Masou Gakuen HxH:Volume 5

These are the novel illustrations that were included in Masou Gakuen HxH Volume 5

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  Cover

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  Page 43

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  Page 63

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  Page 153

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  Page 191

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  Page 221

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  Page 245

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  Pages 266 & 267

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  Page 297

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  Page 319

Prologue

It was a dim room.

A bluish white magic circle was floating on the wall.

A thin light ran as if that magic circle was split vertically. The next moment, that light widened in width at one go.

“……Kuh”

The light pierced the eyes that were used to darkness. He avoided the light with his hand against the radiance outside the door and scowled his face.

“Get outside, Hida Kizuna.”

A voice came from inside the light.

Kizuna opened his crunched eyes and focused his eyes to the light. By doing that, he could see a faint outline of a person. That shadow of a person was pushing out its right hand forward. Something that was the same like the magic circle floating in the darkness was shining bluish white on that palm.

The door that was until now didn’t even flinch when he kicked and hit it was closed with a slide. It was likely that magic circle was accomplishing the role of a key.

He confirmed his own appearance by the light that was shining in. After his Heart Hybrid Gear was removed by Zeros’s Forbidden Armament [Code Breaker], he was soon taken captive by the imperial guard of Vatlantis. Thanks to that, he was still in his tattered pilot suit.

His wound from being thoroughly whipped by Zelsione hurt. But, it was fortunate that he was given treatment before he was thrown alone into this cell. His left leg that was pierced by a sword was also wrapped in bandage.

After he rose from the simple bed, sharp pain traveled his leg. As if to ascertain it, he took a single step with his left leg and put his weight on it. It was quite painful, but he could walk.

Kizuna looked around the single cell with width of four and a half tatami. Whether it was the bed or the tray, it was a room that was molded from a single material that was like plastic. The lighting was only a single lamp on the wall that was like a LED. There was nothing else.

How long had he been confined here he wondered? Five hours……no, perhaps eight hours. He was locked inside a dim room, so his feeling of time was blurred.

“What are you doing? Get out quickly.”

He could hear an irritated voice. His eyes were mostly used to light now, so he could confirm the owner of the voice.

Her hair was blonde in bob-style that was worn in braids. Her amazingly well-ordered face had the beauty and cuteness of a western doll coexisting in it. However as if to reject those two factors, her right eye was hidden by an eye patch. He could understand that she was a member of the imperial guard by the uniform she was wearing.

‘――This woman was the one that threw me into the cell. If I’m not mistaken……she was called Clayda of Quartum.’

Her appearance was around the same age like Kizuna, but her appearance had strange presence and pressure. It was likely that she had survived much scenes of carnage. After piling up a journey that she had walked and experienced, compressing it, that body was now built up by density far higher than normal people.

This Clayda of Quartum that was clad in a dangerous air would show unbecoming foolishness if she was in front of Zelsione. But, from her current bearing, such thing couldn’t be imagined even for a bit coming from her.

Kizuna exited the cell while being cautious of Clayda. The outside was a long corridor. Similar with the solitary cell, a pure white corridor without any decoration was continuing endlessly. And then, similar doors were lined up at the left and right walls with fixed interval between them.

‘Are Himekawa, Yurishia, and the others also locked up here?

And then……what about Aine?

What happened to Aine?’

Clayda was leaning on the wall and stared at Kizuna suspiciously. One of her hands was holding a scabbard that was greatly curved like a crescent moon.

“Oi, Clayda……right? I have something I want to――”

Suddenly something cold could be felt on his throat.

“!? ……-”

A sharp blade almost cut off Kizuna’s neck. The sword that was drawn out from the scabbard that Clayda held was surprisingly thin and long. That elegant sword that was extremely curved like a crescent moon, he didn’t understand at all just when it was drawn, and when it was swung. He didn’t notice a single gesture or even any presence.

Sweat floated on Kizuna’s forehead.

‘If she felt like it, I’ll be cut down instantly.’

“Kizuna. I’ll say it one more time. Don’t try to do anything unnecessary.”

Clayda stared at Kizuna with her only eye. There was no anger or hate in that eye. For Clayda, Kizuna was not an important existence or even a dangerous existence.

“Yeah……I understand your skill……besides I cannot equip my Heart Hybrid Gear, I got no way to resist here.”

Kizuna slowly raised his right hand and displayed the bracelet that was fitted on his arm.

“It’s the fault of this thing right? No matter how much I yelled, I cannot equip my Heart Hybrid Gear.”

He showed his nonresistance, but Clayda still didn’t put away her sword.

“Oi……is there still something else? Rather, I want you to put away this sword already.”

With a single motion of Clayda’s wrist, Kizuna would have his throat cut and then die. His flowing out sweat followed along the sword at his throat and dripped down from the edge.

Clayda’s expression warped slightly in displeasure. Her soft looking lips opened grudgingly.

“Also one more thing. Don’t call my name familiarly, black magic armor. No matter how high a position you have in Lemuria as a magic knight, in here you are lower than the frontier savage. By all rights, you should have your neck cut off just like this.”

Similar when it was drawn out, the sword was stored back to its scabbard instantly. That sword which was close of being semicircular was sheathed back skillfully. Kizuna honestly felt impressed as if he was seeing acrobatics.

“Good grief……if only there wasn’t that annoying order coming out to not kill you.”

Clayda murmured in a bad mood. However Kizuna’s ears couldn’t catch that murmur. When she noticed Kizuna’s dubious expression, Clayda lightly clicked her tongue and pointed ahead of the corridor with her chin.

“If you got it already then quickly walk. Don’t make wait any longer than this.”

He had something else he wanted to ask, but it wasn’t worth being slain. Kizuna endured and began to walk the corridor in silence.

After progressing forward while harboring anxiety, he could see a small entrance like the ship’s hatch. His anxiety grew violent of what was going on outside. Would he get suddenly pushed down from the sky and below there would be a mountain of needles awaiting? While thinking of such things, he came outside resolutely.

And then Kizuna reflexively gulped from the spectacle that spread before his eyes.

“This is……where is it?”

A gigantic black wall that was towering high was spreading in his sight fully. The wall that gave him the impression of an armor that was shining black was higher than three hundred meters. The outrageously high wall was continuing until far beyond, that the wall far ahead looked misty.

And then magic weapons were heading for the black wall in an endless line. Just how many machines were there? The magic weapons that were creating an orderly line were slightly different from the usual magic weapons that he was familiar with. The Blue Heads and Albatross’ appearances that were like knights were the same, but on top of the armor color being painted in different colors of white and red, there was also a crest like a hemming or a family crest painted on them together with the splendidly refined ornament decorated on them. The magic weapon at the head of the line was carrying a huge flag, it was like a parade would be carried out after this.

When he looked carefully, the line wasn’t made from only magic weapons, vehicles that were reminiscent of cars and huge palanquins were also mixed inside. Even amidst them all, his eyes were attracted to a golden palanquin that was put in the center of the parade. It was a triangular pyramid of stair shape with a height of about ten meters. It was like its summit was cut off, creating a flat space. There a statue that seemed like a goddess and a chair decorated with gold and silver jewelry were put on it. Perhaps the main lead of this parade would sit there he guessed.

A level below it, imperial guard members wearing red mantel were standing straight, glaring at the surroundings without moving an inch.

At the opposite side of the black wall, behind the line there was boundless wasteland without a single grass growing continuing. In the scenery of the desolate land littered with fissures, wind was running through while rolling up clouds of dust.

“Don’t tell me, is this……the AU?”

He was captured in Tokyo and then he was immediately thrown into the cell of Vatlantis’s battleship. Since then he was continuously in a room without any window, so he didn’t understand where this scenery he was looking at was located.

He could imagine that the ship was moving from the slight vibration of the floor. The scenery spreading before his eyes was like the wasteland of Arizona.

Kizuna looked up at the black wall that cut off the light.

‘But, what is this wall? Who was building something like this? Or else, was this thing something that was brought along through the Entrance?’

When he dropped his gaze, there was a ramp that was stretching out to the ground from below his feet. Ahead of the ramp was a car with a strange design, like a magic weapon combined with an automobile, it was stopping in place. The large car that was like a truck had its behind half like a box made from mirror, while its front half was a magic weapon that was similar with a horse. He guessed that the magic weapon was the engine substitution.

“How long are you going to stand around, black magic armor. Get down quickly and enter the prisoner transport.”

His back was pushed away by Clayda and he slipped off the ramp by a few steps in totter. He almost fell and rolled down, making him have cold sweat. Kizuna turned back to complain at Clayda, but she just pointed ahead with her chin to urge him to hurry like before.

Kizuna descended the ramp reluctantly, then he looked up at the car fixed with the glass box.

Was this the prisoner transport that Clayda told him just now?

The surroundings of the car was circled by the imperial guard, he could feel their will of not letting him escape absolutely.

It would be pointless even if he tried to escape now.

Just as he was urged by Clayda, he entered inside the mirror cage.

“Eh?”

Looking at the situation inside, Kizuna raised his voice reflexively.

It looked like a mirror from outside, but looking from inside, the box’s wall looked like a transparent glass. So to speak it was the same like a magic mirror. And then, the moment he saw the faces of the people sitting on the floor, relief and happiness welled up inside him.

“Everyone! You are all safe!”

Hearing that voice, the looking down Himekawa, Yurishia, Sylvia, and Scarlet turned at him with surprised expressions. And then, all at once they showed him smiling faces like blooming flowers. It was like colorful flowers were blooming in profusion inside the bland prisoner transport.

Yurishia stood up faster than anyone and hugged at him with a leap.

“Kizuna!”

“Owaa, Yurishia! E, err, is everyone okay!?’

Himekawa and Scarlet, and Sylvia too raised their body and directed at him their happy faces. All of them were similar to Kizuna, they were in pilot suits covered all over with wounds. There were many tears here and there, so the pilot suit that had been sexy from the start, now became an excessively suggestive clothing.

The corners of Himekawa’s eyes were slightly teary, and she smiled as if she was relieved from the bottom of her heart.

“Kizuna-kun yourself……I’m glad you are safe.”

She softly wiped her tears with her fingertip, then in a complete change she glared at Yurishia who was hugging Kizuna.

“That’s that, but Yurishia-san! What are you doing taking the chance in the middle of the confusion! Right now is a time of crisis, so please discern of the time and place!”

“How annoying. Don’t be a hindrance in this moving scene of reunion Hayuru.”

Yurishia didn’t mind it and pressed her breasts that were nearly bared to Kizuna. The huge breasts were crushed tenderly on him, transmitting soft pressure to Kizuna’s chest.

Scarlet that was watching that also looked daggers on Yurishia and lost her temper.

“What are you saying-! This is the scene of the moving reunion between me and Kizuna!”

Scarlet slipped through Himekawa’s side and she too jumped at Kizuna. She quarreled with Yurishia for a spot and hanged on Kizuna.

“Uu……the, the both of you are not fair desuu. Sylvia too……”

Sylvia too hugged around Kizuna’s waist with a face that was going to cry. Yurishia and Scarlet were hugging at him, so there was no other empty space. However due to that, Sylvia’s pose looked like she was burying her face on Kizuna’s groin.

“Wha-, what shameless thing all of you are doing―!”

Himekawa’s fury exploded.

“O, oi, everyone, I got it already! Release me a little!”

Regardless of Kizuna’s desperate appeal, the three kept clinging at him and wouldn’t let go.

“Why don’t all of you have any air of tension! Never mind that, just separate from himm!”

Due to Himekawa who looked like a demon, the three were torn off from Kizuna. Himekawa breathed hard with her shoulders heaving while looking at Kizuna with a glare.

“So, Kizuna-kun. What kind of situation is this? Where are we! Were we taken into the AU? What is going on in Tokyo? And Ataraxia? Also, what about Aine-san?”

“I don’t know, even I……”

At that time the door behind him closed. The door became perfectly one with the transparent wall, making them unable to comprehend where the door was.

Yurishia patted around the wall to investigate, but she couldn’t find even the littlest gap.

“It’s the same like the cell, looks like it’s locked by sorcery or something……”

Deciding that it was meaningless to investigate further than this, Yurishia separated from the wall and returned back to Kizuna and the others. The state where she played around just now was hidden, the color of her eye was serious.

“Then, how about we organize the situation. Scarlet, what about the other members of Masters?”

Scarlet pointed behind them. There was a glass car the same like the one where Kizuna and the others were in right now.

“When I was put in here, I saw them getting in the car behind.”

“I see. Anyway it seems that we can think of them as safe for now. Then, Sylvia-chan. Weren’t you standing by above the sea separated from Tokyo? How could you be captured I wonder?”

Sylvia curled her body as if to shrink herself.

“Sylvia is sorry desu……looking how the fleet of the AU appeared, Sylvia thought that Sylvia has to help everyone and returned to Tokyo desu……but suddenly a mysterious light enveloped Sylvia. After that Taros suddenly disappeared. It was already the best Sylvia could do to land in emergency just before Taros could completely vanish desu.”

Himekawa tilted her head with a difficult face.

“Is that……the enemy’s new weapon?”

When Aine used Code Breaker, Himekawa and Yurishia were under the magic of Zelsione and lost their senses. That was why they didn’t know about the shocking truth. But the sight of that time had been burned behind Kizuna’s eyelids.

“That was Aine’s……Zeros’s Forbidden Armament’s power.”

Himekawa opened her eyes wide at Kizuna’s answer.

“Forbidden……Armament, what is that? Is that different with Corruption Armament?”

“It’s a weapon with special power that surpassed Corruption Armament……that’s a Forbidden Armament. Zeros’s Forbidden Armament [Code Breaker] has the power to terminate all enemies completely. Anything that touches the magic circle Zeros created will be decomposed into shining letters and graphics. In front of that power, whether it is magic armor or magic weapon or battleship, things that are created by AU technology will be completely useless.”

Yurishia lightly whistled.

“That’s really shocking, for such amazing weapon to be loaded inside Zeros.”

“But, Sylvia’s Taros is not a weapon of AU desu. Despite so it can still be shot down by Aine-san desu?”

“Aah, that’s……Code Breaker doesn’t affect just the enemy, it will also disintegrate Heart Hybrid Gear.”

If he believed Hida Nayuta’s story, then both Heart Hybrid Gear and magic armor was using the same Core and the product of the same technology. If he thought like that, then he could believe that it was only natural for both of them to be similarly disintegrated.

“I see now. Because of that our brainwashing was also cancelled.”

As expected of Yurishia, she had quick understanding. Putting aside Scarlet who was having a question mark above her head, they continued the talk.

“Butt, like they than that is mostly invincible isn’t it……after all in front of that power, no one can do anything, whether it’s us or those AU fellows.”

Scarlet crossed her arms and asked while groaning.

“Nn―……I don’t really understand but, doesn’t that mean that we obtained a powerful weapon? Then won’t we get the absolute advantage in the battle against the AU like this! With that there is no way we can lose anymore-!”

Yurishia sighed in astonishment towards the elated Scarlet.

“Yet despite so, why do we have to meet this kind of experience I wonder?”

“Eh……hu, huh? That’s right isn’t it, why is it?”

There was no one that could answer that question.

But, the sight at that time was left in the memory of all of them.

The figure of the general of the enemy, Zelsione kneeling in front of Aine.

{Vatlantis Empire’s imperial princess, your highness Ainess Synclavia. I offer you my utmost welcoming.}

“That was……just what was it I wonder?”

In contrast with Himekawa whose eyebrows were knitted, Yurishia returned an answer calmly.

“If we comprehend it as it is, Aine is the princess of the AU……something like that I guess?”

‘――That’s stupid.’

Kizuna murmured so inside his heart. However there were also several things he happened to know.

Each time they did Heart Hybrid and Climax Hybrid, Aine said that she recalled her lost memory.

No, rather than calling them memories, it was more a puzzling image that floated inside her head. Mysterious scenery and preposterous events. The memories were completely like something that came from a movie. However, even if it was preposterous, it was not incoherent, but an image of a world with order.

‘So that was really a real memory.

Aine was scared to remember her memory. That she was going to become someone that was not herself.

And then now it had become reality.

Even though she was that scared, even though she was that desperate.

Have I ever seriously thought about Aine’s feelings, her anxiety?

In the end I actually didn’t listen to Aine’s words seriously didn’t I?’

He started to feel regret so severe that it felt like his heart would be crushed.

“Captain! Please look at that desu!”

Sylvia pointed at the front of the parade. From the deck of the battleship that Kizuna and the others boarded, a bridge was crossed towards the pyramid-style palanquin. When he saw the shadow that crossed the bridge, Kizuna’s heart *dokun* beat strongly.

It was a girl with silver hair and red eyes, her body wrapped in a white dress. That girl was walking between the lines of the imperial guard.

“A……Aine?”

That figure was greatly separated from the figure of Aine that Kizuna knew. It was not Aine that was a pilot of Amaterasu, but the figure of a splendid princess of a foreign country, who was obeyed by a great number of knights.

The foreign princess was not in a pilot suit, she was walking in a white dress that elegantly fluttered in the wind. In exchange for a headset on her head, there was a beautifully shining golden tiara decorated in her hair.

It was a beauty that could make him mistake that this was the entrance of a fairy princess in the middle of a movie.

However there was sadness somewhere in her eyes that was slightly dropped down, her gait also looked heavy.

The Amaterasu members were staring at that procession with a held breath. Seeming unable to bear the silence, Scarlet let out a bright voice that was out of place.

“Ahaha, she looks similar to Aine somehow doesn’t she! We, well, their atmosphere is different somehow, guess that’s someone different though! After all, Aine isn’t supposed to be in that kind of spot isn’t she? Right?”

Kizuna was driven by the temptation of agreeing with Scarlet’s words.

“No……that’s Aine.”

――He shouldn’t be able to mistake her.

Aine lead the imperial guard that was commanded by Zelsione and sat down on the throne that was put on the summit of the pyramid.

As if the parade had long awaited just for her, it began to move forward.

“Wha-, what’s this! This car is moving.”

Scarlet raised a panicked voice. The car followed the line, moving towards the gigantic black wall.

“It seems, that we are heading towards the other side of that wall. Is the place we are going to heaven or hell……I wonder, what kind of experiences we will be subjected under from now on?”

“Wait, Yurishia! Don’t say anything that will make me even more anxious here!”

Scarlet yelled with teary eyes while her lips were trembling. She looked like she was pretending to be fine, but she was desperately opposing the fear and anxiety inside her heart. Even Yurishia who usually spoke to Scarlet with a gentle voice didn’t seem to have the composure for that right now. She crossed her arms while looking up at the towering black wall they were heading to from inside the prisoner transport that was surrounded by transparent walls.

Himekawa too made an audible gulping sound.

“That wall. Looking at it from nearby like this, it’s much more……huge.”

The largeness of the towering black wall overwhelmed everyone. When looking at it from near like this, they understood that it was something built from piling up black stones.

“Ah! The gate opened desu!”

The vanguard of the parade reached the wall. So as to not stop the procession of the magic weapon that was walking in the lead, the gigantic gate with height that reached a hundred meters began to open. Ripping sounds and voices of a great number of people could be heard simultaneously with that.

“Wha, what commotion is this?”

Himekawa’s voice was trembling fearfully.

The palanquin and magic weapons lining up in the front became shadow and they couldn’t see inside the gate. They were approaching the entrance of the black wall. When the prisoner transport that Kizuna and the others were boarding entered inside the gate, the surrounding suddenly became dark. It was like a tunnel that was dug in the wall, regardless of the advance of the car, they couldn’t see the exit. The black wall was not only high, now they really understood that it was also very thick. Before long the front became bright.

Kizuna’s throat gulped audibly with a nervous look on his face.

“So at last it will be the inside of the wall.”

The screaming of the people and the sound that was like explosion resounded even louder.

And then finally the prisoner transport passed through the wall.

Light was pouring down from the sky.

“Uwa……”

Kizuna unconsciously raised his voice from the sight spreading before his eyes.

At the other side of the wall, an AU city was spreading.

It was the imperial capital of Vatlantis Empire, [Zeltis].

Magnificent townscape in Victorian-style vaguely resembling an European city. The difference was in the point that it was built with the same black material like the wall outside. Even though it was afternoon in the sky, it was like only the city was left behind in midnight, it was a strange sight.

However there was not just black color, on the buildings, the wall, the roof, or the surface of the street and so on, there were beautiful lines of light flowing, coloring the city. Those lines were the lifeline of Zeltis. That was the proof of the supply of magic power energy that was the equivalent of gas and electricity on earth. Because the city was black, it enhanced the beauty of the stream of light of magic power even more.

At the black buildings along the street, colorful images were projected on the wall to decorate the city even further. The images were projecting the letters of AU. Kizuna and the others couldn’t read the letters, but they were welcome messages directed to the leading actor of the parade.

Several mechanical blimps were floating in the sky, raining down particles and fragments of light created from magic power like paper storm. Those radiances made Kizuna and the others hallucinate as if this place was a dream kingdom.

At the two sides of the street the parade was advancing on, human wall was continuing endlessly. And then the gathered people were all females. People with joyful expressions, people choking with tears from being deeply moved, people that raised loud cheers. Everyone without exception was welcoming this parade even in various shapes. And then they sent blessings and joy from their mouths, they were yelling the name of the AU princess in appellation.

“Your highness Ainess! We’re happy to welcome you home!” “You are really safe Ainess-sama!” “Ainess-sama-, Ainess-sama! Banzai!” “Welcome home, your highness Ainessss!”

The blessings that were raised without pause were accompanied with the raining down fragments of light and explosive sounds from the sky without pause. And then, without realizing it, the flow of the march made their filling stirred up even reluctantly.

“……Amazing desu.”

The voice of Sylvia’s heart naturally leaked out from the great shock.

Kizuna too, his gaze was completely fixed on the look of the AU that he saw for the first time.

“Aah……so this is, AU……shocking, huh”

The city was well organized, it was easy to imagine that this city was built with proper city planning. Surely this was the main street, all the buildings that face the street looked like shops. There was display windows, inside were accessories and western clothes and so on lining up. It was just that there was a crowd of people in the front so he couldn’t really see well.

“Even so……are there only females here?”

Himekawa’s question really hit the point. Among the pushing crowd, there was not a single figure that seemed to be a man.

“Who knows……that’s strange. I cannot imagine, that all the men died because of the war or anything though.”

Even though there was no fence or anything along the street, even though the crowd was this enthusiastic, there was not a single person that acted in hindrance to the parade, like jumping out to the street or something. They were not savage or rude people in the least, far from that they seemed to be people with extremely high cultural standards.

“Ne, nevertheless isn’t this a great welcoming? Just, what in the world, is this?”

Scarlet made a cramped smile.

“Of course, there is no way this is for our welcome. I’m glad that the wall of this prisoner transport is a one-way mirror. If we are completely seen from outside, perhaps we will have stones thrown at us.”

Yurishia replied with serious eyes looking around the townscape of AU. And then her eyes turned to the front of the parade.

“The one welcomed like this is……there is no need to say it isn’t it?”

Kizuna also sent his gaze at the pyramid-style palanquin moving at the front. From the prisoner transport, there were the vehicles and magic weapons moving in front, also the huge throne was also in the way, so he couldn’t even see the figure from behind.

“Aine……”

He guessed that she was likely to be sitting over there, the former comrade that now had become the princess of the enemy.

No, wait.

It was still too fast to think that she had become an enemy.

He hadn’t even seen her face since then.

‘――Sayonara.’

‘She said that to me right before she activated Code Breaker…..I think.

What is happening, what is she planning to do.

I want to meet Aine. I want to talk to her.

Besides, I wonder what is happening on earth.

Now that we are captured like this, there should be almost no battle strength remaining in Ataraxia.’

“……Aine.”

Kizuna called that name one more time.

Aine who was sitting on a throne suddenly stood up.

“……?”

And then she looked around her wonderingly.

“Is something the matter, Ainess-sama?”

Zelsione who was standing by beside Aine wasted no time to call to her.

“It felt like……I was called by someone so……”

Hearing that answer, Zelsione suddenly smiled. She twirled her body to turn around and spread her arms like a gesture in a play.

“Right now in this Zeltis, there is no one that is not saying out Ainess-sama’s name.”

“I……I guess.”

Aine returned a troubled smile.

Actually, it was exactly as she said. The joyful voices that enveloped the parade were mostly calling out Aine’s name if one bothered to listen. The return of the first imperial princess who was supposedly dead after ten years. The whole imperial capital was raising a warm welcome for the miraculous return.

Aine didn’t think that she would receive this much hospitality, so Aine herself was also greatly shocked. However, she had a familiar feeling with this scenery.

“……Riding a huge palanquin, a great number of people kneeling……it’s exactly the same with the sight I saw in a dream.”

“Surely that’s the memory of Ainess-sama’s coronation ceremony.”

Not overlooking Aine’s whisper, Zelsione answered immediately.

“Coronation ceremony?”

“The previous emperor passed away when Ainess-sama was seven years old. And then Ainess-sama was enthroned and made into the emperor.”

“That time’s……”

There were still a lot of parts in Aine’s memory that was muddy. But once she caught in to a slight memory and pulled it out, the memory would be clearly projected in Aine’s brain. Like that, a fragment of an image that she recalled from the Climax Hybrid settled into the timeline of Aine’s past.

“But, right after that I disappeared didn’t I? Then what happened after that……”

“The second imperial princess that is your little sister, Grace-sama was splendidly serving as your substitute but……”

Zelsione’s words sounded ambiguous as if there was something she felt a little hard to say.

“What’s the matter?”

“No, although Grace-sama is a substitute, but she has served for ten years. Also, it was a situation where the fate of Ainess-sama was unclear without any clue. In the present it can even be said that Grace-sama is the emperor in reality. And so, there is also the possibility that Ainess-sama’s return will become a seed of conflict. It will be great if this is just a needless anxiety but……”

Indeed, Aine also thought that it might be something like that.

“I don’t have any intention to become the emperor after all this time. It’s fine if I just quickly recognize Grace as the emperor isn’t it?”

Zelsione frowned.

“It doesn’t seem like it can be resolved that simply……besides, Grace-sama might not agree with that.”

“Really……”

Grace was the little sister of Aine that was two years younger than her. She was very cute, with abundant talent in sorcery, and most of all she loved Aine dearly.

{Nee-sama, play with me?}

There was no child of the same generation inside the palace. So when Grace tried to play with her big sister, she would come to Aine’s place. Even though Aine thought that her little sister who adored herself was cute, but usually she always said mean things to Grace against her better judgement.

{What is it Grace? It’s still ten years too early for you to try to play with this me.}

{Te……ten years? I cannot play with Nee-sama for that long……uuu-}

And then even though it was Aine herself who said the mean thing, but feeling pain in her heart looking at Grace who got sad was also the usual occurrence.

{It, it can’t be helped then. I’ll allow Grace to follow me. But, that’s only if you can follow me.}

{Yep-! Thank you Nee-sama.}

Inside the palace, Grace frequently followed along behind Aine. They would explore the inside of the imperial castle, when Aine left her behind while running around the courtyard, Grace would desperately try to chase her. When Aine jumped over the small stream in the garden, Grace would imitate her and take the challenge resolutely. But, it was the constant that she couldn’t reach the other side and fell into the small river. Even so, Grace would crawl up without paying attention to her wet dress and came happily to chase the back of her big sister.

{Nee-sama, read me the book?}

And then when it was time to sleep at night, she would come bringing her favorite book to Aine’s room.

{Really, I’m astonished that you still cannot read the letters. Perhaps, you won’t be able to read letters for your whole life.”

{Is that true, Nee-sama? Grace won’t be able to read letters forever?}

Tears blotted Grace’s round and cute eyes.

{U……bu, but, at that time I will read the book for you so don’t worry. Never mind that, hand over the book to me. I’ll read it to you.}

Even though there were maids……yet even while thinking so, Aine read the book. However, she would doze off while reading and in the end they would sleep together in the same bed.

‘Grace who was like that……will she try to kill me as a disturbance factor?’

Thinking like that, Aine’s feelings sunk down darkly.

“Is Grace……healthy?”

“Yes. So healthy that it makes us troubled.”

Zelsione smiled wryly. However, there was deep affection behind that smile.

“When there was conflict with the savages at the outskirts, she would be in high spirits and rushed there by herself. Of course, it raised the moral of the soldiers so we are thankful, but it’s a little bit troubling that she would take the sword herself.”

Aine leaked out a chuckle towards Zelsione who really looked troubled.

Grace’s personality that was lively and reckless didn’t change.

The next gate opened and they entered into the inner part of the city. The attire of the people lining up on the roadside and the city’s state became a step more luxurious. This was the area where the wealthy lived.

“Also……Zel.”

“Yes?”

“Everyone……the prisoners that we captured in Lemuria, is there no problem with them? You didn’t cause any harm to them right?”

“We are giving them the highest treatment as prisoners. We fixed them with interference for equipping magic armor, but that’s all. If there is any inconvenience……then I think it’s only about the meal. There is the possibility that the ingredients here can be poison to them, so unfortunately we avoided giving them food. We are planning to take them into custody in the special cells exclusive for magic knights at the palace, so we will give them the meal after asking Nayuta about the ingredients that are safe to eat.”

“I understand.”

Aine nodded in relief.

“……Ainess-sama, it seems that you are exceedingly favoring that magic knight called Kizuna aren’t you?”

“Eh!? The, there is no such thing! He is a pervert that would make an outrageous coercion in a classroom or the grand auditorium you know. He is the pervert king!”

“Then can I kill him?”

“There is no way you can-!”

Aine yelled with a red face.

Looking at Aine who was like that, Zelsione felt anxious. However she hid the color of worry deep inside and showed a wide grin.

“Ainess-sama used Code Breaker for the sake of saving that man. You really wanted to save that man even if you had to erase most of the prided elite fleet of the imperial guard weren’t you?”

Aine pursed her lips tightly and looked aside.

“That’s……I felt sorry for that. Even I, at that time……had no composure, in the first place I didn’t think that it would be that powerful.”

Zelsione shrugged her shoulder as if to say ‘good grief’.

“Don’t mind it. Fortunately, there was no deaths. Besides, compared to the return of Ainess-sama’s memory, it was a cheap price to pay.”

At that time, the parade entered further to the next wall. This was the city where the nobles lived. The buildings that looked like stylish mansions increased in number, the heavy use of female engravings in the buildings looked conspicuous. After they passed through this area, it would be the imperial castle gate next finally. The appearance was different with the walls until now, a splendorous gate appeared.

“The imperial castle of the imperial capital Zeltis……I really, have returned.”

Aine looked fondly in nostalgia.

The castle gate opened and the palanquin that Aine sat on entered into the courtyard.

A vast space that was unthinkable to exist inside the dense city was spread. Even though she was in the middle of the city, but it felt like she suddenly arrived in a grassland. And then ahead was a gigantic castle and the high towers surrounding it. The surface was covered with armor that shined black. The appearance was like the castle itself was wearing armor for the sake of battle.

And then, the thing that the castle in black armor should protect, was located at its back.

The tower that pierced the sky, [Genesis].

The square pillar with width more than two hundred meters was elongating straight to the sky. Its ends were spreading as if it was taking root at the ground and sky.

When she returned her sight to nearby, there were colorful flowers at the garden in front of the castle blooming in profusion. Flower beds were tidily lined up in the vast garden of lawn and stone steps, and then there were also several ponds and fountains.

The water spurting out from the fountains was rhythmical like a dance, the water’s shape changed, depicting enjoyment and joyfulness with various motions and shapes. Passing through the rainbow gate created from the fountains, the parade halted in front of the castle.

The front of the pyramid-style palanquin became a stair, after descending down, there was a red carpet spread to the entrance of the castle. Imperial guards and palace guards in formal dress were standing in a row at both sides of the carpet, waiting for the arrival of Aine. And then in recognition of Aine who stood up from the throne, all of them drew out the blade in their waist all at once and held them up in front of their faces.

“Then let’s go.”

Invited by Zelsione, Aine walked down the stairs. And then the tips of her toes touched the ground. Finally Aine got down and stood on the ground of Vatlantis.

‘――I, returned.’

Nostalgia, happiness, sadness. All of those mixed emotions were rampaging inside Aine. However more than that, she couldn’t help but feel a large completely empty hole inside her heart.

An absurdly great feeling of loss. This was――

“Aine!”

A familiar voice called out her name. It was her name in the world of the other Lemuriaside.

“Kizuna!”

Aine turned her face at the direction of the voice as if something was flipped.

There was the figure of Kizuna dragged out from the glass-sided prisoner transport with both his arms restrained by palace guards.

“Aine! Let me talk to you, no, listen to me! You are――”

Several more guards crowded on the yelling Kizuna and held him down. Behind him, Himekawa and Yurishia and the others, her comrades in Amaterasu were lined up.

“Aine-san!”

“Aine!”

Her comrades were staring at her. However those gazes were obviously different with the gazes they directed to Aine until now. There was doubt and anger, gazes that were looking and appealing for something. Their eyes couldn’t understand of this situation and irrationality, looking for explanation from Aine.

“……u”

Aine turned on her heel and left to the entrance of the castle as if in escape. Himekawa’s sorrowful yell meaninglessly resounded to that back.

“Please wait, Aine-san! Please don’t ignore us!”

Scarlet ranted and raved with a furious heart.

“What’s with that! You’re putting on air as a princess?”

Yurishia’s eyes quickly became cold.

“No matter what the reason is, it looks like Aine has completely turned to the other side.”

Kizuna didn’t have anything to deny those words.

“……Aine.”

Aine was walking with hurried steps.

The voices of her comrades that she could slightly hear pierced Aine’s heart. Her steps felt like it was saying that she wanted to quickly run away to a place where those voices wouldn’t reach.

But, a lonely whisper was repeated many times inside her heart.

‘――Because, there is no way……I have any face to look at them.’

Chapter 1 – Grace

Part 1

Aine who finished the parade and entered the castle was made to take a bath and changed her clothes, after cosmetics were applied to her, she headed to the audience room. Her clothes was a white dress with the back largely opened. Pink was used in between, making it look lovely.

“Grace-sama wants to meet with Ainess-sama as quickly as possible so……in respect to Ainess-sama, my apologies that you don’t even have the time to calm yourself down.”

Zelsione lowered her head looking really apologetic.

“No, I don’t mind.”

After Aine answered so, she stared ahead of the long corridor. Honestly, she didn’t remember that path inside the castle. Perhaps even as a child she didn’t know about the room arrangements of the castle.

Even now she was escorted by Zelsione and Quartum while going forward to the audience room.

The door at the end of the corridor was opened. Together with nervousness that made her stomach hurt, Aine entered the audience room.

The wideness of the audience room was fitting for the huge castle. A floor size that was a hundred meters to the four directions and the height of the ceiling where a magic weapon could be entered with space still left over. Engravings of females that were like angels were carved on the wall, geometrical patterns were added in the fringe of the ceiling, pictures of the sky and angels were drawn.

When she compared it with her faint memory, she gradually remembered about this room. If she remembered correctly, meeting with visitors was done a lot in this place. Even now was similar with that period of time, the people who shouldered the core of Vatlantis Empire, and then the lords of the surrounding countries were gathering here.

At the center of the vast hall where several hundred people could dance at the same time, a red carpet was extending as if to cleave the room into two. Ahead it became a long stair, and on top of it there was a huge throne. The frame that was created from gold and jewel was unbelievably luxurious, the back of the throne which could even reach several meters was growing wings. The wings which were created from pure gold looked like it granted wings to the person sitting there.

――However, a chair like that was not of any significance.

The master of that throne.

If that throne was compared to the figure of the girl sitting on that throne right now

The size of the throne didn’t match the petite, slender, and delicate female.

But, her presence surpassed the throne, ruling over everything in the vast audience room.

What attracted the eyes most of all was the color of her hair. That color was sweet, its radiance was high class, as if boasting the beauty of pink sapphire. And then the well-ordered face that was beautiful like a bisque doll made one think that if a beauty was given human shape, perhaps this would be how it turned out. In the perfectly symmetrical face which was like a mirror reflection, red eyes similar with Aine were shining. It was like the eyes themselves were emitting light, the deep color and radiance looked like ruby.

In contrast with that, the clothes she wore felt a little uneasy to be called as the outfit of an emperor, rather it seemed that the exposure rate was just too high. Her body was only wrapped in accessories and transparent cloth to an apologetic degree, the clothes looked completely like a dancer costume.

But, mysteriously it suited her.

The accessories put on her body were all made from gold and silver dotted with jewelry, fitting tightly on her body line. Everything was order made for this girl’s sake, masterpieces made by skilled artisans.

Looking at it like that, it made one feel as if these clothes had been thoroughly pondered and produced for the sake of displaying the beauty of the emperor’s body to the utmost.

Her body was also perfect, not inferior to the ornaments decorating her body. In her body that seemed to be soft just from looking, thin and slender, was hidden trained muscle. Even with that, there was no rugged line, but there were only smooth and exquisite curves depicting the whole body. Her breasts were not too big and not too small, boasting splendid shape that didn’t lose to gravity.

The girl’s sublime beauty even looked like her whole body was shining with faint light. No, it didn’t just look like that, her body was actually shining.

Aine soon noticed the true identity of that radiance.

‘――That’s, magic power light.’

The girl was constantly emitting magic power. It was a display of will that no matter what kind of time it was, she could respond with sorcery when something happened. It also displayed the abnormal amount of magic power she stored. That radiance enhanced the strength, the beauty, and the nobility of the girl’s figure even higher.

‘――You became beautiful……Grace.’

The figure inside Aine’s memory was her little sister as a child. Grace that was two years younger than her was five years old at that time. Her memory was far separated with the figure of the female before her eyes. Despite so, Aine mysteriously didn’t feel any discomfort. The beautiful figure she couldn’t imagine to exist in life, sitting on the throne with extravagant presence, overlapped with the Grace inside her memory. There was no doubt in there, rather there was a strange feeling of understanding.

Grace was looking down on Aine from the throne put on far above.

The ruby eyes were staring hard at Aine. The sparkling eyes looked like it was a burning color, yet there was coldness somewhere in it.

And then the pink soft glossy lips opened.

“……After suddenly disappearing, why did you return back after this long?”

The cool voice resounded in the audience room, as if a ripple was spreading in a clear lake. And then, a wave of nervousness was spreading in all who were present at that place. The authority figures were watching over the development while getting cold sweat.

“Gr……Grace?”

Aine faltered against Grace’s hard voice and attitude.

Grace stood up from the throne.

Agitation struck suddenly like a wave.

“Answer my question.”

Grace descended down the stairs.

That pressure made Aine spontaneously gulp, she reflexively lowered her head deeply.

“That, I lost my memory……then”

“And then, you joined Lemuria’s army, and inflicted many losses to our Vatlantis army?”

“Tha-……that’s”

Aine reflexively raised her face. However, she soon hung her head down again. Her body was trembling involuntarily. The figure of Grace that she caught in a glance felt like a terrifying monster. There was no trace of the girl who in her childhood was cutely attached to her emotionally.

“Just what kind of face are you making after returning back like this. Show me.”

Getting off the stairs, Grace now stood in front of Aine.

“I’m sorry……I――”

“Do you think, that you can be forgiven!”

‘hii-‘, Aine’s body bent backwards while raising a short scream.

Grace’s both arms caught the body of Aine who was going to collapse behind. And then, her body that was shorter than Aine gently embraced Aine tightly as if to envelop her.

“Eh……Gr, Grace?”

“There is no way I can forgive you! Just how much, I…..just how much I worried, just how sad do you think I was! Nee-sama!”

Grace buried her face on Aine’s shoulder, her voice was trembling.

“I absolutely won’t forgive you. I won’t let Nee-sama go for a second time. I will put Nee-sama inside my treasure box and lock you up at the depths of the royal palace. There is no way I’ll let Nee-sama get out for a second time. Nee-sama won’t go anywhere as you please anymore.”

“E, err……”

Grace’s voice was hitched, her beautiful face that was like a doll was wet with tears.

“I’m glad……really glad. For this kind of miracle to happen……my praise to Genesis.”

“Gra, Grace……no, your majesty……”

“Stupid, what are you saying Nee-sama. I want you to call me Grace. Just like in the past.”

Grace lifted her face and wiped her tears with her finger. Even so her red eyes were still moist, even now new drops of tears were going to spill out. With still teary eyes, she turned towards the authority figures lining up in the audience room. And then she raised her voice.

“Listen well everyone! O the people who see with their own eyes the return of my sister, Ainess Synclavia! Talk for generations of the miracle that occurred in this day. Lords of the surrounding countries, return back to your country and spread about this matter throughout the country. The miracle that the current emperor of Vatlantis made happen!”

Voices of admiration and applause welled up. However, they only came from half the number of the people gathering here. The remaining half was raising a stir, not cheering.

Parting through that stir, a lone noble stepped forward.

“Please wait, Grace-sama!”

“Mu? Vyuren huh. What is it?”

The noble called Vyuren was already in her forties, but she was still maintaining her youth and beauty. She came out of the lines of the lords with a solemn attitude, stepped forward in front of Grace, and bowed reverently.

“Please let me express my words, the current empire is maintaining the order with Grace-sama as the emperor. I respectfully beg you Grace-sama, please refrain from such really rash remarks.”

Ainess and Grace were close in age, because of that there was once a political conflict of which one to support as the next emperor. Vyuren was someone from the Grace faction at that time. In actuality, Ainess had disappeared for ten years. Right now the Ainess faction had all its members driven away into dead-end posts, or exiled into provincial cities.

The political struggle had been decided conclusively.

Only until now, in this day.

For Vyuren who had come to enjoy the height of her prosperity, this return of Ainess was a bolt from the blue. Surely she didn’t want to lose the interest that she had obtained at great pains. Even the other nobles of the Grace faction were glaring at Aine with bright red faces.

“I didn’t say anything rash or the like. The enthroned Nee-sama is the current emperor, it is an obvious fact no matter how one looks at it. I am only filling in during that Nee-sama’s absence. It doesn’t matter what kind of impression all of you are under.”

The nobles of the Grace faction clenched their fist and flowed cold sweat. In contrast, a noble of the Ainess faction was covering her mouth with a feather fan and showed a composed smile.

“How unsightly. Grace-sama has already spoken so. How about giving up quietly?”

Vyuren yelled with foam coming out of her mouth.

“Don’t fool around! You are just a trash insect that can only look small in the corner of the room until now! To let Ainess-sama who had been absent for ten years to stay in a place like Lemuria to serve as the emperor, such thing is not supposed to happen!”

That yelling left echoes inside the audience room before vanishing completely.

The audience room was silent as a grave, the air froze.

Grace’s red eyes were lit with flames of rage.

“You, just now, what did you say?”

“Eh? Gra, Grace-sama?”

“To put shame to Nee-sama, the Vatlantis emperor……”

The light that coiled around Grace’s body was increasing in strength, as if to display her burning rage.

“Hi-, ple, please wait. I didn’t mean that in the least! Grace-sama!”

Vyuren was drawing back while repeating justifications with a shrill voice.

Grace whispered lowly.

“Koros”

The next instant, Grace’s body was enveloped in dazzling light. Pink light was crystallizing, creating a shining armor. Shining armor was put on her fingertips until above her elbow in silver and golden radiance, they were put on her with a slide. And then her legs, breasts, and head were being equipped with armor one after another. Those armors thinned down and clung to the body, there was no boorishness in the least from them. It was an elegant magic armor that resembled refined music.

And then, like a tree that reached out its branches, silver wings were growing on her back. It was folded up once, and then as if to shake off the light enveloping the wings, it flapped greatly.

The wings granted on the beautiful Grace. Originally, it was supposed to be the appearance of a divine angel.

――However, that figure was far away from an angel.

The wings that appeared from under the light were wings that were only bones.

A devil’s wings on the figure of an angel.

An ominous and disastrous existence.

――This was Grace’s magic armor [Koros].

The magic armor that possessed the alias of the angel of slaughter.

“That reckless remark towards Nee-sama, deserves certain death.”

Grace’s red eyes and pink colored hair emitted killing intent.

“Please forgive me! I’m only thinking about your majesty’s――”

Vyuren ran away flurried. She brushed aside the other nobles lining up in the audience room and headed to the exit.

“For my sake, you say? You are just intending to use me as a tool for the nobles’ benefits.”

Koros spread its wings. Feathers of light were produced from the bone wings and danced in the air.

“HIIIIIIII-!”

Vyuren got out of the audience room while tumbling about.

The cluster of feathers dancing in the air stopped still in empty air. The next moment, the feathers flew out like fired arrows. The arrows of light sewed were weaving through the crowd then changed their direction to fly out from the audience room towards the corridor.

“He-, help――”

Vyuren leaped out of the castle’s exit, she then stepped out her feet to the stair that went towards the castle gate, and at that time

The light arrows pierced that body.

“Guha……a-!?”

Vyuren’s movement stopped while her hand pressed on her chest. She stood stock still while staring at space for a while, before her body shook violently. The body that lost its strength fell down from its face and rolled down the stair like that. The palace guard that rushed to the body and shook it wondering what happened found that the body wouldn’t stand up anymore.

The arrows of light that pierced Vyuren were dyed orange. That was the color of magic power that Vyuren had. Leaving behind orange tracks, the arrows of light once more returned to the audience room with a terrific speed. And then they settled on Koros’s wings as if returning to their nest, the magic power that was taken out from Vyuren was absorbed into the bone wings. The light particles were sent from the wings to Grace’s body, and then to her hair, causing its pink color to shine even more vivid and even more beautiful.

“Taking in the magic power of such a worthless fellow feels a little disappointing.”

Grace spoke so as if to spit out and her face distorted in displeasure.

――[Magic Power SuctionHarvest]

Aine stared at the shining Grace who increased to be even more beautiful.

That was the Corruption Armament of Koros. Normally, using a weapon would consume the magic power drastically. However Koros was an exception. It plundered the magic power of the opponent and absorbed it as its own magic power. With that magic power, the hair and the eyes of the user shined even more beautifully.

Harvest was like something that could independently perform Heart Hybrid.

Grace noticed Aine’s gaze and she showed her an angelic smile like a completely different person.

“Nee-sama. I plan to purge the eyesores immediately, so you don’t need to worry.”

“Purge you say……”

Aine’s spine turned cold.

Grace spread open her arms fully and announced with a voice that resounded all over the audience room.

“Nee-sama is the legitimate emperor of the Vatlantis Empire. But, because she has just come home, I will continue to fulfill the official business for a while yet. However eventually Nee-sama will take over and I will become her aide. That’s it!”

Leaving those words behind, she turned her back on the audience room that was whirling in chaos, Grace then took Aine’s hand.

“Let’s go, Nee-sama. There is a lot that I want to talk about with you.”

“Ye, yes……”

Aine let herself get pulled away by Grace and left the audience room.

Part 2

That night, Aine took a bath together with Grace and now she would talk with Grace in her room until late at night.

“Ainess-sama is also looking tired, how about resting early for today.”

Not lending her ear to those words of Zelsione, Grace dragged Aine to her room no matter what. On top of the bed where five or six people could sleep in lines, the two of them were sitting cross-legged slovenly. There was no guard inside the room, it was a time for the sisters where there was no interruption. Both of them exposed unladylike figures without minding over anyone’s opinion.

The matching negligees they were wearing were something that first class artisans tailored using high class material. Laces that looked like works of art and fluffy frills were arranged in lovely result. The fabric with texture like a silk was excellent to retain one’s temperature, but it was really light and so thin that it looked transparent. The two large round breasts, and the shape and color of the protrusion on the summits became exposed without anything hiding it.

How did Aine pass these ten years until now, that was what Grace asked and talked about. Grace felt shocked and angered at each and every story of Aine, she was listening in a daze. Aine who was looking at Grace’s expression that kept changing frequently naturally burst out in a smile.

“Hmm……so Nee-sama was really going on a great adventure. Just from listening makes my heart feel like it’s going to stop.”

Grace’s hand touched her chest and she sighed deeply.

“That’s exaggerated. Grace was the one that was really in difficulty right? Really……I’m very sorry.”

Grace shook her head left and right and touched Aine’s lips with her index finger.

“Nee-sama. Apologizing is forbidden already. I don’t think that it’s difficult or anything at all. I protected this place in Nee-sama’s absence as a little sister. That’s all there is to it.”

Grace smiled happily. That was not a face as the representative of the Vatlantis Empire. It was the honest face of a fifteen year old girl.

“But……”

Even if she was told that, the feeling of guilt couldn’t be easily wiped off. Aine disappeared from this world at seven years old. Grace was five years old at that time. She was made to sit in the seat of emperor at a little under five years old and passed these ten years at this whirlpool of trickery that was this imperial castle. Even Aine could easily imagine, that it wasn’t merely something ordinary.

Suddenly, she recalled about the incident in the audience room.

That Grace who innocently chased after her back, killed with her own hands one of the nobles of the faction that supported herself. She did it very easily, without any hesitation at all.

When Aine’s face looked down in melancholy feeling, she could hear a nostalgic melody.

{The goddess is dancing. With nothingness, with death, with the emperor. And then to eternity.}

Grace closed her eyes and hummed a song.

That was a song that was handed down in the royal family.

Aldea once sang this song for Aine to hear. That was to test Aine. If she showed a reaction, that would mean she had some kind of connection with the first princess Ainess whose whereabouts was unknown.

“……I even completely forgot, about that song too.”

“Is that so? Even though Nee-sama liked this song in your childhood.”

She didn’t understand the meaning of the song lyrics, but she had heard that it came from the inscription on Genesis. She didn’t know more than that. Even so, she liked this melody, she liked singing this song together with her little sister.

“Nee-sama. Just like when we were small, let’s together――”

There was the sound of the door being knocked, after that Zelsione’s voice could be heard.

“Grace-sama, Ainess-sama, excuse me.”

The door opened and Zelsione’s face peeked inside.

“What is it? I should have told you to not disturb us tonight.”

To soothe the displeased Grace, Zelsione lowered her head with a smiling face.

“My apologies. Tomorrow morning, there will be a ceremony held for the greeting of Ainess-sama’s return towards the people of the empire. The dress will be tailored throughout this night, so at least we have to take the measurements.”

Grace pursed her lips “Mu” and her words stayed in her throat.

“Then it can’t be helped. After all there is no way we can let Nee-sama come out in front of the people of the empire in a shabby appearance.”

After emphasizing to Aine persistently to return back after the measurements, she was finally permitted to go out from Grace’s room. Aine followed behind Zelsione, walking through the astonishing wide and long corridor. After turning over several corners and up a stair, they came to a halt.

“This way.”

Zelsione opened a door. When she entered inside, Aine reflexively felt like her chest was constricted.

“This is……my”

“Yes. This is the room of Ainess-sama.”

Aine stepped her feet inside her room from ten years ago.

The room with a space of more than a hundred tatami was fitting for a princess, it was overflowing with elegant and lovely furnishings. At the center was a bed attached with canopy. A little distance away was a large desk for studying and a chair. Near the window was a dressing table. Bookshelves were lined up along the wall, she could see the lighting of the castle town from the large window. Aine touched every single furniture inside the room as if to ascertain their texture, making sure of their existences.

‘――That’s right. Certainly this is my room.’

Aine had three rooms. One was this room. The second was the one at Nayuta Lab, the bland room without anything in it. And then the third was the one in the exclusive floor for Amaterasu at the student dormitory, the room where there were many books and videos piling up like mountains.

Each of the room didn’t resemble each other at all. But, without any doubt all of them were her rooms. They were like the mirror that reflected her self at the respective times.

‘――Which room is the most fitting for the current me I wonder?’

“The artisan will arrive in no time, so please wait here for a while.”

“I understand……hey, Zel. Can you, leave me alone for a little?”

“Ainess-sama?”

Zelsione showed her a worried expression, so Aine replied with a wry smile.

“It’s nothing big. I have been surrounded by everyone all this time, so I want to calm myself down alone. I won’t go anywhere by myself so rest easy.”

“I understand. Forgive me for my lack of consideration.”

Zelsione bowed faithfully and then left the room.

Listening to the distancing steps, Aine released a sigh of relief. She stared at the city of Zeltis that was visible from the window and released a large sigh once more.

Her battle with the AU as a member of Amaterasu just a little under half a day before felt like a lie. Her facing the Tokyo recapture operation with the preparedness to die felt like something of the distant past.

‘――Is this, really okay like this?’

Such thinking flashed in her head.

‘No, what am I thinking? In the first place I’m a human of this side am I not? It was only because I lost my memory and fell to the enemy’s hand that I helplessly lived there.’

She thought so. Yet despite thinking so, for some reason it was hard for her to swallow that excuse right now.

More than half of her life was spent as Chidorigafuchi Aine. In these ten years, what was constructing her current self was the time she spent as Aine which was longer than the time she spent as Ainess.

Aine pressed her head as if she was feeling a headache.

Herself was created from two selves that ran counter with each other. But it didn’t mean that she had two personalities. Both of them were herself, existences that were hard to throw away.

However the two selves that composed herself, Aine and Ainess wouldn’t tolerate each other’s existence.

And that this could even change the position of the war between Lemuria and Vatlantis.

‘――What should I do?’

She didn’t understand. But, there was important things. The safety of Kizuna and the others who became prisoner, of Amaterasu and Masters. She had strictly ordered so that they wouldn’t be treated cruelly, but tomorrow she would confirm it properly.

Aine clenched her hand tightly and resolved herself. At that time, there was the sound of the door opening behind her.

“Zel? You came back?”

A different person was standing where she turned her head at.

“Excuse me, Aine.”

There was only one person in this Vatlantis who called Aine like that.

White long coat like a doctor’s robe and long black hair. The face that really resembled the commander of Amaterasu, Hida Reiri made one unable to feel her age. Since Aine met her ten years ago, she looked like she hadn’t changed at all.

“Professor……Nayuta.”

“Aah, excuse me. Right now you are your highness the emperor of Vatlantis aren’t you? Or else should I better call you Ainess?”

“……Aine is fine. Just what business do you have with me I wonder?”

“No, until now I didn’t know that your highness is the emperor and acted impolitely so often, and so I came to beg for your forgiveness.”

Aine stared hard at Nayuta with a grim face.

“You didn’t know……you?”

The corner of Nayuta’s lips rose.

“Correct.”

There was no way that was true. If it was this person.

“Actually you had noticed my true identity right? Perhaps, since a long time ago already. That was why you used that kind of forceful method to try to release the Forbidden Armament. Because you knew that if you do that then my memory will come back.”

Nayuta raised her voice cheerfully towards Aine’s pressing.

“A good reasoning. If I honestly speak, I didn’t have the definite proof that Aine is a human of Vatlantis……that’s how it is. I understood that Zeros is loaded with a weapon other than Corruption Armament. Your memory didn’t really return with normal Climax Hybrid, so I attempted to release the Forbidden Armament. For that, suitable resolve of Aine herself and an urgent situation were necessary. A situation where it was unavoidable. For that sake I took a hundred thousand people hostage. Although――”

Nayuta narrowed her eyes and stared fixedly at Aine, it was unclear whether she was happy, or being mean.

“It was a little shocking, that what the lives of a hundred thousand people couldn’t achieve, could be achieved with the single life of Kizuna. Is this what is called the power of a maiden in love?”

Aine’s cheeks became red in a flash.

“Shut up! Why can you do such inhuman things so calmly!? Those innocent people……even Kizuna almost really died there. He is your child!”

“That was the most efficient method, so it cannot be helped.”

“That……that’s really, unbelievable……”

Aine couldn’t close her opened mouth from the calm answer of Nayuta.

“Actually I planned for Aine to recover your memory with my hand. To have the distinguished service of rescuing the first princess will make it easier to approach Grace-sama, it will be convenient to act in Vatlantis then. But, unfortunately you failed your Climax Hybrid. And there I had to let Zelsione-sama take the credit.”

Aine’s body was shivering. She didn’t know if it was from rage or from helplessness. Emotions were rampaging inside her chest. If she didn’t clench her fist and bit her lips, it felt like she would explode.

“The commander said it didn’t she? That you are a demon.”

“Yeah, it seemed so. What a cruel way of talking towards her biological mother.”

“It’s only natural that she said that!”

Nayuta smiled cheerfully with her usual gentle expression.

“Is that so? In reality, Ainess-sama could recover her memory like this and returned home to Vatlantis. Besides, the unprecedented danger which the current Vatlantis is falling into will be resolved in the near future. Rather than a demon, am I not closer to an angel instead?”

‘――Just what is this person talking about so shamelessly?’

“……Professor Nayuta. What is your objective?”

“My objective?”

Nayuta put her finger on her lips and pondered with a gesture like a child. And then she lifted her face as if she had thought of something, making a smile like a holy mother.

“There is particularly nothing.”

“Nothing you say……”

Aine lost her words.

“There is no way that’s true!? Why did you create Heart Hybrid Gear? Despite doing that, why did you now defect to Vatlantis? I don’t understand what do you want to do. Are you the ally of mankind? Or else the ally of Vatlantis? Why are you acting as if you are only inviting chaos?”

“That itself is not my objective. Of course, I could hypothesize that such fact would take place, but it was the result of advancing my experiment, it was only a side effect that such fact occurred.”

Nayuta answered with her usual smile.

“You know, I cannot tolerate that there is something in this world that I don’t know about.”

Gentle smiling face. But that was a fixed mask. Her eyes were not laughing. Those were eyes that were constantly observing and analyzing the target.

“That’s why if there is something that I don’t know about, I become wanting to obtain and investigate it. Whether it’s Heart Hybrid Gear, or the Entrance, or the magic weapon, and then even this world too.”

A purity in the level of absurdity, a simplicity in which one could feel madness.

Endless greed for knowledge and transcendental curiosity.

The result of those things granted with gifted intellect was this human called Hida Nayuta.

“This world……is that so, you plan to obtain this Vatlantis next aren’t you? Using this me as your puppet.”

Nayuta pleasantly laughed.

“Fufufu, no way. I don’t have any interest for this country’s influence. After this I don’t think I will have anything to do with all of you. Please rest assured.”

“……Really?”

“Yes. I won’t do anything at all to Kizuna and the others, and to Aine too. From now on, please, all of you do whatever you please with both worlds, Vatlantis and Earth.”

Aine felt anticlimax from Nayuta’s unexpected words. No, could she even believe what she said?

About Nayuta. She might be still thinking about something outrageous. Aine stared fixedly at Nayuta’s face from the side in order to read what was inside her heart.

Nayuta was staring outside from the window.

Ahead of her gaze was the center of this world. The pillar that supported this world and created life.

“……It seems that I’ve stayed a little too long. Zelsione-san will return here soon so I better leave.”

“Ah, wait. I still have――”

“Right, how about I give you just one advice. About dealing with Kizuna and the others, isn’t it better to leave them alone for a while? I earnestly ask you not to go to meet them or favor them specially.”

“Eh? Wait――”

Nayuta exited the room while her white coat flapped behind.

Aine sighed and stared outside the window. She stared at the same scenery that Nayuta was looking at just now. That was the Genesis, which was towering tall inside the darkness of the night.

‘Professor Nayuta said, that she won’t do anything to Kizuna and all of us anymore. If that’s really true, then one uneasiness should be resolved with this.’

However, an anxiety that couldn’t be wiped out was lurking inside Aine’s chest.

Part 3

Aine was greatly busy in the next day. Formal report to the public, greetings and introductions to all sides, Aine went to events and parties again and again.

She was concerned about Kizuna and the others even during that time, but there was no chance to meet. Aine didn’t try to go to meet them because she was worried about what Nayuta said to her that night.

However, if Nayuta was really not going to interfere with them, then shouldn’t she not need to be particularly worried? She had such thinking. On the contrary, she also suspected whether Nayuta had some kind of aim instead.

While hesitating like that, several days passed. And then tonight too there was a party carried out in the imperial castle. After she received greetings from so many people that she couldn’t really remember, she pretended to go to toilet and just barely managed to escape to a balcony.

“Haa……”

She sighed alone……but she noticed that slightly distant from her there was a guard of the imperial guard standing. Even when she was in the bath, she already didn’t have any chance to be alone.

‘――Even so, I wonder if this is better than being in the party hall?’

Just when she was thinking that, a fierce explosion happened overhead.

“Wha-!?”

She immediately took a stance and almost yelled out the equipping code for her Heart Hybrid Gear――the next instant, large flowers of light bloomed one after another in the night sky.

“Fireworks isn’t it……don’t make me surprised like that.”

Aine looked up at the night sky and stared at the fireworks which bloomed into various shapes and colors. Whether it was in this world or the world at the other side, there was no large difference of the fireworks. It was just that fireworks that used sorcery could make movements, colors, and shapes that were impossible for the world of the other side, that was the difference.

Suddenly, a memory of when she was in Ataraxia welled up inside her heart.

At Ataraxia’s balcony, she was wearing a dress like now and looked up at the fireworks blooming in the night sky with the two of them.

“Are you pleased with the fireworks, Ainess-sama?”

Zelsione called out to her worriedly.

“Zel……yes, that’s right.”

“The welcoming festival for Ainess-sama will still continue for a week over there. Fireworks will be launched everyday like this.”

Aine made a cramped smile.

“What’s with that. You don’t need to make that big of a commotion.”

“Even this is still not enough. Everyone is happy with Ainess-sama’s return. Conversely it might burden Ainess-sama as the result, but this is also for the sake of the empire’s people. Please be lenient somehow.”

Aine murmured while gazing at the castle town that made merry in the festival.

“I heard that Vatlantis is heading to the danger of destruction because the Genesis became abnormal in its working, but……despite so, everyone is lively aren’t they?”

“No, it has been a long time since there was this much energy. Everyone was building up fear towards the collapse of the world. The world restoration experiment by Nayuta the other day was a success, but……”

Zelsione looked up to the sky. Aine also chased after her gaze and looked up. There were various shapes of firework launched up, but there was not a single star at the night sky behind them. There was only pitch black darkness spreading there.

“The starry sky returned temporarily, but it soon returned like this. According to Nayuta, it has to be dealt by expanding the installation after this.”

“I see……that magic power plant will be created in every place then.”

“Yes. And so hope also welled up inside the people of the empire. And there the miraculous return of Ainess-sama happened. That made the hearts of the people to become brighter.”

Aine shook her head with a difficult expression.

“But, even if I’m expected so much like that……I, don’t understand what I should do.”

“There is no need to feel lost. We have to conquer the whole territory of Lemuria.”

“!?”

With a soft smile to assure Aine, Zelsione said the thing that Aine didn’t want to hear the most. She understood that this was a problem that she had to face sooner or later. Since she heard about Vatlantis’s predicament, she knew that this was a path that she had to go through someday. But, even so this was also something she couldn’t come to a clear solution with. Aine spoke with a wrung out voice.

“Conquer……there is no way we can do that.”

“Then, are we to steal the happiness of those people?”

Zelsione spread her hand and pointed at the brightness of the castle town. The place where it looked conspicuously bright was the place where a night market was opened. She visited there yesterday under the pretext of observing the living of the people.

Everyone looked really happy. They welcomed Aine and treated her to the food from a stall. The imperial guard stopped her from eating such lowly food, but she shook free and forcefully tried to eat them.

Every one of the food was amazingly tasty.

“Really, Ainess-sama is too reckless. What would happen if there was poison in it, I felt like my life was shortened.”

Her grim face crumbled, Aine leaked out a stifled laugh.

“You are exaggerating. There is no way such thing will happen.”

“However, thanks to that Ainess-sama is greatly popular among the masses. The gossipy bunches are grumbling that it was a performance for popularity, but even such voices immediately vanished.”

Shadow covered Aine’s face once more. The memory of the incident in the audience room was revived in her brain.

“Zel……don’t tell me, you are not planning to lay your hand on the people that are our retainers aren’t you?”

“No, I wasn’t speaking in that kind of mean――nn?”

Zelsione knitted her eyebrows. Aine too felt a dizzying sensation.

And then in the next instant, *DON* a large sound shook the earth.

“Wha, what? Earthquake!?”

Aine almost fell to the floor from the shaking that made it hard to stand.

“Ainess-sama!”

Zelsione rushed to Aine and caught her body. The imperial guards that were standing by in a slight distance were running to them all at once.

The towers of the imperial castle shook greatly like a pendulum. Even the central part of the castle where Aine was at, was like a ship that was agitated by waves, it was slightly jolted. It was to the degree that she felt like she would feel seasick even while in the castle.

One of the imperial guards raised a voice that resembled a scream.

“Ah! That’s! The town is!”

When Aine looked at the direction where the guard was pointing at, she too raised a short scream.

Fissures were running through the castle town. The gigantic crack collapsed the buildings standing above it and swallowed them. Suddenly blazes were rising up all over the city.

“No way……the market”

And then the market that Aine observed, its ground was greatly crumbling, that one district was falling into the depths of the abyss.

Zelsione faced the imperial guard and yelled.

“Emergency dispatch! Prioritize the extinguishment of the fire and the people’s evacuation. Confirm the damage condition and report as the situation calls.”

“Yes-!”

The imperial guard other than Zelsione each put on their magic armor and scattered to every direction. The shaking was settled around that time.

“Ainess-sama, no need to worry. I’ll protect you no matter what happened.”

Aine was dumbfounded by the disaster that she witnessed. The trembling of her legs couldn’t settle down. She had heard the words about how Genesis became not functioning, but she never thought that it would be this bad.

When she looked at the direction of Genesis, a large crack ran through the sky where the pillar was at the center. Something shuddering crawled up Aine’s spine. She felt the fear toward fate, of something that a power of an individual couldn’t oppose against.

“I wonder……if Grace is fine?”

“That person will not die even if she is killed.”

Aine made a wry smile inside her heart towards that horrible way of talking. However there was persuasiveness in Zelsione’s words, and then she could feel her faith and affection to Grace.

“I guess. Grace, is like that isn’t she……”

There was one more thing that she felt concerned about no matter what. Aine asked while feeling slightly hesitant.

“Hey, about every……the prisoners we brought here from Lemuria, how are they?”

Zelsione answered after a short pause.

“They are imprisoned within the special prison inside the castle. But, just as Ainess-sama commanded, we didn’t do anything that inflicted pain to them. It’s a little like living in a villa there. Also the prison was built solidly, I think it won’t even give an inch just from an earthquake of this much. Though this is something ironic.”

“I see……then, that’s fine.”

Aine stared hard at the crack that was created in the middle of the castle town and resolved herself.

“Hey, Zel. I have a request.”

Part 4

The prison building where Kizuna and the others were at was separated from the imperial castle. Around a hundred of half-sphere domes were lined up orderly. Actually inside the prison that was made from a gouged out lump of crystal was completely spherical because its lower part was buried in the ground. Inside the protective wall of the crystal, several layers of magic formula were imprinted, and due to that particular disposition, the person locked inside would be affected by the mechanism that absorbed the magic power from their body in fixed amounts. In other words, even if the prisoner attempted to escape or insurrection, they would soon run empty of their magic power and became unable to resist.

Kizuna passed a few days being imprisoned inside that prison. The wound that was inflicted by Zelsione had also mostly recovered. After finishing the daily flexibility exercises and muscle training that he decided himself, he lied down on the bed.

The size of the room was around eight tatami, but there wasn’t particularly any discomfort. Rather it was an extraordinary treatment for a prisoner. The inside was clean and he was given warm and delicious meals three times a day. He also wasn’t interrogated or tortured. But, he completely didn’t know anything else other than that. The crystal wasn’t that transparent, it was like a cloudy glass where the scenery outside looked ambiguous. Light penetrated inside, so he could somehow differentiate afternoon and night. However he didn’t understand about the others’ situation. He didn’t have any way of knowing whether the members of Amaterasu or everyone of Masters were put somewhere else, or were they put in the same prison nearby.

The color of the ceiling was dark. That was why he understood that it was night right now. However, the lighting of this prison was from outside, so inside became almost true darkness.

Kizuna stared hard at the bracelet which was fixed on his right hand. This thing interfered with putting on magic armor, so it was impossible to escape. However, he couldn’t stay like this forever. He was also worried about everyone, and also of Megafloat Japan and Ataraxia too.

When he imagined about this and that, his imagination would unconsciously go to a bad direction, so it felt like his heart would break.

‘――Get a hold of yourself, Hida Kizuna. Eventually there will be a chance to escape. It will come for sure. For the sake of that time, train your body, sharpen your mind. So that when the time comes that you meet the chance, you will notice it and not let it get away.’

After a while he also did push-ups and sit-ups. He laid down spread-eagled and rest his fatigued muscles. When he closed his eyes from the comfortable tiredness, there was a figure that naturally floated inside his heart.

The girl with silver hair and red eyes.

“Aine……what are you doing right now?”

If Aine was the princess of this world, then surely she wouldn’t meet any bad experience. But, he didn’t know about the AU. It would be great if she didn’t get involved with some kind of trouble or conflict.

Since they came to this world, Aine didn’t come to meet him for even once. It granted a stroke of uneasiness inside Kizuna’s chest.

‘By any chance, has Aine abandoned us already?

Has she become our enemy in body and soul?’

“That’s stupid.”

Kizuna opened his eyes and spoke to drown out the anxiety in his heart.

“Just calm down. Soon Aine will come to meet……no, she will come to help.”

‘That’s right. Even if she has the past of being the princess of another world, that girl is our comrade. She is Amaterasu’s Chidorigafuchi Aine.

Right now Aine too has only just arrived in another world, so she must be confused or busy. If she settle down, then she should be become our strength without fail――!?’

At that time, the door of the entrance opened without any previous sign.

Kizuna leaped up from his bed in shock.

“……-!”

And then, he looked at the silhouette of the person standing there and his voice hitched.

Aine wearing a glittering long dress of pink and white color was standing there.

“A……Aine!?”

“Kizuna……that, it’s been, a while.”

Aine couldn’t look at Kizuna’s face straight, she looked timid. She looked up as if to take a peek at Kizuna. It was as if she was a scolded puppy peeking at its master’s mood.

“Ho, how is your wound I wonder? Your health is fine?”

“Yeah……even the wound in my leg is fine already.”

Kizuna restrained the fierce beating of his heart and answered as natural as possible.

“I, see. That recovery degree is just like a lizard aren’t you?”

Aine too tried to act like how she usually was as much as possible. However it ended there, the two fell into complete silence. Aine tried to open her mouth several times, but each time she faltered.

Even though he wanted to meet Aine so much like that, now that he met her the inside of his head was pure white. He could only see what was reflected in his eyes. Her hair that was flowing beautifully, her make-up, most of his thoughts were occupied by Aine who was wearing a dress.

“Those clothes……it really suites you.”

“Eh? Right……that’s because, I asked Zelsione to secretly take me here in the middle of a party.”

“When I saw you wearing a dress before I thought that you looked like a princess, but……I never thought, that you are actually a real princess.”

Seemingly reassured by Kizuna’s calm attitude, Aine showed a smiling face even if an awkward one.

“Hey, Kizuna……that, are you fine from the earthquake just now?”

“Yeah, that was quite big. Does Vatlantis also have a lot of earthquakes? It’s like in Japan huh.”

Aine suddenly pursed her lips tightly, and then she entered the prison in resolve.

“Li, listen, Kizuna. Actually――”

“Is everyone else safe?”

Just when she stepped forward in resolve, Kizuna’s question hit her like a counter. Aine wanted to escape, but she somehow held her ground. She forcefully created a smile under her knitted eyebrows.

“Ye-, yes……of course, they are safe. I didn’t allow them……to be hurt.”

“Is that so……I’m relieved if you say that. I have various things that I want to ask. What happened with our original world? Right now, how is the relation with the AU?”

Kizuna stared straight at Aine with a serious look. Aine flinched from that gaze. She averted her eyes and she intertwined the fingers of both her hands.

“I, I have something to discuss about that……right now even the world on this side, is in a little trouble……it’s difficult to explain it but……it needs magic power.”

“Magic power?”

Kizuna’s look became grim. Aine’s shoulders twitched just from that as if she was being scolded.

“And so, if it’s possible it will be like helping each other, I want everyone of Lemuria……of earth to share their magic power. I want to ask Kizuna’s opinion about what do you think……ah, of course I think that if Vatlantis settles down we will need to give compensation or something.”

Kizuna felt confusion from the sudden story. However he desperately tried to understand what Aine was talking about.

“That’s, something like the magic power plant in Tokyo?”

“Tha, that is……”

Aine’s eyes swam everywhere.

“Perhaps, like that.”

Kizuna flared up and reflexively yelled.

“What are you saying! You saw it too right? That state of Tokyo. Are you saying that a horrible installation like that is needed? Rather, it’s no good unless we stop it right now!”

“Yes, I don’t want to do the brainwashing. But, unless everyone obediently gives their cooperation……if there is no magic power from earth……this world will break.”

“……What?”

“In this world, there is a pillar which is supporting the world……if there is no magic power, it won’t function normally. Like that, right now Vatlantis is facing a danger of destruction. The earthquake just now was also because of this.”

Kizuna lost his words from the story of Aine which he had never even imagined.

He couldn’t understand what he should say.

‘――This world is breaking down? Because of that they invaded our world?

What Kaa-san created, that magic power plant is also a facility for that.

However……while that may be true, can the things the AU had done to us be forgiven?

Can a facility that treats us as livestock be allowed?

But, Aine is positive of that.

Moreover, Aine desired to stand in the position of the AU.’

Kizuna clenched his fist. His body was trembling from indescribable emotion.

“Aine. Even if that’s the case……it cannot become a good reason to invade the earth. Or else, Aine, do you think if it’s for the sake of saving the people of Vatlantis, it doesn’t matter whatever is being done to the people of earth? That it’s fine even if people are being brainwashed and their life sucked out like livestock?”

“-……!? I don’t think of them as livestock or anything! Isn’t that obvious! I’m not making them like that, I just want help. I want them to share their energy a little. With that……everyone will be saved. That’s why-”

“Then, this shouldn’t be a one-sided talk like this. Isn’t that right?”

The prison wasn’t that spacious. After Kizuna took two, three steps forward, he had already approached until the spot where he could immediately touch Aine.

“Ki, Kizuna.”

Aine almost stepped back. She bit her lips and held her ground.

“Aine. If you are really thinking of wanting help, that you want to cooperate, we should talk to each other as equals.”

“I know that. But, there is no time. What happened just now is not just an earthquake. That was Genesis causing malfunction and beginning to collapse this world. Because of that earthquake, a lot of innocent people died you know?”

“We had our people killed in numbers many times over by the AU fellows. Even you understand that well right? After all you also fought the AU.”

“That’s……”

“After massacring us utterly like that, now to ask for help so suddenly, isn’t that too selfish?”

Aine dropped her gaze and stared at her feet. Her legs were trembling.

She understood Kizuna’s point so well that it hurt.

But, she had the duty of protecting the people of Vatlantis. Aine raised her face in resolve.

“Perhaps right now your freedom is taken, but it won’t stay like that. Absolutely. I will return the freedom and make it so both sides can speak equally for sure. The act that was done to Lemuria, I will compensate for it in some kind of way for sure. That’s why……believe me.”

Aine looked up at Kizuna with moist eyes.

Her expression was desperate.

However, looking at Aine’s entreaty to him, on the contrary fury was seething inside Kizuna helplessly.

‘So she is this desperate in order to save the AU.

This is not in the least something for saving us and the earth.

――The Chidorigafuchi Aine that we know is not here anymore.’

“Got it.”

Aine’s face enthusiastically became bright from those words.

“Kizuna! Thank you. Of course I understand that this doesn’t mean that I received permission. But, I’m happy that I can understand each other with Kizuna.”

Tears were floating in the corners of Aine’s eyes, with her expression as if she had received the greatest happiness. She was really happy that she took Kizuna’s hand and talked without stopping.

“Now I have confidence just from you telling me that. I will show you that Vatlantis and Lemuria can both become happy without fail.”

“……If we are talking about that, first, can you let me out from here?”

“That’s……I can’t. Yet.”

Aine made a bewildered expression.

“Bu, but, from today I will come to meet you everyday. I want to consult about various things. That, I will begin to work, so that you can even go outside. Ah, of course, eventually you will become a free man. Like, I, becoming a bridge that connected the two worlds……with Kizuna.”

Aine spun her words desperately with reddened cheeks. Anxious expression floated behind the smiling face, cold sweat was flowing out. As if to convey her feeling, Aine put her palm on Kizuna’s chest timidly.

Kizuna’s hand grasped that wrist.

“Then, when will it be?”

“Ki, Kizuna?”

“Even while we are doing something like this, the range of the magic power plant in our world should be spreading wider. We are also the same in that we don’t have time. We cannot be so carefree. Aine, cooperate with me so I can escape from here.”

“Wa, wait. Calm down Kizuna. I beg you so――”

At that moment, a light blue light appeared from behind Aine. A supple whip entangled around Kizuna’s neck like a snake and lifted his body really easily.

“Guh! Wh, at?”

Just when he heard *hyuu* a sound that was like cutting wind, Kizuna’s body was thrown away and struck the wall of the prison.

“Guha-!”

His back was struck hard, then he dropped to the floor still unable to breath.

“Kizuna!”

A magic armored arm held back the shoulder of Aine who was going to rush to him.

“Zel……”

It was Zelsione with the magic armor [Teros] equipped. She was glaring at Kizuna with a gaze filled with killing intent.

“Zel, I begged you that much to leave the two of us alone……!”

Zelsione gently pushed Aine’s body behind her and swung the whip towards Kizuna. Together with a sharp sound, Kizuna’s back was carved with a red line.

“GUAA!”

Severe pain assaulted Kizuna’s whole body. That pain made him literally writhe on the floor.

“You insolent fool! Even though originally you wouldn’t even be allowed to talk directly to Ainess-sama……you took advantage of Ainess-sama’s generosity and made so many outrage, this is the limit of my patience already!”

Zelsione changed her whip into a sword and held aloft the sword towards Kizuna.

“Zeros!”

Zeros was instantly equipped on the body of Aine which was wearing a dress. Aine cut in front of the sword that Zelsione swung down with a terrific speed.

“!?”

The hand of Zelsione that was swinging the sword down was grasped with Aine standing in her way to protect Kizuna.

“Zel! Stop it!”

“Please release me Ainess-sama!”

Aine clung to Zelsione and like that she pushed her until outside the prison.

Right after that, the door of the entrance was closing. Aine turned to that gap and yelled.

“Kizuna! I’ll absolutely save you. That’s why, wait quietly there for now. Please!”

And then Kizuna was locked inside the prison once more, with a large wall separating the two from the inside.

“Ainess-sama.”

Aine lowered her head towards Zelsione who seemed to want to complain.

“I’m sorry Zel……but, I”

Zelsione sighed and glared at the dome prison with irritated eyes.

“Please be careful Ainess-sama. He was once your comrade, but right now the positions of the both of you are respectively different. We won’t understand what he will do when he is in a corner.”

However Aine glared at Zelsione rigidly and showed an enraged face.

“No way! Kizuna won’t do such thing. Even what happened just now was only because he was a little flustered. Kizuna won’t harm me or anything, absolutely.”

Aine turned on her heel and walked the path towards the imperial castle.

“Ainess-sama……”

Looking at the back figure of Aine who was like that, Zelsione’s face clouded. And then she glared once more at the prison where Kizuna was locked. Those eyes were shining with cold killing intent.

Chapter 2 – Circular ArenaColosseum Duel

Part 1

The citizens of Zeltis were walking on the street with smiling faces that were overflowing with expectation.

It was the city of the common citizens which was surrounded by the most outside castle wall. At the sides of the street, stores aimed at that procession were lining up. Not to mention beverages and snacks, there were also various things like opera glass and souvenirs sold. That sight was exactly the same like the shopping district that was adjacent with tourist attractions or sport facilities on earth.

The people were talking with enjoyment, they ran their thoughts of the fun things that would happen after this and made their heart swell with anticipation. And then, ahead of that procession, the facility that was their destination was displaying its dignity proudly.

It was something that was completely like the Colosseum of the ancient Roman Empire.

On its outer wall that was created by the same black stone, several reliefs of angels fighting were carved. Slashing with sword, stabbing with spear, grappling with bare hands. Their figures were completely unlike angels. As if to color those reliefs, light of magic power was flowing on the wall. How the colorful radiances were flowing even looked similar to the flow of electricity that ran inside integrated circuits.

As if being invited by those angels and magic power lights, the people were being absorbed one after another into the entrance of the Colosseum. When they came out of the passage, there a huge battle field was spreading with diameter that surpassed five hundred meters. And then surrounding it were audience seats where a hundred-odd thousand people could watch the battle at the same time.

The extent of this Colosseum was for the sake of the battle between magic weapons, and even possibly between people wearing magic armor.

Similar to the ancient Roman Empire, Vatlantis made criminals and prisoners fight, which was exhibited as a spectacle event.

The most popular was the competition between fellow humans wearing magic armor. The appearance of magic armor was nice, each one was rich with personality, with various weapons making the people watching entertained. Besides being granted magic armor was also the proof that the person’s ability was recognized as suitable. There was a showy impressiveness in a battle between fellow strong warriors, it was only natural that the audience would be excited.

However, if they fought using that kind of weapon, the audience too wouldn’t end up safe. There, this whole Colosseum was constructed by means of sorcery mechanisms. The battle field was wrapped by many layers of Life Saver, creating a solid wall that was invisible to the audience’s eye. Thanks to that, there was not a single worry that stray bullets or blown away magic armor would plunge between the audience seats. At the same time, it also served as the cage so that the prisoners fighting in this place couldn’t escape.

Several huge floating windows were opened above the battle field and the audience seats. And then phrases to promote today’s show were streamed, heating up the audience’s excitement in one go.

The gathered hundred-odd thousand people understood. That the match today would be a special competition card which they had never seen until now. And then, that this match was also attended by the emperor who returned after ten years and the second princess.

It was the beginning of a festival without doubt.

Aine who was sitting on the throne which was prepared for the sake of royalty was overpowered by the Colosseum which she witnessed for the first time and the excitement that ruled the place.

“This is……what’s this commotion?”

“Yes. This is one of the events to celebrate Ainess-sama’s return. Magic knights with pride in their strength will devote all their strength and skill as attraction. Especially since there is Ainess-sama and Grace-sama in attendance this time to watch, so I had prepared a treasured card.”

Aine made a frown and looked over the audience seats and the battle field.

“Making people fight as an attraction like this……it’s not a good hobby.”

“However Nee-sama, didn’t you say that in Lemuria there is also a similar attraction like this that made people fight each other. Something like……boxing or pro-wrestling?”

Sitting on the two lined up thrones, at the right side was Aine and at the left side was Grace. In contrast with Aine, Grace was waiting for the start of the match in a cheery mood.

“Those are just sports, it’s not killing each other like this.”

Aine answered without looking at Grace. It even felt like there was a tear growing in her voice.

Zelsione who was standing by beside the two took a step forward and lowered her head reverently.

“Ainess-sama. The objective of this match is not for killing each other. Until the end it has the objective of pitting each others’ skill, it doesn’t mean that one side will die for sure. Besides, the people fighting here are not just enemies or prisoners. For example there are Clayda and Lunora there who are members of the Quartum, they originated from this Colosseum.”

Zelsione pointed at a blonde eye-patched girl and a blue haired beautiful woman among the four Quartum standing still behind her.

Clayda was the girl who led away Kizuna from the cell in the battleship into the prisoner transport. Right now she was not in her imperial guard uniform, but she was wearing a battle outfit that clung tightly to her body. She wore a no sleeve short vest with vertical line in it. Together with that was a hot pants with size that was abnormally little. And then on her back she was armed with a thin sharp sword that looked like a crescent moon.

The other one, Lunora, was a female with elegance and beauty like a daughter from a good family rather than a swordswoman. However, the atmosphere her body was clad in seemed bizarre somehow. She put on the white shirt of imperial guard and a see-through camisole under it. At her lower body there were only panty that was tied with strings at the left and right sides and tights until above her knee, her appearance looked like she was coming outside in the middle of changing her clothes. Her look was really inflammatory, but she wasn’t merely sexy but also caused a bizarre pressure towards those watching her.

The cause for that were the large gashes carved on her beautiful face and body.

There was a diagonal painful-looking scar from her forehead until her cheek that seemed to be coming from a sword cut. The wounds were not only on her face. There was a large scar along the valley of her breast that was like a vertical stitch. Similar scars were also carved on her neck and abdomen, and her legs and arms. It made one wonder just how many life and death battles she had acted in this Colosseum. Aine felt a shudder in her back just from imagining it.

“I grew to desire them no matter what while watching the fight of these two many times. They were scouted by this Zelsione truly.”

Grace was staring at the proud Zelsione with astonished eyes.

“What scouting. Isn’t that just your quick hand, or your bad habit of philandering huh?”

Behind Zelsione were the Quartum and then also Aldea who recently was added as a close-aide standing in a slightly distanced spot.

“I feel obliged by the praise your highness bestowed me.”

Zelsione made a theatrical bow. Aine spontaneously leaked out a smile looking at them. She then asked Zelsione while once again staring at the faces of the four Quartum.

“Other than Clayda and Lunora……the other two didn’t originate from the Colosseum?”

“Yes. Elma is a native-born of the imperial guard.”

Elma was a beautiful girl with an atmosphere like a caged lady. She had cute charm points with her long gently wavy white hair as her characteristic, and her ears which were a little like beast ears with how it pranced up.

The combat uniform she was wearing was also like a feminine dress, there were frills arranged on it making it seem like young lady, her skin was exposed in places like the valley of her breasts or her stomach, its exposure rate was high. Besides a large slit was inserted right in the middle of her skirt, her thighs and panty were in plain sight, the essential places weren’t hidden. The modesty of lady was combined with obscenity in that figure, creating a dangerous feeling of immorality.

She pinched her skirt and bowed elegantly.

“Ainess-sama, it’s lovely to be in your presence. This is truly a great honor to serve as your highness’s guard in this occasion.”

“Yes. Take care of me, Elma. And the remaining one is……”

A girl with flaming red hair.

“She is called Ramza. There is a little special circumstance――”

At that time, a powerful music began to flow in the Colosseum.

“Oo, it will begin soon Nee-sama.”

Grace raised her voice happily.

At the same time with the opening of the battle field’s gate, white smoke blew out. Inside it a figure with light brown skin was walking. A splendidly tight body with the muscularity. Her short cut blonde hair and the white costume that hid the body unsatisfactorily suited the light brown skin.

Aine had seen that figure before. Rather, it was someone she couldn’t possibly forget even if she tried.

“That’s Gravel!? ……Why is she?”

She was a soldier of Vatlantis who assaulted Ataraxia and struck Aine with her gunsword. The opponent who acted a mortal combat with Kizuna at Okinawa.

“Ainess-sama, Gravel is under the suspicion of the crime of treason. Right now she is being entrusted to me and is under investigation.”

“Treason……?”

Just what in the world happened? Aine stared fixedly at the back figure of Gravel who was slowly walking to the middle of the battle field. Perhaps it was just her imagination, but it looked like there was tiredness seeping on her back.

If she remembered right Aldea should be her comrade…….

Aine who thought that took a glance at Aldea who was behind Zelsione. However Aldea was expressionless, it seemed there was no particularly strong emotion welling up in her even after looking at Gravel’s figure.

The music suddenly stopped and a different tune began to flow.

And the wall at the opposite side of Gravel opened and similar white smoke like before was blown out. Cheers thundered in the Colosseum. From inside the misty smoke which was like mist, the figure of the opponent appeared.

The instant she saw that silhouette, Aine gulped.

She wouldn’t mistake that person even just from his figure. Aine’s heart was ringing like an alarm bell.

“Ki……Ki, zuna?”

With his whole body swaying the white smoke coiling around, Kizuna’s figure appeared. In place of his pilot suit, Kizuna was wearing top and bottom which was prepared by the promoter for him, he was walking while looking straight ahead. His clothes had similar design with Vatlantis’s military uniform, giving a masculine style to Kizuna. The fighting warriors wouldn’t liven up the place if they had shabby appearances, so Kizuna was made to wear that for the production.

Aine’s clenched hand was trembling hard.

“What is……the meaning of this?”

Zelsione tilted her head as if she didn’t understand the meaning of Aine’s words.

“The meaning?”

“Why is Kizuna over there!? Don’t tell me that you plan to make Kizuna fight――”

“Of course. There is no other meaning than that for someone to stand in the battle field.”

Aine’s astonished expression hardened.

“Is something the matter?”

After returning to her senses with a ‘hah’, Aine lifted her eyes.

“Stop this match right now! Zel-! I should have told you already to treat everyone courteously! Yet……what’s, with this-!”

Zelsione kept back Aine with a wheedling voice to calm her down from her agitation.

“Please rest assured Ainess-sama. This is just an entertainment you know, entertainment.”

“Entertainment……you say?”

“Yes. This is the unveiling of the black magic armor……Kizuna. This is to let the people of Vatlantis to know, and recognize of Ainess-sama’s friend. Ainess-sama also wished for them to live as a member of Vatlantis correct?”

“Tha, that’s……if that’s the case, that’s certainly fine, but this is too rushed or……no! If they die before that then it will all come to nothing.”

“Kizuna is a really strong magic knight. I think he doesn’t compare unfavorably with Gravel. Rather, Kizuna has defeated Gravel once hasn’t he? Then there is nothing to fear. Besides, this Zelsione who has actually fought him gives his strength my stamp of approval.”

Grace too had her eyes shining from deep interest, she chuckled ‘fufu’ after hearing that.

“Hohou, I’ll look forward to this then. Moreover the opponent is that beast with tanned skin.”

Zelsione nodded as if to say ‘that’s exactly what I think too’.

“Yes. Furthermore combined with the fact that he is a rare species of male, there is no doubt that he will become the star player of this Colosseum.”

Unable to endure, Aine yelled with a loud voice.

“You’re wrong. At his current state, Kizuna’s strength is the same like being nonexistent! He is going to get killed by Gravel!”

Grace and Zelsione reflexively looked at each other. For the two of them who didn’t know about Heart Hybrid and Climax Hybrid, they couldn’t comprehend at all just what Aine was talking about. However, they at least understood that Aine was worrying about Kizuna’s safety.

For just an instant, cold light flashed in Zelsione’s eyes. That light wasn’t noticed by anyone before her expression changed into a troubled one. Zelsione then whispered into Aine’s ear as if she was reluctantly exposing a secret.

“Of course, there is also the case where the fighters bet their lives. However, just as I told your highness before, this is an entertainment. This is not a battle where they are taking each others’ life, but it’s nothing more than two fighters displaying their respective strength. They are not really fighting for real.”

“Eh……”

‘――That means, this is a fixed game?’

Aine’s expression softened a little.

“Ainess-sama, if Kizuna can suddenly become famous here, surely he will be able to regard Vatlantis as his second home and live a happy life here.”

“……!?”

With a violent shake, Aine’s heart was greatly wavered.

‘――Living together with Kizuna in Vatlantis. A happy life……’

Aine stared at the center of the battle field with trembling eyes. Surrounded by cheers that shook the Colosseum, Kizuna and Gravel confronted each other with glaring eyes.

Kizuna was staring hard at Gravel that he even forgot to blink.

Previously she was an opponent with whom he acted a battle that was on the verge of life and death, but mysteriously he didn’t have any ill feelings or hatred towards her.

“Gravel……it’s strange to say long time no see, but why are you in this kind of place?”

On the other hand Gravel’s eyes felt down, her face looked a little lacking in vitality. Her glossy tan skin also seemed to be somehow dull.

“Kizuna……that’s your name right? I am already not the me of before. Right now I’m merely a captive……I’m in the same position as you. No, now that I have received utter humiliation, perhaps I’m even lower than you.”

Kizuna felt a shock that even resembled an impact from the murmur coming out of that dark expression.

She was completely like a different person than the Gravel he once crossed swords with. The killing intent, ambition, the power of soul that he felt amidst the defense and offense in paper thin difference, he couldn’t feel at all of all those things from that time.

“What’s wrong? You are really down.”

Reacting to Kizuna’s voice, Gravel lifted her gaze with upturned eyes.

“You are concerned about the opponent you will kill each other with after this?”

Kizuna knitted his eyebrows. He recalled the thing Zelsione announced to him in the cell.

{I’ll grant you the chance to be liberated. Tomorrow, if you can triumph in the duel that will be carried out in the Colosseum, you will be free. But, if you lose――}

“Killing each other……huh. So this is an attraction where people watch the prisoners kill each other.”

“That’s right. I never thought that I will be able to see you again in this kind of place and shape.”

Gravel’s mouth was slightly smiling. However that was a self-deprecating smile, that sneered at herself.

“So it’s true that the one who loses in this match will die?”

“That’s right.”

“But, I also heard that if you win you can be free.”

Gravel snorted.

“I was also told that. But don’t believe those guys’ words. Even if you win you will only be put in the next fight anyway. And then, you will continue to kill your opponent to win and advance to the next round, and die when you lose.”

“Something like that……I want to refrain from that huh.”

“This body is smeared with humiliation. I don’t feel precious of something like my life at this late hour……but if there is still a sliver of hope……if my life can still become useful, then there is still something that I have to do!”

After letting out a deep breath, Gravel yelled with a tensed voice.

“Zoros!”

Together with that voice, orange light enveloped Gravel’s body. That radiance was compressed and crystallized, creating a magic armor.

“Eros!”

Kizuna too immediately called his own Heart Hybrid Gear. In response to that voice, pink particles equipped Kizuna’s body with armor possessing black luster.

As if already estimating the timing, fireworks were launched all at once around the Colosseum. Fierce explosive sounds thundered, beads of light fell from the sky, amidst all that, cheers that resembled screaming welled up from the audience who reached the peaked of their excitement.

The gong of the battle rang.

Three line particle cannons were floating behind Zoros in wing shape. Twelve cannon muzzles in total from the four wings were directed at Kizuna. While they were just the common equipment, but it was Zoros’s main equipment that possessed powerful destructive power. The street of office buildings of Ataraxia was cruelly returned to ashes after receiving the volley from them. Gertrude of Masters had her Heart Hybrid Gear destroyed after receiving bombardment from close range. And then she became heavily wounded to the degree that all the bones in her body broke and she wandered between the boundary of life and death.

“Here I go Kizuna!”

Kizuna too deployed several layers of Life Saver.

“Yeah, I too cannot die in this kind of place!”

Zoros ignited its particle cannons. Flame explosion rose up at the spot where Kizuna was standing, Kizuna’s figure was hidden by the flame. Surprised and disappointed voices leaked out from the audiences who thought that he was instantly killed. However, Kizuna’s figure who flew out from inside the explosion like gliding made cheers to be raised once more.

“Shit! That’s too severe for a preliminary attack!”

His Life Saver quickly reached the limit with the attack just now. In his condition without Climax Hybrid, Kizuna didn’t have any method of fighting. What he could do was just continuing to lay out Life Saver and blocked the attack. Cold sweat flowed down Kizuna’s cheek.

“Damn it! I’ve got to quickly think of a way to defeat Gravel!”

Gravel ignited her thruster and chased after Kizuna. However she was putting a fixed distance between them from what might be a precaution.

“What’s wrong Kizuna. Escaping forever like this is not like you.”

“Ku……-”

He didn’t have any way to pick a fight even if he wanted it!

He wanted to speak back like that, but he endured with an effort. He raised the output of his thruster and could only run away. But, Gravel was gradually closing in on Kizuna. Although it was a spacious battle field, Kizuna was soon cornered to the wall.

Gravel reached out her hand to the gunsword on her back.

On the large caliber particle cannon that was like a bazooka, there was a huge and wide single-edged sword buried into it. The sword part elongated even more ahead from the gun muzzle and its length was even taller than Gravel’s height. There was a trigger in the hilt and an ammo cylinder at the gun barrel. By changing the bullet that was inserted into the cylinder, it could be added with a special attack.

Putting aside the Corruption Armament, it was Zoros’s strongest weapon.

However, Gravel was also hesitating whether to draw out the gunsword or not.

‘――Why doesn’t Kizuna come to attack?

His movements are also slow, there is no speed for him to escape.

Is he inviting an attack from me?

What is he aiming at?

No, there will be no end to it if I’m hesitating!’

Gravel’s fingers grasped the hilt of her gunsword. She accelerated at the same time and closed the distance in one breath.

Kizuna sensitively sensed her presence.

‘Here she comes!’

He made a spin-turn near the wall and faced Gravel.

“HAAAAAAAAA-!”

Gravel’s gunsword was swung down at Kizuna.

‘――Now!’

Kizuna’s leg kicked on the ground.

He leaped aside with the maximum instantaneous force the current Eros could use. The gunsword that cut empty air slashed the wall and fierce sparks scattered.

That wall was the entrance from where Kizuna arrived to this battle field. It was the door he entered from.

“Yosh-! Did that do it!?”

For Kizuna who didn’t have a weapon, he made use of Gravel’s strength and tried to destroy the Life Saver that was enveloping the battle field. If it was the gunsword that destroyed even Kizuna’s Life Saver, then perhaps it could destroy this wall.

Kizuna was staring fixedly at the dazzling light and sparks that the conflict between the gunsword and the Life Saver emitted while holding his breath.

‘――Just now was a speed that Eros can only barely create. A movement that I can only do after training for a while in the prison. If I’m still the same until now, perhaps I’ll get killed by that attack.’

The sparks the gunsword caused stopped and Gravel raised her sword. She swung around the gunsword lightly and then pointed its tip at Kizuna.

“You won’t be able to get out from this Colosseum using this kind of petty trick.”

“What-!?”

The door of the entrance was completely unharmed.

“The Life Saver enveloping this battle field is firm. Your Life Saver is also hard, but the one here is even harder than that. If it’s possible to break through with the gunsword, then I’ll have done that a long time ago.”

Kizuna groaned with a face as if he was chewing a bitter bug.

“Shit-, so your gunsword is also no good……even though it destroyed my Life Saver in Okinawa like a joke.”

“Certainly if it is my Corruption Armament [Sword Gatling] then……if I use that then even the Life Saver of this battle field can be destroyed. However, it’s impossible right now.”

“Why!? If there is your Corruption Armament, then we can escape from here without killing each other!”

In contrast with the frustrated Kizuna, Gravel answered disinterestedly with an expression as if she had given up.

“In order to draw out Sword Gatling, a large amount of magic power is necessary. My magic power is insufficient. Before this, I was confined in a special prison. That prison has the function to absorb magic power, I cannot store a magic power above a certain amount.”

Kizuna recalled of the prison where he was locked at.

“Is that the prison that looked like ice?”

“I see……so you too were in the same prison. If so I can understand of the half-hearted way you fight. It looks like your magic power was absorbed even more than me.”

“……uh huh.”

Gravel comprehended it as she pleased, but that actually wasn’t it.

‘Even if I have magic power……Hybrid Count enough, I still don’t have the power to fight.

When I haven’t done Climax Hybrid with someone, my combat power is equal to zero. Shit-, if I just had the chance to be together with Himekawa or the others……’

“It seems that the power you showed at Okinawa……the power to create an inexhaustible supply of weapons is unusable huh.”

Gravel stared hard at Kizuna as if she was trying to see through the inside of Kizuna’s heart.

“Most likely that miraculous power was accomplished by consuming a vast amount of magic power right? The secret of your strength is due to the absurd storage amount of magic power that surpassed our common sense. But, the current you is nothing more than a huge tank filled with only a few drops of water……am I wrong?”

“……Something like that.”

He whispered his true thoughts inside his heart while replying ambiguously.

‘――That’s totally not it!

Rather than something like that, there is something I’ve got to think about.

What do I do to defeat Gravel?

What should I do so I can escape from here?

Honestly speaking, there is no plan I can take. I’m walking blind here.’

Gravel directed her gunsword at Kizuna and fixed her stance.

“Kizuna. Even if you don’t have any way to fight right now, I am not allowed to sheath back my sword in this situation. Also I’ll, live……I have something that I have to accomplish at all cost. That’s why, no matter how low I have to live in disgrace……I cannot die here no matter what!”

In the face of Gravel who wrung out a painful voice, there was not a single speck of happiness from being convinced of her victory. What was there were only dark shadows and tragic determination.

“Gravel……what in the world are you fighting for? I understand that it’s not only because you value your life. For what, for whose sake that makes you try to survive here?”

Gravel glared at Kizuna with a bitter expression as if her wound was widened. After glaring at him for a while, she suddenly sighed and lowered her gunsword. Her gaze also fell to match that movement. There was nothing but the ground ahead of her hung down gaze, but those eyes were staring at the far beyond.

“Two things.”

Two things?

Kizuna didn’t understand the meaning of those words. However, he had the feeling that a door inside Gravel that wasn’t opened until now was going to open.

“I have things I want to save……one, is my motherland and its people.”

“Motherland? This Vatlantis Empire you mean?”

“No. My country is a small country in the corner of this continent that lost the battle with Vatlantis. Right now it’s nothing more than an administration sector of Vatlantis.”

‘Is that so……so this world originally wasn’t a single united country. There are multiple countries like on earth, war happened, and amidst that there is a powerful country that is the Vatlantis Empire that ruled at the top.’

“However, I thought that if a just government and administration are carried out, it will be fine even like this. There is not only bad things from being under the umbrella of a large empire. Being obsessed to independence and uselessly prolonging the fight will hurt the people……but, Vatlantis is not a country that one can have expectations to.”

“Gravel……”

“The Genesis is not working normally, this world is heading to its collapse. Nevertheless, this country continues to skirmish with the surrounding countries, and the senior statesmen are only obsessed with the power struggle in the imperial castle. Even the forceful invasion to your Lemuria, is far off from righteousness.”

‘Aah, is that so.

Even the people of this world are the same like us. Even in our world, if there are good guys then there are also bad guys. And it’s similar here, there is no way that all the people of the AU are man-eating fiends.

Besides, Gravel’s position is really similar with us, how her country is under the rule of Vatlantis. Gravel and her motherland are perhaps the figure of us in the future.’

“That’s why, I have to escape from here. And then I’ll return to my country, and call out to the neighboring countries to fly the banner of revolution.”

There was a single thing Kizuna was convinced at in regards to Gravel.

‘――This woman is someone that is worthy of trust.’

“I see now, I really understand that. And then, what is the other thing?”

Gravel sent her gaze at one corner of the audience seats. Over there was a place that common audience couldn’t enter, the noble seat exclusive for the royal family.

Seeing the figure of a girl who was sitting there, Kizuna reflexively raised his voice.

“Aine……-!”

There was the figure of Aine who was sitting on a splendid chair. The instant he discovered that figure, Kizuna’s heart was beating fiercely. Beside her was a girl slightly younger than Aine with pink hair. At their nearby were Zelsione and the Quartum, and then also the figure of Aldea who they had fought against several times.

“The other one is……a personal story. There is someone that I want to rescue no matter what.”

He didn’t understand clearly just where was Gravel’s gaze looking at. But, even Kizuna could imagine that who she meant was Aldea.

“Is that so……so she is an important existence for you huh.”

“No, I don’t think of her as important. If it’s thinking of wanting to kill her then I had such thoughts several times. In the first place, we were trying to kill each other at our first meeting.”

“……Wait a second. Didn’t you want to save her?”

Gravel’s lips floated a smile. It was a real smile that he saw for the first time since they met here.

“But, I cannot abandon her.”

“Is that so……”

‘――She is also the same with me there.’

A strange feeling of solidarity was born inside Kizuna. Perhaps it was only a one-sided thing, but he began to harbor a feeling that resembled friendship towards Gravel.

Kizuna and Gravel faced each other once more.

“Kizuna, that time I fought you. That fight, in that time, in that instant, was when I felt the most fulfilled in my life. It was the best time. I even feel that every single second of that with affection.”

Gravel said that and her eyes narrowed. As if feeling nostalgic of an important memory.

“Aah, me too. But……my bad. Honestly, I cannot show a power like that time.”

“I know. But, I cannot go easy on a soldier of your level. I’ll come with all my strength.”

Gravel took out a cartridge from her waist and inserted it into the cylinder of the gunsword. And then she faced Kizuna and aimed.

“Bullet!!”

“Ku――”

Kizuna immediately jumped away. Fierce flash caused explosion in front of his eyes.

“UWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!”

He avoided direct hit, but after that he was swallowed by the spreading shockwave. His body danced in the air as if he was just kicked flying by a giant, then his body bounced on the ground and rolled.

“Gah! Hah……”

His body was numbed. However, he had to stand up soon, Gravel was coming.

“Kizuna! Dodge to the right!”

“!?”

He could hear a familiar voice.

He reflexively obeyed that voice and flew to the right.

Sharp blade ran through his left side. He rolled just like that and jumped up with the momentum.

Gravel had stabbed the gigantic sword of the gunsword to the ground where he was just at.

‘――That was dangerous. But, the voice just now?’

“That’s how you do it Kizuna-kun!’

“Captain! Please do your best desu!”

“Everyone!?”

At the audience seats right nearby, the members of Amaterasu were there at the front row. Himekawa, Yurishia, and Sylvia looked worried for Kizuna and raised their voice desperately.

But, they were not here as audience to watch the battle. All of them had their limbs restrained and surrounded by ten-odd imperial guards with their swords drawn.

“Don’t you die, Kizuna! Win and save me here!”

Scarlet yelled so vigorously that her throat got hoarse. The Masters were lining up at the row behind her, all of them opened their mouths largely and cheered for Kizuna.

‘――I see, so they plan to show how I get tortured to death.

That’s right. This is not just my problem.

I cannot lose.

It’s for the sake of saving everyone too.’

Kizuna ignited his thruster and took distance from Gravel. However the bullet of the gunsword hit Kizuna’s body.

“GUAA-! Shi, shit-”

Even though he intended to evade with irregular trajectory, but he was hit accurately. Kizuna’s body was toyed by the gunsword’s bullets like a joke. A severe attack snapped him from his feet. Shockwave blew him away, he was rolling on the ground of the battle field.

‘Damn it! Something, some kind of way, the way to defeat Gravel.’

He stood up with staggering feet. He thought that Gravel wouldn’t waste time to attack him, but she was unmoving with her feet staying still.

In the brief moment where he took a breath, Gravel inserted a bullet into the cylinder.

“Shit-! That thing will come again!?”

The cylinder created a metallic sound and settled inside the gun barrel. Gravel didn’t aim the muzzle at Kizuna, she grasped the handle and lifted the weapon overhead. It was handled not like a gun, but as a sword. So to speak――,

‘So it’s light sword this time!’

It was the weapon that shot down Scarlet together with her barrage with a single attack at Ataraxia.

Gravel pressed the trigger at the handle. Thereupon, the sound of firing hammer shot at the bullet resounded, light of magic power ran along the sword and elongated to the sky.

“Reaver!”

“Kuh!!”

Kizuna materialized shield of Life Saver in layers. Many layers, many piles, and then they blocked the sword of light.

“UGUOWAAAAA-!”

Several layers of Life Saver broke and scattered apart. The remaining Life Savers somehow blocked the cutting edge of the light blade, but the shockwave mercilessly pierced Kizuna’s body.

“GAAH! ……-……kuh!”

The impact made him feel like he was hit by a truck. Kizuna’s body rotated strangely and crashed onto the ground of the battle field. Pain that made him wonder if all the bones in his body were broken made Kizuna’s consciousness feel far.

“Shi, shit-……in, in this kind of place!”

He desperately yelled in his attempt to hold on to his consciousness.

He got on his knees and hands from laying face-down and somehow rose up his body. The scenery looked warped. In his warped eyesight, there was the figure of Gravel walking to him with her gunsword in one hand.

‘Damn it, it’s useless with only Eros.’

Kizuna looked at the audience seats with an unfocused gaze. He could see the figures of Himekawa and the others who were yelling at him with worried faces.

‘Shit-, even though if Himekawa or Yurishia was just nearby……I can do Climax Hybrid. If I can do that my Hybrid Count will be recovered, I can even fight Gravel. If it’s a Ros-series, Corruption Armament will even become usable.

But, right now it’s impossible to do Climax Hybrid with Himekawa or the others. Everyone is captured and the wall separating us cannot be broken.’

A footstep was approaching.

Gravel finally arrived at the distance where if the huge gunsword was swung down, it would be able to cut down Kizuna. Her toes entered the sight of Kizuna.

When he raised his face, there was Gravel wearing a magic armor that shined orange looking down at him.

――Gravel who was wearing the magic armor Zoros.

Kizuna suddenly leaked out a snort.

“I’m an idiot.”

A way existed already in front of his eyes since the beginning.

“Hey, Gravel. You want to save your country and Aldea right?”

“That’s right. That’s why even if I feel bad……but you――”

“If right now, I restored your magic power fully, what are you going to do?”

“――What?”

Gravel showed a perplexed face that didn’t understand what Kizuna was saying.

“Even if you win against me, perhaps you still won’t be freed. You said that yourself just now. But……if your magic power is recovered right now in this place, if you can use your Corruption Armament, what are you going to do?”

Gravel’s eyes opened wide.

“That’s……if that’s possible. No! Such thing is impossible. What are you scheming now that it has come to this!? You are just trying to invite agitation in me!”

Kizuna understood that Gravel’s heart was shaken.

“No, I can do it! If what I’m scheming can only be realized! And then by combining our strength, we are going to escape this place. And then we will save our respective important people!”

Will to fight was disappearing from Gravel’s eyes.

“Bu, but, such thing is impossible. Don’t talk of a pipe dream that you cannot even do! Or else are you saying that you will cause a miracle!? Just what kind of miracle can you do!”

‘――Got her.’

“It’s impossible to cause a miracle with just me alone. But, if it’s you and me……the both of us can do it! This thing called miracle!”

Kizuna straightened his knees in one go and leaped at Gravel’s legs. He hugged at her thighs and pulled her down. Gravel who was taken by surprise fell on the ground looking up and got pinned down by Kizuna.

“Wha……Kizuna, you cowar――HAAann!”

Kizuna’s hand quickly grasped Gravel’s large breast. It was not too strong and not too gentle, he was rubbing with a superb control of strength. Gravel’s body was suddenly driven by a sweet sensation.

“AHAaAn……ii-……n!!”

Gravel blocked the gasping voice that reflexively leaked out from her mouth with her hand in panic.

By all rights, she wasn’t supposed to raise that kind of unseemly voice this easily. However, her body that had been thoroughly broken by Zelsione now would react even from a little stimulation.

Gravel felt an outrageous humiliation and shame from that fact. Her cheeks reddened and she bit her lips.

“Ki……Kizuna-! Even you are trying to humiliate me……-!”

Kizuna brought his face in front of Gravel’s eyes. They stared at each other in a distance where their nose tips could touch each other.

The eyes of Kizuna that were staring at Gravel were serious.

Gravel’s words stopped inside her throat from that serious gaze. Suddenly the inside of her chest pulsed poundingly.

“Gravel. How did I acquire the ability to create weapons and won against you? I’ll teach you the secret. This is the way to cause that miracle!”

“Ah……wha, what are you……kyann!”

Kizuna’s hand traced the undulation of Gravel’s body. She was the AU human that he touched for the first time. Kizuna thought that and touched Gravel’s body as if to ascertain the shape of her body.

But if he really thought about it, he remembered that Aine was also a human of AU. There was nothing different at all with a normal human. The toughness and the soft sensation wrapping it that Gravel’s body possessed was characteristic of her. Her body was virile like an athlete, suppleness without any pointless fat. Caressing that body felt like an act of taming a wild animal with excellent vigor.

“Fu-……ku……st, sto……I, don’t……aan”

Gravel tried to resist, but she couldn’t oppose the pleasure that was given to her.

‘――Ju, just what happened, to me. This is, I am feeling this……even more than with Zelsione? I cannot feel my strength. This is……even though I should be able to easily push him away……I cannot think anything, from the pleasure.’

There was Kizuna’s face in front of her eyes. It was like her expression that was feeling it was observed, it felt like her body would be scorched with shame. Above all, this place was packed with a hundred-odd thousand people as audience. To do something like this in front of them all, wasn’t something that could possibly be allowed.

――But,

“Haa……n, no-NOOoO……AAAAANNNNhN”

The body that was developed by Zelsione was reacting over-sensitively just from a slight caressing.

“Kuh……wha, what happened to me……this kind, this kind of obscene body……AaN!”

Even the audience seat began to create disturbances from the strange stage of the two.

The audience too at the start were thinking that Kizuna was bringing the fight into pinning techniques. However they gradually began to notice just what the two of them were doing, their agitation became a spreading commotion. That wave was radiated in succession and in a flash the whole Colosseum was enveloped in an uproarious commotion.

Inside the bewilderment and agitation that was occupying the Colosseum, there was only a single person raising a loud laughter.

“HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHA! Interesting! Now you really did it! You really made this enjoyable instead! I’m really pleased here black magic armor Hida Kizuna!”

Zelsione clapped her hands in a great delight from the act of love that the two suddenly started.

Aine’s mouth stayed open while thinking about what Kizuna was doing.

‘This is……no doubt about it. Kizuna is planning a Climax Hybrid with Gravel as the partner……should I stop this?

If I stop the Climax Hybrid, can I protect Kizuna by putting him nearby? However, even when I intend to protect him it still comes to this situation. Then should I overlook this? However, if I do that Kizuna will fight Vatlantis then.

――He will come, as my enemy.’

Aine grasped the elbow rest of the throne. She put so much strength to her fingertips until they became white.

“Wa……just what are you starting in front of the public presence like THISSSSSSSSS!”

It was a scream that burst out Himekawa’s wrath aura. It even felt like the temperature around her was going up from the flaming rage.

Even while making an astonished face, Scarlet didn’t let her eyes go from the act of the two.

“This is already not in the level of in front of the public……as expected from Japanese. Their perverted level is unreachable no matter how.”

“I really feel admiration to Captain’s mental power desu……but, this is――”

Yurishia winked toward Scarlet who was knitting her eyebrows. Noticing what that meant, Sylvia shut her mouth.

With a grim look, Yurishia stared fixedly at Kizuna and Gravel who were entangling with each other on the battle field.

“I’ll specially allow this, so……absolutely don’t fail this Kizuna!”

Kizuna was sweating coldly with a hard expression. He felt even more nervous compared to the usual Climax Hybrid, he also didn’t have any composure in his heart.

He absolutely couldn’t fail this. The lives of him and his comrades hanged on this. Despite so, he didn’t really understand about his partner. Furthermore he had to hurry. He didn’t know when the security or the imperial guard would enter to stop them.

Kizuna’s hand tried to touch Gravel’s breast directly and slipped under the pilot suit. The suit that was a white bikini type was easily slipped off with Kizuna’s hand movement, causing the tanned breasts to spill out.

“-! ……ya”

Gravel tried to hide her breast with her hand. However when Kizuna’s hand caressed it like kneading a dough, Gravel’s hand was only overlapping Kizuna’s hand and she couldn’t put strength to tear off Kizuna’s hand.

“Sorry, Gravel.”

“Eh……”

Her reaction to Kizuna’s voice was slow. It seemed that the inside of her head was completely melting from the pleasure.

“All of a sudden, in this kind of place……I feel bad. But, it’s fine if only for now. Believe in me. If you let me into your heart, I absolutely won’t let you die. I’ll save you for sure. We cannot die just like this. Both I, and you.”

Gravel’s eyes became drowsily moist from Kizuna’s earnest gaze.

Why was it?

The human named Kizuna in front of her eyes. An unfamiliar race called male, furthermore even though he was a soldier of Lemuria, all about this man, made her feel dearness that couldn’t be expressed in words.

It was a yearning that was in a different dimension with Aldea.

She was not protecting, this was the comfortableness of being protected. It made her want to entrust everything to him.

Gravel’s cheeks were dyed pink, her expression was changing into a loose and melting look. In that look there was already not a shred of the hero that was feared as the tanned beast.

“In any case……this is a body that already received disgrace in public……it doesn’t really matter after this late. That’s why……”

Gravel smiled bewitchingly.

“You can……do as you please.”

That expression and voice, made shudders drive through Kizuna’s spine.

He couldn’t hold back and sucked on the breast that was jiggling in shivers in front of his eyes.

“Aann, so, so strong like that…….UFUAAaaa!”

He sucked up the pink colored circle which was floating on the tanned skin. Kizuna licked up with his tongue at the pointed center. As if to trace its shape, he diligently licked and put it in his mouth to suck up.

“It’s already this hard, it’s standing tall see.”

Gravel’s cheeks were dyed in shame and she twisted her body.

“If, if you do something like that, that’s just obvious.”

She crossed her arms trying to hide her breasts, but the breasts weren’t hidden completely. Rather the breasts were turning into the pressed and lifted up shape. As if saying that it wanted to be licked more. And then, the tips of the breasts were standing up largely, pointing at Kizuna’s direction. It was as if they were pleading, that the breasts also wanted to be touched by Kizuna.

Kizuna answered that expectation by putting one into his mouth, while pinching at the other with his fingers.

“FUuNn! Ku……AAAA-, go, good-”

Gravel’s body became moistly sweaty. Luster was created on her tanned skin, changing the body into an even more indecent one.

The commotion around them didn’t enter their ear anymore. Voices that resembled scream and jeering were raised from the audience seats, but all those felt like something from another world. People who criticized, people who thought this interesting, each one were jumbled together in a great chaos, but there wasn’t a single person that didn’t harbor an interest. All present looked bloodshot fixing their eyes upon the two.

Kizuna caressed Gravel’s cheek with one hand. Gravel captured the fingers of that hand and put them into her mouth adorably.

“A……n. Un……u, NN-”

Wet sound was created, she was sucking diligently at the fingers one by one. Furthermore, her tongue was also thoroughly crawling between the fingers obsessively. Kizuna’s excitement was also heightened from that soft slipperiness.

He separated his rubbing hand and stroked around from her side to her stomach where well-trained abs were sleeping.

“Haa……ann, ah……aan, don’t, that tickles-”

Gravel’s body was trembling in twitches and writhed. She was toyed by the mixed sensation of ticklishness and pleasure.

Kizuna moved his hand further below and forced his way through Gravel’s groin.

“HYAAAAAAAAAAN-! The-, there AaaaAAUUuNu!”

The way she became disheveled was the most intense until now. It seemed that the pleasure granted to Gravel from here was special. Kizuna slid his fingertips softly along the valley of her groin.

“Aaan, don’t, don’t-, the-, Ki-, I feel ……STRANGEEEEE”

The cloth between the groin became wet in the blink of an eye. And then, immediately a surprising amount of honey began to overflow. A really nice aroma drifted from that honey that tickled Kizuna’s nose. That aroma further invited Kizuna into Gravel’s body, an aroma of temptation.

The suit that covered Gravel’s groin was something similar to the swimsuit of a bikini. He inserted his finger into the opening and tried to shift the suit aside.

“Ah……do, don’t!”

“Eh?”

“I don’t……want to show that place.”

Gravel supplicated with a face that seemed almost crying. Kizuna lightly smiled, patted Gravel’s head, and caressed from her cheek to her neck. Gravel frolicked to Kizuna’s hand like a cat and closed her eyes in a happy face.

In the end, Kizuna kept the suit as it was and inserted only his finger inside the opening. And then, he directly touched at the flower which emitted the nice aroma.

“Hii……!?”

Gravel bent backwards. In that tempo her thigh pressed on Kizuna’s groin.

Kizuna directly tortured the source of Gravel’s honey with his fingertips. The honey that gushed out copiously enveloped Kizuna’s hand thoroughly. And then Kizuna’s thing too was stimulated by Gravel’s soft but tight thigh, it became completely hard.

“This is……what?”

Gravel who held discomfort to that sensation reached out her fingers and touched Kizuna’s groin.

“No, wait. That is!”

His restraining voice didn’t enter her ear, Gravel slipped in her hand under the suit of Kizuna.

“So something mysterious like this, is attached to Kizuna……but, what? Over there became hot. It’s mysterious……”

Gravel held Kizuna’s thing with a backhand grip and began to stroke up and down.

“Kuh, at this rate……-“

In order to resist, Kizuna crawled his fingertips into inside.

“AAAAAAAAA-! Nn, aah-! Hiuu!”

He bent his finger inside and vibrated it. Gravel’s legs stretched tautly, and her body began to convulse. As if to give her the finishing blow, Kizuna rubbed up the bud that was nearby the entrance with his palm.

“NOOOOOO♥AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAN♥!”

At that moment, light particles overflowed from Kizuna and Gravel’s bodies.

‘――Success!’

But this was still only Heart Hybrid. With this Gravel’s magic power should be recovered, but for him it would be the main act from here on.

“My bad, but I’ll have you accompany me a little bit more. I will――UWAA!”

Kizuna was overturned with a quick movement and Gravel straddled him.

“Wha-……o, oi”

Gravel straddled the lower body of Kizuna and she was looking down on him with half-closed eyes.

Something cold ran through Kizuna’s spine.

‘Don’t tell me……Gravel, you. I――,’

“No good……it’s still, not enough.”

With her cheeks reddened, Gravel made a charming smile.

“……eh?”

“Under my stomach is hot, it feels fuzzy……I don’t know what to do.”

Kizuna gently caressed down her breast.

“Is that so……so it’s the intoxication result of Heart Hybrid. I got panicked for a second.”

“Hey, this is the first time I feel this painful. What should I……nn?”

Feeling something out of place between her groin, Gravel looked below.

That was because she accidentally straddled just right above Kizuna’s thing. The thing standing hard was pressed down by Gravel’s groin, its head was coming out from between her groin.

“Aa……nn”

Gravel made a really delighted face.

“I don’t really understand but……perhaps, I think I need to use Kizuna’s this. Like this……”

After murmuring deliriously, Gravel began to shake her waist back and forth.

“Gr, Gravel……-!”

“Haa……it feels good……an♥”

The honey overflowing out from Gravel’s flower petal wet her panty, revealing the shape of the body under it vividly. The valley of the groin was becoming thoroughly sticky, sandwiching Kizuna’s thing softly.

“An-, an-! Haahn, aaaaa-, good-!”

Gravel who was drunk from the intoxication effect of the Heart Hybrid became dazed and continued to shake her waist.

Kizuna’s rigidity stimulated Gravel’s valley by scraping, rubbing at the sensitive bud. And then while Gravel’s slippery honey was dripping down, Kizuna’s thing was wrapped by the soft small valley.

Light particles began to shine inside their respective eyes.

Both of them were nearing the limit.

And then Gravel raised her head and bent her back like a bow.

“A♥! HAAAAAaauuuaaAAAHNNNNNNNNN♥♥”

Tears flowed out from Gravel’s eyes from the excessive pleasure. Climax pierced through her body, making her body greatly convulse. And then, matching with that motion, fierce light was emitted from the bodies of the two.

“Haa……n……? Thi, this……is?”

Having her consciousness back, Gravel raised a perplexed voice of the light wrapping on her body. And then she felt surprised from the strength that filled her body.

“I never…..the magic power, is returning. No, not only that. This is――”

The endlessly overflowing magic power snapped apart the magic power restraining bracelets that were wrapped on Kizuna and Gravel’s arm.

“Strength is gushing out inexhaustibly……this kind of miracle”

Kizuna answered Gravel’s gaze that seemed to look for an answer.

“This is Climax Hybrid. The mixing of two people’s heart and love. This is exactly the true ability of Heart Hybrid Gear!”

“Heart and……love. I and, your……you say.”

Gravel’s cheeks reddened.

“Now! Gravel, we are escaping!”

“Eh? Ye, yeah!”

Gravel manifested a magic circle at the space before her eyes and inserted her hand into it. And then from inside the magic circle, she pulled out a gigantic gunsword. That was different with the normal equipment. Several gun turrets were linked in ring shape, the Sword Gatling.

“Here we go!”

She fired the Sword Gatling towards the sky. Bullets with destructive power that were more than equal with Bullet were fired rapidly with terrific speed. Furthermore it was added with the power up from Climax Hybrid.

The Life Saver of the Colosseum which was that firm was broken apart. Screams were raised from the audience who were watching the success of the Climax Hybrid in surprise.

“Kizuna, what should we do after this?”

Gravel asked with a tone that sounded completely like she was talking with her war buddy.

“I’ll accomplish my mission. Gravel too, accomplish your own mission.”

“……Got it. Don’t die.”

“Yeah, someday let’s once again together――”

When Kizuna started to say that, Gravel’s face became so bright red that it felt like smoke would come out.

“Stu-, stupid! That was because of the emergency situation, that’s why, that……it’s not unpleasant though.”

Gravel spoke incoherently with ambiguous words.

“Gah! If you survive, we will do it again! That’s why don’t you die!”

Zoros’s thruster spewed out particles and Gravel flew to the sky instantly. Looking at her retreating figure, Kizuna murmured.

“Let’s, once again together fight with me……will you?”

The gate of the Colosseum opened and soldiers that seemed to be the guard rushed in.

“So they are coming here too! Mode Zoros!!”

The luminescence of Eros changed color to orange. And then the same wings like Zoros were created on his back.

“I’m going!”

He aimed at the rushing in guards and fired a volley with the three-line particle cannons. Flame explosion occurred and the guards were blown away in succession.

“It’s an amazing destructive power as expected huh. But, still not yet!”

Kizuna reached out both his hands and particles of light began to converge between his hands. And then the particles grew into a single long and thick rod. When Kizuna’s hand grasped the handle, the light was torn off and a Sword Gatling appeared from inside it.

“Now, I’m going to blown away the hindrance wall!”

The audience were already beginning to evacuate. He aimed at the block that became empty and rapidly fired the Sword Gatling.

‘――Where is Aine!?’

However the royal seat had already become an empty shell.

‘Shit-! The way they run away is fast.’

This time he searched for the audience seat where Himekawa and the others were at.

“Kizuna―!”

He looked at the direction where he heard the screamed voice. There, a red ponytail disappearing at the emergency exit of the stadium was reflected in his eyes.

“Over there!”

Kizuna ignited his thruster and rushed to the emergency exit.

“!”

However, over there the imperial guard had formed a line and aimed gun muzzles at Kizuna.

“MOVEEEEEEEEEEE!”

Kizuna pulled the trigger of the Sword Gatling.

Consecutive explosive sounds were resounding inside the Colosseum.

That sound also reached Gravel’s ear. Thanks to that Gravel also understood that Kizuna was fighting the imperial guard.

‘――Can Kizuna accomplish his mission?’

Such worry floated inside her heart for an instant. However, she immediately pulled herself together and searched for Aldea’s figure amidst the audience seats. Her aim was her motherland, but she wanted to recover Aldea no matter what.

“Aldea, where are you!?”

When she landed nearby the royal seat, she called out with a loud voice.

She was supposed to be nearby here just now, but right now she couldn’t see her figure. Was she accompanying the emperor and her group? No, that wouldn’t happen. It was a different story if Zelsione commanded it, but as expected she couldn’t think that Aldea was that trusted.

‘In that case――!?’

Space was crooked on the guest seat and a hole was opened. And then from there Aldea with spear in hand leaped out.

“Aldea!”

Gravel flicked the spear that crooked the space with the belly of the Sword Gatling. Sparks scattered, Aldea whose spear was shifted rotated around and took a distance from Gravel.

And then she readied her spear once more and glared at Gravel.

“I won’t allow you to escape! I also won’t let you oppose Zelsione-sama!”

The tip of the spear was lowered and cut apart the ground. Thereupon the space was crooked and the distance was shrunk instantly.

Foreseeing the motion of the space distortion, Aldea unleashed a thrust of certain kill.

“Really, what a troublesome woman! You!”

Gravel flashed the Sword Gatling even faster than the thrust. That sword snapped the spear and dug into Aldea’s delicate body.

“Guh!”

However Aldea’s body didn’t split into two. She leaned against the Sword Gatling and slide down to collapse on the ground.

The attack that was severe even when done by the back of the blade stole the consciousness from Aldea.

“This thing is……what a surprise. It’s really strengthened.”

Gravel reflexively stared at her own hand. She never thought that she could snap the spear with one attack and defeated Aldea completely.

She felt shock from feeling for real the effect of the Climax Hybrid that was exerted on her. But, she also couldn’t take her time leisurely. Even during this time, the squad of the imperial guard was gathering one after another.

“Gravel! Don’t think you can escape!” “Return to your prison quietly!”

Gravel was surrounded from a distance even while several yells were thrown at her.

“……It’s futile to stay for long in this kind of place.”

Gravel shouldered Aldea’s body and then she fully opened Zoros’s thruster and flew up.

“Don’t let her get away! Chase her!”

The imperial guards wearing their magic armor chased from behind, but the speed of Gravel after Climax Hybrid was different. In the blink of an eye she had vanished beyond the sky.

“Kuh……we cannot catch up, at all. That’s impossible!”

The imperial guard members who gave up pursuit in frustration received transmission from the other members. The member reflected in the floating window kept talking on with an impatient state.

“There is still the one remaining Lemuria guy! Right now we are in the middle of battle outside the Colosseum! It looks like he is trying to rescue his comrades. Requesting urgent reinforcement!”

Not to mention the troops who let Gravel slip away, the imperial guards which were in the Colosseum and the security guards were assaulting towards Kizuna’s location all at once.

“UOOOOOOOOOOOO!”

Kizuna swung his Sword Gatling.

Its splendid destructive power was defeating the enemies like they were just a joke.

“Really, how irritating!”

However impatience was gradually growing bigger inside Kizuna. His Hybrid Count was decreasing rapidly, but the enemy reinforcements were in a state of increasing without pause.

“YOUUUUU!”

The enemy was surrounding Kizuna right now in three, four layers. At the other side there were several battleships anchored, they were trying to board Yurishia and Himekawa above the battleship. On top of being restrained, they were connected by a chain and getting pulled by the imperial guard.

While defending the attack using Life Saver, he swung his Sword Gatling. Shining shockwave traced the trajectory of the sword and flew out. Blade of light that cut apart the sky mowed down the imperial guard.

“Yosh! I’m going now――gaha-!”

An attack of different level than what he received until now attacked Kizuna.

It was a sword that was rotating like a boomerang in the air. The sword that drew an arc like a crescent moon cut at Kizuna’s back before returning to its owner with a large rotation.

“That’s as far as you go Kizuna. I’ll have you return to the prison.”

A blonde haired girl with an eye patch was standing.

“Clayda huh……that thing is quite tough isn’t it.”

Clayda wearing her magic armor was attacking Kizuna. The crescent moon sword in her hand was slashed from left and right with a terrific speed.

‘――Chih, fast!?’

Clayda threw that sword from close range. Kizuna bent his body backwards and evaded it in a close call.

At that moment, he received a terrific impact on his back. He didn’t understand what happened for an instant.

When he thought that his neck fell behind and his chin lifted up, his body was flying in the air. He plunged into the stands lined up in the street and Kizuna stopped after cutting a swatch through the tent.

“Ki, Kizuna-kun!”

Even while being dragged by chain, Himekawa raised a worried voice.

“Shit-, fresh reinforcement still coming!”

Kizuna twisted his neck and looked for the enemy who attacked him.

A white haired girl carrying a gigantic hammer that didn’t match her figure was smiling. Elma of the Quartum.

“Hmm my, you didn’t fly far just now. Then for the next……I’ll not make you fly, but crush instead.”

While chuckling, she swung up the hammer that was twice her torso with one hand.

Himekawa and the others that were being taken away felt in tenterhooks from the appearance of formidable enemies one after another.

Sylvia wasted no time to yell.

“Captain! It’s dangerous desu. Please escape quickly desu!”

Kizuna became obstinate from the voice that was worried for him and yelled back.

“There is no way I can do that! I’ll save you guys for sure. And then we are all going back!”

‘Shit! Just……just a little more!’

Between Kizuna and Himekawa and the others, there was the army of imperial guards standing in his way. And there were further Clayda and Elma of the Quartum. In addition enemy reinforcements were arriving one after another.

‘If it’s like this then it will be a brute force approach! I’ll push through forcibly!’

He ignited his thruster and just when he was going to thrust into the imperial guard, Clayda and Elma cut in on his path.

“Chih, you think I’m scared! Here I go!”

Kizuna kicked the ground and right when he accelerated, a clear piercing voice resounded.

“Just what are you doing Kizuna! Are you stupid!?”

Kizuna suddenly halted.

“Yu, Yurishia?”

From the deck of the enemy’s battleship, Yurishia glared at him with a furious face. Being scolded by the one he was trying to save made Kizuna spontaneously get taken aback.

“That’s really pathetic! Are you really missing our breasts that much!?”

“What-……!!”

Yurishia was getting teary-eyed. It was a seriously angry expression that Yurishia showed him for the first time. She faced Kizuna and yelled angrily as if to make her throat hoarse.

“Think calmly! At this rate you will only make the chance that you created at great pains be wasted!”

Kizuna felt like his head was punched from Yurishia’s yell.

Kizuna who returned to his senses once again confirmed the situation around him. He was right in the middle of enemies with enemy troops surging in from all directions. Not only that. Even battleships and magic weapons were deploying in heap. The more time passed, the more the situation would worsen.

‘――Certainly. What Yurishia said is right.’

“Captain! Please desu, if no one escapes, the situation won’t turn for the better desu!”

“That’s right! If Kizuna is captured here, that’s exactly what being hopeless is like!”

Sylvia and Scarlet too faced Kizuna and yelled desperately.

And then Himekawa too yelled with a teary voice.

“Kizuna-kun! We will be waiting! That Kizuna-kun will come to save us! That’s why return to Ataraxia and report this matter!”

Kizuna gritted his teeth so hard that his teeth were going to crack.

His thruster began to emit dazzling light.

“Everyone……I’ll return, for sure……I’ll come to save you for sure. Without fail!”

Kizuna’s body floated in the air. Zoros’s powerful propulsive force launched Kizuna’s body to the sky in one go.

The moment he passed over a battleship floating in the air, his eyes met Aine who was inside the bridge of that ship.

‘――Aine!’

It was really just an instant.

‘――Kizuna!?’

He felt like Aine was calling for him.

But, that was all.

After passing the battleship, Kizuna changed his direction and flew towards the gigantic Entrance that was nearby Zeltis.

“Damn it! I……I!”

Together with tears that overflowed even when he held it back, Kizuna vanished into the Entrance.

Part 2

About two weeks had passed since the Tokyo recapturing operation. Currently Ataraxia, Megafloat Japan, and West USA were stopping in the Pacific Ocean far distanced from Tokyo.

Losing Amaterasu and Masters all at once made them to be at a loss. They really had nothing that could be done and now they could only drift in the ocean. They were already preferred giving up taking back their countries or anything and thought that maybe it would be better to just live their whole life above the sea. Among the citizens, such atmosphere was beginning to hang in the air. Above all, losing Amaterasu and Masters which were their only way to resist the AU was decisive. Their life and death was unknown, but the viewpoint of despair was gaining strength.

――It was at such a time.

“Kizuna came back you said!?”

Reiri’s color changed and rushed into the lab’s intensive treatment room.

{He is sleeping on the bed over there.}

Even before she could read Kei’s floating window, she discovered the figure of her little brother lying on the bed. Tears were immediately overflowing from Reiri’s eyes.

“Kizuna-……!”

Reiri jumped and embraced the sleeping Kizuna.

The title of commander and dignity were all irrelevant. Without any shame and honor, she expressed her heart and emotion straight.

She had already given up. She thought that perhaps he was dead. She had already understood that he was her irreplaceable important family. But, the feeling of loss and shock when she lost him was far bigger than she could even imagine.

“You……you did well coming back……”

She hugged Kizuna and rubbed her cheek on him. The tears were touched on the cheek, wetting Kizuna’s face. Tears and body temperature were transmitted to Kizuna. Kizuna opened his eyes to that warmth.

“Nee……chan?”

Returning to her senses with a ‘hah’, Reiri separated their bodies in panic. And then she turned her back to Kizuna and nonchalantly wiped her tears.

“Kizuna-……no, sorry. I woke you up. Just sleep like that.”

“No, I’m glad you woke me up. We have to, think of a countermeasure soon.”

Reiri sharply yelled at Kizuna who tried to get out from the bed.

“It’s fine already, just sleep! Kei, what about Kizuna’s diagnosis? Has his examination finished?”

The letters that Kei typed were displayed on the floating window like a stream.

{It’s roughly finished. There are bruises and lacerations on the whole body, but there is nothing serious that will affect life. However, the Hybrid Count is endlessly near zero.}

Kizuna bore the pain and raised his upper body while distorting his face. He raised an embarrassed wry smile at Reiri who was looking at him worriedly.

“On top of getting into a scuffle, I also came out in Britain. As expected I feel a little tired from all that. Well, it’s impossible for me to fight without Hybrid Count, but I’m fine if it’s just walking.”

After crawling out from the bed, Kizuna stood up even while staggering. He even did calisthenics practice in order to confirm his body movement.

{Britain? Why did you come out in that kind of place?}

“Aah, I flew into the Entrance that was the nearest of the enemy’s……Vatlantis’s capital, but it was connected to Britain’s London. From there I came here going halfway around the earth……It saved me that the Climax Hybrid with Gravel’s Zoros had high efficiency.”

“What?”

{Eh?}

“Nn?”

Reiri and Kei were making a face that seemed to say ‘What are you saying?’, but Kizuna didn’t understand the meaning of their expression and tilted his head.

“What were you doing with the enemy……no, I’ll listen to your story slowly, so first return to the bed. We cannot grasp at all what happened since in the middle of the Tokyo recapture operation. After you were almost killed by the enemy’s general, suddenly all communication was cut off, and we became unable to understand the situation in Tokyo. Just what in the world happened?”

The figure of Aine releasing Code Breaker passed through Kizuna’s brain. He reflexively clenched his fist.

“Aah……I’ll tell you, everything.”

And then Kizuna spoke of the unknown happening at the Tokyo recapture operation. While in the middle Kei and Reiri interjected with some questions, it easily took three hours until he finished the whole story.

Leaning her body on the chair of the treatment room, Reiri brushed up her long black hair.

“……If Kizuna wasn’t watching a dream, then this is a really surprising fact.”

It was her honest impression after finished listening to the story.

“Aine has already completely become the emperor of Vatlantis……that’s what you mean?”

“No……I don’t know.”

“However, she tried to win you over, and when she failed the next day you were thrown into a death match right? If that’s the――”

“Wrong! No……I think, that’s wrong.”

Putting his hand on his forehead, Kizuna recalled the face and voice of Aine at the scene of that time.

Aine said to him that she wanted to consult him. She was really troubled and her face looked like she wanted to cry. ‘Just why did I say such things that spurned her over?

Aah, shit! I hate just how petty my caliber is.

But, Aine came to the Colosseum. If she came then why didn’t she try to save me? By any chance, she was really trying to have me executed……no, that’s stupid!’

Kizuna scratched off his hair.

‘――Aine.

Aine, have you really become an enemy?’

“……It’s fine already, you are tired right? Rest for now.”

Reiri forcefully pushed down Kizuna’s body on the bed. And then she closed his eyes overbearingly.

“I want to meet her one more time……meet her, and talk……”

“Kizuna?”

When he lied down, Kizuna immediately began to have sleeper’s breath.

Reiri sighed to reassure herself and fixed the blanket covering Kizuna.

“Kei, you listen?”

Kei nodded to that voice and exited the room after Reiri.

The two of them headed to the central control room of the lab. As a matter of fact, it had become Kei’s personal room where there was no one inside, it was convenient for a discussion of the countermeasure with just the two of them.

Entering the room, Reiri suddenly began to talk after the door was locked.

“What do you think?”

Kei separated from her keyboard and spoke not with text on a monitor but with her own voice.

“I examined him but……there was no abnormality in Kizuna. He is sane, by no means he was seeing an illusion.”

It was a feeble voice, like a delicate work of candy floss. There was no one who had heard this raw voice of Kei other than Reiri. Her vocal cords weren’t used except at the time when there were just the two of them together.

“If it’s really true……then that means the Entrance that is the nearest to the capital of the AU is in London. Then, we should not focus on Tokyo, but it’s better to assault them directly from London’s Entrance.”

“But, Re-ri. In the present, our combat strength consists only of Kizuna and Gertrude whose wound isn’t healed yet you know? Even Gertrude, with her current wounded state, it’s impossible for her to do Climax Hybrid with Kizuna……maybe.”

“What about the development of the new weapon for use against magic weapons?”

Kei dropped her gaze while looking troubled.

“Everyone in research department is also doing their best……they had tested several in the actual combat at Tokyo recapture operation, so they want the test feedback from Kizuna.”

Reiri nodded quietly. She went until the cooler that was in the corner of the room and opened its door, she then took out a cold beer bottle from inside. She pulled the cork and gulped the content in one go. The carbonic acid stimulated the inside of her mouth. The cold liquid wetted her throat and cooled the inside of her body.

She separated the bottle from her mouth and Reiri stared at empty air with a grim face.

‘――That woman. What is Professor Nayuta thinking?’

For Reiri, she felt shocked about the information of AU, but she also felt eerie that she didn’t know what Professor Nayuta was thinking about.

“……But, we won’t progress if we only keep being cautious. Leave behind Megafloat Japan and West USA here, only Ataraxia will head to Britain.”

“But……our combat strength is overwhelmingly lacking. We only have two Heart Hybrid Gears, even if we entered the Entrance of London……”

Kei was staring at Reiri with forlorn eyes.

“We are going to try coming into contact with the other megafloats while heading to London. We are heading to Europe while collecting battle strength. Even if for example we don’t find any megafloat……there should be Europe’s megafloat at the Atlantic Ocean.”

“Tha……that’s, right.”

Kei nodded several times with a smile that didn’t seem confident.

Both of them didn’t speak of the possibility that the megafloats of the other countries might be already sunk down.

Part 3

A week after Kizuna returned to Ataraxia. Ataraxia separated from Megafloat Japan and moved from the Pacific Ocean to the Indian Ocean. From here they planned to circle the African Continent and aimed towards Britain. They were looking for other megafloats while moving, but they didn’t find anything at all.

At the wall of the lab’s central control room, the surrounding of Ataraxia was projected. When looking at the panorama of every direction, it felt like oneself was Ataraxia itself. The blue sea had gentle waves, white clouds were drifting in the clear sky. As far as the eyes could see, not to speak of artificial objects, there wasn’t even any shadow of living organism that could be seen.

“There is still no response from other megafloats yet?”

Reiri asked Kei, but the answer was the same.

{None. We are calling to all directions for twenty four hours.}

Sense of danger was drifting in the whole of Ataraxia from how there was no contact with other megafloats. But the one who felt impatient the most was Kizuna.

“Shit-! Why is there no one replying? Just where in the world the megafloats of the other countries have gone!?”

This was incomparable with loitering around the ocean around Japan. They had sailed until this much distance. Even if they couldn’t confirm it by sight, there should be a good chance that they would come into contact with another country’s megafloat already.

“Calm down Kizuna. We won’t find anything even if you make a commotion.”

He certainly didn’t think that they would find other megafloats quickly. But the days where they didn’t pick up any noise continued, and his impatience and anxiety were becoming even bigger reluctantly.

“But, no response came at all even after this far. Don’t tell me……”

{There is no basis for this, so I don’t want you to take it seriously, but the possibility……that they had fought the AU and sunk down……couldn’t be denied.}

The bad premonition that Kizuna hesitated to say, was given shape by Kei with her letters. Having that possibility thrust before him, it felt like that possibility was approaching with a pressure like a fact.

However, Reiri faced the two with a calm attitude and reminded them.

“That too is nothing more than a guess. When people become impatient, they will have their wild delusions swell, whether to an extremely bad direction, or to an extremely good direction. Calm down.”

“I know that but……but if we don’t compensate our combat strength, we won’t be able to do anything when we arrive at Britain. It will be meaningless like that.”

Kizuna hit his fist to the wall.

“I……have the responsibility, to go save everyone even for a second faster.”

‘Yes. I came here by leaving behind everyone in the AU.

They told him to leave them behind and escape alone, Himekawa and Yurishia, and then Sylvia and Scarlet, he recalled their expressions. The other members of Masters whose figure he couldn’t confirm.

And then――Aine.

‘Is everyone made to fight like me in the Colosseum?’ When he thought that, his breath stopped and it felt like his chest was stabbed.

“Even while we are doing this, just what is happening to everyone……”

Besides just what was Aine thinking about and what was she intending to do? If she was actually only pretending to defect to the enemy, then she would save everyone and then return with a face as if there was nothing that happened. And then, she would abuse him with her poisonous tongue just like usual. He was having such a dream everytime.

“Kizuna……”

“Shit-! What should I do!?”

Reiri looked at the figure of her brother suffering and felt pain in her heart. She involuntarily almost dropped her mask as a strict commander.

But, she held on desperately to the mask that was covering her heart. She was burdened with Ataraxia, with Megafloat Japan, and in addition to this world. And then above all she had to protect Kizuna. And she could only do that by not giving him kind words or by not hugging him and letting him depend on her.

Reiri whipped her own heart and cheered herself.

“Then Kizuna. Do what you can do right now. Kei, you have work you want to request from Kizuna don’t you?”

Kei stared at Reiri with a little surprise, but she immediately ran her fingers through her keyboard.

{Yes. I want your feedback of the research department’s anti magic weapon.}

“Anti magic weapon?”

Suffering expression vanished from Kizuna’s face, in exchange he stared at Kei with eyes that were harboring question.

“We more or less tried them in actual combat in the Tokyo recapture operation but……is it about that?”

{Yes. Since then there are also improvements added, new weapons are also in the middle of development. First it will help us if you give your impression of using them in actual combat, and then also telling us your opinion regarding the new model.}

“……I understand.”

Kizuna exited the central control room together with Kei, and he headed to the research department’s evaluation and examination hall.

When they exited the research building, they rode a small commuter that was stopping at the entrance. Even though the place was called with the short name of Nayuta Lab, it consisted of a gathering of various facilities inside a vast ground. It would take time going by foot so this couldn’t be helped.

After riding the commuter for two or three minutes, they arrived at a wide place that was like an airfield. The gigantic hangar adjacent to here was the place where they carried out the preparation for the Tokyo recapture operation. In front of it there was a railgun which was longer than five meters in a half disassembled state left there, a maintenance staff member was working on it.

Even from afar, he could distinguish that the person was wearing the designated fatigue of Ataraxia high school’s technical research department. After all Kizuna was a student of the same high school.

Perhaps because the person had been working for a long time that it felt hot, or perhaps because of the weather now that was near the equator, the maintenance staff member had deliberately lowered the zipper that closed the clothes’ front. It was as if a fruit had its skin peeled, young and lustrous ripe fruits were spilling out from inside heavily. The breasts that were like a peeled white peach were supported by a black bikini.

Just when that girl was taking off the upper part of her wear and tied the sleeves on her waist, Kei drove the commuter. That girl got startled and turned around, when she looked at Kei’s figure, her expression became happy.

“Chief Shikina!”

She was a cute girl with how her expression was constantly changing. Perhaps because it became a hindrance to her work, her brown hair was tied up and fixed in place with a hair clip. She looked a little young, but she looked about the same age as Kizuna.

Her arms and waist were slender, she really didn’t look like a laborer that was maintaining a large weapon. She looked more fitting to sit in a stylish café while reading.

That girl took of her gloves while rushing near with a jog.

“What’s the matter Chief? So suddenly――”

Her face suddenly cramped and she stopped still.

“Co, Combat Department second year first group’s……Hida Eros.”

“Don’t call me a strange name as you please!”

“Kyaa!”

She ducked her head due to Kizuna who reflexively yelled angrily.

Kei took out a portable type keyboard and typed *pochi pochi* with both her thumbs. A window appeared in front of the girl and Kizuna.

{She is still a student of the high school section, but she is really a superior talent, so I have her working in the research department. Momo, introduce yourself.}

That girl coiled both her hands awkwardly while looking up at Kizuna with upturned eyes.

“Err, I’m from Ataraxia high school research department second year second group, Kurumizawa Momo.”

After the self introduction finished, it was as if she remembered something and wiped her forehead with a towel hanging down from her waist. Her skin was dyed in cocoa color from sunburn, but he guessed that she was fair-skinned in the beginning. Perhaps she was wearing running shirt previously when working, there were traces of a suntan like a school swimsuit distinctly remaining on her skin. The contrast of the sunburnt cocoa skin and the white skin was strangely sexy. It seemed that she noticed Kizuna’s gaze that she was fidgeting her body shyly.

“Recently there were a lot of times where the work was outside……before this I forgot to put on the sunscreen, and it left a distinct trace like this. It’s embarrassing……”

Each time she fidgeted her body, the voluptuous breasts wrapped in the black bikini were shaking like pudding.

‘――You aren’t embarrassed about having your upper wear taken off?’

Getting troubled of where he should look, Kizuna looked up to the sky to look for an escape place for his gaze.

“It’s obvious that you will get sunburnt with the sunlight this strong, isn’t that the proof that you put your work as the first thing seriously? You don’t have any need to feel shame for even a little, rather if I have to say it, on the contrary you look eroti……ah, no.”

Momo’s cheeks reddened and she patted around the railgun that was in the middle of maintenance shyly.

“Ge, geez, don’t make fun of me. Isn’t that right, Rogaa-chan?”

‘Ro, Rogaa-chan?’

“Ah, this child, I called him Rogaa-chan. Treat him well.”

Her smiling figure while caressing the steel barrel was like someone stroking her pet dog while introducing it.

“You gave it a name……”

He had heard that the research department had many peculiar people in a different meaning with the one at the combat department, but now he once again comprehended it.

“Aah, I too need to introduce myself. Combat department second year first group’s――”

“I know. Rather, I think there is no student that doesn’t know about you.”

‘Perhaps that was so. After all I’m standing out in various meanings……it’s not strange for Kurumizawa-san to know about me.’

“I’m told that you are the owner of a lust dozens of times than that of normal people, the devil that sucked the vitality of beautiful girls to obtain energy. Alias [Demon King Eros]. Everyday you change girl students in the combat department like someone changing clothes, and the combat department is changing into Eros’s harem or――”

“You ain’t know anything at alllllll! That’s just too cruel even for a false rumor!”

“Eh? It’s wrong?”

“Obviously! What Demon King Eros-! I know that everyone is talking whatever they like, but that’s the first time I heard that alias!”

Momo blinked her eyes as if she was startled from the bottom of her heart.

“But…..everyone is believing that though? Like, I heard that you are extremely fond of beautiful woman with especially high status……your particular favorites are the best three that are the cream of the crop whether in ability and beauty, Chidorigafuchi-san, Yurishia-san, and Himekawa-san, I heard the rumor that they are becoming the demon king Eros’s slave. The combat department is an amazing place isn’t it?”

“Rather, it’s your common sense that is doubtful here for believing a rumor like that!”

Kizuna sighed and once again stared at Momo from the top of her head until the tips of her toes.

“No, if I’m actually really that demon king Eros, then what are you going to do huh? Is it okay for you to expose that kind of stimulating appearance in front of me? Normally you are going to think that you are going to get assaulted by me won’t you?”

Momo tilted her head in a slump with a wondering face.

“Because, Ero――Hida-kun doesn’t have any interest except towards beautiful girls with high status, and excellent beauty and talent right? There is no way you are going to notice someone like me, so there is no need to feel scared.”

“……Is that so?”

For some reason he felt like nothing really mattered anymore. Just when he thought that perhaps he should go home already, Kei’s window was streamed with words.

{Momo is serving as the leader of the development of anti-magic weapon. The weapons used at the Tokyo recapture operation the other day were also the weapons Momo was in charge of. In order to capitalize of the test for the development from now on, we want the frank opinions from the battlefield. Feedback the experience of using the weapons and we will improve them even further from hereon.}

Recalling his original business, Kizuna straightened his back.

“Aah, I’m happy to cooperate if it’s for that……but”

When Kizuna took a glance at Momo, Momo leaned her body forward readily.

“Tell me by any means! Hida-kun is someone who participated in the Tokyo recapture operation, and right now you are the only returnee. For the sake of the development from here on, please tell me without fail about what kind of contribution was made by the weapon that I developed at Tokyo!”

Momo grasped both his hands and her eyes were shining with anticipation. Surely she had the confidence in the thing that she created herself. That expression had a close resemblance with an elementary student that wanted to be praised by her teacher.

Scratching his head while looking troubled, Kizuna spoke to emphasize something.

“I cannot say only things that will be pleasant to hear. I’ll do it if you’re fine with that.”

{Naturally. It will be meaningless if it’s not like that.}

Kizuna nodded and with a serious gaze he stared at the nervous Momo.

“Honestly, the weapons were not really usable.”

“――Eh?”

Momo’s cheeks cramped and twitched, her body stiffened.

“Certainly its effect towards the enemy had been heightened. I think that’s a great progress. But fundamentally we only used Heart Hybrid Gear’s own weapon. We are more familiar with them, on top of it the destructive power of the two cannot be compared in a large gap. In that case it’s more effective to use our own weapons.”

“Bu, but……you can use them as support weapons right? Just like the students of research department. Besides even Heart Hybrid Gear also needs auxiliary weapons.”

“Certainly, I think it’s better for the development to be progressed in that direction. But presently all of research department’s new weapons are large and heavy. Furthermore it consumed a large amount of electricity and bullets, so our equipment becomes even larger and heavier. Like that our mobility drops down strikingly. If even Heart Hybrid Gear is like that, then it will be even more difficult to be used by the common soldier.”

“Bu, but. It had effect towards the magic weapons right-? They defeated the enemy?”

“Yeah. We were able to defeat several with them. I think that’s amazing.”

“Waaa♪”

Momo raised a delighted voice and clapped her hands.

“But, the equipment was too heavy. Inside that chaotic battle, that mass and volume became nothing more than a shackle. There were also a lot of us that immediately threw them away after the first attack. Aine and Masters were using them for a while, but they ran out of bullets quickly. In that case, it also hurt that we couldn’t reload.”

Momo’s smile froze, her gaze dropped to her feet.

“Unfortunately, we cannot use them currently in various meanings. Of course there is a possibility. But, throwing them into real battle has a lot of problem. What’s left is, they are lacking in offensive power above all. Putting aside category-B magic weapon, they don’t have any bite toward A-class above and magic armor……eh, Kurumizawa-san? Is something wrong?”

Momo who cast her eyes down was murmuring to herself in mumbles.

“You……you didn’t need to say it like that……even though we had worked so hard……”

Momo’s body was shaking in small trembles. She surely had never imagined that she would be told of things like that. However she forcibly made a smile with a pale face and wrung out a trembling voice.

“Ri……right. Those were still in the middle of development after all……bu, but, enter inside! There is even miniaturized railgun that is in the middle of development right now!”

Momo trotted inside the door of the hangar and turned around at Kizuna.

Kizuna peeked at Kei’s countenance to confirm. Looking at Kei nodding expressionlessly, Kizuna followed after Momo and entered the hangar.

Inside was a workshop for new weapon development. The atmosphere was more like a large scale research room rather than calling it a workshop. Inside the clean and immaculate facility, small guns until large cannons were lining up orderly.

“Hey, Hida-kun. Look at this!”

What Momo introduced while spreading both her hands proudly was a new type railgun. Its shape was a combination of linear design and level surface. A part of the cover was taken off and the mechanism inside became laid bare.

“This is a railgun that was miniaturized until an assault rifle’s size you know? Its firing range is short, but it has the initial velocity of mach 2. In addition the warhead has been miniaturized so its portability is also good. His name is Chobi-chan.”

“As I thought it also has a name……”

Kizuna reached out his hand to the railgun. When he tried holding it, a profound weight rested on his arm. It would be fine if he was wearing his Heart Hybrid Gear, but for common soldiers this was severe.

“Certainly it has the size miniaturized, but this size is not including the battery isn’t it?”

“Ye, yes……the battery is outside the casing.”

A large box connected to the rifle with a cable was put on the floor.

“It’s going to be severe like this……how much destructive power it has? Can it break a magic weapon’s armor?”

“No, this is manufactured by pursuing the portability so……”

Kizuna put back the railgun and crossed his arms with a groan.

“Then it won’t be usable like that. Show me things that at least have an effect on the enemy.”

Her shoulders dropped a little, Momo then led Kizuna to the neighboring section.

“It’s this……I think. I called him Yuujirou-kun.”

“Suddenly it has a normal name! Rather, there is no explanation of what this is in the name!”

Looking at a glance, it was close to a large anti-material rifle. Its length was around two meters. It looked destructive from its appearance.

“You can pierce magic weapon’s armor using this. It has its output upped by 10% compared to what was used at Tokyo recapture operation. We also succeeded in reducing its weight for 20%.”

However this thing wouldn’t even move an inch when the one trying to carry it wasn’t wearing a Heart Hybrid Gear.

“How many bullets does it have?”

“There are five shots in its chamber. Later if it can be attached with a bullet belt……though for that, it will be heavier.”

“I see……at least it needs to be lighter by half, if not it will be too much a sacrifice in mobility. I also want you to think of how to carry it when it’s not in use. Only carrying it by hanging it on a belt will make us unable to move freely. Also there is a limit in the number of bullets we can carry, so there needs to be some kind of way. In its present state, it can only be used in limited situations. Perhaps it will be good to use as a fixed battery to stop the enemy in its tracks, but in that case a larger caliber will be better.”

Momo gritted her teeth while looking down.

“You……don’t keep saying anything selfish like that.”

Her voice was trembling.

“Even I, even the other staff, have been doing our best desperately you know? Do you think about what kind of feeling we had in making this!? You don’t know anything about our hardship!”

Momo’s eyes were wet with tears. Never would she have thought that she would be beaten down until this much. Looking from Momo’s view point, there was no mistaking it that she felt like she was thrown down by an unreasonable slander.

“You just keep complaining! Not usable, not usable, that’s not it, just think for yourself the way to use it skillfully. Even I’m working hard here!”

Kei’s window stood up in front of Momo.

{Momo, you must not say that. We are――}

However, for Momo whose blood was rushing to her head, those letters didn’t enter her eyes.

She had shaved off her sleeping time, repeated experiments many times over, before she managed to complete these weapons in the end of her hard work that was soaked in her blood. Even the magic weapons that once couldn’t be affected at all by mankind’s weapons had become something manageable with these weapons. She felt like her prided children who she had raised splendidly were made fun of.

“You guys are using them so nonchalantly, but you have never thought just how difficult it is to make them right? Before this weapon reached your hands just how much――”

Kizuna held back Momo in a panic.

“Wait, just wait. I’m just saying frankly my impression from using them in the battle. I’m not denying Kurumizawa-san’s effort or anything. But, in the practice we are the one who are actually using this. And then more than just using this, we are entrusting our lives to them. I have the responsibility to protect everyone’s lives. That’s why, there is no way I can irresponsibly line up sugared words. Understand that.”

However tears were still flowing from Momo’s eyes as she wrung out her voice.

“I don’t get it! Besides, even if you say everyone, there is no one anymore isn’t it! Even now your Heart Hybrid Gear doesn’t have any weapon, so you came here to look because you need it right! Don’t talk extravagantly here!”

“Wha……”

Those words gouged out Kizuna’s chest. His calmness left from his heart with loud footsteps.

Kei typed on her keyboard with a panicked state.

{Both of you, stop there. Your respective position w}

However Kizuna lost all restraints while Kei was typing.

“Yeah, that’s right! My Heart Hybrid Gear is just useless when everyone else is not here. Even those everyone right now are the enemy’s prisoners. All of this and that, everything is my responsibility! Yet despite so, I abandoned everyone and returned here alone! I was……everyone.”

“Eh……tha, that’s.”

Momo was overwhelmed by Kizuna’s dangerous look. That shock made Momo’s own rage shrink down and she recovered her calmness.

“I abandoned everyone who helped me and returned back here. Someone like me, who cannot do anything at all when alone, who doesn’t even have a proper weapon, this me!”

The man that was ridiculed as demon king Eros was throwing out the words of his heart with a really painful look.

“Tha, that, I, don’t mean……”

Momo regretted running her mouth carelessly. However, words that had been said once couldn’t be taken back. Not knowing what she should do, she could only get in dithers.

“We are fighting while gambling our lives. Are you making weapons with your lives on the line? Is this really the limit? It’s just as you said, right now Amaterasu and Masters are gone. There is already no one else but me. And then I cannot fight alone. That’s why, give me a weapon I can fight with! I beg you here! If not I cannot fight. I cannot save them! Even Aine!”

Momo felt like she was touching Kizuna’s heart directly. Fear, rage, regret, those things were transmitted to Momo’s heart.

And then, she also felt an unexpected shock from looking at Kizuna’s face that was almost crying.

Just from hearing the rumors, Amaterasu was like a gathering of monstrous superhumans. It was even the more for Kizuna who was the captain, she didn’t feel like he was really a living human. According to the character image created only from the rumors that the students said, he was exactly a monster.

That was why Momo, she had never even imagined that her words would make Kizuna this angered and hurt.

Kei pulled at Kizuna’s sleeve. Kizuna finally noticed this late of Kei’s text that was floating in front of his nose.

{Kizuna. Let’s stop here. There is another thing I want to show you. Follow me.}

“……Got it.”

He turned right-about face and headed to the entrance. Both of them exited from the door that Kei opened.

When Kizuna and Kei’s figure vanished, there was only Momo alone left inside the huge hangar. And then unable to sort her chaotic head, she stood stock still in a daze for a while.

Before long she lied down on the nearby bench and closed her eyes.

Even after time passed, her chaotic head and stirred up heart could not recover their calm.

But, she understood the thing that she had to do.

Momo woke up and declared to Kizuna who was not there.

“Fine then……I’ll prepare a method of fighting for you. And then I will make you……”

‘――a real Demon King, not just demon king Eros.’

She sat in front of the console of the development facility and slid her fingers on the touch panel. And then the trump card that was in the middle of development. The blueprint of the weapon that was prepared to be the strongest weapon in Ataraxia was opened.

Part 4

“Big……”

Strangely the place where Kizuna and Kei went after they left the hangar was the one that Momo had just opened the blueprint of.

Dozens of floor underground, there was a stratum that was nearby Ataraxia’s center. And then there was a gigantic cave that pierced that stratum continuously straight. It was a tunnel with diameter around twenty meters. Several pipes and wires were running along the wall.

“I mean, just how long this thing is continuing forward?”

He couldn’t see the end of just how far this tunnel was continuing. At a glance it looked like a multipurpose underground utility conduit, but the pipes and cables crawling inside the tunnel were obviously engendered with a different atmosphere.

{This tunnel pierces through the center of Ataraxia, it is continuing until the end of the other side.}

“For there to be a hole this big……so, what is this used for?”

{The main cannon of Ataraxia, an electrically charged particle cannon. This is the particle accelerator for that.}

“Particle cannon? This is!?”

{Yes. A particle cannon with a large caliber and a large output. It’s still not completed yet, but it has been developed until the level where a test firing is possible. There were things like this created experimentally until now, but it couldn’t reach the level where it could endure a practical use. But this time it’s the real thing. A particle cannon is a normal equipment for a Heart Hybrid Gear, but when we try to make it with our own technology, it becomes this big in the end.}

“I see……even so this is amazing.”

{The acceleration distance is the diameter of Ataraxia itself, three kilometers. The spec we are using as a benchmark is Cross’s Differential Frame, that is our target.}

‘I see. When they are trying to reproduce Yurishia’s Cross, it turns out that a facility this large is necessary.’

{The original concept came from Professor Nayuta. I gave it shape and right now Momo is the one finishing it.}

“That girl is……”

Kizuna’s chest was a little painful. He snapped before and yelled angrily. It was like he vented his anger on her.

{If it’s about Momo then you don’t need to feel bothered. Momo was the bad one just now.}

“No, but……”

{Besides, Momo is a strong child. Surely around now she is reflecting and strives to do her work even more. Rather it even became a good medicine. I’m grateful.}

Even if he was told that, Kizuna couldn’t calm down. He thought to look for a chance next time and properly apologize so they could make up with each other.

{If this particle cannon is completed, it will be possible to attack the enemy directly from outside their radius of action. On the contrary, we can bombard the enemy’s capital directly.}

“I see, this thing at London……that’s why, it’s necessary to bring Ataraxia itself there huh.”

After walking through the tunnel even further, he could see bright light ahead. Over there was Ataraxia’s most outer part. When Kizuna stood on the edge, blue ocean reflecting the light of the bright sun in the blue sky was spreading before him. And then nearby the horizon, a faint shadow of land could be seen.

But, a strange thing was visible above the land. A round luminous body floating in the sky.

“That’s?”

Kei manipulated her keyboard and displayed a floating window with the image of an external camera. When the image was zoomed up, it was a large magic circle floating in the sky.

{Most likely, it appears to be the magic power plant put on that area.}

“What did you say!?”

The state of Tokyo was resurrected inside Kizuna’s brain.

“Shikina-san, quickly do something to that magic power plant with this thing!”

Kizuna talked vigorously, but Kei typed on her keyboard in a clam appearance.

{That’s impossible. This thing still cannot be fired.}

“Eh? But it’s already in the level that can be test fired you said!”

{A test is possible, but it’s not on the level of practical use. The biggest reason is the lack of energy to operate this weapon. That problem hasn’t been resolved yet.}

What?

{This particle cannon needs a vast amount of electricity to fire. The problem is where to obtain that electricity.}

“That’s……if we focused all the electricity in Ataraxia then…!”

{Even so it can only supply 50% of the electricity needed. Creation of electricity storage with good efficiency and the construction of a power plant are being done urgently.}

“Shit-! There is a magic power plant in front of our eyes, and we cannot do anything……”

Kizuna once again gnawed on his powerlessness.

‘With this kind of situation, can I really save everyone?

The captured Himekawa, Yurishia, Sylvia. And then Scarlet and the others from Masters. Even while I’m doing this, perhaps they are being approached by danger.

Perhaps, they are being made to kill each other at the Colosseum just like me……furthermore, they might be faced against each other.

“SHITTTTTTTTTTTT-!”

He faced the sea and yelled with all his strength.

‘――Aine. You won’t possibly do something like that won’t you?’

He looked up at the sky ahead with the feeling as if praying.

‘Surely even now everyone of Amaterasu and Masters are being put under harsh experience, there was no doubt of that. But, do your best. Survive!’

“I will……I will for sure, COME TO SAVE YOU AAAALLLLLL-!”

Facing the blue sky where there was no one, Kizuna raised a roar of oath.

However the sky and the sea, nothing replied back to Kizuna. There was only a quiet gentle breeze fluttering Kizuna’s hair.

Chapter 3 – Idol Project

Part 1

Aine was lying down on the bed at her room. Beside her, her little sister Grace was also lying down slovenly. Surrounding the bed where they were lying in line was the projection of a concert stage in Zeltis. It was like the bed was flying in the air, floating on the concert stage.

Teen girls were singing on the stage. Wearing fluttering costumes, they were singing and dancing delightfully. The audience was all standing in unison while waving their hands. This kind of idol and music weren’t really different than in Lemuria, Aine thought.

However the image transmission system was a little different with earth. The concert stage itself was reproduced by the signal receiver. The projection had a similar surface with a floating window, but the projection had depth and it felt like it had the same width continuing like the actual concert stage.

And then the singer standing there looked as if she was actually right in front of their eyes. Furthermore, the surrounding passion and the shaking atmosphere, and even the sound that shook the body were reproduced with extraordinary realism. All those were things created by magic power particles.

The technology of Vatlantis felt wonderful now after she had been intimately familiar with the earth culture.

“According to Nayuta, the difference of our technology and Lemuria is the difference in the technology system, from the start the technology foundations that are used as the premise are already different.”

“Professor Nayuta said that?”

“Yes. Our way that uses magic power as the premise and applies sorcery as technology have obtained results that are several levels ahead. However, she said that that foundation is brittle. If there are aspects where we are more advanced, then there are also aspects where we are inferior.”

‘I see, that’s really like Professor Nayuta to say that’, Aine thought.

“Though, I don’t think so.”

Grace took the nearby glass with her hand and gulped down the liquid inside.

“I commanded her to restore the Genesis. After all, if we are talking about our anxiety, it’s only that the Genesis stopped working.”

A single anxiety fluttered through Aine’s heart. Was it okay to entrust such an important thing to Professor Nayuta’s hand? She already said that she didn’t have anymore interest in herself and Kizuna. However, if the wording was changed didn’t that just mean that her interest was moved to other things? Speaking of the thing that held Professor Nayuta’s interest the most right now then――,

“If Genesis is not restored quickly, our population will only keep decreasing. At this rate Vatlantis will be ruined. For the sake of repairing Genesis too, it’s necessary to advance the domination of Lemuria in one stroke.”

When she thought about invading another country, Aine’s feelings clouded. Regarding Genesis, she pulled on the knowledge that she learned when she was a child.

“……Speaking of that, the surrounding countries are also in possession of monuments with the same function aren’t they? What about making a use of those?”

“Ooh! As expected of Nee-sama. Actually, we are in a skirmish with Baldein that is a little to the north, I’m thinking of taking their pillar in the course of settling the conflict.”

Aine was startled. She didn’t think that Grace would speak of stealing a pillar.

“There are also the allies of Vatlantis right? Are they no good?”

Grace rolled in a flop and swung around her legs.

“That’s no good. All of them have the function in a halt. That’s why we left them alone because they have no worth to be conquered and we have to reach our hands to the surrounding countries……although, there is no other pillar that is on a scale as large as our country’s Genesis. Our pillar is literally supporting the heaven and earth after all.”

She said that with a proud sniff.

“That’s why, even if we use another country’s pillar to create children, it doesn’t change that we have to do something about our Genesis somehow. The natural disaster that happened recently originated from Genesis. We have to quickly take a countermeasure.”

Aine recalled the large earthquake the other day from hearing those words. Her heart hurt when she thought of the people that became sacrifices.

Grace lifted her upper body and stared at the screen.

“……Oh, looks like it’s the last group.”

Aine once more directed her attention to the image. The lighting became dark and the voice of the host resounded.

{Now, finally the next artists will be the last. Today the girls will have their debut that should be commemorated! A talent that will come once every ten years? Or once every hundred years? No! They are the greatest newcomers, that will be the first in the history of Vatlantis, the only ones with no match, the most supreme in history!}

The host standing on the stage fanned up the anticipation with an exaggerated way of talking. The audience too raised a crazed voice in response to that.

It seemed that next would be a popular idol. She guessed that it would be the debut of singers.

Aine took a glass that was put at the bedside. Inside it was filled with juice that resembled wine. Her soft lips touched the transparent glass.

{The living legends, the fairies that have arrived from the beyond.}

Shining plank was lifted up from the stage and floated in the air. Various shapes of planks also appeared from the wall and the air, shining in flickers. Those were floating in the air in resemblance to an Entrance.

{Everyone here are witnesses of history. Only now a new history is created! Right now in this instant!!}

The planks floating in the middle of the stage broke all at once.

From inside, three maidens flew out. Widely spreading and fluttering miniskirts and stage clothing that was like an Ataraxia uniform that got designed flashily. Tails of light were pulled from those bodies, scattering light particles around while dancing in the sky. The broken fragments flew everywhere, becoming pieces of light that rained down on the heads of the audience. It was like stars raining down from the sky.

{The goddesses that came from another universe, Amaterasu!}

Himekawa, Yurishia, and Sylvia, those three landed and took smart poses. At that instant, fireworks were fired behind them.

The juice inside Aine’s mouth was spurted out with great strength.

“Wha……wha, wha……-!?”

“What’s the matter Nee-sama?”

“What……just what are they doing―! Those girlsssssssss-!?”

Ignoring the perplexed Grace, Aine crawled on the bed on all fours and clung to the screen. When the intro began to flow, the three stepped and separated from each other, moving to their respective positions. The center was Sylvia, at her right was Yurishia, and the left was Himekawa. When the intro ended, the three began to sing with a precise timing.

Their singing voices were really beautiful.

The audience raised cheerful voices with their excitement whirling.

Puppets that were created with sorcery appeared from the stage. With resemblance to a Blue Head, the puppets looked like miniature magic weapons. They circled the surroundings of the three and formed a line behind with a run before beginning to dance. They were puppets, but they served as back dancers properly.

And then the choreography of the three also made the watcher spontaneously charmed. As expected of the people who were chosen to be Amaterasu, their motor nerves had nothing to be criticized. Their dance was actually like experts. Speed, sharpness, everything was obviously beautiful.

Every single movement of theirs enlarged the rapture that filled the venue.

When it was Himekawa’s solo part, the line-up order changed, Himekawa came to the center. Each time she danced her body to the left and right, her glossy beautiful black hair also danced. Her clear penetrating voice reverberated in the venue, inside the audience’s heart. Invited by the voice that could make the listener listened in ecstasy and rapt attention, warm fountain of flowers of light overflowed on the stage. As if swimming inside it, the three displayed their elegant movements.

Himekawa sang with her body bending backward like a bow. That pose and her voice were absolutely coquettish.

And then, golden light rained down from the sky, this time it was Yurishia who was shining.

The song was Yurishia’s solo part now.

She quickly stretched her hand and wriggled her waist lewdly. And then with amazingly sharp movement that looked rhythmical and unified, her whole body danced. Beads of light scattered in combination with her breast and ass that shook dynamically. She repeated twirled in rotation and stopped in a halt. That skilled dance raised applause and cheers from the audience.

She made the shape of a gun with her fingers while singing which she directed to the audience. The pointed audience was greatly delighted just with that. And then she tilted her head a little and winked. It was a gesture that was constantly aware of the spectators. She smiled, and then winked again. She shot through the hearts of the spectators one after another.

And then Sylvia came to the center once again. With her small body, she leaped powerfully. Sweat scattered everywhere, and light in heart and star shape from the production effect flew. Sylvia who expressed happiness from her whole body created a smile on the faces of all the spectators in the venue.

The three people came together at the center of the stage before they twirled. Thereupon their costume suddenly changed, transforming into a costume that was modeled after Vatlantis’s imperial guard. With white and red military uniform style, light particles drove around the surface. The exposure rate was high with their shoulders and arms exposed, a hole was opened on their chest that the valley of their breast peeked out. And then each time they moved, their high leg leotard nether region could be seen from the gap of the clothes.

In their sexy military uniform figure, the three sang the high point of the song enthusiastically together. The melody was actually catchy, the rhythm was also good. It was a song that spontaneously made one want to listen to it many times.

The resplendent storm of light and sound swept over the venue.

And then the climax of the song. From the stage and the audience seat, and then from the sky, gear, pendulum, then piston, retro mechanical parts were converging. And then a mountain of junk was built at the center of the stage. When the three pointed their fingers, the mountain of junk was assembling something by itself. And then after the junk became a shining miniature of Genesis, the three took their last pose.

At that instant, sparkling and sublime radiance enveloped the three.

The wild enthusiasm and excitement of the venue reached the zenith.

The three of Amaterasu undid their pose and smiled at each other, after that they faced the audience and bowed deeply.

The stage darkened and the announcement of the event’s ending streamed down, even so the spectators didn’t seem like they would go home. That was just how much Amaterasu had grasped the hearts of the people of the Vatlantis Empire.

The three took advantage of the theatrical blackout and drew back to the wing of the stage in a hurry. Amidst the raining down terrific cheer, they ran and returned to the backstage, there a grand applause welcomed them.

All the co-stars and the people behind the scenes of this event welcomed the three people of Amaterasu. Amidst them, a female with tied hair and glasses rushed out and charged to the three.

“How great―! That’s really the beeest-! Everyone is really lovelyyyy!”

She hugged the three without minding the sweat. Himekawa raised her voice awkwardly.

“We, well, we understand. So calm down Marisu-san.”

“Aah, everyone is really cute. You are beautiful, and the song and dance is also perfect! Even though there was almost no time for training, yet the talent of you three is amazing! Aah, I wonder just how much you three will make me happy before you three are satisfied-!”

The really high tension of Marisu that was the producer in charge of Amaterasu made even the surrounding staff smile wryly. Being shook around by the excited Marisu, Sylvia raised a troubled voice.

“Sa, say, Marisu-san? If I remember correctly, there is still more work after this isn’t there desu?”

Marisu separated her body in a flash and lifted her glasses.

“Now, fix back your cosmetics in the changing room. After this we will travel using flying boat. We will go to the broadcast station and record an interview for a variety show! Today you three won’t be able to sleep!”

Dragging the three, they rushed into the changing room.

And then thirty minutes later, the three Amaterasu members and Marisu boarded a flying boat and left behind the concert venue. The flying boat was something luxurious exclusive for VIP use, its passenger cabin was also spacious. It was too spacious for just four people riding it. Himekawa sunk her body on the fluffy sofa near the window and gazed at the imperial capital Zeltis.

“Haa……just why, did it become like this I wonder.”

Himekawa sighed while staring at the city shining with the light of magic power. Marisu that noticed her state sharp-sightedly spoke with a bantering tone.

“Eee―, wasn’t Hayuru-chan really in high spirits befo―re♪”

“You’re wrong! Because we are doing it then we need to do it properly……I only thought that!”

“Hm―m. that’s fine! That seriousness is Hayuru-chan’s good point-”

Marisu was smiling cheerfully. The first stage was a great success, so she was really satisfied.

Marisu was a staff member of the Vatlantis Empire’s propaganda department. She operated various events and broadcasts based under the national policy, tied to that she was also conducting management of talent performance.

Marisu who knew about Amaterasu’s existence from the incident in the Colosseum visited the prison right on that very day.

“Let’s aim for the zenith of the idol together with me!”

She entered the prison and declared that with a smile on her whole face, making the minds of the three Amaterasu members go blank with uncomprehending faces. However Marisu’s really strong push felt like they were washed away by the momentum of a surging wave, and then they greeted the day of the major debut while looking on in blank amazement.

Of course, there was also the condition that they were permitted to get out of the prison and obtained freedom to some extent. However, it was also the fact that they were moved in the way by Marisu’s personality that knew no hesitation. Marisu didn’t treat them like prisoner and treated them like important talents. And then, together with eating and sleeping, they passed the time lodging together with intensive training of singing and dancing, and finally reached this day.

“Even so this is an amazing degree of attention! The story that the photo taken secretly in the Colosseum has been sold for several tens of thousands of sheets seems to be credible like this. Well―, everyone wants to know about what is happening at the other side of the Entrance. And like that the day came that a group of three cuties like this appeared, there is no way they can stay quiet.”

Sylvia was calculating the timing for when she could cut in Marisu that continued to talk in high tension.

“Say, until when does Sylvia and the others have to do this work desu?”

“Ha? Of course it’s forever you know, forever. Isn’t that obvious?”

The three wore dejected faces.

“That’s no good! Have more pride in your work! This is not just a mere public entertainment work. This is an important work that will build the bridge between Vatlantis and Lemuria! We are making harmony between the two worlds! Saving the life of people, building peace, and opening the door to a new world!”

Yurishia cut in with an apathetic voice.

“What bridge, what new world. This is just mere propaganda isn’t it?”

“Sheesh, Yurishia-chan, your head is sharp even though you are an erotic character!”

Yurishia stood up with a look that seemed to say ‘good grief’. And then with a speed that couldn’t be caught by the eye, she pulled out a cable from the gap of the chair and wrapped it around Marisu’s neck.

“!?……”

Yurishia pulled the cable with both hands and constricted Marisu’s neck.

“Thi, this is, a little……surprising, I think, Yurishia-chan.”

It was a cable that was put on the dressing room. Yurishia hid it and waited for a chance. And then right now that cable was digging into Marisu’s neck. Yurishia’s lips leaked out a shudderingly cold voice.

“Do you think we are seriously going to assist propaganda as idols or anything? With this flying boat we can go to Lemuria using the Entrance right? Now, change the direction.”

Matching Yurishia’s sudden act, Himekawa and Sylvia were also leaping to action and ran off inside the flying boat to confirm. It seemed that the boat was operating on autopilot and there was no other human riding aboard.

Marisu knitted her eyebrows painfully and smiled.

“I cannot really recommend that―. The course has been decided since the start and if it gets changed then the imperial guard will come you know? In that case, the current Yurishia-chan and the others won’t be able to come to blows with them right?”

Yurishia recalled the collar that was wrapped around her neck. Himekawa and Sylvia were also touching the collars wrapping around their neck.

That was something fixed on them in exchange of exiting the prison and obtaining freedom to some extent. Magic formula was incorporated into the collar, one couldn’t equip magic armor as long as the collar was put on. In addition it had the function to absorb magic power in fixed amounts. It was like a simplified edition of the prison where Yurishia and the others were locked at.

“Then Marisu. I wonder if I should take you hostage.”

Marisu smiled wryly towards Yurishia’s threat.

“Sheesh you girls, just how much do you think you’re worth? If it is for the sake of capturing the three of you, the imperial guard won’t think anything about the life of someone like me.”

Sylvia directed a supplicating gaze to Yurishia.

“No way……Marisu-san is someone from Vatlantis but……she is a good person desu. It’s not good to let her die desu.”

“Sylvia, chan is……really a good kid aren’t you?”

Marisu was sweating on her forehead while smiling. Himekawa yelled unable to endure it.

“Then, please take off this collar! If we escape from attacking you, then you won’t be implicated at all right!?”

Himekawa was also planning to look for an opening to escape and participated in this farce. However, she didn’t think of sacrificing Marisu who had been accompanying them until now for that.

“That’s impossible. I don’t know the way of taking off that collar. There is no way someone like me will be permitted to carry such an important authority.”

Yurishia clicked her tongue and put strength into her fingers.

“You said peace and whatnot, but we are just propaganda for the sake of easily advancing the policy of occupying the earth in the end. There is no reason for us to lend our hands for such a thing.”

“Guh……I guess. Certainly that is……true. So that people of the empire, don’t harbor reactions of rejection and fear towards Lemuria. And to remove, the hostility of Lemuria’s people towards Vatlantis, and change it into adoration……I cannot deny that this is a means for that. But, just like Vatlantis is making use of you three, you too can……just make use of Vatlantis.”

“……What are you talking about?”

Yurishia’s eyebrows twitched.

“Even you understand……from the stage today right? You three……are idols. The hearts of Vatlantis Empire’s people, were seized by you three for a moment. That means that you three have influence towards Vatlantis. If……if you consider, that you can make allies for yourself in the empire, it’s not really a……bad thing I think?”

With strength still filling her arm, Yurishia glared fixedly at Marisu.

Sylvia was watching over the development with suspense.

At that time the state outside the window changed. The brightness of city was approaching below.

“Yurishia-san, the altitude is lowering. We will arrive at the destination soon!”

“Ku……”

Yurishia’s forehead was sweating. Marisu groaned painfully.

“Even so, if you are still saying that you are going through with this no matter what……I, I won’t stop you. My dream is realized already.”

“Dream?”

“Whe, when I started this work, I had a dream. With these hands……I will produce, the greatest star of the empire. If I die at the hands of that star, then that’s also fine.”

Tears spilled out from Marisu’s eyes.

Yurishia faltered from those tears.

However she clenched her teeth and filled her hands with strength once more.

“That……transparent……!”

The cable was digging into Marisu’s neck.

“Yurishia-san!”

Himekawa and Sylvia called to her pleadingly.

“…….tch-!”

Yurishia released her hand and threw away the cable.

Marisu collapsed on the floor and coughed her throat painfully. Sylvia rushed to her in panic and stroked her back.

“Are you okay desu?”

Marisu smiled to reassure Sylvia who looked worried. And then she staggered to her feet and stood up, she faced Yurishia with narrowed eyes.

“Yurishia……thank you.”

“Just what are you saying thanks for to someone who almost killed you.”

Yurishia crossed her arms and spoke with an astonished attitude. Marisu rubbed her neck while looking outside the window and confirmed that they were approaching the next destination.

“There are three more minutes to the next venue……as long as you all stay in Vatlantis, I will protect the three of you for sure……that’s why, won’t you work together with me from now on too?”

Himekawa and Sylvia awkwardly looked at Yurishia.

“……It can’t be helped. But, this is only until the best timing for escaping comes. If the time comes, that’s farewell. Conversely I’ll have you cooperate at that time.”

Marisu smiled widely hearing that reply and stood up vigorously.

“Yo―sh, then, let’s quickly work! Go in full spirits-!”

Himekawa smiled amazedly.

“Your recovery is really fast.”

“Now that you mention it, are you serious that today will be an all-nighter? I want a vacation already.”

“Holiday? What sleepy-talk are you talking about! The schedule for the next three months ahead is already closely packed without even a single free hour you know!”

“EEEEEEEEEE!?”

The three yelled dissatisfiedly in unison.

“Because that’s how it is! You three are already idols you know? Don’t think that you have the same freedom with the common people! In the next week your rivals will also make their debut!”

“Rival?”

Right at that time, a communication came. A window popped up in the air.

“Yurishia, Hayuru, Sylvia, congratulations on your debut!”

Scarlet and the four other Masters were projected on the screen.

“What’s this Scarlet, so you watched it……wait, what’s with that appearance of you guys!?”

Scarlet and the other four were wearing flashy and cute costumes that reflected the light sparklingly.

“Right now we are in the middle of rehearsal. We too will debut next week after all! As the Masters see!”

“Haaaaaaaa?”

The three once again raised an astonished voice.

“We were overtaken by Amaterasu ahead, but the star performer always makes their entrance at the end. We won’t lose to the likes of you guys!”

The five Masters with Brigit and Gertrude removed were strangely in burning spirits and one-sidedly cut the communication.

Himekawa talked to Yurishia with damp eyes.

“They are……already, losing sight of the objective aren’t they?”

“Please I beg you, don’t think that all Americans are idiots like them……”

The flying boat landed on the rooftop of their next destination that was a broadcasting station right at that time. When the hatch opened, a large number of staff were waiting for them.

Marisu clapped her hands and motivated them with rough words.

“Now it’s time to work! After all you three are superstars! Go with your fighting spirit on!”

Yurishia smiled wryly.

“For me to be a superstar……”

While lightly brushing her blonde hair, she gallantly descended down the hatch of the flying boat.

“Who cares about something like that.”

Part 2

Below was a vast dry land that continued without end. Above it, Vatlantis’s fleet was calmly advancing in the middle of the cloudy sky. The battleships in formation were all painted red. From that color, it was obvious to whoever seeing it that it was the fleet of the imperial guard. While some people would feel safe looking at their appearance, some other people would feel fear.

The ascending large fleet with fifty ships in total was now advancing for the sake of inflicting fear to the opponent.

The one ship that was noticeably conspicuous even amidst that fleet was the flagship of the Vatlantis army, the exclusive ship of the emperor. It was gigantic with a total length that surpassed two thousand meters, but there was no roughness at all in its design, it was gracefully filled with delicate beauty like a beautiful bird. Its shape was slender and sharp, but its hull undulation that was depicted with a smooth curve gave off the impression of a beautiful female.

“What an amazing force……hey, Grace. Isn’t this overdoing it for a mere show of force I wonder?”

Inside the warship’s bridge that was like a luxurious castle relocated to the ship as it was, was Aine. All of the battleships of Vatlantis had stylish interior, but this personal ship of the emperor was extraordinary even among all of them.

Even though the chair where Aine was sitting was not as amazing as the throne of the imperial castle, it was inlaid with silver and gold jewelry, an extravagantly luxurious item. A level under it was the chair for Grace. It had a definite difference with the chair of the emperor, but it didn’t change the fact that it was created luxuriously.

Grace who was sitting on that chair with composed air faced Aine with a mischievous smile.

“Nee-sama yourself, just what are you talking about? This is Nee-sama’s first campaign. It’s only natural to gather this much army.”

“First campaign……wait, eh?”

Zelsione made a friendly grin to the perplexed Aine while adding an explanation.

“The commemoration ceremony for recording the first victory of the returning emperor is also in the middle of preparation at the imperial capital. It will be busy again for these few days after this.”

“Grace, what is the meaning of this?”

“Yes, just as I said before this, Baldein in the north is repeating skirmishes with Vatlantis’s public safety force. I meant to make them meet a painful experience for once.”

“Not only the north, Izgard at the east also began to be overflowed by an air of unrest. There is also the information that Gravel had returned there, perhaps there will be a trouble with the east after this. Even so, that tanned beast……it’s regrettable that she got away.”

Zelsione sighed in disappointment.

Grace glared at Zelsione fixedly, but perhaps thinking that it was pointless to say anything, she soon gave up.

“It’s troublesome to pacify insurrection, but it’s a good chance to display Nee-sama’s authority. We will force Baldein to yield anew and make the whole continent realize Vatlantis and Nee-sama’s power.”

“But, it’s too hasty to think about the first victory already. We haven’t even started fighting yet.”

“There is no need to worry Nee-sama.”

Grace laughed pleasantly.

“Because I will absolutely make Nee-sama come to triumph.”

At that time, the bridge shook together with a fierce explosive sound.

“What happened!?”

Zelsione’s question was immediately answered by an operator.

“It’s Baldein’s attack!”

“Whaat? The encounter with the enemy’s fleet is supposed to be in one more hour!”

Magic weapons in the shapes of a dragon passed through outside the bridge. Explosions were occurring in succession outside the window, blowing away the window glass.

“A surprise attack by magic weapons!”

“I see. I heard that Baldein is prided for their dragon magic weapons. They were hiding their troops in this area beforehand.”

Grace approached the broken window without any fear and confirmed the situation outside. Great variety of dragon form magic weapons like Dragre or Tri-Head were flying everywhere, they had come close without being noticed. Furthermore their number was quite considerable. The sight was as though they had flew into a great crowd of birds by mistake.

“So they are not using a fleet made of battleships as their main force and instead focused their whole battle strength into their prided magic weapons. Certainly they have no chance even if they try to engage our fleet right from the front. In that case it’s the correct choice to gamble their chances on fast and powerful magic weapons.”

Baldein’s dragons ran through between the fleet like a gale while adding attacks one after another. The red battleships of the imperial guard were toyed with by the magic weapons with their great maneuverability, the battleships couldn’t even counterattack. In contrast the enemy’s magic weapons were equipped with firepower in the class of a battleship’s main cannon even with their small body. The battleships of the imperial guard had their armor destroyed and ships that began to go up in flames started to appear.

“Let out our magic weapons too!”

Zelsione let out an instruction. However, ironically the aircraft carrier which transported their magic weapons went up in flames at that timing. It tilted to the side violently and went falling to the ground. Nothing could support such a huge body once it began to fall. The aircraft carrier that fell on the wasteland raised an explosion and it scattered apart into pieces, turning into fragments of light altogether with the magic weapons it transported.

In succession, a corner of the fleet crumbled, a battleship was sinking down.

Grace smiled joyfully and raised an excited voice.

“How nice! This is a good battle! Now it became interesting.”

“Grace-sama, the battleships are at a disadvantage having the dragons as opponents. If you give out the command to let the imperial guard sortie, we will scatter them apart with magic armor――”

“No need. Just us will be enough.”

Zelsione looked like she was chewing a bitter bug.

“Grace-sama, the jest is……”

Ignoring Zelsione who was like that, Grace presented her hand to Aine. And then she showed a wide smile. That smile was exactly like when they were children, the smiling face when she approached Aine because she wanted to play together.

“Let’s go, Nee-sama.”

At one side the Vatlantis army was collapsing, at the other side the commander of Baldein was hitting her knee while laughing loudly.

“Hohohoho, it is completely clear that those Vatlantis bunches are completely like a chicken with the head cut off now. Aah, how fun, how really fun!”

The commander entangled her fingers in her soft wavy light blue hair.

On the rocky mountain of the wasteland that was distanced several dozen kilometers from the battlefield, an improvised front line base was made here. She had hid magic weapons all over this wasteland beforehand and laid in wait for the battleships of Vatlantis to come. They had been waiting for several days, but it was worth it. The commander was standing on the rocky mountain and watched in satisfaction the floating window that projected the battle progress. The staff officers standing beside her were also naturally smiling.

“It’s exactly as the commander aimed for. To even go as far as dismantling our fleet and allotted the resources to our magic weapons was the correct choice.”

“Yes. We have to pay back Vatlantis who has done whatever they pleased until now. Besides, I heard that currently there are many natural disasters happening in Vatlantis. By riding in this chaos, not only becoming independent, we will even crush Vatlantis like this.”

The staff officers were also in the same opinion with the fervent commander.

“Earthquakes are occurring in repeated occurrences and the decay of nature is also advancing. Even this area was previously supposed to be a forest but……most likely the disorder in the Genesis that they are retaining is the cause. There is no way we can leave the possession of Genesis to Vatlantis even more than this.”

“Fufufu. If we can give a crushing defeat to the fleet of the imperial guard, even the face of Vatlantis’s emperor will……eh?”

The commander of Baldein looked at the silhouettes that appeared in the window and her eyes opened wide. There were figures leaping out from the broken bridge and ran on the bow of the battleship. Shining pink hair and red eyes. It was undoubtedly the figure that she had seen previously in an audience at Zeltis.

“That’s……don’t tell me, the emperor of Vatlantis? She is coming out to this frontline!?”

“So the rumor that she shows up at the frontline proactively is true……besides, the one beside her, is that the vanished first princess who was recently talked about?”

A silver haired girl running with her hand pulled by Grace. The hair color was different, but the color of the eyes were the same.

“This is convenient! All units, shoot down that flagship!”

The direction of magic weapons which were fighting other vessels changed, they headed to the flagship of Vatlantis and commenced attack. At their destination, were the figures of Grace and Aine standing on the bow of the ship.

“Here they come, here they come. Fufu- Nee-sama, I’ll go play ahead. Koros!”

Grace’s body was wrapped in armor and the wings of a fallen angel grew on her back.

“Now, how about I eat you all deliciously.”

Her pink hair shined, the golden and silver colored wings flapped largely. From the wings that were only bones, light arrows in the shape of feather were fired. Those arrows became a torrent of light and rushed in the sky.

“What is that!?”

The commander of Baldein got flustered. Her composure just now vanished and unpleasant sweat was flowing down her back. Something, an unknown bad premonition came to her.

“All units, take a fixed distance! That is, something――”

Before that instruction could reach, the light feathers pierced through the dragon type magic weapons one after another. The pierced magic weapons stopped moving as if they lost their life. And then, obeying gravity, they were falling down to the ground. Those magic weapons which were so lively and freely running in the sky just now were stiffened like a mere ornament and fell from the sky.

“Hahahahahaha! What a lively banquet of dragons!”

Grace made merry like a child and laughed innocently.

However for the side of Baldein this was nothing more but a nightmare.

The several hundred dragons were falling down like rain. They struck the ground one after another, raising a cloud of dust. The dust cloud was rising up like a carpet bombing had just happened, before long the whole ground looked as if mist had enveloped it. Inside the mist, the bodies that had become pieces became fragments of light and vanished.

The light feathers were converging to Grace’s position and were absorbed into the wings, her pink hair became even brighter.

“Co, Commander……”

The staff officers were raising trembling voices.

“That monster……!! Still, it won’t end just like this!”

Together with the commander’s voice, the last machine hiding in the wasteland was raising its head from inside the cloud of dust. It was a shockingly gigantic dragon. Its mouth looked as if it could crunch a Dragre with one bite. Long neck that reached a hundred meters and a smallish torso. From there four wings in golden shine were growing. And then its large and long tail that might be double the neck length might be able to knock down even a battleship.

Inside the dragon type corps of Baldein, this was the magic weapon that was prided to be the biggest and strongest, the [Gold Dragon EmperorGolden Dragon]. It surpassed even the category-Ultra Tri-Head, a machine that ruled at the summit of magic weapons.

The rising dust cloud was like a smoke curtain that hid its figure. As the body that was buried rose from the ground, even more dust clouds were rising up. The commander handed down an order to that gigantic body.

“Shoot down that flagship!”

The built-in magic machine raised a sound that was like the roar of a beast. Its wings emitted golden light and that gigantic body lightly flew up.

“That’s!?”

Aine opened her eyes wide towards that gigantic body which was flying up from the front. A gigantic dragon that shined gold. Its size was equal to a battleship, compared to that even a Tri-Head looked just like a lizard.

“Hohou. So that’s the trump card of Baldein. Then, I’ll defer this prey to Nee-sama.”

Grace happily smiled.

There was no leeway to refuse or accept. This ship would be sunk down if that thing was not defeated. The magic weapon was unmanned, but this battleship had people on board.

“Zeros!”

Aine’s body was equipped with white armor. And then her hair was changing color to pink.

She stretched her right hand forward and a magic circle drawn from light was spreading from her fingertips. And then when her hand reached inside that, she pulled out Pulverizer from inside the magic circle.

For Aine who had taken back her memory, it was already unnecessary to do Climax Hybrid in order to use a Corruption Armament. It was possible for her to use Pulverizer anytime.

Aine’s finger pulled the trigger.

“Fire!”

A terrific ring of flash and shockwave spread instantly with Aine as the center.

And then a belt of light that destroyed everything and left nothing behind was heading to the Golden Dragon. The Golden Dragon received that attack right from the front. Fierce light raised an explosion in the air. The shockwave shook the flagship that Aine boarded and even granted tremors until the ground.

From inside that fierce explosion, the Golden Dragon stretched out its neck.

“Eh!?”

Aine raised her voice reflexively.

Even while its armor was destroyed, the Golden Dragon endured through a single attack of Pulverizer. Raising the roar of its magic machine that resembled an anguished voice, it faced Aine and came approaching.

“……I see. So I cannot defeat you with something like this.”

Aine threw away the Pulverizer.

“Code Breaker.”

The blue light flowing in Zeros’s body was increasing in speed and it started to shine dazzlingly. The parts on her back unattached and created a ring on her back. At the center of that ring, a magic circle was drawn.

‘――In the past, I lamented that I didn’t have any projectile weapon. That I don’t have any powerful weapon.’

Belt of light was flowing out from the magic circle, it wrapped around Aine’s right arm.

‘――Just what in the world did I worry about. Even though from the start, there is already the strongest weapon inside me.’

Aine pulled back her right arm, she faced the Golden Dragon charging at her and took a stance with half her body forward.

“Even though this me myself, these arms, these legs, are already the strongest weapon!”

Aine’s right fist struck out.

The gigantic nose tip of the Golden Dragon that was charging with a terrific speed, was intercepted by Aine’s small fist.

It was an attack with exquisite timing, the greatest timing there was.

However, due to the enormous difference in mass, the Golden Dragon squashed Aine as it was and sunk the flagship of Vatlantis――was how it was supposed to be.

The Golden Dragon’s face was smashed.

It was as though it collided with an unseen wall, it was smashed by its own mass.

And then the magic circle of Code Breaker flowed into the Golden Dragon from Aine’s fist, encroaching into its body.

The body of the Golden Dragon from its head, torso, wings, and tail, was dissolved in turn by the Code Breaker. The dissolved body of the Golden Dragon was deconstructed into shining bright magic letters and formulae and vanished into the air.

And then in the blink of an eye, the strongest magic weapon Golden Dragon vanished beautifully into nothing. It was as though it didn’t exist right from the start.

Baldein’s commander that was watching that development with her own eyes became dumbfounded.

“What is……that……just what is, that magic armor.”

“Wha, what are we going to report……back to the country?”

The staff officer asked the commander with a voice that almost broke into a sob.

“Ku……we, don’t have……any method to resist. Non resistance……allegiance to, uuu-”

The commander fell to her knees and hit the ground with both her hands. And then she raised her voice and cried like a child.

The staff officers also flowed their tears and looked up at the flagship of Vatlantis that was passing through above their heads.

There were two figures standing at the end of the ship’s bow.

They didn’t have any means to resist those two magic armors, Koros and Zeros. They could only do as they were told by Vatlantis, that was what they realized.

The shadow of Aine who was standing at the furthest ahead of the bow lowered her fist slowly.

Grace who was watching the battle behind her approached her with applause.

“Splendid, Nee-sama. Even so, how Nee-sama’s hair color changed when wearing Zeros is the same like when we were children. However, Nee-sama’s hair will soon be able to keep retaining the pink color. There is no need to worry.”

“Eh?”

“The original hair color of us the royalty is pink. In our childhood the amount of magic power we can gather is few so there were also some royalty that had silver hair like Nee-sama. Even so, in adulthood the color of the hair will be fixed as pink.”

Aine pinched her hair with her fingers.

“Then, my hair is usually pink colored?”

“But, Nee-sama stayed for long in Lemuria……so Nee-sama is basically lacking in magic power. At any rate the consumption of magic power on the other side is intense. What, sooner or later when Nee-sama’s body becomes familiar with this world, surely Nee-sama’s hair will habitually become the same color as mine.”

‘――I see’, Aine thought.

The silver hair color of hers was not normal, it was because there was not enough magic power that it stayed silver. And then when she was filled with enough magic power due to Climax Hybrid, her hair color recovered its original color and changed into pink. Aine finally understood the reason why her hair changed color when doing Climax Hybrid.

“We are riding to Baldein’s capital just like this! Tonight we will have a victory celebration at Baldein!”

The imperial guard raised a war cry at Grace’s command. Grace gripped Aine’s hand and they returned inside the ship. And then she spoke elatedly.

“Isn’t it exactly as I said? This is Nee-sama’s first victory.”

“Yes……that’s right.”

She won the battle, but Aine’s heart didn’t clear up.

For some reason, she felt like she was rapidly walking the path that was irrelevant to her own will. And then before she realized she had passed through the parting road, and now she realized she had stepped onto a path that she couldn’t turn back on.

She couldn’t repress such feeling.

Part 3

That night, the army of Vatlantis entered Baldein’s castle.

Baldein was located in the northern mountains area, a land that was covered in ice and snow. When it was summer the ice and snow would melt and the ground appeared, but right now the snow piled up until around fifty centimeters.

The royal castle of Baldein was located at the valley among the mountains. It was built from the lumber that could be taken in this region, a gigantic wooden castle with height higher than 100 meters.

Even though it was called wooden, the lumber had the strength and fireproof that was equal with rebar. Many of Baldein’s buildings were created from this lumber.

At the audience room of that wooden castle, Baldein tied a peace treaty with Vatlantis.

Aine carried out the signing with the sign of Grace added beside it. Zelsione and the Quartum were also present as close aides.

“With this the signing is over.”

The queen of Baldein elegantly tilted her head and smiled thinly. The queen was an adult woman in her thirties. Even with her age passing thirty, her body line didn’t crumble at all, she was drifting off allure that was stacked by her age.

That amorousness was also largely caused by her outfit. Similar like Grace, in order to display her body’s beauty, the queen was wearing a sexy outfit with high exposure rate. She was wearing a lot of precious metals on her body like necklace, bracelet, and waist belt, it was also the role of the accessory to hide the tips of her breasts and between her nether region.

“My deep gratitude of your recognition towards Baldein’s autonomy. Still, about the pillar that is included in the condition, unfortunately the pillar is currently not functioning.”

The pillar that was located in Baldein. The pillar that gathered the faith of this country and birthed life was located inside this castle. It was a blue shining pillar of ice with height around five meters. It constantly emitted beautiful radiance since the founding of the country, but right now it lost its light and became unable to even birth life.

“That is truly unfortunate……but, I understood that this problem is a problem of the whole world. I want you to lend us your power to resolve this problem from now on too.”

After Grace said that, the queen of Baldein lowered her head as if nodding.

“Then Vatlantis’s emperor, this way. The banquet of welcoming has been prepared.”

The queen of Baldein stood first and guided Aine and Grace towards another room. After them, Zelsione and the Quartum also followed.

They were progressing through a corridor with a large window. It was heavily snowing outside, but the inside of the castle was warm, But the lighting of the castle was gradually decreasing, and the destination they advanced to was becoming dark.

Aine felt a strange anxiety toward the creeping darkness.

“Hey, Grace. We are going forward to a direction that is gradually becoming dark with no human presence, I wonder if this is okay?”

“Yes. It looks like we can have expectations for this.”

The corner of Grace’s mouth was lifted. The Baldein queen stopped in front of a certain door.

“This way, please change your clothes here.”

When they entered inside, there was a spacious fitting room. Outfits were lined up in a row inside, the whole surface of the wall became mirror. Maids without even footstep sound were approaching and began to take off their clothes.

“Wa, wait!?”

Aine looked around her surroundings in a fluster. Thereupon, everyone was quietly letting their clothes be taken off.

“Ainess-sama, there is no need to panic. This is the welcoming preparation.”

Zelsione left the maid to do their work with a composed expression, and then, her figure soon became like just when she was born.

“Welcoming? By getting stripped like this?”

Grace nodded with a self-satisfied look.

“Yes. This is something like the highest grade of warm welcoming that is conducted between the royal family of Baldein. It seems that it’s the custom for our clothes to be changed into a suitable one.”

‘――So this is something like that?’

Even while feeling doubt, Aine obediently let herself get changed into a new outfit.

“……Although you say that.”

Aine hid her breast with a bright red face.

“Why, is my appearance like this!?”

The outfit she was made to change into was a one piece using a high grade fabric that was like silk. However her shoulders and breasts were laid bare. A ribbon was tied in a shape that sandwiched her lower breast, from there thin cloth that looked see-through was covering the body. That cloth was tailored to cling snugly on the waist, then from the waist below it became loose on the contrary and spread out in flaring shape with drape.

The clothes that was already transparent under the best condition had the front connected but it was not the type that had its left and right fixed with button. It was only tied under the breast, so when she walked the front opened. And then she was not allowed to wear underwear.

Her arms were wearing gloves until above her elbow made from thin cloth that was transparent combined with laces, her legs were also covered until her thighs by tights that were made similarly, her feet were made to wear high heels.

With her parts that had to be hidden in plain sight, it was an inflammatory dress with the objective of emphasizing the beauty and charm of her body.

Aine hugged her breasts and curled up her back shamefully.

“Something like this is not clothes or anything. Thi, this is merely naked.”

“That’s not true. As clothes that displayed the beauty of our body, it’s quite good.”

Grace puffed up her chest with brazen attitude. Matching her motion, the tips of her breast shook like pudding.

Baldein’s queen was also putting her hand on Aine’s shoulder from behind and praised her appearance.

“That is so. You are really lovely and beautiful. Surely even the northern fairy will feel jealous of you. Of course Grace-sama and Zelsione-sama are also lovely.”

Grace and Zelsione too were wearing dresses that were strangely similar even though the color and design were different.

“Well then to continue, we are putting on the cosmetic for the use of party.”

Baldein’s queen clapped her hands and called in different maids.

“Ye, yes.”

Aine lifted her face so that they could easily put the makeup on her, but the maids gently grasped both Aine’s arms, separated her arms and exposed her hidden breasts.

“Eh? Wha, what is”

Ignoring Aine’s bewildered voice, the maid standing in front of Aine took a white cream on her hand and painted it on Aine’s breasts.

“Hyaahn!”

The unexpected stimulation and pleasure made a voice leak out from Aine’s lips.

The maid spread the cream with her palm thoroughly on Aine’s skin and carefully rubbed them evenly.

“Whe, where are you applying……ah, haaa, the cosme……tic”

“My, Ainess-sama. This foundation cream is a really good item you know? It will make your skin nicely colored, tight and glossy, it will make Ainess-sama’s breasts a step more beautiful.”

Baldein’s queen was also similarly painted with the cream by a maid. Her breasts were big so there were two maids taking care of her. Each maid was dividing the duty for the left and right respectively.

“That, why are my breasts……are applied with makeup”

After the maid separated her hands from Aine’s breasts, this time a different maid carrying a red bottle came in front of Aine. And then she wetted a small brush with the liquid inside the bottle. The tip of the brush was dyed with vivid pink color. With that brush, the maid began to pain the tip of Aine’s breast.

“Hii, a, yaaaa”

Ticklishness and pleasure attacked her. Aine was unable to endure and her waist almost crumbled down. In no time at all a different maid prepared a chair and made Aine sit there. And then without a break, just like how lips were applied with crimson to attract attention, the tips of her breasts were painted with a glossy and vivid pink.

Cosmetics were applied on Aine’s breasts and its spiciness increased even further than before. The radiance of the whole breast, and then the contrast with the part at the tips. The tips also let out luster and reflected light.

“It……it’s over, with this?”

Aine tried to adjust her disarrayed breathing and took a deep breath.

“No, we still haven’t done hair setting. Please be patient for a little while more.”

“I see. But, if it’s my hair than before coming here I……eh?”

A maid carrying a tray with a scissor and a brush on it that looked high class from its silvery shine came, she kneeled in front of Aine. And then she opened Aine’s legs.

“Wai-!? Wait, a second!”

Aine’s perplexed yell made Baldein’s queen tilt her head from Aine’s attitude.

“My, what is the matter Ainess-sama?”

“You said hair setting right? Why, did she open my legs then-?”

“Yes, that’s right……she will be the one trimming.”

Blood was drained from Aine’s face.

“I, I-i-i-i-I’m going to pass for this. I, don’t need……”

“No. Saying this is really impolite for me but, from what I see Ainess-sama’s place is in a state that hasn’t been trimmed at all. At this rate it will bring shame to Ainess-sama. Now, all of you. Make Ainess-sama to be clean and tidy.”

Aine’s shoulders and her four limbs were restrained by maids.

“Wait, wait, stop I say! Save me Grace!”

Even Grace that was her last lifeline was only watching with a wide grin.

“Resign yourself Nee-sama.”

Zelsione was flipping a hair catalog lively.

“Grace-sama, about Ainess-sama’s hair style, what do you think about something like this?”

“No, I think this heart shape will suit Nee-sama more though.”

Aine yelled angrily with a bright red face.

“Yo, you two! ……Ah, don’t!”

Ignoring the struggling Aine, the maids opened the groin of Aine and spread her legs widely. During that time a maid was taking a seat. And then the place that normally Aine would never show to other people was laid bare. She felt a piercing gaze between her groin. For Aine, that was a shame that couldn’t be described.

The maid that was sitting between her legs was glaring at Aine’s crotch with a strict gaze like a first class artisan. On top of staring fixedly like that, she suddenly began to comb with the brush.

“That person is Baldein’s hair artist. Please rest assured.”

“Just what can I be rest assured of!”

The snipping sound of scissors began to be heard. The cut hair fell to the floor. Using several brushes and scissors, the maid was trimming the shape with amazing concentration and seriousness. After using the scissors for a while, she combed the cut hair with a brush.

After staring fixedly for the last time, the maid stood up with a satisfied face and wiped the sweat from her forehead.

“Is it to your highness’s satisfaction?”

She looked for an opinion with sparkling face as if she had just finished a well-done job.

The Baldein queen also nodded in satisfaction before taking Aine’s hand and made her stood up. And then she opened the front of Aine’s dress and displayed that place to all who were present in that place.

“Oo, Nee-sama. It becomes even more touchingly lovely see.”

“Certainly. It feels as though the grace of a lady has been imbibed there Ainess-sama.”

Aine became bright red and looked down with teary eyes. Her lips were undulating and she couldn’t even complain anymore.

“Then, the party venue is over here. Please enjoy to your hearts content.”

When the maids opened the door that continued to the neighboring room, there was a wide hall there. The room was dim, but it could be easily understood that it was luxuriously decorated even more than all the rooms until now. Most likely it was some kind of special room.

A carpet of long fur was spread on the floor where her foot could sink into it. Other than chair and table for reception use, there was other furniture like several beds and flat sofas lining up. It seemed that a great number of people could have pleasant chat here in relaxed posture.

Inside the room was misty, faint smoke was hanging in the air. She guessed that some kind of fragrance was kindled here. A peculiar sweet fragrance tickled her nose. Thereupon, Aine’s body was mysteriously turning hot.

‘――I wonder, what is this smell.’

She stared inside the room looking for the true identity of the fragrance.

Works of art were lined up everywhere inside the room. A small lithograph decorated the center of the room, and smoke was rising from the incense burner that was put in front of it. It seemed that was where this fragrance and smoke came from.

‘However what’s with the lithograph? I cannot read it, and something like letters are carved on it.’

That color and texture, and the shape of the letter, Aine felt like she had seen them somewhere.

The queen who noticed Aine’s gaze explained it.

“That is our country’s national treasure. It was a part of Genesis that is in your country.”

Grace was surprised and stared at that lithograph.

“Certainly there are parts of the outer wall that were broken, so this is a part of that……you don’t say, I didn’t know that something like this is in Baldein. Why is it here?”

“I don’t know, but it seems that it has been here since the prehistoric times. It’s just that there is a legend about it.”

“Legend?”

“[Goddess is dancing. With nothingness, with death, with the emperor. And then to eternity] That song is written. And then, the meaning of that song is……”

The queen clapped her hands. Thereupon the doors at the four directions opened and females wearing the same dress like Aine and the others entered. Their numbers were more than dozens of people.

“Then let’s begin. The dance party of the goddess.”

Thanks to the fragrance that filled the room, Aine’s head became hazy. Her body was hot, and the beating of her chest was becoming a little harder. The tips of her exposed breast were also beginning to point hard as it pleased.

‘――This is like, the time when I did Heart Hybrid.’

Along with the queen’s proclamation, the half naked females throughout the room took each other’s hand with the other nearby and began to caress lovingly at each other’s body.

“Thi, this, is?”

Aine gulped audibly. Perhaps from being affected by that obscene atmosphere, the below of her stomach ached automatically.

“Ainess-sama. It seems, that this is the rumored secret banquet handed down inside Baldein’s royalty which I had heard of, it appears to be a secret technique to regulate magic power.”

Even while saying that, Zelsione was already getting entangled with the Quartum. The eye-patched Clayda and the white haired Elma entangled themselves at Zelsione’s both hands, while the scarred Lunora and the red haired Ramza clung at her feet.

With blushing face, Zelsione faced her four subordinates with sadistic eyes. In contrast the four people imagined what would happen after this and rubbed their thighs with moist eyes.

“Secret you say……what is the secret about?”

“It’s about adjusting the disordered stream of magic power.”

The queen of Baldein was lying on a sofa slovenly while being waited upon by a maid. They rubbed their bodies together and shared their pleasure.

“The stream of magic power? Adjusting?”

“This is a ceremony that is held according to the almanac. Borrowing this ceremony room and the power of intoxication fragrance, all of you magic knights need to get intimate and console each other, replenishing the magic power, and become even more powerful, that’s the legend handed down to us for generations. [Goddess is dancing. With nothingness, with death, with the emperor. And then to eternity]……this song is said to convey the teaching of this matter.”

‘The meaning……of that song?’

“To be invited to this ceremony which is only carried out in the royalty is a really great honor. And so, I invited all of you on this occasion.”

‘――But, something like this is really……similar with Heart Hybrid and Climax Hybrid.’

“Having said that, there is actually no effect in reality. In the present time it has a strong ceremonial implication. Also, even though right now it has lost its light, but this ceremony is carried out to express our faith to the ice pillar. This is the work of us royalty to carry out this festival as the main festival of the nation.”

Aine listened to what the queen was saying with a faint mind.

She entrusted her body to the pleasure granted on her. Someone’s hand was rubbing her breast.

“Eh……wh, who?”

When she tilted her head and looked behind, Grace was embracing Aine from behind.

“Nee-sama……Nee-sama is really beautiful and cute. More than any other doll.”

“Gra, Grace?”

When they looked at each other from the front, Grace buried her face into Aine’s breasts.

“Nee-sama is mine. I won’t hand you to anybody else.”

“Wait, wait Grace-aaah!”

Grace sucked at Aine’s nipple that was already standing stiff. And then Grace caressed from Aine’s side to her waist. Soft hand and fingertips that were characteristic of a female were sliding on Aine’s body.

“Mm, do, don’t, aaahaaaaah!”

Thanks to the intoxicating fragrance that filled inside the room, Aine and Grace felt like they were floating feverishly. Grace severely attacked Aine’s body and Aine’s body was honestly responding to that.

“How is it, Nee-sama. Does it feel good?”

Aine thought of what she was doing right now with her head that gradually stopped working. In her eyes, was reflected the sight of white limbs entangling with each other all over the room.

She saw a single strange thing.

The lithograph that was said to be a part of Genesis that was put in the middle of the room.

A steel claw that appeared from empty air grasped that lithograph. And then that claw vanished together with the lithograph into thin air.

‘――That, is?’

She tried to think about what she had seen just now with her hazy brain. However, as if to obstruct that, Grace’s fingers slipped into the most sensitive valley of Aine.

“Ii! Haayaaaanh, ah, ah! Don’t, not thereeee!’

“How is it Nee-sama? This is the punishment of leaving me alone for ten years.”

Grace’s thin and supple fingers split the valley and caressed up and down. Drips were flying to the hair style that had been tidied neatly, making it sparkle as if it had been soaked with evening dew.

“Nee-sama who is feeling it is so cute. Nee-sama, you can fawn even more on me.”

“Haah, aah, it, it feels good……Ki, Kizuna”

Grace’s eyebrows twitched.

And then the movement of her fingers became rough.

“Ah, do, don’t! It’s too stro……ngggg-nn”

Being fiercely attacked, Aine reached the summit in one go.

“DON’TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT!”

Her body bent and then trembled. From between her groin, the flowing out hot honey was wetting Grace’s hand.

Grace licked her fingers that were wet with Aine’s honey in an entranced face. And then she caressed affectionately the face of the fainted Aine.

“Zelsione.”

Right now Zelsione was receiving service from the eye-patched Clayda and the white haired Elma. The other two, Lunora and Ramza were lying on the floor with their consciousness gone.

“――Yes.”

Zelsione replied while still receiving the service of the two. Clayda and Elma sandwiched Zelsione’s body and wholeheartedly licked up her body with their tongues.

“The man that came from Lemuria, Kizuna or something if I remember correctly?”

“Yes. His name is Hida Kizuna. He was a former teammate of Ainess-sama and seemed to be intimate with her highness. After escaping, I received the report that he seems to have returned to Lemuria’s mobile fortress.”

Grace clenched her teeth so hard that a creaking sound was audible.

“That guy……Kizuna, kill him.”

“Grace-sama?”

Zelsione made Clayda and Elma stop their service.

“Even though Nee-sama finally returned at great pains, Nee-sama is absentminded somewhere inside. She is always making sad eyes. Even though she has been reunited with this me!”

Grace clenched her fist and hit the back of the sofa.

“That man is making Nee-sama strange. If we kill him, only then Nee-sama will wake up. She will also forget about Lemuria. Her time in Lemuria is nothing but a fleeting dream. Only after he is killed, Nee-sama’s heart will return to this Vatlantis, to my side.”

Zelsione showed a slight bewilderment. However she immediately grasped the chin of Clayda and Elma and lifted their faces to look at her.

“You two, go to Lemuria, and kill Hida Kizuna. Understood?”

The magic circle that was shining inside Zelsione’s eyes was reflected on the eyes of the two. Clayda smiled ecstatically.

“As you command.”

Elma too smiled joyfully. While cold light was filling her eyes.

“I’ll display to you, Zelsione-sama, his cut, carved, and crushed body.”

Chapter 4 – The Demon King of Lemuria

Part 1

The imperial capital of Vatlantis, Zeltis. Genesis was towering tall inside that imperial palace. Its surroundings were changed into Hida Nayuta’s research place right now. Several research facilities were built and all the magic power that was sent from earth was collected here. The buildings were built in haste, so they only had few decorations compared to the architectural structure of Vatlantis. Every single one was built like a rectangle block, like piled up dices.

Hida Nayuta was inside one of those blocks.

She stayed sitting on a chair and stared at a monitor without moving. Her hand was not moving, but hectic processing was carried out in the monitor. It was an interface that could possibly be operated only with her brain wave and eye motion. This was a computer that Nayuta created using the magic technology of Vatlantis.

What made Nayuta surprised was how computers were nonexistent in Vatlantis. There was an extremely rudimentary electron calculation machine. But, there was no system that could perform a large scale information processing.

This world suddenly obtained result from magic power and sorcery. Due to that, there was nothing like basic technology. Even without calculation or anything, sorcery technology could manifest most things.

Magic technology that made use of sorcery made manifest things that could be thought as miracle from the view point of earth. On the other hand, something impossible was impossible, there was such a clear conclusion. In other words a matter that couldn’t be resolved using sorcery, couldn’t be imagined to be resolved using another method. That was why, technology other than sorcery didn’t develop. The weak point that Nayuta pointed out was that.

When Nayuta saw the Genesis for the first time, she thought that she wanted to read the letters that were carved on its surface. However, the scholars of Vatlantis all answered that it was impossible in unison. The reason was because it was already a lost language, that was it.

That was why, Nayuta thought of trying to translate the ancient letters with her own strength. For that sake she created the magic computer in this research facility.

But, the problem was the first clue. Even if just a part, if she could understand the meaning of some wording that was written, it was possible to start deciphering from that point.

If she could decipher the letters, surely she could elucidate the secrets of this Genesis. Not just that, the Core of magic armor that was similarly a puzzling OOPArt, and then even the secrets of this world itself might be unraveled.

That was the thing that Nayuta wanted to know for now.

Suddenly, she felt a presence inside the room.

“……My, Valdy. Welcome home.”

The door opened soundlessly and Valdy entered the research room.

“I’m home……here.”

Valdy lowered the bag she shouldered and took out a lithograph from inside.

“This is……this is the one.”

It was the lithograph that was inside Baldein castle. Nayuta put her hands together happily.

“You did really well Valdy. You are really magnificent.”

Valdy’s face turned red from those words and she stroked her hair shyly.

“Err…….so, what is this lithograph going to be used for?”

“It’s for disclosing everything. Regarding this world, the pillar, and the Core.”

“If we do that……Vatlantis will be saved won’t it?”

“Yes. That’s right.”

Valdy murmured with tears in her eyes.

“If that really becomes reality……then Nayuta-sama, is a god.”

“My……I became a demon and now a god, how busy that is.”

Nayuta smiled amusedly. However suddenly that smile vanished from her lips.

“But――perhaps I will really become it, a god that is.”

Saying that, she moved her gaze to the monitor once more.

That appearance was slightly different from the usual Nayuta. Valdy thought doubtfully, but she didn’t think about it deeply. The reason was, Nayuta had never been wrong until now. Nayuta had never for even once did something that she didn’t wish for.

Valdy came to have faith in Nayuta. With eyes that were like a child looking at her mother, she was staring at Nayuta’s face from the side.

Part 2

At a spot several hundred kilometers from Britain, Ataraxia came to a stop.

{We are completely sandwiched.}

The text that Kei displayed and the map the was displayed behind her made Reiri and Kizuna flowed cold sweat.

Receiving an emergency alarm, Kizuna, Kei, and Reiri, the three of them gathered inside the central control room of Nayuta Lab.

The map with Ataraxia as the center also projected two enemies. One enemy appeared from the Entrance of London, and the other enemy was approaching from behind. Both enemies would still take time until they came into contact with Ataraxia. However, according to the information from the unmanned reconnaissance drone, it was obvious that both were coming with Ataraxia as their aim. It was only a matter of time before a battle happened.

{So that we won’t receive an attack from the Entrances of Spain and France, we approached from the Celtic Sea. However the enemy was taking a large detour from Ireland to us.}

Reiri clicked her tongue and glared at the map.

“Isn’t that impossible with the enemy’s cruising range?”

{It’s impossible according to the data until now. That’s why we also couldn’t anticipate this. It appears that the ship of Vatlantis has increased their cruising range further than before. Perhaps just like how we evolved our weapons and became able to defeat magic weapons, they too are solving their technological problems.}

“The improvement of those guys’ weapon can also be considered as mother’s involvement……however, what are we going to do if that’s the case?”

{Even if we move forward or draw back, it will only hasten the confrontation with the enemy. But there is the way of escaping near to France.}

However Kizuna shook his head.

“No good. If we are attacked from the land, that’s exactly what a certain death is. Besides, our destination is London. We should crush the enemy before our eyes and aim straight at our destination.”

“……Certainly we are aiming at London. But, if we don’t take care of the enemy in front of us, even that will be impossible. Especially if we don’t defeat the enemy that is coming from the front, far from reaching London, we cannot even approach near.”

{Even if we defeat the enemy in front, the enemy behind will catch up, so in the end we have to defeat the two of them.}

Kei’s text made Reiri lightly tch-ed.

“Our present situation is where we haven’t yet found any megafloats of other countries. Like this it’s obvious that we are lacking in battle strength, the methods we can use are few. But we have to at least avoid being attacked by both at the same time, if we can take care of the weak one first…..Kizuna, do you know about these bunches?”

The image from the unmanned drone was projected on the monitor.

The front was an eye-patched girl, the behind was a white haired girl.

“Aah, I remember. These guys are strong……both of them are like the four heavenly kings of the enemy.”

“Is that so……then, should we progress to encounter the enemy at front faster. After that we can only pray that the enemy behind will arrive late or possibly they will reach the limit of their cruising range.”

Kizuna crossed his arms with a serious face.

“The problem is that there is no one I can do Climax Hybrid with……it’s out of the question to face them with Eros’s default spec, above all I’ve got no weapon.”

At that time, the door of the central control room opened.

“What are you all doing sleep-talking like that. There is still this me here!”

Gertrude entered the room still on her wheelchair.

“The one sleep talking here is you. You are still in the middle of rehabilitation.”

“You are noisy you know Kizuna boss. Actually I already don’t need something like a wheelchair.”

Saying that, Gertrude stood up from the wheelchair.

“Se……see, there is nothing impo…..po, possible, for meee-”

However her standing posture was like a baby deer that was just born. Gertrude who was standing pigeon-toed with fiercely trembling legs made Kizuna hold his head.

“No, no matter how I see it, that’s impossible.”

“The, then, just watch this. Sigura!”

Gertrude yelled the name of the Core sleeping inside her. Yellow light overflowed from her body, which then compressed and wrapped her body. And then in an instant, a gun-metallic armor was created.

“GYAAAAAAAAAAAA-ITHURTSSSSSSSSSS!”

But Gertrude immediately fell on her knees and rolled around on the floor.

“O, oi! You okay there?”

“Kuuu……I, I can take it no problemmm”

Kizuna sighed looking at Gertrude whose lips were trembling with teary eyes.

“That’s why don’t force yourself. You cannot fight in your current condition.”

“If, if that’s the case then how about that Climax Hybrid you said? If we do that, even boss Kizuna will power up won’t you? Then, do whatever you want with me.”

Gertrude lied down with face looking up and forcefully raised her arms with a wink, it seemed that she was intending to take a sexy pose. However, her face that was enduring the pain with all her power was completely a turn-off.

“Just what am I going to do, to a girl who makes that much of a pained face just from raising her arms……”

“The, then, as I thought I’m going to fight too.”

She pulled out her main weapon that was a pistol-style particle cannon from her waist.

“O-, ouch ouch――and that’s just a joke……ah”

Kizuna took the pistol from Gertrude’s hand casually.

“Wha, what are you doing!?”

“I confiscated this. Just stay quietly there.”

“Re, return it back to me!”

Gertrude reached out her hand, but she could only stay lying down without waking up, so there was no way she could reach.

“Eh?”

Suddenly Gertrude’s hand stopped still and stared with a puzzled face at her pistol that was gripped in Kizuna’s hand.

“……Hm?”

Kizuna stared closely at the pistol in his hand. The appearance looked like a normal pistol. However the inside would shoot out particles as bullets made from magic power, it possessed the destructive power that could easily pierce the armor of a magic weapon.

“What’s wrong? Is something the matter with this?”

“No……just why is boss holding my gun?”

“Even if you ask me why……”

A window opened between Gertrude and Kizuna.

{Kizuna, you can carry the weapon of another person’s Heart Hybrid Gear?}

“Hm? I don’t remember anything like that until now but……”

Kizuna tried to recall his battles until now. Now that Kei mentioned it, that time when he fought Gravel in Okinawa too, he grasped Neros’s Blade and could use it as a sword.

“――Wait, it normally cannot be done?”

{Impossible. The weapon of a Heart Hybrid Gear is the possession unique to that gear. Even if another person tries to use it, it will only return into particles.}

‘Wait, that means――’

“Even if Gertrude wears her Heart Hybrid Gear, she has a weapon but cannot fight. I can fight the enemy but don’t have any weapon. That’s why――”

‘If I borrow Gertrude’s weapon, I can fight!’

“I can do this! Nee-chan, with this I can fight those guys!”

Reiri shook her head with a complicated face.

“But, it’s no good with just that. The essential thing is lacking.”

{Kizuna’s Hybrid Count is currently 10%.}

“……-. I see.”

Certainly, he had used it up when he escaped Vatlantis and it mostly still hadn’t recovered. Even if he had a weapon, he couldn’t make bullets. Far from that, even the time he could maintain Eros was short.

And then, if he used up all his Hybrid Count, what awaited him was――death.

Kizuna clenched his fist tightly.

“But the chance is not zero. It will be a short decisive battle! Will my Hybrid Count reach zero first, or will I defeat the enemy first!”

Reiri opened her eyes in a rage and shouted.

“Don’t say something stupid! You are not doing any Climax Hybrid. Your battle strength itself is not going up at all. Just how are you going to defeat the enemy quickly huh!?”

“No matter what the two of you say, I’ll do it.”

Kizuna turned his back to the two and headed to the exit.

“Wait, Kizuna!”

Reiri stood up so fast that it was like her chair was kicked, and ran to the door. And then she cut in between Kizuna and the door and stood in his way with her hands spread widely.

“Nee-chan. Move from there.”

“There is no way I can let you go. You are the last hope remaining for us. There is no way I can let you go to a fight where we understand that you are just going to get killed easily!”

“But, at this rate I won’t be able to save everyone no matter how long! Himekawa, Yurishia, Sylvia, Scarlet, and Masters too. Also……”

――Aine.

“That’s why I’m going. If you don’t move aside, I’m going through by force.”

Kizuna faced Reiri and stepped forward. Their faces got near to the degree that their nose tips almost touched, but Reiri also didn’t move. Far from that, she glared back with an expression that burned in rage.

“I understand that you feel responsible. But, bravery and recklessness are different. Self-sacrifice sounds heroic but it’s not a virtue. If your objective is to save those girls, perhaps you think that it’s fine even if you die, but if in the end you cannot save them, then it’s just simply a pointless death!”

He couldn’t immediately return back any words.

“-……even if it’s pointless, even if I die, I’ve got to do this. There are times when I have to go no matter what!”

Reiri ground her teeth with a frustrated face and her eyes were shining with tears.

“This……idiot!”

Reiri grasped Kizuna’s collar. Kizuna’s neck was constricted and he was pulled roughly. Their foreheads bumped audibly.

“You are fine with that. You feel saved with that. But, that kind of thing is only self-satisfaction! Try to think about the people you left behind! You are just cutting away all hope! You are just increasing the sadness!”

Tears overflowed from Reiri’s eyes. The tears that were flowing out once the dam broke didn’t stop and wet Reiri’s cheeks and dripped down to her chest.

“Ne, Nee-chan……”

This was the first time he saw his sister’s crying face.

His sister could also cry.

Kizuna received a shock from such an obvious truth.

Flawlessly perfect superhuman.

Even so she also could worry and be hurt.

He understood that much.

But, he couldn’t even imagine the current appearance of his sister.

Her cheeks were red and her tears flowed out without caring of other people’s eyes.

His sister that was supposed to be invincible made a look that was this weak and easy to break.

She was like delicate white porcelain that, even though hard, would break if it was dropped.

“If you die here……I……just for what, all that I did until now……”

‘That tear, is let out for my sake.

I’m Nee-chan’s weak point.

She is thinking about me until this much.

And then I too become a support for Nee-chan’s heart.’

At that moment, he thought of his sister with unbearable dearness.

He loved her since his childhood.

Even the cutest girl in school was inferior compared to his sister.

She was kind, beautiful, and stylish more than anyone.

He admired her.

But the dearness that he felt right now was different with the admiration of that time.

The crying face in front of him looked very beautiful and lovely.

“I, Nee-chan, that……uwaa!?”

Power naturally left Kizuna’s body. Because of that, his collar kept pulled by Reiri and he collapsed forward.

“……-!”

Behind her was an automatic door, so Reiri couldn’t even lean on the wall and fell down entangled with Kizuna.

“So, sorry! Are you okay Nee-chan?”

“Ki, Kizuna……you……”

“He?”

Kizuna’s face was buried in Reiri’s breasts and one of his hands grasped her breast with a lot of strength. And then Reiri’s legs were parted and his posture was one where he collapsed between them. Her miniskirt was rolled up and her underwear appeared in plain sight. It was unexpectedly erotic with its black lace.

Kizuna and Reiri’s hearts ticked in an intense beat as if in sync.

At that moment, light shined in the eyes of the two and light particles were emitted from their bodies.

“Thi-, this is?”

Both of them looked at each other.

“This is……what does this……I and Kizuna, are showing Heart Hybrid signs? No, there is no way that can happen. That’s impossible.”

Reiri looked up at Kei as if to demand an answer. However Kei also shook her head left and right.

“Re, Re-ri……you have, aptitude for Core?”

Too much shock made Kei forgot herself and she spoke with her own voice. Kizuna felt like this was the first time he heard Kei speaking with her voice.

“Tha, that’s right, Nee-chan. Just, what in the world, this means?”

Kizuna grasped Reiri’s hand and pulled her up. Reiri’s eyes were blank as if she was half-asleep and shook her head weakly.

“I don’t know. Because, I should not have any aptitude for a Core. That’s the reason that I became commander. When I was a child, mother told me that I don’t have an aptitude for a Core so――!?”

Noticing it with a ‘hah’, Reiri’s eyes opened wide and her pupils shook, cold sweat flowed down her cheek.

“Re-ri……is that about, E, eros’s……Core?”

“That’s right……that person, she planned to install Eros’s Core in me before doing it to Kizuna. But, she said that I don’t have the aptitude, and lost interest in me.”

Since then, she believed that she didn’t have an aptitude all this time.

Kei put her hand on her chin and pondered.

“By any chance, Eros is……a Core exclusive for men, perhaps.”

Kizuna put his hand on his chest. It was as though he was asking the thing that was inside him.

“Core exclusive for men……Eros is?”

It was a theory that was hard to believe so suddenly. After all, it was a common sense that the Core of Heart Hybrid Gear couldn’t sufficiently display its ability if not with a female. That was why Cores weren’t installed except in females. Kizuna was the only exception, but that was only because at the time the research about Cores was just started and Kizuna was the first human to be installed with a Core.

“That’s impossible. Something like a Heart Hybrid Gear Core exclusive for a man……such thing, isn’t supposed to exist. Then, just why is Eros’s default spec this low? If it’s exclusive for men, then that means it’s right for it to be installed in me. Then it should be stronger than this right?”

“But, according to Professor Nayuta’s record, it’s mentioned that installing it was tested to Re-ri but it didn’t work. But Re-ri had aptitude for Core……that’s why, by any chance.”

The Core of Eros inside Kizuna that he should be familiar with, suddenly felt like something unknown.

‘――Just what in the world, Eros’s Core is?’

“O, of course, this is merely a guess. A hypothesis. Rather than that right now――”

Kei sent a glance at Reiri.

“In other words……I have Core aptitude?”

Reiri put her hand on her face. Her appearance looked as if she was frustrated of being unable to take back something.

“I……don’t come out to the front line as commander, I installed Cores to my subordinates and made them fight……regardless that I myself can fight.”

Kei returned to her senses and typed on her keyboard.

{But, now that it has come to this that became a salvation. In a state where there is no Core installed, that much result can come out, there is no one other than Reiri who can do this.}

Certainly that was so. Previously, a similar thing happened with Sylvia, but the reaction this time was great that it was incomparable with that time. Was it because they were blood related siblings, that it had an influence?

Kei too typed on her keyboard excitedly.

{Thanks to that we found a method to recover Kizuna’s Hybrid Count. Reiri doesn’t have a Core installed, so even with Climax Hybrid Eros cannot copy the ability of another Core. In other words Eros itself won’t power up. But……}

Kizuna raised his face as if he was struck. His face changed completely from just now, it was filled with hope and motivation.

“My Hybrid Count can fully recover! In addition I have Gertrude’s weapon! I can fight the enemy with this!”

Kizuna faced Reiri with a bright smiling face. However Reiri’s face turned red and she answered incoherently.

“I, I guess. But Kizuna, for that, it’s……”

There Kizuna also noticed.

“Wait, I see! I, with Nee-chan……!?”

Kizuna suddenly began to lose his nerve.

‘――You, you can’t. Don’t be timid! Calm down, Hida Kizuna!’

He persuaded himself like that, but the reddening of his face was unstoppable. His forehead was perspiring with sweat.

Only the Heart Hybrid this time was incomparable with all the others until now. After all the partner was his blood related sister. Furthermore, it was also the person that he idolized since he was a child.

‘――Doing Heart Hybrid with Nee-chan……perverted thing……?’

Just from thinking it, his heart was fiercely beating. Kizuna shook his head in panic.

‘What are you thinking! There is no way I can do something like that! No matter how beautiful she is, this is Nee-chan you know? Even though I idolize her, it’s not about something like that. Right, to feel perverted feelings towards Nee-chan as my partner, that’s impossible!’

Kizuna stole a glance and stared at his sister from the side.

Reiri’s cheek was red and she was crossing her arm as if hugging her own body. Her eyes under her eyebrows that looked troubled were wavering and looked moist. It resulted in an excessive scattering of allure that was exclusive of older females.

• gulp* Kizuna’s throat sounded.

The mix of shame and hesitation in Reiri’s expression was full of openings, different with her usual rigid attitude. It made him feel too much loveliness that it pierced his chest.

Perhaps she had noticed Kizuna’s gaze that was like that, Reiri returned a sharp glare.

“Wha, what are you looking so intently like that?”

“Nothing……I’m not looking at anything.”

“Don’t lie. Your eyes look filthy.”

“It’s, it’s not filthy-! I’m not thinking of anything like that! Ne, Nee-chan yourself, just what are you imagining?”

“Wha……I, I too am not imagining anything! Besides, such thing, with my blood related brother……”

“……Aren’t you thinking it?”

“Shut up! That’s impertinent even though you are just a little brother! Anyway, there is no way I will do anything like Heart Hybrid with you. Think using your common sense!”

{But Reiri, if not that then what will we do? Are we going to search for someone that can do Heart Hybrid without a Core?}

“Uu……that’s……”

Biting her lip, Reiri dropped her gaze to the floor.

{After one hour, Clayda that is in the front will come into contact with us, and then fifteen minutes from there, Elma will arrive.}

“Kuh……”

Reiri fell silent while still looking down as though to hide her red face.

{There is no time anymore. Reiri.}

Reiri clenched her fist hard.

Kei and Kizuna held their breath and waited for Reiri’s decision.

Sweat flowed on Reiri’s blushing cheek.

Shining drip fell on the floor.

Taking in a deep breath, Reiri raised her face resolutely.

“Kei, I want to buy time until we encountered the enemy. What should I do in that case?”

{It’s best to not move at all like this.}

“Got it. Then Ataraxia will stop in this spot. Also Kizuna, you go first to the experiment room. There is the experiment room where you installed a Core into Sylvia right?”

“Yeah……there were around ten rooms from A to J, those rooms?”

“That’s right. Any room is fine, wait there. You see……actually I had been thinking that something like this might happen and secretly developed a system for recovering Hybrid Count. It seems the time to use that has come.”

Kizuna spontaneously raised a loud voice.

“WHATTt!? Tell me right from the beginning if there is something like that!”

“No……it’s only usable exactly because we understand the fact now that it’s possible to recover your Hybrid Count with me. I didn’t think that it’s actually usable until just now.”

Kei knitted her eyebrows so hard and pursed her lips.

{Wait a second Reiri, just what do you mean by tha}

With a terrific speed, Reiri took out a pen from her breast pocket and threw it at Kei.

“Auu!”

The pen made a clean hit at Kei’s forehead. Kei pressed on her forehead letting her slipping down glasses as it was while sinking in her chair.

“Ne, Nee-chan……?”

Together with blazing blood thirst, Reiri stared at Kizuna glaringly.

“Never mind that, go.”

“Ye, YES MAM! YES-!”

After saluting, Kizuna exited the central control room in panic and ran to the experiment room.

For the time being he rushed into the experiment room A that was nearest and took a breather. Different with experiment room C that he used for Sylvia’s install, this room A was simple and tidy. Rather than cuteness, its modern furniture made one feel the polished sense and high quality of a model home. There was a sofa and table nearby the wall. The wall at his left had glass as the whole surface, he could see shower and bathtub inside.

And then at the center of the room, a large bed declared its bizarre presence.

Kizuna sat on that bed and waited for instruction for a while.

“…….They are really slow.”

Even though there were enemies approaching, he was only sitting for more than ten minutes. His impatience was rapidly growing.

Just when he was going to stand up to look at the situation for the moment, the door of the experiment room opened and Kei showed her face.

“Ah, Shikina-san. Just how long I have to wait here?”

Not answering his question, Kei put the equipment that she held in both arms on the bed.

“This is……head mount display? Is this the system for use of Hybrid Count recovery?”

Kei stayed silent and began to put the goggle-type equipment on Kizuna’s head. It was an encapsulated model that was combined with a headphone, his eyes and ears were simultaneously sealed with that.

“Wa, wait, Shikina-san. You are not going to explain anything? Wait, it’s pitch dark like this and I cannot see anything!”

A snapping sound appeared and the head mount display was locked behind his head.

{Don’t clamor, Kizuna.}

Reiri’s voice flowed from the headphone.

“Nee-chan, just what in the world is this?”

{After this, a woman will go to that room. You do the Heart Hybrid with that woman.}

“Eeh!? Just who is that woman? A candidate?”

{That touched a highly classified information, so I cannot tell you. But don’t worry. The woman was habitually watching the fight of you guys closely. And then she came to volunteer of wanting to make herself useful. She also had already piled up enough image training.}

‘So that means, she is a candidate like Sylvia? Possibly, Nee-chan said that she was watching closely, the possibility that it’s someone from the second year first group……no, putting that aside――,’

“Just because of that, with someone who I don’t know who or where she comes from is…..”

Kei’s footstep was becoming more distant and he could hear the sound of her going out from the room. The electricity of the display wasn’t turned on but it seemed that the headphone was on.

Kizuna touched the head mount display and tried to move it a little. However it was fixed tightly, he couldn’t even shift it.

“Even though there was no considerable result even when I did it with Sylvia before the install……will this really be okay?”

{We picked her by thinking of the aptitude for Heart Hybrid as the greatest priority. Don’t worry. Rather than that, the enemy will come in 45 minutes. Make the Heart Hybrid a success before that. Think only of that for now.}

“Yeah, I guess……if I don’t do that, we won’t be able to survive, we also won’t be able to reach London. In order to save everyone, and then――”

‘――in order to meet Aine.’

Suddenly he could hear the sound of the door of the experiment room opening.

Kizuna’s heart jumped. The sound of slight friction of clothes and quiet footsteps were approaching him. As the sound came closer, Kizuna’s heart beat gradually became louder.

The person was in a distance where he could touch if he reached out his hand. He understood that from her presence. And then the person’s hand touched the head mount display and a sensation of something being tampered with was conveyed to him.

“Err, you are……what are you doing?”

There was a faint activation sound and light flowed into his pitch dark field of vision.

“Aah, so you turned on the electricity……so, you are――”

In the monitor of the head mount display, the image of inside the room was projected. And then the figure of the woman standing in front of him entered his eyes.

“You, you are?”

He raised his gaze from her feet and tried to see her face, and at that moment a belt of light was manifested on the woman’s face.

“Hm? What’s this?”

When he shook his head and looked beside, the belt of light vanished. However when he faced the woman once more, light that he didn’t have any idea where it shined from crossed over the face of the woman. Furthermore the light was unnaturally spreading on her face.

“This is……by any chance, this is the fault of the head mount display?”

In reality there was no way an unnatural light like this existed.

The woman standing before him had straight beautiful black hair. She was wearing a white gown, so he couldn’t guess her background from her clothes.

A window opened inside his sight, displaying a text from Kei.

{By the way the equipment is not damaged. The partner you will be doing Heart Hybrid with from now on has a reason not to disclose her identity, so her look will be regulated by the system. It will be faster to put blindfold and earplugs on Kizuna, but you won’t be able to confirm your partner’s position like that. Besides the stimulation from sight and hearing is an important factor in Heart Hybrid. That’s why, we have you take this kind of method.}

“I see. And so a processing is used in the actual image projected in the head mount display so I cannot understand who she is……is that so?”

{Well then, begin quickly. I pray for a good fight.}

When Kei’s window vanished, Kizuna and the mystery woman became alone just the two of them inside the room.

“Err……I don’t know who you are but, I beg you. This is for the sake of saving everyone, help me.”

Kizuna lowered his head. On his head, he felt a soft and fluffy thing touching.

“Eh?”

Was his head patted?

He didn’t know why, but he strangely felt nostalgic from that sensation.

“Err, you are……”

{Let’s do our best.}

An out of place sound that was adjusted by the equipment resounded. He couldn’t see her face because it was hidden by light, but the woman in front of him was also wearing some kind of headset, he guessed that was the thing adjusting her voice.

{Then, that……your clothes.}

The mystery woman distanced herself from Kizuna and showed gestures with her body and hand movement so that he took off his clothes.

“Ah, I see……that’s right huh.”

Kizuna took off his jacket and threw it to the sofa. The person who was suddenly asked for cooperation was devotedly facing this act. It was not the time for him to be hesitating.

He took off his shirt and lowered down his underwear boldly.

That woman untied the string that was tied on her waist and slid down the gown from her shoulder. The skin color that suddenly appeared made him so shocked that it felt like his heart was going to stop for an instant.

There was not a single underwear under the gown……so it seemed.

“What’s……that?”

In front of the woman’s chest and waist, black rectangles were floating.

{Ye, yes. That, being seen is a little……}

Similar with how the woman’s face was hidden by light, this was also the adjustment of the head mount display. Even if he changed the direction from where he saw the woman, the black rectangle followed his gaze and continued to hide the breasts and waist. Kizuna reflexively smiled wryly.

“……Like that, it’s almost no different with wearing a blindfold.”

Kizuna’s murmur made the mystery woman speak in a fluster.

{Go, got it. It can’t be helped……that, don’t stare so much okay?}

The woman put her hand on his ear and seemed to operate something. Thereupon, the hindrance black rectangles suddenly vanished.

The surprisingly erotic limbs became exposed without anything hiding them.

“Uwa……”

His voice reflexively leaked out. It was a body which was just that beautiful and lascivious. The large breasts had a beautiful perky shape, maintaining its shape without losing to gravity. There was no pointless flesh on her waist, in exchange her hips were greatly sticking out, her ass that was suitable for easy childbirth proclaimed its impactful volume. It was a body that would stimulate male instinct without fail whether one wanted it or not.

The sexiness that felt like it was punching him in the face made Kizuna watch in fascination.

‘――Should I say it’s sexy, or dynamite, or a willful body……no matter what it is, I cannot think of her as a student the same age like me. No, but there is also a case like Yurishia though. I cannot use her as a standard though.’

{Well then……how about we start.}

“Aah, ri, right.”

Even while feeling a little nervous, Kizuna faced her in his birthday suit.

The mystery girl slowly approached and embraced Kizuna. Kizuna’s chest felt the slightly stiff sensation of the breast tips. And then the soft sensation was spreading on his chest. It was a luscious sensation even more than the breast of anybody else he had felt until now.

‘――A, amazing. What’s, this.”

“A breast that feels this good……is the first.”

Kizuna’s murmur that unintentionally leaked out made the woman’s arms which were circled behind him tremble.

When their bodies separated, the mystery woman took Kizuna’s hand and invited him to the bed. And then both of them sat close at each other on the edge of the bed as if snuggling close.

‘――Shit, what to do after this? I never thought that the circumstance will be this different from not knowing the partner. Don’t get oddly nervous!’

Sitting side by side like this, only the time passed, moment by moment, with the two of them not making a move.

Getting too nervous caused them to be mutually unable to grasp the first cue.

“E, err……you, how do you like it……like where do you feel good……?”

{……}

“No, sorry for asking a strange thing……I wonder what to do……”

‘This is bad, my head is blank! The nervousness cannot be compared with anything until now! My heart is thumping, like it’s going to explode!’

The mystery woman stared at Kizuna fixedly. He didn’t really understand due to the light, perhaps it was just his feeling, but she looked a little troubled. Before long the woman reached her hand to Kizuna’s shoulder.

“Hm? What are……owaa!?”

Kizuna’s body was pulled down and his head was placed on her lap.

“O, oii, suddenly……uu!”

The mystery woman went further by placing her breast on Kizuna’s face and one of her hand reached out to Kizuna’s crotch. And then her white slender fingers arrested Kizuna’s thing.

{No matter how much time passed you didn’t make any move, so this can’t be helped.}

The woman’s fingers that were softly gripping moved up and down. It was gentle but certain, granting stimulation to Kizuna.

“Wai? Wait a second……uuu!”

{It’s fine so please suck my breast.}

The large and soft breast shook, it was place on Kizuna’s face. When the woman raised her body a little, a pacifier was dangled down just on the location of his lips. It emitted sweet fragrance, a really bewitching fruit. Shuddering luscious temptation ran through Kizuna’s spine.

Kizuna sucked at that pink pacifier.

{Nnauu!}

The woman’s body trembled and she raised a delighted voice.

{Ye, yes……good kid. Suck it……properly.}

Her voice pushed his back as though she was rooting for him, Kizuna became dazed and sucked the breast inside his mouth.

{Ah, afu, fufuu, if a milk can come out……it makes me want to, make you drink it.}

Kizuna put her breast largely into his mouth and rolled the tip with his tongue.

{Fuwaaa! Ahaaann, he, hey-, don’t get carried awayyy}

“Eh!?”

Kizuna was startled and separated his mouth in panic. His back spontaneously straightened and it made him want to sit down in seiza posture from the thundering voice just now.

‘――What the, her tone suddenly changed wasn’t she?’

{Ah! ……No, nothing at all-! Don’t mind it! Geez, Kizuna-kun was just too skilled, that I unconsciously forgot myself there.}

“I, is that so? It’s great if you enjoyed it but……”

He felt like he was scolded somehow, honestly he got the jitters.

{I’m sorry. Yes……what Kizuna-kun did, felt really good.}

As if to return the favor, the woman tightened her hand and stroked Kizuna’s thing. That pleasure was severe, leading Kizuna’s lower body to indescribable pleasure in a flash.

Kizuna desperately endured the sweet pleasure that was hard to resist. However he couldn’t endure in any way, and then he sweetly bit on the woman’s breast in desperation.

{Hyaann! I, I told you, don’t be mischievous like tha……ge, geez-!}

She put strength into the fingers that were gripping Kizuna’s thing. And then she raised the speed of her hand going up and down.

“Do-, don’t. I, I’m at my limit already!”

{Don’t endure it. Just like this, in my hand……}

“UOO!”

At that moment Kizuna’s waist floated in the air. Hot liquid was overflowing from the mystery girl’s hand. It was as though he had let out everything from inside his body, a pleasant relaxation assaulted his whole body.

{……This is}

The woman stared fixedly at the liquid that stained her hand. He couldn’t read her expression from her face that was hidden by light. However, from her half-opened mouth that was visible, she looked as though she was intoxicated by obscene pleasure.

{Kizuna, kun. What about your Hybrid Count? Has it returned to usual?}

“No……it hasn’t change. Looks like it still is not enough.”

{I see. If that’s so……}

The mystery woman made Kizuna to sit at the edge of the bed and she kneeled in front of him. And then she grasped Kizuna’s knees with both hands and opened his legs widely.

“Eh? Wa, what are you!”

The woman wasted no time to slide her body in between and looked up at Kizuna. Perhaps the image processing was slightly slipping off, he could catch a peek of the smile that decorated her lips. It seemed that the eyes that should be above those lips were also smiling, he felt that the smiling face was very obscene.

{Fufu, I heard that Kizuna-kun likes breasts don’t you? You are always looking at girls’ chests.}

“Eh……no, something like that is…”

{You mustn’t lie. This time……it will be with this, okay?}

“With this……euu!?”

His thing that was a little declining in vigor was sandwiched by the woman’s breast.

“Kuh, to go that far……-!”

It was a stimulation that he felt for the first time. It was a fluffy softness that couldn’t be tasted from hand or other thing. He even felt moved for something this soft to exist. The sensation was completely different from having it touched by hand.

The woman stared fixedly at Kizuna’s face, seeming to guess whether he felt it or not.

{Fufu. Does it feel that good? If that’s so then……how about this I wonder?}

She pressed on her breast from the side with both her hands and pressured Kizuna’s thing. At the same time, the breast was rubbing on Kizuna’s body with its up and down motion. The liquid that Kizuna spewed out became lubricant so the sliding was good. The slippery sensation and smell also granted pleasure to the woman. Kizuna also understood how the tips of the woman’s breasts were gradually becoming harder.

“Aah……this is, amazing.”

{……How is it compared to the other girls’ chests I wonder?}

“It’s, the best……feels good.”

The instant she heard those words, beads of light slightly flowed into the eyes of the mystery woman. That radiance was the sign of Heart Hybrid. At the same time, an intoxicating effect for the sake of helping the Heart Hybrid would attack the woman. It was impossible to oppose that effect.

The woman suddenly dropped her eyes to her breasts, the sight of the head going out cutely every time the breast moved up and down entered her eyes. As if being invited, her lips were timidly getting closer and she kissed at the tip.

“Wah! Yo, you?”

Kizuna felt a sensation that he had never tasted until now from his crotch. A small slippery sensation was crawling around his thing. He didn’t dare to believe it while looking down, but then the shocking sight that was enfolding between his groin rushed into his eyes.

The mystery woman stretched out her tongue and licked at his thing.

{Mm…..fuh, chuu}

The soft and slippery tongue was licking up Kizuna with a strength stronger than he even imagined. As if to trace Kizuna’s shape, the tongue was tasting the thing many times over.

The tongue was moving licking over and over, attacking Kizuna with a pleasant feeling that felt like it would break his waist.

“This is, bad……a, amazing”

{Nfu? Dhon’t, hold bhack. Rahther than thhat, more――}

The lips of the female were shining wet from saliva and Kizuna’s liquid. Those lips opened widely and swallowed Kizuna’s thing.

“Hah!? ……Kuaaa!”

He had never experienced such heat until now. And then, inside the mouth the tongue was persistently crawling around Kizuna’s thing.

“Something, like this……I can’t hold-”

His hands gently held the woman’s head and he softly inserted strength trying to separate their body. However the mystery woman wouldn’t let go and on the contrary embraced Kizuna’s hips.

“Wai! It’s really bad I said! Uaaa”

The woman desperately sucked at Kizuna’s thing. Her squishy lips narrowed like a circle and stimulated with back and forth motion.

Receiving stimulation that called many pleasant feelings at the same time, Kizuna was cornered until he was only a step behind his limit. At that moment, pink particles of light scattered from Kizuna’s body.

The mystery woman was slowly pulling her head and at last her mouth separated with a *chuu* sound.

“……Ha, haaaa”

Kizuna raised a fatigued voice.

However, the woman charmingly smiled and crawled on all fours above the bed. Her ass that was smooth without a single stain with beautiful shape and large mass, was directed to Kizuna.

{Kizuna……kun♥}

One of her hand grasped a side of her ass and she showed how she opened her slit――but,

“Wait, that’s……mosaic?”

Between the groin of the woman was shaded off with block shape, a mosaic was put on it.

{……I thought that perhaps I should hide my last fortress.}

“I was surprised when it suddenly appeared……or rather, like this, it mysteriously feels erotic though.”

Floating a complicated smile that seemed fatigued, Kizuna reached his hand to the part that was blocked by the mosaic. When his hand entered the mosaic, his fingers were also got overlapped by mosaic.

{Fufufuu, to hide it after this far……perhaps there is no point in it.}

The mystery woman giggled in resignation and fiddled with the headset. Thereupon, the mosaic vanished and the most important place of the woman was exposed to Kizuna’s eyes.

Even though her face was hidden, the most important place that was moistly getting wet was displayed. That difference and contradiction were calling forth even large feeling of immorality.

{Please……Kizuna, kun.}

After telling him only that, she didn’t say anything further. However what she was demanding for had been conveyed enough to Kizuna.

He reached his hand to the ass of the mystery woman and Kizuna caressed the plump voluminous ass. It was really an ass that was worth it to be caressed. When his finger crawled along her trench, her body interestingly trembled in shivers, it was also lovely.

Kizuna once again traced that body from her shoulder to her back, and then his hand circled and traced the shape of her breast, then from her abdomen to her waist, and then toward her ass, he caressed as if to ascertain the series of curves.

“……Hm?”

Suddenly he thought that her line was close to the female that he knew well the most.

‘――No, that’s impossible. No matter what, there is no way that can happen.’

Kizuna persuaded himself like that, then he touched his thing to the opened part of the woman. And then he slowly pushed his waist forward.

Kizuna’s thing scrapped the valley of the woman, the back of the woman was trembling from that pleasure. And then he slipped through the narrow opening that was created from the valley of the groin and the thighs, and the head of Kizuna’s thing came out.

{Aaann}

The mystery woman raised her head and showed an expression that warped in pleasure. Right now the work of the light was weakening considerably and the light only covered the eyes’ line at the woman’s face.

{Haaa……fufufu-, I thought that you will enter it for real, it made my heart beat hard.}

She looked back at Kizuna behind her and showed him an absurdly sexy smile. If he was shown a face like that, it made him wish to actually do that.

“Here I go……”

Kizuna banged his waist on the woman’s ass. There was the sound of skin and skin colliding.

{Ah, ah! Kizuna-hn kuu}

Each time he moved back and forth, he dug into the woman’s soft and wet valley, he strongly stimulated the most sensitive bud. The overflowing honey became drips and flew everywhere.

{Aah, fuawaaaaauu! Auu! Goodd aaaaa}

The thighs of the woman that were closed tightly circulated the hot honey to fall. Matching the intense movement, her disarrayed hair danced in the air.

Her cheeks were blushing and her mouth slovenly opened with an intoxicated expression. Her melting face raised gasping voice deliriously.

{Aah, goood, more, goodd, aaaan!}

“Aah, me too, already, more than this is!”

The mystery woman shook her head unable to bear the pleasure.

{Already, no good-♥ But……aannn, no good already, ii! ♥}

“UAAAAA-!”

The highest pleasure to date was driven up from Kizuna’s tailbone.

The woman bent her body backward as hard as she could.

“HAYYyyNNNAAAAAAAaaaAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHN♥♥♥}

The convulsion that continued intermittently, the pleasure that continued without pause, and happy pleasure attacked the whole body.

At that moment, dazzling radiance was born from the body of the two.

Part 3

The battleship that appeared from London’s Entrance was aiming straight at Ataraxia. Its shape was abnormally long with wings, it looked closer to an airplane than a ship already. The main point of this ship was the curved surfaces configuration with delicate shape like a living thing which extended the cruising range, a design that was created by means of Nayuta’s hand.

The one-eyed Clayda was standing on the bow of the ship while crossing her arms. Her right eye was covered an by eye patch, only her right eye was staring at the sea ahead.

“This ship really has a long reach. How pleasing.”

Different from Vatlantis, the consumption of magic power in Lemuria was fast. When their magic power was completely used up, whether magic weapon or battleship would be terminated. No matter what, their sphere of activity was limited to around the Entrances.

“But with this we can go to kill Kizuna.”

Clayda’s body was wrapped in the magic armor [Gares]. The armor covering her body was limited to the minimum. In exchange her arms and legs were attached with small thrusters. Those things were for the sake of accelerating her body mobility in the time of battle. And then there was two flying units on her back which were her main propulsive force, in addition two units for controlling her posture were attached. The main units had the appearance like a sharp fang, looking like two tusks of a mammoth jutting out to the front. In the occasion where she swung her sword, the unit also had the function to fold behind so it wouldn’t be a hindrance, the magic armor matched the fighting style of Clayda.

Once in the Colosseum, she slaughtered a lot of enemies with the main armament of Gares which was a crescent moon type sword, [Crescent Moon SwordSelene]. Yellow particles which was the magic power of Clayda was running on the surface of that magic armor. The happiness of once again hunting a prey that she failed to finish previously seemed as though it was expressed through the light of the magic power.

Clayda drew out the thin crescent moon sword which she shouldered on her back. This naked blade once dug into Kizuna’s neck, it remembered how it absorbed his sweat.

She really wanted to cut him down at that time. However there was a command to not kill him and so she endured. She was going to take back the neck that she should have taken. While she was gazing at the path ahead with a feeling of exultation, a floating window floated, obstructing her field of vision.

{How do you do, Clayda.}

Elma who was pursuing Ataraxia from behind was projecting an elegant smile.

“What’s the matter Elma? Have you reached the limit of your cruising range?”

{No, no, your worry is unnecessary. The mobile fortress of the enemy……Ataraxia if I remembered correctly? It seems that I’ll be able to reach them without any problems.}

“There is no need to force yourself. I alone am enough for that fortress after all.”

Clayda replied with a strong tone.

{My, Clayda. Are you trying to monopolize the prey?}

“After all, this seems to be a tough prey after a long time. Fufu, I recalled my time in the Colosseum, my blood is boiling up right now. You just stay quiet and watch Elma.”

Elma cutely raised a giggling voice.

{Sheesh, Clayda. There is no way I’ll hand over the prey to you that easily. I’ll receive that prey for myself. Because, this is the direct order from Grace-sama herself. I cannot do something like handing this over to another person. I have to raise achievements and then get praised by Zel-sama.}

The temple of Clayda was moving in irritation.

“I see, so you intend to be a hindrance no matter what.”

{Fufufu, this is first come first served. Let’s have a match. The content is who will kill Hida Kizuna first.}

“Hmph, interesting. But the only thing that will happen is me receiving that guy’s head. That’s why……I won’t hand it over to Elma!”

After Clayda erased the window, she raised the output of the warship. The ship’s speed increased at once and she headed to Ataraxia at full speed.

‘――That guy will be killed by this me. I‘ll have him pay for the sin of dirtying Selene!

Surely around this time Elma is also heading to Ataraxia with full speed, no doubt about it. No matter what I’ll arrive faster than Elma!’

Clayda’s warship raised its speed further.

At that time, she could see a shadow of a city was rising from the horizon. Clayda’s face floated a smile of victory.

“I came to receive the life I left in your custody, Hida Kizuna!”

Clayda made her magic armor’s thrusters spurt out light particles and flew up from the warship. And then she turned to Ataraxia and flew like a meteor.

He wore Eros and on his hips were the pistol style particle cannons that he borrowed from Gertrude in preparation. The two pistols were hanged down in improvised holsters. This was his only method of fighting.

‘However the opponents are elites that are feared as the Quartum.

In the end, will this have any effect against them?

I didn’t do the Climax Hybrid. So to speak, I’m not having any power up. I’m still in the default state of the powerless Eros.’

“There is no way I can win huh……no matter how you look at it.”

For some reason a smile floated on Kizuna’s lips. Even he didn’t understand why he was smiling. However his lips naturally loosened.

“Really, just why I’m doing something like this.”

He couldn’t even imagine doing this one year ago. Even if his past self know about his current self, surely his past self would absolutely not believe it.

But, right now in order to save his comrades, and then in order to speak with Aine one more time――,

He drew out the particle cannon from the right holster.

“Her I go! Clayda.”

He fired at the incoming Clayda. The magic power light which was solidified into a bullet flew by cutting through the air. Clayda stared fixedly at that bullet. She could see it. The movement of the bullet.

“Haaa!”

The Selene in her hand slashed.

The bullet of light was bisected into two.

‘――You’re joking.’

Cold sweat flowed on Kizuna’s back.

He thought that she would block with Life Saver or evaded. However, he never thought that she would cut an approaching bullet.

“It becomes even more and more useless!”

Kizuna drew out the left gun and rapid-fired with both hands.

The two bullets were easily beaten down by Clayda’s sword. There was no anxiety at all in her motion, she was moving naturally.

Kizuna ignited his thruster and flew to the sky, maintaining his distance with Clayda.

Alarm was ringing loud in the city below.

{Informing all personnel! Ataraxia is entering combat status. Interception squad is to begin intercepting at the prescribed location! All guys other than them, don’t show out your face!}

The combat department students were preparing to intercept the enemy in every location of Ataraxia. Buildings that were built firmly to be used as defensive wall were deployed, in addition the plazas and roads were blockaded and built into encampments. Due to the combat, every base was getting frenzied.

“Here they come! Prepare firing the rapid fire cannon. Oi! You guys research department, quickly go away! You are getting in the way!”

At the encampment that was built near the front line, the battle was just on the verge of starting. A student of the combat department yelled at the student of the research department that was deploying the new weapon.

The female student who was yelled at replied back with angry yelling.

“You are noisy! I’m coming here to deliver the new weapon, so thank me you muscle brain!”

Saying that, she threw the new type assault rifle at the person. That rifle was the improvised version of the railgun that Kizuna kept finding fault in at Nayuta Lab.

Kurumizawa Momo puffed her chest while standing imposingly.

“That thing’s destructive power is far higher compared until now. If it still doesn’t have any effect like that, then it can’t be helped!”

“Shit-, come on, prepare a weapon that can kill the enemy with certainty!”

“My bad! But the one that is going to finish the enemy is Hida-kun there! We are just covering him. At the very least, don’t hit at Hida-kun!”

“I got it! Oi, they are coming from the left! Lay out the barrage!”

“……Sorry that there is only this kind of weapon.”

Momo murmured softly.

“Hm? What did you say!?”

“Don’t mind it! Rather than that gather actual combat data for me. Then, take care of the rest.”

Leaving those words behind to the underclassmen staff, Momo got outside from the gap between the steel wall that surrounded the encampment.

“Oii! Where are you going? I’m not getting responsible if you died!”

“There are still things I need to do!”

Momo ran on the street where there was not a single soul other than her. The rapid fire cannons and missiles that were set up at both side of the road fired. Hot wind and burst out smoke made her stumble, but she didn’t mind it and ran through the gap.

She had to return quickly to the lab. There was still an essential work remaining there.

Fierce explosive sounds resounded, Momo stopped her feet and looked around her surrounding. Thereupon, the sight of the buildings that doubled as defensive walls lining up at the outer circumference exploding entered her eyes. A few seconds later, Momo gulped audibly looking at the building that was crumbling down. Flying over that building were two lights that clashed at each other several times, they passed above Momo’s head.

“Hida-kun-!”

Momo turned around and looked up at where the lights were going. After several more collisions, the pink light was falling down.

“……tsu-!!”

Her heart froze. Could it be――,

Kei’s window opened in front of Momo’s face.

{Momo, return quickly. I want to hurry the reinforcement of the cooling system of the energy transmission.}

“Ye, yes. I will return immediately Chief.”

Momo opened her smartphone while running.

‘――You are safe aren’t you Hida-kun?’

She connected to the battlefield network and immediately investigated Kizuna’s life sign. Thereupon a solid response came back. She patted down her chest while sighing in relieve.

The place where Kizuna fell seemed to be the high school building.

The high school building had the built that could even withstand explosions. A hole was opened on its rooftop and Kizuna’s body collapsed into inside a classroom.

“Shit……oo!”

Kizuna made an expression of anguish from the pain that ran through his body.

His body screamed from receiving the fierce impact. Ignoring his body’s scream, Kizuna gritted his teeth and raised his body. The instant his upper body awoke, there was an object that drove on the floor behind him with a terrific speed.

Kizuna’s cheek flowed with cold sweat.

“Wait……give me time hereee-!”

He ran by crawling on all four. As if to chase behind, a hole opened on the floor. The next moment, a hole opened at the ceiling. Kizuna was crawling until the entrance, he then grasped at a pillar and climbed to his feet. When he turned back, holes were opening alternately at the floor and ceiling. Between them was a shining object traveling at a speed the eye couldn’t catch.

“This isn’t a joke!”

Kizuna escaped from that place in panic. After he leaped to the corridor, he ran in full speed.

A groaning voice from behind and vibration that shook the air resounded.

“Why……uwaaa!?”

It was like an unseen gigantic drill was pulverizing the corridor. The floor tiles scattered everywhere like paper, the concrete wall and ceiling were broken apart into pieces like a cardboard box.

But what was destroying all those was not a drill. It was Clayda’s Selene. The sword was rotating repeatedly like a vortex. Selene emitted magic power light and was destroying as it swallowed the surroundings.

“Damn it! No way I’m going to become mince meat here!”

He fully opened his thruster and escaped. However, the vortex of Selene came chasing after Kizuna in a flash.

“Kuh!”

He would be minced to pieces if his speed dropped. Braving that risk, Kizuna flew into a classroom. And then he headed to the window immediately. Cracks entered the wall of the classroom and crumbled down as if to approach his way.

‘――Make it in time!!’

He crashed through the glass and went outside. The tips of Kizuna’s toes were grazed and the classroom turned into pieces.

He ascended higher and looked back at the school building. Smoke was rising high and the school building was crumbling down.

“Our classroom is……”

“What’s the matter Kizuna? You only keep escaping from some time ago, it’s not amusing. Show me that strength which defeated Gravel.”

Clayda was crossing her arms above Kizuna. Her face was overflowing with the happiness of battle. Kizuna floated a wry smile towards the enemy who seemed too delighted.

“I also really want to do so though……”

He instantly regained his serious face and aimed his pistol at Clayda.

“You are rash to come out before your sword returned!”

The pistol fired and a bullet of light shot out. The bullet that was fired from close range didn’t allow Clayda to take evasive action.

‘――Got her!’

Clayda guarded with both her hand in front. The light bullet was repelled by that arm.

“What-!?”

It definitely hit. She was not defending using Life Saver. Clayda’s magic armor was simply repelling back the bullet.

“Kuh!”

He pulled the trigger in succession. However, Clayda’s magic armor acted as if Kizuna’s bullet was nothing.

“Honestly, bullets with low power like that don’t even need to be evaded. I thought by any chance that it might have some kind of trick so I hit it down but……that’s really, just a normal gun without anything else isn’t it?”

Clayda who was making a doubtful face made Kizuna do nothing except clenching his teeth.

“If you say that you won’t show your real strength no matter what, then that’s also fine. In any case, the princess of Vatlantis is wishing for Kizuna’s death, due to that there is no future for you other than death.”

Kizuna murmured with a shocked face.

“Vatlantis’s princess……don’t tell me, Aine is?”

At that time, the Selene that had finished destroying the school drew a large arc to return. Clayda extended her hand and caught the returning sword while still staring at Kizuna.

‘――Aine, is trying to kill me she said? Just who can believe that!’

He shook his head and once more glared at the enemy before him.

‘――That sword is not merely thrown. It moves following Clayda’s will and flies freely in the air. It’s the same like Himekawa’s Blade. Furthermore, that sharpness and destructive power are not half-assed.’

Kizuna quickly readied his guns and pulled the triggers.

Light which looked like flame snapped from the gun muzzle and the backend of the gun slid and spewed out smoke. And then the magic power bullet which was fired from the muzzle approached before Clayda’s eyes.

Clayda lightly swung up her right hand and flicked off that bullet with her arm armor. The bullet became particles of light and vanished.

“See here, why are you persisting in using that toy gun?”

“Toy……you said?”

“That kind of small gun with inferior power won’t do anything. It cannot even destroy the armor of my magic armor [Gares]. Or else, as I thought, do you have some kind of strategy I wonder?”

Gertrude’s particle cannon couldn’t pierce through this girl’s armor. Even if it had the power for that, to start with he couldn’t make the bullets hit. All the bullets would just get knocked down by that crescent moon sword.

But, what about shooting her from a nearer distance?

From a distance where she wouldn’t even have the distance to evade.

If he aimed at the part of flesh that wasn’t protected by magic armor from that range…

Kizuna readied the pistols in his both hands.

“Here I go!”

He rapid fired the guns while charging all of a sudden. It seemed for the time being Clayda was still vigilant of Kizuna’s attack. She swung around her sword with a speed like a wind and repelled the bullets.

If he rapidly shot until this many, then as expected she would need to devote herself to defense. And then their distance was rapidly closed. It should become difficult to even defend by cutting down the bullets. Until the moment right before she became unable to defend!

Kizuna who was heading straight to Clayda reversed his body nimbly. Clayda didn’t miss that opening and swung her sword at Kizuna.

Kizuna evaded that with paper-thin difference. The tip grazed Kizuna’s face and a red line was pulled on his cheek.

The flank of Clayda became visible from her hitting empty air, Kizuna thrust his particle cannon at the skin part that became exposed.

‘――If it’s in this distance!’

Kizuna pulled the trigger.

At that instant, sharp light ran close at Kizuna’s hand.

‘――!?’

Selene was rotating inside Clayda’s hand. The blade of light extending from there cut apart the particle cannon Kizuna held.

The barrel of the particle cannon which was his lifeline slid down.

“……Wha-!?”

The particle cannon was cut into two. What Kizuna gripped was only the handle and trigger, the rest was completely falling down.

“Too naïve.”

Clayda floated a cruel smile and slashed her rotating Selene.

The surge of magic power and shockwave attacked Kizuna, the metallic blade tore apart Eros’s armor.

“GUAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA-!”

Sparks scattered, deep wound was carved on the armor. Kizuna was once again falling down to Ataraxia’s urban area.

For an instant, Kizuna’s consciousness faded. He returned to his senses and tried to reduce his speed using his thruster, but at that time his body received an intense impact. Fierce sound of collision roared and dust cloud rolled up. Kizuna’s body had crashed on a large street’s intersection.

“Oo, oii! You okay!?”

The combat department students who were coincidentally taking position at that intersection rushed at Kizuna. Kizuna thought that his body was in pieces from the great impact. On top of numbness in his whole body, his body was buried into a large hole that was opened on the surface and he couldn’t move it.

“Guh……I, I’m ok……kahah!”

He spouted out blood. Even lying down, it was like the world was circling round and round to him.

“Oii, Hida! The enemy is coming!”

That voice made Kizuna move only his neck. There, he could see that Clayda landed not so far away.

Clayda looked at the collapsed Kizuna and knitted her eyebrows.

“Attack power, movement, speed, technique, everything is third-rate. How could you win against Gravel like this? Besides, that time you escaped the Colosseum you were more than this yet……it’s like you are a different person.”

Her happiness of fighting a formidable enemy changed into disappointment.

“It’s enough already. I’ll kill you.”

Holding the cold blade that was like the solidification of her killing intent, Clayda walked forward.

“Shi-……shit! What’s with this damn dizziness! Pull yourself together my ears!”

Kizuna tried to stand up but fell down again, the male students of the combat department were staring at that with a vexed feeling.

One of them raised a yelling voice and rushed out.

“HAAAA! DAMN IT ALL-. Just pull yourself together, you demon king Eros!”

As if in succession, the boys of the combat department gripped their guns one after another and rushed out.

Looking at them, the inside of Kizuna’s chest froze like ice.

“I-. Idiot! Get back!”

Ten male students lined up in a row in front of Kizuna. In their hands they were holding the new type railgun the size of an assault rifle.

“That kind of weapon won’t do anything to that girl! Listen to me――”

“Then stand up fast you Eros! If you bastard get done in then there ain’t any next time for us!”

“Don’t let her get near Eros!”

“You guys……”

Even while rolling on the ground, Kizuna tried to rise his body somehow.

“Saying Eros, Eros, you fucking idiots! Just get back like a proper rear support!”

However there was not a single one who tried to retreat. They formed a line and readied their guns aiming at Clayda.

“Shut up! If that’s the case quickly get on your feet! Even risking our life, at best we can only buy a few seconds here! Take revenge for us okay, you demon king Eros!!”

“――”

Tears blotted Kizuna’s eyes. He ground his teeth hard that it felt like they were going to break.

The railguns spouted fire. With thundering sound like lightning and snapped electric current, bullets with speed that easily surpassed the speed of sound assaulted Clayda.

Selene drew out track of lights to all direction. That light repelled all the railgun bullets. Clayda swung around the sword in her hand, beating down the bullets fired from ten rifles. It was an unbelievable scene.

And then as if to estimate when the bullets were going to run out, Clayda held her sword aloft.

“UOOOOOOOO-!”

Kizuna stood up with all his strength and extended his hand desperately.

When Clayda slashed Selene, shockwave ridden by magic power light instantly approached before the eyes of the male students.

An instant faster than the blade of light could tear apart the students, Kizuna’s Life Saver was deployed.

Clayda’s shockwave clashed with the Life Saver and caused an explosion.

“UWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA-!”

The male students were blown away by the explosive wind. They floated in the air and crashed on the ground.

‘CLAYDAAAAAAAA!”

Kizuna fully opened his thruster and charged inside the explosion smoke.

Inside the smoke, Kizuna’s arm hugged at Clayda’s body tightly.

“Wha!? You bastard-”

Being caught by Kizuna was completely Clayda’s carelessness. Kizuna tightened the hold of his arms and fully opened his thruster. The two of them became a single mass and flew low grazing on the ground.

“You, getting so close……don’t touch me!”

With an angry look, Clayda stabbed Selene on Kizuna’s back.

“GUWAAAH!”

The burning pain pierced from his back to inside the body. Kizuna’s body tilted and both of them swiveled largely on rubble.

“Die! Kizuna!”

Selene got even deeper, gouging out a hole in Kizuna’s body.

“GUOOOOOOOOOOOO!”

Perhaps from being unable to bear the pain, Kizuna stumbled and fell down. That place was the hole opened from the crash of Kizuna just before.

Clayda’s posture became one where her body was inserted into that hole. Clayda’s left eye was blazing in flame at Kizuna who was pushing her down.

“YOU BASTARRDDD!”

Clayda’s rage exploded from the humiliation of being taken in surprise. She pulled out the blade in her right hand from Kizuna’s body and aimed at the neck of Kizuna who was straddling her.

“That neck I let you keep, I’ll receive it right here!”

Clayda rotated her right arm and tried to cut down Kizuna’s neck.

“!? ……tsu-“

However, her right arm didn’t even twitch.

“Wha……”

Her right arm was surrounded by shields of light. It was not a large thing that could endure enemy attack. Shields in miniature size were coiling all around her arm in countless number, restraining her right arm.

‘――This is, Kizuna’s Life Saver!?’

“I locked you!”

Kizuna yelled and this time he deployed a normal sized Life Saver in front of Clayda.

“What are, you thinking?”

Kizuna was manifesting Life Saver in piles and piles of layer. Clayda’s upper body, left-half body, right-half body, lower body, shields were piling at each other like patchwork. However for some reason only the center of her body, just a slight space was opened.

Clayda couldn’t understand the meaning of what Kizuna was doing.

Even like this, she was not defeated. She guessed that he feared for himself that he was doing this so he wouldn’t receive attack, but no matter how hard he stopped her movement, he wouldn’t grasp victory. After all there was no method to attack for Kizuna.

He had nothing but something like that powerless gun.

The left hand holding that gun was jammed into the slightly opened hole between the Life Savers.

He then further piled up Life Savers persistently. Kizuna covered even until his arm with Life Savers, sealing his own movement. The barrier of several dozen of Life Saver made even Clayda unable to make a movement.

“It’s deserves admiration to be able to let out this many Life Savers. But, just what meaning is there in this? Receiving the direct attack of that gun won’t result in any considerable damage though.”

Clayda sneered.

Her tone was of someone that was looking down on an existence lower than herself. Even with heaven and earth cut open, it was impossible for herself to lose.

That much confidence was backed up by her strength, that was Clayda’s conviction.

“……I’ve got this much excess of Hybrid Count with trouble see. After all my only worth is just in Life Saver.”

Kizuna smiled with a triumphant look.

“Super close range that is impossible to dodge. Like this it will hit for sure, Clayda!”

Clayda gulped her saliva for an instant. However, she soon lifted the corner of her lips in reassurance.

“Fufu, you can attack as much as you like. Do it until you are satisfied. Getting hit by that toy won’t feel hurt or itchy no matter how many times!”

“Yeah, I’ll do just that!”

Eros’s Core inside Kizuna’s body raised a groan.

The light streaming on Eros’s body shined dazzlingly, dying the surrounding with pink color. The air whirled and vibrated.

The vast amount of magic power he obtained from the Heart Hybrid with the mystery girl, was flowing into the particle cannon gripped in his left hand.

The gun itself began to shine from the excessive magic power amount. And then the gun fiercely struggled. Kizuna manifested even more Life Saver and held down his trembling hand.

Wrapped in the pink light Kizuna emitted, Clayda’s smile cramped.

“Wha……what are, you planning?”

The amount of magic power flowing into the gun was too big. It was an impossible amount that couldn’t be handled by a gun this small. It was like he was trying to fire a cannon ball with a gun. The gun itself looked as if it was going to explode even now.

“No matter how much magic power you pour into it, the limit――”

However magic power was endlessly gushing out from Kizuna’s body.

The magic power amount flowing into the gun made it react not like a gun anymore. The energy equal to a battleship’s main cannon was whirling in front of her eyes. Clayda’s head was sweating.

‘――This man called Kizuna……this magic armor called Eros, just how much magic power is stored inside them!?’

The gun that was like toy directed at her now looked like a terrifying weapon.

Clayda’s heart was ringing like an alarm bell.

Fear that she had never felt even in the Colosseum drove through her.

The space began to vibrate from the too much energy.

“What’s this……just what’s this! That gun-!”

The gun fiercely raged, as if pleading that it was at the limit already.

With desperate look, and also a brutal smile, Kizuna answered.

“You said it yourself right?”

He put his finger on the trigger.

“This is just a toy!”

He pulled the trigger.

That moment, gigantic magic power dissolved.

The gun that broke through the limit exploded.

Fierce radiance and static electricity filled the surrounding to the limit.

Kizuna’s hand was torn into shreds while components popped out.

The gun broke. However, it accomplished its role.

Gigantic magic power bullet in a size that was unthinkable to be fired from a gun was shot, piercing Clayda’s body.

“GUHAaAAA-!”

The armor was pierced and the magic power overflowed inside the space that was locked by Life Savers. The magic power bullet searched for exit and pierced Clayda’s body many times while rampaging around inside the Life Saver. The magic power bullet forcefully pushed open the weakest spot of the seal and opened a hole on Ataraxia’s ground. Vast energy swallowed Clayda’s body, and pushing through to the inside of Ataraxia.

“Gah! GUHAaA! aAAAAAAAAAAAAA!”

Clayda’s magic armour became pieces and she could do nothing but merely be toyed with by the lump of brutal energy. She was pushed through many layers of Ataraxia’s internal structure while the magic power bullet was destroying the objects standing in the way.

And then, finally they pierced through Ataraxia.

The magic power light gouged open a hole in the bottom of Ataraxia and blew away Clayda’s body out.

When Kizuna erased the Life Saver, he sunk down on the spot. His back was stabbed by Clayda and his left hand became ragged from his own attack. Thanks to the bleeding, added with the fatigue and the limit of his mind, regardless of the intense pain that he felt, he was assaulted by a severe sleepiness.

As if to shake Kizuna awake, a floating window popped up beside his face.

{Kizuna! You safe!?}

He could hear Reiri’s cornered voice, Kizuna recovered his senses.

“Yeah, somehow……rather than that, I opened a hole in Ataraxia. It needs to get plugged fast.”

{That has been dealt with. Dividing wall has been closed and the flow of the sea water got blocked so don’t worry. Leaving that aside, the next customer is already coming.}

Kizuna’s surroundings suddenly became shadowed. When he looked above, there was a white and red battleship floating there.

{The enemy that came from behind has arrived. Can you do it Kizuna?}

“……There will be no point unless I do it right?”

He stood up while enduring the intense pain. His whole body was covered in bruises and cuts. In addition, his bones might be fractured. Most of all, his left hand that became ragged couldn’t feel anything, and his stabbed back was bleeding seriously.

“Nee-chan……actually, there is something that is a little bad.”

{What’s the matter?}

“I’ve got no weapon anymore. Both of Gertrude’s guns had been used up. The plan was one gun for each of them but……this is troubling.”

The gun that was cut by Clayda. Actually it was supposed to be used at the enemy above him right now.

When he looked up, there was a figure standing at the edge of the deck.

“My my, now now. This is a surprise. For Clayda to be defeated. But, with this the match is my victory♪”

That woman possessed the combination of the beauty and coldness of a silverwork.

Her white hair was long with gentle waviness, while on her head the hair was sticking up pointedly like animal ears.

The silver dress she was wearing had frills and pleats with elegant and feminine design, but the valley of her breasts and groin and so on, the essential places had high exposure.

On top of that the magic armor she wore was also beautifully designed to coordinate with the dress elegantly and lasciviously. The armor protecting the back of her hands and legs were silver, with accessories like plants applied on them. The thruster on her back looked reserved, the main unit which was spreading in / \ shape looked like a part of the skirt.

The magic armor was naturally melding on Elma’s dressed figure. But, there was only a single thing that made him feel a severe uncomfortable feeling and danger.

That was the silver huge hammer Elma was holding in her hand.

The weapon didn’t suit her beautiful delicate figure. On the long handle that was nearly two meters, a lump of metal that was almost as big as her own body was attached.

“If she swung around something like that, it looks like Ataraxia will sink down for sure this time huh.”

Kizuna picked up a railgun that fell nearby and ignited his thruster to fly to the sky. And then he confronted the enemy from the front.

“So you are Kizuna correct? I think this is the first time we talk. I am called Elma of the Quartum. Pleased to make your acquaintance from now on.”

Pinching the fringe of her skirt, Elma then lowered her head.

“It seems so. Last time we met was at the Colosseum wasn’t it?”

“Yes. That occasion was a stimulating show, thank you very much for that. That night I couldn’t sleep from my heart beating so fast.”

“Uu……”

She was an enemy, but as expected it was embarrassing to be told that by a beauty like this.

“Is, is that so. It’s an honor, if you enjoyed that.”

He bluffed with his all. And then he recalled the time he did Climax Hybrid with Gravel at the Colosseum.

‘――I see. If I can use that method again then…!

There is no chance of victory even if I fight honestly. Besides…….’

Kizuna scowled his face due to his left hand that almost had no power to grip anything and the pain of the wound on his back.

His condition was worse than when he faced Clayda. Saying it in reverse, if he couldn’t persuade this girl, he didn’t have any chance of victory, he wouldn’t be able to survive.

Kizuna gulped his saliva and spoke with a voice that was almost trembling.

“Hey……if you are interested, then Elma too――”

“Heart Hybrid.”

Elma murmured with a delighted voice. Kizuna lost his words.

“Besides, there is also Climax Hybrid I think? Really, what a miraculous power aren’t they?”

‘――This girl, she knows.’

“I too personally investigated about various things. Fufufu, I cannot surrender my chastity only to you♪”

A bead of sweat flowed along Kizuna’s cheek.

“In the first place I don’t have any intention to surrender my chastity to anyone other than Zel-sama though.”

Elma lifted up the silver hammer and made a cruel smile.

“Well then, this is the execution time. With the command of the emperor and Zelsione-sama, this Elma and the magic armor [Lunir] will crush you.”

Elma moved her hammer to the front and pointed it at Kizuna. Kizuna readied the railgun in his right hand and pulled the trigger. It raised a groan like a motor sound and a bullet was fired from the gun muzzle.

However a field that was created from the hammer repelled all the bullets.

And then the railgun soon made a clacking sound that was the sound of empty bullets, making it a mere lump of metal.

“It ran out of bullets already!”

And then there was Elma in front of him swinging up the huge silver hammer.

“-!?”

When he noticed, he had received a fierce impact and his body floated in the air. After that he could see the radiance of the hammer approaching in front of him.

‘――Wha, what?’

The ground of Ataraxia was streaming through with an amazing speed. The downtown was approaching in the blink of an eye.

His head was still in chaos and he crashed into a building without being able to evade.

“GAAAAAAA-!”

Glass broke, and a wall was breached. The wall was smashed and pieces and smoke scattered. Kizuna’s body smashed through the internal walls one after another and he came out at the opposite side. And then he crashed through the next building and collided on the ground.

He barely protected his body with Life Saver, his body was rolling on the ground while destroying the concrete pavement. His body bounced and he slid on the ground while making strange rotations like a doll. Eros’s armor was scattering sparks and the broken parts fell off from Kizuna’s body.

Rolling for a few hundred meters, Kizuna’s body finally stopped with his collision on a hangar wall.

“Guha-! Wha, what’s, just now……kahha!”

He spat out blood. His head was hazy. Drips of blood were falling to the concrete.

Ten-odd meter ahead, Elma softly landed like a fairy. The silver hammer that almost killed Kizuna in her hand was emitting light.

“’I don’t understand’, that’s the face you are making right now. Fufu, that’s only natural. Because Lunir’s hammer is changing the stream of cause and effect.”

“The stream of, cause and effect?”

When he was hit by Lunir’s hammer, the impact came earlier than him being struck. However, after that the hammer was actually approaching before his eyes, he replayed the image of his body being blown away in his head.

He was sent flying, it was like that fact was only added later on, a weird phenomenon.

He guessed that it was what Elma said, the changing of the stream of cause and effect.

“Certainly……it felt, like that. But, I don’t get it……”

Kizuna put his hand on the large type railgun nearby, he tried to stand up with that as support. He remembered seeing this railgun before. That was the large type railgun called [Rugaa-chan] that was receiving maintenance when he met Momo.

“I see……this is the testing ground of Nayuta Lab……”

He cheered up his hazy consciousness. He leaned on the large railgun that was loaded on a platform and stood up somehow.

Elma smiled airily and lowered the hammer to her feet.

“My my, I wonder, is that large gun your reserve weapon?”

Of course, that was not true. But, around this time this was the only thing he could rely on. But――,

“……Why is the electricity turned off”

It looked as if its maintenance had been finished, but the electricity was not connected.

“My my, it cannot shoot? If that’s the case then let me start first.”

“Shit-, if I can at least use this thing……”

Kizuna gave up using the railgun in front of him and tried to turn on his thruster in order to move to another place. The Core inside his chest began to activate.

At that moment, the railgun’s indicator turned on.

‘――What?’

The railgun raised a groaning voice and began activating.

‘The electricity is on? From where……?’

Through Kizuna’s arm, light of magic power was flowing into the railgun.

‘Don’t tell me, magic power is……becoming the replacement of electricity? But, how?’

{Saying it simply, this is an omnipotent energy for the world over there.}

Suddenly he recalled the words that he heard from Nayuta in Tokyo.

“……I don’t really get it, but there is no doubt that this thing is moving!”

Kizuna pressed the firing button.

Voice that was like a motor sound and vibration, and then high frequency operating noise were played, then a bullet with speed higher than Mach 5 was fired from the railgun. It was like holes would be opened at Elma’s surrounding air.

“My, scary.”

Elma pushed her hammer to the front in preparation. And then the next instant, before the bullet hit the hammer, the bullet ricocheted and repelled on the concrete surface, the concrete was ripped off while the bullet exploded.

“Fufufu, that’s pointless. No matter how you attacked, it absolutely won’t reach me.”

The hammer repulsed the bullet. Due to that influence, several explosion overlapped around Elma. Elma covered her eyes with her hand to protect her face from the flash. The flame of the explosion and the shockwave enveloped Elma. However, Elma was only making a little displeased expression without a single wound on her. Her dress fluttered from the wind, the most that happened to her was the soot that dirtied her beautiful clothes.

“Geez, it got dirty!”

Elma lightly dusted off the hem of her skirt while swinging around her hammer. The next moment, the railgun’s thick and long barrel bent. The components shorted and blazed in flame.

When he noticed, Elma had crushed the railgun with her hammer.

“Kuh!”

And then at the next moment, the railgun caused an explosion. Kizuna’s body was blown by the blast and he rolled on the ground. While rolling, Kizuna stared desperately at Elma’s figure.

Elma put her palm in front of her face from the radiance. When the flash settled down, Elma held the hammer with both hands and began to walk. Behind her the railgun was spouting out flame.

With her back towards the conflagration, Elma was getting closer to Kizuna step by step. Fierce flames shaded off Elma’s figure blackly like a shadow painting. White teeth were visible from her lips that were forming a crescent.

“It’s not interesting to crush you in one attack. Fufu, I should tease you to death. I’ll drive you into a corner while little by little breaking your body.”

The vicious smile was pasted on the face that was like a holy woman, Elma then licked her pink lips with a slippery tongue. The lips that was wet by saliva emitted luster.

Kizuna stared at Elma’s face so fixedly as if burning a hole at her.

That girl was grimacing from the explosion’s flash.

The bullet of railgun didn’t reach Elma.

――However, the light of explosion reached her.

At that time, a huge fire pillar was rising behind Elma.

“!?”

The ammunition which was placed near the railgun that went up in flame seemed to catch fire. Furthermore the ammunition was causing secondary explosions one after another.

Even Elma was surprised as expected and turned back. There the flame of explosion blew through.

“Now!”

Kizuna ignited his thruster and distanced himself from that place.

“You saved me there! Rugaa-chan!”

When he flew out from the explosion smoke, a floating window was opened.

{Hida-kun! You safe!?}

It was as if the timing was calculated, the creator of Rugaa-chan that was Momo was projected there. There was also Kei behind her.

“Yeah, I still am right now! But――”

{Listen to me! You remember the main cannon of Ataraxia that Chief Shikina showed you?}

“Yeah! I just planned to go there right now. Your Rugaa-chan gave me the hint!”

Momo was startled and her words were caught in her throat, but she soon made a smile.

{I’m preparing a special seat and waiting for you here!}

“Ouu!”

The communication was cut after he replied that. Kizuna was flying low to hide from Elma’s eyes while advancing.

When he flew over the outer circumference of Ataraxia, he looked back behind him. Elma was flying out clearing off from the explosion smoke.

“Now, run away my prey.”

Thrilled feeling was overflowing from her voice and expression.

Kizuna pursed tight his lips into a thin line and accelerated. He didn’t understand how much mobility Lunir had, but Eros that didn’t do Climax Hybrid would surely be overtaken soon.

He flew in the sky with full speed and flew out from Ataraxia. And then he soon took a nose dive. He circled around the outer edge and flew along the side of Ataraxia.

“My my, I wonder if you plan to give me the slip like that?”

There was a voice coming from above. At that moment, Kizuna twisted his body without even looking up and flew right to the side with all his thrusters opened fully.

‘GUAA!”

However the hammer grazed Kizuna’s body. The thruster at his back was broken and components flew everywhere. Kizuna’s body flew like a baseball and slid while caving in into Ataraxia’s side.

He tried to recover his posture, but one side of his thruster had died. One more attack was coming at his unsteady flying back. Kizuna’s body once again crashed on Ataraxia.

“Guha-!”

His body caved into Ataraxia’s side.

And then, his caved body was trailingly slipping down. Suddenly there was no wall and Kizuna’s body fell. There was a hole opened on Ataraxia’s side with a diameter around twenty meters. He fell on the hole’s edge and his body crashed hard.

“Uu……this, this place……”

Kizuna rubbed his misty eyes and looked around his surroundings. At that time a floating window rose up and Momo raised a voice that sounded at her wit’s end.

{Hida-kun! Quickly! The red cable under your feet!}

“A……yeah”

He tried to stand up, but his foot slipped. He fell off from the edge of the hole.

“Kuhu!”

He saw a red cable that was fixed on the floor with tape. He extended his right hand and desperately grabbed on that cable. The cable was strained and looked warped, but he barely avoided falling down. Kizuna’s body was in a situation where his body was dangling down from the edge of the hole.

There was nothing underneath him. There was only sea several dozens of meters below him. Even if he was wearing Heart Hybrid Gear, with how ragged he was there was enough possibility of his death. Furthermore his left hand was useless. He somehow supported his body weight with just a single right arm, but his right arm soon began trembling.

“My, so you cannot even fly anymore I wonder?”

Elma who was chasing behind Kizuna finally arrived, she was landing at the edge of the hole. Like that, she was looking down on Kizuna as though she was drunk on the conviction of her victory.

“Aah, it’s unfortunate but……it’s already impossible for me.”

“I see. It cannot be helped then. The time of the hunt has come to a close.”

Elma stroked the handle of the hammer with reluctance to end the fun.

“Guess you’re right.”

Elma was making a wondering face at Kizuna’s calmness.

“What’s wrong? You can cry and yell or beg for forgiveness more you know?”

“The end of the hunt, is not only limited to the prey getting hunted yeah. There are even cases where the hunter is the one getting eaten by the prey.”

The Core inside Kizuna’s chest was beginning to operate in full. Pink radiance was transmitted from Kizuna’s chest flowing to the cable.

“And, what is the meaning of that?”

Elma tilted her head cutely, even so she couldn’t hide her bad mood from appearing. Blood vessels was throbbing on her forehead.

“Your hammer destroys the target before the attack can be inflicted on the object. The fact that you attacked is only created after that. Most likely there is no way to avoid that.”

Even with that pointed out, Elma wasn’t particularly concerned. She leaked out a giggle mixed with a sigh.

“However, that ability is only effective when the target is physical. Or maybe only objects with a certain degree of mass. Or objects with a certain degree of volume.”

Elma’s eyebrows twitched.

From the cable that was gripped in Kizuna’s right hand, even further large amounts of magic power was transferred.

The place Elma was standing at, was the firing mouth of the electrically charged particle cannon. The inside of the particle accelerator.

“Correct. And so what about it? The current you cannot do anything.”

“Yeah, nothing at all.”

A small floating window was floating beside Kizuna’s head. The electric power indication displayed there was increasing rapidly. The electric power amount that stopped at 50% even with all the electricity at Ataraxia invested at it now passed 90% with just Eros’s power.

“This is where we part. It’s only a short while, but it was fun.”

“Yeah……me too.”

And then the indication passed 100%.

“Sayonara, Kizuna.”

“Good bye.”

Elma swung down the hammer.

At that time particles were released from the deepest part of the tunnel.

The particle accelerator that pierced through Ataraxia accelerated those particles until the speed of light.

Possessing a terrific speed and destructive power, the particle cannon that was outside the standard finally arrived.

“――”

Elma turned around after feeling that presence. That instinct made her turn the hammer towards the tunnel rather than Kizuna.

However, the wall of light that arrived wasn’t affected.

And then the shell that flew with the speed of light, didn’t give her any time to deal with it another way.

The particles that rushed inside the accelerator instantly swallowed Elma who was standing in the firing mouth and blew her away. Elma couldn’t even scream and flew away becoming a part of the particle shell. The hammer separated from her hand and Lunir that protected her body was broken into pieces.

The shell of particle cannon that was fired from Ataraxia drew a line of light at the blue sky. And then it pierced the battleship of Elma who by chance was on the line of fire, it generated a preposterous amount of heat and electrical discharge while cutting through the sky. That radiance also cut apart the sky of the far away London.

“Hida-kuuun!”

Amidst the white smoke that was raised by the cooling air, there was a silhouette rushing here.

“That voice……is that you Kurumizawa-san?”

{I’m here too.}

Kei’s window was projected in front of his eyes. However, that window was filled with noise and was erased soon.

From Kizuna’s body too, the armor of Eros was becoming fragments of light before vanishing. His Hybrid Count was at the limit already.

“I’m……at my limit already even for just hanging here. Quickly, pull me up.”

Momo showed out her face from the edge of the hole.

“Wa, wait a second! It’s impossible for me and Chief-. I’ll call someone here!”

“Ku……quick.”

He couldn’t feel his fingers. He had bled a lot too, his consciousness was hazy, strength was leaving his body.

‘――Ah, no good, already.’

His fingers slipped and his hand separated from the cable.

If he fell from this height, surely he wouldn’t be saved with just his flesh body now.

‘――Even though I defeated them after great pain……in this kind of place!’

Kizuna desperately reached out his hand. He was trying to hold on to an unseen something.

That hand was caught.

“Kizuna!”

It was a familiar voice. Its echo reassured him more than the voice of anybody else.

“Get a hold of yourself, Kizuna! I’ll save you right now!”

With her body restrained by Momo and Kei, Reiri was pulling up Kizuna’s body. After that they collapsed on the floor just like that, and she hugged Kizuna’s body tightly.

“I’m glad……you’re safe.”

With a trembling voice, Reiri leaked out a relieved sigh. Kizuna too kept lying atop Reiri’s body and murmured with a weak voice.

“Aah……that woman who did Heart Hybrid with me……I won thanks to the Hybrid Count that girl gave me. I’ve got to say thanks……later.”

“……Is that so.”

Filling the embracing arms with strength, Reiri nodded several times.

“With this, we can go to London……saving Himekawa, Yurishia, Sylvia, the others……also, I want to meet Aine one more time. I want to talk with her.”

“We can. After all you have opened the path.”

Reiri gently stroked Kizuna’s head.

“But, the Hybrid Count that I got with trouble……is already nearly zero though.”

Kizuna smiled shyly.

“You idiot. I’ll tell you now, something like that, it can be replenished again……no matter how many times.”

Reiri happily smiled while spilling out tears from her eyes.

Part 4

Aine ran through the corridor of the imperial castle. Anxiety, and then fear were mixing in her expression.

When she arrived until the private room of Grace, she ignored the surprised guards and threw open the door.

“You really ordered to kill Kizuna!?”

Grace and Zelsione were inside the spacious room made from marble. Grace was sitting at the comfort chair near the window and Zelsione was standing beside her.

Grace was rocking the chair while enjoying the fresh wind entering from the window.

“What’s the matter all of a sudden, Nee-sama.”

Aine briskly walked with wide steps and stood imposingly in front of the two.

“Answer my question Grace!”

Grace half-closed her eyes sullenly.

“It’s true. That man called Kizuna is a dangerous existence for this Vatlantis. There is no way he can be left alone. And so I ordered Zel to kill that man.”

Aine directed a grim gaze at Zelsione.

“Zel, then……what happened, to Kizuna?”

Zelsione answered with a mournful look.

“Right now I’m also going to report to Grace-sama. Following the command, I sent Clayda and Elma of the Quartum.”

Aine felt like her heart had stopped listening to that report.

‘Two of the Quartum? But, right now there shouldn’t be anyone Kizuna can do Climax Hybrid with. If that’s the case…….’

It became pitch dark in front of her. Color was disappearing from the world. It was even like she got anemia, her sight was lolling.

“Hida Kizuna crushed them alone. Clayda, Elma, the two of them are MIA.”

“……eh?”

It took her time to comprehend the meaning of that sentence. Light returned to Aine’s eyes, the world was recovering its color. Aine asked back with a shocked face.

“But, Kizuna is……the enemy was just Kizuna alone?”

“Yes. He defeated Clayda and Elma by himself. He is a terrifying opponent.”

“Such thing……how can? But……”

Aine felt relief from the bottom of her heart. Tears spontaneously blurred the corner of her eyes without stopping.

Grace was staring fixedly at her state. Inside those red eyes, flames of jealousy and rage were burning.

“Zel. That just means that Kizuna is an opponent of that level. Just two Quartum is too halfhearted. Organize a subjugation squad for Kizuna urgently.”

“As you command.”

“Eh-……!”

Aine peered at Grace’s face with a panicked state.

“Wait, Grace. Why are you being that fixated on Kizuna? We are going to take control of the whole of Lemuria anyway? Then――”

“Nee-sama. That man called Kizuna, and his magic armor Eros are dangerous.”

“That’s not true. Kizuna is not a bad person. We can understand each other if we just talk.”

“That guy tamed other magic armors and subdued them. He not only grants power to that person, he also makes the power of that person as his own. Nee-sama, are you saying that’s not dangerous?”

“That’s……”

Seeing Aine get her words caught inside her mouth, Zelsione pushed the stake even deeper.

“Ainess-sama, do you know what the common folks are calling Kizuna right now after witnessing him subduing Gravel who was his enemy and then rampaging violently in the Colosseum?”

Aine couldn’t answer. Her eyes were trembling in anxiety.

“――The Demon King of Lemuria.”

Aine made a cramped smile from hearing the alias that Zelsione told her.

“What’s that. Fufuh……stop it, there is a degree for even being unsuited. That kind of title is too much for that kind of parasitic guy who cannot do anything unless he relies on someone else.”

Aine’s abusive tongue that sounded forced didn’t even makee the other two smile.

“That’s why……Grace, Zel?”

Both of them were staring at Aine with a serious gaze.

“No matter what Nee-sama said, this matter cannot be overturned. Letting Kizuna live will only invite grief for the empire later on. Zel.”

“Yes.”

Zelsione turned right–about face to go out of the room.

Sweat flowed from Aine’s forehead.

What to do?

She didn’t understand how Kizuna repelled two of the Quartum, but there was no doubt that the next time a large army would be organized for this. If that happened, Kizuna alone wouldn’t be able to do anything.

Kizuna would certainly die.

He would be killed.

And in addition, he would surely get killed in an inhumane way.

And then Ataraxia too.

She shut her eyes tightly, and clenched her fist. Blood oozed on her bitten lips.

‘If that’s the case, I’d rather――,’

“Wait!!”

Aine’s sharp voice made Zelsione stop her feet.

“I’ll……go.”

“Ainess-sama?”

Grace stared at Aine in shock.

“Nee-sama……are you saying that you will go yourself? You are going to kill Kizuna with that hand?”

Aine raised her head.

There was a strong will in her eyes, and then there was also sadness showing through.

Even now her voice sounded as though it would change into a cry, however she spoke with a voice that wouldn’t let anyone object.

“I’ll kill Kizuna. With this hand.”

Afterword

This is Kuji Masamune! The comicalization has been decided! It will begin serialization from the eight month edition of [Compace] that will sell its monthly issue on 26 June. The drawer of the manga is Ayakawariku-sensei! I myself will also sketch the setting material and cooperate in various things. I’m really looking forward to the start of the serialization!

Well then, for the thanks. When I thought that the fourth volume is the best, this time the illustration is even more magnificent, Hisasi-san! And then Kurogin-san who did the mecha design. The editor in charge O-san from Sneaker editorial department. And then all of you readers who are always giving support. Really thank you very much!

The next sixth volume will have the story advance even more and more to the best part! Even while searching for each other, yet for the sake of their respective worlds Aine and Kizuna will clash! However, Aine’s Forbidden Armament [Code Breaker] will erase all Heart Hybrid Gear. In the end does Kizuna have any chance of victory!?

Furthermore, the plan for the [special edition that will be attached to the drama CD] is in progress! It’s still not formally decided, but depending on everyone’s support perhaps it will be realized.

[Masou Gakuen HxH] the sixth volume is arranged to be sold on this fall, look forward to it!

Reiri: The Heart Hybrid this time was a great success!

Yurishia: But, that woman, who is it I wonder? I got the feeling that she resembled someone though. Hey Commander, don’t you think……

Reiri: The next opponent for Kizuna will be Aine! Wait with anticipation!

References

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