senpai wrinkled her eyebrow with ‘muu~’ a pout.

“Even just asking me things like that is something I’m thankful for. That means senpai has some interest in me right?”

Kazuki asked her as if egging her on. Thereupon Shinobu-senpai showed an oversensitive reaction and wordlessly turned over her body before darting away.

Her back was becoming more distant toward the direction of the student’s dormitory.

Miyabi-senpai apologized to Kazuki with worry clearly expressed on her face.

“Sorry, Kazuki. That child, to suddenly attack you like that…”

“It’s all right senpai. I too want to get along well with Shinobu-senpai after all.”

“What a wonderful tenacity for a sister sandwich you have there.”

“No, I don’t have that kind of intenti…”

She really wanted to treat him like a pervert no matter what huh….

When he thought that he noticed how Miyabi-senpai’s cheeks were also faintly red. Getting embarrassed from what she said herself….

“Although Shinobu, I actually think that she has a good compatibility with you.”

“Eh, really? It’s fine if that’s true though.”

“Because that girl is a spoiled child after all. It’s always a pampered paradise when it’s just the two of us. If she is combined with a meddlesome person like you, a perpetual motion machine of love should be completed.”

“Doesn’t Shinobu-senpai have Miyabi-senpai?”

“I…am not really such a capable sister.”

The shoulders of Miyabi-senpai dropped even further crestfallenly.

The relation between the Ryuutaki sisters was complicated.

Miyabi-senpai who turned into an elf and became a target of persecution was able to get back on her feet thanks to Shinobu-senpai who was always on her side. She was even able to become someone of positive thinking that wished to make friends in the outside world.

However it was Shinobu-senpai who still hadn’t forgiven the outside world rather than the person concerned, Miyabi-senpai herself.

She was still continuing to hate all the humans that persecuted her beloved elder twin sister.

Like that Shinobu-senpai became completely barking in hostility at Kazuki who Miyabi-senpai was trying to get close to. For Miyabi-senpai that kind of thing unintentionally became a hindrance…so to speak Shinobu-senpai was standing in the way of Miyabi-senpai who wanted to make friends.

Even while Miyabi-senpai was grateful to her little sister that had been on her side all the time for her―she was also guiltily thinking of her as a burden.

To do something somehow about this [closed relationship of the two sisters]―there was no other way for Kazuki except to conquer the two of them simultaneously. To conquer only one of them meant that the other one would completely become isolated.

A phrase like sister sandwich was really vulgar, but it was not necessarily a mistaken phrase in this situation.

“It’s okay, senpai.”

Kazuki put his hand on Miyabi-senpai’s shoulder and restated himself.

“After all there is no way I’m going to be reluctant to have a sister sandwich.”

“…That’s so. Fufu-, just as I thought, Kazuki is really a beast.”

In exchange for Kazuki’s honor, Miyabi-senpai recovered her smiling face back.

Miyabi-senpai returned home to the student dormitory because the special training was over.

A deep gratitude welled up inside Kazuki from how she had intentionally come for him at the Witch’s Mansion since the early morning.

He was really grateful that he could train even longer than usual.

He guessed it was already the time where Mio and Koyuki had already changed into their maid uniform and were waiting for Kazuki in the kitchen. If Kazuki who was the chef was not there, the maids wouldn’t be able to make a delicious breakfast.

Kazuki hurriedly circled from the courtyard toward the front entrance and pushed open the mansion’s door.

The moment the door was opened, he felt lightheaded and the world shook. His mind turned white. Both his legs that were walking quickly got tangled. He almost fell down dangerously but he held himself by leaning on the door.

When the door somehow closed, he leaned his back on the door and he became unable to move.

…No, this is not the time to rest.

If he didn’t make a delicious breakfast that Kaguya-senpai would happily enjoy….

He thought so but―his consciousness was still really blank and got far away from him….

Kazuki kept his back leaning on the door while his body was crumbling down to the floor gradually.

“…Otouto-kun? Otouto-kun!?”

―The moment he lost his consciousness, he had the feeling that there was panicked footsteps rushing at him and a voice calling at him.

….

His consciousness was slowly coming back.

When he noticed, Kazuki was wrapped inside a fluffy warmth.

A futon…. This charming sensation that tempted a person excessively into depravity was the sensation of futon in the morning.

It was one of the strongest enemies in Kazuki’s whole life.

Kazuki had lived his life until now by continuously admonishing himself that he must not waste even just a second pointlessly. He woke earlier than anybody else in the morning where he must train and finish the housework.

If someone tried to continuously accomplish such a living everyday, then a battle with this formidable enemy was unavoidable.

Really a formidable enemy. If he relaxed his heart even for just a little, then it was going to be his last moment.

I have to become stronger and stronger.

You think something like a mere futon is enough to defeat me…

…No, wait. Something is strange.

This morning, shouldn’t he have already shaken off this temptation once already?

Even though he had been victorious once already, why did he get forced into a battle with the futon like this again?

…Don’t tell me the time looped? Is this some kind of new attack magic?

He had to toughen his mind and resist this temptation!

However…but….

Oh futooon…. O futooon is so warmmm….

“It’s fine to just keep sleeping like that.”

A gentle voice came down from on top of the futon.

Kazuki who was rolling inside the futon directed his half asleep eyes to the bright world outside.

With the ceiling of his own room as the background, Kaguya-senpai was peeking into Kazuki’s face with a gentle smile on her face. …She was a person that absolutely shouldn’t exist in this time and this location.

“…Kaguya-senpai? How…”

Kazuki launched his question while dozing off.

“…How could you be awake already in this kind of time?”

Kaguya-senpai was always a sleepyhead from her low blood pressure. Kaguya-senpai looking down on him from on top of the bed was supposed to be a scene that was absolutely impossible.

There was even the time when Kazuki was sleeping together with senpai, although he tried to wake her up early, because she suddenly started to chant [Guernica] mumblingly in her sleep talking, he gave up from feeling a danger to his own body.

“Otouto-kun, last night you also practiced magic chanting alone until late at night right?”

Kaguya-senpai pointed out while her finger poked at the tips of Kazuki’s nose.

…Was he seen?

Kazuki became aware of three weak points of his during the battles in the recent times. <Zekorbeni> control. His nonexistent resistance against mind magic. His slow chanting speed.

Those weak points had to be overcome and he began to work hard immediately.

Last night he trained intensively in casting magic using Zekorbeni until late at night. This morning he was accompanied by Miyabi-senpai since dawn and drilled his resistance against mind magic. Tonight he planned to train his chanting speed intensively.

He crammed intensive training both in the morning and in the night.

He had no choice but to become strong for even a little, even for a second faster.

Suddenly, he remembered about a matter of the past―the period when he was first taken as an adopted child into Hayashizaki household.

For the sake of catching up with Kanae who had advanced far more ahead than himself as a swordsman, there was no other way than to pile up training even when Kanae was sleeping. His habit of training intensively in the early morning was also formed from there.

That’s right. If he encountered an opponent that was stronger than himself then he had to do that kind of thing.

“Even though you were staying up until that late, I got worried whether you would also do your daily routine of early morning intensive training, and so I thought of getting up as early as possible to watch your condition. Even so when I woke up it was already the time when Otouto-kun had finished your training though…and then you became like this.”

‘I see’, Kazuki understood the situation. Kaguya-senpai arrived just after when Miyabi-senpai left and he got relaxed from his tension. And then he….

“You were collapsed from the double punch of insufficient sleep and light magic intoxication, so I carried you to your room.”

That meant he got completely seen in his most pitiful timing.

“…It’s pathetic to become like this just from that much. For my magic intoxication, I’m already fine. I’m sorry senpai, I’ll immediately make the meal so…”

“It’s no good to force yourself you know, go sleep!”

Both of Kaguya-senpai’s hands stopped and pushed down the shoulder of Kazuki who was trying to get up.

“See here, certainly the housework in the Witch’s Mansion is allocated to the junior, but it’s fine to push it to the senior when you are busy. Even I was a junior last year, that’s why if it’s just a meal I can make it myself.”

“…Senpai, now that I look carefully, that appearance is…”

He was late to notice from being half-asleep, but Kaguya-senpai was dressed up strangely in clothes he was familiar with.

“Fufu-“ Chuckling, Kaguya-senpai made a full turn in a twirl.

That clothing of hers was a maid uniform.

This was the first time he had ever seen Kaguya-senpai wearing a maid uniform.

Kaguya-senpai’s sinful body was perfectly wrapped in a neat and clean fabric. This size’s perfect fit of the clothing didn’t come from a ready-made good, there was no doubt that this was the hand-tailored clothes of Mio.

But it was a long skirt type that was different from Mio’s favorite mini skirt type. The exposure rate was low, but it didn’t hide the charm of Kaguya-senpai, instead being restrained inside the cloth emphasized her charm pointedly. Kazuki’s half asleep head spontaneously awakened.

“Mio-chan prepared this for me for when a time like this might come! I and Mio-chan and the others are going to finish the housework today, so Otouto-kun just rest here comfortably!”

“But senpai, I’m fine already.”

“Rely on us properly in the time when you should rely on us. I think that’s the best shortcut for Otouto-kun to become strong.”

Kazuki swallowed his words and stayed quiet.

Kaguya-senpai perfectly understood his feeling.

Kaguya-senpai’s both hands gently wrapped up Kazuki’s cheeks.

“Otouto-kun is always doing things excessively like this, and so you could become this strong until now.”

“…Even everyone of the Witch’s Mansion are also like that right?”

Even Mio since she found her talent for magic for the first time had struggled to death piling up magic training. Koyuki too exactly because she was an elf that she possessed the pride of not wanting to lose to anyone in magic. Kaguya-senpai too, she was raised until now with forceful indoctrination from her father to [be the strongest].

Although Hikaru-senpai was that kind of personality so her hard work and hardship didn’t show at all in the surface.

In this Witch’s Mansion that gathered the small number of elites even among the Knight Academy that gathered the elites of their same generation, there shouldn’t be any human that didn’t do excessive effort.

“But you are shouldering a special something.”

The power of King….

But why was he made to shoulder that, even that reason was unknown to him.

“Otouto-kun right now is impatient to become strong even for a little aren’t you? If that’s so then we will support you. That’s why Otouto-kun is prohibited from house work for a while! As the King that we maids are serving, you are to have a total rest without any disturbance!”

“It’s unsatisfactory in that case…housework also doubles as my hobby so…”

“But Otouto-kun right now is sleepy right?”

Sleepy. He planned to get over his schedule today without sleeping like this, but there was no mistake that sleeping now would be effective for his class and training later.

It was the truth that relying on his surrounding was a shortcut for the sake of becoming strong.

“…Sorry, senpai.”

Kaguya-senpai’s kindness permeated into his chest. Kazuki once more began to doze off sleepily.

Kaguya-senpai kissed Kazuki’s cheek gently.

“It’s perfectly fine even if you don’t apologize, geez. Yosh, I’ll put all that I have to finish the work!”

Kaguya-senpai made a pose of showing off her arm’s muscle strongly and then she left from the room. Kazuki genuinely entered a sleeping posture and went back to sleep.

After that there was something that started to stir restlessly inside his futon.

“Ka―zuki-“

The face that got out together with a whispering voice was Hikaru-senpai in her fit-wear appearance.

“…Hikaru-senpai?”

“I’m not really good in housework, and so, I got sacked from being maid.”

Wasn’t this person supposed to be a junior too last year….

Now that he thought back before, Akane-senpai had said about Hikaru-senpai that [you are only good in brewing black tea].

Such thing meant no other than…that kind of thing huh. And then, she got sacked just now.

“That’s why I turned into a body pillow and took the role to cure Kazukiii! Loo―k, come here-“

Showing a friendly wide grin, Hikaru-senpai spread out her hands inside the futon.

Kazuki whose reasoning had half went in a trip to the world of dream leaped into those arms without hesitation. He encircled his hands on Hikaru-senpai’s waist and hugged her tightly while stuffing his face into Hikaru-senpai’s breast with a plop.

“Hyaa, when Kazuki is being this unexpectedly assertive, it feels like my heart is going to explode. Geez. Ahaha-.”

Hikaru-senpai also hugged Kazuki back happily. Softly the sweet aroma of a girl filled the futon.

The fit wear that clung to the body tightly was an underwear that was the same as being naked. Kazuki felt up Hikaru-senpai’s breast a lot with his face and their skin overlapped with each other throughout their body. But Kazuki felt healed rather than sensuality from this.

A hugging pillow had the function to lighten the burden from the body posture and recuperate the mental stress.

…This was his first time completely relying on other people to this extent. Even to Kanae he was not like this….

Kazuki let go of his consciousness while thinking of such a thing, sinking into his sleepiness.

Part 2

The breakfast everyone made by combining their strength was too extravagant to be considered as a breakfast. It seemed that everyone overdid their effort in their respective attempt to display their good point.

It was an extravagant enjoyable breakfast.

After that he went to school with everyone. Personal training was not the only important thing.

There was no class in the Magic Division that was pointless for real battle. After all the instructor Liz Liza-sensei was a former Knight. Kazuki who had experienced a real battle with Yamato understood well the value of the classes.

Thanks to such kindness, Kazuki was able to concentrate just like usual in class and receive the lesson.

And then when the school was over, the student council members gathered in the student council room.

It was a meeting for the sake of conquering the <Grand Haunted Ground>.

The conclusion between Japan and Yamato turned out that it would be decided by <The Struggle for the Three Sacred Treasures Race>.

It was an agreement to discover the Three Sacred Treasures within their respective territories, and with the Three Sacred Treasures in hand victory or defeat would be decided by [the Kings’ one on one fight].

Each of the Three Sacred Treasures was the embodiment of [the authority of Japan Mythology’s King] that possessed mighty power. With the difference in strength between Kazuki and Ikousai, the number of Sacred Treasure they possessed would become the decisive factor of the match, that was what Amaterasu predicted. Kazuki who saw Ikousai as his rival was also of the same opinion.

Sacred Treasure was born inside a Haunted Ground. A large scale Haunted Ground in the east Japan that could produce a powerful Sacred Treasure in the degree of the Three Sacred Treasures was only possible inside the Grand Haunted Ground, <Fuji’s sea of trees>, the Haunted Ground that had existed since the past <Tokyo’s Great Disaster> and even now it was still continuing to expand its size.

But because the Knight Order couldn’t completely get rid of their spy problem, Commander Yamagata who was promoted into the commanding officer of the operation made a decision that said [only the students of the Knight Academy were allowed to enter Fuji’s sea of trees].

Kazuki who was the Chief Student Council President accepted that order and so he formed groups by picking the students who had the ability for this operation.

This time was a meeting to talk about that matter.

“Well then, first is the allocation for the searching time but…”

Kazuki began to talk while looking around the faces he was familiar with. He was not used to this behavior for leading a meeting. Actually he wanted Kaguya-senpai to be the one that managed the meeting in his place.

Kazuki distributed to everyone the list of a hundred student’s names that had been narrowed down from all the applicants for this Grant Haunted Ground capture based on their quest accomplishment and school grades. Naturally there were many names of the second year students in the list.

The seniors got excited for a while saying things like “That person is here” or “That person is not here”.

“I am thinking of dividing these hundred names into seven groups with me, Mio, Koyuki, Lotte, Kaguya-senpai, Hikaru-senpai, and Kazuha-senpai as the leaders.”

This matter was already something decided from their previous meeting.

With his power of King, Kazuki was able to sense the whereabouts of the companions which whom he had tied a bond with. Inside the Fuji’s sea of trees, all kind of communication devices became unusable, but if they used this power then Kazuki would be able to grasp the general movement of each group.

In this point too it could be said that rather than the Knight Order, Kazuki and the others were more suited to explore this Grand Haunted Ground.

For the sake of making use of that ability to the limit, he had to assign a companion with high positivity level for each group.

“It’s fine as long as they are assigned as a member so there is no need to go as far as making them leader. For the group of someone like Koyuki-chan or Lotte who doesn’t have strong pressure, I think it’s better to insert a second year that can take the group’s leadership. Someone like Kana-chan.”

Certainly Kaguya-senpai’s opinion was true. Although the strength of Koyuki and Lotte didn’t compare unfavorably with the second years, they were not the type that recommended themselves and took the leadership.

“Me, me too, to be a leader is a little…”

Kazuha-senpai raised her hand timidly.

“Isn’t Kazuha-senpai currently one of the top class powerful people in the Sword Division?”

Having a contract with a powerful Diva that was Futsunushi no Kami who had become one with Take Mikadzuchi, her skill in sword art was also above the standard, and a masterful use of diverse kind of general magic. She was not just merely strong, someone like her that could do anything skillfully surely should be able to gather respect from her surrounding in a place like the Grand Haunted Ground.

“Uu―…. Because the guys that has always been treating me like a dunce are…”

Kazuha-senpai was hanging her head down while mumbling unintelligibly. Kaguya-senpai who sat beside her petted her head comfortingly.

“I think it’ll be better if senpai has more confidence in yourself but…certainly being made into a leader so suddenly might be too quick.”

“I’ll take the leader position-!”

On the other hand Mio raised her hand full of confidence. Somehow it felt doubtful looking at her like that….

They had to pay attention to the composition of members for these two’s groups.

For Kazuha-senpai’s group she needed gentle members that wouldn’t disagree with Kazuha-senpai’s humility, while for Mio’s group she needed members that could support her calmly.

“Next is, right. I want to put Kamimura-san into Lotte’s group.”

When Kazuki said that after remembering something, Kamimura-san who was standing snugly in one of the room’s corner like a kokeshi doll nodded her head repeatedly *kokukokukoku!* in high speed. When Lotte went “Itsuki-san~” and hugged her, “Lotte-shishou~ !” Kamimura-san hugged her back.

Their master-disciple bond of the otaku world was solid.

“I feel that Nii-sama’s group should be made of a few numbers of elite.”

After Kanae clearly said that in a surprise attack, Kazuki went “Eh?” in bewilderment.

Inside his heart Kazuki was thinking that they head to assign the superior capable person with plenty of experience for Mio or Lotte or Koyuki’s group. But the one who thought differently from him was not just Kanae.

“That’s true isn’t it.” Kaguya-senpai nodded.

“Right right, that’s only natural.” Even Hikaru-senpai also agreed.

“Please wait, there is no need to treat me specially or anything like that.”

“This is not a special treatment, Nii-sama. This is only natural if we think about Nii-sama’s role. In other words Nii-sama has to lead a few elites with high mobility, isn’t that so?”

Kaguya-senpai and Hikaru-senpai also nodded wordlessly as if to say that they were of the exact same opinion.

…It might be like what Kanae said.

It stood to reason. The idea was really so logical that it was strange he didn’t think of that himself.

“Then if we choose from this list the few elites then first from the Magic Division is this person…”

“From the Sword Division this person I guess…”

Kaguya-senpai and Kanae huddled their body together and selected some students’ name.

There would be no mistake if he left the selection of personnel from both department to these two.

“ “What about this kind of lineup?” “

Before long Kaguya-senpai and Kanae wrote the members of Kazuki’s group and presented it to him.

Hayashizaki Kazuki・Ryuutaki Miyabi・Ryuutaki Shinobu・Katsura Karin・Hikita Kohaku

―His group was completely composed of his acquaintances as the members.

Certainly if all the members were his acquaintances then their mobility would increase.

“The Ryuutaki sisters who are prominent powerful people among the Magic Division, and Karin-chan with Kohaku-chan who can fight in flexible way. This is exactly the lineup that can show the greatest performance with the minimum number!”

Kaguya-senpai spiritedly tightened her fist. It was certainly perfect only from hearing her talk.

But no matter how he thought of it, there was one problematic person among the list.

“So Shinobu-senpai is also volunteering to come. Though perhaps she is only coming along to accompany Miyabi-senpai who was volunteering first. But I wonder if she can coordinate with other members skillfully in a party…to be frank it seems impossible.”

“That she is a troublesome character is also one of the reasons why we pushed her to Otouto-kun.”

Certainly trouble would surely occur no matter which group Shinobu-senpai was entered.

Then perhaps he should think of this as a good chance to shorten his distance with Shinobu-senpai.

By any chance perhaps it was exactly because Shibou-senpai was volunteering for this quest that she became bothered and she showed her face this morning.

As for the remaining formation all the seniors were going “This person is strong” or “The combination of this person and that person is good” and the like. While they got excited as they pleased while the people concerned were not here, the decision of the groups’ composition went smoothly.

“For the time being we have managed to understand the Demon Beasts that are living in level 1, so there will be no problem with these members. All of them are people who have been piling up accomplishment in quests until now after all.”

Hikaru-senpai said in satisfaction while overlooking the finished member chart from above. From the advance troop unit they had sent out ahead, they had managed to grasp the characteristic of the Demon Beasts that appeared in the [Level 1] area that they were going to investigate this time.

The atmosphere of the student council room relaxed slightly from Hikaru-senpai’s words.

“…I wonder if it will go that smoothly. I think it’s better if we prepare our mentality for a possible intervention from Yamato.”

Kanae curtly gave her argument with her posture reclining on her elbow.

Kaguya-senpai too was making a face that said “Muu―”.

“You are right. Before this too the Haunted Ground was practically trespassed by the Italian Queen.”

Regina slipped through past the gate’s security by transforming from her human figure.

“Commander Yamagata said that he is going to make the security even stricter though.”

The optimistic Hikaru-senpai pointed out the bright side.

Adamantium wall that enclosed the Grand Haunted Ground. In addition the increased security that was even stricter.

Thinking normally, trespassing inside or anything like that wasn’t possible no matter how.

“But there still exists some ways that human intellect cannot even imagine using the Summoning Magic of Diva…”

Kazuki let out the anxiety that was oozing out from the bottom of his stomach bluntly from his mouth.

“…Eleonora was spying using magic that changed her whole body into water. I think we have to assume that an unknown enemy will invade using some kind of unimaginable method like this.”

Because of Kazuki’s words, the atmosphere of the meeting room that had relaxed started to become heavy.

They couldn’t use wireless inside the Grand Haunted Ground and even if something happened they couldn’t call for help. When they imagined that some kind of unimaginable accident would occur in that kind of place, it was really frightening to the degree that made their body hair stood on end.

Failure in the Haunted Ground might be directly connected to death.

Adding the powerful Demon Beasts that had lived there from the start into the mix, this was a situation where it wouldn’t be strange even if some intervention from who knew where like Yamato・China・other magic advanced countries came at them.

The location was a perilous zone where all the battlefields they had gone through until now couldn’t even compare.

“Now that it has become like this, Nii-sama’s group has become all the more important in this quest.”

Kanae concluded like that.

…It was just like she said.

Koyuki was the one who took over the record of proceedings and data preparation that Yumeno-san had done before this.

Koyuki’s methodical and serious manner in her work was by no means inferior to Yumeno-san.

Koyuki stayed behind in the student council room even after the meeting and continued her work. Kazuki was helping with that.

All the work was over around the time when the evening sun painted the student council room in deep red from the window.

Now should be about the time for everyone else to do the housework of the Witch’s Mansion for him.

Kazuki was helping Koyuki with her work was because he had received a promise from her to accompany him in a magic special training after this.

One of his weaknesses among his three weak points―he had a plan to train intensively his chanting speed after this.

Sleep urged a person’s mental recovery. He had recovered back some of his magic power from the magic intoxication this morning.

“Well then, how about we go back home?”

Picking the time when Koyuki finished printing out the printout to be distributed to the students, Kazuki called out to her.

Koyuki said “Ok” and came closer to Kazuki’s side before turning off the electricity of the student council room.

When the room became dark, Koyuki clung to Kazuki’s arm tightly.

“I’m sorry I got delayed this long.”

“I too am sorry to ask you for training.”

“Kazuki said that you want to be taught by me after all.”

Koyuki said that happily and pulled Kazuki’s arm.

It was difficult to share the [trick] of using magic by explaining in words. The person around Kazuki who could do that in the easiest way for him to understand was Koyuki.

“It’s no good unless we train in the most effective way that can suppress the magic power consumption as much as possible. After all we are going to challenge the Grand Haunted Ground the day after tomorrow.”

“Can we do such a thing like that?”

Koyuki nodded while walking side by side through the gloomy corridor where the light had been switched off.

…The broken glass window had been replaced, but the scars on the wall and floor from the battle between Lotte and Yumeno-san in the corridor were still fresh.

“The process for chanting Summoning Magic is divided into four, those are [Access] [Order] [Targeting] and [Cast]. Our training will not be going through all those processes, it’s better to narrow down our training to the process you are poor at.”

“I see, so you mean there is no need to actually chant the spell.”

“From what I’ve seen, Kazuki’s strong point is in the Targeting. Surely that’s because until now there are a lot of chances for you to cast defensive magic to your comrade. In contrast you are bad at Order…the process to exchange information with the contracted Diva. But rather than calling you poor at it, it might be because Kazuki’s Summoning Magic is peculiar.”

The exchange of information in Kazuki’s Summoning Magic needed to go through Leme first before reaching Vepar or Phoenix.

Perhaps because there was one extra filter he needed to go through that the difficulty level for him was high in this process.

“Order, to put simply it is Telepathy with the Diva, so Kazuki’s chanting speed should make progress just by training your Telepathy.”

“If Koyuki said so then that must be true.”

Both of them changed their shoes and got out of the school building.

“Then, let’s do this immediately.”

Koyuki jumped the gun and said so to him when they went out to the boulevard at night.

“Eh? We are doing it here? Certainly we can do it anywhere if it’s just Telepathy but…”

Koyuki pulled his arm in exchange of a reply. She led Kazuki toward the corner of the boulevard into the shadow of the trees where the light didn’t reach.

It was a period of time where all the students had already returned home to the student dormitory.

Having his arm released, Kazuki faced Koyuki.

“After this I will send in a strong thought wave across the [wall of heart]. Sense that thought wave and then please reply to me using your thought wave.”

The wall of heart was the security that was the boundary line of one’s ego. Human’s mind was connected with all human race through the Astrum, but the mind was equipped with a quarantine mechanism so that other people’s mind wouldn’t come flowing inside.

The mind attack magic like what Miyabi-senpai was specializing in broke this wall of heart and exerted various influences to other people’s mind.

If Koyuki threw her thought wave as hard as she could to Kazuki, and Kazuki tried to sense that with all his strength, then he would be able to read the content of that thought wave and he would manage a [telepathic dialogue]. That should become a good training for Telepathy magic.

Koyuki’s body was wrapped in bluish white light and her appearance changed into her Magic Dress.

“I’m calmer in this form when I’m using magic.”

Koyuki said that even before Kazuki could voice his question. Even inside the semi-darkness, Koyuki’s Magic Dress emitted a dim opal light, highlighting the beauty of Koyuki’s white skin.

Seeing Kazuki was unconsciously charmed, Koyuki fidgeted around her thighs in embarrassment.

“Well then, we are starting.”

A thread of blue magic power light lengthened from Koyuki to Kazuki. If Miyabi-senpai’s mind attack magic was a tentacle, what reached out from Koyuki was really something dainty that should be called exactly as a thread.

―The thread touched Kazuki’s wall of heart. Kazuki sensed it with all his strength.

{…I want to eat, ramen.}

Kazuki was taken aback by the unexpected message.

He replied with all his strength.

{So you want to eat ramen, Koyuki.}

{Tonkotsu ramen with dense seafood topping and heavy back fat is good.}

Koyuki transmitted a message that was like a bundle of surprise while keeping her face expressionless.

{Is that so…you unexpectedly have an aggressive taste I see.}

{Please make it after this.}

{Still I have never dealt with tonkotsu…}

This was a special training so it didn’t matter whatever was the topic they used, but he never thought that it they would begin a tonkotsu discussion.

{Seems like you can follow the talk with just this much…well then I’m going to up the gear okay.}

{!?}

The number of the thread of thought that lengthened from Koyuki increased several times over right away.

This is, is she saying at him to perceive all of this!?

Each of the threads was―filled with tremendous density of tonkotsu talk.

{The secret of tonkotsu ramen’s deliciousness is in the golden combination of the umami ingredients. Tonkotsu possess an abundance of inosinic acid, but when it is added with the glutamine acid that soy sauce possess, it will create a synergism effect not in the range of mere addition of the two component but a multiplication of the two, giving birth of swelling flavor. A dense body and overflowing aroma of the rural beauty bring about the profundity that can be explained scientifically…a complete ramen that possess both wildness and intelligence, that is tonkotsu.}

{Speaking of tonkotsu ramen then it’s Kyushu, but we can see the different inclination of the tonkotsu ramen that we eat here in Kanto compared to its birthplace. We tend to associate the food called tonkotsu ramen with thickness and greasiness, but that is the inclination that is well known in Kanto, yet the tonkotsu ramen in its birthplace doesn’t have any greasiness or thickness in it at all for even a little.}

The thought wave that reached through the wall of heart was delicate, if he let his mind wander even for just a little then it would pass through inside his head and disappear completely. Kazuki held himself to not fall into panic and concentrated his awareness before continuing to listen.

{More about the tonkotsu ramen in its birthplace, its soup is purely using tonkotsu as the main stock. In contrast, Kanto’s tonkotsu ramen doesn’t use only tonkotsu but also various things like seafood or chicken bone, mixing the soup stock to add even further the sweetness of the back fat. If we are talking about tonkotsu then we tend to think of fat but, it’s really obvious yet tonkotsu itself is made from bone so it’s not a fatty ingredient.}

{It can be said that tonkotsu in its birthplace has a sharp taste like a purely polished katana, while Kanto’s tonkotsu is like an orchestra with spreading multilayered flavor.}

Right there Koyuki took a breather, so Kazuki replied to her.

{I never knew that Koyuki was a tonkotsu freak until that far…furthermore, do you like greasy-type of food?}

{Yes…sometimes I just want to gorge myself without thinking. …Do you think I’m strange?}

Kazuki reflexively pondered himself. Honestly saying, the image of Koyuki and tonkotsu ramen didn’t match. But if he was asked if he harbored a negative emotion from that, then the answer was no.

Tonkotsu was a food with strong aroma, but if it was Koyuki then surely she was able to easily and completely get rid of the disagreeable smell that stuck on her with general magic.

Until now Kazuki had never done a date with Koyuki outside the academy, but he imagined that it would also be a fresh and fun experience for both of them to slurp ramen together in a shop that Koyuki recommended.

{It’s not strange. It’s interesting to know of one aspect of yours that I had never known until now.}

Koyuki looked down and stayed quiet for a while.

{I wanted to talk about it with someone since a long time…. This is something embarrassing that I normally couldn’t talk about but…I have the feeling that I could transmit it honestly if using an exchange of thought wave.}

Not to mention Kazuki, Koyuki’s chanting speed was even faster than Mio. Regarding that, this girl that had closed her heart for a long time might had the feeling of [wanting to understand each other with someone] that was secretly suppressed inside her heart all this time as the driving force of her strong Telepathy, perhaps there was also that kind of factor behind the secret of her skill.

Surely Koyuki wanted to transmit many of her feelings to Kazuki using this special training as a pretext.

Koyuki opened her mouth and this time she talked using her mouth.

“Kazuki, take in my feeling more and more, then please give your reply to me.”

When Kazuki nodded, Koyuki was happily bashful.

{I like you. Kazuki, I love you.}

With her cheeks reddening bewitchingly, Koyuki transmitted her thought wave at him.

Kazuki too became embarrassed, but this was a special training so it couldn’t be helped.

{I love you too.}

He responded so and hugged her tightly.

{…I’m thinking of what I want to do right now, please sense it and respond.}

Koyuki stared fixedly at Kazuki and transmitted so.

She was earnestly staring at him fixedly while her cheeks reddened.

To perceive an obscure thought that hadn’t been turned into a message past the wall of heart, a Telepathy strength in the level of Lotte was necessary.

But even without having that much strength, he understood what the current Koyuki wanted from him.

Kazuki brought his face near the face of Koyuki who was staring at him drunkenly and overlapped their lips.

Immediately, Koyuki sucked strongly at Kazuki’s lips.

{…Kazuki too please suck my lips. Please, desire me more.}

Even with their mouth blocked from the kiss, their thought wave could reach each other.

Koyuki coaxed him while kissing at the same time.

{Koyuki really likes kissing like this huh.}

Koyuki had the habit of sucking profusely when they were kissing.

That was the manifestation of her feeling of [wanting to desire each other].

From Kazuki’s side too, he sucked Koyuki’s small and soft lips with all he had.

Both of them breathed in at each other, a sound of “puu” that sounded like the whine of a rabbit escaped from the gap between their lips.

{…I want you to touch my ear while kissing.}

He almost failed to sense the thought wave having his attention taken by the kiss, but that somewhat strange demand was just barely taken in by Kazuki. The special training’s difficulty level went up from him being too engrossed on the kiss.

{Doesn’t Koyuki get lewd sensation from having your ear touched?}

Elf’s long ear was a sensitive spot. There was an event before when Kazuki touched Koyuki’s ear and she remonstrated him saying that it was an indecent action. And now this time it was Koyuki who coaxed him to do that.

{…I want you, to do lewd thing to me.}

A frank reply. Kazuki reflexively faltered. He brought up his right hand that was circled on Koyuki’s back until her long ear, and then he stroked her ear from its root until its tips gently like handling a feather.

Koyuki’s back quivered with a twitch.

{Koyuki is a lewd child aren’t you?}

{…Yes. Do that kind of thing even more, I want to feel Kazuki desiring me…I want you to desire my heart and my body too…}

Even during that time they were still continuing to inhale in each other’s lips strongly. Sometimes, a heated sigh leaked out from the corner of their lips. Her expression was not visible while kissing like this, but surely right now her face had became totally red.

{Kazuki’s left hand too, please touch me more everywhere.}

When just her ear was unsatisfactory, she clung at Kazuki while coaxing him.

Kazuki had already separated his left hand―and he put his palm on Koyuki’s small breast.

It was small, but his palm felt the soft squishy mass.

After enjoying that sensation for a while, he discovered a different sensation on the center of his palm. He tried to rub that sensation with the center of his palm in a roll. That part pushed up the Magic Dress’s surface that was like a thin opal film and made known of its presence in pink color.

When that part was stimulated, Koyuki’s breath was steadily becoming rough.

{By any chance, did Koyuki change into your magic dress so it will be easier for me to touch you?}

{…Yes. Rather than a uniform, I wanted to feel directly…}

{Even though you said a reason that sounded serious before this, you liar.}

Kazuki bullied Koyuki with words driven by his sadistic mind.

{Please don’t say mean thing.} Koyuki sucked at his lips even stronger. As if to make excuse that her feeling to desire each other was too strong so it couldn’t be helped.

{My Magic Dress, what does Kazuki think?}

Koyuki transmitted at him a mental wavelength that seemed anxious. Koyuki was still yet to have confidence on herself. That was why she wanted to feel Kazuki desiring her for real and buried her anxiety.

{Koyuki’s Magic Dress has fewer exposure compared to everyone else’s Magic Dress, but it’s thin and half transparent and clings to your skin tightly, it makes you seem really naked instead…I think your Dress is absurdly erotic. Each time I’m beside you, I’m always getting conscious of it.}

He conveyed his thought to Koyuki with honest feeling while his palm was continuing to roll the tips of Koyuki’s breast.

{…Then I won’t hold back and touch your various places more okay.}

With his left hand staying in place, his right had separated from the ear and crawled toward her back or her side, he moved his hand freely following his inquisitiveness. He was looking for a sensitive spot that could make Koyuki’s body tremble in delight.

{Even though Koyuki’s body is really delicately slender, the feeling of touching you is squishy. I wonder if that’s because your bone and muscle are thin, touching your skin that is smooth like baby’s skin feels really good.}

{…I feel good too. It feels really good…! More…touch me more…♪}

Koyuki’s small body was piling up heat gradually. To be enchanted with a girl’s body like this, Kazuki’s chest was getting excited.

Koyuki continued to suck at Kazuki’s lips. She didn’t show any sign of releasing his lips.

Even while continuing to kiss, they continued to talk together of their love in their heart, the sensation of touching their body to each other was sweet.

Koyuki’s thighs were trembling and fidgeting around, rubbing at each other.

Noticing those thighs that seemed to feel unsatisfied, Kazuki was sliding his palm there.

{…There, please touch there. Please touch me until even deeper…}

Koyuki’s thighs shook in invitation.

However when his hand reached until the base of her thighs, Kazuki’s palm stopped.

{It’s no good to go further than this, more than this and my self-control will go away.}

Koyuki glued herself to Kazuki as if saying that she wouldn’t tolerate any gap between them. That was why she surely had also noticed the change that happened in Kazuki’s body. Hearing the words that he couldn’t control himself, Koyuki embraced him while rubbing her body there.

This time it was Kazuki that was toyed around by a tantalizing sweet sensation.

Koyuki put Kazuki’s left knee between both her thighs. She shook her hips front and back giving out stimulation to her lower body.

Kazuki sharply pushed up his left knee that was entangled with Koyuki’s lower body.

“…mm-!♡”

Koyuki’s sigh that leaked out from the kiss’s opening changed into that of a cornered person. She ground her hips with even more of her utmost effort on Kazuki’s knee.

{Koyuki’s thighs become really soaked with sweat.}

{…That, is not just sweat.}

{Then, what is it?}

Kazuki tilted his head.

{Tha, that’s…}

Koyuki’s body trembled in shame while shaking her hips on Kazuki’s knee. The movement that rubbed the part of the clothed crotch on Kazuki’s knee became intense as if clinging on him. A wet sound *kuchu kuchu* was leaking out.

{I, it seems that I like to expose my disgraceful behavior in front of Kazuki.}

Koyuki suddenly confessed to him.

Even when she talked out to him regarding the tonkotsu topic, also creating this kind of situation, all those situations came from Koyuki proactively showing her own [disgraceful appearance].

{No matter how hopeless a human I am, Kazuki will accept me. Acts that make sure of that fact for me, feels good.}

{I have vaguely feel it but, Koyuki is quite an M aren’t you?}

{…Yes. I, might be a pervert. Does Kazuki, hate me like this?}

{If it’s in front of me, then it’s okay for Koyuki to become as perverted as you want.}

Kazuki further strengthened the strength of his left knee where Koyuki’s lower body continued to move rubbing at him.

“…mm-!♡”

There were also the times where Kaguya-senpai or Hikaru-senpai boldly desiring him, but the state of the feeling of each person in this matter was different from each other. Kazuki felt that the state of the feeling of Koyuki like this was also lovely and precious.

{Kazuki-, I’m going to convey all of my feeling after this so…please accept everything!}

{That’s fine, give it to me.}

Several tens of strings of blue light came from Koyuki, her thought waves were reaching out to Kazuki. Kazuki stood ready in order to receive all of those without even missing a single part.

Koyuki’s thoughts flowed into him with the surging force of a tsunami.

{I love you! Love love love love love! I love you love you love you love you love you love you! Love Love Love Love Love Love Love Love Love Love Love, I Love You-!!}

Koyuki who had passed her life until now in isolation finally opened up her heart to Kazuki. Her thought in that state was earnestly powerful.

Despite how she kept saying “I don’t care about someone like you” to him when they first met….

{I really love you too.}

Electric shock ran through Koyuki’s whole body. The heat that had been piling up until now inside her small body exploded in one go, a wave that was impossible to control ran amok in her whole body. Her four limbs powerlessly convulsed in abandon. Kazuki hugged her with all his strength and supported her body in place.

Koyuki became completely exhausted and finally her lips separated from his with a sound “chupu” resounding out.

A single line of saliva trickled down from the corner of her lips.

The stimulation that the girl felt had reached out its climax. That fact also satisfied Kazuki’s heart. Koyuki’s face was completely flushed and tears were fully amassing in her eyes while she kept breathing roughly. Her face was more bewitching than his imagination, yet it looked like she was in a state of slight oxygen depravation.

“…Haa, haa, Kazuki…love…I love you…”

Even now Koyuki kept repeating her words. And even now Koyuki’s knees kept quivering.

Kazuki held up the lovely girl in his arms and carried her in princess-carry.

Koyuki was still in her ecstatic state like that.

“…Koyuki…but you know”

However―Kazuki said something that had to be said.

“What in the world are you doing using training as an excuse?”

The color of reasoning was returning little by little in Koyuki’s ecstatic face.

“Ehem. With this Kazuki’s chanting speed should go up rapidly already.”

Koyuki said that with a crisp expression.

“That’s impossible…”

“It’s not impossible. After all, haven’t we sympathized telepathically until that much?”

If she said it like that then it might be exactly just as she said.

So this too was a shortcut to become strong. While looking up at the night sky, Kazuki reached that conclusion.

The moon had completely risen above the sky. Right now should be about time for everyone else to finish preparing the dinner. A strange feeling of guilt welled up inside him. No, he had done his training yet….

“How about we return home to the Witch’s Mansion? Koyuki too, you have to return back to your uniform.”

“…If I immediately return to my uniform right now, my uniform will get completely wet…”

Koyuki’s whole body was damp. Koyuki genereated blue light―Pyrokinesis and Psychokinesis on her whole body, drying the faint dampness that wrapped her and clearing it away. With that the trace of the act that both of them had done was completely concealed. After that Koyuki returned to her uniform appearance.

“Can you stand?”

“It’s fine to stay like this.”

It really can’t be helped. Kazuki kept carrying Koyuki and followed along the moonlit road.

Part 3

West Japan―Yamato’s provisional government was making use of the building that was originally <Oosaka prefectural office building> as their base of political movement. Once it was a prefectural office building that had deteriorated yet continued to be used, but in this age of magic using the alchemic construction the building had been extensively altered structurally.

All the other surrounding government buildings that were scattered were made into one. Now the dignity of the new prefectural office building that was turned into a giant pyramid in glass style wouldn’t compare unfavorably even when compared to the Oosaka that was right beside it.

It was once the government office building of Oosaka that was expected to become the capital city of a state from the administrative reform proposal to integrate the prefectures into 7 or 9 states but―following the unfortunate fate now it had become a capital city of a country.

Inside such a super modern pyramid, the figure of a woman wearing kimono that looked really mismatched there had appeared.

Yamato’s top brass, Aisu Ikousai.

Usually she was in her own dojo that doubled as her place for desk work where she performed her guidance for the swordsmen that were her subordinates, but today she had received a summon first thing this morning.

There was only one human that was in the position that could do something like summoning her one-sidedly.

Ikousai boarded a glass style elevator and headed for the highest floor of the government building.

On the highest floor of this building was the place where the evil spirits were settling down where they didn’t even work.

Ikousai pushed open the solemn wooden door she immediately came to face the moment she came out of the elevator.

There was an executive room inside.

From one surface of the wall that had been turned wholly into a window that overlooked the scenery from the highest floor, sublime light shone into the room. Inside the room, the inhabitant of this room who [had excellent eye for looking at thing] had purchased a collection of artistic furniture without questioning of the east and west culture, and yet they mysteriously maintained the harmony of the appearance and emitted radiance.

A man wearing a tuxedo was sinking his body on a comfortable sofa.

That man floated a frivolous smile and “Yoo” raised one of his hands at Ikousai.

Bluish hair that looked freezing and the two horns that elongated out ominously from it made apparent how this man was an inhuman existence.

It was Loki.

If it was a call from Kaya then Ikousai would just ignore it. But because it was a summon from Loki, it weighed on her mind. Ikousai didn’t see of Kaya and Loki as one single existence.

She was urged by an uncanny compelling feeling that she had to meet Loki.

For Ikousai―no, for all the people of Yamato, Loki was a puzzling existence.

In regards of the girl called Kaya who adhered to her own desire for destruction, everyone knew about her. But as for Loki, what was he thinking and what his objective was that he would cooperate with Yamato, no one had any idea.

Yamato’s government stayed ignorant about Loki while they conveniently borrowed his power.

There was nobody who didn’t understand how risky that was.

However somewhere in their heart, no one believed in the existence of a [perfectly awakened Diva].

The duo of Kaya and Loki was only seen with Kaya as the front and everyone underestimated them then.

‘She is just an existence that is not much different from a normal illegal magician right’, such optimistic view.

How mistaken such an evaluation was―right now Ikousai who was facing Loki face to face understood.

It was not a superficial problem like the growing horn on Loki’s head or the like. It was exactly because Ikousai was a possessor of perception power that was far removed from average people that she could grasp it.

The sensed magic power wavelength from Loki was―completely different from a normal human.

Ikousai’s spine was shuddered by the eeriness of being face to face with [an intelligence body that was not human].

It was similar with the chill when one was staring at the eyes of a reptile.

Perhaps Yamato had been selling their soul to a devil….

“Well, just sit there.” Loki lightheartedly prompted her.

Ikousai too took a seat at the sofa in the opposite site that interposed a marble low table between her and Loki.

The door at the depth of the room opened. From there a woman putting on a black mantel came out carrying two sets of tea cup. Ikousai reflexively put her guard up. That woman was one of the illegal magicians that fought Ikousai in the Ise Imperial Shrine. If she remembered correctly―she was the woman whose body was possessed by <Hel>, the goddess of death in the Norse Mythology.

But with an emotionless movement as if not noticing anything, the woman put an antique flora danica tea cup before Ikousai. The aroma of the carefully selected tea leaves was really fragrant.

“You ain’t need to worry, this girl already don’ remember of anything from that time you know.”

After the black clothed woman also presented the tea to Loki, she lowered her head in a nod and exited the room.

Ikousai was once again personally saw vividly a human that was inflicted with what was called the [loss of humanity].

“…Until now I had never thought of those illegal magicians other than as [idiot bunch], but to become like that as the result of pursuing strength, it feels atrocious.”

She was not even planning to look for an approval, Ikousai was putting it in words for herself.

At Ise Imperial Shrine before, there was a time where Ikousai was going to hand over everything of herself recklessly to Susanoo from her hatred at Kaya. The one who stopped her then was Hayashizaki Kazuki.

At that time the sense of values inside Ikousai was shaken.

“Something like a strength obtained from handing over your ego to the Diva is mistaken.”

Ikousai leaked out her words while she kept staring at the door at the room’s depth.

“There ain’t any right or wrong in strength you know. The guy who won gets everything, the loser just died. That girl escaped from the fate of failure by becoming like that. Nothing is gonna make me say that what she did is mistaken.”

Ikousai was perplexed hearing those words of rejection that was strongly different from her thought.

Unexpectedly she had the feeling that she had just touched Loki’s [fixation].

“Odin and those other bunches prattled about [honorable death] or [dignified loser] and whatever, but for the person himself that died, those honor or dignity whatsoever cannot even become any excuse. In front of the twilight of Ragnarok all that can just eat shit.”

Ikousai stared at Loki and blinked her eyes.

What he said was very interesting but her comprehension couldn’t catch up. Ikousai who didn’t have any interest in learning mythology just have the thought of [who is Odin again…] and lost the chance to step further into Loki’s inside.

Loki immediately made a face of someone who just became aware of his verbal slip,

“Well,, putting that aside.” He changed the topic of the talk.

“You bitch, what are you planning to do? If it keep like this, Yamato is not gonna be able to win against Japan y’know.”

“…What do you say you bastard?”

Strength filled Ikousai’s glare but Loki didn’t even paid it any mind.

“All of the prospect of victory that you idiots imagined was shouldered by the trump card called Yumeno Shiori, ain’t right? A spy that had slipped into the center of the enemy and didn’t have the self-awareness of her being a spy, a possessor of personality that can make use of Hayashizaki Kazuki’s mental naivety and might be able to kill him, a cursed Sacred Treasure only that girl can use…she was exactly a [Joker]. And yet you guys made her impatient for achievement and was captured without even being able to bring down Hayashizaki, the other spies were also completely got rounded up in one whole swoop. What a bullshit miscalculation huh.”

Ikousai’s expression unintentionally twitched.

“I didn’t have anything to do with that strategy but…those old men, they cornered Kaori too much. But from the beginning I don’t have any intention of relying on spy or the likes. With this our chance of winning is fifty-fifty, it just means that everything will be fine if I win in the end.”

“That’s impossible y’know.”

“…What? I won at Isonokami Shrine before this.”

“That’s Hayashizaki Kazuki’s fault of [thinking too much of the future] just so you know. You actually know yeah? That guy is in the process of awakening his special power as the King of Solomon. That guy made use of his full power when he was fighting me. I guess that perhaps the magic power consumption of his power is just too fierce. …In case that guy doesn’t give a damn about what come later and use that power fighting you, there ain’t gonna be any chance for you idiot to even overturn the situation and win.”

“That just means that guy made a miss in his decision! That’s still within my capability!”

“Well, what you say is not entirely incorrect. …That guy's losing sight of his own forte.”

“That guy’s forte you said…?”

Loki lectured with a face that seemed to say [if it’s about Hayashizaki Kazuki then I’m the one that know him best].

“That guy’s strong point is in his tendency to [not insert himself in his calculation] yeah. He is always prioritizing other people while constantly taking action that risked his own life. He done that not only in a scene of battle where it really damn matters, he even disciplined himself to always act like that even as far as his daily life. That guy always resolved himself and seldom loosening down. There ain’t nothing more scary than this kind of human for sure. If I said so myself, that guy is even far scarier compared to the other King bunches.”

“…I didn’t feel that he is really that unique of a human..”

“He already got infected with a disease at that time in the Ise Imperial Shrine. That ghastliness the first time he made me bore wound on my body had been already thinning down.”

“Disease you say?”

“’What’s going to happen if I die’, that guy for the first time was thinking that kind of thought. After all throughout his whole life, this is gonna be his first time being burdened by that many people he is thinking as important. But swinging your sword timidly ain’t gonna make your opponent scared right?”

“That is the basic among the basic of mental preparation.”

“But that’s the deepest level of the sword art. That guy also just got involved with the other Kings, just right before he got killed he must have immediately noticed the thing he lost from himself. If it become like that then you idiot have no chance to win anymore ain’t that true?”

“…”

“No need to get ashamed. After all that guy is the King of Solomon and you are just a mongrel right now. Susanoo’s power of King is [Usurpation]. As long as you haven’t defeated other Kings and plunder their power, it’s impossible for him to become a special Diva.”

“…”

The words handed down from Loki’s existence who stood in the different stage from human was not something that Ikousai could possibly accept. For her who had lived doing nothing but pursuing strength until now, humiliating words like [there is no need to be ashamed] or the like was not something she wanted to hear at the end of her road.

While swallowing the many words of fury she had―Ikousai remembered the violent emotion of that moment where she was going to hand over herself to Susanoo for the sake of strength.

“You ain’t gonna win in a match of fifty-fifty. But if you can get your hand on two of the Three Sacred Treasures then there ain’t no way to know where the match is gonna end.”

“You just keep talking in the way that seems like I’m in a very much disadvantage, but in the end you just want to say that the match depends on the Sacred Treasures? Hmph, doesn’t this mean that everything comes down to luck, how foolish.”

“No, it’s not like that at all. …Though it’s better if I had talked about this before all this development. Actually the Three Sacred Treasures, all of them are located in Fuji’s sea of trees.”

“…?” Ikousai was bewildered, wondering ‘what is this guy saying?’

“If it keep like this Hayashizaki Kazuki will collect all Three Sacred Treasures, and you idiot is gonna challenge him like that empty handed. If there is still a spy left, there should be a possibility to steal the Sacred Treasures even if the other side collected them, but because Yumeno Shiori was captured those bunch of spies are in their last breath. When Yumeno Shiori got captured, it got me thinking [ain’t this checkmate already], so that’s why I intentionally called you idiot here and talk to you like this. Oi, what are you planning to do I ask.”

For a while Ikousai’s eyes turned into a dot from Loki’s words and after around thirty seconds she screamed “WHA, WHAT DO YOU SAY!” while standing up from the sofa, making Loki said to her “You’re loud”.

“Fu, Fu Fu Fuji’s sea of trees has all three of the Three Sacred Treasures you say!? Why didn’t you tell us that sooner!? No, why do you know about that kind of thing!!”

“It’s because ten years ago I often visited Fuji’s sea of tree.”

“Ten years ago…?”

She didn’t get the answer. Ikousai glared at Loki demanding for further explanation.

“Before I stayed inside Kaya, there was the period where I was takin’ over the flesh of a different human. Right after the outset when humans began to get awakened to magic, so to speak the period of <Tokyo Great Disaster>. At that time with the Haunted Ground that was the first created in this country, the Fuji’s sea of trees as the stage, I played just a little with the beginning of the Knight Order as the opponent. Right, at that time the Sacred Treasures were already there.”

Ikousai’s eyes turned into dots for a while again.

“You, aren’t you just saying an outrageous matter smoothly? You are saying that this is the second time you take over a human and materialized?

“It’s a little wrong to say that this is my second materialization I think. At that time I too was still not used to all this, so I couldn’t let out my consciousness to the surface as much as now.”

“You fought the human of this country ten years ago? However, there is no such record left behind…?”

“Of course there is no record left. That was the time where other than me many Divas and Demon Beasts also went wild everywhere and the country fell into pandemonium. The Divas were also still pretty shitty in how to take over human, they cannot restrain their host from going wild, that time they just rampaged around pointlessly. Looking at it from those human’s position, there ain’t no way they could have guessed which Diva was residing inside the possessed magicians that were going wild. That was the period when you idiot was still a clueless kid, the Tokyo Great Disaster was that kind of time.”

It was a period where human still didn’t know left and right, but it was naturally different from Loki’s point of view.

Right now, Ikousai shook from hearing the terribly precious [testimony].

“The way they fought at that time was a pretty crude stuff that it’s not even gonna be any argument if you compared it with now. Human too still didn’t really understand the way to use magic, and we too couldn’t manifest our power satisfactorily after all. But…there was only one scary strong woman that looked like a mutation. That woman sealed the rampaging Divas one after another, and at the last she fought me and my host. Yeah, it was at the Fuji’s sea of trees. That woman died, but my host also got done in and I too got sealed. What that woman used that time was the thing she discovered at Fuji’s sea of trees…<Ame no Murakumo>. Though maybe that woman herself didn’t know what the hell it was the item that she was using.”

King of Britain―Arthur Basileus said that the Three Sacred Treasures would surely spring forth in concert with the human who was suitable as the King.

Ikousai gazed at Loki with unrestrained wonderment. That was a fact that overturned all of their assumption.

“You said that there was already a human that should have become the King ten years ago!?”

“The sin of that Amaterasu woman is heavy yeah. After all the her at that time perhaps seriously ain’t noticing anything. No, perhaps even now she ain’t notice anything yet. That Susanoo too is gonna flip out.”

Ikousai felt faint thinking back upon the complaint of Susanoo that flew the banner of revolution after he was feeling furious from Amaterasu’s lack of will to decide the King of the Japanese Mythology. What an outrageous thing to have happened behind the scene.

…But that woman, was dead!

“Who is that woman?”

“Dunno. My consciousness at that time was cloudy from being a mental body and got made to go along with the mayhem of my previous host. After that I too became concerned and fished around various things in the records of Japan’s government and the Knight Order together with Kaya, but there is no information left at all about that woman.”

“She is the savior of this country right!? Why is there no record of that anywhere!?”

Ikousai felt furious from the absurdity―the absurdity of having the patriotic hero who brought salvation to the country being completely forgotten by everyone.

“That’s because in the very end that woman got killed by me. No one knew how that woman was a hero or anything, that woman herself wasn’t aware of how big she was. Although that woman practically defeated the majority of the Demon Beasts and the Divas alone by herself, perhaps that woman thought that the other bunches also defeated around the same number like herself.”

“…Did her comrades know nothing about her?”

“Even though they were called the first Knight Order, but they were not a bunch that had orderly plan or anything. It was just several humans that had awakened to magic were frantically fighting against the Demon Beasts and the Divas, and then when everything was over they gathered and recognized each other's existences as comrades saying [We are the Knight Order]. But at that time that woman was already gone. What a conceited bunch aren’t they. That’s why strictly speaking that woman is not a part of the first Knight Order. She is the <Zero Knight>.”

“…The forgotten hero…Zero Knight…”

“She was a scary strong woman. I ain’t remembering it clearly, but that time I too thought this, someone that doesn’t give a fuck for her own life is scary…”

“Didn’t you say that there is no honor for a human that loses and dies?”

Loki went ‘hah’ with a face of realization and glared at Ikousai.

And then he awkwardly changed the topic again.

“From then on the strength of the Knight Order increased and it became difficult for Diva to take over human. It’s no good unless we take over the human’s flesh body more perfectly and so we worked hard behind the scene. And then the one who finally manage to attain perfect materialization in Japan were only me and Nyarlathotep, but the other guys are still just as you can see currently. Even though the Order side is favorably exerting their influence into human’s society, the Chaos side cannot keep being sloven. …So, that’s all for the story of the past. Anyway you get the idea that if the situation keep like this then no way you are gonna win.”

“…All of the Three Sacred Treasures are on the territory of the other side, but we had lost the spy to steal them from inside. That’s what you mean.”

Ikousai obediently accepted Loki’s opinion. Surely if the talking partner was Kaya she wouldn’t be able to persuade Ikousai like this.

“…In other words from the start Yamato had already been in a fatal disadvantage. You bastard, why did you keep silent about this matter and accepted Arthur’s proposal?”

Arthur’s proposal was established with the acceptance from both camps. Of course that acceptance also reflected Kaya’s opinion, in other words Loki’s opinion too. Loki warped his mouth crookedly and laughed maliciously.

“You idiots want to advance the matter so you can make do as much as possible without my cooperation aren’t y’all, but like this now my cooperation become indispensable for you idiots! Ku-ku-ku! …For me there ain’t such thing like disadvantage or whatever. If I already knew from the start that all Three Sacred Treasures are in Fuji’s sea of trees, then there is a lot of way to make use of it.”

“I got it, just move on to the main question. What should I do?”

“Yamato’s side too gotta have to infiltrate Fuji’s sea of tree.”

“Fuji’s sea of trees is surrounded by wall. The security there is also strict.”

“Ku-ku-ku, it’s convenient if Japan’s side also think that their security is complete with just a wall like that. Just think about it, it’s a wall see? What is called wall has limit on it. It’s really simple, crawl under it using Midgardsormr’s ability. The wall’s depth is just barely something Midgardsormr can crawl under yeah.”

Ikousai thought [It’s vexing, but I see] while wrinkling up her eyebrows in understanding.

“The number Midgardsormr can take along including himself is four people as the limit. Take three of my underlings with you as the leader. Those you are going to take are the ones I can trust the most among my troops…<Loki Einherjar>’s Midgardsormr, Hel, and Nyarlako, those three.”

“You don’t plan to go?”

“I said that all of the Three Sacred Treasures are in Fuji’s sea of trees, but it doesn’t mean that I had seen them other than <Ama no Murakumo>. It’s only my hypothesis that if in that period of time the Three Sacred Treasures were all born in set then they would be all in Fuji’s sea of trees. That’s why just to make sure I’m going to sweep over the Haunted Grounds in west Japan. This is your battle, that’s why I’ll take the work behind the scene.”

This was a war to decide which one was suitable as King between Hayashizaki Kazuki and Ikousai.

Ikousai tightened her expression and nodded.

“It’s not gonna be enough just exhausting all of your strength. Probe out for Russia’s Ilyailiya’s cooperation. If Midgardsormr is the invader of the earth then that girl is the ruler of the sky. She got to be able to simply penetrate the Haunted Ground.”

“Making Russia go along with our side…that kind of talk then.”

“Furthermore…we gotta do everything we can do. Let’s rouse out the Einherjar.”

“Making Germany attached to our side too? How? That country is different from Rusia and if we have to say which side they are then they are in opposition against China right?”

“The aide of Einherjar’s captain, Eleonora is looking for a reason to make opposition with Japan. The cause is because the captain Beatrix is adoring Hayashizaki Kazuki too much. She began to think of wanting to separate the distance between the two. If we blow negative information to this Eleonora a little, she will surely go along with our side merrily.”

“Wait a second, I don’t know anything about that. This is information from when?”

The information from the spies had been severed. Ikousai was perplexed about how did Loki grasp information that she knew nothing about.

“This is the newest information just so you know. Even with the spies exterminated ain’t anyway that’s all of my information source. As proof that I’m talking straight from the gut, let me teach you one of my trump card. Other than changing my external appearance however I want it, I also can conceal my magic power wave, this is my [Perfect Transformation] ability. The information just now is something I gotten myself infiltrating and fishing around the Knight Order.”

A skill to transform perfectly――Ikousai was astonished. There was no doubt that Loki and Kaya could grasp the political power of Yamato in their hand in so short of time and toying around with Japan’s government until now was because of their secret maneuvers using this secret skill.

But it was a trump card that would be not effective anymore if the existence of such skill was exposed.

Ikousai’s heart was moved that Loki shed light of such secret of his by himself to her.

“That’s right, let’s give Nyarlathotep’s experiment data to Eleonora. If we make them misunderstand that even now such thoroughly immoral experiment is still continuing with the government’s approval, that’s more than enough reason to make them start hostility with Japan. With that I gotta cross the border one more time to circulate this bullshit information but, well, I’m not gonna just make you do everything yourself.”

“You said all the things that we can do but…you are not going to move those guys from China?”

The <Emperor’s Directly Controlled Unit> that served under The King of Chukadou―<Reborn Emperor> Fu Xi, they too had declared their cooperation with Yamato and currently was stationed inside Yamato’s territory. Those girls were exactly the strongest group that Yamato could move among their battle power.

“Those guys cannot be controlled if we just move them poorly. Ilyailiya is going solo so she surely ain’t gonna do anything overambitious, but those girls are coming in group. Those guys might steal all the Sacred Treasures instead and if that happen then it’s gonna be a war with China before a war with Japan.”

China was taking part with all their might in this war between Japan and Yamato. If they got betrayed to that extent then the situation might develop into such a large scale problem. Just because they came in such a large number that they became hard to handle.

“I got it, then I’m immediately moving out to act. Call Midgardsormr here!”

“No wait, you are going to infiltrate Fuji’s sea of trees at the same time with Hayashizaki Kazuki entering there too.”

“WHY.” Ikousai became hotblooded.

“You ain’t gonna be able to avoid fighting the Demon Beast if you infiltrate the Haunted Ground. If you fight then magic power will get emitted. There is the risk of the other side’s lookout sensing that magic power.”

“I see…if I infiltrate at the same time with Hayashizaki Kazuki and his group entering, then no one will be able to differentiate my magic power with his then.”

“That’s right, everything will slip under the radar in the commotion…like that.”

Ikousai nodded obediently. Thought of ‘let’s just follow along with him’ was welling up inside her.

Rather than her wariness against this mysterious existence called Loki, the thought that Loki’s cooperation was really indispensable for the sake of victory against Hayashizaki Kazuki had become far bigger.

“…If you manage to discover and snatch away the Three Sacred Treasures in Fuji’s sea of trees, then get ready to run away and make sure to escape. Really really, don’t you dare get the mood like wanting to fight Hayashizaki or whatever, remember this.”

But when Loki talked so, the sharpness of a blade returned to Ikousai’s eye glint and she glared at him.

“We are breaking the rule to challenge Fuji’s sea of trees. You bastard, Ilyailiya, and Einherjar, we are attacking from three direction. Everything is moving just as I expected.”

Loki declared.

“And then the biggest enemy ain’t Hayashizaki Kazuki. It’s those guys that’s gonna move if someone try to break the rule…Arthur Basileus and Regina Olympia Folnar.”

Part 4

“This place is really pleasant isn’t it? I had never thought that I will receive such a warm welcome.”

The chandelier with many glittering crystals on it illuminated the golden colored wall and the vermilion carpet.

Arthur Basileus sat on a chair while crossing his long legs and he directed a satisfied smile from his heart toward Commander Yamagata.

Commander Yamagata was feeling grateful. As a top brass of the Knight Order, there was no reason for him to excessively behave modestly towards Arthur looking at their position as an equal negotiation partner. But for him who had worked his way up the organization ladder, the aura possessed by [the chosen noble King] was dazzling.

“Forgive me for how long it took to prepare this place. In any case this [Akasaka Imperial Villa] hasn’t been used for a long time as a state guest house.”

Japan had severed their diplomatic relationships with foreign countries for a long time now. Therefore visitors from foreign countries hardly ever came. So the state guest house was steadily losing its role.

This time Japan was welcoming Arthur, Regina, and Ilyailiya, the three Kings. Causing the government of Japan to be pressed to restore the state guest house in a rush.

The three Kings who until now had been welcomed in a high class hotel inside the city were finally invited into a place of residence befitting their status as a noble visitor.

“I understand how you have exerted your utmost effort for us. This Arthur cannot hold back my feelings of gratitude. The time used is not a problem. Beside by no means that hotel was a bad place. Queen Regina, you also think so right?”

Arthur turned the talk to Regina who was sitting in a chair beside him.

The Queen of Italia answered with expressionless indifference.

“Immediately execute the chef that served the food he dared to call as Neapolitan spaghetti to me as my lunch before.”

“Tragedy always comes from contact with foreign cultures doesn't it?”

Arthur covered his face exaggeratedly with both hands.

“But if I have to say a food that delicious cannot be called as fish and chips.”

“By the way may I ask for what business I was summoned here?”

Commander Yamagata asked while comparing the expressions of the two Kings.

Commander Yamagata who was appointed as the commanding officer of the Fuji’s sea of trees’ investigation, right now he was the man with the most free time in the Knight Order.

He was in the position to move the Knight Order, but he couldn’t move the organization carelessly until the purification of the Knight Order from the spies had been finished. And so it was his idea to have the students led by Hayashizaki Kazuki conquer Fuji’s sea of trees for him.

Therefore he would lose if he worked.

Throughout this whole day all he had done was to keep thinking of excuses for when his superior came calling to kick his butt and order him to move the Knight Order when suddenly the Kings called him to come to this state guest house.

There was no cause for him to be condemned by them and to be told to work, but for some reason a guilty conscience was rising inside him.

“Aah, first is this matter but…”

Arthur said that and raised his right wrist. There a bulky metal bracelet was fixed to his wrist. ―It was made from adamantite. The bracelet was supposed to be considerably heavy.

“That’s a transmitter with built-in GPS. Its inexcusable but all of your actions are being monitored with that. We also placed some human observation around but just using humans is quite unsure.”

“Yes, I have noticed that we are constantly being followed.”

Arthur nodded. Regina too scowled her face in displeasure.

“After all it will be too simple if we can move freely just by killing our observer. A reasonable thinking. Having a machine attached close to our skin is heavy and unpleasant but it can’t be helped.”

Arthur added another question without revealing out any dissatisfaction like Regina.

“Is the accuracy of this thing called GPS something certain?”

“It has measurement error in span of 10 cm.”

“If I’m not mistaken I think GPS has the function to take picturon secretly. I think it’s called [satellite photo], if that is used then can you also immediately detect an intruder that trespass into the Haunted Ground I wonder?”

Arthur didn’t have a detailed knowledge on culture of science. Arthur asked as if remembering vague knowledge.

“No matter how high the accuracy is, it’s impossible to capture the figure of a human that acts under the cover of trees. It might be within the scope if it is in the forest of trees that has been liberated from being a Haunted Ground, but probably it will be only to the degree where we can just barely differentiate the figure.”

“Hmm.” Arthur hummed with a prudent look.

“Besides satellite photos are not something that can take pictures in real time. After all the photo comes from the manmade satellite that is in orbit right above the photo target. To reduce the time lag there is the need to increase the number of satellites a few more. Japan is not launching satellites into orbit very much anymore.”

The number of satellites Japan could use freely was decreasing compared to the time when they had a reliable allied nation called USA. If Japan tried to launch any new satellites, then they would only provoke other Magic Advanced Countries.

“I thought that what is called GPS is this transmitter exchanging electromagnetic wave with the satellite that flies in space and using that to specify the whereabouts of this machine, but electromagnetic wave won’t reach this transmitter if it get entered into ground or water won’t it?”

“There will be a need to add a relay station in order to make the electromagnetic wave reach underground to a certain degree.”

“I see, the technology has advanced even further then the knowledge that I have.”

“Of course there is a limit so to the utmost we want to ask you to not go to a place where electromagnetic wave won’t reach. If the transmission to the transmitter gets interrupted then we will immediately mobilize all the knights in to scramble out.”

“How about the material of this bracelet?”

“It is an alchemic material invented in our country called adamantite. It’s difficult to be destroyed even with the power of Summoning Magic.”

“Well, when it gets destroyed the transmission will be cut off and the knights will scramble out to our location then.”

“I think it’s difficult to destroy it though.”

When Commander Yamagata answered back like that, Arthur knitted his eyebrows questioningly.

Regina was “Ku-“ leaking out a small chuckle.

“This material called adamantite, from its appearance it’s the same material with the wall that encircled Fuji’s sea of trees right?”

“Yes. …Is there something you want to talk about regarding that?”

Commander Yamagata asked after the through and through questions of Arthur were over.

“Aah, I don’t want you to misunderstand. It’s not that we are discontented from having this transmitter attached to us. It’s just…we are worrying whether the competition between Japan and Yamato is performed impartially, if there will be room for someone to interfere dishonestly. After all right now we are mostly let to do as we please freely.”

Commander Yamagata immediately considered about how right now Ilyailiya Muromets was not here in this place.

Her country, Russia was said to be close with China.

He felt like he was being implicitly warned to [be careful of that guy].

“In our position too, even while showing as much respect as possible to all of you, we are also planning to make preparation so we can immediately react if you move out in some kind of action.”

“Hmm…certainly as long as this GPS is attached to us then we won’t be able to act as we please. Of course if someone took action for their own convenience then I too will move. After all that is a conduct that will break the balance of the world.”

Each respective Advanced Magic Countries were putting a check on each other―that was exactly why the peace of this world could be maintained. This country was especially important.

“Also Fuji’s sea of trees is encircled by a wall of adamantite and it can only be entered through one gate. In order to not let turmoil like before happen again, the security of this gate has been made even stricter. This time no one will be able to trespass even if they transform into a bird or an ant.”

Commander Yamagata talked with confidence.

“It’s great that it became a good experience.” Regina smiled cynically.

“Let’s leave aside the reliability of the GPS but the wall is quite worrying. Does Queen Regina think so too?”

Arthur asserted clearly. Regina too nodded clearly.

Commander Yamagata didn’t understand their reason and tightened his expression while asking “Why is that?”

“If it’s just a wall on that level then I and Queen Regina can destroy it if you give us thirty seconds.”

“In addition.”

Regina who kept playing with her bracelet since a while ago let out some words.

“It seems this material is composed by magically binding the Prima Materia to strengthen the hardness of the material. It can be destroyed even by brute force, but it will be even simpler to break if there is an attack magic or Sacred Treasures that is compatible with both physical destruction and Enchantmagical divine protection destruction.”

“Of course Queen Ilyailiya is also able to destroy the wall. In short it doesn’t deserve any reliance whatsoever.”

Commander Yamagata lost his face’s complexion.

“Commander Yamagata, I have one request…no, I have a proposal!”

Arthur stabbed the stick in his hand on the ground vigorously *katsun* and stood up.

“I want you to let me patrol the surrounding wall of Fuji’s sea of trees. If something happens, I want to be able to move immediately. Queen Regina, you too come with me!”

Regina too stood up solemnly, and continued while throwing out her chest.

“Very well. After all I had said that I will watch over the situation regarding this country and Hayashizaki Kazuki for a little more.”

Commander Yamagata was troubled. These two were also an important target of observation.

“No, even without troubling the both of you…could you two please only move at the critical moment? In the first place both of you are also someone that we have to keep watching about.”

“I ask you to not be so reserved like that. I want to show my gratitude for the fish and chips that was even more delicious than the one in my motherland.”

“The Neapolitan spaghetti that I ate really didn’t suit my taste but…well, just consider it the apology for before.”

Arthur and Regina approached him straightforwardly. Surprisingly they were a duo that was really pushy.

Commander Yamagata suddenly reconsidered. …The current standing of Japan was made up from the Magic Advanced Countries putting a check on each other to maintain the balance of the world. In the case that one of the Magic Advanced Countries ran wild, it was almost impossible to settle the situation without borrowing the hand of other Magic Advanced Countries.

Then fight fire with fire―rather than just keep maintining vigilance on these two, wouldn’t it be wiser to consider them as an object to be used skillfully?

Moreover this King called Arthur…he had this hunch that treating his good will with disdain would only cause something troublesome on the contrary. Strangely when this problematic character Regina was together with Arthur, he could see a balance was struck mysteriously between them.

“…If both of you say so.”

After he finished considering everything fully, Commander Yamagata suddenly changed his attitude.

“If it becomes like this then I’m going too!”

Out of nowhere, the lid of the trash box in the corner of the room was blown away like an explosion and the face of a woman stuck out from there.

Commander Yamagata and the two Kings widened their eyes in surprise and stared at that person.

“Ro, Roshoukou! Why are you in that kind of place! Are you trash huh!?”

Commander Yamagata raised a voice that was close to a scream.

Roshoukou―the female boss that managed the resistance organization <Ryouzanpaku> that defied China.

While her face that jutted out from the trash box broke out into a wide friendly grin, she extracted herself out from there.

“When the Kings called you here I just thought that I too have to pay my respect and show my face at least once without fail nyaa. But geez, even the trash box in this state guest house smells like a flower and feels really comfortable. Oi commander, move me to live here too. I don’t mind even if it’ just in this trash box ‘kay.”

“What are you saying you idiot. Day by day you keep getting carried away.”

As if he had been already used to deal with this girl, Commander Yamagata talked with her familiarly.

“You guys came even though we had never called for it or anything, a business hotel is far more than enough.”

“What do you say you asshole―! Now you really have said it huh, oi!”

Shouko clapped Commander Yamagata’s shoulder while laughing in guffaws.

“It seems that the relationship between you two is mostly good humored isn’t it?”

King Arthur was looking fixedly at the two of them acting like that.

‘Damn it’, Commander Yamagata went pale. Ryouzanpaku was an anti-China organization. If Japan was misunderstood to have a close relationship with this Ryouzanpaku, their claim that [Japan was the unilateral victim] in the clash between Japan and China’s military power would be broken.

“You said that you want to participate in the patrolling, as expected so you have a relation of cooperation with Japan then I wonder?”

Arthur questioned in detail as if he was wielding a sharp blade.

“I beg your pardon to not have any strange suspicion, King of Britain.”

Faster than the panicked Commander Yamagata, Shouko frankly leaned her body forward and objected.

“I don’t want to let China do as they please, that’s why I propose to ask the favor for letting me participate in the patrolling. I’m not saying that I want to get buddy-buddy with Japan. If you are saying that then doesn’t that mean you two also want to carry favor with Japan by proposing to cooperate in the form of patrolling.”

Shouko proficiently talked around the question well with fluency that was unsuited of her wild appearance.

These last few days, Commander Yamagata had lost arguments against this woman many times and he personally felt vexed.

“Hmm, it’s just as you say. We were the one that determined the rule of conducting the race of struggle for the Three Sacred Treasures after a careful selection, what we are doing is nothing more than volunteering to patrol.”

“In other words aren’t our standings totally the same then. Aren’t you bastard just playing innocent and try to doubt us?”

Shouko stared in an intimidating glare with the King of Britain as her opponent. But her gaze was not wrapped in intensity but composure. Reason and wildness were always coexisting inside this woman of small status without any contradiction.

“I see, interesting. Even if you have a reasonable argument, there is almost no human who can clearly say that in front of a King like this.”

Arthur open heartedly showed his tolerance.

“You too please by any means mobilize together with us.”

“Yep, I’m thankful.”

It seemed that Roshoukou was acknowledged by Arthur. But at the side, Commander Yamagata’s expression twitched looking at the formation of a trio that seemed would be very troublesome.

Let’s use them skillfully―although he thought that for an instant, he didn’t have a feeling that he would be able to control them for even a bit.

Chapter 2 – Forest of Bewilderment

Part 1

“…Is this information not mistaken?”

Beatrix asked her aide with a voice that was tinged with disappointment.

Inside one of the hotel rooms where the Einherjar was made to stay, Beatrix, Eleonora, and Damian were gathering and lowered the volume of their voices unintentionally in front of the taboo information.

“I’m sure it’s not wrong.”

It was not actually information that she could assert its authenticity that surely, but for the sake of moving Beatrix's heart Eleonora dared to assert it as the truth.

“It’s hard to believe so suddenly…it’s too much…too much of an inhuman story.”

Beatrix who had a pious moral sense from Odin’s teaching felt a completely chilling sensation inside her head’s core. Disappointment accompanied by fury that were extremely silently cold.

Even Damian was in a lost of what to say.

“Of course I think that Hayashizaki Kazuki is not involved in this plan itself. …I think there is no choice but to revise our stance to be neutral against both sides in this case.”

Taboo information―that was the data that Japan was secretly conducting human experiments on its own people. It was already hard to recognize from Germany’s point of view even just about how Japan was continuing to develop their culture of machine, but this blasphemy in front of their eyes was intolerable.

―However this information was the experiment data where the former Headmaster Otonashi was secretly advancing the experiment in the period when Nyarlathotep was conducting his secret maneuvering. This data was handed over to Eleonora by a transformed Loki where it was made for the reader to misunderstand that it seemed even now the experiment was still being conducted by the government.

Beatrix and Eleonora recalled the girl with curious appearance called Hiakari Koyuki that was at Kazuki’s side. When they thought that the girl was exactly the product of this human experiment, suddenly the persuasiveness of this information increased.

And then, without even giving any time to verify the information, Eleonora urged Beatrix to change her mind.

“There is no benefit for us to tie a good relation with Japan. And so using this chance I think it is a good plan to entrust the ruling of this land to Yamato. We have to side with Yamato.”

“U, mu…is that so…”

Beatrix spoke ambiguously with bitter expression.

Eleonora who guessed what happened inside the heart of the superior that she respected and loved was also becoming gloomy inside.

In this kind of time, Eleonora always wanted to hate that young man.

“Captain is too charmed by that young man.”

“It’s really just like you said. The feeling of this 19 years old Beatrix-chan doesn’t even hesitate with the difference between our age.”

“Hesitate more. No matter what we are saying we won’t be able to understand each other with the people of this country. As long as we continue to swear loyalty to the gods of Norse. In the very end both of your destinies will surely miss each other. He is an enemy. And then his relation with Captain is a relation between warrior and warrior. Captain, is the sword inside your heart rusted completely?”

“There is no such thing! Kazuki is…that’s right…he is an opponent that I have to fight and defeat!!”

Beatrix yelled resolutely.

Hearing that Eleonora thought “Yosh”.

The heart of an Einherjar that loved battle had severed her attachment to that young man!

But “No, wait” suddenly Beatrix tapped her hand on her jaw and pondered something.

“If, if Yamato becomes the ruler of this country, and if that fellow Ikousai becomes the King of this country…Kazuki will become a mere commoner person right?”

“Eh? Ah, yes, he is going to be just a commoner then.”

“In that case…even if I take him back to Germany…there will be no problem at all right…?”

Eleonora was dumbfounded.

So it became like this? Did she want that young man this much?

Beatrix’s expression turned bright like a different person with a wide grin.

“Yosh, I got a great idea! We are going out in action right now! Luckily those bunch of Japan’s Knight Order have their hands full with observing the bunch of Kings from other countries and their observation on us is thin!”

Eleonora opened her eyes wide in shock.

“By any chance, is Captain saying that we are going to Fuji’s sea of trees after this?”

“You said that Kazuki and others are going to Fuji’s sea of trees from now on aren’t you? Fu-fu-fu, we are going to obstruct them. We are going to thoroughly get in their way, then if circumstances permit and I find Kazuki I’m going to fight him. It’s going to be a luscious fight for our conclusion! I’m going to defeat Kazuki, then after he falls into magic intoxication we will hide his body. If we do that then inevitably Yamato is going to win the struggle race for the Sacred Treasures. Kazuki will become a commoner. I’ll bring him home to Germany. And we are going to quietly hold a modest ceremony in Germany’s remote countryside. Uh huh.”

“What ‘uh huh’…Captain…”

“I-I feel that I’m not suited for a wedding dress or the like but…I’m not going to let Kazuki who will be the loser to say any complaint for sure!”

Beatrix fidgeted around. “Haa” Eleonora sighed like that.

“I have decided! As a warrior, I’m going to defeat Hayashizaki Kazuki!”

The largest love of Beatrix―her love of [fighting strong people], and her love for Hayashizaki Kazuki that had completely grown so large that it couldn’t be ignored anymore, with a strange harmony both of those loves had formed a single objective. It was idiotic when seen with a single glance, but it was a frighteningly perfect logic that offered no opening that could be taken for someone to insert their tsukkomi.

With Yamato’s victory there would be no more obstacles that stood in Beatrix’s way.

Beatrix leaped out from the hotel and ran.

She carried Eleonora and Damian on her shoulders while running. That way was faster for her.

Kazuki and his group was supposed to head for Fuji’s sea of trees using the magic light train, but Beatrix ran with her own feet. Even so she wasn’t really falling behind with her vigorous legs and stamina.

Seeing it from a human’s point of view they were nothing more except a suspicious group.

But as long as they didn’t get obstructed in this moment, then the matter of later was trivial. After all at that time Japan’s government would be overthrown and this country would become Yamato. After that they were going to bring Kazuki back home to Germany. After that whatever happened, happened. …Beatrix ran while drawing such perfect scene of future inside her mind.

Of course it didn’t mean that her aide Eleonora had completely stopped thinking.

“There are patrols by the Knight Orders at Fuji’s sea of trees.”

Eleonora had finished gathering all the intelligence of the Knight Order’s patrol schedule.

Following Eleonora’s direction, Beatrix’s group approached the gate of the wall. They evaded the entrance that was heavy with security in a detour and concealed themselves in the position a few kilometers west.

They kept concealing themselves like that while waiting for Kazuki and the students of the Knight Academy to enter the Haunted Ground.

Part 2

The two military buses where the elites of the Magic Division and the Sword Division were stuffed into came to a stop in front of the gate of Fuji’s sea of trees.

No matter how many times they saw it, the wall of adamantite with a height as if piercing the sky was a magnificent view. In its surrounding many knights and aged former knights was conducting security with numbers several times larger than before. He couldn’t think that the security could be broken easily.

The students that disembarked from the buses formed a line for each group with Kazuki standing in the head.

“Kazuki!”

Two people mixed with the former knights’ security―Akane-senpai and Kanon-senpai were rushing to Kazuki’s spot while calling his name. They were the third years of the Magic Division that were accumulating hands-on training in the Knight Order.

“So you two senpai also came here.”

“Because it seemed that Akane wanted to meet you again so…ouch”

The head of Kanon-senpai who smiled mischievously was hit by Akane-senpai with a whack.

“That’s not it. To make the security of the gate even stricter, the active duty knights were also mobilized, but knights who can be trusted indefinitely to not be a spy are not really that much.”

“That’s right isn’t it, I’m relieved if Akane-senpai and the others are here.”

“But certainly this is also a rare chance, ehem, let’s exchange our contact address too.”

“Eh? Ah, that’s right, thank you very much.”

Akane-senpai took out a chic mobile phone with champagne golden color from her chest pocket.

Kazuki similarly took out his cell phone and made sure of each other’s contact address.

“If something happens then you can ask for a consultation of anything to me as the highest student of the Witch’s Mansion. Though it’s fine to contact me even if you don’t have any business.”

Hikaru-senpai clung on Kazuki’s back and came mingling into the conversation.

“Mufufu, Akane-senpai is approaching Kazuki♪”

Kanon-senpai too went ”fuhihi” and clung at Akane-senpai’s back to mingle into the conversation.

“Geez really―, how unexpected―, for that Akane to be this fast in moving on a man―☆”

“Do, don’t misunderstand you two!”

A slight embarrassment peeked out from her expression, Akane-senpai then drove off Kanon-senpai.

“I just think of him as a man I can respect…no, as a junior I can respect, that’s all. I’m just a mediocre person after all. …Kanon! Start processing the procedure for these children to pass the gate!”

Akane-senpai pulled Kanon-senpai’s hand and walked to the gate’s direction.

“That person is exactly a person you can respect you know.”

Still clinging on Kazuki’s back, Hikaru-senpai brought her face near to Kazuki.

“With the exception of Enchant Aura, her abilities are uniformly high levels in all lineage of magic. She is a person with no field she is bad at.”

All her abilities were equal―which meant without a doubt that it was the result of not trying to rely on the quality she was born with but methodically continuing to temper herself objectively.

Achieving completion just by her strong will, a person of hard work.

“She totally lost at magic power’s absolute amount and output power against Kanon-senpai, but her chanting speed is said to be number one inside the history of the Knight Academy. She also has never gotten a score below 95 in any subject.”

“How amazing…like that she doesn’t have any grounds to say that she is just a mediocre person.”

“She is going to lose in a duel against Kanon-senpai and Kaguya. But if each of them are thrown into Haunted Ground, then perhaps the one who will successfully clear the place first is going to be Akane-senpai I wonder.”

Kazuki felt complicated while listening to the story.

For Akane-senpai to evaluate herself as a mediocre person, compared to him which part of him was it that could be said as special then? Why did Leme choose him, he didn’t get it at all.

He was unexpectedly chosen by Leme, so could he be called as a special human because of that….

…Then this power, was he going to say that he was not worthy of it and he wanted to throw it away?

No. He didn’t want to do that.

Then, he had to become a human that was more worthy of this power.

He had to obtain the power of a King in his hand with his own will.

In front of this battle that gambled the Three Sacred Treasures, all the cowardice vanished from his heart.

“Kazuki and Akane-senpai are a little similar. Both of you are hard workers. I love the two of you.”

Hikaru-senpai rubbed her cheek on Kazuki while clinging at him.

“I too must work harder so not to lose against Akane-senpai. …Come on, Hikaru-senpai is also one of the leaders so please return to your own group.”

Kazuki tore off the clinging Hikaru-senpai from his body and pushed her back toward the direction where her members were at.

“Well then, operation start!”

The students that entered inside the Haunted Ground were scattered in each group so as to not let their area of exploration overlap with each other. Everyone was aiming for the direction where the magic power was thick and no one had gone into yet while defeating the Demon Beasts they encountered and liberating the Haunted Ground very thoroughly. That was the strategy they were using.

Fuji’s sea of trees was divided into three levels. The sphere of 5 kilometer radius with the peak of Mountain Fuji as the center was the level 3 area, and then further within 5 kilometer outside from it was the level 2 area, and then even further 5 kilometer outside was the level 1 area―each of the areas’ borders were encircled with a gigantic wall where no one could pass except through the gate.

It was a Grand Haunted Ground that had grown to possess three areas with a total radius of 15 kilometer.

This wall was used because the Knight Order was once unable to liberate the Haunted Ground, and at that time they encircled it with the wall for the time being and yet in the end the wall too was completely swallowed by the Haunted Ground…these walls were created from the repeat of such occurrences multiple times.

Right now was exactly the time to liberate this Grand Haunted Ground while taking the opportunity to discover the Three Sacred Treasures.

Because before this Kazuki and others had split into two groups and searched the left and right near the entrance for a few kilos, at the beginning there were no figures of Demon Beast around. Everyone scattered widely all at once and the other groups soon became invisible.

“Let’s go around in a circle from the deepest place for our group.”

Kazuki moved following his image of entering the depth aiming for the second wall inside, and from there they were going to go around in a circle. Like that they were going to the place where the magic power was the thickest―which meant that they were going to explore the area with powerful Demon Beast, but a small number of elite had gathered in Kazuki’s group. Kazuki felt that going around that area was only a natural responsibility for them.

Kazuki, Ryuutaki Sisters, Karin, and Kohaku. It was a group with these five.

As far as the eye could see, the more they advanced deeper the dampness and the stench became more choking in the air and around them became a forest of Haunted Ground. There was no green of the nature but a poisonous tint that was spreading around them.

There was still no atmosphere of mountain around them.

“Don’t you dare order me and Nee-sama around, you quack student council president.”

…Shinobu-senpai ignored Kazuki from the very beginning and kept pulling Miyabi-senpai’s hand while advancing forward rudely.

“You dare calling this one’s bosom friend a quack you bastard!”

Behind Shinobu-senpai who was advancing forward, Kohaku yelled exposing her rage.

After Kazuki admonished Kohaku, the result was Kohaku stopped thinking of Kazuki [based in marriage] and tried to build the human relationship between them from the start again. It seemed that she settled down to regard Kazuki in the position as a [bosom friend].

“To insult mine’s bosom friend that has been arranged to become this one’s husband, this one who is his future wife wouldn’t allow it!”

Somehow it was a bosom friend with a really impure feel in it.

But Shinobu-senpai was advancing forward rudely as if Kohaku or anything else didn’t exist.

“Why is she participating in this quest anyway if she just acts like this?”

Karin tilted her head from the totally justified question.

“I think that’s because Miyabi-senpai said that she would participate and so she came along.”

Miyabi-senpai was feeling that she wanted to have a connection to the outside, her consciousness of wanting to become useful to the society with her ability was stronger than other people. She wished to become useful and from that have the surrounding people recognize the power of elves.

Yet with Miyabi-senpai like that, Shinobu-senpai was like a guard dog that displayed its threatening glare so that no one would approach near them…she was someone that was similar to a hindrance.

Even while Miyabi-senpai called “Shinobu!” in reprimand, her arms was still pulled ahead without stopping.

“Wait I mean, moving ahead carelessly like that is really dangerous senpai!”

Kazuki chased them in panic.

But with Kazuki chasing behind, Shinobu-senpai then moved her feet even faster unnecessarily.

“KIIIIIIIIIIIIII!”

Suddenly a gryphon that was lurking on top of a tree that looked poisonous in color determined Shinobu-senpai and other as prey and swooped down nearing them. It was a fantastical wild beast with a head and wings of eagle on body and limbs of a lion.

“HAAAAA!”

Karin immediately dashed and overtook the Ryuutaki sisters and launched a flying kick to the swooping down gryphon with all her strength.

Kazuki sensed Karin’s movement and entered a stance for support.

“GUKIIIII!”

The torso of the gryphon distorted from Karin’s fierce kick. Pulverized sounds rang out crackingly under its bulky fur. Karin’s kick that was strengthened with Enchant Aura possessed a destructive power of that much.

But from the mouth of the gryphon that largely opened, swirling magic power was produced―rather than calling it organism activity, it was a phenomenon that was closer with magic. The whirling of magic power transformed into a whirling of flame and it was spit at Karin along with a long breath like a gale―fire breath.

Karin’s posture was stiffening because of her full power kick to help the Ryuutaki sisters, she couldn’t move to evade.

But Kazuki knew beforehand that the gryphon would do that kind of attack.

“Burn to ashes all that you touch…the scorching heat of rejection without any place to resort to! Self Burning!”

With Kazuki’s support magic, Karin’s body that was very nearly swallowed was wrapped in armor of flame.

The flame armor absorbed the fire breath and cancelled each other.

“Oo! Thank you, Hayashizaki Kazuki!”

Karin raised a happy voice while landing from her flying kick, then she stepped on the earth and filled her fist with power.

There Kazuki controlled the flame armor with Psychokinesis and concentrated the flame on Karin’s fist.

The flame armor transformed into a flame knuckle.

“Oooo!?”

Karin raised a shocked voice while swinging her flaming fist. When she struck a further kick in a combo, Kazuki Foresighted that movement and this time he moved the flame to her toes.

The gryphon that received a boisterous dance of flame raised a scream “KIIIIIII!” and dispersed into magic power light before vanishing.

Karin went “Hooray!” and jumped up and down.

“As expected from Karin huh.”

Kazuki once again felt admiration toward the martial arts of Karin while approaching near the back of the girl that was jumping up and down.

“Oi Hayashizaki Kazuki! It was really great just now you know!? Somehow just now was awesome!”

Karin grasped Kazuki’s both hands and swung it up and down.

“What are you saying, just this much is only a normal teamwork right?”

“Teamwork! I don’t know that! It’s my first time doing something like this-!”

“First time you say…you also fought together with Hayashi Shizuka right?”

When Kazuki said out that name, Karin’s bright eyes became dark and clouded and got dull instantly.

“Fighting together with Shizuka…was mostly painful…”

Now that she mentioned it…the teamwork between Karin and Shizuka was something like that.

Shizuka granted Karin with power of immortality accompanied with intense pain and making her as a wall of meat single-mindedly.

Such an act couldn’t be called teamwork…

“I have the hunch that it’ll be really fun to fight together with you!!”

“That, well, compared to a treatment as a meat wall…sorry to make you remember a strange thing.”

Karin was going “Teamwork♪ Teamwork♪” cheerfully while turning round and round around Kazuki and a little heart mark flew out from her.

Katsura Karin―48

“…”

Kohaku saw that only one gryphon wouldn’t pose any problem and she was being vigilant toward the surrounding if there would be any reinforcement for the Demon Beast or not.

She was really reliable with her calmness.

“…Hmph, a teamwork like that, the teamwork between me and Nee-sama is far more skilled than that.”

Shinobu-senpai stood upright when she was protected by Karin, but even now she was still pulling Miyabi-senpai’s hand while walking ahead briskly. She was trying to walk in the lead stubbornly. Kazuki chased her in panic.

“Senpai, that’s troubling!”

In the space between Kazuki who was hot on Shinobu-senpai’s heels and Shinobu-senpai herself, Miyabi-senpai was being in a dither from the current happenstance.

“KIIIII!”

―Without even any time to persuade Shinobu-senpai, a gryphon once again descended down from the sky before them.

Shinobu-senpai stood right in front of Miyabi-senpai to cover for her.

“You think I care if you bastard is troubled. We are going to show you that other people are unnecessary for both of us! …Thy wings bestowed from Belphegor, o <ice pillar of flame>! Mask us, become the wall of unreasonable contradiction! Cross Conflict!”

After Shinobu-senpai lured the gryphon close enough she cast her defensive magic. Wings of red crystal grew out from her back. Marchosias’s <ice pillar of flame> that possessed contradictory special characteristic of having both powerful heat and chill, these wings were a fragment of its power.

It protected the user’s body from double elements and it could also attack with double elements.

Shinobu-senpai concealed her body with the crystal wings and blocked the claw attack of the descending gryphon. The crystal wing was slightly chipped from the impact. The chipped crystal emitted heat and cold and part of the gryphon’s leg that touched it was burned.

“GUGIIIIII!”

While the gryphon raised a scream it was still swinging both its front legs frantically however.

The gryphon’s claws repelled away the crystal wings with brute force. Shinobu-senpai who didn’t have any knowledge of martial arts couldn’t react to that.

The gryphon wrenched open a gap in her guard and then it brandished its claw.

Shinobu-senpai was struck with one hit on her body and blue magic power was scattered.

“Dance your wing and scatter the spark. Trail behind a spiraling wind, become a life gouging bullet! Flap and shoot out! Barrett!”

Kazuki frantically backed up Shinobu-senpai whose guard of crystal wings was broken. The bullet of flame struck home and hindered the gryphon’s following attack.

But with a glare Shinobu-senpai directed an expression of fury at his direction.

“Don’t interfere unnecessarily!”

With that shout, not only Kazuki, but Kohaku and Karin that was going to enter their assistances also stopped their movement.

“O goddess of affection…please grant the illumination of light toward the warrior that challenge the trial under thy watch. Moonlight Breath!”

While being protected by Shinobu-senpai, Miyabi-senpai chanted a reinforcement magic.

Shadow of the moon faintly floated on the clear sky above their head, the moonlight descended down on Shinobu-senpai.

The blessing toward the warrior of the moon goddess strengthened the physical ability of Shinobu-senpai.

“UAAAAAAAAAAA-!” Raising her voice, Shinobu-senpai blocked the arm that the gryphon swung down. Arm and arm tangled with each other solidly and her posture entered a contest of strength with the gryphon.

‘How rash’, Kazuki was taken aback.

Although she was strengthened, Shinobi-senpai was supposed to be unsatisfactorily uninformed in martial art.

Even just blocking with only her two arms was peeling off Shinobu-senpai’s magic power.

The gryphon whose both arms were restrained pulled back its head and took a stance of going to stab with its beak. With her posture there was no way for Shinobu-senpai to defend.

But Shinobu-senpai barely maintained her chant and cast her magic.

“Kuh…O lonely wolf wandering the forest, thy is bestowed the moonlight from the goddess. That light is the strength of warrior…change the sharp fang into blade, display that bravery! Blade Tusk!!”

Twin swords that danced in the air stabbed at the eyeballs of the gryphon.

The gryphon raised a scream and its movement stopped.

“O crescent moon of the frozen sky, cleave the cloud following the blowing wind, cut down the life of the surface earth…Moon Scraper!”

At Shinobu-senpai’s back, Miyabi-senpai created a blade of crescent moon and threw it at the gryphon.

The blade of light that flew drawing an arc grew large in the blink of eye the moment it was separated from Miyabi-senpai’s hand, it bisected the gryphon’s torso right into two from the side. The gryphon finally scattered into magic power light.

“…How’s that, hmph.”

Shinobu-senpai’s voice leaked out saying that.

“…Didn’t senpai just barely manage it?”

Kazuki rushed near the two sisters with a grieving sigh.

In the first place gryphon was a demon beast that often came attacking in swarm.

Just now it was nothing more than luck that they could somehow make do with just the two of them.

“Hmph, what’s with that weak-kneed posture! It’s just impossible for a fellow without any knowledge of martial art to fight without any vanguard! Yaa―ii, yaa―ii!”

Karin lined up beside Kazuki and directed an abusive speech to Shinobu-senpai like a kid.

But when Shinobu-senpai wordlessly directed a glare filled with sharp glint at Karin, Karin was trembling violently.

“…Ha, Hayashizaki Kazuki, that girl just didn’t get a joke…she’s scaryyy”

Karin clung at Kazuki’s arm in fright.

“…It seems that the playing around is over.”

Kohaku said so with a sigh while looking up at the sky in the east.

“The Grand Haunted Ground is coming at us seriously here.”

At the east sky that was brightly pure white from the morning sun, countless black shadows were floating. The black shadows were approaching their direction while flickering, their contour gradually became exposed―a swarm of gryphon.

The piercing cry of Demon Beast resounded.

“This one is going first! …You just pull back!!”

When Shinobu-senpai tried to meet the assault of the gryphon’s swarm rashly, Kohaku got the drop on her and pushed her down with all her strength. Shinobu-senpai staggered and Kohaku rushed ahead while sparing a backward glance at her.

In the first place Kohaku had a polite personality that put importance on the age order. What she did was rough but it was also the correct judgment.

Karin too went after Kohaku from behind. Shinobu-senpai was left in the dust and missed the chance to continue to be obstinate.

“GOOOAAAAAAAAAA-!”

From their behind, a much heavier growl compared to the gryphon’s cry was resounding.

Kazuki and the Ryuutaki sisters looked behind them.

From behind a giant that might be even as big as a single house―a troll was approaching them while pushing down the trees and trampling those underfoot with a pole that looked like a log brandished in its hand. It was making a face similar like human but they really couldn’t feel any humanity from the bloodshot eyes that peeked out from behind its unkempt, ruffled hair.

With one hand Kazuki held back Shinobu-senpai who might try to leap out at the enemy.

“Certainly I know that both senpai were able to clear all the quests you took till now with just the two of you…but the Demon Beasts of this Grand Haunted Ground are far more formidable compared to your average Demon Beast.”

Shinobu-senpai bit her lower lips and looked down.

“Can senpai engage in a bout with that troll using the way of fighting like before?”

The answer to that question was clear as day.

Kazuki kicked the ground without waiting for an answer and intercepted the troll.

“Miyabi-senpai and Shinobu-senpai, please back us up from behind with magic!”

Even while saying that, he understood that Shinobu-senpai wouldn’t obediently give him such a favor.

Both Karin and Kohaku were excellent warriors.

They could tidy up the swarm of gryphon and the troll without any significant harm.

There was no heaps of corpses all around even with the number of the enemies, the defeated Demon Beasts became light one after another before disappearing.

“…As expected it’s harsh dealing with them with mostly just melee combat.”

Kohaku talked as if criticizing Shinobu-senpai implicitly.

Shinobu-senpai was hanging her head down with a sulking face.

Miyabi-senpai hung her head down with half-closed eyes and put her breathing in order. She was breathing heavily with her shoulders heaving. Miyabi-senpai was trying to do the work of two people with herself alone and continuing to fight with vehement chanting speed.

Kazuki was also doing similar thing, to compensate for the share of Shinobu-senpai who was not fighting, he was constantly minding the battle situation with the gryphon at the opposite side even while fighting the troll, sometimes he let loose defensive magic for his companions.

The troll at Kazuki’s side was a tough Demon Beast, but because it was just a single troll he could do it skillfully.

Indifferent to Kazuki’s hardship, Karin raised a voice that was bursting with cheer.

“Hayashizaki Kazuki! Your magic is awesome! It came flying here right in the critical moments like a hero of justice!”

And then she optimistically went “Teamwork♪ Teamwork♪” while frolicking with one of Kazuki’s hand.

It seemed that she was feeling a great culture shock.

Looking at that Kohaku went “Mu…!” and stiffened.

“In contrast with this one who just got irritated with other people, she instead frankly thanked Kazuki the first thing while fawning on him. A woman that just makes the atmosphere heavy and a woman that can lighten the feeling of a man innocently…by, by any chance is this what is called the difference of the fundamental girl power!?”

Somehow Kohaku began to be calculating of something incomprehensible.

“Kohaku, I also like a stoic person that is strict with both other people and herself you know. Because Kanae is also that kind of type and she makes you feel that with her you can grow together.”

“Is, is that so!? Really!? Growing together…and then after that is engagement!?”

“It’s not engagement…”

“So it’s no engagement…”

Kohaku dropped her shoulders in dejection…

“After all bosom friends doesn’t get engaged with each other.”

“Standing in the position of bosom friend has quickly become really hard…”

“I’ll say this first but you haven’t yet done a single act that is worthy of the title bosom friend.”

“I want to quickly become a bride…”

“I don’t care where just disappear somewhere.”

“Why are you saying such a cruel thing to this one-!”

“Because you are my amiable bosom friend.”

“Ah, is that so? Because we are a fellow bosom friend so that’s a forgivable joke instead. When it’s said like that there is this impression of both of us actually getting along.”

Kohaku came to the grips with Kazuki’s heavy frivolous talk and smiled positively. What a honest fellow.

Karin’s eyes brightened.

“Oi, Hayashizaki Kazuki. If talking to each other like that is what is called a friend then I too am going to be your friend! After all teamwork is fun!”

Karin was nuzzling herself at Kazuki’s arm like a small animal.

Seeing that behavior of Karin, Kohaku was once again getting distressed by something.

“Ho, how licentious…not, is this kind of thing normal between man and woman in this present day…? Then this one too…”

Kohaku went “Eei!” and hugged Kazuki’s other arm resolutely then she rubbed her body at him repeatedly.

“Wh, what are you doing copying someone else! Right now Hayashizaki Kazuki is busy doing teamwork with me here!”

Karin too said out something of uncertain meaning while being burned with sense of rivalry, then she rubbed her body at him all the more.

When it became like that the fire of rivalry spirit was lit up inside Kohaku too.

“ “Rub rub~!” “

…Both of their bodies were not particularly well-rounded figures so when he was scraped strongly that much it felt painful instead.

The two girls that swayed up and down intensely at his left and right were completely like the piston motion of a jackhammer.

“…Hmph, how stupid.”

Shinobu-senpai who became left out of the event murmured as if spitting out.

Karin twitched in a fright and her movement stopped. Kazuki thought that such way of talking was not right. Kohaku went “Rebuttal impossible” and she suddenly became calm in instropection.

“Shinobu, don’t just keep talking abusively like that! You were always disturbing everyone’s group harmony since before!”

Miyabi-senpai shouted after having lost her patience.

“Everything else doesn’t matter…I and Nee-sama don’t need other people at all. It’s fine as long as there is just the both of us.”

“Such thing is obviously impossible!”

Her shoulders shaking, tears were gradually piling up in Miyabi-senpai’s eyes. Shinobu-senpai twitched in fright seeing that expression.

Miyabi-senpai wished for the outside world and volunteered to participate in this quest. She wanted more companions. She wanted herself who was once persecuted to become a hero of the world as a knight.

There Shinobu-senpai was following Miyabi-senpai and tried to drive away the people who tried to become closer to Miyabi-senpai. In spite of how this quest had group activity as its premise.

Miyabi-senpai kept on talking without pause with words that sounded like scream.

“It’s just a delusion to keep living just with both you and me! Whoever it is, even us, can only keep living like this from borrowing the strength of many other people in other places we cannot see! We have to possess the awareness to return the favor for all that…society is something like that, it’s no good to not recognize that when we become adult don’t you know!?”

“…Hnn. If we are not looking at it, then that’s the same with there is nothing there in the first place.”

“That way of living…!”

Miyabi-senpai turned her back on Shinobu-senpai as if driving her off and embraced Kazuki tightly.

“ “Right from the front!?” “

From right beside him where Karin and Kohaku were hugging both his arms, both of them were raising voices that were taken by surprise.

Miyabi-senpai hugged Kazuki right from the front and then she rubbed her body even more intensely than the other two at Kazuki. Different from the other two she felt terribly bouncy. She was a glamorous senpai right about next to Kaguya-senpai.

“Se, senpai…we are watched by her like this!”

While Kazuki was almost led astray by the really sweet sensation, he looked at Shinobu-senpai’s expression in panic.

―Seeing the figure of her big sister getting intimate with Kazuki, Shinobu-senpai’s expression warped into grief.

―As if a frozen water surface was stepped on with all one’s strength, *parin* something was broken.

For some reason the feeling inside Shinobu-senpai was transmitted at Kazuki.

Shinobu-senpai turned her back at Kazuki and others. And then she dashed right away somewhere. She went through a pitch black path with no definite direction into the forest of the Haunted Ground.

The back of Shinobu-senpai that emitted a dim light from her Magic Dress disappeared into the darkness between the tree trunks that twisted eerily.

“I…didn’t say anything wrong…”

Refusing to chase after that back, Miyabi-senpai kept hugging Kazuki as it was and leaked out an isolated voice.

It was a voice that seemed to want to express how she wanted to be separated completely from her twin little sister just like that.

Kazuki felt like his heart was going to be crushed from the grief.

“…But we have to chase her, this place is a Haunted Ground.”

This place was not a place so carefree where they could have a quarrel like this between themselves.

To run off like that completely alone was just…!

Kazuki untangled everyone who was still clinging to him even now and rushed off.

Part 3

Kazuki had the advantage in leg speed. The back of Shinobu-senpai soon became visible for him.

But while he was thinking so, suddenly his field of vision became dim in haziness and Shinobu-senpai’s back disappeared from his sight. White―in front of his eyes everything was completely covered in pure white.

Even the figures of Kohaku and Karin who was supposed to be running with him at his sides became blurred in white and vanished.

When he looked back, the figure of Miyabi-senpai who was supposed to be following along slightly behind them was also gone.

What happened…? It was as if he was running inside a dream….

That’s not it. This was…a fog filled with magic power…?

Kazuki slowed down his legs and looked around his surroundings.

There was already a fog surrounding him so thick that he couldn’t even make sure of anything one meter ahead of him.

“Guys!” He raised his voice but there was no reply.

It was as if his voice was completely absorbed into the mist like silk floss.

…They weren’t supposed to get separated just in this short time.

Not if they weren’t all running to a completely different direction from the start.

[Forest of Bewilderment]―suddenly a single phrase floated inside his mind.

The sea of trees of Mountain Fuji was that kind of forest since time immemorial. It could even be said to be a myth. Haunted Ground and Demon Beast imitated the myth. It wouldn’t be strange even if this Haunted Ground itself and possibly the Demon Beasts that nested in this Haunted Ground possessed the power of that myth.

This mist wasn’t something natural but a mist of magic power. Moreover it chose the time to activate at the worst timing for the intruders who were Kazuki and his group….

Kazuki stopped his legs from his inability to calm his uneasiness.

If it was with this party’s composition then he had already expected that a friction of this degree would surely happen without fail once or twice.

But right at that moment the Haunted Ground inserted interference and made the whole party come apart.

He thought too much of only the possible obstruction from Yamato and the other countries and possibly made light of the Haunted Ground itself. In the first place his decision to bring along Ryuutaki sisters might be too naïve.

For him to dare think that this was a good chance to get closer to those two….

Without even any time to worry, a mass of magic power bloated up in the mist right in front of him.

A gryphon leaped out right in front of his eyes as if it’s body was birthed from inside the mist.

Kazuki drew out his katana and blocked the gryphon’s body ram before parrying it aside.

…If it was him then he could fight no matter how many Demon Beasts.

However if Miyabi-senpai and Shinobu-senpai that became alone was assaulted by a troll…!

He felt the presence of gryphons that formed a swarm from the mist’s opposite side.

Kazuki made an instant judgment. He couldn’t waste time here…it couldn’t be helped!

“Zekorbeni!”

Kazuki created the pendant-type Magic Dress on his neck and poured his magic power into it. The poured magic power became the image of Phoenix itself and was absorbed into the pendant.

{Hoo…so you use it without any hesitation. Even though you were so stingy with it in the Isonokami Shrine.}

Leme teased Kazuki inside his mind not knowing what she was thinking. Just when he thought that she finally opened her mouth after so long….

The situation was different! Besides he had also trained to use it while economizing the output!

{Ain’t that right!}

Leme’s voice was lively in delight from seeing Kazuki using Zekorbeni.

“Mode・Phoenix!”

Flame spilled out from the pendant, the flame turned into a flame armor and covered his whole body.

This was a Magic Dress that he owned only from the number of the bond that he had tied.

At the same time wings of flame grew out lengthily from his back. This was not the Magic Dress―

“O immortal bird soaring from dusk to dawn, please grant that wing of hope on my back! The destruction for the sake of rebirth right here…! Blazing Wings!!”

With the large wings of flame created from Phoenix’s level 5 magic, he cleared off the gryphon right in front of his eyes and also the swarm that was hiding inside the mist.

The mist around him was slightly thinning down from the heat of the flame. While Kazuki fluttered the flame and scattered the mist, he skillfully weaved his way through the space between trees. He concentrated on the link of his bond when he tried to sense everyone’s whereabouts.

The whereabouts of Miyabi-senpai whose positivity level was 55 and Karin with positivity level 48 couldn’t be sensed clearly compared to his other companions. To say nothing of Shinobu-senpai whose positivity level was 2, her location was exactly fitting the word of [inside the mist].

"―Lonely."

Suddenly, a small voice reverberated inside Kazuki’s head. It was Shinobu-senpai’s voice.

The instant he sensed the voice, the coordinate of Shinobu-senpai that he should be unable to sense was faintly shining.

"―Lonely."

This was…the voice of heart of Shinobu-senpai who became completely alone from being [rejected] even by Miyabi-senpai.

Kazuki spontaneously looked around the surrounding mist. Where did this voice come from…?

Magic power was residing inside the surrounding mists, it didn’t touch only his skin but there was also something like peculiar tentacles that stung the mind. Kazuki, and Shinobu-senpai too, they were both inside this mist.

The feeling of Shinobu-senpai was flowing into the mist and got transmitted to Kazuki, it could be like that though.

The extremely strong feeling of loneliness were unconsciously mixing out into the mist.

In a certain meaning Kazuki and Shinobu-senpai were connected with each other through this mist of magic power.

"―Lonely."

The loneliness strongly raised the strength of Telepathy. Just like Koyuki, her isolated environment might also have raised up a strong Telepathy power in Shinobu-senpai too.

Right now Shinobu-senpai was strongly wishing for someone right from the bottom of her heart.

She thought that she was hated by Miyabi-senpai who was supposed to be one of body and soul with her.

Kazuki flapped his wings in full power toward the direction the coordinate pointed at.

"―I’m always together with Nee-sama. We are twins after all."

The mist where magic power light was residing in it continued to transmit words to Kazuki who rushed through the gaps between trees.

It was the voice of Shinobu-senpai's heart that sounded like a young child.

Till now Kazuki had tried hard to understand Shinobu-senpai’s feeling, but it was a difficult thing to do. But the mist began to narrate her heart openly.

"―Why? Why is everyone directing such cold eyes to Nee-sama?"

"―Even father and mother…. He, she, everyone…."

That was a tragedy that occurred everywhere at the period where elves were born into the world.

"―Why does everyone tell me not to get near Nee-sama?"

"―That’s strange. It’s not supposed to be something right. Unreasonable."

"―Those people that say such cruel things, I hate them. Those kind of people are exactly the ones that I have to get away from."

A frank sense of justice that the adults couldn’t even imagine changed into hatred toward everything of the world.

"―Everyone, whoever it is, just leave me and Nee-sama alone."

"―Nee-sama is crying sadly."

"―Don’t cry."

"―That’s not it. It’s not Nee-sama’s fault."

"{Then why?}"

A different voice yet sounded really similar was mixed into the mist.

"―It’s my fault you know."

"―Nee-sama’s hair is shining beautifully in sparkles."

"―However my hair looks dirty in pure black instead."

"―Nee-sama’s ears are beautiful things that grew long and sharp."

"―However my ears are uneven ugly things instead."

"―It’s not Nee-sama’s fault."

"―Not Nee-sama’s fault, not Nee-sama’s fault. Nee-sama is not something like an elf at all."

"―Because of this unforgivable unreasonable thing"

"―It’s not Nee-sama’s fault but everything is because of me."

The words she used to persuade herself was permeating into her own heart irreversibly.

And then she molded a firm world.

"―A world of only me and Nee-sama…."

The words that she used to persuade herself was not entirely transmitted to her companion for all that.

Before she knew it Shinobu-senpai had looked through Miyabi-senpai and became unable to see anything else other than her own self.

That was why before long their path missed each other.

"{I’m important, even though Nee-sama said I’m important, yet why don’t you listen to what I say!}"

It was a piercing voice as if the world inside the mist was breaking down into pieces.

The world that was supposed to be completed firmly shook. The heart of Shinobu-senpai raised a scream.

"―Why…I ask why…."

"―Because if I believe that, this world is going to be completely broken."

"―Nee-sama doesn’t do anything bad."

"―The accursed people that persecute me and me, all of them are the one that is bad, they are the one that is breaking this world completely."

"―Why is Nee-sama eager to get out from this world?"

"―Is Nee-sama starting to wish to be connected to those kind of guys?"

"―It’s lonely."

"―The truth is"

"―The truth is…Nee-sama is…."

"―Even though the truth is that Nee-sama is to blame for everything."

Kazuki folded his wings of flame. Inside the forest that was shrouded with mist, a small back that was crouching down was visible. Shinobu-senpai who was clad in the Magic Dress of Marchosias looked like the wolf puppy that was told in the mythology.

“Shinobu-senpai is just too kind.”

Hearing Kazuki’s call, the girl stood up jumpily and turned back.

And then the surrounding mist was faintly turning blue where she noticed that it was tinged with the moisture of magic power. She suddenly understood what was the meaning of Kazuki’s words.

“This light…don’t tell me it exposed human’s heart as it please!”

“The feeling is transmitted to me from senpai.”

“Even so…!”

Shinobu-senpai stepped forward and with a *pan* she slapped Kazuki’s cheek.

“There is already no one that is going to hurt Miyabi-senpai or Shinobu-senpai. In the past the world misunderstood the elves, it was only that kind of bad timing.”

“Elf or whatever…it has nothing to do with Nee-sama at all-!”

Shinobu-senpai slapped Kazuki’s other cheek one more time. Kazuki let her do as she pleased.

She was saying that kind of thing yet,

―Even though the truth is that Nee-sama is to blame for everything.

Inside her heart, Shinobu-senpai was able to completely understand everything that had happened on her twin elder sister.

Looking at Kazuki who didn’t say anything even though his cheeks were slapped, tears were gathering fully in Shinobu-senpai’s eyes before she turned on her heel from that place. Surely she was going to look for Miyabi-senpai.

Seeing that Kazuki caught her shoulder and held her back in half embracing her.

“I will search too together.”

“I don’t need the cooperation of you bastard!”

“Senpai cannot find her alone!”

Shinobu-senpai’s shoulders shook heavily from Kazuki’s strong words.

“I have the power to sense Miyabi-senpai’s whereabouts just faintly.”

“I’m not going to borrow your strength! No matter how much time passed, I will, with my strength…”

“What are you going to do if Miyabi-senpai is attacked by Demon Beast like that troll while she is alone!”

Shinobu-senpai’s shoulders shook. If it was with Miyabi-senpai’s ability, then she should be able to do something like buying some time.

But if too much time passed then even more different Demon Beast would come as reinforcement.

There would be nothing she could do. Only death awaited.

The Haunted Ground was a place where such happening occurred far more often compared to the battlefield with Yamato.

Kazuki also couldn’t just search for Miyabi-senpai alone. If he just left alone Shinobu-senpai then the same thing would only happen to her. Kazuki and Shinobu-senpai had to be together.

This was something that affected life. Kazuki strengthened his words.

“I too want to help Miyabi-senpai. This world is not filled with only Miyabi-senpai’s enemy. Now is the time for senpai to believe that, if not then Miyabi-senpai will fall into danger.”

Shinobu-senpai looked down as if she was just hit. Strength slowly left both her shoulders.

“If Shinobu-senpai cannot believe me…one of the twin sisters is going to die!”

Kazuki released the shoulder that he grabbed and ran while saying “Miyabi-senpai is over here!”

Having been told that, there was no other direction that Shinobu-senpai should go to.

When Kazuki ran out, Shinobu-senpai moved totteringly―however when the distance between them got too far she followed him in panic. Even though Kazuki quickened his pace, but Shinobu-senpai sprinted fast like a black wolf and followed right behind Kazuki. Kazuki finally felt relieved. He just hurried himself putting aside the other problem for later.

―Before long after running for several minutes, they could hear a sound of battle from the other side of the mist.

The sound of a blow that collided with something, the sound of tree crumbling down hard, those sounds reverberated.

Just from hearing once they could understand that several trolls were rampaging around.

When he took a glance behind him, Shinobu-senpai was going pale from imagining the situation vividly.

The faint scream of Miyabi-senpai was mixed among the chaotic sounds.

“Miyabi-senpai!”

Kazuki called out to Miyabi-senpai who was right in the opposite side of the mist.

At the same time he entered fire into Zekorbeni again and deployed Mode・Phoenix.

Behind him there was the presence of Shinobu-senpai gulped in surprise. This should be the first time she was seeing this power of Kazuki. Kazuki’s greed of going to protect everyone was not just putting on air.

This powerability had to be used for everyone’s sake.

“Dancing wing scattering spark, trail behind spiraling wind, become the life gouging bullet! Flap your wing, whirl up the storm of sparks! Tri Barrett!!”

He immediately shot flame bullets. The familiar Barret had its chanting time shortened from the effect of Zekorbeni and acquired the attribute of rapid-fire. Each of the shots accurately avoided Miyabi-senpai on the other side of the mist and hit only the group of trolls. Even with his field of vision obstructed by the mist, Kazuki could sense the magic power’s movement like seeing shadow pictures and grasped the positioning of his ally and enemy.

“Blazing Wings!”

Kazuki flapped his wings of flame while restraining the enemies’ movement with the flame bullets rapid-fire and intruded into the middle of the group of trolls. He enfolded open his wing of flames right in the middle of the group and went in rampage, exactly like a tornado of flame. The trolls writhed in pain from getting burned while haphazardly swinging around their pole, but Kazuki avoided those through and cut apart the troll’s wrist with Doufuu, The spilled blood spurted up and turned into magic power light before disappearing.

“O ruler of flame and ice, liberate the duplicate body of crimson…ruffle up the fur of fire shadow, stab the red hot fang! Beacon Wolf PackCrimson Wolf Pack!!”

Shinobu-senpai too let fly an attack magic as if to support Kazuki.

After shooting out several flames, those flames turned into the shape of wolf and formed a group before assaulting the trolls.

“O bird of paradise whose body the light of paradise is residing inside, respond to my accusation and burn to ashes the sin on the surface! Israel Judgment!!”

Kazuki matched Shinobu-senpai’s attack magic and shouldered the aurora on his back before firing a laser of super high temperature. The heat ray didn’t only grant damage but it also enlivened the flame wolves even more.

“Shinobu! Also Kazuki…!”

The trolls got frightened from the cooperation of the two’s attack that were like avalanche.

Using that chance Kazuki found the figure of Miyabi-senpai that was half defeated among the group of trolls and flapped his wings to descend down beside her.

The trolls swung down their poles all at once on Kazuki who was going to steal their prey.

“O the ruler of flame and ice, liberate the freezing duplicate body…ruffle up the fur of snowflake, stab the fang of ice pillar! Ice White Wolf PackIceblue Wolf Pack!”

Shinobu-senpai let loose ice wolves and blocked the trolls’ attacks to cover for the extraction.

“Miyabi-senpai, are you okay?” Kazuki confirmed the condition of Miyabi-senpai who was carried inside his arms.

“Ye, yes.” Miyabi-senpai nodded inside Kazuki’s arms. She was in a condition where she was already bearing some damage and mental fatigue, but there was no major injury on her.

The flame and ice wolves bit the trolls to death and eradicated the group.

The strength of Shinobu-senpai when she was giving her undivided attention on her spell chanting at the rear was just as one would expect.

Kazuki put Miyabi-senpai down on the ground that had recovered its silence.

It looked like Miyabi-senpai put [Moonlight Breath] on herself while enduring with excellent Resist technique, she weakened the enemy’s offensive with her mental attack magic while skillfully escaping.

It was fortuitous that the help came in time at the timing when she was finally cornered and surrounded.

“Shinobu, Kazuki, thank you. And also…Shinobu, I’m sorry for before this.”

Miyabi-senpai lowered her head at Kazuki and then she approached Shinobu-senpai.

Shinobu-senpai was hanging her head down and stayed quiet while feeling lost of what kind of face should she make.

“I pondered inside the mist just now you know. I had the feeling that I heard the voice of someone…”

―Even though the truth is that Nee-sama is to blame for everything.

“I’m sorry, Shinobu…in the first place everything is my fault, and yet you keep being together with me all this time. But as I thought all of it was only a problem of misunderstanding and timing. Right now…there are no more people that persecute me already.”

‘That’s why I want to direct my eye to the outside world’, Miyabi-senpai said once again.

“But…I can’t endure the Nee-sama that I love to look at other people…”

Shinobu-senpai murmured to herself. Tears were going to spill out from her eyes that were looking down.

Then she directed her powerful gaze with a glare at Kazuki once more.

“That’s because you still cannot widen your field of vision.”

“…Is such thing necessary, even for me?”

Shinobu-senpai asked while glaring at Kazuki. How right now there was a storm whirling inside her heart was transmitted even to Kazuki. It was a storm that had crooked everything that came near her at any cost all this time even when the one that came near was straight.

Living with twisted way in public ―recognizing one’s own mistake was difficult.

“That’s right, it’s necessary.”

Miyabi-senpai concluded.

[Right now this child should also feel it. Someone that give a talk to her with words that think of her this much, you are the first person that did that in the ten odd years.]

The words Miyabi-senpai spoke to him that time inside the bus that was heading to the front line was floating inside Kazuki’s head. It was because Shinobu-senpai rethought back upon those words that her feeling was transmitted through the mist and reached even Kazuki.

“If…if Nee-sama said that even I need other people. That’s…”

The gaze of Shinobu-senpai that glared at Kazuki changed in atmosphere.

The level of humidity changed, the feeling that was filling the mist was [clearing away].

“Kazuki. …Sorry, for everything to now.”

Without even any heart mark flying from Shinobu-senpai, her positivity level was changing glidingly only in number.

Ryuutaki Shinobu―38

Kazuki faltered. Her positivity level up to now was 2, but it suddenly surged up in one go.

Inside his head Leme explained to clear away Kazuki’s question.

{Surely her positivity level was 2 till now was because she didn’t allow anyone into her heart and she suppressed her own heart strongly. If that suppression is removed, her number will raise drastically…no, her number will return to its original value. After all, in the first place this girl doesn’t have any reason at all to particularly hate you right?}

Now that she mentioned it, before this Hikaru-senpai had also curtailed her positivity level to Kazuki from thinking of herself as a man.

Positivity level was not only increasing little by little, there was also the case where it changed drastically.

Kazuki braved himself and walked near Shinobu-senpai.

“Shinobu-senpai, please become my friend.”

“I don’t know what to do, for that kind of thing.”

Shinobu-senpai averted her eyes from Kazuki and got confused.

Shinobu-senpai who relaxed her face had a pure look like a child.

“Are you not minding, about all the thing I’ve done till now…?”

“I don’t mind. Let’s eat boxed lunch together after this. I have cooked the portion for everyone.”

“My” Miyabi-senpai opened her eyes and mouth widely.

“This is a quest but soldier’s ration is necessary after all.”

“But you didn’t bring anything here.”

“I have Karin hold on to it for me. That’s why, first we have to find Karin and Kohaku.”

“…I wonder if that child was fighting while carrying some baggage around.”

Miyabi-senpai tilted her head in wonderment.

Shinobu-senpai put her hand on her navel that was exposed through her Magic Dress.

“…My stomach is empty.”

“This child is really a glutton you know.”

Miyabi-senpai smiled refreshingly. It was a refreshing expression from having been liberated from a distress. From her chest, an avatar of a golden key floated up and it was absorbed into the stigma on Kazuki’s left hand.

Ryuutaki Miyabi―65

The restraint that held back Miyabi-senpai’s positivity level on [50] was also gone. Miyabi-senpai too had her heart suppressed because she couldn’t make herself like Kazuki by leaving Shinobu-senpai behind.

Golden key―it appeared right in the instant when a bond had been tied with senpai as a definite connection.

“…If it’s now then I can seduce Kazuki…with a feeling right from my heart you know.”

Miyabi-senpai embraced Kazuki‘s arm.

And then *munyu munyu*, she pressed the breast across the thin Magic Dress’s dress on Kazuki’s upper arm.

“Senpai, I’m happy but, what are you doing right in the middle of a Haunted Ground?”

“Fufufu, Kazuki’s red face, how cute. Somehow it looks like a real composure is coming out from my heart.”

That was, well, his face was becoming red. The face of Miyabi-senpai like this was also red.

“What should I do when becoming friend? Those two also rubbed themselves at you though.”

Shinobu-senpai embraced the other arm of Kazuki on the other side and the breasts that was exposed largely from the Magic Dress that looked like underwear were pressed on him *munyu munyu*.

“Even Shinobu-senpai…! So th, this is sister sandwich!?”

“Kazuki’s panicked face is cute♪ Chu-“

Miyabi-senpai kissed at Kazuki’s cheek.

“I’ll copy Nee-sama too…chu-“

Shinobu-senpai too was kissing Kazuki’s opposite cheek with a pure look.

Shinobu-senpai’s positivity level was also increasing led on by Miyabi-senpai’s bold act.

“…This, feels good that my head feel blank somehow.”

“It’s something that feels good when a girl is clinging at a boy. Sounds promising right?”

“Is that so Nee-sama? …It’s not bad.”

Both of them were pushing their chests at his arms from both side while repeating to *chuu chuu* kiss at his cheeks.

“…Senpai you two!” Kazuki was dazed for a while and had his fill completely from that, but he tensed his feeling in panic then. “Kohaku and Karin might be also in a pinch for the moment, so we are going!”

After Kazuki walked out to Karin’s coordinate, before long he could hear voices of dispute from the other side of the mist. Kazuki and others felt their nervousness faded all the more from that.

“This one is charging ahead!”

“I’m the stronger one so I’ll be the vanguard-! You just be the support for me!”

“You can use Summoning Magic right! Think what it meant for the right person in the right place!”

“Even you can make your katana shoot out something *BUU―N!* right! Just make your katana go *BUU―N*!!”

It seemed Karin and Kohaku had a good luck that they could naturally converge with each other even inside the mist. Both of them were able to fight freely whether in range or close quarter. That was exactly why Kazuki was mostly unworried for these two, but consequently because both of them were the all-purpose type it seemed that it had became a dispute on who would be the vanguard.

It was a futile quarrel. Kazuki parted the thicket and approached near those two and called out from their back.

“Both of you are going to be the vanguard together with me. Both senpais will give us back up after all.”

Both of them were startled and turned around their faces.

“What are you two quarreling about? For Karin and Kohaku rather than making strange talk with each other you two will mesh well with each other naturally just by fighting without thinking about unnecessary things I guess.”

“Hayashizaki Kazuki! Who cares about that, look at that! That’s the master of this Haunted Ground see!”

Karin suddenly pointed at an unexpected direction, Kazuki went “Eh?” from surprise and chased at the pointed direction with his eyes.

At the direction where Karin was pointing at was pure white space that was packed full with mist. But faintly inside that mist, a rugged silhouette of a huge Demon Beast could be seen.

He couldn’t see well but it was fairly huge for just a single living being.

He poured even more magic power into his eyes and focused his sight. All over its rugged body that looked like rock, there were many things like a spraying nozzle, it was in the state of emitting mists *pushu―* from those nozzles.

Was it fairly thickheaded, or maybe it was concentrating on pushing out mist, the Demon Beast was not being concerned at all toward the sounds that they made.

“Is that the source that produced this mist!?”

Karin nodded repeatedly on Kazuki’s question.

“We were having a strategy meeting to defeat that thing! But if everyone had gathered then the talk is fast!”

Karin puffed out her chest saying that. He was doubtful whether it was okay to call that quarrel as a meeting though.

“Back up is it…will it meet expectation?”

Kohaku directed a questioning gaze at Shinobu-senpai.

Shinobu-senpai hung her head down completely with a face as if her heart was crushed from guilt.

“It will be okay.”

Kohaku’s doubt was most correct, but Kazuki strongly declared with the intention of taking responsibility himself.

“Is that so, if Kazuki said so then surely it will be okay.”

When Kohaku consented without any resistance, Miyabi-senpai released a sigh of relief and embraced Shibobu-senpai’s shoulder.

Shinobu-senpai stared at Kazuki fixedly and a small heart mark was flying at him.

It seemed that she was happy to be covered for.

“Let’s go. If these members meshed well with each other then there’s no way we’re going to lose to something like a mere Demon Beast.”

After Kazuki called out like that, he took a step forward toward the silhouette of the Demon Beast that was visible through the mist.

It was even more huge when seen from up close. The spouting nozzles that looked like acorn barnacle attached all over its body were continuing to blow out white mist without any pause. Its movement was sluggishly slow, if they were being careless they could just overlook it as a rocky mountain.

The blade of Kohaku and the fist of Karin who were the vanguards were easily bounced back by its rock skin.

Kazuki recalled the time when he had a hard fight against a slime. Liz Liza-sensei’s advice―in a glance the Demon Beast looked like a fantasy organism, but unexpectedly they were following the rule of living things in reality.

This Demon Beast was not merely a moving mass of rock.

In its inside there were necessary features and nerves necessary for living.

“Karin! Hit it with Shintoukei!!”

Karin changed her movement from hitting its surface to an attack that transmitted shockwave to its inside.

“Kuh…this one will devote oneself on defense!”

Kohaku blocked the giant punch with her enlarged <Taroudachi> and protected Karin.

“This guy…looks like he doesn’t really have any brain.”

Miyabi-senpai tested her mental magic and immediately called it off.

“Kazuki, my attack magic is not really effective against this guy. What should I do, teach me.”

Shinobu-senpai too talked with a low, dull sound and directed a relying gaze at Kazuki.

Marchosias was a beast that manipulated heat and cold. However cold didn’t work on rock and even melting its rock skin with superficial heat wouldn’t be any hindrance on its activity.

“This hand reach out to the height of Babel, right now the thunderbolt of god is grasped inside this hand! In accordance with my life, o lightning, whirl following my will! Collider Field!!”

Promotheus’s armament summoning magic―a large-type machine gauntlet was equipped on Kazuki’s right arm. That gauntlet charged in electricity and discharged it.

The attack of the rock giant stopped. The nerves in its whole body were fried from electrical discharge and its rugged limbs were trembling in shivers.

“We are going to stop its movement, so both senpai use Union Magic!”

―With the special bond that was tied between Gremory and Marchosias, these two Divas could use the sole Union Magic in Solomon 72 Pillar. But because Union Magic had to be done with two people chanting a long aria all together while matching their breath, it created a lot of openings. The support of comrades and trust was indispensably necessary.

Miyabi-senpai and Shinobu-senpai started chanting without any hesitation.

Both of them joined their palms together and concentrated with their eyes closed to reject the outside world.

Closing their eyes from the outside world―it was an act with a completely opposite meaning now.

Both of them closed their eyes because they believed that their surrounding would protect them.

“I am the oppressor that reaches my hand to the height of Babel! In accordance with my life o lightning, let’s praise the foolhardiness of the human race! Blitzkrieg!!”

Kazuki piled up even more magic of Prometheus. A large lance was equipped on the tips of the gauntlet that he had already equipped. The electricity of the gauntlet was poured into the spearhead.

“Kazuki! Lend me that robot spear, lend me!!”

Karin begged him with shining eyes.

“Do you have some kind of idea!?”

Kazuki unfastened the gauntlet and equipped it onto Karin’s slender arm. The lance was even longer than Karin’s height, it looked really unbalanced. But Karin yelled lively.

“The eight extremities’ innermost secret is in the spear! I’ll show you here, the <Eight Extremities Grand Spear> learned from Shizuka-neesan!!”

Karin stepped on the ground fiercely, the impact of that step was transmitted into both her arms through twisting movement without leaving any to spare and then she swung the large spear vigorously.

Chinese kenpo’s [thrust] was resembling the [thrust] of a swung large spear.

No, both of them were the same thing in the first place.

“HAAA!!”

The impact that was like a cannon which was produced from the small body shook the enemy’s giant body. The electricity created from the tip of the lance stopped the giant’s movement.

“Karin, aim for the nozzles!”

With Karin’s height she couldn’t reach the nozzles of the giant just like that. But…,

“The sky is verdant, blowing wind drooping grass the dance of heavenly fox spirit, cleave the cloud formation…Wind Riding Least WeaselKazenori Idzuna!”

Floating behind Karin who was preparing her spear was the avatar of a bewitching fox spririt―Tamame no Mae, wind arose at Karin’s surrounding. The wind focused in one direction and threw Karin’s small body to the sky in one go. Karin flew through the sky as if swimming unhindered, where she circled to the giant’s blind spot.

Stepping strongly on the wind, Karin swung the large spear.

“Follow my arm and become meteor! <Shintoukei>!!”

The tip of the spear was screwed into the nozzle’s entrance with the force of a falling star. Cracks were running in radial shape around the nozzle and electric current ran wild deep inside the body.

“Karin, get away from there!”

The giant’s movement stiffened. When Kazuki sensed the height of the senpais’ magic power reached the extremity, he raised his voice. Karin jumped away from the giant that was emitting off vapor trail.

“ “O moon that shine even above the head of deeply sinful person, transform that motherly light into fury, crush this surface! The nightmare of falling moon right here…Moon Strike!!” “

A grand magic was invoked. The howling of a wolf facing the sky was resounding, the clear sky that was obstructed by the trees overhead became much more pitch dark―the far away moon was falling closer and covered the sky completely.

The falling moon that was imitated by magic power flattened the atmosphere where it burned and became a meteor from the generated insulation and compression, it fell on top of the giant while burning the surrounding trees. Overwhelming heat and giant mass smashed and melted the giant in one breath, and it dispersed into magic power light.

“…We did it!” Kazuki’s voice leaked out. Miyabi-senpai and Shinobu-senpai rushed to Kazuki’s sides and both of them *chu-* kissed Kazuki’s cheeks.

“Wha, what the!?” Kohaku opened her eyes wide in shock.

The surrounding mist cleared away all at once and the surrounding scenery of Haunted Ground recovered its original color of mother nature.

Kazuki and others were stupefied in amazement.

The instant the mist cleared, the figure of a giant wall that pierced the sky appeared in front of their eyes.

It seemed that they had arrived into the deepest vicinity of Level 1 area which had the shape of donut unaware. They were standing in a slope under their feet. Inside the mist was turning into a mountain trail little by little.

It wouldn’t be surprising if it was just that much, but there was a rectangle door with its joint inserted into the wall before their eyes, and a Stigmata confirmation device was installed at its side. There was no mistake that it was the gate to continue on Level 2.

That Demon Beast was hiding the gate using mist and safeguarded this gate.

Part 4

After settling its three comrades at the bottom of its stomach, the giant snake went underground deep inside the earth.

Far deeper underground than the complicated underground infrastructure installation that lurked under the city―gas line or water service or electric supply line, into the earth's crust, rather than called digging Midgarsormr was half assimilating with the earth while advancing forward.

It was inside the sea of rock where there was nothing that looked like a landmark at all, but the snake that assimilated with the earth was grasping the destination where it advanced using its paranormal sense.

Before long it leisurely broke through the underground of the wall that concealed the Fuji’s sea of trees.

As expected, the wall didn’t extend down this deep.

The underground of the Haunted Ground was not a Haunted Ground. Haunted Ground was only generated in the domain of human. Because the underground was not included in that domain it didn’t transform into a Haunted Ground. Therefore the snake advanced without even any Demon Beasts obstructing it.

Loki was saying that [the Three Sacred Treasures surely would be located in whether Level 2 or Level 3 area].

If the Three Sacred Treasures had already been created since the old era where that [forgotten hero] still lived then it should be just as Loki said. After all the Level 1 was in the scope of expansion that only happened in the recent years.

Understanding that fact right from the beginning was the advantage of Loki who was a related party with that era. It could be said to be only natural for Loki to show a composed smile.

The snake also passed through the underground of the next wall and crawled into the Level 2 area.

Further deeper…the snake and its party planned to begin their search starting from the deepest part of Level 3.

Surely they could steal all the Sacred Treasures without anyone noticing anything during the time Hayashizaki Kazuki and his group were slowly searching Level 1.

While keeping what Loki said in mind, they also passed through the third wall―*GAKON*.

*GAKON* Midgardsormr felt a sensation that was hard to believe on its face.

Its own face that was advancing through the earth collided with a bedrock. It was unable to assimilate with that bedrock and advance forward. It couldn’t advance even further than this!

While feeling shaken, the snake sensed its current position. This location, was just right under the third wall.

Something that could hinder its assimilation with earth was, a sealing magic. A sealing magic was fixed here.

The Level 3 of the Grand Haunted Ground was being protected by a gigantic sealing magic that extended from the wall on the surface deep into the underground!

With nothing that could be done, Midgardsormr folded its body 90° toward above and rose to the surface.

Getting out its face from the earth, his whole visage was exposed in the blink of eye―Midgardsormr that went out to the earth's surface was as if a towering lighthouse was there.

That huge body was writhing, while squirming around, the three comrades that were settled inside its stomach were spat out.

Ikousai, Hel, Nyarlako, these three people.

“It’s really the worst travel ever.”

Ikousai made a grimace. There was an anecdote that Midgardsorms’s body fluid was a powerful poison that even gave the finishing blow to that Thor of the Norse Mythology. Of course all the body fluid was repelled from her using Psychokinesis, but being transported while wrapped inside a pink grotesque mucous membrane for several hours was not something pleasant.

Midgardsormr returned into its human body and became the appearance of the black robe that was familiar with Loki’s troops. Before Midgardsormr was residing inside a man but right now its host was a woman.

Hel that was also spat out from the mouth was also a woman in similar appearance of black robe. …To be accurate they should be called as [the woman that was possessed by Midgardsormr] and [the woman that was possessed by Hel], but because Loki and his group were naturally thinking that the original personality of the body was not there anymore anyway, just like that they called each other [Midgardsormr] and [Hel].

Midgardsormr and Hel were biological children of Loki that he gave birth himself, they were Loki’s most trusted underlings.

Around them magic power so thick that pierced their skin was drifting, trees that were stained pure black were growing in abundance densely. Overhead many leaves and branches obstructed their view of the sky, in spite of the afternoon, their surrounding felt like inside a room where the electricity was turned off. It was the Level 2 of the Grand Haunted Ground.

Next Ikousai and her group stared at the wall that obstructed them with suspicion.

This was the oldest wall in this Grand Haunted Ground. It was a concrete wall that enclosed the Haunted Ground as the fleeting resistance of the humans at the era where [the forgotten hero] was active.

It was a mere concrete. Moreover the wall had considerably worn out from age.

But an unknown sealing magic gave out the sensation that the concrete was powerfully pressured to become solid.

Surely it would be difficult to destroy this wall even by combining the power of the four people here. If they released out such a powerful magic power then as expected there was the risk of their existences here got exposed. With nothing that could be done Ikousai turned her back to the wall.

“Th, then what are we going to do…?”

Nyarlako asked Ikousai timidly. The girl who was originally an orphan had an anxiety toward stranger. She was suddenly ordered by Kaya to go along with Ikousai and felt baffled.

She was an elf girl whose body was wrapped in punk fashion. Her elf’s characteristic skin was stained black and the long ears were hidden inside the black hood.

Inside the girl, the dregs of that Nyarlathotep was residing. Those dregs was in the process of reviving little by little, but the girl was trying to tame that power to use it skillfully and freely.

“For the time being we are going to immediately search this Level 2 for the Sacred Treasures.”

“Wait…. Before that…” Hel was keeping back the shoulder of Ikousai who was impatient.

Her appearance was still like someone around twenty years old, but her voice was hoarse like an old woman.

“I’ll make this territory…into my territory.”

Hel chanted the short spell that was characteristic of a possessed magician and immediately invoked the effect.

“…O uncomforted people, o unhonored people, stand up from Körthe earth’s cushion…Gleaming DisasterBlikjandaböl.”

In drips, black magic power like sticky and moody mucus were flowing down from Hel’s whole body.

The black magic power went *doro doro doro doro!* in terrific speed and completely covered the ground in wide area before the magic power seeped into the ground of the Haunted Ground.

“…What are you doing?”

Ikousai murmured such. Hel didn’t reply but only lifted the corner of her mouth smugly.

The ground of the Haunted Ground here and there was suddenly bulging up.

From those bulging ground, arms, heads, humans’ upper body were growing out.

From the solid ground―[the deceased] with pale skin were creeping out one after another.

As if the budding plant that showed out its face at the spring, the deceased people were budding out from the rotting soil of the Haunted Ground.

With a gait that was exactly like the spirit of the dead, the deceased were wandering around the gaps between the trees unsteadily.

“The Fuji’s sea of trees was known before as a spot for suicide…this land mesh well with my ability…”

Hel explained the sight that was happening in front their eyes to Ikousai.

“My [Blikjandaböl] is the power to open the boundary line…it’s a power that call the deceased who had no honor and once again bestow them the chance to obtain honor…”

In Norse Mythology the people who accomplished a honorable death was invited to serve under Odin while those dead people who didn’t manage that was invited to serve under Hel.

These dead people mourned their unforeseen death and wished for honor. Hel possessed the power to manipulate that desire.

“I can share my senses with the dead…if Hayashizaki Kazuki stepped his foot into this Level 2, I’m going to detect him straight away…. If we can make him fight the dead and detect his intrusion then we can concentrate on searching the Sacred Treasures without any hesitation…”

“…Hnn, what a distasteful magic. But certainly it serves to be something to be thank for.”

“So it’s fine if it can buy time? Then…”

Nyarlako raised her head and talked.

After that she closed her eyes and concentrated on her magic power. It was the magic of [Darkness Mythology StructureCthulhu that resided inside her.

“Spew out the melody of sacrilege, awaken the memory of freezing immortality…Madness CadenceCold Pray.”

An eerie sound resounded. As if there was a barrage of vulgar drums, a sound that repeatedly swelled out and shrank in the atmosphere.

The sound of a monotone wind like a flute that possessed no melody.

It was something human couldn’t comprehend, a ghastly music that would make the brain trembled in shiver just from hearing it too much.

“…What are you doing?”

Ikousai was not as good as Kazuki in foreseeing the effect of a magic from its magic wave.

To say nothing of how Hel and Nyarlathotep’s magic was belonging under a really minor element that was rare to meet.

“Something was overwritten in my magic…?” Hel slowly tilted her head.

“I endowed Nyarlathotep’s power of madness on Hel-san’s magic. The moment someone see those deceased, the magic of madness will automatically get invoked. …That, I think it will become something that can buy a lot of time.”

Hel once again raised the corner of her mouth smugly. As if she was really pleased.

Nyarlako was hoping to get praised and directed her gaze at Ikousai timidly.

“…As expected, it seems there will be no chance to fight Hayashizaki Kazuki huh.”

However on the contrary Ikousai’s expression turned despondent instead.

Nyarlako hung her head dejectedly. Ikousai didn’t try to understand the nature of a lonely orphan that was still very young at all.

“…Yosh, we are going to look for the Sacred Treasures now! Let’s do this while those guys are still not even aware of our presence here!”

Part 5

“It seems the students of the Knight Academy are entering the Haunted Ground.”

Eleonora said while searching the magic power inside. The Einherjar were hiding right near the wall of the outer circumference of the Grand Haunted Ground, looking for the right timing.

That timing they were waiting for finally came.

Beatrix paid attention at her surrounding while walking near the wall.

“This wall is…adamantite huh. …Should I use [Mjolnir]?”

[Mjolnir], the magic with the maximum destructive power of the god Thor that Beatrix relied the most.

If it was with the one strongest attack in Norse Mythology, then even breaking this wall was not impossible.

“We don’t need to go that far…Damian, your [Mysteltein II] should be able to destroy this wall quietly.”

Eleonora called out to Damian. She had seen through that the hardness of this adamantite was composed from the magical strengthening of its Prima Materias’ binding.

[Mystiltein II] was a Sacred Treasure that destroyed both physical matter and also all kind of magical effect.

“Yosh, here I come.” Saying that Damian too sidled up to the wall.

After chanting for a while, Damian created a large cursed sword in both of her hands.

“The blade grasped in my hand is the ill will that curse the blessing! While wishing for the rebirth someday, the indestructible thread of life of the son of god is severed with this hand! Mysteltein II!”

That blade which had the size almost the same as Damian’s small stature was swung with a speed that even the eye couldn’t catch. *ZUUUUN!!* Raising such a heavy sound, the wall was slashed in rectangular shape and fell down.

“Yooosh, let’s go! We are going to be Kazuki’s nuisance persistently!”

While yelling something troublesome for other people cheerfully, Beatrix stepped inside the Haunted Ground.

“In the miniscule chance that we find something that looks like the Three Sacred Treasures, let’s bring it home and hand it over to Yamato later.”

Eleonora was clearly making an assertion that sided with Yamato.

Even if they backed up Yamato they had the just cause that could make other countries shut up.

Japan had dirtied their hand with a blasphemous experiment that couldn’t be forgiven, they had the data of that experiment in their hand.

“So the talk is that the elites of the Knight Academy are gathering here then? I’m looking forward to it ze!”

Damian too followed behind with a lively gait. The knights of the Einherjar loved battle above all else.

“Fufufu, if possible I want to meet Kazuki in a flawless situation but…”

A troll and a gryphon were standing in Beatrix’s way, but she cut them down in a single blow and advanced forward heavily.

Wondering whether there was anyone that was conducting a showy fight around them, she sharpened her senses clearly.

Choosing the direction of powerful magic power as much as possible, Beatrix was walking forward heavily.

That was why that encounter was inevitable.

“…Beatrix Baumgard…”

Seeing the figure of Beatrix that displayed her appearance impressively from between the trees, that black haired Magika Stigma leaked out a strangled voice. It was the owner of the strongest magic power in the Knight Academy.

Beatrix determined her prey and grinned widely.

“Otonashi Kaguya…. You too are one of the opponents that I want to try to fight at least once!”

Kaguya-sensed Beatrix’s eagerness for battle and raised her voice to her comrades.

“Everyone…be careful! Coming!!”

She wavered just for an instant, then she immediately resolved herself and glared at Beatrix.

It was a small luck that Beatrix made her appearance at her location.

As the student council president that was the strongest in the Magic Division, she would halt this formidable enemy in this place―she resolved herself with that determination.

Part 6

The god of sky rushed through the sky with the speed of lightning.

Ilyailiya Muromets erased her presence and made the knights that were monitoring her sleep with mind magic without allowing a single one to get away, then she rose to the sky.

There would surely be a great commotion when the knights woke up but she was really not worrying about the matter of later.

Japan had been a perished country already anyway…. Ilyailiya was thinking like that.

Right now in this moment everything would be fine as long as there was no interruption from Arthur or Regina.

With a glance she directed her gaze at the GPS bracelet that was attached on her wrist.

This was the problem. …There was a problem, but it was just a small problem.

She had already assumed beforehand that the country of science Japan would make use of this kind of method.

She didn’t know anything about GPSthe eye of the sky or whatever, but to dare trying to monitor this god of the sky was a severely damned action. She would make them realize that the machine civilization was undoubtedly nothing more than human’s extravagance.

Ilyailiya activated the <Deception Recursion DeviceDeception Repeater> that was buried under the skin of the back of her hand. This machine was memorizing the electromagnetic wave from the GPS that was trying to measure Ilyailiya’s position and transmitted back a higher intensity electromagnetic wave with the same frequency. The GPS would then receive the electromagnetic wave by prioritizing the strong fake wave rather than the weak original wave and detected only the fake.

Ilyailiya sent haphazard information of distance and direction toward the GPS.

With this the operator of the Knight Order would believe that Ilyailiya was staying put obediently.

“It won’t be too late even if we are waiting after all the other Magic Advanced Countries are destroyed before exterminating all the machines.”

Ilyailiya was murmuring without any emotion.

“What is convenient is convenient. Arthur and Regina are very devout, but it’s inefficient.”

Ilyailiya wouldn’t be picky with her method if it was for the sake of victory.

Of course a body check had also naturally been conducted on her, but she had already planted all the necessary machines beforehand inside her body.

Who in the world would even imagine that a King of magicians was going to behave like this.

Everything was efficient.

Ilyailiya who was free from the monitoring raised her altitude vertically till she reached the <stratosphere>.

She had received a request from Loki to search the Grand Haunted Ground for Sacred Treasures in the Level 2 and Level 3.

When she heard this story, Ilyailiya was convinced that Japan’s defeat was unshakeable.

The only problem was Arthur and Regina who pretended to be the judges but…, there was no way they could notice for her movement that had reached the stratosphere.

It was not for sure, but Ilyailiya was a type of human that made snap judgment when she was struck with an idea.

She soared to the Grand Haunted Ground without any hesitation with the speed of lightning.

What happened then…without any obstruction from anyone she passed through the first wall from far away on the sky.

And then the second wall. Next was the third―just when she thought so, the lightning was suddenly halted.

Her face almost collided with an unseen wall dangerously.

Wall. That’s right, it’s a wall. The wall was a wall yet it was a wall of magic power.

“Sealing magic, is it…”

Against this seal that stretched from the ground to the stratosphere, Ilyailiya was surprised while still being expressionless.

It was an extremely powerful sealing magic. Which person of Japan that could put something this powerful here?

Without any magic or Sacred Treasures that excelled in seal destruction, even a King couldn’t break this seal.

Those who seemed to have the possibility to break this might be…someone like [Damian] that she had read about from the investigation report about Einherjar, she had been reported to have a [specially mentioned ability] which was her [Mystiltein II].

Ilyailiya descended down to the ground without having any other option.

It was just around the area that was called as Level 2 by the people of this country.

“…There are so many dead people here aren't there?”

Ilyailiya murmured right after she descended down at the pitch black forest.

Part 7

Regina Olympia Folnar was looking.

She was once again bringing her body into the sky.

[Metamorphosis]. The girl could make the divinity of the mother nature to reside in her body. She was unable to reach the stratosphere but with her body transformed into a swan and flew through the sky, those eyes of her possessed the power of a hawk and her sight was strengthened.

Regina was looking.

[Eagle Eye]. There was nothing that could escape from Regina’s sight in this sky where there was no cover to hide at all.

Regina purposely overlooked how Ilyailiya was infiltrating the Grand Haunted Ground with the speed of lightning.

By no means she didn’t possess a method to stop her. However she was thinking that now was not the time to stop Ilyailiya.

“…First it’s fine to make your sin to be definitely clear, o Russia’s foolish King.”

Regina murmured to herself as if spitting out. She was looking down at Ilyailiya.

That fellow was an owner of personality that joined hand with other King….the King of China.

The point was that she was an owner of a gutless thinking that was trying to borrow the power of others.

The King called Ilyailiya was unmistakably weaker than herself.

While believing that, Regina purposefully overlooked Ilyailiya’s infiltration.

―A few dozens of minutes before, Regina was acting together with Arthur.

“An intervention of other Magic Advanced Country in this Sacred Treasures Struggles Race between Japan and Yamato has to be firmly opposed. We got a late start despite the permission Commander Yamagata obtained from Japan’s government because of how long it took but…it’s fine as long as we are not too late though.”

Arthur who proposed to patrol the area brought along Regina and two people of Ryouzanpaku―Shouko and Silirat and they had arrived at the entrance of the Grand Haunted Ground.

“First Queen Regina, the sky is the field that is your forte right?”

Regina nodded at Arthur’s question.

“The possibility that Queen Ilyailiya will infiltrate from the sky is also high. I want to request of you to observe the sky.”

“Very well.” Regina threw in an appropriate response and immediately cast [Leucothea Metamorphosis]. That body of hers was changed into a giant swan.

“I ask you sincerely…please don’t allow any intervention toward this conflict between Japan and Yamato.”

Arthur called to the swan.

Inside her heart Regina was scoffing derisively at Arthur’s stupid honesty.

How could he believe that a King of equal status with him would move exactly as he wanted?

It was decided already that I will move as I please.

Regina who turned into a swan nodded briefly and flew away to the sky.

Next Arthur directed his eyes to both Shouko and Silirat.

“Let’s confirm each of our ability that is necessary for patrol. For me I can detect the magic power that is powerful enough to destroy this wall in a radius inside 5 kilometer. I can also sense the trace of the magic power left behind for about fifteen minutes since it was used. How about you I wonder?”

“Extra Sense is a field that I’m poor at.”

The small statured girl with swarthy skin, Silirat was shaking her head. Shouko tapped her hand on her chin.

“I, Roshouko-san am the one in charge for that kind of thing but…I cannot do it as good as a King like you yeah. My range is three kilo, for magic power trace maybe I can only sense it within ten minutes at most.”

“I see. Then how much time it will take you to circle around half of this Grand Haunted Ground? With the speed I possess it might be around ten minutes more or less with some time to spare.”

“I have confidence in my speed. For us ten minutes should be enough too.”

“Splendid. Then let’s divide our part. I will patrol the east side following along the wall of the Grand Haunted Ground. I entrust the west side to you two. With our speed and the range of our senses, we should be able to immediately detect someone who destroy the wall and infiltrate inside.”

“Gotcha.” After Shouko replied back slovenly, Arthur said “Please” and smiled.

And then he immediately headed to the east and walked away with an elegant gait.

“…From what I see that guy is the most badass among the three Kings, but he is too trusting yeah.”

Silirat murmured idly while seeing off that back.

“I feel the same. I guess that kind of guy is what you called a noble youth huh. Now then…my bad King, but the range of my magic power perception, is 1000 ri in truth!”

“1000 ri is too exaggerated yeah. It’s 3000 kilo right?”

Silirat immediately inserted a tsukkomi at Shouko’s energetic words.

“Shaddup, I wanted to say that cause its called Senrigan. …If I say for real then my sensing range of magic power is 50 kilo and tracing back the magic power trace might be around one hour. Although…it’s only when I get to use this Sacred Treasure.”

Shouko took out a piece of yellowed scrap paper with flourish. But it was not just a mere scrap paper.

“Moreover this [Sacred Treasure] also suck your magic power like crazy though. …See through, <Yin Yang Ultimate MapOnmyou Taikyokuzu! Shingan Kaikon, Map of Heaven and Earth and Mother NatureTenchi Shizen no Zu!!”

The scrap paper on her hand floated in the air gently and then it generated an extraordinary magic power and released it for 50 kilo in the surrounding. Shouko’s magic power was rapidly absorbed into the map and her senses were expanded in proportion of her sucked magic power. All the scenery and magic power illustration within 50 kilo was flowing into Shouko’s head.

Shouko went “wh, what a pain” and her body was oozing cold sweats.

“How is it?”

“Hmm…there is a trace of something’s magic power passing through the underground. The bunch of Yamato had infiltrated the Grand Haunted Ground already. They had went through for quite a while. Right now…they’re entering Level 2. Some kind of magic power is stretching around the whole place of area Level 2. Seems like it had been made into their own territory.”

“Suddenly it went to hell already huh. Anything else?”

“Aa―…at the sky, that Russia Queen called Ilyailiya had already went ‘pyuu―n’ from the stratosphere and flew to area 2. I wonder if it was too high to see for Regina who is patrolling the sky. No, might be that she purposefully turned a blind eye.”

“Why the hell would she overlook it knowingly?”

“That chick mightn’t be as moderate as Arthur yeah. Perhaps she wants an established fact that Ilyailiya really has violated the agreement.”

“Just attempting to infiltrate ain’t enough to wallop her, but if she infiltrate and do something then she can be walloped without any worry, that kinda thing? That chick’s head is also a little screwed up huh. As expected, that’s all then?”

“No, there’s still more. …It’s a long way off from the direction Arthur patrolled. Lucky, it ain’t gonna be anything interesting if it’s the honor student that butted in. This time there is no turn for that guy.”

“Then there is something in the west side?”

“Those bunch of Einherjar destroyed the wall and infiltrated the Grand Haunted Ground. Ain’t much time had passed since they enter.”

“Oi oi, this is the wall they boasted their butt off right?”

“…Oops, they encountered the students of the Knight Academy. It’s the group of that woman called Otonashi Kaguya. It became a battle now.”

“I heard that those Einherjar are savage after all.”

“Oy, you think you can say that about other people yourself just now.”

The duo of Ryouzanpaku that were overflowing with wild beauty were reciprocally trading a fierce smile with each other. It was the smile of veteran warrior that had repeatedly conducted guerrilla warfare with an enormous enemy as their opponent in the parched earth of China.

They didn’t love the battle itself like the Einherjar. Being thoroughly informed of their own capability accurately and making use of that strength to achieve something―they were people that loved a game like that.

“To get choices you can freely pick is really awesome. Now then, first we gotta move to sell some favor for Hayashizaki Kazuki’s gratitude later on I wonder. …Ah, crap, I used too much magic power and my head got dizzy.”

“No biggie, just me going alone is enough.”

Silirat nodded in exultant spirits. She understood her own capability.

She understood that she was under the category of [strong person] in this battlefield.

The foreign warrior that was contracted with the <God of Destruction Shiva> moved out.

Chapter 3 – War Front’s Continual Change

Part 1

Provisions for soldiers were necessary.

Karin’s body made a single rotation with a twirl and she returned from her Magic Dress to her uniform appearance.

She was not just in her usual uniform appearance, she was shouldering a large rucksack.

Putting it down, she took out a large multi-tiered bento box, water canteen, and a leisure sheet.

“You made even the bento together into the Magic Dress!?”

Miyabi-senpai’s eyes turned round from shock. The surprised face of a beautiful woman was lovely.

Sometimes magic power magnificently ignored the law of mass conservation.

“Both senpai are seniors though, I heard that this is a trick that everyone used.”

“Both of us always went on a quest with just the two of us so…we never noticed that kind of idea.”

“This is not a really good thing you know.”

Leme materialized herself beside Kazuki with a slightly bitter face. It seemed that she came to eat bento.

“First there is the definition that [things attached on the body will be disintegrated and converted into Magic Dress], the phenomenon is made to occur in parallel with that principle, but the Diva’s side is also confused when you asked [is it fine for our baggage to be included in that?]. Sooner or later you are going to escalate and ask if it’s possible for a bicycle or a car that make us even more uneasy. It’s not a good feeling for the Magic Dress that is fittingly adorning our own contractor to be made from things like bento. We are unwilling but we give in and allow it if it’s just something to the extent of bento, but don’t you dare make us convert outrageous luggage and treat us like a storage shed.”

Is this a grey zone trick…?

“That is so that Leme is going to eat the bento too.”

After Kazuki spread out the leisure sheet, Leme was the first one to step on it and sat down with a flop.

The multi-tiered box bento was put right in the middle and everyone surrounded it.

The instant the lid was opened, Shinobu-senpai’s expression was colored with shock.

That was because there was a slight surprise prepared inside the box.

There was a brown wild land of meat as far as the eyes could see inside the first box. Hamburgers, meatballs, teriyaki chicken, octopus-shaped wieners, meat rolls filled with asparagus or pot herb, minced meat sandwiched with fried lotus root….

Shinobu-senpai was looking at Kazuki with an expression that seemed to be saying [By any chance this is…], however she immediately averted her eyes restlessly as if saying [No, perhaps it’s just a mere coincidence].

“Shinobu-senpai, I have heard your favorite foods from Miyabi-senpai. Do you dislike it?”

Even after Kazuki disclosed the secret, Shinobu-senpai continued to be restless.

“I don’t dislike it. But, somehow I cannot calm down…I don’t understand what kind of face I should make.”

“It’s fine to be happy.”

Beside her Miyabi-senpai smiled in amusement.

Of course the boxes under the first one were filled by side dishes other than meat. The second box was filled with vegetables and seafood, while the third box was filled with rice balls.

“Kazuki, this one is going to do [aaan]. This is the duty as a wife…it is not, but as a bosom friend.”

“That’s stupid.”

Even while saying that Kazuki still obediently opened his mouth and swallowed the hamburger presented to him.

He had cut up the food into mouthful sizes beforehand in preparation of something like this happening. He was getting used already to this kind of development.

“Hrm, servicing the companion but also ruling the companion…this is the activity between man and woman, it is not, but the activity between bosom friends.”

“Fufufu, well then I’ll do it too. Is it fine like this?”

Miyabi-senpai chuckled coolly and then she presented a lotus root sandwich at him.

“Hayashizaki Kazuki, it’s okay for you to do [aa―n] to me too! Teamwork!!”

In contrast Karin opened her mouth largely with ‘waha―’ while her eyes shined in sparkles.

“What do you want to eat?”

“Fufun, of course the tako-san!!”

Kazuki reverently presented the tako-san wiener to Karin.

“How tasty―. Kazuki’s handmade meal is always tasty―. If I become a wife then I can eat this everyday I wonder―”

Karin happily chewed *mogu mogu* her food.

“…What is called friend is someone that does this kind of thing then.”

Shinobu-senpai was looking at that kind of happening from a place that was a step removed from them.

“Kazuki…I don’t understand the environment here so if you don’t lead me I’m going to get troubled.”

Shinobu-senpai sent Kazuki a demanding gaze.

“Is, is that so, which one does senpai want?”

“All of it is my favorite food.”

That was that. Kazuki picked a teriyaki chicken with his chopstick and said “aa―n” where Shinobu-senpai opened her graceful lips wide like a child. Kazuki fed her with a careful manner of hand.

Shinobu-senpai’s face turned bright while chewing, a small heart mark flew.

“…Next.”

“O, ou.”

Being demanded without any reserve, Kazuki presented the next food.

“Next, rice.”

“Got it.”

Kazuki held a rice ball reverently with both hands and presented it to the mouth of Shinobu-senpai.

“Shinobu, it’s fine even if you eat by yourself you know…?”

Miyabi-senpai retorted with a wry smile. She gave a tsukkomi. Kazuki thought he was saved.

“Nee-sama too, here.”

But Shinobu-senpai pinched a meatball with her chopstick and held it out to Miyabi-senpai.

“Ara…. Fufu, thank you.”

“Kazuki, continue your ‘aa―n’ to me. Come on.”

Shinobu-senpai also disregarded Miyabi-senpai’s pointing out and then she directed an opened mouth at Kazuki.

Kazuki presented meat again to Shinobu-senpai. He was happy that there was a real feeling of his distance with her shrinking down.

But, like this I don’t get to eat then….

“Then Kazuki will be fed on by this one! Here, aaan.”

Kohaku once again directed her chopstick at Kazuki in the critical timing.

Looking at what was happening, an expression of confusion appeared on Karin’s face.

“Eh…I’m feeding Kohaku then…am I…? Somehow I don’t feel really happy huh, doing that.”

While being bewildered Karin went ‘aa―n’ to Kohaku.

“Wait, like this I cannot eat then!”

“Ah, then I’ll do it. But it’s a little hard to fed you like this so how about changing our seating position?”

Miyabi-senpai whose position was a little far from Karin proposed such and raised her body.

The people surrounding the bento box was Miyabi-senpai→Karin→Kohaku→Kazuki→Shinobu-senpai→Miyabi-senpai…they lined up in a circle with that kind of flow.

There was not a single person among the group that fed themselves and they continued to do [aa―n] at each other like a rotary press.

“Karin, you started to lag behind. Gulp down your food faster.”

“You are the one that is too fast―! Feel my groove more and get in the rhythm!”

Kohaku and Karin began to argue with each other.

“If we are going to match our rhythm, I wonder if it’s better to raise a matching yell?”

When Miyabi-senpai proposed so, Kohaku went “That’s it” while clapping her hands.

Having her proposal accepted, Miyabi-senpai made a happy grin.

“Soiya! “Aa―n!” “Soiya! “Aa―n!”, all of them raised a voice like the people that was pounding mocha or shouldering the portable shrine in festival in the end. …He already didn’t understand what in the world was the purpose of this.

“This is teamwork…”

Shinobu-senpai murmured to herself.

“Something like this is the first time for me…to feel this kind of uncommon intimate group feeling…”

Miyabi-senpai whispered happily.

“No, senpai is magnificently misunderstanding something here.”

Kazuki pointed out while being half amazed.

“By the way, about this gate.”

After finishing eating really in that way until the very end, Kazuki began to talk.

If they passed through this gate, they would plunge into Level 2 area.

In their original arrangement first they were going to liberate the whole Level 1 area before continuing to Level 2.

But now that they had discovered the gate, was it okay to just leave it alone. Such doubt was welling up inside Kazuki’s chest.

“As long as we are resolved for the danger, it might be better for even only us to go first into Level 2.”

If there was something there, he would protect his companions without fail. By using Zekorbeni skillfully….

“Why?”

Miyabi-senpai asked. Kohaku and Karin too leaned their body forward in wonder.

“If Yamato and other enemy countries can break through the first gate and infiltrate, then they might also be able to do the same with the second and the third gate and break through here. If the enemies appear right from the front through Level 1 then we might be able to discover and deal with them, but…”

“…While we are slowly wandering around the Level 1 for who knows how long, we might not be able to notice that the other side has already infiltrated Level 2 or 3 ahead of us.”

Miyabi-senpai understood the roundabout talk and Kazuki nodded briskly to that.

“Today, it’s only after we started the operation for real that I first noticed this but…I cannot sense everyone’s magic power while fighting except for just a faint presence. Right now, even if there is a battle happening inside Level 2 or 3, I don’t think we will be able to make any distinction of that magic power with the magic power emitted from the fight of our comrades. In such case the most frightening things are invaders that slipped among our magic power into Level 2 or 3 and plunder that area ahead of us…”

All present kept their silence. Courage was necessary to reject Kazuki’s theory as impossible.

The second gate was installed with a Stigmata confirmation device.

If their own Stigmata was confirmed by the device then they would be able to pass through without any problem.

The Stigmata confirmation device was connected with the Knight Order’s headquarter using a circuit and originally it had the structure to send the data of the confirmed Stigmata to the headquarter, but this terminal was a stand-alone type.

“For this gate to have the device of Stigmata confirmation, this wall and gate seems to be quite new.”

Kazuki opened the gate while making such deduction.

The wall was also sturdily built with adamantite. The Knight Order didn’t just leave this wall unregulated and in order to not let the Haunted Ground expanded more than this it was made to be able to be maintained for a long period of time.

With Kazuki in the lead, the ancient heavy gate of adamantite was opening while creaking *giiiiiiiii*.

―Akane-senpai said before that [Thanks to the wall the expansion of the Haunted Ground can be held in check, however only in that part alone the magic power are accumulating in inward direction and so the moment you pass through the wall it has been confirmed that the magic power’s density will spring up drastically]. Her words were resurrected inside his head.

“…Certainly it’s so thick here.”

The instant they passed the wall, they felt a thickness of magic power that seemed to pierce their skin. The scenery was also changing. The denseness and thickness of the trees in the surrounding increased, their colors surpassed a mere poisonous tint and blackened like an ink. The sky was blocked by black leaves and even though it was afternoon currently, past the wall was completely dark like an inside of a room with its electricity turned off. The ground under their feet was changing into a gently sloping hill road.

Kazuki felt his consciousness becoming distant. In panic he retained his consciousness using Trance. The Haunted Ground’s dense magic power was coming to reap the consciousness of the invader.

Coming until this far, it should be called as a miasma rather than a magic power.

The member that wasn’t really good in Trance―Kohaku groaned “Unuu-“.

“…O naiyoukou polished and burning from the core of navel, drive away the ominous and incite the cool and clear rainbow into the soul! Spirit Weight Long RainbowKikan Choukou!”

Suddenly Karin cast some kind of magic.

Thereupon an intense heat was born inside Kazuki’s stomach at once and rushed about through his whole body like a blood stream. That heat immediately penetrated his mind and cleared away the miasma.

It seemed the magic just now was cast altogether at all members. Kohaku who was weakening was also feeling refreshed from the heat.

“Just now is…?”

“A mind stimulating magic that drives away maliciousness...that’s what Tamamo no Mae said.”

Indeed, it was a magic that could recover the mind altogether from a light mind attack type.

Perhaps Karin would be an indispensable member for them to search the Level 2 even deeper.

“This place is not only thick in magic power.”

Miyabi-senpai murmured.

“…Some kind of magic is overwriting the space itself…”

Kazuki’s complexion changed hearing those words.

When he sharpened his senses, Kazuki was able to sense the same thing.

A magic that affected the space―someone had already come here!?

From the path ahead, a rustling sound of someone pushing their way through the trees approaching near them could be heard.

“Oi…that’s not a Demon Beast.”

Kohaku that directed her sight at the path ahead leaked out a groaning voice.

What appeared from the dark path was a small boy.

The boy was naked without wearing a single clothes and his skin was blue as if no blood was flowing inside.

There were no eyeballs in his head and in its place were only black cavities.

Just from looking at that appearance they were immediately reminded of something. A dead person.

The deceased boy grinned widely the moment he saw Kazuki.

“…Mother said, to not play with you or Mio or Kaya.”

“…!”

Kazuki gulped.

“They are the kid of the institution Mother said. You mustn’t get close to those children who are not raised in decency she said.”

The inside of his heart became discomposed all at once.

Those were words that he had some memories to hear somewhere in his remote past by someone.

The boy kicked the ground after saying just those sentences and leaped forward with a force as if he was flying.

…Fast! It was as if the magic power of the Haunted Ground had seeped into the flesh that had lost its life and acted like Enchant Aura!

The boy came in a head-butt toward Kazuki who was bending forward. Kazuki drew out his sword in an Iai and met the attack.

The katana blocked the head-butt. He could feel a heavy and severe feedback in his hand. Kazuki didn’t block right from the front but parried it to the side diagonally. Having his charge parried, the boy staggered.

“Crush to death, <Taroudachi>! Battou Kaikon―Ashura Ryoudan!!”

From the side Kohaku enlarged her beloved Sacred Treasures and flattened down the boy with one attack. The boy crumpled down and he was buried into the ground with his four limbs twisted around like a frog.

Even so the pitch black eye socket didn’t see Kohaku but kept staring at Kazuki.

“…You got carried away just because you are strong in a fight…”

The boy spat out cursing words that was dripping with unresolved regret at Kazuki.

“Not you, but Mio and Kaya, they are the one that is going to be made crying then…there is going to be no more place to belong or anywhere to escape for you…”

Those were also words he had a memory hearing before in the past.

It was the words from the opponent he had beaten after a brawl…. The boy’s whole body liquefied muddily into a pitch black liquid and seeped into the ground of the Haunted Ground.

“What in the world is that boy just now…”

Kohaku murmured while looking down on the melting boy.

“Gorilla girl.”

A whispering voice could be heard suddenly, Kazuki and the others raised their face.

From the gap between the pitch dark trees, the faces of several girls came out one after another even further.

The girl that stood in the lead focused at Kohaku directly and talked.

“That child, I heard that she wants to become a swordsman and trained her body, not to be a magician.”

The other girls laughed in snickers.

“Let’s call her gorilla.”

“Gorilla.” “Gorilla.” “Come on stop it, the gorilla will get violent and come swinging at us you know.”

“Actually the person herself hates something worthless like a sword isn’t she?” “But it’s because she has to succeed the sword art that has continued for generations she said.”

“It’s a gorilla lineage after all so it cannot be helped.” “Uhho uhho! See me swinging my sword uhho!”

Kohaku’s face blushed bright red in a flash, she gripped her enlarged katana tightly.

“Wait Kohaku, if you rush carelessly you are going to get surrounded!”

Kazuki just barely took hold of Kohaku’s shoulder.

“How dare you in front of Kazuki…calling me gorilla or whatever…”

Kohaku’s voice was trembling in fury and sadness.

It was the voice and expression of a human whose old wound was gouged open.

For Kazuki too, he couldn’t think of those slanders as other people’s problem. The experience of receiving slander without any cause that looked down on swordsman as useless, even Kazuki had felt it before.

“You must not get bothered by that kind of unreasonable words.”

Kazuki said that to Kohaku who was seemed to be made to have a flashback of her past around the middle school.

“Besides instead of a gorilla, Kohaku is completely a beauty.”

“…Ka, Kazuki.”

Kohaku made an expression as if returning to the reality and turned back to look at Kazuki.

“Are you perhaps, saying that because you are properly looking at this one as a woman…”

“That’s just obvious right?”

“Ha? Isn’t the gorilla just getting carried away from getting pampered by a man thooouuugh?”

―The girls’ expression had turned into exactly like the face of [ogress of hell] toward Kohaku who was facing Kazuki with blushing cheeks. And then as one they kicked the ground and charged at Kohaku’s direction.

“U, UWAAAAAA!”

Karin raised a scream. Karin was looking at a different direction.

When Kazuki turned his sight…right there the figure of Hayashi Shizuka’s dead body was standing.

“You dregs…you dregs you dregs you dregs, you dregs of a puppet!”

Shizuka’s face distorted into a look of fury.

“How dare you kicked and stepped on this me…!”

Karin faltered back for a moment, but she soon glared back resolutely.

“I screamed unconsciously just now but…I’m not scared of you anymore! You are just a fake-!”

Shizuka and Karin faced each other and they kicked the ground simultaneously.

Fist and fist, leg and leg, their respective techniques blended with each other just like once before.

Fake….

“Kazuki…”

A voice came at Kazuki’s direction. Led by the voice, Kazuki directed his sight at the voice’s direction.

The sounds of the others’ fight were vanishing toward the far off distance.

Kazuki had his eyes stolen by that dead body.

The dead body of an adult female was standing between the black trees.

It was a female he had a recollection of seeing before.

The appearances of that female…exist in the memory of his remote past, in the time where he was still a baby that wasn’t aware of anything around him.

The scene where Kazuki was abandoned in front of the gate of the orphanage when he was still a baby.

This person was…the woman from that time.

This person, abandoned me!!

Kazuki’s heart shook fiercely. The woman in his memory was hazy, but the dead body in front of his eyes clearly represented the appearance of that person. ‘Was she making this kind of face’, Kazuki’s heart was covered with deep emotion.

“Kazuki, you have become big. You are trying really hard, and you have become strong.”

Slowly that woman was walking nearing Kazuki.

“…It’s fine to not keep persevering yourself anymore. Don’t force yourself anymore, its fine for you to sleep. I will protect you after all. Because I’m far stronger than even you.”

A smooth and soft voice like a silk. He felt like it resembled Kaguya-senpai’s voice in some respect.

That woman reached out her hands to embrace Kazuki.

Kazuki breathed in deeply. He concentrated magic power silently inside his head. He cooled down his consciousness as far as he could. And then from the depth of his stomach, he pushed out his voice.

“Be quiet, you imposter…! Of all things to do…!”

Filling his katana with all the might of his magic power, Kazuki drew out the Iai slash that he had tempered thoroughly in Hayashizaki household.

The female’s head was blown away as if a strong wind was blowing from above.

The female that had lost its head fell into her knees powerlessly and collapsed to the ground, it turned into a pitch black liquid and seeped into the ground. Kazuki breathed out while looking over that situation.

This was one kind of mind attack magic. Kazuki calmed down his heart using the Trance that he had tempered from his special training with Miyabi-senpai and grasped the situation in front of his eyes.

“First there is a magic that produced dead bodies…and then it seems a magic is attached to the produced dead bodies to stimulate people’s trauma.”

After making such analysis, Kazuki began the chant of [Futsu no Mitama]. The sword of evil severing should be effective to attack the dead bodies.

When he looked around his surrounding once more, Kazuki and others were still within several steps away from the gate they had passed.

From left and right, from the front, from the direction of 180° in front of them dead bodies were gathering near in cluster.

“Who is a gorilla! Kazuki has given his understanding of this one’s heart that loves the sword-! He even said to this one that this one is a beauty, so this one is now unrivalled!!”

Kohaku was not agitated anymore already from having her sword training that she had poured her soul into getting made fun of, she mowed down the dead bodies with that sword art.

Karin was surrounded by even more dead bodies. All the dead bodies were wearing Hayashi Shizuka’s face.

“Nee-san is multiplying!?”

It was undoubtedly a nightmarish sight.

“Puppet” “Puppet” “Puppet” like that, the countless Shizuka were disparaging Karin.

“…Nee-san right now is the one that has completely become a puppet!”

Karin declared out an irrefutable sentence while knocking down the Shizuka crowd one by one in order.

The girl’s heart that had already rode past Shizuka’s death had no gap that could be taken advantage of already since the start.

“I’m going to level up from defeating a hundred Nee-san here!”

Karin was running off her mouth as if she was playing an action game together with Kazuki and Lotte while fighting the dead bodies. …Those two were fine.

“Look there, there is an elf.”

“Uwa, the ears are really pointed, what a monster.”

“That is like how an animal became a Demon Beast don’t you think?”

Miyabi-senpai and Shinobu-senpai were receiving unjustified abuse from the dead bodies. They were surrounded by the dead bodies of young men that sported a foul expression. This too was a memory from their elementary or middle school it seemed.

Miyabi-senpai was looking down. Tears were gathering in Shinobu-senpai’s eyes and her face was becoming pale.

The dead bodies were slowly approaching the two sisters who didn’t move at all.

“Shinobu-senpai, you must not yield against something fake like this! …Futsu no Mitama!”

Kazuki cut into the space between Shinobu-senpai and the dead bodies and cut down the youth dead body with one attack.

The blade of evil severing cut both the power of deceiving and the magic power that moved the dead body.

“…Ka, Kazuki…”

Like a child, Shinobu-senpai grasped tightly the end of the back of the uniform of Kazuki who was standing in the way of the dead bodies. It was hard to fight like that. But he accepted it.

“No matter what kind of unreasonable thing that happens, even so from now on I too will fight together with senpai. So it’s okay.”

“Re, really…? You are not going to lie, not going to be gone…?”

Shinobu-senpai questioned Kazuki with a trembling voice. It was a tone like that of a child toward her parent.

A voice that made the person hearing it to think that they absolutely must not betray her hope.

“Really, for forever.”

“…You are going to be my friend forever?”

“To the extent that I want to become more than senpai’s friend.”

Shinobu-senpai hugged Kazuki’s back tightly.

It was hard to fight like this. …But he was happy with this difficulty to fight. A heart mark also came flying.

“Moon Scraper!”

Suddenly a blade of light came flying from the back while drawing an arc, bisecting all the dead bodies into half altogether.

Miyabi-senpai was not looking down from getting scared, she was chanting her spell.

“…It’s okay, Shinobu. Until now you are the one who keeps protecting me. From now on, I’ll be the one that protects you.”

While saying so, Miyabi-senpai embraced Shinobu-senpai from behind.

“Nee-sama…”

Shinobu-senpai leaked out her voice toward the sensation of her big sister from behind while hugging at Kazuki. Being wrapped by warmth from behind and front, surely she couldn’t feel anything like loneliness at all anymore.

The posture of Kazuki and Shinobu-senpai and Miyabi-senpai turned into something like a make-believe train.

It made it difficult to ask them to release him.

Kazuki called out to them “Let’s go, senpai!”, and just like that he faced the dead bodies and swung his sword while still in the posture of make-believe train.

“Warm…this is teamwork…”

Shinobu-senpai who was clinging at Kazuki’s back murmured.

‘That’s not it’, he thought.

“Kazuki…if it’s hard to walk then perhaps we need to yell ‘one, two, three’ I wonder?”

Miyabi-senpai said.

Don’t need it.

Part 2

“…Hayashizaki Kazuki and his group finally arrived at Level 2.”

Hel who was following behind Ikousai who was silently defeating the Demon Beasts while advancing talked.

“They are faster than I thought. …Are they blowing through Level 1 and came to look at the situation here?”

Ikousai clicked her tongue. She was told by Loki to avoid an encounter with Hayashizaki Kazuki at all cost.

They still couldn’t find even a single Sacred Treasure.

“Err, my magic is…”

“They are defeating the dead bodies in a really good pace. I don’t feel any considerable effect from your magic in blocking their way.”

Nyarlako hung her head down dejectedly.

At that time a lightning descended down before Ikousai’s eyes. Silently a huge light landed in front of Ikousai it made her think whether it would pierce the ground, but the light then turned into the form of Ilyailiya in her pure white Magic Dress appearance.

This magician turned her body into light and displayed her form like a lightning.

“Question. Have you found the Sacred Treasures, o the King of this country?”

Ilyailiya called Ikousai who was the contractor of Susanoo as the King of this country.

As if such fact was only natural because Ilyailiya herself was assisting her in her endeavor.

“In my side, I have found two things that seemed to look like it.”

Ikousai could only stare blankly hearing those hard to believe words.

When she looked carefully, there was a mirror in Ilyailiya’s right hand and a number of red magatama connected through a string in her left hand. The mirror in the right hand was suddenly thrown at Ikousai’s direction.

Ikousai received it even while in confusion.

“I’ll entrust one in your care.”

“…Why?”

“Because everything will be for naught if you meet an untimely death in this Haunted Ground. That thing can become your strength right? It also should be useful for fighting the Demon Beasts.”

Ilyailiya was worrying whether Ikousai would be taking some delay because of the likes of Demon Beast.

Understanding what Ilyailiya meant, blood rushed to Ikousai’s head in fury.

“Having said that entrusting both of these to you altogether is also worrying. Because if both Sacred Treasures are stolen then there will be nothing more you can do. To breakup the risk I will carry one. Though this is not something that I can use.”

Ilyailiya coiled the magatama that was tied together with a string ―the <Yasakani no Magatama> onto her left hand that it was wrapped fixedly there and then she turned her back to Ikousai.

“I am thinking of searching the surrounding a little bit more. Because the last one still hasn’t been found.”

“It seems that Hayashizaki Kazuki finally arrived in this area.”

Ikousai presented the information as if boasting that by no means she didn’t acquire anything in this place.

Ilyailiya looked back expressionlessly as if she didn’t have much interest of it.

“I earnestly ask you to not do anything like challenging Hayashizaki Kazuki to battle. O King of this country.”

Ikousai grinded her teeth hearing those words. She felt even more fury on the woman in front of her eyes.

This woman too…is looking down on me…!

After that a fury toward herself boiled up inside.

Ilyailiya transformed into light and left that place with lightning speed.

“…We are going to defeat Hayashizaki Kazuki right now.”

Ikousai murmured to herself.

“Hahe-?”

Nyarlako leaked out a hitched voice.

“…Why? That’s different, from the order…”

Hel pointed out with a hoarse voice. Hearing the word ‘order’, Ikousai got even more irritated.

“Order you say? Who is the one that is ordering me around! No matter Kaya or Loki, I don’t have any intention to get ordered around by them!”

“Our objective is the Sacred Treasures…there is no reason to fight Hayashizaki Kazuki here…”

“What do you mean there is no reason? Don’t say such idiotic thing! Even more important than collecting the Sacred Treasures, it will be far faster and certain if we defeat Hayashizaki Kazuki right here! I can do that!”

“We are Loki’s troops…. If you are not moving according to Loki’s plan, then right now we won’t cooperate anymore than this with you in this place…”

“You think I will allow such willfulness. You bastard and also Loki are people of Yamato. All of you entered under my command for this operation. If you are not going to obey me…then no one is going to protest even if I lined up the head of you three bastards in this place.”

Hearing Ikousai’s words, killing intent wordlessly filled Midgardsormr’s eyes.

Nyarlako was timidly taking a peek at everyone’s faces in turn.

“Hayashizaki Kazuki has left behind his other comrades and came to this area right under our nose with a few number of troops, such chance has fallen into our lap. Our side can one-sidedly grasp the whereabouts of those guys, so we can even slip amidst the confusion of their battle with the dead bodies and launch a surprise attack.”

“…Our camp has obtained two of the Sacred Treasures already, so there is no need to force ourselves…”

“But of course. But in critical time we can even escape with Midgardsmormr’s ability, as long as they don’t freeze the ground like in the previous battle. We are going to fight while holding the initiative, an escape route is also readily available. Such a good chance must not be wasted. If you bastards still has some intelligence remaining to think for yourself then surely you can understand.”

Ikousai who was arguing for argument’s sake became self-aware that the reason she was saying right now was just a minor reason.

If she went back like this with two out of three Sacred Treasures in her possession, surely she could win with that in the decisive battle. She was supposed to win.

But like that the achievement of collecting the Sacred Treasures belonged to Loki and Ilyailiya.

If she could…she wanted to win against Hayashizaki Kazuki without the cooperation of Loki and Ilyailiya who didn’t believe in her strength.

Right now was the last chance where she could do that, she noticed that along with the fury she felt to Ilyailiya.

“Hel. Gather the dead bodies all at once in those guys’ location and make the timing for the sake of an ambush. And then hold back Hayashizaki Kazuki’s four companions with all of you. I won’t let you say you can’t do that.”

Part 3

How should she fight?

Kaguya who had resolved herself instantly worked her brain.

Rather than herself, the one who held the battle’s initiative right now was [the strongest close combat warrior] Beatrix.

Right now there were also swordsmen in Kaguya’s group but…surely they wouldn’t even be an opponent for Beatrix. Then, preferably…!

“I’m doing a good battle, welcoming a good death, I’m a person that wish for participation in even more battle of heaven! The divine protection of blood color in my eyes! Berserk!!”

Without even allowing Kaguya time to consider for long, Beatrix’s eyes were colored like blood. Her dynamic vision and physical ability were magnified, it was the specialty magic of Beatrix who turned into a berserker.

And then Beatrix rushed at Kaguya with full speed.

Beatrix withdrew a large sword from her waist and slashed it with all her strength. Against the sudden development and the step-in with terrific speed, the swordsmen in Kaguya’s side couldn’t even react to protect Kaguya.

Like that was fine.

…She lured the enemy until just barely. And then,

“O desire lurking inside the sea of heart, pass through the deeply sinful flesh and reach out that hand! O embodiment of violation entangle following the desire! Desire Tentacles!”

Magic power shone from Kaguya’s body and that magic power fell down into the ground.

Beatrix’s blade was swinging down at Kaguya―in that instant, countless tentacles burst forth from the ground and entangled Kaguya, raising her up high in the air.

“Nuu-!?” Beatrix who raised a surprised voice had her blade cutting empty air. Beatrix’s nerve reflex was excellent but she couldn’t go as far as predicting magic.

The swung down blade bisected the tentacles from its roots.

But right before the tentacles were cut down they threw Kaguya far away with a *pon*.

Kaguya landed with a lot of distance opened between her and Beatrix.

Beatrix wasted no time to pursue in order to close the distance.

“I’ll pin down Beatrixthis girl!”

“I’ll bring down Otonashi Kaguyathis girl!”

Both of their voices overlapped without any arrangement beforehand. Kaguya felt a sense of responsibility, because Beatrix as a warrior that revered the Norse Mythology wished for a personal duel against the strongest enemy from her instinct.

“Desire Tentacles!”

Kaguya cast the same magic again and this time she made the tentacles waited in standby below the ground.

Beatrix rushed madly ahead without paying it any attention and once more swung down the Norse’s large sword with her strong arm once more.

Kaguya resolved herself and accepted that one diagonal slash. Without even taking a single step to evade, she was just springing forth Psychokinesis that ran counter against the slash―Resist, and then.

“I curse thy without even any hesitation of getting wounded myself…shared pain is my joy! Cry and shout toward the mirror reflection! Suicide Black!”

Kaguya emitted out magic power vigorously and then transformed it into a jet black mist that entwined her body.

Beatrix immediately realized the dreadful meaning of attacking Otonashi Kaguya, the Magika Stigma who possessed the alias of Nightmare Bringer.

“UOOOOOOO-!?”

Unknown violent pain that she couldn’t even imagine.

The sensation of her flesh cut open from her shoulder until her waist, of the blade sinking down while cutting open and crushing the flesh and bones.

[Suicide Black]―The pain that was supposed to be produced from the opponent’s attack was reflected back just like that to the opponent, it was that kind of magic.

Beatrix shouted. But it was not a screaming voice.

Smile floated into Beatrix’s mouth, a tone of delight was mixed into her voice.

“Is that so…my attack is, this kind of thing huh…!”

Seeing that reaction, a cold shudder froze Kaguya’s spine.

“O divine protection of militarist, double the Megin whirling in my body! With the will of god that spur me toward infinite battle, in this body! Meginjord!!”

A belt of light whirled on Beatrix’s body, doubling her physical ability.

Beatrix reversed her blade with her attack power further heightened and without any hesitation Beatrix launched a second attack at Kaguya.

“GUUUUUU! …Fufufu! FUHAA―HA-HA-HA!!”

While repeatedly yelling and laughing explosively, Beatrix kept swinging down her sword on Kaguya more and more.

She should be receiving pain of someone that had welcomed death twice or thrice already.

Along with Beatrix’s yell and laugh, Kaguya’s magic power was also getting rapidly smashed and scattered apart. What was protecting Kaguya’s body was only the Resist that was produced by Kaguya herself.

[Suicide Black] was only returning illusionary pain and didn’t possess any defensive effect whatsoever.

It was not a defensive magic, it was nothing more than a magic to make the enemy hesitated to attack.

But it was impossible to blow any cowardice into this warrior and made her did things like hesitating to attack.

And then even a single attack of this formidable enemy was really heavy when endured by something like Resist.

“I see, certainly the pain increased after a reinforcement magic was chanted! As expected from the magic of our god Thor!! That Divine Protection, I can feel it myself with my body here!!”

Unbelievable. This person…was trembling from joy!!

“O Thor the god of Asgard! Enjoy my blade dance and resound the roar! The thunder of heaven reside in this sword, already even the exchange of fighting is not allowed, send to oblivion!! Fjorgyn Megin!!”

Beatrix held her sword aloft high to the sky and lighting fell on that silver blade. Lighting element was enchanted on Beatrix’s large sword.

This berserker was going to heighten her own attack power.

She was not satisfied with just the pain of having her body slashed, she also wanted to taste the agony of electrification with her own body!

Kaguya faltered. Electric shock was an infinitesimal phenomenon that was produced from electron’s motion.

It was a difficult phenomenon that was hard to imagine for human. Namely it was hard to generate electricity with general magic, therefore it was hard to offset it with Resist.

But Kaguya couldn’t predict Beatrix’s attack like Kazuki.

If she couldn’t predict the attack then all of Beatrix’s attack was impossible to avoid with its god speed.

The single attack that hosted electricity cut apart Kaguya who was covered in black mist.

Kaguya tasted a sensation of her mind shaved off with grinding sounds while standing upright.

Beatrix yelled while laughing.

“O the god Thor! See clearly of my valor that doesn’t yield no matter in any kind of suffering!”

The Einherjar’s steel precept and the warrior’s instinctive masochism were changing the agony into pleasure.

To be a user of electricity on top of being a masochist…this was the worst compatibility with her!

“O shapeless and mute shadow, become the fish that swim inside the darkness that is pregnant with obstructive thoughts! The origin of nightmare, vicissitudes of materialism, answer to the terror and hope and bite…! Deep Specter!”

Kaguya endured the intense impact form her smashed magic power while chanting and she cast her magic.

From the shadow behind Beatrix whose head was full with pain, something attacked.

The blackness of the shadow abruptly swelled out while getting up from below, it changed into a monster with sharp fangs lining up in a row inside its widely opened mouth. That big mouth was biting at Beatrix as if enveloping her from right above.

“UOO-!?”

Beatrix whose concentration was stolen from pain got hit by that surprise attack completely. Getting eaten by a monster starting from her face, Beatrix swung her arm in an attempt to stab her blade to the monster.

But at that time the tentacles that were waiting deep in the earth bit and tore the earth to stretch out as if waiting for exactly that timing, entangling themselves at Beatrix who was trying to swing her blade.

Even in the case that she didn’t yield to the pain, her consciousness was undoubtedly disordered right now.

If Kaguya could buy time from that disorder of the mind, that was enough.

“You think you can seal my movement with just this much-!”

Beatrix raised a thundering roar while filling her limbs with power, then she tore apart the tentacles.

Then once again, she stabbed her large sword to the monster that had swallowed her from her chest up and wouldn’t release her.

The shadow monster was stabbed with blade and it reflexively leaped back from Beatrix. The shadow monster tried to separate its distance from Beatrix and escaped. Beatrix mowed down the tentacles in her surrounding, and after that she drew near to stab a finishing blow to the monster―her awareness slipped away from Kaguya.

It was a narrow-mindedness that was unlike a veteran warrior.

…It was enough as long as her consciousness was disordered.

Kaguya sneaked closer to the back of the berserker without fearing the close-quarter range.

“Five star shining at the interstice between life and death, pillaged by the whim of the god of death that keeps turning, turn into a mute and miserable clay doll! …Near Death Roulette!!”

Kaguya raised the scythe that destroyed a sense with each attack.

Until now Kaguya hadn’t shaved Beatrix’s magic power satisfactorily. But even so there was no problem. This scythe destroyed one of the five senses one by one with each strike, and then it would sever the magic power circuit between the brain and the flesh with its sixth strike.

“…!”

When Beatrix stabbed the finishing blow to the shadow monster, with a ‘hah’ look of realization she noticed and looked behind her.

“Let’s go to the direction of the Einherjar group.”

Shouko decided while directing her senses of sight all over the Grand Haunted Ground using the <Onmyou Taikokuzu>.

“Why? Ain’t the commotion at Level 2 have higher importance?”

Silirat asked while clinging behind the squatting Shouko who was concentrating her mind.

“To go to Level 2 we have to follow Hayashizaki Kazuki’s path and pass through the gate, that will take too much time. Demon Beast is also gonna come out during the walk there.”

“Wonder if I can’t just bust up the wall―”

“We ain’t gonna know for sure ‘til we test it. It’s better to not do anything we ain’t gonna know unless we try it.”

Silirat shows a sign of wanting to test her own strength but Shouko talked drily toward that.

“Rather than that…what do you think Hayashizaki Kazuki fear the most? For his comrade to get done in a place he know nothing of yeah. We can buy the most gratitude from him if we save his comrade from that you know.”

“I seee―, ain’t any mistake about that―! Well then…as expected Kou-jie cannot move right now huh?”

When Shouko cut off the magic power supply toward the Onmyou Taikyokuzu, she fell into her butt right in that place with a thud.

“No― good it’s no good, if you ask whether this Sacred Treasure is convenient, it’s really convenient but its magic power consumption is just the worst―. There ain’t anymore magic power left to even raise a single chopstick-!”

“Ca―n’t be he―lped huhh. Well…it’s gonna be enough with just the second rank of Ryouzanpaku here, this Silirat Denkaosen-sama! I’m offff!”

Silirat stood straight.

“Idiot. Don’t face them three to one but join force with Hayashizaki Kazuki’s comrades and battle together. The opponent too is the Einherjar you know.”

While waving her hand lazily toward Shouko’s instruction, Silirat followed along the route of Einherjar’s infiltration.

Part 4

“Kazuki”, Shinobu-senpai who was still clinging on Kazuki’s back opened her mouth.

Further behind her Miyabi-senpai was clinging at her and even now they were still looking like a make-believe train.

“Is something the matter?”

Kazuki asked back while cutting down the approaching already dead body.

“I have been thinking this for a while but by any chance…Kazuki…is this difficult for you to fight?”

Kazuki became unable to say anything.

“…I’m sorry. I have noticed, but I wanted to stay like this and don’t want to separate.”

From behind Kazuki, the presence of Shinobu-senpai getting really dejected was conveyed to him.

“It’s okay senpai, because the feeling of happiness being like this is far bigger compared to the difficulty of fighting.”

“…Really? You are not just being considera…?”

“It’s true. Because of the dead body just now that mimicked someone I knew, I too became feeling lonely.”

“Then just a little more, I’ll stay like this.”

A heart mark came flying from behind. It was hard for him to swing around both his arms like this, but the dead bodies were already unable to display the power of their curse due to Futsu no Mitama’s power and they were reduced into a mere puppet.

“KII…”

But―now that he thought again, this place is a Haunted Ground.

It was something obvious, but the enemies were not only the dead bodies but also the Demon Beast.

Getting attracted by the sounds of Kazuki and the others’ fighting, there were things that came flying from the sky far away like crows that crowded around rotten trash.

What appeared from the darkness of Level 2’s forest were ominous devils.

Wings growing rough and bony like bat’s, large eyeballs―[Big Eye] raised a gaze filled with magic power at him.

It was a mind attack magic. Kazuki concentrated his mind and endured and severed the gaze itself with Futsu no Mitama.

A muscular devil with similar wings growing on its back and a goat face―a number of [Great Demon] too were forming a crowd and came flying. Against the demon who possessed strength far surpassing human and brandishing a trident, Kohaku and Karin bore the full brunt of their attacks and protected Miyabi-senpai and Shinobu-senpai.

The dead bodies also still remained. The dead bodies were also entering into the mix and it became a melee.

Someone that could display their strength in a melee, existed inside Kazuki’s comrades.

“Kazuki…I’ll properly fight with a real teamwork! …Thy wings bestowed by Belphegor, o <Ice Pillar of Flame>! Grasp the hell’s air superiority, hand down the explosion of contradiction without letting any to escape! Burning Icicle!”

Shinobu-senpai separated herself from Kazuki’s back nimbly and created Marchosias’s phantom body. Shinobu-senpai and Miyabi-senpai straddled the wolf that grew wings made of red crystal and dashed to the sky.

Raising to even higher sky than the flying Big Eyes and Great Demons, they scattered around red crystals from there. The red crystals that emitted bomb blast laced with heat and chill at the same time exploded one after another. The demons and the dead bodies were smashed apart everywhere from that destructive power.

“Senpai, thank you very much!”

“I’m doing my best. Look more. Praise me.”

“Shinobu-senpai is strong! You are so cool!”

“…Fufufu.”

When Kazuki sent his cheering, Shinobu-senpai made a peace sign at Kazuki with a delighted face.

It felt heartening from the senpai who had become conscious of teamwork.

…But there was still an anxious feeling that irritated his heart remaining.

In this Level 2, there was someone that created this situation.

It was the person that chanted the magic for the dead bodies. Someone was infiltrating this place.

If they are not quickly discovered, the Sacred Treasures inside the Haunted Ground might be stolen and it would be a game over.

Kazuki felt impatience inside his heart. But Demon Beasts and dead bodies were standing in the way of the impatient Kazuki.

…Rather, wouldn’t the intruder come this way to their location instead….

Such desire floated inside Kazuki’s mind for a fleeting instant, then it was right at that moment.

“…O toxin that resides inside the anguish, rot life in general…Wind of PlaguePlague Pain!”

From the other side slipping between the dead bodies and the Demon Beasts, Kazuki felt a magic power being generated.

Magic that scattered poison around―Kazuki sensed that from the wavelength of the magic power.

A surprise attack. But a method to deal with that easily came into his head because this was a magic that was similar with Mibu-senpai’s chanted [Apocalypse Venom].

Kazuki wasted no time in chanting the magic that would deal with the poison magic.

But the surprise attack didn’t stop until just that.

“Psycho Noise!”

That was also the same magic that Nyarlathotep once chanted. Consequently Kazuki swung Futsu no Mitama even faster than his thought and cut down the sound wave of the mind attack itself.

Thanks to that he could cast his magic.

“O stream of atmosphere, converge in this body, become the storm that reject the hated person! The eye of the typhoon is exactly my throne! Storm Fort!”

Kazuki brought forth a fierce tornado in the surrounding of himself and his comrades.

The wind containing toxin that was chanted by someone was scattered apart to another direction due to the tornado that Kazuki broke out. All the more the Demon Beasts that was the Big Eyes and Great Demons were falling down noisily before vanishing. From the tragic appearances of the Demon Beasts, he knew how powerful the toxic magic was.

He guessed that the opponents were aiming for a surprise attack with a powerful poison magic while sealing their magic chanting.

Thank heavens, he could quickly disable all those ambushes.

And then at the same time, this was a good news for Kazuki.

Someone was coming to ambush them―this was just what he hoped! He would absolutely not let them escape from this place and defeat them right here!!

He even thought “Stupid idiot” toward the enemy’s action. No matter how he thought about it, showing their own appearance was a poor move.

Kazuki’s quick interception that confined the surprise attack instead became a surprise attack for the enemy themselves.

This is not the time to hesitate!!

“Zekorbeni!”

Kazuki drew to himself Prometheus’s consciousness through his bond with Lotte into the pendant-type Magic Dress on his chest. His bond with Lotte that had reached 150 became a new possible power for him.

“Wisdom DressMode・Veritas!!”

Kazuki’s four limbs were wrapped with streamlined silvery Magic Dress.

And then he instantaneously cast Prometheus’s magic.

“Wings soaring in heaven, glaring eyes, invading world-destroying conflagration―manifest the authority of god right here, I advance deeper and deeper as the agent of civilization! Deep Striker!!”

A huge thruster unit was equipped on Kazuki’s body before he accelerated to the front in one go. The Futsu no Mitama that was protruded forward blown away all the lining up dead bodies and devils―

He pierced the person that was hiding ahead of him.

“GUGAA…!” the one who leaked out such voice was a pale-skinned woman wearing a black robe.

Kazuki had seen before this how Loki’s troops in Ise Imperial Shrine were covering their body with this robe.

This was the magician where <Hel> was residing in her body.

Beside her, a girl whose body was wrapped in black punk fashion was directing both her hand at Kazuki.

He remembered seeing this girl before―she was the girl called Nyarlako that was introduced at him by Kaya!

Right now that girl was facing Kazuki in exactly a posture that was right before activating her magic.

“Answer my voice from the chaotic space sector…Dark Star SpaceMeteor Zone!!”

A small black whirl was created within the girl’s two palm, from there countless small meteors were shot like a shotgun.

This time too he made his judgment instantly.

“O guardian of human race, the wisdom for the sake of opposing the will of tyrannical god right here…Custom Liberion!”

Kazuki instantly cast Prometheus’s level 6 magic, he replaced his armament to that.

From [Deep Striker] that specialized in straight line movement―to [Custom Liberion] that specialized in short interval repeated movement in all directions.

Kazuki read through the meteors trajectories and slipped through the gap between meteors and meteors in high speed zigzag.

While running away from enemy attacks, he confirmed the enemy’s figures.

Nyarlako. Hel. A reptile-faced woman who wore the same black robe―there was no doubt that this woman is the magician that was possessed by Midgardsormr. And then…Aisu Ikousai!

The woman whose body was wrapped in a lustrous Japanese clothes was among the group!

Kazuki directed the large-type gatling gun that was installed on Custom Liberion and fired wildly. Hel, Nyarlako, and Midgardsromr, these three helplessly had their magic power shaved off in grinding sounds.

But Ikousai was the only one that quickly evaded from the line of fire.

“All of you hold back the other bunches!!”

Ikousai called out to her comrades while casting her magic.

“…What is offered here is dance of scattering flowers like a storm! Calling the storm o honored god, dancing under the heaven please grant thy breath on my back! Fuujin Kenbu!!”

Ikousai’s contracted Diva <Susanoo> blew out a storm on Ikousai’s body and that wind accelerated Ikousai’s movement.

Ikousai put her body out of harm's way from the gatling with light movement as if riding the wind.

“Kazuki, the dead bodies and the Demon Beasts has all been cleared…!”

Shinobu-senpai who was mounting Marchosias scattered apart many red crystals on Ikousai from the sky. But Ikousai predicted the falling points of those crystals and evaded nimbly.

Kazuki knew very well how hard it was to land an attack on Ikousai.

“Storm Fort!”

Kazuki cast the tornado magic once more. This magic didn’t only protect the body using tornado. With that tornado controlled by Kazuki’s will―he granted a complicated movement to the red crystals that were freefalling. The bomb blasts of heat and chill were also pursuing Ikousai freely due to the wind.

“Checkmate…”

Shinobu-senpai murmured to herself with a heated voice. A heart mark flew at him.

“Impudent behavior…!”

Ikousai desperately ran away from the crystals but Kazuki chased her with [Custom Liberion].

“Meteor Shot!”

Nyarlako fired countless meteors at Marchosias that continued its bombing from the sky.

“O power of the earth, bite at the prey that possesses will and life…Snake Rock BiteIwark Bite!!”

Midgardsormr hit her hand on the ground and countless rocks were flying up from there, the flying rocks transformed into a series of rock forming a snake that then attacked Marchosias.

Even though the phantom body of Marchosias barely evaded the meteors, its balance was broken from the motion and it was assaulted right at that timing by the rock snake that leaped at it in straight line. The snake entwined Marchosias after ramming its body and bit with its rock fang. The phantom body of Marchosias raised a roar while vanishing.

“KYAA-!”

Ryuutaki sisters that were riding Marchosias’s phantom body fell down.

“O warden of the soul…form that authority in my hand, Life ReapingGrim Reaper!”

Hel created a huge scythe in her hand and leaped at the falling point of Ryuutaki sisters in waiting.

The magicians of Yamato displayed an unimaginable teamwork.

“This one won’t let you! …Crush to death, <Taroudachi>! Battou Kaikon―Ashura Ryoudan!!”

In order to prevent Hel, Kohaku leaped forward. Enlarging her beloved Sacred Treasures, she struck Hel’s scythe with all her strength. It turned into a sword-locking contest between a scythe and a sword.

“Now, Karin!”

When Kohaku called out, Karin rushed between the gaps of the huge Sacred Treasures and leaped into the bosom of Hel like a gale. She stepped on the earth forcefully to leap and then rammed her shoulder with all her strength in a collision.

“Iron Mountain PushTetsuzankou!”

Karin’s small statured body was exactly like a bullet of cannon, Hel was blown away for a few meters backward.

Shinobu-senpai who safely landed on the ground said her gratitude with “Thank you” to the two.

“We are comrades so it’s only natural.”

When Kohaku said so, Shinobu-senpai opened her eyes wide and her cheeks tinted red.

And then she approached near Kohaku and kissed her cheek lightly. Kohaku’s eyes turned round from that.

“Wh, what are you doing!?”

“Friend.”

“Friend!?”

And so on, the two made a clamor at each other right in the middle of a battlefield.

“Then me too.” Miyabi-senpai too kissed Kohaku’s cheek.

“Eei, this one felt a little embarrassed somehow!”

Kohaku tore off herself from the twin sisters that were nuzzling themselves at her.

Nyarlako who was the enemy was looking at that spectacle with envious and somewhat greedy eyes for some reason.

“Anyway Kazuki, leave these guys to us and bring down the enemy’s general!”

With Kohaku’s words giving a push at his back, Kazuki concentrated his senses at Ikousai without any reservation.

“Ikousai! So you dislike settling this through something like a treasure hunting and purposefully coming here huh!?”

“…That’s not the only reason!”

Ikousai talked back with an expression as if chewing a bitter bug.

At that time Kazuki noticed that Ikousai’s left hand was holding something that looked like a mirror.

Because of that Ikousai was right now holding her sword with just one hand.

Perhaps she had an experience in two-swords style from the beginning, he couldn’t feel any awkwardness in her stance.

Was that a new Sacred Treasure again? Just like the time at Isonokami Shrine.

Mirror…. No, don’t tell me….

Kazuki thought that now he had to defeat Ikousai in this place without fail with even more urgency.

“My bad but this time I’ll go full power right from the start…You made me use the power of Solomon! Thunder descend down on my body granting me lighting thought and god speed…wake up the sleeping lion! Ride Lightning!”

He cast Baal’s reinforcement magic that amplified and accelerated the electric signal that rushed about throughout his whole body.

Not to mention his physical ability, his mental activity was also accelerated making his magic power got amplified too. It also accelerated the function of [Custom Liberion] that maneuvered using magic power as fuel.

His bond with Lotte that now resided inside Zekorbeni became a potential that widened Kazuki’s width of tactics even further. When it became like this then Kazuki too already couldn’t be said as inferior in speed against Ikousai.

“Thy fury is the happiness of the war Shrine Maiden. Answer the kagura of soul invitation and spring forth the storm of outcry, part the cloud and please descend here…spirits and demons in this body! Super Strength InvitationChouryoku Shourai!!”

Ikousai too layered more reinforcement magic on her body in concert with Kazuki. The super strength of Susanoo entered her four limbs and increased her power.

The battle between the two had already became something like what was promised and sword exchanges in supernatural speed began.

The tendency was immediately leaning on one side.

“Kuh…you became faster than before!?”

Ikousai leaked out voice of confusion toward Kazuki who was slipping from blind spot to blind spot.

The angular-shaped armors of [Custom Liberion] that was attached on Kazuki’s four limbs were provided with flexible thruster units everywhere on it, Different with [Deep Striker], it was possible to freely accelerate, suddenly brake, and change direction with it.

Moreover that movement was not from running on the ground but a free three dimensional maneuver in the air.

Even further both of the armors on the legs were provided with sharp blades, it became possible to even launch a slash with both legs.

It was already a completely different thing from a sword art that was controlled using human’s flesh body. Amidst the super acceleration that made it like the time was compressed, Kazuki was pursuing a completely new form of sword art.

Acceleration, variegated movement, Kazuki’s slashes which were types that had never been seen before easily cornered Ikousai.

“You change until this much with just the power of the King!? So I’m still lacking this! Susanoo’s power is <Usurpation>…if I don’t steal from someone then…!”

Ikousai barely evaded, deflected, and parried Kazuki’s attack by predicting ahead.

She could defend, but the difference in speed stole all of Ikousai’s chance to counterattack.

But even from Kazuki there was a scheme to penetrate the defense and deal a blow to Ikousai.

“Shit-!”

Ikousai back-stepped as if saying that she couldn’t bear with it. That action was born not from the thought that she could escape from Kazuki who surpassed her in speed, but from a psychological reflexive action.

It was an action born from impatience, a simple action that originally mustn’t be taken as a swordsman yet she was forced to take.

“Deep Striker!”

Kazuki once more instantly cast a magic with the power of Zekorbeni and replaced his armament.

This armament was exceedingly better in straight-line acceleration.

Kazuki accelerated in one go and caught up to the back-stepping Ikousai.

That magic which was instantly cast using Zekorbeni displayed no omen that could be predicted beforehand.

A sudden acceleration without any previous sign. Ikousai was unable to react against this sudden approaching. Kazuki thought that he himself too would not be able to react if the same thing was done to him. Putting aside warrior like Beatrix that moved using nerve reflex, it was impossible to avoid this for a predicting swordsman. Because it was so for himself that was why this option flashed inside his head.

Not being allowed to react at all, Ikousai was pierced with a speed of lightning.

Ikousai’s body was blown away from the recoil of the smashed magic like being hit in a traffic accident.

If she got hit with one more attack, she wouldn’t be able to escape anymore after that.

Kazuki pursued Ikousai even faster than how she was blown away and added even more one, two, and three strikes. Ikousai’s body was sent flying like a pinball continuously.

Right here he was going to stab the finishing blow. Kazuki rushed ahead with that intention.

“…Su, Susanoo’s blessing o the <Inadzumaspouse of Ina>, display the crushing power that cover the earth with wild violence…Subjugation Heavy ThunderHeitei Banrai!!”

But while receiving Kazuki’s consecutive attack, Ikousai was chanting a spell in order to change the flow of battle.

The high level magic of Susanoo, the person that call the storm and also the person that subjugate the country.

All of a sudden dark clouds were hanging over the head of Kazuki who was trying to continue his attack.

Clouds that were fully filled with electric charge were colliding with each other and rain of lightning were falling down chaotically from the impact.

It was impossible to avoid even with Foresight, a large scale destruction magic.

“This hand reach out to the height of Babel, right now this hand grasp the lightning of god! In accordance with my life, o thunder, whirl following my will! Collider Field!”

Kazuki wasted no time in creating a gauntlet and spread out a barrier of electricity from there.

Seeing through the attack’s element from the magic power’s surge and from there picking out the most optimum defensive magic was Kazuki’s prided tactic.

But the roaring of the lightning rain continued without stopping even when all of the gauntlet’s energy had been released, granting grave damage on Kazuki’s defensive magic power and [Deep Striker].

Ikousai finally came out in a counterattack. While the lighting was still shining, she brandished the blade that glinted silver and pierced the thruster unit. With that one attack [Deep Striker] lost its function and dispersed into light.

Having stolen Kazuki’s mobility, Ikousai floated a smile on her lips.

“Custom Liberion!!”

But Kazuki immediately poured his magic power back into Zekorbeni and once again equipped back a mobile armor on his body.

“…It’s not just a mere part exchange before this!?”

Ikousai’s smile was erased from shock.

Even though she thought that she had finally broke the equipment…like that her expression was colored in despair.

“You concentrated you magic power in that pendant! …No, something is possessing that pendant!? You mean the ability of the King of Solomon…is instant chanting just like the possessed magician!!”

Finally the thunderclouds were clearing up.

In their surrounding trees were scorched and the land turned into a wasteland, Kazuki was confronting Ikousai with an unobstructed view.

“It’s no big deal just because the trick got exposed!”

Accelerating the Custom Liberion, Kazuki once more pushed Ikousai into a one-sided defensive battle.

Now that he thought again this was the first time he fought Ikousai using Zekorbeni.

He could win. If he could use this power skillfully, they were not equal in strength.

But it couldn’t be said that he had it easy. A large amount of his magic power was sucked into Zekorbeni and his consciousness became hazy. Regardless of the control training he had done, he was forced to feel the severe sensation as if his brain tissue got sucked each time he used the power of the pendant.

Deep Striker, Custom Liberion, Deep Striker―and so on, using all of those consecutively cost him an unusual consumption of magic power.

If Ikousai noticed Kazuki’s exhaustion and brought the fight into a protracted fight, the situation would surely get turned around with Kazuki put into a predicament. By no means could he let his exhaustion to color his expression.

He had to overwhelm Ikousai with a cool and composed expression as if he still had energy to spare.

When Kazuki patched up a relaxed smile on his face…impatience clearly appeared in Ikousai’s face.

“Shit-! Fast! Are you saying…that I’m no match for you in this situation…!”

Kazuki cast even more magic.

“O bird of paradise where the light of the heaven reside in that body, burn to ash the sin on the surface following my accusation! Israel Judgment!!”

Kazuki chanted Phoenix’s magic normally while Prometheus was residing inside Zekorbeni.

Dazzling light converged on Kazuki’s back, that light became a huge heat ray and shot at Ikousai.

Similar with Ikousai’s magic where Kazuki couldn’t do anything to evade, this too was an attack where there was no way for her to evade. Despair colored Ikousai’s expression.

But in a drastic change Ikousai made a face that prepared herself for the worst.

And then she suddenly thrust forward the mirror that she held in her hand and had never used at all until now. It was an old-fashioned bronze mirror.

“Illuminate all creation, <Yata no Kagami>! Fuukyou Kaikon―Water Mirror ShieldMikagami no Tate!!”

The bluish-dark dull bronze mirror absorbed Ikousai’s magic power and recovered its shine, at the same time it grew big and turned into a shield. The touted mirror shield reflected the heat ray Kazuki fired in its mirror surface.

When the heat ray was reflected in the mirror, all of the heat ray was absorbed into the mirror shield.

Kazuki’s eyes opened wide. A defensive ability that made a level 6 attack magic completely powerless…!

Just as he thought…that was one of the Three Sacred Treasures!

“It got blocked…you bastard’s attack! It got completely blocked just now!!”

Ikousai too let out a voice that seemed to say that this was the first time she knew about the power of the Sacred Treasure that she just used.

Kazuki pushed down his agitation. He must not lose his composed expression.

He wasted no time to close the distance and swung Futsu no Mitama.

Ikousai’s posture was disarrayed but the mirror shield that her hand kept putting up reflected Kazuki’s arm.

Thereupon the mirror shield moved with a forceful speed and blocked Kazuki’s slash.

With uninterrupted movement Kazuki swung the blade on his leg at Ikousai. But the movement of that leg was also reflected on the mirror. The mirror shield once again moved with a forceful speed and blocked the blade.

Rather than calling that mirror’s movement as Ikousai’s will and decision, it was as if the mirror had its own will. The shield drew in attack, possibly the attack was sticking to the shield and got blocked.

This was…a shield that blocked every attack that was reflected in the mirror…!?

“Ku-…OOOOOO-!”

Suddenly Ikousai howled.

“Susanoo, hand me more power! No matter what kind of method I have to use, right here…!”

At the same time with her howl, a dense magic power was whirling at Ikousai’s right arm. The magic power that increased in thickness twisted reality, twisted Ikousai’s arm. Ikousai’s fair-skinned and captivating thin arm that stuck out from the sleeve of her glamorous kimono swelled up with her bone and muscle expanding, turning into a manly arm that shined with black luster.

It was Susanoo’s arm.

“Ikousai…you are going to hand over your own body to the Diva!?”

Kazuki felt a strange impatience. The opponent that he recognized as a rival was…in the process of throwing away her body!

“I’m not handing it over! I’m not going to throw away the fact that I am me!!”

That was what Kazuki once warned Ikousai about.

“…Susanoo! What you give me is just a right arm, that’s all!! I won’t allow anyone to look down at me…as myself!!”

Kazuki circled to Ikousai’s blind spot while she was yelling and stabbed Futsu no Mitama.

The stab that was like the sting of a bee was repelled away automatically by [Mikagami no Tate].

There was a need to circle at Ikousai’s right side―the range where it was not reflected at the mirror in the left hand.

But naturally Ikousai had saw through that Kazuki would move to that side.

“Polishing the heaven’s steel of iron sand o Totsuka no Tsurugi…release the flash that gouge the storm! This is the Orochi no Aramasa…the descend of tearing limbs from limbs, Ame no Habakiri!!”

The deep black right arm of Susanoo cause forth a swirl of magic power like a windstorm, it converged into Ikousai’s hand and became a single sword.

It was a mysterious sword with its edge of the blade forking into eight. That sword produced eight line of slashes with one swing.

In order to drive away Kazuki that was circling outside the range of the mirror, Ikousai mowed that sword horizontally in a large movement.

Kazuki too saw through that trajectory and made an abrupt turn to right overhead with Custom Liberion.

Ikousai’s blade was cutting empty air―or so he thought.

But the slash that was produced with Susanoo’s strong arm didn’t end as just a normal slash and created a violent sword wave. Eight line of windstorm―rather than calling it a slash it was already a large scale attack magic.

Kazuki was planning to evade yet getting struck by the aftermath of the windstorm, he was blown away.

If he got hit by that attack directly, the damage from that wouldn’t compare with anything he got until now.

“…The offensive power and defensive power…I’m surpassing you bastard in both now.”

With her right arm turned into a demon’s arm and her left arm holding the mirror shield, Ikousai glared at Kazuki.

But Ikousai’s expression warped into anguish.

“This is not a fight between swordsman anymore already…. Even if you bastard increase your power of King Solomon, I’ll show you that I will surpass that with my own way….I and you are equal. That’s why I will win in the end, in the number of the Three Sacred Treasures…. And then your power will be…gu-!”

From Ikousai’s yelling mouth, blood was spilling out in globs. Her white skin and the glamorous kimono were dirtied in reddish black. Ikousai had only her right arm possessed by Susanoo and was trying to hold back even further invasion into her body just by willpower alone. But her struggle against Susanoo distorted and destroyed her body from the inside. Her spine spasmed and Ikousai who was transformed into half-demon continued to spit out blood.

“…This is the limit already.”

A hoarse woman voice―Hel’s voice.

Two people in black robe and Nyarlako were rushing in escape toward Kazuki and Ikousai’s battlefield that had turned into a wasteland. Behind them, Kohaku and the others were chasing them.

Did the other side’s battle also ended up in a draw? …No, compared to the black robes, Kohaku and others’ exhaustion was more intense. In other words they were not the one that were at their limit but they had judged that Ikousai had reached her limit.

Ikousai that was spitting out blood raised her face fiercely and glared at the woman named Hel.

“You bastard…you are still looking down at this me huh…I am…!”

“…Getting possessed by the power of Diva as one wants and then using that power freely is not something that simple. Still, we and Loki will lend you our power…. If you are going to fight in that way, then time is necessary.”

“Kuh. …Remember this, Hayashizaki Kazuki! I will be the one that win in the end! Even if I have to sell my soul to the devil!!”

“You are going to sell your soul to the devil!?”

The appearance of Ikousai whose right arm had been transformed into Susanoo’s possession was undoubtedly looking like someone that had sold her soul to the devil. But to go even further than this―the fearless smile of Loki came to mind in Kazuki’s head.

This girl just now was talking in the way that seemed sure of herself that she could gather the Three Sacred Treasures in greater number than himself. That matter made Kazuki felt even more uncanny rather than the matter about Susanoo’s arm.

Loki was leading her by the hand…Ikousai was being degraded into Loki’s pawn.

“We are drawing back, Midgardsormr! I’m taking home the Sacred Treasure!!”

Ikousai directed the mirror shield at Kazuki while running to the direction of her comrades.

Midgardsormr transformed her body from her human form into a gigantic snake in the blink of eye.

“…You won’t get away!”

Kazuki started to chant [Moves in the Field] to freeze the ground.

If the ground was frozen then Midgardsormr’s escape magic that assimilated herself with the ground to escape would be unusable.

“Psycho Noise!”

But in order to interfere with Kazuki’s chant, Nyarlako fired the sound wave of madness.

Kazuki swung Futsu no Mitama and tried to cut away the interference sound wave itself.

Nyarlako went “Now that I remember, he can do that!” and made a face that seemed to want to cry.

At that time something was flying at Kazuki from the sky and broke off Futsu no Mitama from the base.

“!?”

Kazuki failed to bisect the sound wave and received the interference sound wave directly, making it felt like his head was going to split. The magic that he was preparing was dispersed. What is that just now…!?

Something was flying here in high speed and broke Futsu no Mitama.

Something small from the sky flying here…a small meteor?

Kazuki looked up above his head. Right there the silver queen was calmly looking down at Kazuki and the others―no, she was looking down at Ikousai and her group.

Kazuki felt the temperature of his body grew cold all at once.

Ilyailiya Muromets!!

“Explain yourself!”

She talked with a sharpness of a silver knife.

“Explain yourself, I should have warned you already not to fight with Hayashizaki Kazuki. Then why are you exchanging blows with him right now and furthermore you got cornered like that?”

Even earlier than hearing the answer to her question, Ilyailiya sensed Ikousai and her group’s preparation to escape.

“…No, an answer is unnecessary. Just escape like that. I will support your endeavor.”

Although she said that, Ikousai’s escape was already at the stage where any assistance was unnecessary.

“Random Escape!”

Midgardsormr that had turned into a gigantic snake swallowed whole her comrades and leaped into the ground from the head. *zuru zuru zuru!* That long tail of hers was assimilating into the ground and her body was absorbed inside.

But Kazuki didn’t give a damn to their escape with his attention stolen by Ilyailiya.

No, his soul was stolen by the several red magatama that was connected by a long string on Ilyailiya’s wrist.

That was…that too was one of the Three Sacred Treasures.

The mirror shield that Ikousai used and also the magatama that was coiling around Ilyailiya’s wrist.

These guys somehow infiltrated until the depth of the Haunted Ground and had already discovered two of the Sacred Treasures.

…Loki was leading their hands. There was no doubt that he was the one that created this situation.

Ikousai got away.

“Everyone.”

Kazuki didn’t remove his sight from Ilyailiya and called to his comrades.

A King that had already reached completion.

…She was an opponent that had taught him once already the difference between their status.

While a heavy pressure that was like a pure black liquid was enveloping the bottom of his guts, he spitted out words of heavy determination.

“We are going to defeat Russia’s Queen, Ilyailiya right here. We absolutely must not let her get away from here.”

Chapter 4 – Verge of Death

Part 1

Regina flew through the sky with wings of swan, waiting for the moment when a large magic power was once again taking off from the ground.

The instant when Ilayiliya was flying away to the atmosphere. There was a chance for surprise attack there.

In contrast with <troposphere> that continued from the earth’s surface until the sky, <stratosphere> that was in higher stratum than troposphere possessed a different structure, so to speak both of them was like [a different world] already. To cast magic, the caster had to imagine the coordinate of the thing that would become the target. But for a human that was situated in the troposphere, it was hard to imagine the different world called the stratosphere. Right now, atmospheric current was blowing fiercely like jet above Regina’s head while silence was spreading in the stratosphere that was at the higher stratum ahead.

It was an exceedingly difficult thing to do to attack Ilyailiya who pierced through this climate filter and flew in stratosphere.

Consequently that fact became an opening.

There was nothing that this Regina Olympia Folnar couldn’t do. In the instant the prey escaped to a safe area and felt relieved, she was going to snipe her down.

“Fufufu…one of the Advanced Magic Country will vanish here.”

Quickly fly away from the earth's surface to this place already.

Just come already from the Haunted Ground where you had piled up the sin that Arthur had called as [breaking the balance of the world].

Regina herself didn’t trespass into the Haunted Ground for even a single step. She was merely handing down the judgment to Ilyailiya.

Regina made a smile and looked down to the ground. Even though she possessed the eyes of hawk, as expected that didn’t mean that she could examine the state of the battle in details. But in the corner of the Haunted Ground where a rain of lightning had devastated the forest of the Haunted Ground into a wasteland, she was able to slightly confirm the situation that a battle between Kazuki and Ikousai was unfolding.

“So he drives away that swordswoman. …Though that way of fighting, he didn’t do that to me before.”

Regina’s tone of voice was slightly mixed with tone of interest. She had the hunch that he cast a different attribute of magic instantly. Was this what was called as the power of King Solomon…. If the [good quick wit] that he displayed in his battle with her that time was added with [varied way of fighting]….

“But Hayashizaki Kazuki might die here though.”

Regina murmured while looking down on Kazuki who was facing Ilyailiya.

Part 2

The blade of [Near Death Roulette] cut through Beatrix’s shoulder with a single stroke. Kaguya raised up the swung down scythe while observing carefully what senses that Beatrix lost and added one more attack. Beatrix got hit by consecutive attacks because she was still reeling from the unusual phenomenon that was happening in her body.

“Mu…this is!?”

Even Beatrix who had many battle experiences raised an agitated face while taking a few steps back. Seeing how her footsteps were unsteady, Kaguya confirmed that she had stolen Beatrix’s eyesight. …She won. If her opponent was not someone like Kazuki who was a master of Extra Sense that could even sense the opponent’s movement just from the magic power, losing eyesight was a fatal loss.

She was going to risk the match here. Kaguya shortened the distance in order to shower her attack on Beatrix and raised her scythe.

The blade slashed empty air.

Beatrix bent backward accurately with a paper thin difference and then she swung her large sword with a transcendence balance even while still bending backward. Kaguya was shocked while her body was reeling from the impact of the smashed magic.

“Fufu-, what are you getting surprised about! I have fought warriors that were holding a scythe 38 times! It’s far fewer than the number of time I have fought swordsman though! If the rough movement of the magic power can be grasped, the body will naturally move following what kind of trajectory the scythe is drawing you know!”

Kaguya held her ground after the impact she felt and swung her scythe, but Beatrix who shouldn’t be able to see from her eyes accurately evaded the scythe and returned a counterattack in the interval.

The competence of a veteran that was hidden by her forceful personality was on the contrary became revealed with her eyes blocked.

With Kaguya’s improvised training of close quarter combat, even with Beatrix’s eyes blocked, even when she aimed for mutual strike at the same time, she still couldn’t land even a single blow…!?

“I feel pain each time I cut you up but…your location or your posture or your movement, I can understand all of those clearly from the pain! To get hurt in this spot in this way…it tells me that right now you are there standing in this kind of stance!”

Kaguya spontaneously lost her nerve and stepped back, but it was meaningless before Beatrix that surpassed her in speed.

“…Our compatibility is completely bad!”

“The opponents that pleased me always run away from me! But I’ll absolutely not let them get away!!”

“…How obstinate!”

Kaguya held her ground and swung her scythe. She had no other way except to land a single hit in this distance somehow. After being identified by Kaguya as obstinate, Beatrix laughed delightfully while being in pain.

“Then I’ll give you even more suffering!”

Kaguya too prepared herself for the worst and faced Beatrix.

“That tone of voice, you bastard, you are a sadist pervert huh! That’s just fine, bring it on!!”

“Waiting impatiently for the visitor o god of death’s whispering voice, resound widely and deeply, let’s paint the dream completely with agony! O evil sound of sadism reverberate! Ultra Violence!!”

Kaguya emitted a sound wave that was similar with a siren’s voice that echoed stingingly in one’s brain. That sound wave was a grand agony magic that instantly doubled the pain that had accumulated until now.

“UO…THIS ISSSSSSS!!”

Even Beatrix had her expression convulsed from the agony and her whole body spasming in twitches. Right there Kaguya entered one and then two blow of the scythe that destroyed the human senses. ―One more strike!

“Kuh…I got shocked just for a little here!”

Beatrix slashed back even more. For the sake of casting [Ultra Violence] once more, Kaguya concentrated on Resist and her spell rather than swinging around her scythe poorly.

Kaguya whose magic power was shaved off earnestly and Beatrix who was forced into a nightmare of agony.

The offense and defense that competed against each other strangely were continuing.

“Ultra Violence!”

Kaguya emitted sound wave of agony once more. While Beatrix was agitated from the pain, she would be dealt the last blow!

But Beatrix gritted her teeth while opening her eyes widely all of a sudden before then she made a heroic grin.

“I have tasted this already!!”

Kaguya’s scythe slashed at empty air and an accurate counterattack gouged out Kaguya’s magic power in a big way.

…The same method didn’t work for the second time! Then…a way to make her scythe hit one more time was….

None. Any other way to make this swordsman felt shaken was already….

“How painful! But this pain is...giving me the real sensation of mutually shaving off each other! My sight, my sense of smell, even my sense of touch, all of them are locked inside the darkness! Exactly because of that the pain makes the battle feel even more purely real!! You too are pleasing me you know, Otonashi Kaguya!!”

A completely awful opponent was having her sight fixed on her.

“I really have to test this, if right now in this place, I drive in [Mjolnir] into you how will it feel…!”

“Before you can do that…I will defeat you with a single attack!”

The scythe couldn’t hit already, all of her options could only get her four hits in as the limit. She understood that completely.

The offense and defense until now was a wasted effort.

For her to defeat this person―there was no other way other than casting [Guernica] or [Galaxy]!

“Interesting! So you can do something more…show me!!”

But she too had noticed right from the start―with an opponent that had this much offensive ability, it was impossible to do something like chanting such grand magic without any guard to protect her from the front.

Even if she tried to do that at this late hour, her own magic power couldn’t last for long already.

―Beatrix also sensed Kaguya’s heroic determination and suddenly calmed down her tone.

“…No. It’s amazing already for a pure magician to drive me this far singlehandedly. If Kazuki or that little sister is in front of you then who knows how this will go. I’ll give you my respect. …You might be even stronger than me.”

Comrade. Suddenly Kaguya remembered those existences, and averted her awareness to her surrounding with a glance.

―Kaguya’s party, the other seven people, all of them had already been defeated.

Eleonora and Damian in their Magic Dress’s appearance were staring at them from afar in order to not become a hindrance in their battle. There was still enough composure in their expression.

If these girls felt like it and surrounded Kaguya with three people….

There was nothing like hope in this battle right from the start. Kaguya’s feeling sank down.

Despite her luring away the most formidable enemy…yet her team was helpless in a battle of seven against two.

But―right at that time something felt frizzy inside Kaguya’s head that made her looked around with a surprised face. Even Beatrix whose senses were mostly dead was making a face of someone that realized something.

“Erii, Damian! Be careful, something is coming closer!!”

There was not a single sound. But something like footsteps could be concealed no matter how loud it was with general magic. What they felt was the surge of magic power that couldn’t be hidden even if the owner tried to hide it.

That magic power’s surge was also restrained until it could be only barely noticed, turning into a small warped wave. It was so small only those in the level of Kaguya or Beatrix could notice it.

A surprise attack, a usage of high class skill for the sake of an ambush.

Eleonora and Damian turned at behind their back. The presence was from behind these two.

Suddenly that assassin―stopped concealing the sounds surely because the assassin had closed the distance enough that it didn’t matter, the sounds of the thicket parted by the rush of something was echoing and someone intruded into the battlefield of the four.

“O powerShakti that circulate the world! Converge in my hand under the guidance of god of destruction, become a single furious strike that pierce the three worlds! Three World Three Pronged SpearTrisula!!”

The darkish skinned girl of Ryouzanpaku―a company that even Kaguya had some remembrance of. The magic power that was grasped in her hand was liberated and whirled, turning into a spear of three-pronged fork that had the height around the girl’s own size.

Kaguya got goosebumps. That was clearly a scale of magic power for high level magic.

That girl, she could restrain that much magic power so small that it was almost undetectable!

Shudders also traversed through Eleonora and Damian’s expressions.

“We are Aegir’s, please lend me the terror of the ocean that knows no bottom! The raging waves that toy with the small people to me…Himinglæva!”

The instant Eleonora sensed the presence of surprise attack, she was starting to chant a magic that combined offense and defense in one package.

“Highly Surging WaveHefring!”

A gigantic mass of water appeared in front of Eleonora and Damian, turning into a wall that damped all kind of attack. While being protected by that wall, Damian took the stance of counterattack.

“Cheeky bastard! Evaporate, fire Trisula!”

The three-pronged fork of a spear was dyed bright red altogether with the girl’s own hand. Without even caring for a tiny bit about the water wall, she thrust the spear.

The water wall exploded. The fierce thrust burst forth storm, changing the water wall into water spray and scattered them apart. Raging of roaring flames sprang forth at the same time and evaporated all of the water spray. The whirlwind of fierce flame that broke through the water wall blown away altogether Eleonora and Damian who was aiming for counterattack opening.

The girl that jumped in from the thicket pulled back her spear and landed on the ground, with a *DON* she struck a daunting pose.

Her Magic Dress that looked like a cloth that wrapped around the naked body was exactly like the outfit of a Hindu’s ascetic monk.

“That’s as far as you can go in bullying the weak! Saving the weak and crushing the strong! The picaresquescoundrel unrivalled under the heaven has arrived!!”

“…Who are you bastard? No, this magic power wave, have we met somewhere before…?”

Hearing Beatrix questioning her identity, the girl made a formal salutation vibrantly.

“The second rank of Ryouzanpaku, the <Whirlwind of Destruction> Silirat Denkaosen! As a part of Shouko of Wisdom and Silirat of Might, there ain’t any guys dumb enough to not know me at the southern China! My contracted Diva is Shiva! I have arrived in order to make Japan get indebted to us-!!”

Eleonora and Damian sprang back up and put their postures in order.

“…Silira of Might. This girl is…?”

The complexion of Eleonora who was in charge of the secret intelligence among the Einherjar changed.

“Heyy you bastard…I don’t know who the hell you are but you really are a vulgar bastard oi…”

Damian bared the white of her eyes and glared at Silirat threateningly.

“Oo, you’re gonna do it for real huh! That’s awesomee- that attitude!”

Slilirat glared back in delight.

“Erii, Damian, fight that girl with both of you together. Make sure she won’t hinder the last moment of my battle with Otonashi Kaguya.”

“My bad black-haired Nee-san, hold out a little bit more like that until I finish off these two!”

Silirat exultantly kicked the ground and confronted the two Einherjar.

Kaguya felt an unease in her heart whether this was a hope or a chaos for her.

Part 3

“It’s troublesome that there are eyewitnesses left…”

Ilyailiya focused her stare on Kazuki while murmuring with a slender voice.

Ilyailiya was pondering with Kazuki right in front of her eyes.

―Kazuki recalled Arthur’s commentary about Ilyailiya.

[She is a personality that is calmly and coolly making a snap judgment. She has no hesitation in whatever she is doing, and when the surrounding is just thinking ‘danger’ she has already finished her action. She is that kind of character.]

This woman’s pondering would soon end. …It’s coming!

“There is no trouble at all to kill you here and end this country completely I think. Plije Zvizda(Flying Stardust) (AN: Another difficulty in translation. I don’t know if this is Russian or what. Here is the katakana of the technique, プりージえ・ズヴィズター, it’s read as ‘puriijie/puriije zuvaizutaa/zuvisutaa. Help me.)(Hons: Could be "Zvezda").”

Along with a cold murmur, small meteors rained down from the sky without any previous sign at all. The surrounding few meters range of the ground around where Kazuki was standing was deeply gouged out into holes, raising a dense cloud of dust.

Kazuki wasted no time in dodging from that wide attack range.

While pouring out cold sweat, he felt relieved that he evaded that attack.

“How baffling, how do you avoid that? This magic is supposed to be something with speed that cannot be avoided just by looking with eye.”

Ilyailiya tilted her head.

―Until now Kazuki had twice witnessed Ilyailiya’s attack.

There were no telltale signs in her movement or magic. To cast magic without even any advance warning and even the speed of the magic was something that the eye couldn’t catch in its movement. Kazuki was bewildered when he saw that movement that was impossible to be Foresighted above the sky of Ishinokami Shrine.

It might be one of her <King’s Authority>. The King of making swift decision and taking quick action….

The second time he met her was in the Fuji’s sea of trees right after his battle with Regina. At that time too she attacked Kazuki with meteors, yet Kazuki immediately dodged her surprise attack and escaped from the predicament.

―At that time how did I avoid her attack?

When he thought back to that time, Kazuki didn’t understand what he did. There was no telltale sign on Ilyailiya’s attack. Her attack couldn’t be Foresighted from her breathing or her muscle movement or her magic power flow.

However he could immediately avoid her attack at that time.

’I felt her killing intent that time’, he couldn’t think of any explanation other than that.

“Let’s test it, one more time. … Plije Zvizda.”

Meteors fell down from the sky again. As expected there was no advance warning at all, of course the meteor also moved in the speed where it couldn’t be evaded if he only moved after seeing the attack. Kazuki was ―once more jumped to the side in order to evade.

Ilyailiya’s handsome eyebrows shook twitchingly in wonder.

―What was [Killing Intent]?

From time immemorial master of martial art could naturally sense that in their battle. Kazuki too as a swordsman was always conscious of the killing intent’s existence all along. But in the end rather than such ambiguous thing, he became more dependent of the opponent’s breathing and magic power flow as [something more certain].

However in front of this King without any telltale signs, right now he had the hunch that he understood what was [the true nature of killing intent].

To feel killing intent meant in other words―Telepathy. Now after he had met Lotte and accumulated training with Koyuki, he had the feeling that he had grasped this ambiguous and vague thing.

He had no other way than to grasp it.

In front of this formidable enemy where his chance of victory was infinitely small, that occurred to Kazuki.

He didn’t Foresight this opponent from her breathing or muscle, or her magic power.

But with a dimension thats even more above those―Foresighting the attacking intent using Telepathy.

If he couldn’t do that, he wouldn’t be able to defend against even a single attack of this formidable enemy!

“The same technique won’t work the second time against Hayashizaki-style.”

Kazuki said that in order to inspire himself.

“Hmm. Agouni Koparyof(Fire of Wound Vessel) (AN: Another incomprehensible name. The katakana is アゴーニ・コパリョフ。Read as agooni kopariyofu/koparyofu. The koparyofu might also be kobaryofu).”

Together with an emotionless murmur, Ilyailiya’s right hand was wrapped in silver flame.

<Svarog> of Slavic Mythology was also said as a god of blacksmith.

“Miechi(Swordification) (AN: The katakana isミエーチ, read as mieechi).”

The silver flame solidified as if turning dry, the pointed end of Ilyailiya’s right elbow was changing into a large blade.

“Then I will try to change method.”

A freezing killing intent flew at Kazuki and Ilyailiya’s figure disappeared.

―She came, he couldn’t grasp anything except such timing.

When Kazuki put up Doufuu as if throwing it, right where he put the sword was Ilyailya swinging down her right elbow.

A heavy feedback. She was an amateur in sword, that was why he expected her to swing down her sword horizontally.

But that was nothing more than luck.

He had to get a lot more information, had to imagine and perceive more from the killing intent.

How would she try to kill him?

Hayashizaki-style was a school that observed. It always put importance on observation. Even if Telepathy was a field he was poor at, even so by no means that was something unrelated to all his training until now.

Even faster before the situation turned into a sword locking contest, the figure of Ilyailiya whose blade was blocked vanished.

She turned into lightning and drew back. And then―her killing intent moved from Kazuki toward another of his comrades.

“Then first I’ll start from your comrades.”

His comrade would be killed! Adrenaline exploded inside Kazuki’s head from impatience.

Kazuki felt more strongly of the danger that was going to befall his comrades even more than the danger he had fallen into. He had to sense the killing intent even more precisely. If he couldn’t do that, he wouldn’t be able to protect his comrades!

A concentration power Kazuki had never reached before erupted Kazuki’s Extra Sense.

The killing intent from Ilyailiya―possessed a path that could be sensed.

Passing through his side―she went to his comrade at the rear.

That was the thought that floated in Ilyailiya’s mind right in this instant, her [will to kill].

The next instant, she would surely follow along that path with the speed of lightning.

Kazuki threw his body reflexively on that path.

• DON*, he crashed against lightning. The impact from that was terrific just from its speed, Kazuki braced his legs and endured from getting blown away. In contrast Ilyailiya had her eyes turned circle from surprise.

“ “Your movement came to a stop there!!” “

―Kohaku and Karin leaped out to pincer-attack Ilyailiya from both flanks of Kazuki.

Kohaku raised Taroudachi that had been enlarged over her head while Karin was entering a posture of flying kick.

Both of them were anticipating the timing where Kazuki would surely stopped the movement of Ilyailiya one more time. Ilyailiya’s posture was disordered from her collision with Kazuki. It was not a stance where she could evade.

“Pospeiv(Armorification) (AN: The katakana is ポスペーヒ.Read as posupeehi or posupeefi. ).”

The silver metal that formed the blade that was covering Ilyailiya’s right arm leaped up like a liquid possessing its own will and spread out, covering Ilyailiya from the top of her head unti the tips of her toes.

The metal became an armor and helmet that possessed silver radiance, repelling away Kohaku’s katana and Karin’s kick.

“It’s real hard as expected!”

Kohaku and Karin that had experienced Regina’s Resist that was like an iron wall landed down without any surprise.

“Both of you switch to the long range! Karin, use your Summoning Magic rather than your kenpo!”

Kazuki gave such instructions to the two. Ilyailiya herself didn’t have any knowledge of martial art from what he saw, but the full armor produced by [a chief god of the Mythology] was not so soft that an average Sacred Treasure or bare hand could damage it.

He had to stand in the front line and hold back this woman!

“O goddess of affection…please bestow the light to the warrior that challenge the trial under thy watch. Moonlight Breath!”

A backup from Miyabi-senpai in the rear flew to him.

The moonlight bestowed the Divine Protection of warrior to Kazuki, he felt strength overflowed in his whole body. He could do this before she moved!

“Deep Striker!”

Kazuki confronted Ilyailiya in the aspect of casting magic instantly.

Ilyailiya had yet to display a large scale attack magic, but perhaps there was also some kind of condition on her instant casting.

He didn’t want to let the opponent do anything. He was going to shower with attacks and end it like that.

Equipping a large thruster system on his back, Kazuki accelerated fiercely while launching a stab with Doufuu. The tip of the beloved sword in his hand aimed the gap between the silver armor and the silver helmet accurately.

A stab in the speed of sound pierced the bare neck, Ilyailiya’s slender body was blown away from the recoil of the Resist.

“Mode・Phoenix!”

Kazuki instantly exchanged the content of Zekorbeni from Prometheus to Phoenix. Flame ran on Kazuki’s whole body and formed a Magic Dress with the color of fire shadow.

“O bird of paradise where light of heaven reside in that body, burn to ash the sins on the earth's surface following my accusation! Israel Judgment!!”

A thick heat ray attacked Ilyailiya that was still blown away in the air.

“Thy wings bestowed by Belphegor, o <ice pillar of flame>! Grasp the air superiority of hell, hand down the inescapable bombing of contradiction! Burning Icicle!”

Shinobu-senpai too straddled the phantom body of Marchosias and bombed Ilyailiya with red crystal. Ilyailiya was scorched by the heat ray. And then the red explosion of [Burning Icicle] swallowed Ilyailiya.

―Further right there sharp wind was blowing in.

“Gouge the afar, <Doutanuki>! Battou Kaikon ―Tenran Kamaitachi!!”

Kohaku fired wind blades. That wind didn’t let the explosion of [Burning Icicle] escape and swallowed it, compressing Ilyailiya inside. ―He wondered how much damage would be inflicted with this.

From the other side of the red explosion light of [Burning Icicle], a killing intent flashed.

Kazuki sensed the image of the killing intent. Death by stabbing!!

“Miechi.”

Ilyailiya who moved with the speed of lightning changed the silver metal into a hand blade again and charged straight at Kazuki. Kazuki received the attack with the side of his blade and parried it diagonally while twisting his body.

“Thunder fall on my body acquiring lightning thought and god speed…awaken the sleeping lion! Ride Lightning!!”

At the same time he cast the acceleration magic he was chanting before he used the parrying movement to rotate in a twirl, and slashed.

“…Pospeiv!”

• GAKIN!*, his attack was blown back from the terribly hard sensation. The silver metal transformed into armor.

“Miechi!”

The next moment it returned back to a right hand blade and slashed at Kazuki. The killing intent gave off an advance warning of that movement. Kazuki blocked and then parried it. Hayashizaki-style’s <Instant Positioning> immediately broke Ilyailiya’s posture. He landed a counterattack right there. He had no intention to be outdone in a close-quarter combat!

“Pospeiv!”

Kazuki memorized the pattern of how the armor and the helmet were created. His blade slipped through the gap between armor accurately to the inch.

Kazuki’s physical ability that had been reinforced and the thick sensation of Resist fought each other.

The unceasing Ice Pillar of Flame and Kohaku’s wind blade also continued to add shockwave against the silver armor.

Acting as if those were nothing, Ilyailiya was staring at Kazuki fixedly and opened her mouth.

“…The authority of King Solomon, is it [Future Prediction]? Such a convenient Authority?”

“This is just a mere human’s hard work.”

He reflexively made a reply that he didn’t even need to make.

“Hard work…that’s something I have never done.”

Killing intent ―he was going to be burned to death!!

Ilyailiya’s left hand turned to Kazuki and casually thrust forward.

“Damafoi(Trickster Fire Spirit) (AN: Another incomprehensible name. The katakana is ダマフォーイ. Read as damafooi).”

From that palm, raging flames that had been compressed with intense heat was whirling.

The flame was growing huge in the blink of eye while whirling and it was going to swallow Kazuki who was right in front of Ilyailiya’s eye.

“Burn to ash all that touched everything…the scorching heat of rejection without any place to depend! Self Burning!”

Kazuki fully operated Zekorbeni’s power. First he enveloped himself with flame armor.

“O immortal bird that soar from dusk to dawn, please grant those wings of hope on my back! The destruction for the sake of rebirth right here…! Blazing Wings!”

Even further wings of flame spread out from his back and wrapped his own body. Instantaneous multiple chanting for defense…!

Kazuki was clad in armor of flame and wrapped with wings of flame, turning into a giant ball of flame.

And that ball was further swallowed by the giant flame of Ilyailiya.

The flame absorbed flame―but the flame couldn’t be absorbed and Kazuki’s defensive magic power was severely smashed up.

The single shot that seemed like a simple attack was, heavy…!

Kazuki staggered from the shockwave of his smashed magic. “Miechi”, Ilyailiya created a sword in her right hand.

“Kazuki!”

Shinobu-senpai attempted to save Kazuki and scattered around Ice Pillar of Flame from the sky.

Ilyailiya glared to the sky while receiving the explosion blast with her body. Kazuki could Foresight her next movement, but he was unable to move from the shockwave of the smashed magic.

Ilyailiya ran to the sky with the speed of lightning and slashed Marchosias’s phantom body altogether with Shinobu-senpai right when they passed each other.

“…Kuh-!”

Shinobu-senpai fell from the sky while her magic power was scattering around her. Even looking from afar he could understand that she lost a considerable amount of magic power from that one attack. Ilyailiya’s blade for the first time bared its fang toward Kazuki’s comrade.

Ilyailiya blasted her killing intent that she was going to strike more following the blow at Shinobu-senpai who was falling naturally.

That kind of blade, mustn’t be directed at his comrade…!

“Blazing Wings!”

Kazuki recast the wings of flame before Ilyailiya could move out and cut into her advance route. And then he blocked Ilyailiya’s blade with Doufuu…!

A high-pitched metallic sound rang out.

His beloved sword that was a tough <Kamakura ancient sword> which was reproduced using alchemy ―was broken.

“…!?”

Kazuki received a shock that couldn’t be voiced. In Hayashizaki household, it was the katana from his step father after his skill’s improvement was recognized. That shock made Kazuki’s judgment delayed for an instant.

“Your magic power is weakening much already.”

Ilyailiya whispered into his ear.

His magic power didn’t spread through his blade thoroughly, that was why his katana broke.

“Damafoi.”

Ilyailiya thrust out her left palm toward Kazuki whose awareness was completely frozen.

A ball of raging fire was whirling from there. Damn i…!

“Kazuki!”

Shinobu-senpai hugged Kazuki from behind. Shinobu-senpai reversed her posture while being entangled together with him and she turned her back at Ilyailiya.

“Thy wings bestowed by Belphegor, o <Ice Pillar of Flame>! Cover us, become the wall of unreasonable contradiction! Cross Conflict!!”

Wings of red crystal spread out from her back. It protected the body from both heat and cold, a defensive magic of double attribute. But the huge ball of flame easily pierced through and scorched Kazuki and Shinobu-senpai altogether. Both of them fell to the ground with a posture of hugging each other.

“Shinobu-senpai!”

The damage was shallow for Kazuki who was covered. The problem was senpai who continuously gotten hit by a King’s attack.

“Just this much is all right. Teamwork.”

Shinobu-senpai who was hugging Kazuki was answering with a kind voice that was unthinkable from before.

“That’s right. It’s teamwork-!”

In front of Kazuki and Shinobu-senpai who collapsed on the ground, Karin threw her body forward.

Right there Ilyailiya who became a flash of lightning swooped down and swung her silver blade. The attack that aimed at Kazuki and Shinobu-senpai was ripping apart Karin who was covering them.

Even while being cut ―Karin continued to chant and cast her magic.

“Guuuu! …Transiency of impurity is liberated from the death of Shirin! Mantra of the hidden side <Dakini Heavenly Law>! Dokuro Honzon Hangon’en(Skull Idol Revival Flame)!!”

Before the eyes of Ilyailiya who was slashing Karin, a large avatar of a skull was floating. The jaw of the sinister skull moved in clattering sound as if in a laugh, and at that timing the skull turned into a pure black flame and swallowed Ilyailiya.

That flame wouldn’t easily vanish and clung on a living life, a wicked flame that burned the target to ashes.

Dakini Heavenly Law―the forbidden Buddhist incantation that was handed down to Inari (AN: God of Harvests, Uka-no-Mitama).

It was a high level magic that should be said as Karin’s contracted Diva, Tamamo no Mae’s trump card.

Even Ilyailiya also had her body movement sealed by that black flame, making her take a step back from the impact of smashed magic due to being scorched.

“It takes too much time to chant that magic!”

While approaching near the collapsed Kazuki and Shinobu-senpai, Karin said that apologetically.

Kazuki stood up while embracing and supporting both of their bodies…he then sheathed Doufuu that was broken in half with a feeling of chagrin. He only had a little magic power left….

Ilyailiya stood up while being wrapped inside black flame.

How much damage were they able to inflict at that <King>….

“Sorry, Kazuki…”

Kohaku who was standing in a slightly separate distance said crestfallenly.

“This one was covering you with Tenran Kamaitachi but, it was nothing more than a peashooter damage against the opponent’s Resist and armor. Against an opponent of this level, if there is no stronger Sacred Treasures available…”

Sacred Treasure―suddenly Kazuki’s mind vividly recalled the power of <Mikagami no Tate> that Ikousai used. And then the Sacred Treasure that appeared to be the <Yasakani no Magatama> was even now wrapped around Ilyailiya’s arm. They wouldn’t be able to obtain that if they didn’t defeat Ilyailiya.

And the last one <Ame no Murakumo> seemed to be still sleeping somewhere in the Haunted Ground….

Kazuki beseeched for a new power while regretfully thinking about the broken Doufuu. If he had such power….

“The reflection of my heart on the moon mirror and the warm light to you…share the soul, Moon Divide(Moon Mirror Connected Heart)!”

Moonlight shone down from the sky and wrapped Kazuki’s body. This was Miyabi-senpai’s magic.

Miyabi-senpai was also walking near beside Kazuki who was standing up.

Magic power was flowing from the moonlight into Kazuki’s mind. That light brought about a refreshing sensation to his mind that had come to exhaustion while recovering his vitality.

In contrast he could feel the magic power of Miyabi-senpai in front of his eyes was getting emptied.

―A magic that transferred over magic power to other people.

“We have to defeat that person in this place right?”

Miyabi-senpai said so in order to encourage Kazuki.

“Then, there should be something left that we can still do.”

Miyabi-senpai was staring fixedly at Kazuki.

What she wanted to say―the last card that was still left, understanding that Kazuki gently embraced her back. Miyabi-senpai’s whitely clear face was colored with shyness.

“…Doing this in this kind of time left a lot to be desired but, I have waited a long time for this.”

“Senpai…thank you very much.”

Kazuki hugged Miyabi-senpai and inserted strength into his hands, then he touched those lovely lips with his lips.

“What meaning is there in kissing right now?”

With her body still wrapped inside the black flame, Ilyailiya was looking their way with a dubious expression.

A strong bond of magic power was linked between Kazuki and Miyabi-senpai. The thought body of Diva <Gremory> flowed into Kazuki’s mind through the circuit of bond. A spell immediately floated inside his mind.

When they separated their lips, Miyabi-senpai averted her eyes shyly.

“O goddess of moon that bring compassion in a lonely night…. I know thy true name(Shem ha Meforashu)…thy true name is Revena. Any kind of abuse cannot hope to defile thy pure white. O tender-hearted goddess, show that radiance!”

Beside Kazuki and Miyabi-senpai, a goddess with silky flowing long red hair, wearing a garment fringed with gold thread and black lace materialized. That appearance was by no means a devil.

“Thank you, for kissing this child.”

The true identity of the female demon, was the moon goddess Revena.

Miyabi-senpai faced Revena and made a shy smile as if a daughter introducing his lover to the mother she was in good relation with.

“Kazuki…just now, I want to do it too.”

Shinobu-senpai who was watching the situation came near beside him in order to be added between Kazuki and Miyabi-senpai. Then she kissed Kazuki in a surprise attack. A heart mark of positivity level up came flying.

However the positivity level of Shinobu-senpai―was currently 59.

Even if she kissed him, the power of bond to draw out strength from that still hadn’t been created.

But the expression of Shinobu-senpai was enraptured,

“This…feels good.”

Saying that she repeatedly kissed Kazuki *chuu chuu* many times over. Each time she did that a heart mark came flying at him―and finally even the avatar of a golden key also came flying at him.

Ryuutaki Shinobu―65

With the positivity level reaching that value, a circuit of bond was tied between the two and Marchosias’s consciousness body flowed into Kazuki.

“A, amazing…”

“Wh, what a feat…”

Miyabi-senpai and Revena had their eyes equally turned circle.

“O lonely wolf that raised a war cry in the solitary night…. I know thy name(Shem ha Meforashu)…thy name is Marchosias. The one who is wandering seeking for love baring the fang. Show that gallant pureness!”

When Kazuki finished his chanting, even then Shinobu-senpai was still coming at him to peck at his lips.

“Love is…something that you have to win over using brute strength sometimes.”

Beside Kazuki and Shinobu-senpai that repeatedly kissed, a female warrior that was half human half beast with brown hair materialized.

“Maru-chan, as I thought that’s a little…”

Revena smiled wryly while Marchosias shouted “Gremory” and hugged her very tightly *gyu―tt*, then she fawned on her like sounding her throat in a purr or kissing her cheek.

Shinobu-senpai too mimicked her Diva and fawned at Kazuki with a hug.

“You three, now is not the time for doing that…”

Miyabi-senpai was directing a troubled expression to her own sister and said sister contracted Diva.

“…What farce are all of you doing?”

Finally the black flame burned out and Ilyailiya went out from there.

“Ilyailiya, this is our last resistance…I’m going to show out all the power that I have!”

The spells for the ultimate magic of two Divas were running about inside Kazuki’s brain.

“…O throne of night that urge all the stars to awaken, the phosphorescence discreetly wake up the madness…. The utmost limit of warrior, right here! Awakening Full Moon(Moonlight that Swoop Down From the Heaven)!!”

He cast the second magic simultaneously.

“…O lonely wolf that rush through every ground level, change thy longing into madness and howl ferociously…. The utmost limit of instinct, right here! Awakening Killer Instinct(Solitary Wolf Howling Up from the Earth)!!”

From the full moon of the afternoon, from the bottom of the earth, fierce magic powers like muddy streams were flowing into Kazuki.

The two ultimate magic were both reinforcement magic. The light from the moon cleared Kazuki’s mind to the very extreme, while the light from the earth cleared Kazuki’s blood and muscle until the very extreme.

Revena and Marchosias’s figures returned into avatar and were slowly vanishing.

Due to Revena’s strengthening his thought speed accelerated and everything looked slow to him.

“Miechi.”

Ilyailiya created a silver blade once more on her right hand and traversed the ground toward Kazuki with the speed of lightning.

Kazuki whose thought activity was amplified due to Revena’s strengthening sensed Ilyailiya’s killing intent in great detail. How was Ilyailiya rushing at him, how was she swinging her silver blade, he grasped the trajectory of her attack perfectly. While Kazuki evaded a half step to the left―he struck his right arm to the position that he predicted as the spot where Ilyailiya would slash at an empty air.

He struck with a fist that had been amplified physically many times over by Marchosias’s strengthening.

Ilyailiya who came flying with the speed of lightning was knocked off her feet and sent flying with terrific force from the counter that was riding that speed.

“UOOOOOOOOOOOOO-!”

Kazuki pursued her while raising the scream of the instinct itself and he raised his left arm.

“…-! Pospeiv.”

Even while being sent flying, Ilyailiya reformed the silver metal into armor and helmet once more. When Kazuki caught up with Ilyailiya who was blown away, he swung down his left arm like a steel hammer without care.

The armor was smashed apart into splinters of silver, Ilyailiya caved into the ground.

Kazuki got down to the ground in pursuit and swung down both his fists like rain. Cracks ran through the ground like a spider’s web. The silver armor was all broken apart and a thick backlash was returned from his shower of blows hitting Ilyailiya’s own Resist.

It was a response that made his fists numb. Even now it remained unchanged that this King had possessed an abundance of magic power.

Kazuki burned the magic power that he received from Miyabi-senpai’s sharing like fuel and exhibited a super strengthened attack power, continuously striking Ilyailiya. Ilyailiya’s body was rapidly caving into the ground.

The attack power was insufficient just with his fist…!

Kazuki lamented that Doufuu which he received from his step father was completely broken.

“Raskati Gloma(Shooting Out Thunder). (AN: Another incomprehensible magic name. The katakana is ラスカテイ・グローマ. It’s read as rasukatei gurooma).”

Ilyailiya suddenly raised her right arm while being randomly pounded by fists.

A heralding electrical discharge ran through that right hand.

Kazuki could Foresight it. But even if Kazuki could escape somewhat, that thunder would chase a material in which the electrical discharge was passed through.

The heralding electrical discharge were tied at Kazuki from the palm, then a lightning that contained enormous electric charge was running through that.

“Collider Field!!”

Kazuki set up a barrier of electricity. But a low level magic of Prometheus couldn’t possibly block the thunder and the mechanical gauntlet immediately shorted out and Kazuki’s own magic power was shaved.

In that opening Ilyailiya speedily slipped out from the ground that had changed into a crater without delay and escaped from the distance of close quarter combat. For her who possessed the speed of lightning, it only took an instant.

“O bird of paradise where the light of heaven reside in that body, burn to ashes the sins on the earth surface following my accusation! Israel Judgment!!”

Kazuki once more poured his magic power into Zekorbeni and he faced the shadow of lightning that was becoming more distant before firing. He must not let her get away…!

Due to the level 6 magic, a serious amount of magic power was consumed and inside Kazuki’s head was on the brink of turning pure white.

The destructive power of the heat ray was also strengthened. The back of Ilyailiya who was trying to escape was shot and her movement stopped.

“…From the kisses before this…your everything is amplified, is it…!”

While her magic power was shaved off, Ilyailiya turned back to Kazuki and displayed an expression of shock from how herself who was moving almost as fast as light was captured.

Kazuki leaped forward with all his strength and unleashed a kick.

Ilyailiya’s body flew horizontally and banged into a giant tree of the Haunted Ground. Kazuki immediately chased her and further struck Ilyailiya flying altogether with the tree that snapped from the impact. It was frustrating that he couldn’t attack except with his bare hand.

Anticipating the thought of Ilyailiya who was trying to escape using his strengthened perception ability, he struck even more.

Ilyailiya who was continuously sent flying crashed to the wall with a *DON*.

Wall―the wall that partitioned Level 2 area from Level 3 area.

They had arrived until the deepest ground of Level 2 in one go while he was pursuing Ilyailiya who was sent flying.

In their surrounding the trees were decreasing and rock surface was scraggily littering the ground. He finally noticed at this late hour how the sloping ground under his feet made it harder to fight. Surely at the other side of this wall the ground was genuinely turning into a mountain road.

The wall emitted blue magic power light dimly. It was just an aging wall of concrete from a glance, but some kind of magic power was coating it. From that magic power…Kazuki harbored a marvel sensation.

A wavelength that he had felt before long time ago in the past―a mysterious feeling of yearning.

“Not an ability to foresight the future…are you predicting my action? As for speed…I’m at disadvantage with my speed in this mode.”

Ilyailiya who was crashed into the wall murmured.

“…But looks like I have no need to go as far as to show my card to overturn the situation. After all you are already at your limit.”

With a feeble gait, Kazuki slipped through the gap between the trees and showed his figure before Ilyailiya.

This was the limit. If he didn’t strain his consciousness to the extreme continuously, he was going to get dragged into Astrum in no time at all. Cold sweats was flowing without pause from his forehead continuously.

“I don’t know how you did it, but in the first place you don’t have any magic power left to materialize two Divas. How long have you kept fighting since you arrived in this Haunted Ground?”

The tone of her voice even contained some pity of Kazuki who had truly used up his everything until this point.

“You are strong. But this is the end…Agouni Koprayof. Miechi.”

Ilyailiya once again created the silver metal and formed a blade on her right arm.

Her left hand was even now still wrapped up by the string that connected the several magatama.

Kazuki drew out the broken Doufuu with a feeling as if imploring the sword.

He didn’t think that he could do something somehow with the sword being like this.

―And then as if some kind of switch had been flicked off, a pillar of light rose up from the other side of the wall. And then acting in concert with that light pillar, the magic power that was residing within the concrete wall increased that light.

Ilyailiya was even more shocked than Kazuki and looked back at the wall.

“What the…? The wall’s seal is releasing light…? Are you, and the thing that sealed this wall have some kind of relation?”

The light pillar directly stretched out to the sky―and then it turned into a belt of light and descended down to Kazuki’s location.

{That sword…is blessed with a kind person isn’t it? Moreover, looks like you have been raised as a hard worker.}

Just as he was enveloped by the light, a kind voice that he remembered hearing before from somewhere was echoing inside his head.

It was a voice that he had heard already just slightly before this….

{I have waited here for a long time for you…isn’t that right, Lemegeton?}

Lemegeton?

Besides the bewildered Kazuki, Leme materialized.

Leme’s appearance was transforming. The childishness from that face vanished, her stature too grew smoothly until around the height of those in Kazuki’s generation―long forked horns grew out from her head. Her clothes too―it was different from the shabby cloth that she wore until now, transforming into a shining cloth that was suitable for a King of Diva.

“Kazuki…with your conquest of Ryuutaki sisters, Leme’s power and…also memory has recovered to some extent.”

Leme talked with a calm and mature tone of voice.

“Leme…?”

{There is something that I wish to hand over to you…<Ame no Murakumo>.}

The light from the sky said.

{Pass this wall and come until Area 3. Right now..I will share a part of that power and the sealing power to you. Because this seal cannot be completly released immediately right now.}

Completely the same like the magic that shared Miyabi-senpai’s magic for him before this, the light from the sky turned into magic power and seeped into his body. It was a magic power that made him feel a longing somewhere.

That’s right, everything of this made him feel a longing. The voice, the wavelength of the magic power, even the warmth of the light….

The pillar of light and the light of the wall, all of it climbed to the sky and vanished from being absorbed into Kazuki.

One part of that magic power naturally gathered into the broken Doufuu. The magic power converged, its thickness increased, the material changed, and the broken tip of the blade was recreated. The recreated sword was not a single edge katana―a double edged sword.

Doufuu became a double edged [ancient sword] and reborn.

This is… <Ame no Murakumo>…? No, it was just a part of that power, temporarily residing within this sword?

The light from before said that kind of thing.

He completely didn’t understand why that light did this.

Kazuki looked for an explanation and directed his gaze at Leme.

“Kazuki…Leme didn’t just choose some random guy who is strong in sword art. Leme wanted to make you into a King. Not some fellow like that Ikousai, but you. …That’s why, please.”

Leme said something that didn’t become any explanation before her figure vanished.

“…Raskati Gloma!”

Ilyailiya thrust out her right hand at Kazuki and enormous electric charge went out from her palm. The heralding electrical discharge ran to Kazuki and next an enormous lightning ran at Kazuki.

Inside Kazuki’s hand―that ancient sword proclaimed its own power. It demanded to Kazuki ‘set free the power’.

Commuting between the souls of the user and the Sacred Treasure to release the soul―the power of Battou Kaikon.

“…Mow down all things in nature, <Ame no Murakumo>! Battou Kaikon, Kusanagi no Tsurugi(Grass Cutting Sword)!!”

Rather than moving the sword Kazuki felt like his movement was being guided, then he mowed the ancient sword horizontally.

Just like the hero that possessed the qualification as King in the Mythology.

The light of lightning that should be enveloping Kazuki, the roar of thunder, all of them instantly vanished. The sword swing caused by the blade cut apart not physical material, but all phenomenon there were.

Kazuki kicked the ground and leaped into the torn apart lightning right from the front. Turning towards Ilyailiya who was at the other side of the lightning, Kazuki reversed the sword and raised it above his head before slashing down diagonally.

“…Pospeiv!”

Silver armor instantly wrapped Ilyailiya’s body. However the blade that gained the force from Shinobu-senpai and Miyabi-senpai’s super strengthening tore the armor like paper and cut Ilyailiya.

Feedback ― Ilyailiya’s thick defensive magic power was gouged deeply, there was the sensation of something smashed and broken apart.

Kazuki recalled the time when he once felt the despairing thickness of Loki’s magic power when he materialized. At that time he felt that no matter how many thousands of time he cut, he wouldn’t be able to break that amount magic power.

His current self was different. When he cut, he could reliably shave off the opponent’s magic power.

Kazuki reversed the blade he swung down and slashed diagonally above. Once more, he gouged the defensive magic power of Ilyailiya. Several times…just several more times, he could defeat Ilyailiya!?

“…Kuh-! This is the genuine power as the Solomon King…? No, is there an even different power residing in you…? Something is…watching over you!”

This was the first time Ilyailiya leaked out an impatient voice. Her consciousness was not directing killing intent but directed toward the sky.

“..There are too many inexplicable matters, therefore I choose to change mode and discontinue the battle, and retreat while taking home the Sacred Treasure…!!”

“…Wait, I won’t let you get away!!”

Kazuki reached out his hand toward the string of magatama that was coiled on Ilyailiya’s left hand.

Ilyailiya tried to make some distance with the speed of lightning in order to escape from that hand.

In that instant―Kazuki’s ankle was caught by someone.

Kazuki’s hand was unable to reach Ilyailiya’s left arm slightly and clawed empty air.

“…!?”

Kazuki looked down under his feet with a fatal feeling as if it was his heart that was caught rather than his ankle.

The sight of a woman face that was half-assimilating with the ground flew into his eyes. A black robed woman ―the magician that was possessed by Midgardsormr. The woman whose face looked like reptile made a broad disgusting grin.

“I’m not going to let it be over just by retreating…”

…This woman didn’t immediately retreat right after swallowing her comrades into her stomach.

She remained inside the ground while following Kazuki around and was earnestly waiting for the instance where she could be useful in some way!

“Don’t get in my way!”

Kazuki immediately swung down the ancient sword to the hand that was holding his ankle.

“GUH-!” Leaking such voice, Midgardsormr pulled back her hand and face into the earth in panic and buried her body completely under the ground.

“…My gratitude, for the backing. Though you cannot hear me anymore.”

An instant was more than enough for Ilyailiya.

Ilyailiya who escaped from Kazuki’s hand turned into lightning and set free toward the sky.

There was nothing Kazuki could do except seeing her off.

One of the Sacred Treasures went deep inside the earth, while one more Sacred Treasure vanished high into the sky.

…And then one more Sacred Treasure was….

Magic power slipped off from the ancient sword that Kazuki held in his hand. The sword vanished into the air as if the magic power that materialized it became undone, returning completely into the previously broken Doufuu. The strengthening power from Revena and Marchosias too became lost from his body.

The string that held Kazuki’s concentration was severed and he looked up to the wall beside him.

The wall that pulsated with shining magic power was now returning into a normal concrete wall.

What in the world has happened…?

Two of the Three Sacred Treasures had been stolen and taken away.

But the remaining last one was…had some kind of connection to himself and right now it was waiting for him at the other side of this wall.

The meaning of such fact…what in the world could it possibly be?

That voice was….

Part 4

“What the hell, you gals really are not anything big at all eh, Einherjar. On top of that you two are eating some pretty good damage just now.”

Silirat was looking down on Eleonora and Damian who had lost their magic power and collapsed on the ground.

“Now then…if you’re defeated already then just keep sleeping like that, -kay. I’m gonna make sure you gals won’t be able to fight anymore the second time around, see.”

Silirat crouched down beside Eleonora who was lying down while being half magic intoxicated already and she grasped her arm. Eleonora whose consciousness was made hazy from her condition leaked out her voices in convulsion.

“…Sto, op…”

“Myyy bad but I’m pretty merciful already here that I ain’t even killing you yeah. It’s a great pain in the butt to defeat you so it ain’t any good if I don’t get at least some of your limbs to make damn sure that you ain’t gonna fight me the second time.”

Silirat lightly entered some strength into her hand that was grasping Eleonora’s right arm.

Against the slender arm that was already not protected by any defensive magic power, it was a simple matter for Silirat to break bone or tear off the limb just by putting some strength with Enchant Aura.

“Ca, captain…”

“Your captain-san is still fightin’ over there y’know―. I gotta hurry and get done here so I can go help over there see. …Nn?”

Suddenly the field of vision of the crouching Silirat was covered by a shadow. Behind her, something big was obstructing the sunlight. Silirat let go of Eleonora’s hand and jumped away in panic.

“…I’m going to kill you if you don’t let go of Erii.”

The thing that was towering over her like a mountain from the back was none other than Beatrix. From the start she didn’t have such big stature like mountain, but the pressure she released overpowered Silirat giving her the impression of a towering mountain.

In Beatrix’s hand was―the Sacred Treasure that was the strongest in the Norse Mythology being created together with the spell.

“There are both rage and blessing in my battle! Acting as the agent of the god of war, I’m gong to swing down the rage and blessing toward life to thy’s head…!!”

“The black haired Nee-chan had got done in already!?”

Silirat looked for Otonashi Kaguya’s figure in panic. The girl―was not even defeated, she was just looking over at Beatrix’s position while standing stock still.

“Why ain’t you fighting!? Why ain’t you holding back this gal, I’m your ally right!?”

“Mjolnir!!”

The hammer whose handle was strangely short was forming its real form inside Beatrix’s hand, then it was swung down on Silirat’s head in one breath.

“Shit, fire can be extinguished…Trisula of Lightning!”

Silirat too thrust at Beatrix with the three-forked spear. The spear transformed into golden color and its tip produced a tremendous electrical discharge.

The energy of destruction that was produced from the hammer’s hitting part and the electric charge energy that was released from the spear tip blend with each other. Together with a big noise that deafened the ear, magic power crushed everything and Silirat’s small body was blown away like a scrapped rag before it crashed into a tree trunk.

“I, don’ get it…tt…”

Silirat’s body crumpled down while leaking out such voices, and her consciousness was whisked away into the Astrum.

Beatrix who was opposing her was also struck with electricity and fell down on the spot while leaking out groaning voice.

―Kaguya was merely overlooking such scene.

Right now too she was looking down on the collapsed people that fainted down in dumbfounded amazement from failing to digest the situation.

When Beatrix understood that Eleonora was in danger, she turned her back on Kaguya’s certain kill scythe without any hesitation and completely changed the target of the magic she chanted too.

Kaguya was unable to cut down that back of Beatrix that became defenseless for the sake of saving her comrade.

She was not doing that just from her being a softy.

Although she counter attacked because her group was attacked first in the first place, Kaguya didn’t understand why the Einherjar suddenly reversed their stance. She had the hunch that there was some kind of misunderstanding.

There was a ground for dialogue with the Einherjar. Nevertheless Silirat was mercilessly going to land a deathly blow at Eleonora.

Even from Kaguya’s point of view, she felt that Silirat needed to be stopped.

However there was no more magic power left inside Kaguya, there was no other way than to leave it to Beatrix.

“…What’s with this…”

The bunches who she didn’t understand which one was enemy or ally were altogether losing their consciousness.

How did it become like this, how to settle this problem afterwards, Kaguya couldn’t catch up with the situation at all.

Part 5

Regina who was flapping the wings of a swan and lying in wait above the sky lifted up the corner of her mouth because the moment she waited for had finally came.

After commanding down the view of Hayashizaki Kazuki and the others’ battlefield for a long time, finally Ilyailiya’s enormous magic power was heading to the sky to escape. That speed and the light she had was exactly like an inversed lightning climbing the sky.

For the sake of attacking that lightning speed, Regina concentrated all her nerve into her [Eagle Eye].

“So you come, so carelessly at that! To think that you forget my existence and considered the sky as a safe area, how stupid!!”

Regina threw the [spear] that she held in her hand.

Carrying the god’s will flapping from my hand, possessing the wings o spear of god’s authority! Futeraronhi(Winged Spear of Heavenly Destruction)!!” (AN: I also don’t know what spear is this. Tell me if you know the real name in the comment section.)

The speed of this spear was not inferior even against Ilyailiya’s flight. And then it sympathized with Regina’s will and pursued the target. It would hit the target without fail as long as the timing was done precisely.

The spear that was like a fired shooting star soared the sky marvelously and collided into the lightning.

The lightning that was heading to the sky lost its light. And then it went free-fall vertically all at once. While Regina felt a satisfaction filling her chest while chasing that figure with her gaze.

Ilyailiya helplessly crashed into the forest of the evacuation area in the nearby of the Grand Haunted Ground.

“How trifling…it seems Hayashizaki Kazuki unexpectedly exhausted her.”

She couldn’t clearly see with just her eyesight, but Regina too had observed the battle on the ground. Hayashizaki Kazuki used a very inexplicable power but―perhaps it was from his King’s Authority, but he displayed brave fighting more than she anticipated and survived this predicament. He ran out of magic power in the end, but it could be said that he performed a fight that was near equal with his opponent.

That man too was the witness of Ilyailiya’s sin that infiltrated the Grand Haunted Ground for the sake of Yamato’s camp.

Even Arthur who liked to keep nagging wouldn’t be able to say any complaint.

Ilyailiya, and Russia, they were going to be made to exit the game right here.

Regina strongly flapped the white wings which had the size several times larger than her own body and pursued the crashing down Ilyailiya.

For the sake of inflicting the finishing blow.

Intermission – Dwelling Power

Part 1

“It’s a good prudence that I’m the one that show my face right from the beginning. Kaya was also going to come to the front, but your mood will be going bad if it is Kaya’s face that welcomed you back so today too it’s this Loki-sama that is coming out here yeah.”

Ikousai who visited the topmost floor the first thing after she came back to the <Oosaka Prefectural Office> was welcomed by Loki who spread out both his arms in a good mood.

Ikousai raised up and showed the mirror Sacred Treasure that she obtained in the Grand Haunted Ground―<Yata no Kagami> with an expression that had no interest at all. Ikousai who was a King candidate instinctually understood that this item was exactly one of the real Three Sacred Treasures.

“Hmph, it’s a relief that it went well for you. Ilyailiya still hasn’t shown her mug here, but that girl won’t make any stupid mistakes even in the worst case for sure. She is real strong anyway.”

“She still hasn’t shown her face here you said?”

Misgiving appeared in Ikousai’s expression. Ilyailiya could fly through the sky with the speed of lightning. She shouldn’t arrive later than even Ikousai.

“…Guess she is loitering somewhere before going back here huh.”

Ikousai didn’t miss how Loki’s frivolous expression cramped for a little.

Loki was acting unusually frivolous―as if he was trying to misdirect her from some kind of inconvenience that had happened.

“The Queen of Russia Ilyailiya, where in the world could she possibly be loitering about in this Japan?”

Ikousai refuted straightforwardly. For that woman to do such thing was unthinkable.

Ilyailiya obtained the Sacred Treasures for the sake of Yamato, but she didn’t go back in order to hand over that Sacred Treasure.

There were two possibilities Ikousai could think of.

That she met unforeseen accident on her way back. Namely that she was captured or killed.

Or possibly Ilyailiya would ask for a bargaining point in return for handing over the Sacred Treasure. Namely she wouldn’t hand over the Sacred Treasure so easily and kept this side in suspense.

“Chih. She might be coming at us saying some troublesome thing later.”

Loki reluctantly said his true feelings.

Of course thinking about Ilyailiya’s true power, it was hard to imagine that something happened to her.

Ilyailiya that traversed the sky with lightning speed, who in Japan could possibly stop her?

Even if she got stopped, how could the woman who was the King of Russia get defeated?

“I’ve already prepared myself for this matter to become troublesome in the future right from the start. Borrowing the power from China, also borrowing the power from Russia…and then Loki, even borrowing power from you too. Yet even so for me to become King, to win against Hayashizaki Kazuki, as expected the Three Sacred Treasures are necessary.”

A pitch black flame was burning scorchingly inside Ikousai’s heart. She recalled her battle with Hayashizaki Kazuki in the Grand Haunted Ground. The feeling of defeat that was seared severely into her heart.

However if she possessed the Three Sacred Treasures then she would also have the assurance of victory at the same time.

These two feelings once again hardened Ikousai’s heart.

The Three Sacred Treasures were necessary no matter what. Even if she had to shake the hand of the devil himself….

I want to win. I have to win…. If she could do that then she could usurp…!

“Kukuku…haven’t you got awfully honest now? That’s right, you bastard won’t be able to win against Hayashizaki Kazuki if you don’t borrow my power. Everything goes to the winner no matter what method he used, the loser ain’t gonna get any honor or anything.”

She wouldn’t throw away herself. And yet no matter what kind of method she had to use, she mustn’t lose…. Ikousai strongly tightened the fist of her right arm which had now returned back to her own arm after Susanoo had been driven out from it.

“<Yasakani no Magatama> must be retrieved no matter what kind of condition Ilyailiya give it in. I have to make sure to obtain two of the Three Sacred Treasures in my grasp…. Loki, some kind of sealing magic is put up in the last wall of the Haunted Ground. Even Midgardsormr or Ilyailiya cannot break through the seal.”

“Seal? Is that so…that woman too might faintly suspect what kind of sword she possessed, and so she possibly combined her power with her contracted Diva and put up a seal. …No, I got the hunch that the event was certainly like that…”

Loki narrowed his eyes, he recalled the ambiguous memory of his time completing an imperfect fusion with human.

“If it’s a seal that was put up by burning her life, that might not be something that we or Ilyailiya can break.”

“If I can’t obtain <Ame no Murakumo> in my hand, then this become all the more important. Search out Ilyailiya even if we have to dispatch the ranks and files, I have to get <Yasakana no Magatama> no matter what she wants.”

“That’s right huh…everything hangs on Ilyailiya now.”

Part 2

The situation was chaotic, but there was little they could do.

It was so chaotic to the degree that it could be said they were only waiting for their fate.

The investigation of the Grand Haunted Ground was over around the time the sun had set, the students boarded the magic light train and arrived quickly at the Knight Academy station where they breakup.

Kazuki and the other student council members headed to a ramen shop. When he asked Koyuki for a ramen shop that she recommended, Koyuki shyly taught just Kazuki and from there Kazuki took along everyone else to said shop.

After being guided to a private room that was like a banquet hall, ramen for several people's portion and a big plate that was filled up with gyoza were lined up on a big table in the room. When word of “Delicious” leaked out from all the mouth that tasted the ramen, Koyuki secretly turned to Kazuki with a shy look.

While finishing their dinner, Kazuki and the others reported the situation.

―Two of the Three Sacred Treasures had been taken away by Yamato.

Just as Kazuki feared, there was an ability user among Yamato that could slip through the wall. In addition they passed through Level 1 and was able to start searching from Level 2.

Moreover in a great bad luck, two of the Sacred Treasures were all located in Level 2 area.

When Kazuki reported until that point, the room had sunk into oppressive atmosphere.

…Was it truly just a bad luck at their side? Yamato’s action was really just too smooth.

It was as if they had already guessed the location of the Three Sacred Treasures right from the beginning.

“The risk that Yamato’s side shouldered is also really considerable. After all they depended on not only China but also Russia. Perhaps the other side is also quite impatient.”

However Kazuki talked to all present while slurping the ramen in his own pace.

―Inside Kazuki’s heart, his feeling didn’t become heavy from the reality that was confronting him.

The gate and wall that enclosed Area 3 was affixed with a powerful sealing magic.

That seal talked to Kazuki―saying that it was waiting for Kazuki.

The true identity of the seal was unclear. But the voice that addressed him felt dear to him somehow.

There was a will of someone inside that seal. Someone that had lived in the time when the Grand Haunted Ground was born.

Regardless of how overwhelmingly disadvantageous his current situation was, it gave a mysterious heartening feeling to Kazuki.

He was even convinced that if it was with that person, then it would be okay.

In the bottom of his heart it was something that he sought for even more strongly than things like the Three Sacred Treasures.

There was still a secret that hadn’t been made known to him inside the Grand Haunted Ground.

Next it was Kaguya-senpai’s turn to report. The Einherjar infiltrated the Grand Haunted Ground and moved to hinder them, right there Ryouzanpaku was intruding. …He didn’t know how they did it, but Yamato had even moved the Einherjar.

Rather it could even be said that the side of Yamato was cornered, to use this method that didn’t care of their own appearance.

Beatrix and her team that fainted from magic intoxication were carried away by the Knight Order.

They had to wait until Beatrix and her team regained consciousness before they could ask about the circumstances.

“Leme, you are not going to eat Ramen?”

When the report reached a stopping point, Kazuki called out to Leme.

“I have ordered for your portion too, the noodles going to grow stale like this.”

“I’ll eat.” Saying that Leme materialized on an empty chair with an awkward face.

“Leme-chan…you became big! You became a beautiful woman!!”

Starting from Kaguya-senpai, everyone raised surprised voices. Ignoring that Leme was slurping her ramen.

“Do you have something that you can tell us?”

“Thanks to the sister sandwich this time, Leme remembered the majority of Leme’s memory.”

Hearing the words sister sandwich―the gazes of all present gathered at both of the sides of Kazuki. Miyabi-senpai and Shinobu-senpai were occupying Kazuki’s both sides exclusively.

“Leme. Do you too have some kind of relation with that Grand Haunted Ground?”

“That’s…Leme still doesn’t want to say that from Leme’s own mouth. But if you passed through that wall and entered inside, then you should understand everything yourself. Worry is unnecessary. Just as you guessed, that seal cannot be released by anyone else other than you.”

“Even if you said not to worry…we have talked before that the side that gathered more of the Three Sacred Treasures will be the one that is going to win right? No matter how strong Kazuki is or what not…”

Kazuha-senpai was looking alternately at Kazuki and Leme with a worried face.

“No problem at all. Kazuki had become able to skillfully use most of King Solomon’s power.”

As if saying that she wouldn’t say anything more than that, Leme looked down to her bowl and slurped her ramen.

“As magic swordsman, I and Ikousai are even. That was why Amaterasu said that the number of the Three Sacred Treasures each of us have will decide the match’s outcome. However this is already…not a fight between swordsman and swordsman anymore.”

Kazuki recalled the figure of Ikousai who surrendered her right arm to Susanoo and fought while spitting out blood.

“Ikousai held back Susanoo using her willpower, turned into a devil and fought. As for me…I fought pouring all of my magic power into <Zekorbeni>. That’s why how much the power of my bonds with everyone can surpass the power of tenacity of the devil…this is that kind of battle.”

The sounds of slurping ramen had vanished and everyone’s sight was concentrated at Kazuki.

Kazuki proclaimed in order to answer the gaze of his important people. He felt no anxiety at all.

“I’m going to win against her and become that existence called a King.”

After exiting the ramen shop and returning back to the Knight Academy, the path between the Magic Division and the Sword Division parted from each other.

“Nii-sama, until next time!” “See you.” “Farewell!”

Kanae, Kazuha-senpai, and Kohaku waved their hand and left toward the Sword Division’s student dormitory.

And next they arrived at the branching path between the Witch’s Mansion and the Magic Division’s student dormitory.

“Kazuki…”

Shinobu-senpa stared at him with a face that seemed to want something. Kazuki brought his face near her while somewhat minding everyone else’s gaze.

“Fufu…well then me too.”

Miyabi-senpai too brought her face near while chuckling refreshingly…the lips of the three of them overlapped lightly at the same time.

A three person kiss with their faces pressing at each other like a three-leafed clover.

“Nn. …Kazuki, if Kazuki don’t take the lead properly for me from now on, I’ll be troubled. I, don’t understand anything so…”

“I understand, then let’s play together next time. Together with Miyabi-senpai too.”

When he answered like that to Shinobu-senpai’s words, senpai nodded repeatedly in a good vigor.

And then Miyabi-senpai pulled the hand of Shinobu-senpai who still seemed reluctant to part from him and left.

“To make that person become like that…rather than saying harem, Kazuki is more of a wild-animal tamer isn’t it.”

When Hikaru-senpai said that, Lotte went “Wan wan!” and frolicked at him, while Mio hugged him with “Nyaa―!” as if she had been patiently waiting for such timing to fawn at him, and Koyuki snuggled closer to him with a “Puu”.

“I want to enter that too…uhho uhho!”

Kaguya-senpai cut in while strangely walking bowlegged, then she rammed Kazuki with a *do―n*.

“Why does senpai go as far as choosing an animal that is not cute at all…please just stop the gorilla act.”

“Then what animal is good I wonder?”

“Panda! After all your skin is white and your hair is black!”

Hikaru-senpai vigorously cut in. Kaguya-senpai went “I see I see” while nodding.

“Pan pan! Pan pan!”

Kaguya-senpai let out a cry of a mysterious animal while enveloping Kazuki’s waist with her arms in a tight bear hug.

The animals of the forst went wild “Wan!?” “Nya―! Funyaa―!” “Puu puu” against the newcomer that suddenly appeared.

“I’m fine just being a human.”

Hikaru-senpai nonchalantly said so and cuddled close at Kazuki.

Leme was watching in satisfaction at that situation where he was being jostled by everyone of the Witch’s Mansion.

“O my King, it will take a few days until your magic power recovered right. Until that time you are not going to force yourself and go to the Grand Haunted Ground. After all that seal won’t be so easily broken, and if it get destroyed Leme will know immediately. Pass your time flirting with these fellows just like usual for a while. That’s the best thing you can do at the moment.”

When Leme said that, everyone pressed even closer at him like a game oshikura manjuu. (AN: children’s game in which three or more stand back-to-back in a circle and jostle)

“…Things like the other two Sacred Treasures are trivial. You can properly obtain the things that you should obtain the most. Your bonds and…that sword. Believe in the thing that you have built up so far and your fate. For you to challenge the decisive battle with these two and go to become a King…is something that Leme is honestly happy for.”

After saying puzzling things just as she pleased even though there were a lot of things she wouldn’t talk about, Leme’s materialized body melted into the black of night and vanished.There was no mistake that Leme who had recovered her memory had surely remembered why she chose Kazuki as her contractor.

Immediately after Kazuki returned back to his room, he called the phone number that he just knew today.

He was not anxious―but he wanted to know as much as he could.

“What happened, to rely on me this fast.”

Akane-senpai took the call with a bright voice.

“…Ah, thank you for your hard work today. For some reason looks like the situation had become strange, however…”

After letting out a bright voice, it seemed that Akane-senpai remembered something and stiffened her voice before thanking Kazuki.

“Thank you very much. The reason that I called senpai immediately is because there is a matter that doesn’t make sense no matter what…. This is about the Grand Haunted Ground.”

The place that the government had laid out a gag order for and forcefully erased from the peoples memories.

―That place had a connection with him and Leme, and the owner of that voice.

“Is the Knight Order still hiding something?”

Kazuki enquired about the [mystery] without beating the bush.

“Something strange had happened that cannot be explained just by the explanation senpai told me before. The seal that was affixed on the wall that is partitioning Level 2 and 3…who was the one that put the seal there?”

When talking about a seal, naturally it was something artificial.

It was not something generated by nature, the seal should be done by someone with their own will.

Namely―the first knight.

The voice of that time that he remembered hearing before. The owner of that voice was….

“What in the world had happened at the time when that wall was made? That the Knight Order didn’t know anything about that at all and so they didn’t teach me anything, isn’t that strange?”

The Knight Order hid that information deliberately, he couldn’t help but thought so.

“…That’s so isn’t it, I too think that’s strange, but…I too don’t know anything, you know.”

Akane-senpai softened her voice apologetically.

“I’m sorry that I cannot be of use to you. After all I too was born just two years before you.”

The thing that Kazuki wanted to know happened far in the separate past.

“I’m sorry…to rely on senpai for something like this.”

He had the feeling that he betrayed Akane-senpai’s kindness with such unreasonably difficult question. Even though senpai’s voice was really bright when she first took this call.

“Ah, but”

Akane-senpai’s voice recovered from its disappointment and turned lively. As if she suddenly remembered some answer.

“Close to yourself, there is someone that is supposed to know about this situation far more than someone like me.”

“Eh, who is it?”

Kazuki concentrated all his mind to his ear so that he wouldn’t miss a single thing.

“It’s Liz Liza-sensei. You should know too right? That person was one of the first knights.”

Part 3

{In genereal, everything went just as you thought eh, Loki.}

When Ikousai exited the room, Kaya talked to Loki inside his head.

“Well…except about how Ilyailiya doesn’t show her mugs around.”

Loki chose a whisky and took it away from the cupboard where he stashed all the alcohol he bought and collected by walking around the city himself, then he sank his body onto the sofa as if saying that the time for work was over. He opened the seal of the bottle and poured the intense alcohol just like that into his throat―inside Loki, Kaya raised a scream.

{Dri, drink something a little softer. Bitter, inside my mouth even feels like it burns…}

“Then just cut off the sensation geez. You are the one that keep the connection on just as you please ain’t it?”

During the time Kaya was handing over her body to Loki, she gathered all the sensation Loki felt without exception.

A mysterious longing was residing inside such action.

Loki gulped the bottle one more time without any consideration to Kaya and then he released a satisfied breath “Fuu―”.

“Now then, the table has been set now. With my cooperation…Ikousai is gonna gather the three Sacred Treasures and become dependent on me, she is gonna be a puppet King that move just as I want.”

{Come on, at least dilute it with water or put some ice.}

“Just shut your trap. …And then, that. As usual my speed in working out schemes and Hayashizaki Kazuki’s speed in tying bonds counterbalance each other. Ikousai that listened to what I said and obtained two Sacred Treasures, and Hayashizaki Kazuki who grew strong until this point with the power of bonds…in the end which one will win?”

{I want to drink juice.}

Loki ignored Kaya and leaned his head on the sofa, already he murmured with a drunk way of speaking.

“Surely that is gonna be a fight that will test the strength of the destiny that guy carried eh.”

Afterword

Thank you for reading this volume with pleasure, this is Mihara Mitsuki that is also energetic today. This volume is released at the same time with the latest new manga and the drama CD! At first this author pretended as if it was other people’s business, but from the editor in charge K-nyan that twisted my arm with “You too gotta work”, in the end I worked the script for the Drama CD and the interview with the voice actor,

Talking about what is interesting from the Drama CD, as expected the interesting point is a little different from the light novel medium if I thought so myself, I got conscious of things like “A dialogue with good tempo” “Comical development” “A way of talking I want to hear in real voice” and so on, and so I think I managed to make a script with different charm from the original work.

It’s weird somehow saying this myself but I think that the script is interesting even when it’s read without voice, that I even think secretly that if in the case that this got thrown away by K-nyan, as the scriptwriter I’m going to make it keep on living. From now on too I’m thinking of going to be more confident against the editor in charge K-nyan. That’s a lie, I’m sorry.

Furthermore I also inspected the recording by voice actors, but regardless of the many characters that entered the stage, wonderful list of voice actors were lining up, speaking of, that performance filled with passion and the sound supervisor-san’s acting guidance keep making me who is an outsider just kept overwhelmed. Hearing the lively voices of the characters being recorded, even as the original author I was able to encounter a Mio and Kaguya once more with a fresh feeling.

In addition the jacket and back jacket that were drawn specially by CHuN-san and Mouri-san was also coming through mail order, a special bonus made of Microfiber cloth, what a wonderful way!

If with this the CD doesn’t sell well, I got the feeling that I will be told indirectly that this is your fault.

My interview with the seiyuu-san is attached in the monthly magazine Alive as the bonus for mail order, but, this is err,,,I got stupefied in fascination talking with two of the voice actors that I miss the timing where I had to talk, when I opened my mouth in fluster the atmosphere was awkward and turned strange, when I was asked regarding the work I had already fallen into panic…that kind of feeling, how should I say it that, I’m desperately expecting a lot from the divine editing of Beatnicks-san.

“No, you had talked properly just now.” Everyone praise me like that, so I don’t think it’s really that bad but…as expected writing is my main duty rather than talking so…mumble mumble. …Anyway it became an amazing drama Cd, so I think you will surely surely enjoy it together with this eighth volume! I recommend it!

…Like that I wrote with great rhythm but I’m going to make a single announcement for apology. In the character introduction list and the color page of the previous volume, it was written that [Son Shouryuu] was [the King of Chukadou], but that was wrong, he is a leader of the unit directly controlled by Chukadou’s emperor].

The King of Chukadou is the character called Fu Shi <the Reborn Emperor> that appeared for a little in the beginning of volume 6. The child that was called Hiroko-chan by Kaya. She had a thin shadow but Hiroko-chan was the most important person in China. Please take care of Hiroko-chan!

The characters are increasing so I intended to organize them to make it easier to understand, but to invite confusion instead from a check miss, it’s truly inexcusable. Anyway this volume is supported by many people that it could meet its launching! Thank you very much! This is Mihara Mitsuki!

Translator's Notes & References

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