Saijaku Muhai no Bahamut:Volume 5 Episode 4

Episode 4 – The Fifth Artifact Gigas

Part 1

Lux continued to fly in a straight line through the night sky of the dawn that was still dim.

The military’s guard soldiers in the capital knew about the defense mission this time, but Lux was flying at high altitude so that he wouldn’t get found by the Drag-Knights from other countries participating in the All-Dragon Battle.

After flying to the north like that for a few minutes, Lux came to see troops of Drag-Knights outside the royal capital’s wall.

「So you finally came Chore Prince. Oops, right now you are already the knight of her highness the princess huh. It’s still a talk in the future if you can receive an official peerage but──」

When Lux landed in front of the troops, a red-haired big man in front, one of the Four Great Nobles, Bugriser, laughed heartily.

「Chore Prince is fine. Rather than that, are there any changes with the operation?」

When Lux asked seriously, Bugriser spread a large map for use of the operation and nodded.

At the abandoned village northwest from here, there was about a hundred Abyss that was thought to be hidden by the Rebel Army there.

Lux would lure them as a decoy, lead them to the hidden fortress at the north where the New Kingdom’s main force was standing by, and exterminate the Abyss with an all-out attack. That was the broad sense of the operation this time.

Bugriser’s Drag-Ride force was taking position at the north gate in order to intercept the Abyss that managed to slip away from that.

「There is no change to the plan. Currently, there is no change in the abandoned village that became the Abyss’s hangout, there is also no report about anything strange from the Drag-Knight scouts patrolling around the capital. But──」

「But, what?」

「……It seems that officers in the east fortress are saying that they hear strange rumbling sounds sometimes. Well, I think that’s just an absurd fear of theirs, but just in case we are being on guard.」

「Understood. Then──」

「Yeah, start the operation. Just like we first planned, the group of Drag-Knights of the combined forces arranged by the Four Great Nobles and the New Kingdom military are standing by at the fortress. We are looking forward to your effort here.」

「……Yes.」

Lux nodded lightly, then he put his strength into the touch part inside the armor and made his Wyvern fly.

After increasing his altitude once more and confirming the deserted village that was the target, he concentrated energy into the propulsion device at the wings on his back and accelerated the Drag-Ride further.

He heard that there was no inhabitants in the deserted village that was his target.

In the Imperial Capital Recapture Plan that the spy acquired, most likely there was no enemy Drag-Knights there except several ambush troops who were handling the horn flute.

But, if Lux’s prediction was right on the money──

(……No, it’s useless even if I think about something I don’t know. Today, just concentrate on the current operation.)

Lux put more spirit and arrived at the deserted village.

That village he was overlooking from above was desolated as a matter of course. There was no signs of people, in exchange there was a small light in just one spot.

「……….」

Lux strengthened his vigilance while going down to the village.

What leaked the light was from a cave inside the forest.

Lux walked between countless abandoned houses and when he got near the light, a strange thing happened.

IiIIiiIIIIIIIIiIiI-!

「Kuh……!?」

His brain felt like it was directly thrown out of order. An intense strange sound reverberated.

It was the sound of the horn flute that manipulated the Abyss.

The moment Lux noticed it, countless light bullets were fired at Lux’s feet.

He reflexively swung Scale Blade and deflected the light bullets of Breath Gun slantingly. ──Then, he simultaneously reacted towards another moving presence and flew to midair.

An additional Cannon attack was fired at him along with a thunderous roar.

He deflected it with the Scale Blade once more. Then after his gaze looked around, he caught sight of three Drag-Knights in his field of vision.

「As expected hero. A Drag-Knight who gets ambushed usually will try to counterattack right away or back away in panic but……like this even the captain ain’t your match.」

A young man wearing a general purpose Drag-Ride that received Yggdrasil’s seed and got remodeled──<B-Blood Wyvern>, he was stroking his short bristling up forelock while leaking out a sigh mixed with a wry smile.

「Don’t waste your time with stupid chatter Egnid. Take your position just as planned.」

The one who rebuked that frivolous talk was a familiar girl wearing the same B-Blood Wyvern.

A girl with a trait of wild long hair and dark brown skin, Saniya Lemiste.

She was a spy of the Heiburg Republic who once infiltrated the Royal Officer Academy, betrayed Celis, and assaulted the Academy along with Hayes.

Another girl wearing a B-Blood Drake was standing by on her side. She was wearing a doodled round mask. Her true identity couldn’t be peeked at.

「Kirly, check if there is any signs of enemies around. Are there other Drag-Knights coming?」

「Uuu……. Aa」

The masked girl called Kirly shook her head slightly in a display of answer no.

Saniya saw that and she seemed to understand. She turned towards Lux once more.

「Was it you guys who gathered the Abyss here?」

「Stop probing so transparently like that ruined prince. You yourself, what are you doing coming to this kind of deserted village by yourself while the All-Dragon Battle is going on? ──Haa?」

Saniya grinned fearlessly like that before she lifted up a horn flute dangling from her neck.

Instantly a shuddering chill ran through Lux’s back and he reflexively flew to the sky behind him.

At the same time the silhouette of a winged man assaulted from the darkness of the forest behind the three.

「This thing──!」

A winged man type Abyss that possessed a firm body, Gargoyle.

It was a formidable enemy that possessed high speed mobility in the air in addition to the capability to fire feather shaped light bullets.

Defeating it with the counter attack Critical Hit using Scale Blade would take some time because he needed to predict its inherent attack pattern.

Lux quickly readied his Breath Gun and laid down a barrage in front of the Gargoyle.

The claw tips of the Gargoyle who slipped through the barrage attacked. The moment Lux tried to match the timing with his Scale Blade──one more Abyss, a Chimera, assaulted from behind his Wyvern.

「Got you.」

Saniya who laid the trap saw that and her lips loosened up into a grin──but, right after that. The neck of the Chimera who should have taken Lux by surprise was snapped cleanly and the Abyss fell.

「……What-!?」

Lux pretended to intercept the attack from the front and evaded the claw while dealing the Critical Hit on the Chimera behind him. And then on the returning trip his sword dealt the second Critical Hit at the Gargoyle and smashed one of its hands.

He pretended to get caught in the Abyss’s coordination and reversely created the chance for Critical Hit.

Saniya and Egnid who saw that looked up to the sky with a strongly alert look.

「This is a harsh joke yeah……? That guy, is he really human?」

「──I see, just because he isn’t using Bahamut, doesn’t mean that it will be that easy.」

Right after Egnid whispered in amazement, Saniya blew on her horn strongly once more.

Abyss were going out one after another from the cave. Lux who saw that took even more distance.

Him defeating the Chimera with a bit of gambling on his part was in order to provoke Saniya and the others.

In order to lure the Abyss swarm to the hidden fortress north of the capital, he had to make all the Abyss come out.

Therefore, Lux needed to make them think that just several Abyss wouldn’t be enough to defeat him.

「I want to pay my debt back to you directly, but it can’t be helped. Become the Abyss’s food like this!」

Right after Saniya yelled, countless Abyss that surged out from the cave started moving simultaneously.

After seeing that, Lux also turned around and flew away to escape.

『──Fu, I’ll tell you beforehand, your tactic is meaningless you know?』

A communication using Dragon Voice came from Saniya. Lux held his breath for only a moment.

『You must be planning to steal the control right at the moment the effect of my horn runs out using your own horn but──it’s pointless. Inside that swarm, there is a special Abyss called Grimoire. That guy will broadcast the command sent out by the horn to the surrounding area and make the Abyss to continue carrying out the same command. As long as that guy is alive, the effect of the horn won’t be dispelled, and they also won’t accept the commands of other horn users.』

The reason how a large amount of Abyss could be controlled in the period of several days when the horn’s effect would run out in a fixed time.

If they had that Abyss called Grimoire, certainly it was possible but──there was also the possibility that Saniya’s statement itself was a trap.

She might be making Lux to think that it was impossible to steal control using the horn so to lure him into challenging the Abyss with a decisive battle of brief duration.

(In any case, I need to at least confirm it.)

Lux evaded the attacks of the countless Abyss while buying time by intentionally taking detours in his escape route.

It was approximately ten minutes with his biological clock.

In the timing when it seemed like the effect of the first horn flute should be running out, Lux strongly blew into the horn he was carrying.

Strange noise ran through the area, but the movement of the Abyss in front of him didn’t change.

『Now you get that it’s pointless? Then this time resolve yourself for sure and fight.』

(──Good!)

After confirming the existence of the Abyss called Grimoire, Lux started escaping again.

Lux showed the fact that 『he was carrying a horn flute and tried blowing it』 and made a reason for Saniya and the others to chase after him.

If Lux identified the Grimoire and defeated it, it was possible that the swarm of Abyss could be stolen by him.

Therefore, Saniya’s group should be moving to finish off Lux.

Like this it was possible to carry out the plan──luring all the Abysses to the hidden fort.

「USHAAAAAaaA-!」

Right after Lux decided his action’s objective, the swarm of Abyss attacked with even more vigor.

Lux slipped through the fierce attacks of a great variety of Abyss using sword handling and control skills and continued to escape.

Because he continued to defend, he could only mix actions to hold back the enemy from his end, each time he did that he risked danger and several times there were attacks that grazed his Drag-Ride’s frame.

「Kuh……!」

His armor was gradually shaved, he also became unable to use weapons, his options to defend and dodge was getting limited.

He wasn’t even allowed to blink inside the offense and defense to the utmost limit. That time when Lux almost ran out of breath, he finally saw the target forest──the hidden fort where the interception force was standing by.

(……Here they come!)

Right after Lux confirmed it, the Drag-Knights stationed inside the fortress were already readying their respective weapons simultaneously, and they pulled the trigger one after another.

The fired countless flashes roared and ran through the sky, shaking the atmosphere and exploded.

It became the starting signal of the battle, and the extermination operation began.

Part 2

After a total of two hours since the beginning of the battle between an army of around a hundred Abyss and a mixed force at the hidden fort.

In the arena at the capital, the latter half of the All-Dragon Battle──its first battle was already going to start.

A lot of spectators gathered in the audience seats and the venue was filled with even fiercer enthusiasm than the day before yesterday.

The three battles today would be against the Heiburg Republic, Markafar Kingdom, and the Vanheim Principality, in that order.

Inside the waiting room before the battle began, the selection members of the New Kingdom with the exception of Lux was assembled.

「──Because of that, Nii-san cannot appear in today’s match.」

When Airi talked about the details of why Lux headed outside for the decoy mission, the selection members were shaken.

The Imperial Capital Recapture Plan was also a fearsome threat, but the duty of becoming a decoy in order to lure nearly a hundred Abyss alone was also reckless. Some voices arose saying that they should go to help but──

「Nii-san’s wish is so that everyone won’t be exposed to danger and for us to win the All-Dragon Battle.」

When Airi said that to everyone, before long everyone nodded in acceptance one by one.

「However, this is a let-down. I thought that those guys who attacked us at the Academy before this would surely come out here too but──」

The names of Saniya and the others weren’t registered in the roster of their first battle against Heiburg.

「As expected, Saniya and the others won’t make an appearance in the All-Dragon Battle. Currently, I don’t see them preparing a strong elite line-up that is even stronger than them, but……」

Celis too was whispering with a complicated face, perhaps because she was Saniya’s former friend and hoped for a chance meeting.

「At any rate, we cannot let our guard down. Whether inside the match, or outside it too──」

Philuffy also nodded shortly towards Krulcifer’s words.

Then, for the last, Lisha took a deep breath and made a smile.

「Then, we’re going to obtain the greatest result before Lux returns here! Let’s go!」

Along with those words, the signal bell that informed the match starting time rang outside the venue.

The audiences’ voices that were heated up due to the starting of the match could be heard until where they were.

Part 3

At the same time. Nearby the hidden fortress north of the capital, the large scale battle between the Abyss and the mixed troops was continuing.

After Lux led the swarm of Abyss and rushed into the forest, the military Drag-Knights who were tired of waiting started Cannon bombardment all at once and managed to exterminate a little under 20 percent of the enemy number.

After that was an all-out war between the two sides.

Thinking based purely on battle strength, the advantage lay with the remaining 80 odd Abyss.

The Abyss’s strengths varied depending on the size and type, and their battle strength would greatly vary depending on the combination too.

And then, even among the Drag-Knights of the New Kingdom military, there were only 20, 30 percent officers who were used to fighting the Abyss.

But, they had the terrain advantage where they were able to take cover behind a solid fortress while attacking.

And then, because Lux had lured the swarm through a long distance, the Abyss that were coming at him all at once in the beginning were now scattered from each other, at present the New Kingdom military was progressing the fight advantageously.

Lux entered inside the fortress and finished his decoy role for the moment. He reported to the commander of the mixed army, after that he followed someone who guided him and collapsed onto a bed in an underground room.

「As I thought, perhaps facing against a hundred was a bit reckless……」

Lux forgot because he was absorbed in the middle of fighting, but in actuality he only made it barely.

A great number of Abyss that had received a command from a horn flute once had the tendency to attack in a simple pattern.

Furthermore Lux was constantly fighting at high altitude. If he didn’t limit his opponents to only flying types like that, there was no doubt that he would be done in already.

「Even so──」

Lux laid down face up, staring at the ceiling while wiping the sweat on his forehead with a towel.

The three Drag-Knights that included Saniya vanished since midway for some reason.

There was also the unlikely chance that they got dragged into the Abyss’s attacks, but he didn’t understand the reason.

Even if by chance they were heading to the capital by themselves, they shouldn’t be able to do anything with just the three of them.

(But, why is it I wonder? It feels like, we are overlooking something important──)

The recoil from finally getting liberated from the extreme tension caused the fatigue to steal Lux’s ability to think.

His consciousness was falling as though getting sucked into darkness.

Part 4

『Next, the second battle today. The battle between the New Kingdom Atismata versus Markafar Kingdom will begin. The participants of the first match, please come up to the ring!』

When the New Kingdom’s referee who was wearing a Drake prompted the participants, the representative from Markafar, a male Drag-Knight walked towards the arena first.

Markafar Kingdom had a wide territory, but perhaps because there was no Ruin existing in their territory, their Drag-Knight’s nurturing wasn’t that advanced.

Therefore, deciding that they would be able to take advantage in the pair battle using things like cooperation and so on, it was decided that in the first one-on-one battle Lisha would come out as the vanguard.

They obtained victory from the previous battle against Heiburg with two straight wins, so they had some leeway for this battle.

「Now then, I’ll win and create the momentum.」

Lisha exited the waiting room and whispered that before she wore her Divine Drag-Ride, Tiamat.

When she entered the passage that connected to the ring’s entrance, a figure clad in black robes ran in a straight line towards her.

「Lisha-sama!」

Airi who was similarly going out of the waiting room to look at the situation saw that and yelled reflexively.

「Hm……? What’s the matter little sister? Is there something?」

「Eh……?」

There was nothing behind Lisha and Tiamat who turned around. No, Airi saw that the moment the black robed shadow touched Tiamat, it looked like it vanished as though melting into the air.

「N, no, it’s nothing……. It was just, my imagination.」

「……Strange girl. If it’s about Lux, then he is surely fine.」

Lisha showed a smile before walking through the passage toward the venue.

But, Airi rushed through the stair towards the audience seats still with an uneasy look.

『Both sides are in position, so the first match of the second battle, the New Kingdom Atismata versus Markafar Kingdom shall begin. Battle, Start!』

Finally, the match started.

The vanguard of Markafar Kingdom was a user of a general purpose Drag-Ride Wyvern.

As long as there was no large incident, the victory of Lisha who was a user of a Divine Drag-Ride was unshakeable.

Lisha herself also sported a composed smile, and when she was about to press towards the opponent who was forced into a one-sided defensive battle──

「……Wha-!?」

Her expression instantly stiffened and agitation emerged on her face.

『Oh, is there some kind of trouble? The Drag-Ride of her highness Lizsharte is──……-!?』

The announcer Drag-Knight saw that and tilted his head. Lisha’s Tiamat moved right after that.

The cannon that was charged until maximum was aimed at the audience seat that was in a completely different direction from the opponent, and the trigger was suddenly pulled.

• DOUNN!*

The cannon roared and a single beam of light ran through the air.

The defense Drag-Knight in front of the audience seat was shocked while blocking it with his strongest barrier.

Although he barely blocked the attack completely, scared voices arose from the audience seats behind him.

「Wa, wait-!? I’m not doing any──!?」

In contrast with Lisha’s bewildered words, Tiamat started charging the cannon’s energy once more.

And then, it ignored the Drag-Knight of Markafar Kingdom who was the opponent and once more aimed without the slightest deviation──toward the audience seats that were fired at just now.

「──Why!? Why is Tiamat’s control──!? STOOOPPP……!」

Lisha screamed. At the same time a scream arose from the whole venue.

The defense Drag-Knight was still unbalanced and was unable to deploy the next barrier.

The moment the cannon which was charged to maximum output was fired once more towards the spectators behind, a faint territory of light spread in front of Lisha.

「Divine Gate」

Celis’s Lindwurm appeared before her eyes and deployed the maximum output barrier.

Celis was blown backward from blocking it, but the attack was somehow held back so that no damage to the surroundings occurred.

In addition, the armament of Krulcifer’s Fafnir, the Freezing Cannon fired its freezing bullet and instantly froze Tiamat’s cannon, both legs, and its back wings.

With that──Tiamat was completely suppressed.

『Ho, how could this be!? The Drag-Ride of her highness Lizsharte suddenly rampaged. However, this──』

Right after the commentary voice was raised,

「Be silent! This match is suspended because of the trouble’s occurrence!」

The referee official landed down on the ring together with several Drag-Knights.

After that, Lisha’s Tiamat was dispelled, and using a Drake’s megaphone function, a formal judgment was handed down.

「It’s deemed as an attack that intentionally aimed at the audience! The second battle is counted as the loss of the New Kingdom due to rule breaking!」

「……!?」

A great commotion spread out like ripples from the audience seats and people raised their voices.

「Is her highness still unable to handle a Divine Drag-Ride that it rampaged at this kind of time?」

「The aimed audience seats, the VIPs from the Vanheim Principality were sitting there right? Perhaps this will become an international problem──」

「Was she trying to kill them while pretending it was an accident? Don’t tell me, such thing……」

「──That’s wrong-!? I didn’t do it! Such thing, absolutely──!」

Krulcifer gently put her hand on the shoulder of Lisha who lost her self-control and shouted with a trembling voice.

「Let it pass for now. No matter what happened, right now──it’s still」

Hearing those calm and serious words, Lisha lowered down her hand that was reaching to empty air.

And with that, the curtain fell on the New Kingdom’s second battle.

Part 5

「Wha, what happened!? Why is fire coming from inside──uwah!?」

「Re, retreat! They infiltrated until inside this fortress already!」

「Idiot! Retreat you say!? There are still thirty Abyss remaining here! No way we can run away to the capital at this rate!」

「You are the idiot! We cannot maintain the front line now that the formation has crumbled this far! At this rate it will be total annihilation!」

There was a loud bombing sound and the sound of Drag-Rides’ propulsion devices from above.

Furthermore the screams of the soldiers was mixed with the roars of the Abyss. Lux who only just woke up instantly recognized the graveness of the situation.

「────」

He quickly took the pocket watch that he put on the stand beside the pillow and checked the time.

It was less than two hours since Lux’s consciousness cut off.

He put strength into his lower feet and stood up, then took a deep breath.

Strength returned to his body, but under this emergency situation, not even a single mistake would be permitted.

He opened the door from inside with strong vigilance. When he tried to climb to the first floor from the stone room underground, he caught sight of a wounded person who seemed to roll down from the stairs.

「Get a hold of yourself! What happened!?」

When Lux rushed to the person in panic and lifted up his body, the soldier made a suffering expression and talked with a hoarse voice.

「Re, retreat quickly! We were tricked. Our strategy was leaked to those guys right from the start! That’s the only explanation. We fought the Abyss well at first, but those guys……the Rebel Army that suddenly appeared from inside the fortress, attacked us──」

「……The Rebel Army? How?」

In the Imperial Capital Recapture Plan that the New Kingdom’s spy obtained, the Rebel Army that was the main force shouldn’t attack yet according to the plan.

「I don’t know. But there is only one thing that is clear. It’s already impossible to defend this fortress anymore……」

「…………」

Lux instinctually grasped the true situation.

The fact that Lux heard from the consuls──that the Rebel Army’s main force should still be standing by at a far away base. It was a trap from the enemy that they were caught in.

(However──it’s only natural.)

If a great number of Abyss were found to exist near the capital, anyone would have their attention diverted there.

In order to intercept a hundred Abyss at this hidden fortress, sixty percent of the full strength of the New Kingdom’s army was invested here.

The situation was more pressing than expected.

「Please hide underground and retreat when there is a chance. I’m──going.」

「Wa, wait! What are you planning to do!?」

「I’ll lure away the remaining Abyss and the Rebel Army somehow for sure.」

「Sto, stop acting rashly……!? Such thing, is imposs──!」

Ignoring the soldier who tried to stop him, Lux summoned his Wyvern.

He quickly equipped it and flew, got out of the fortress that was on fire, and headed to the sky in order to grasp the situation.

What he found there was the swarm of Abyss that was climbing over the fortress while destroying it and──around two hundred Rebel Army members behind them.

Until that point it was within Lux’s expectation, but an unexpected face was among that army.

「Hoo, it has been a long time──Lux. O little brother of my best friend Abel Arcadia.」

Lux unconsciously held his breath after seeing the Drag-Knight inside the EX Wyvern flying in the front as though leading that army.

「You are……if I remember right──」

Ragreed Forus.

Five years ago he escaped from the New Kingdom to Heiburg and colluded with the military division there. The supreme commander of the Rebel Army.

Once, in the Arcadia Empire, he was the best friend of Lux’s older brother, the sixth imperial prince Abel. A man from a great noble family who was arranged to become a member of that Abel’s imperial guard.

His personality and ideology were dyed the same color as the Old Empire. He schemed to put a false accusation on Philuffy who was still a child at that time. To Lux, he was an opponent that he had a tie with.

The subordinates behind him didn’t move, perhaps because he given instructions using Dragon Voice so that they didn’t interfere.

「Strange fate really does exist. We, who have relation as someone who similarly spend childhood time in the imperial court are now reunited like this as fellow enemies. I heard about your story from the strategist you know? Black Hero.」

Ragreed sent a condescending gaze at Lux and grinned.

It seemed that he already heard about the Black Hero and Bahamut from that Hayes.

「Since that time, when you became a hindrance to my scheme, I had a hunch even as a child, that this guy is absolutely──going to be an enemy against me.」

He said that with an annoyed tone before pointing his middle sized Blade towards Lux.

「But, in the end, it’s me who will win. Already, the capital is going to certainly fall. I will succeed the will of the Old Empire──ascending to the throne of this country as the new emperor.」

「──Pitiful person.」

「Wha……?」

Ragreed knitted his eyebrows slightly in response to Lux’s cold gaze towards him.

「Don’t you understand that you are only being used as a pawn by Heiburg’s military division and that strategist? By the time you become the emperor only in name, you will be nothing more than a puppet that rules this country obeying what those guys ordered you to. Are you planning to become a clown who is only acting like a ruler because your eyes are blinded by greed?」

「……Fuh, fufufu. KukukukukukukuHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!」

When Lux pointed that out, Ragreed covered his face with his right hand while laughing loudly.

「You haven’t changed at all, huh. You, are you stupid or are you an idiot──or are you drunk?」

Ragreed made a vulgar grin on his mouth while tapping on his own head *tap tap* with his finger.

「A propped up figurehead? A clown who is only acting? So what? Isn’t that just fine? I will be able to wield the authority of this country publicly as the emperor under the banner of Heiburg. I’ll be able to toy with this country’s fortune and foolish masses, and act as tyrannical as I please. After all, I’m a modest and clever person. The qualifications as an emperor or the recognition of others──I don’t have any interest in anything like that from the start. It’s all fine if I can just live easily and make you all submit.」

「…………」

Lux listened to that and let out a small sigh.

This man before his eyes, originally, he was a man from a great noble family at the level that allowed him to come and go even inside the imperial court, but right now he looked uglier than any kind of Abyss.

「──Only you, I absolutely won’t allow you to do that. 」

Lux quietly took a breath, then he looked forward with a chilly gaze.

And then he took a stance with his Scale Blade positioned horizontally at the same height as his eyes. In response to that, Ragreed also moved his EX Wyvern.

「Kukuku! You sure can talk, huh, ruined prince! ──Then, I’ll make you beg!」

He flew drawing a sharp curve while saying that and unleashed a slash from his rush towards Lux.

It was an attack that made use of the EX Wyvern’s mobility, but that was all there was to it.

Lux saw it and then reacted. He intercepted using Critical Hit by means of the Scale Blade.

With that, the opponent’s attack power should be reflected back onto a single point and destroy the weapon and armor, but──

• BACHIIN!*

「-……!?」

Instantly a dazzling light burst at the point of contact and both sides were blown backwards.

The Critical Hit should have been executed perfectly, but the EX Wyvern was unharmed.

No, rather than that──

(The Drag-Ride’s movement, at midway……it changed?)

There wasn’t just a powerful repelling force just now, right before Lux blocked the attack, the enemy’s movement changed subtly.

It happened at the timing that absolutely couldn’t be changed if the Drag-Ride was only controlled normally.

「──What’s up, is that everything you got? You seriously think you can protect this country when you cannot even beat me alone?」

Lux’s Critical Hit ended in failure wasn’t because Ragreed’s movement was exceptionally excellent.

Certainly he had the skill that was near the level of a High Class Drag-Knight, but that was all.

The Drag-Ride he was wearing had the appearance of a simple EX Wyvern but──it contained some kind of secret.

「You aren’t going to use Bahamut against the likes of me? Then I’ll teach you something good. About right now a bigger calamity is approaching the New Kingdom. A tremendous force that is even more dangerous than that Ragnarok.」

「What……!?」

Ragreed’s fearless grin didn’t show any signs of falsehood.

No, leaving that aside Lux had a clue about it.

If his worst imagination, that normally should be absolutely impossible, was right on the mark──

「──Howling Howl!」

Instantly Lux emitted shockwaves from his armor’s head aiming at Ragreed in front of him.

Right after the EX Wyvern was sent flying before his eyes, Lux moved backwards and took a wide distance.

Lux took position at the shadow of a large rock behind him, then he quickly dispelled his Wyvern.

「Fuh! Finally you got motivated huh? Then──I’m going to go at full power too!」

Ragreed who saw that also pulled back temporarily before pulling the horn flute on his neck towards his mouth.

Along with the dissonant chord of the horn, the command towards the Grimoire was rewritten and the remaining thirty Abyss stopped attacking the fortress. All of them simultaneously changed direction towards Lux. Furthermore with that as the signal, the Rebel Army’s Drag-Knights who were colored in grey also directed their weapon’s aim towards Lux.

The current Lux could only use Bahamut for the time limit of twelve minutes.

Using it for more than that would cause the Drag-Ride to be forcefully dispelled and become unusable.

The remaining thirty-odd Abyss and approximately two hundred Drag-Knights of the Rebel Army.

The greatest threat currently approaching the royal capital.

There was already no other way except making a gamble here in order to stop all those threats.

Lux quickly muttered the passscode and equipped a jet black armor.

「Kuku, finally showing up huh Black Hero! User of the violent dragon Bahamut! Now, show me! Just what can you do with that few remaining time and strength!」

Ragreed yelled and lifted his Blade high towards the sky.

Instantly, the Abyss and the Drag-Knights he was leading simultaneously started attacking.

Part 6

The All-Dragon Battle waiting room for the New Kingdom was dead silent as though cold water had been poured there.

The second battle before this ended as the loss of the New Kingdom because they were regarded as violating the rule intentionally. In addition Celis and Krulcifer who barged into the arena also lost their qualifications to participate today and their side was forced into a disadvantage.

Lisha who was the perpetrator of the incident was taken away for a hearing by the investigator who came from the palace.

Of course it was the fact that she was under suspicion, but because she was also in the position as the New Kingdom’s princess, there was also the intention to shelter her personage as quickly as possible.

With this, for the last battle against the Vanheim Principality, the only Divine Drag-Ride user who could participate was Philuffy, but there was an even more serious problem for the New Kingdom.

Lisha’s cannon shot was directed towards the audience seats where the VIPs of the Vanheim Principality were placed.

Currently the All-Dragon Battle was still ongoing, so the matter was put on hold, but the other side was holding doubt that the incident was intentional.

In the case that after the All-Dragon Battle was over the Vanheim Principality denunciated the New Kingdom with the suspicion of assassination, it was unavoidable that the New Kingdom’s position would worsen, in the worst case──it might even become the spark of war against the Vanheim Principality.

And it would happen by the hands of none other than Lisha who said that she would fight for the sake of the New Kingdom──

「Even with the investigation of the cause, for the time being we have to prepare against the next match. The third match against the Vanheim Principality will surely have a different atmosphere than before. ──Are you good to go, Philuffy Aingram?」

「It’s fine. Even in the case that someone blows a horn flute, I can endure it for a little while.」

Putting out Philuffy under this emergency situation was a kind of a gamble.

The opponent wasn’t the Heiburg Republic, but if they felt like doing something, there was the possibility that they would use a horn flute to control Philuffy who possessed the traits and abilities of an Abyss to cause damage.

An especially strict inspection towards the personal belongings of Heiburg’s people should be carried out, but they still couldn’t let their guard down.

And then──

「Controlling a Drag-Ride……if there was someone who set up Lisha-sama, then as expected, is it that girl?」

Airi spoke out what she was thinking since some time ago with a low voice.

The girl who possessed the nickname of the Empire’s Assassin Blade, Kirihime Yoruka.

The Divine Raiment of her Yato no Kami──Spell Code, was the ability to control other people’s Drag-Rides which was activated by touching the their Drag-Ride.

Lisha and the others had witnessed it, and the other selection members had also heard about it from them.

「Even if that is actually the case, we will have to search for her and apprehend her. There is almost no chance that we can make it until the next match begins but──we can only do it.」

Saying that, Celis and Krulcifer stood up.

「There is no time. Celis-senpai and I will split up and search for her. So──Airi-chan. Can we leave the command of the team to you?」

「……I understand.」

Airi accepted with a nervous voice.

「Yes. I’m going to equip my Drake constantly, so if there is something I will contact you two.」

「I’ll leave it to you, then」

The two said just that and left the waiting room to search for the culprit.

If Kirihime Yoruka was aiming for Lux, there was a possibility that she was lurking nearby.

Thinking so, Krulcifer headed outside. Then she saw the figure of the guard soldiers around the practice ground rushing around in a panic.

「What’s the matter? Perhaps something troubling has happened?」

Krulcifer who felt the abnormality called out to a young officer.

「Ah…… no, there is nothing! Ple, please, you can continue to watch the match……」

For a moment Krulcifer thought whether this was the government putting the incident that Lisha caused just now in order, but the situation was strange no matter how she looked.

「I am a Drag-Knight who belongs to Syvalles, the raid force of the Academy of Cross Field. This time I am here as a participant of the All-Dragon Battle, but I have finished my turn. If there is a problem, can I please at least be informed about the details?」

Krulcifer presented her student ID and told the soldier so.

Originally speaking, Krulcifer who was an oversea student from Ymir couldn’t participate in a mission with a high danger level, so she lied only on that point.

「Is, is that so!? N, no……there is only a bit of mistaken information circulating between the defense force for the area around the capital……! We are gathering information to confirm it while being on guard just in case──」

「Can you tell me specifically what is happening?」

Krulcifer who heard of that detail questioned the soldier further.

The soldier was sweating nervously while forming his words.

「Currently, a giant enemy force from the northeast of the royal capital──there is high chance that this is mistaken information, but it mentioned that the fifth Ruin that existed in Heiburg itself is moving──」

「……-!?」

The complexion of Krulcifer who heard that sentence changed.

She already knew that behind the scenes of this All-Dragon Battle, Heiburg’s Imperial Capital Recapture Plan was in motion.

And then, there was the existence of Hayes who was called as LordCreator at the third Ruin, the Ark.

If they were similarly related with the attack this time──

「Northeast of the capital is it? I will also go to take a look at the situation.」

「Ple, please! I’m in a hurry to evacuate the residents at the northeast area so──」

「Oi! What are you doing there! Quickly go!」

The young officer was scolded by a man who seemed to be his superior and he hurriedly dashed away.

After parting with the man, Krulcifer summoned Fafnir and equipped it.

She took a high altitude where she could have a bird-eye view of the capital and flew to the northeast.

With Fafnir that possessed the greatest level of mobility, she would be able to make a round trip until outside the capital in just a few minutes.

After continuing to fly with the maximum output of the booster in her back wings, before long the sight of the surroundings became obstructed.

「Mist──? Even though the capital had clear weather just now……?」

Krulcifer decelerated Fafnir and hovered midair.

She should be right outside the walls of the capital, but it was as though the scenery below was completely unseen.

But, a heavy moving sound that the thick mist couldn’t erase could be heard from right nearby.

「This is──!?」

The moment Krulcifer whispered, a thunderous roar exploded.

Countless flashes flew piercing the white mist obstructing her sight.

One of it exploded and burst in front of Fafnir, sending it flying backwards for a few dozen mel.

「Kuh……!?」

She escaped danger because of the protection of the special armament of automatic defense──the Auto Shield that activated just before it hit her. The power of the attack was so tremendous to the degree that it wouldn’t be strange if she were to receive serious damage without the protection.

The enemy itself blew away the mist due to the explosion blast of the cannon attack it fired. Because of that the true shape of the enemy became clear.

「Wha……!?」

The moment she was able to look at the full picture of the enemy, Krulcifer’s spine froze.

It was gigantic.

A giant body that far surpassed a large type Abyss──Golem that Krulcifer once fought personally.

It had two legs that could be mistaken as a mountain of steel. On top of those legs was a large waist two sizes bigger than the royal castle and an inverted triangle of a chest, at the left and right were protruding shoulders where each looked like a large type battleship. On the surface of those shoulders, countless cannon muzzles could be seen.

The head part that resembled a rhinoceros beetle had a neck that slightly extended to the front, looking down on the royal capital with robotic eyes.

Its thin long arms had countless streaks running on it. At the end of each of those arms was a hand with five fingers. Several houses were already pinned under them.

It modeled the shape of an armored soldier, the gigantic fortress of steel that should be emplaced at Heiburg.

The fifth Ruin 『Gigas』 that Krulcifer once saw in a book was moving as it was.

「They got us. Who would have ever thought that they were hiding this kind of trump card──」

The Ark where Poseidon existed left its movement route until now by the action of Hayes and her group and its whereabouts became unknown.

In that case, it wouldn’t be strange if they also had done something to the Ruins of Heiburg where Yggdrasil──the Ragnarok that Lux and the others had defeated probably came from.

But, although the fifth Ruin was liberated by that, for the Ruin itself to come invading like this was just too much.

『Warning – we demand for you to dispel your armor as well as surrendering, Xfer-sama.』

「Eh──?」

Suddenly, a cold apathetic voice without any inflection in it could be heard through Dragon Voice.

Krulcifer didn’t see any other Drag-Ride around her.

Krulcifer noticed a moment late that the voice came from the Gigas before her.

『Identifier name – Gear Leader of the fifth Ruin, El Fajura will break the prohibition in causing unnecessary harm to you──no』

That girl who was most likely similarly an Automaton like La Cruche of the Ark suddenly completely stopped her words that were said with no gaps in between.

『Unfortunately just now there was a notification from my Lord to immediately──exterminate you she said.』

「-……!?」

The change in attitude of the Automaton that also happened at the Ark.

Krulcifer recalled the shadow of Hayes from that situation.

『Transitioning to attack preparedness──firing』

At the same time with that voice, innumerable countless cannon muzzles extended from the Gigas’s protruding shoulders.

Right after that, thunderous roars and explosive blasts that completely filled the surroundings swept over the sky above the royal capital.

Part 7

「What in the world……」

Noct who was wearing a Drake inside the arena’s waiting room heard the Dragon Voice from Krulcifer and she unconsciously groaned.

The third battle of the All-Dragon Battle’s latter half, the battle against the Vanheim Principality was entering into the last third battle.

Philuffy won in the first individual match, and the second match, the pair match, ended in defeat just now.

With both sides having one win each, the third match would begin. But before it could start, the state of high alert was invoked in the royal capital and it was discussed to temporarily suspend the All-Dragon Battle.

But, only Greifer, who was the Vanheim Principality’s participant for the third match, was firmly maintaining his attitude that wished for the match to continue. He stayed rooted on the arena ring.

「I’ll wait just for five more minutes yeah? Come fight already, New Kingdom.」

Greifer showed a fearless grin. He was already clad in his Divine Drag-Ride Cuelebre waiting for the start signal of the battle in the ring.

「I’ll say this beforehand. For the time being there is also the need for keeping up appearances, so I came out for this match, but if you guys don’t take responsibility for firing a cannon at our princess, then it doesn’t matter what the result of this match is, I’m gonna locate the criminal myself. I’ll catch anyone suspicious one by one──and then interrogate them with these hands.」

Greifer’s eye glint that was tinged with killing intent caused the spectators to get goosebumps.

──Right now, there was no Drag-Knight of the New Kingdom who could stop Greifer who was in a frenzy.

Almost all the Drag-Knights were already departing in order to defend against the force attacking from both sides of the royal capital.

「……Will he make it in time?」

Airi gazed at that ring. And then when she lifted up her face, Noct’s Drake suddenly showed a reaction of receiving a transmission from Dragon Voice.

『Can you hear me──Airi, Noct?』

When she came to hear the familiar voice of her big brother, Airi’s lips burst into a relieved smile.

But, her expression immediately returned to her usual calm look and she brought her face closer to the Drake before throwing out her voice.

「You’re late! Just what have you been doing Nii-san! This side is in really grave trouble! A giant Ruin is attacking from the northeast! Lisha-sama’s Tiamat rampaged, and the people of the Vanheim Principality were aimed at──what should we do about this!?」

『Yeah, I also got set up on my side. The hidden fortress already fell, and I’m getting chased by the Rebel Army and an Abyss swarm.』

「-……!? And, what is Nii-san planning to do?」

『I want you to tell everyone what I’m going to say after this.』

Lux told Airi the 『strategy』 in the shadow of the arena that was enveloped in uneasy commotion.

Part 8

「The prime minister of the Vanheim Principality is saying that they will bring up the incident of this matter resolutely. They won’t accept the explanation that there is a defect in the Drag-Ride. He told us to hand over the princess to be judged by their law.」

「There is no way we can do something like that! Even the All-Dragon Battle isn’t over yet you know!? Tell him that we will listen to what he has to say again later!」

On the other hand, inside the castle. Inside the wide conference room, the angry yells of the consuls flew around.

The extermination mission of the Abyss swarm failed due to the surprise attack of the Rebel Army led by Ragreed, and the enemy army was marching on from the northwest.

Their aim was just as the name 『Imperial Capital Recapture Plan』 suggested, this very royal capital itself.

It wouldn’t even take tens of minutes until all the forces arrived at this place.

「But, there is also the fact that just the other day a guard of the royal capital attacked a selection member of the Vanheim Principality. In addition to the continuing bad blood since the era of the Old Empire. At this rate, they surely won’t listen to us urging them to go home to their country without even providing any proof or the perpetrator.」

「……The princess has also really done something outrageous. Even though that bunch has been troublesome since the past──」

「Please calm down. The clarification of the incident is not finished yet. Only after that everything can──」

Lamenting voices continued to rise from the consuls, hearing the reports coming in one after another.

Lisha was hanging her head down while listening to those voices of despondency and indignation from the floor immediately below.

After that match, still in her suit without even changing, she had been absentminded as though her soul had left her.

Why it had turned out like this?

Even though she should had done the best she could.

Even though for the sake of this country, while knowing that she was still immature──she thought of trying to become the real thing, and yet.

She didn’t have any such power, she betrayed everyone’s expectations, and invited the greatest predicament.

「It’s like……I’m a criminal.」

Inside the hidden room for the royalty’s personal use that was prepared underground.

She was isolated so that she wouldn’t be aimed at by the people of the Vanheim Principality that she enraged. Lisha made a powerless bitter smile towards her situation.

Her feelings were the same as five years ago, when she was kidnapped by the Old Empire and made into a hostage, before being abandoned by her father, the great hero.

She couldn’t do anything. She was toyed with by the happenings with nothing that she could do of her own strength, and lost everything.

「Why……. Why did it become like this again? Was I mistaken? From the start, someone like me──」

When she couldn’t endure it anymore and let out a complaint, footsteps came from in front of her.

When Lisha came back to herself and quickly lifted up her face, the room’s door was opened.

Over there, the Drag-Knights of the Rebel Army whose uniforms were painted grey were standing with their weapons ready.

「We are going to have you come along okay, your highness. Together with us.」

「…………」

Lisha could only look down with a pale expression.

Just like that day in the past.

Part 9

「How long are you planning to continue running huh, Black Hero? Aren’t you going to stop me?」

Lux who was wearing a jet black Drag-Ride was being chased by Ragreed who was wearing an EX Wyvern.

After exchanging blows several times above the hidden fortress, Lux who got a part of his shoulder armor broken, escaped in a straight line towards the direction of the capital.

But, he was chased by the strengthened general purpose Drag-Ride EX Wyvern, taking along the majority of the Rebel Army being led by Ragreed and also the Abyss that already numbered more than thirty.

「Kukuku, I heard from the strategist you know? The time you can fight in that Bahamut is limited. That’s why you are trying to lure us into a place where you can get the military’s reinforcement and bring this into an advantageous situation, aren’t you?」

「…………」

「But, that’s already impossible! Try looking in front of you!」

That sight entered the eyes of Lux whose field of vision was continuously filled by the scenery flowing backwards at high speed.

Bugriser’s unit that should be preparing for interception in front of the wall had already disappeared from there.

「……-!? I see, just as I thought……」

Lux held his breath. At the same time he looked far ahead and guessed the reason why the military had abandoned their position.

The information that the fifth Ruin, Gigas, that had existed in Heiburg couldn’t be seen anymore.

His worst prediction came true.

The fifth Ruin, Gigas.

The strange looking weapon that was filled with evil omen, to accomplish destruction and atrocities, was standing as though looking down on the capital’s townscape.

(But why? Why has no report come in that it had arrived until this near!? If the Ruin was moving, the Drag-Knights at the east of the capital should have seen it and yet──)

The Gigas which should be visible even from the distance of a few kl had approached until this near. Why didn’t anyone notice? (TN: kl is kilometer and mel is meter)

『……The Drag-Knights stationed at northeast of the capital──at the fortress along the rocky mountain and sea, it seems that they are being afflicted with a headache of unknown cause. There are no abnormalities with their bodies, so it doesn’t look like it’s poison or disease though.』

Suddenly that sentence that Airi told him was replayed inside his mind.

Instantly, a prickling pain as though behind his eyes was burning ran through Lux’s head. A scene that felt like it wasn’t his own memory entered inside his mind.

「──I thought that you would understand if it’s you though, my younger brother.」(TN: Fugil use the word ‘kentei’ to call Lux, it’s usually a polite reference to another person’s younger brother, but here he used it to call his own younger brother. Translated literally it means wise younger brother)

A vaguely nostalgic refined noise──the voice of his eldest brother Fugil entered his ears.

A red night sky that was illuminated by blazing flames.

In front of the castle of the Arcadia Empire where whirling up fire sparks were falling down, that thing was existing.

(This place──what in the world? Is this the memory of that day, five years ago?)

Lux could affirm that this scene had happened almost without a doubt, but a violent uncomfortable feeling bewildered Lux.

Lux didn’t have any memory at all that he had exchanged this kind of conversation with Fugil.

「……We cannot do such thing. There is no way something like this can be repeated because of the convenience of the likes of me, the likes of us!」

The Lux inside the memory raised his voice, in response Fugil smiled fearlessly.

A figure wearing a strange-looking Drag-Ride he had never even seen before with a gigantic size even bigger than the castle was there at the back.

「Is that so? You should have noticed already from a long time ago. You, who were born inside that corrupted palace, living while stuck in a dilemma between the royal family and the people, if it’s you then you should have noticed the structural defect of this country──no, this world and its people.」

Fugil spoke admonishingly, also as though in conclusion.

「See, you who are purer than anyone, because you want to avert your eyes from that fact really much, you could only take on the ideal of a king that is more righteous than anyone and took refuge inside that dream. ──But Lux, you should wake up already from the dream. We should accomplish it, we ought to carry out our true mission as hero.」

「You’re wrong! There is absolutely no such thing! I……what I really wished for is──」

「──Fine. Then you can come at me.」

The Drag-Ride that was so gigantic its full figure couldn’t even be grasped from nearby was starting up with a roaring sound that shook the earth.

「You won’t lose or anything. You cannot even stand on the same stage where I fight for eternity. Therefore, there was no victory or defeat right from the start. I will take the burden of your karma. Because I am──after all.」

「-……!?」

Lux who was wearing Bahamut in Over Limit state flew towards that giant dragon.

Instantly, the scenery distorted fiercely like jelly, enveloped by light, and vanished indistinctly.

Seven Ruins. The simultaneous activation of the ArtifactsTransforming Weapons.

The transforming Drag-Ride of the end and the beginning──Uro……boros.

「-……!?」

Lux returned to his senses and returned his consciousness to the sight before his eyes.

Perhaps it was a happening of only one or two seconds, because the Gigas far away and Ragreed before him were in Lux’s sight the same as before.

「Now you get it? It’s over for you all. You fell into our strategist-sama’s schemes. Your body shouldn’t be in the condition to use that Bahamut for much longer right?」

「──So your aim for luring me was that?」

Lux gazed at Ragreed with chilly eyes and voice.

Lux was lured to the north hidden fortress, the New Kingdom’s army was made to fall apart──and the clincher was how he kept talking provokingly to Lux. All of those were the groundwork to make this situation.

Hayes was on guard the most against Bahamut. She guided the event into a situation where Lux had to use it and drastically stole its operation time limit.

No matter what their side tried to do, they already got cornered into a helpless situation with nothing that could be done. Hayes’s scheme tried to obtain a certain victory like that.

All of Lux’s bad premonitions were right on the mark──no, the event was transitioning into a situation that was even worse than he imagined.

Just like when Lux tried to destroy the empire in the past.

But──the present was different from the past, he now had a lot of comrades he could trust.

That was why he resolved himself. That right here, right now, once again──they would save the New Kingdom with their power.

「Ragreed Forus. You’ve resolved yourself right?」

「……What?」

Ragreed frowned towards Lux’s calm declaration.

Completely different from in the past when they were in the imperial court, Lux’s face there was hiding determination inside.

「You put your bet on Heiburg and that strategist Hayes. As for me──I’ll bet on everyone who put their trust on me, and drive away all of you.」

Right after that, the jet black Drag-Ride Lux was wearing released a vortex of shockwave using Howling Howl.

「Kuh, ─a futile act!」

But, Ragreed held his ground and pulled his Cannon’s trigger aiming at Lux’s silhouette.

The jet black armor was smashed and countless fragments danced in the air. ──But,

「This is……?」

Ragreed was bewildered because the opponent purposefully didn’t deploy their barrier and there was strangely no resistance from the hit.

When he searched for Lux’s silhouette that he lost sight of, a calm voice entered his ears from beside a nearby bell tower.

「──Manifest, violent dragon who devours the flesh and blood of the gods. Sever the sky of black clouds, Bahamut!」

「What-!?」

Ragreed raised a shocked voice hearing the muttered passcode.

Right after that, light particles converged at high speed and formed a shape. A jet black Drag-Ride was summoned once more.

The aerodynamically shaped MithrildytePhantasmal Gem Steel clad in dragon’s might manifested and emitted an ominous luster as though to display that absolute power hidden inside the frame.

「How-!? How can there be two Bahamut!?」

「──Connect – On」

The moment Lux muttered coldly, the Drag-Ride unfolded from inside and transformed into an armor that covered Lux’s body.

「What I was wearing while you were chasing after me was a mere Wyvern. It only had its armor parts adjusted and painted black.」

「Kuh……! Such thing! Impossible!?」

Yes, the true identity of the thing Lux requested of Lisha in the capital was that.

It was another Drag-Ride that was different from his original Wyvern that was tuned for defense. It was a Wyvern with its armor and barrier scraped down as low as possible to make it a light weight type that stressed in speed.

By skillfully using it properly, Ragreed’s eyes were tricked.

「Bu, bu, how can you do something like that!? In the first place you should only be preparing for the Abyss extermination! You shouldn’t know anything about our attack! And yet why──guah!」

Lux glided and took the position overhead Ragreed. He ignored the question and slashed at the EX Wyvern.

Ragreed almost crashed into the bell tower from the impact he got, yet right before he crashed, the surface of his armor shined and his trajectory was altered, preventing him from crashing.

「It wasn’t like I understood what will happen. But──I’m just planning beforehand, to at least prepare a plan that can react against anything that could happen.」

The answer for Ragreed’s question was exceedingly simple.

From the start Lux was already harboring doubt towards the existence of the deserted village where a great number of Abyss was staying, and also the very fact that the New Kingdom was able to obtain the information about it beforehand.

The enemy’s strategist Hayes also knew well about the information regarding the specifications of Over Limit.

In that case──naturally, Lux put into consideration the possibility that Hayes would put into motion a plan to exhaust him, and then Lux requested Lisha for the countermeasure against that.

「I don’t have time right now. ──But, I too still have something I want to confirm.」

Lux put energy into his great sword Chaos Brand and let out a slash with the shortest movement he could toward the unbalanced Ragreed.

He aimed at the part that was shining on the armor’s surface just now and hit it hard.

『U, aa……!』

• crackle crackle-!* After a small burst of electricity, light that looked like shining powder spilled out from the surface and a faint voice could be heard.

「So that’s the true shape of it? The thing that strengthened your Drag-Ride and assisted the control was──」

「Chih!?」

Ragreed clicked his tongue hearing Lux pointing it out.

Lux was uncertain of the full details of it, but most likely it was because of someone’s cooperation──or perhaps an old technology sleeping inside the Ruin that was applied to the EX Wyvern.

Thinking about how Hayes used the fifth Ruin to invade the royal capital, it wasn’t hard to imagine.

「Guah!?」

Lux struck down Ragreed to the ground with the returning movement of his sword.

After looking at the EX Wyvern crashing at the vicinity outside the arena, Lux landed down on the arena ring where the spectators were already starting to evacuate.

He landed facing Greifer who was standing there clad in the Divine Drag-Ride Cuelebre.

Cheers and commotion rose up seeing the intrusion of the unidentified Drag-Ride.

『Wha, what could this be!? Suddenly, a mysterious Drag-Knight landed down at the position of the New Kingdom’s side!』

The military officer clad in Drake who had the commentator’s role also raised such a surprised voice.

Because the distance from the audience seat until the center of the ring was quite far, surely almost everyone didn’t notice that it was Lux.

「Oh. To think that there would be a superb performance where you come here for me, huh.」

At the opposite side, Greifer seemed to notice that it was Lux. His mouth loosened and made a grin.

「Can you accept fighting me, right here right now?」

「Got no objection here, I don’t intend to retract my previous statement yeah? Regardless of this match’s result, we’re gonna capture the princess of you guys, then make her spit out the location of the culprit no matter what. I’m not gonna allow what happened ten years ago repeat again, when the Old Empire charged a crime on my father and killed him.」

Lux was also concerned about Lisha, but right now he had to stop this person first.

Lux stayed still on the designated position and ran his gaze around. Right outside the ring, the military officer who had the referee role was looking at Lux’s Bahamut with a bewildered face.

It was natural that he got bewildered when an unfamiliar Drag-Ride suddenly entered the ring.

Reluctantly, Lux took a small breath in order to reveal his identity, but then,

「I met him before so I remember. That guy is certainly one of the New Kingdom’s representatives. If you get it then give the starting signal quickly. It’s none other than me, the opponent──who recognizes it like that yeah?」

「──Ye, yes-!?」

Threatened by Greifer, the referee hurriedly moved to the direction of the audience seat and peeked at the complexion of the management committee members. And then, perhaps they gave him an agreeing signal because the referee immediately raised his voice.

『Then, the last battle that is today’s third battle──New Kingdom Atismata versus Vanheim Principality, the third match will begin!』

The duel between a mysterious Drag-Knight who flew down from the sky against the leader of the Vanheim Principality’s representatives, Greifer.

Inside the royal capital that was already imposing the state of high alert, at the arena that was enveloped in a bizarre atmosphere, where the spectators were starting to evacuate, the last battle of the All-Dragon Battle started.

『Battle, Start!』

The instant the referee’s voice resounded, Greifer’s Cuelebre shot off.

Its back wings spewed out air explosively, closing the distance instantly while unleashing a slash at the same time.

The moment Lux blocked it with his great sword, a Howling Howl struck at him from above his defense.

「Kuh……!」

Bahamut’s barrier blocked the impact and it was forced to back off. From above the barrier, the peculiar slash of Tail Blade paid it no mind and struck down with the momentum of a surging wave.

It was like a raging wind. It was a style of offensive tactic that forcefully robbed the opponent from any choice by constantly taking the initiative, cornering the enemy, and continued to attack without pause.

That rain of attacks that seemed sloppy from a glance increased in precision and power each time it was unleashed, cornering the enemy with certainty.

The enemy was without exaggeration a strong person. If Lux wanted to defeat this man in this current situation──there was only one way.

「Reload on Fire」

「──Photon Dive」

The moment their sword crossed, Lux’s Bahamut gushed out red light to display its Divine Raiment’s activation.

As though responding to that, Greifer also quickly invoked his Divine Raiment.

The Divine Raiment that compressed the energy and phenomenon of the first five seconds, then activating and doubling it in the later five seconds, Reload on Fire.

In contrast, Cuelebre’s Photon Dive made it so that for a few seconds when the ability was activated, all the enemy’s attack wouldn’t affect it and got deflected, so to speak it was a Divine Raiment that transformed the Drag-Ride into an invincible state.

Lux was evading Cuelebre’s slashes while carving many slashes using the blade of the great sword he wielded onto the surface of the enemy’s armor.

But, his attacks that were unleashed with the usual speed naturally didn’t get through.

In the end, even the tip of his blade was deflected and it exposed a small opening instead.

「I got you-!」

Greifer’s blade struck along with a sharp step-in.

Although Lux withdrew from the range just for an instant faster, the surface of his armor got a faint scratch.

Even so Lux didn’t show any agitation and he gazed at Greifer with an expression that showed no opening.

「That’s quite something. So this is your true strength? But in the end it’s pointless yeah? Cuelebre’s Photon Dive won’t get affected by any kind of attack. You absolutely──……-!?」

At that time when Greifer grinned proudly, something strange occurred.

• PASHI–!*

A sharp impact sound burst, and together with it countless red slash lines instantly ran through Cuelebre’s armor.

The impact energy from the Force Core that Bahamut’s Chaos Brand was filled with. The energy came into effect with delayed time difference and attacked Cuelebre right after the effect of Photon Dive cut off.

「Whattt……!?」

「The Photon Dive gave you roughly seven seconds of invincibility. Aiming at the moment it was turned off, I delayed the moment the impact of the sword I wielded reached you by using Reload on Fire’s ability.」

Lux accelerated at the same time he coldly told that, and struck Cuelebre’s torso with a full power attack where Lux put all his weight in it.

「Gu, ah……!」

The sword was swung to the end as though it was also shooting through the generated barrier altogether, sending Greifer flying to a distance far away.

Greifer crashed onto the arena’s wall and the impact made his deployed barrier to get dispelled.

With that, based on the rules, the match was decided.

『The, the representative of the Vanheim Principality had his barrier dispelled because of the damage and has become unable to fight further! The winner of the third match as well as the third battle is, the New Kingdom Atismata!』

「OOOOOOH……!」

The sudden intrusion of the black Drag-Knight and that dramatic conclusion caused the spectators of the New Kingdom who were still remaining in the middle of the evacuation to raise a stir.

Lux listened to that vaguely as though from far away while gazing at Greifer who was knocked onto the wall.

(──That was dangerous.)

Lux won his dangerous gamble and he stroke down his chest in relieve inside his heart.

The fight would undoubtedly become prolonged if he didn’t settle the match in this opening phase. If the match dragged on, it would be unclear how the outcome would turn out to be.

And then ──Lux was able to win this battle merely because of the decisive difference of information both sides possessed.

Lux knew about the trait and the Divine Raiment that Greifer’s Divine Drag-Ride Cuelebre possessed from directly crossing swords against him, while Greifer didn’t know anything about Lux’s Bahamut.

This was a victory that he wouldn’t be able to obtain without Greifer’s reckless personality and that accidental battle, but it was fine like that for now.

First was to stop the movement of Greifer and the Vanheim Principality who were in an explosive state that could rupture anytime.

The moment the first objective was cleared, Lux sent a Dragon Voice through Noct’s Drake that was limited towards several members.

『I’m sorry for saying various unreasonable things. Everyone, can I ask you to fight following the strategy I talked about just now?』

When Lux asked that question with a faint apologetic feeling in his tone, everyone’s voices immediately responded back.

『Yes, I’ll start.』(Krulcifer)

『Uh huh. Understood.』(Philuffy)

『Acknowledged, Lux.』(Celis)

『──Yes. Lux-san, please take care.』 (Noct)

「Thank you──everyone.」

Right after that, Bahamut that Lux was driving flew with explosive momentum.

And then from above the sky, he swooped down at high speed aiming towards a spot of the castle’s rear entrance that he was told about.

Part 10

「Just what should we do……!?」

「I, is there anyone who knows about the mechanism of the fifth Ruin!? At this rate, the capital will──」

The officer Drag-Knights who protected the New Kingdom were surrounding Gigas using Wyverns in order to attack it, yet they were at a loss helplessly.

They had tried roughly every kind of attack, but the steel fortress existing before their eyes wasn’t affected at all. They were unable to even hold it back.

In this situation where it wasn’t even a fight, the officers almost fell into despair. It was then they could hear it.

「Looking tedious huh──you ignorant uncivilized bunch of riffraff.」

「Wha-……!?」

Suddenly, a voice came from the head part of Gigas. Stir ran through the flying officers of the New Kingdom.

The strategist Hayes who colluded with the Heiburg Republic was wearing a huge silver grey armor, standing above Gigas’s head.

「You, you bastard──are you the mastermind who is controlling this Ruin!?」

「──Nope, you got it wrong, I’m the savior. I’ll stand at the top to rule this world in the place of you incompetent bunches. Rejoice you livestock, your honored owner finally came after a long time you know?」

「Bunch of nonsense……! Fire-!」

Several officers aimed at Hayes and pulled their Cannons’ triggers simultaneously.

The concentrated cannon fire from dozens of Wyverns continued and caused a violent explosion blast.

──But,

「You can cut it already. I got the gist.」

Hayes raised a calm voice while being in the middle of a maelstrom of bombing that even a Divine Drag-ride with its barrier deployed couldn’t possibly stay unharmed.

「I, it’s not……working!? No, there is no way──」

In front of Hayes was a layer of round shaped light wall──.

Not the slightest attack reached beyond that partition.

Rather than calling it a barrier, it was as though space itself was cut off.

「──I’m late with the introduction huh. The name of my Divine Drag-Ride is <Nidhogg>. Its Divine Raiment’s name is──<Astral LineSeverer>」

Hayes displayed a wicked smile and the armor’s arm readied a sword with peculiar shape.

The sword had a long blade that was several times the length of a normal Blade. At its handle’s opposite side there was also the same blade lengthening, a uniquely shaped blade──two-bladed sword.

When Hayes who was wearing Nidhogg carelessly swung down the atypically shaped sword that was tinged with the light of its Divine Raiment,

「Be, be careful! Deploy your barrier at maximum output──!」

The world was split into two, along with the officers’ armor and the maximum output barrier they deployed.

Part 11

「Where are you all taking me……?」

Lisha who was suppressed by the Rebel Army that was already infiltrating inside the castle without even any time to pull out her Sword Device was taken outside the castle without anyone even noticing.

When Lisha asked that behind the castle surrounded by trees, a man of the Rebel Army grinned widely.

「We want to have you take on the role of arbitrator in order to not increase the number of unnecessary sacrifices in this war, that was what the strategist said. I’m told that there is a secret on her highness’s body that can achieve that──」

「……-!?」

Lisha suddenly groaned with an expression as though her chest had been stabbed.

She noticed Hayes’s scheme from that one sentence.

The Rebel Army that was planning to suppress the New Kingdom shouldn’t be thinking about peace or anything.

In other words, what Hayes was desiring from Lisha was to persuade the people──no, her aim was to make known that the princess Lisha was a human on the Rebel Army’s side.

They would expose the brand of the Old Empire that was engraved on her body in the past, reveal that her true identity was that of a traitor, lowering the unifying force of the New Kingdom and Lisha, dropping the situation into chaos, thus making it easier to take over the country. That was their intention.

「Don’t screw around……. You think you all can keep using me like that however many times you like……!?」

「Oh? I heard that your highness is a person who dislikes needless conflict and is kind to the people though?」

The moment the man of the Rebel Army jerked his chin to a far away direction, Lisha saw 『that』.

「──That’s!?」

At a far away distance, through the townscape of the royal capital, she could see the figure of Gigas.

And then, the sight of the flash emitted by the Drag-Ride at the top of its head cutting apart the atmosphere, dividing the New Kingdom military and the town into parts──

「Wha……」

• plop*, Lisha fell down on the spot in astonishment.

「Do you understand now? This is the last job that the powerless you can do for the sake of this country. If your highness follows the intention of our strategist, there won’t be anymore attacks than this you know?」

「The, there is no way I can do anything like that! Something like me handing over this country to the likes of you is──」

Although it was so that the people wouldn’t be harmed, but doing things like betraying their trust and delivering them to another ruler was just……

「Is there any meaning for you to act brave like that? Someone like you who disappointed them in the match before this?」

「──!?」

Lisha’s feelings were shaken when she recalled it.

Perhaps a human who was feeling hesitation even in their own power had no qualifications to lead the people.

Even so.

「Even so, that guy told me! That he will fight together with me──!」

Right after Lisha closed her eyes and yelled, an impact struck the ground like a thunderbolt.

「──Eh?」

The moment she opened her eyes in surprise, the armors of the Rebel Army’s Drag-Knights were smashed apart altogether.

「Gu, AaA……!」

The Rebel Army members groaned and collapsed. And then the true identity of the one who did it became clear.

The one who came down was a Drag-Knight clad in jet black armor.

It was the silhouette of the Black Hero that she saw five years ago on that day.

「……You──」

「I’m sorry that I’m late, Lisha-sama.」

When Lisha muttered, Lux smiled calmly and handed over the Sword Device of Tiamat that he recovered from the hands of the Rebel Army.

The hands of Lisha who accepted it shook, she stumbled and squatted down on the spot.

「I, I don’t──I don’t have the face to look at you……」

Lisha hung her head down while speaking with a disappearing voice.

「Even though I promised to protect this country together with you……I made Tiamat rampage in the All-Dragon Battle, and degraded that oath myself.」

「That was Hayes’s doing. I had grasped how she did it too. I will do something about it no matter what, that’s why──」

「I know! But, even if we make that clear, everyone might not believe it anymore. The people’s trust in me might not return! And most of all……It’s vexing!」

Lisha lifted her face. Her eyes were wet.

「It’s vexing that because of my fault, even you were made fun of and got treated like a villain! You who fought and risked your life for this New Kingdom’s sake more than anyone, I wanted to make everyone recognize it, that was what I wanted, and yet……」

At that time Lux noticed for the first time.

Lisha talked about making Lux her knight was because she wanted to save Lux who couldn’t be recognized by the people because he was once a part of the Old Empire, who was collared as a criminal even now, and who was still ridiculed by a part of the country because of that.

She wanted to make him into an existence that was recognized by all this country’s people together as her knight in this New Kingdom.

The inside of his chest became warm, that she was thinking that much for him.

Lux softly caressed the head of such Lisha with his hand.

「Lu……x?」

「Thank you very much. For thinking about me all this time. But, I’m fine. Even without this country and all its people recognizing me, I can fight with only your recognition.」

He offered his hand in front of Lisha once more with a gentle voice.

「That’s why, please fight together with me. Not for the sake of anyone else, but for the sake of your own oath. I need Lisha-sama’s strength. In order to save this country one more time, this time for sure──」

「…………」

Lisha who heard those words slowly took a breath, and lifted up her face.

And then she grasped the handle of her Sword Device with a trembling hand, and pulled it out from its sheath as though resolving herself.

「──Awaken, the progenitor of beginnings. O monarch dragon of the gods that forms an army on your own. Tiamat!」

Light particles converged at high speed. Immediately after that, the crimson great dragon that was summoned behind split into countless parts and transformed into an armor that covered Lisha’s whole body.

After blinking lightly and gazing to the front, over there was the figure of Gigas approaching the castle while treading on the buildings in its way.

「……It’s a mysterious feeling. Even though just now it felt really terrifying to wear a Drag-Ride, but now it feels really reassuring.」

「That is the true Lisha-sama, surely.」

「──Let’s go, Lux. We got to beat up the bunch doing as they please in my country after all.」

Lux nodded at Lisha’s self-confident smile.

『──Nii-san. Everyone is in position. We are starting.』

At the same time Airi’s voice came through the medium of the Dragon Voice of Noct’s Drake.

Lux sent his voice through the Dragon Voice that was already connected to Krulcifer, Philuffy, and Celis.

「I’m counting on you──everyone!」

Lux said that while at the same time he flew his Bahamut together with Lisha.

The operation against Gigas that continued to march in a straight line towards the castle, finally began.

Part 12

『──Warning』

It was a voice that sounded robotic and tinged with a hollow presence.

An amplified voice that was different from Dragon Voice which was a communication ability between fellow Drag-Rides was emitted from the head part of the Gigas.

Approximately a hundred Drag-Knights of the New Kingdom military were heading to intercept as well as defending against Gigas. Half of them were shot down by Gigas’s bombardments and Hayes’s Nidhogg, and the remaining half was withdrawing with the injured among them.

The capital’s northeast district that was starting to be evacuated was already crushed underfoot and fell into a half-destroyed state. The cause of that, the Gigas was moving towards the castle at high speed.

『The battle is decided already. New Kingdom military as well as the queen and her subordinates in this place are to swiftly display their will to surrender by prostrating. By doing that any further attacks will stop and we will grant repose, that is our rule to everyone.』

Hayes proclaimed that above the people who were running about trying to escape.

The New Kingdom that had its forces scattered and also its defense line broken through had no more methods to oppose it.

And then, this advice was a trap.

Heiburg would place the Rebel Army that was supporting the Old Empire as the head and indirectly ruled over the New Kingdom.

Furthermore, it would be shown to the VIPs from many countries who came for the All-Dragon Battle, with the aim of putting a check on them too.

The consuls inside the chaotic castle couldn’t find any breakthrough solution against this advice.

While the screams and confused voices of the people could be heard from the streets of the capital,

『Unfortunately, your lords didn’t give their answer──. Therefore, We’ll resume attacking!』

Right after that cold proclamation, the Gigas moved.

The countless cannon muzzles growing from those giant shoulders aimed downward, it was then an abnormality occurred.

• GAKIiiI-!*

The thin long arms growing from Gigas’s shoulders with countless joint in it. One of those arms that looked like a spire suddenly slanted, the Gigas’s posture crumbled and pitched forward.

Right after that, the countless light bullets fired from those shoulders and the chest part rained down on a greenery area right under it where people had already finished evacuating.

『What……!?』

Hayes who was near the head part of Gigas noticed the cause of that and she frowned.

Looking closer, Philuffy who was wearing Typhon entangled several wires of Pile Anchor on one of Gigas’s arms, pulled downward and broke its balance.

『Foolish act……! El Fajura! Crush her!』

After Hayes gave that instruction to the Automaton, the Gigas pulled its other gigantic arm and aimed at Philuffy──but, that instant when its attention was diverted to below, the left arm Gigas was lifting up was struck by a light bullet.

『This is──don’t tell me!?』

「Starlight Zero」

That was the compressed light bullet fired from Celis’s Lindwurm. When Hayes noticed it was already too late.

The attack fired from the special armament of wide range destruction sent the left arm of Gigas flying. The countless cannon muzzles sticking out from both its shoulders were smashed. That overwhelming offensive power was pruned temporarily.

Hayes cursed receiving that fierce wave of explosive blast.

「Pointless struggle……. Enough, ignore them and crush the castle underfoot.」

Hearing Hayes’s instruction, Gigas’s feet that were like a mountain moved. It marched while causing fierce rumbles in the ground.

The many citizens at the area around the castle until the arena saw that and screamed. Running about trying to escape.

But, when those feet arrived until nearby the castle wall surrounding the palace, a single Drag-Ride stood in its way.

「Kneel under my name! Suppressor──!」

Lisha wearing Tiamat unsheathed her Sword Device and pointed at Gigas.

Instantly, a gravity field was formed on a spot of that gigantic right leg and its movement became dull.

Seeing that, Hayes looked down on Lisha from above the Gigas’s head.

「So you came to incorrigibly expose your shame again huh, princess-sama!」

「Shut up this wannabe strategist! I’ll make you pay back your debt to this country and me!」

「Hah! Don’t get carried away, you substitute lowly princess! What can you son of a bitch do!? You think that this Gigas can be stopped by something like that?」

Just as Hayes ridiculing words said, the burden from the gravity field didn’t do anything and the Gigas resumed its march.

It was as though it was proclaiming that something like the resistance of Lisha alone was pointless.

But the next moment, when the Gigas was about to take one more step,

「──Reload on Fire.」

• DOOooOONN!*

One of Gigas’s legs smashed the stone pavement and the ground and it stepped through until below the ground.

「……What-!?」

Because of the gravity pressure that was reinforced until several times from before, that leg was buried deeply into the ground. Lux wearing Bahamut was looking down calmly on it from midair.

Tiamat’s Divine Raiment, the gravity field that at a glance looked like it wasn’t working at all went through the compression strengthening of Bahamut’s Reload on Fire. The moment Gigas tried to ignore it and took a step forward, the power of the gravity field became several times the original and attacked.

「Bu, but why, why is there a hollow below this kind of place!? What in the world──!?」

「Should I teach you, wannabe strategist? You see, the underground around there has a large scale tunnel that was dug up in the era of the Old Empire. It was something created more than a hundred years ago, that’s why only very few know about it.」

「……-!?」

Hayes also guessed the fact from listening to Lisha explaining proudly.

The people in the past were building a city above while knowing that there was a tunnel below was because it was constructed to be able to endure great burden and weight.

But, because of Lux’s Reload on Fore, Suppressor’s gravity pressure was reinforced several times over, and aiming at the moment the super heavy Gigas step there, a pitfall was prepared to make the foot step through the ground.

But even with that the best it could do was sealing one leg of Gigas, but at this moment a completely advantageous situation was created.

「Chih!」

Hayes clicked her tongue. In order for the Gigas to pull out its buried leg, it was going to put both its hand on the ground, it was then two more people moved.

「──Ei」

Philuffy fired Pile Anchor from every part of Typhon and restrained a part of the thin long arm.

At the same time she drove her Drag-Ride with her Booster at maximum output and ran through the street. By towing the arm once more, Gigas’s balance almost crumbled.

「You think I’m going to let you do the same thing over and over!」

When Hayes’s voice resounded, Gigas raised its remaining left arm and aimed to crush Typhon.

「Obstructing with that──is not permitted.」

But, the lance attack of Celis’s flying Lindwurm aimed at it instead.

She aimed at the seam of the countless joints and made a thrust attack with maximum electricity discharge.

Terrific sparks spread through the whole left arm that looked like a spire, and its movement stopped for just a moment.

「Pointless! Gigas’s arm won’t be stopped with only a single Drag-Ride!」

When Gigas’s left arm was swung down a moment later, Philuffy already released the binding of Pile Anchor, setting free the right arm and escaped.

「You keep making trifling nuisances──……!?」

Right after Hayes cursed, she noticed it and held her breath.

The right arm of Gigas that Philuffy was towing was frozen.

Ten-odd spots of countless existing joints were frozen and its movement was almost completely sealed.

At the sky above a slight distance away from there, Krulcifer wearing Fafnir and readying her Freezing Cannon was hovering.

During the ten seconds when Hayes’s attention was diverted due to Celis stopping the attack of Gigas’s left arm, Krulcifer fired several freezing shots at each joint with terrifying precision and sealed that right arm.

『They got us Lord with this we cannot make movement.』

An Automaton’s voice came from inside Gigas towards Hayes who was wearing Nidhogg.

Hayes too finally understood everything with that.

「────」

Her greatest fighting strength the Gigas had its invasion completely stopped with the chain of cooperation from five Divine Drag-Rides.

The smashed cannon muzzles jutting out from its whole body were being replaced, but there was some distance until the castle.

Right after that, three people other than Lisha and Lux headed towards the castle and began to move respectively.

『Rescinding the frozen state to make both arms usable and the buried leg taken out──more than ten minutes are necessary until Gigas recovers to a flawless state.』

The main body of El Fajura who was controlling Gigas from the control room area sent a voice to Hayes telling her that.

Many people and nobles outside the arena who were evacuating saw that sight and made a stir.

「Fuu……」

Lux let out a relieved sigh seeing that his plan went well for the time being.

He had Sharis and Tillfur to investigate the structure of the fifth Ruin, Gigas.

Because Gigas’s shape was greatly different from other Ruins, he had them looked for the shortest route towards its deepest part.

Of course, there was only a faint chance for them to discover the route nicely, even so they had no choice but to do it.

『Operation success Nii-san. What’s left is as planned──please be very careful.』

Airi who was watching over the situation from the spectator seat of the arena sent her voice through Noct’s Drake.

They had only finished stopping Gigas from moving, the situation still continued to be one where they couldn’t let their guard down.

As for reacting against various other dangers that were occurring at the same time──he could only leave it to other people.

『Right.』

Lux returned a small voice and looked down below him.

And then, Gigas was starting to make a strange vibration sound that might be for melting the arm’s frozen spots. Lux and Lisha landed together on the shoulder of that Gigas.

The two giant shoulders at both sides of the head were each like a battleship’s deck, fulfilling the role as spacious foothold that was several times larger.

There, Hayes wearing Nidhogg and one other girl’s silhouette were standing.

「Lisha-sama.」

「……I know. I’ll take on that fiendish strategist. You fulfill your duty as the former imperial prince, against that so called loyal subject who set us up.」

Lisha said only that and made her Tiamat glide, advancing towards Hayes.

And then, Lisha turned her crimson pupils that were sharp like sword points straight to Hayes and she pointed her Sword Device forward.

「I won’t be able to ask you after beating you up so I’ll ask ahead. What is your true identity and your objective? Is it authority, money──or else some kind of honor or something?」

「……What’s the point of asking me that? A substitute princess like you who was placed only as the replacement of someone, after knowing the answer what are you going to do?」

Hayes jested in response to that question and answered so with a ridiculing grin.

「I’m asking exactly because I’m a substitute.」

But, it was as though Lisha wasn’t shaken up or hesitating at all, she told Hayes calmly.

「I somehow understand about you. Surely you and me are completely opposite──or perhaps mutually similar people.」

「──What?」

Lisha continued pushing her words towards the frowning Hayes.

「I was toyed with by fate, each time the chair I sat on changed, and I became unable to understand what is the true me. I was once abandoned by my father, the great man, and decided to betray the New Kingdom, so I wondered whether someone like me has the qualifications to sit on the seat of princess. But you are the opposite. Because you cannot prove your true position and identity to anyone, you’re purposefully trying to display your privilege, all that ability and treasure of yours.」

「…………」

「Controlling the Ragnarok and dragging out this Ruin here are also like that. By doing this, you want to prove that you are an existence with something, a human race with great power that far surpasses the people of this world. You are someone in the position that is driven with the obsession that you must continuously prove that.」

Lisha asserted that and gazed at Hayes with a sharp glint of eye.

「──That’s why I’m asking you just as you wished! Like this, who the hell are you!? You got any complaint huh, this stupid idiot!」

Instantly, Hayes’s countenance that until now was sporting a smile that looked like it was pasted on there changed.

She strongly gritted her teeth, and then Nidhogg that she wore readied its weapon.

「Fine then. I’ll tell you my true identity, when I crush this country and it’s time to carry out your execution!」

Hayes’s Nidhogg soared and she brandished the two-bladed sword that had blades extending from both ends of its handle.

Crimson and grey light crossed and the battle began.

Part 13

A battle between fellow Divine Drag-Rides had began on the right shoulder of Gigas.

At the opposite side, a girl was standing on the deck.

「──I’ve been waiting, Aruji-sama.」

The black clothed girl displayed a smile that was filled with deep affection and bowed elegantly.

The last servant who swore with that body of the Old Empire’s restoration, the Empire’s Assassin Blade, Kirihime Yoruka.

「It seems various things happened below hasn’t it? That princess also said it, something about someone’s Drag-Ride getting manipulated──. Aruji-sama, are you suspecting me of that?」

「──No, that wasn’t your doing.」

Lux shook his head toward Yoruka’s question and declared so.

The Divine Drag-Ride she controlled, Yato no Kami.

Its Divine Raiment, Spell Code. Certainly, there was a time when Lux suspected her because of that ability.

But, there was something he noticed from talking with Yoruka several times.

This girl’s principle wouldn’t trifle with that kind of petty trick.

What happened was most likely──Hayes’s schemes.

It was a trap to provoke and incite the Vanheim Principality that had a grudge against the Old Empire, making them aim at the members of the New Kingdom that included Lux, and at the same time made Lux and the others to doubt Yoruka as the perpetrator to make them fight each other.

「But if that’s the case, this is a bit strange isn’t it? Then why does Aruji-sama appear in front of this me? Isn’t Aruji-sama’s first priority to beat this Gigas first, which you can do by ignoring this insignificant battle against me?」

Yoruka tilted her head slightly and asked in wonder.

「That──I cannot do.」

Lux answered with a calm face while slowly closing the distance between them.

「With you the strongest one in this place waiting here, I won’t be able to pass even if I avoid you, besides I believe that surely there is a reason for me to fight you.」

「…………」

Yoruka didn’t reply anything to Lux who muttered that calmly. She was only deepening her smile.

Without defeating Yoruka, Lux wouldn’t be able to break through the path until Gigas’s deepest part.

But, Lux himself had his own thinking that differed from that objective.

Others might laugh if they heard his reason but──he wanted to save Yoruka.

She was controlled by the Old Empire, exchanged contracts with the emperor, and even now she adhered to it, tied by that curse.

「──Erode, the serpentine dragon of massacre that is the personification of evil omen. Exercise the authority of unworshipped god, Yato no Kami.」

Right after Lux spoke, Yoruka also drew out her Sword Device and summoned Yato no Kami.

The Drag-Ride of darkness color was clad with a blade’s majesty, worthy of its name. It immediately split into countless parts and transformed into an armor that covered Yoruka’s body.

「I thank you, Aruji-sama. Then, it will be a discourtesy if I make you wait for more than this.」

Yoruka declared with a smile and took a stance with her katana type Blade.

At the same time, Lux also held aloft his Chaos Brand.

「Here I come, Yoruka.」

「Yes.」

At the same time with that voice, Lux’s Bahamut kicked on the shoulder of Gigas that became the floor and soared.

The remaining expenditure time of Bahamut’s operation limit was approximately nine minutes.

If Lux’s assumption wasn’t mistaken, he would consume seven minutes here.

The curtain of that mortal combat had been cut off and fallen down.

Part 14

On the other side, inside the arena that was noisy from witnessing the Drag-Knights stopping the invasion of Gigas, something unusual occurred.

Greifer who crashed onto the outside wall and stopped moving now woke up, furthermore the selection members of the Vanheim Principality were each wearing their Drag-Rides and came down at the center of the ring.

「Wha, what are you doing, everyone of the Vanheim Principality? The last match of the All-Dragon Battle was over already, right now a state of high alert is being imposed! Please hurry and evacuate from──……-!?」

The New Kingdom’s officer that acted as the commentator called out nervously, but he stopped.

He sensed the unusual hostility from the Drag-Knights of the selection members there.

「It’s unfortunate with the match, but it’s your side’s victory. But, the case where a member of ours was attacked in the inn, and the case where our country’s princess almost got assassinated in the match before this. Regarding these two attacks towards our country, we don’t recognize the explanation that your country is giving us.」

A girl wearing a Wyrm declared that with a cold voice and glared at the New Kingdom’s officer.

「This is not a threat or revenge. It’s your side who made a move first. We were told by his excellence to find out the perpetrator of this incident.」

「Tha, that is──!?」

The New Kingdom’s government office as well as the New Kingdom’s military weren’t in the condition that could take action because they were dealing with the dangers that were occurring simultaneously at present, but that reasoning wouldn’t get through to them.

「Well, that’s how it is.」

The leader of the selection members, Greifer, declared while readying his Sword Device.

「The duke-sama of our country is already in an angered state. Just like I said before, we received an order regardless of the result of this All-Dragon Battle. We were ordered to subdue the consuls of your country and make them take responsibility. And so──first we are going to question you yeah.」

The female officer of the New Kingdom who got the point of a Blade pointed towards her spontaneously faltered, it was at that moment──

「……-!?」

• BANG!* A sharp sound piercing the air accompanied a streak of flash running through the air.

That light bullet of cold air was fired aiming at the Blade. Greifer pulled his sword just before the bullet hit and he dodged.

The light bullet struck the stone ring and the spot that was hit instantly froze.

「Can you please wait a little for the investigation of the incident──even if you all are told that, it doesn’t look like you all are in a state that will listen isn’t it?」

Along with that voice, Krulcifer clad in Fafnir was coming down to the center of the ring.

「Hee, it’s really interesting that even outsiders like you are coming out, but it’s better to stop now yeah?」

「I agree with that. I too don’t want to do a pointless fight after all. Because right now there are enemies nearby──what’s more it’s closer than you think.」

Krulcifer calmly brushed up her hair and spoke smoothly.

Her gaze was taking in what was far behind Greifer, at the figure of Gigas.

Lux clinched victory at the last match of the All-Dragon Battle, but the attack he hit Greifer with was shallow.

There was a chance that the Vanheim Principality that was suspecting the New Kingdom as the mastermind of this time’s assassination attempt incident would directly act using force.

Surely the Rebel Army and Hayes’s subordinates would take advantage of such commotion and chaos.

Therefore, Lux gave instructions for Krulcifer to stop that.

「It’s unfortunate but we cannot do that. Even I have a fight that I cannot pull back from. If you are also someone from a military family then you get it right? That’s what this is.」

But, Greifer didn’t budge for even an inch and he readied his special armament the Tail Blade.

In response Krulcifer also reacted by directing her usual composed eyes towards the opponent.

「I understand it. I too cannot possibly lose here after he entrusted this place to me.」

「That’s a nice resolve, too bad that you are a woman.」

「You said a strange thing just now. When the battle begins, it’s the woman who is more resolved you know?」

Right after Krulcifer replied like that, Cuelebre suddenly moved.

It approached with a powerful speed that even the eyes couldn’t follow like a single bullet. At that moment Krulcifer also carried out her act of interception.

Greifer made a slash following a peculiar trajectory as though drawing a spiral using his Tail Blade that transformed into a whip shape.

Krulcifer ignored that using her automatic defense from Fafnir’s Auto Shield while pulling the trigger of her Freezing Cannon at short range. The freezing bullet sniped at the right arm’s wrist that was holding the sword.

Tactics and attacks that were both filled with certain victory crossed in that place and light scattered.

Part 15

「What is going on!? What should we do about that Ruin Gigas!? What happened to the mixed army stationed at the hidden fortress!?」

On the other hand, a tense war conference was opened in the conference room of the castle and many angry yells and screams flew around.

The Drag-Knights that the New Kingdom military and the Four Great Nobles rounded up.

Almost all of them, six hundred Drag-Knights fell into Hayes’s scheme and got scattered, more than half were annihilated and the rest were forced to retreat.

Furthermore the Drag-Knights stationed at the northeast for monitoring the area and the scouts altogether failed to notice the Gigas, making them late to deal with it. The dispersed Drag-Knights took flight where they were then crushed quickly.

The radical and large change in situation that was too much made the second and third defense plans that were prepared to be of no use and they fell into a kind of confused state.

「Confirm the situation! What happened with the force there!? How many Drag-Knights remaining that can fight!?」

「Half the number of Lord Dist’s force is rescuing the people and defending the surrounding blocks you say!? If they have that kind of free time then tell them instead to go suppress the enemy! What are they going to do if the enemy reaches until the castle! The safety of her majesty is number one!」

The remaining senior statesmen raised their voices roughly while gasping for breath.

Amidst that, suddenly a voice came from beside the room.

「How ugly. So any authority figure is all the same when they are cornered.」

「Sto, stop it! This room is──guhah!?」

• DON!* Two palace guards were blown through the conference room’s door from the shockwave of Howling Howl.

「──Wha, what’s going on-!?」

After the panicked consuls yelled, three Drag-Knights were standing at the other side of the broken door.

At the front was a girl with trait of brown skin wearing a B-blood Wyvern──Saniya.

And then right behind her was a man wearing a B-blood Wyrm, Egnid, and lastly a masked girl wearing a B-blood Drake, Kirly. Both of them were accompanying Saniya.

Hayes’s direct subordinates──the three Drag-Knights who were called Cerberus.

「Yo, you bastard, who are──hih!?」

The moment one of the consuls raised his voice, several shots of light and sound of destruction reverberated inside the conference room, blowing away several desks, flower vases, and documents.

The shooting of Breath Gun from Saniya’s B-blood Wyvern threatened everyone there.

「All of you don’t have any right to ask anything. Just answer my question truthfully.」

Saniya directed a cold gaze at the speechless consuls and quickly told them.

「Where are you guys hiding the Gran Force you brought from Cross Field’s Academy?」

「Wha……what are you talking about?」

Several consuls paled at Saniya’s question and replied like that.

Saniya who saw that pointed her gun muzzle on a consul’s head while smiling.

「I see, a splendid resolve. If perhaps you really don’t know about it, then I’ll ask someone who definitely knows about it. ──Where is the queen?」

「Tha, that’s──!?」

When one of the consuls was faltering to speak, the fingers of the B-blood Wyvern Saniya was controlling touched the trigger of the Breath Gun.

But at that instant, a territory of faint light spread inside the conference room and the space wavered.

「──!?」

Saniya reflexively leaped behind, right after that a girl clad in armor appeared along with a seven colored halo.

In the past when Saniya infiltrated as a spy into the Academy, she idolized this girl like a big sister──a daughter of one of the Four Great Nobles, Celistia Ralgris, it was her figure.

「Celistia……! Why are you here!?」

「To pay back my debt──no, to take responsibility.」

Celis told while directing a sharp eye glint towards the bewildered Saniya.

「In the past, I didn’t know anything about you even though I was trying to understand you. That’s why──I will settle this right now.」

It was a reunion with the girl who betrayed her.

However, different from the past, now even when Saniya looked at that figure, there was no more hesitation inside Celis.

Celis’s consciousness was sharpened pointedly like a spear’s tip, her body was clad in an aloof atmosphere.

Celis’s stance that was polished to the utmost limit from the accumulation of diligent constant training had not even the slightest opening.

「Fuh……」

Saniya who should know about Celis’s strength from staying closest to her more than anyone smiled without any fear.

「Is it the instigation from that ruined prince? That’s just fine……I’ll show you! The power I obtained, I’ll show it to you bunch of noble bastards who went through a lukewarm way of life all this time!」

Saniya drove her B-blood Wyvern and slashed at Celis with swift action.

When Celis blocked that with her Lightning Lance, Egnid and Kirly started giving cover fire.

Part 16

「……Hmph. We too finally finished reorganizing our formation here huh, that damn Lux, he made me go through this kind of trouble.」

On the other side, in front of the street that connected to the castle and the arena, the supreme commander of the Rebel Army, Ragreed and his subordinates were assembled.

There were a total of fifty Drag-Knights, their armor was dyed grey that symbolized the Old Empire.

Furthermore in the sky above them were around thirty flying type Abyss that possessed wings.

「That guy preparing a fake Bahamut was a miscalculation, but it’s convenient if he is fighting Gigas. Like that there won’t be any trouble or enemy──standing in our way to obtain this castle.」

Ragreed stifled his laugh and lifted the Blade of his EX Wyvern high.

「Here we go! From here we are storming into the castle. We are taking back the glory of the Arcadia Empire from the hands of those thieves this time for sure!」

‘OOOOOOOO!’ His subordinates, the Rebel Army hailed back in response with a war cry.

The path to the castle had been evacuated with the people taken to shelter. There were already no more guards remaining there.

If Ragreed made the remaining Abyss and the Rebel Army force charge, the castle would fall easily.

「Finally……. Finally I can become this country’s emperor!」

Ragreed raised a voice that was hoarse from excitement. He flew his EX Wyvern and right after that──*GAUNN!* There was a sound slicing the air from something sharply sweeping sideways.

『Enemy Drag-Ride’s attack confirmed──defensive movement activated.』

El Fajura’s robotic voice resounded and a barrier was forcefully deployed.

The barrier deflected three Daggers approaching from the front, but a pile at the tip of a wire that was fired with a delay split to up and down like a snake’s jaw, snapping into the shoulder of the EX Wyvern.

「……Nuuh!?」

When Ragreed who was surprised by the surprise attack turned his gaze downward, a huge purple Drag-Ride was there.

Philuffy who was driving the Divine Drag-Ride Typhon appeared to intercept Ragreed.

『Enemy sign confirmed. Warning. Two Drag-Rides that are the Divine Drag-Ride Typhon as well as a Drake have appeared.』

「……Kuh!」

Ragreed grasped the situation from what El Fajura pointed out, but Philuffy didn’t give him time to react.

With high speed she rolled back the wire she fired from her left arm’s armor and pulled the EX Wyvern until in front of her.

At the same time, she made the stout right arm of her Drag-Ride that was already in a stance to hum in energy, and then that right straight struck.

「Gu, Aa!」

It was a certain kill attack from an enforced counter after he was drawn in by the Pile Anchor.

Although the Drag-Ride was a strengthened general purpose type EX Wyvern, that strength easily broke through the barrier and it should have broke the armor and the Force Core──but,

『Defensive coating as well as trajectory change success.』

Ragreed’s Ex Wyvern that got hit by that was sent flying far away backward, but it corrected its posture midair and landed.

The moment Philuffy’s attack landed, light powders shined brightly on the surface of the EX Wyvern.

That was exactly the power of the clone of the Automata(El Fajura) that was converted into the form of countless miniscule machines and fused with the EX Wyvern.

「What’s that? It was really solid than normal.」

Philuffy tilted her head while taking some distance. At the same time Noct who was hiding at the back wearing Drake quickly called out.

「Yes. Please be careful Philuffy-san. The surface of that Drag-Ride is being specially coated by something. The mechanism is unclear, but most likely it’s an ancient technology from a Ruin.」

「Right. It’s fine. That side cannot fly anymore, after all.」

But, Philuffy replied indifferently with her usual expressionless look.

As though to prove her words, the soaring back wings of Ragreed let out crackling sparks.

『Back wings’ booster damaged──it’s judged to be unable to be used for a long time.』

「Chih……!」

Ragreed confirmed the deterioration of his booster’s function from El Fajura’s voice.

Philuffy’s aim was the booster in the back wings.

Because Typhon was a land battle type, it was unsuited to hold back flying enemies.

But, the calculation was that if she could just take away the wings of the supreme commander Ragreed, the Rebel Army and the Abyss in the surroundings would also inevitably get held in place in order to protect him.

Ragreed who noticed that clicked his tongue while gazing at Philuffy in front of him. His eyes opened wide as though he noticed something.

「……Hah. Just when I wondered who this is, it’s the dim-witted daughter of the Aingram Conglomerate who came to the imperial court in the past. It has been seven years huh? Are you planning to take revenge on me?」

「…………」

Ragreed recalled his memory and asked like that, but it was as though Philuffy didn’t react at all.

「I heard that a part of an Abyss was implanted in you it seems. Kukukukuku, you’re a monster whose inside isn’t fully human anymore. Hahahaha! What a great mess! Surely even that ruined prince is also in despair──」

「I remember you know? About that time.」

Philuffy muttered as though to interrupt Ragreed’s provocation.

「That time, Lu-chan didn’t think of himself, like the two of you. He was really sad, saying that he couldn’t help me skillfully.」

She spoke indifferently with her usual expressionless look.

However, she continued with a clear tone.

「I was happy he helped me. But, because of my fault Lu-chan got sad, that made me really pained too, so──」

After showing just a slightly lonely look, she stared ahead with a straightforward gaze that was filled with a strong will.

「That’s why, I won’t let you anymore. I will──defeat you.」

Ragreed frowned seeing those eyes and stance that had not the slightest hesitation in it, and then he laughed.

「……Hah! Just try it you monster! What can you do against this number with just you alone!」

Ragreed lifted up his Blade high and gave the command to attack.

Right after that, fifty Drag-Knights behind him and the Abyss in the sky started moving.

Part 17

At the arena’s ring.

In front of the door of the conference room on the second floor inside the castle.

And then in front of the front gate of the castle. Around the time the battles started at those places.

Above Gigas that came to a stop just a few hundred mel until the palace, a mortal combat was unfolding.

On the balcony located at Gigas’s right shoulder, the duel of Lisha versus Hayes was being carried out.

Lisha was firing her throwing weapons, the Legion, to hold back her opponent while using the Seven Heads that she equipped by using supplemental equipment transfer aiming to fire a bombardment, but her attack was altogether deflected by the two-bladed sword Hayes handled, she was completely held back.

Even so Lisha was still calm, she kept shooting her Legion one shot at a time.

「You got cold feet? With that kind of attack, I won’t even need to use Nidhogg’s Divine Raiment you know?」

Hayes closed the distance bit by bit while showing a fearless smile and talked in provocation.

But, in contrast Lisha kept glaring quietly at Nidhogg as though she wasn’t budging even an inch.

「You’re wrong──. A bit more.」

And then, she whispered faintly like that with an expression as though she was heightening her focus.

「Or else, are you perhaps trying to buy time until your friends come to help? ──You incompetent.」

Hayes’s Nidhogg that was being held back by Breath Gun suddenly accelerated and drew near.

She slashed at Tiamat as though striking using her two-bladed sword that possessed two blades at opposite ends of the handle.

「Kuuh……!?」

Lisha barely blocked using her barrier, but a part of her armor chipped due to the impact that pierced through.

After Lisha took further distance to the back, the sky was right behind her.

「What’s up? Aren’t you the princess who possesses both talents as a researcher and a Drag-Knight? Looks like that’s just excessive flattery by this peace idiot country huh!」

Hayes floated a faint grin. In response Lisha let out a sigh.

「Certainly, that might be an excessive title for me. ──But」

Lisha whispered in self-deprecation like that while pulling out her Sword Device.

And then, she quickly swung it and pointed at Hayes.

「I haven’t fallen that low that I need someone like you to worry about me!」

Two Legions were fired at the same time with that yell.

The two armaments that approached at high speed were deflected by the two-bladed sword, it was at that moment that something unusual happened.

「……What-!?」

Another Legion that was hiding in the shadow of the second Legion hit Nidhogg and sent it flying backward.

It was a concealed shootingHide Shot by making use of Legion that was a throwing weapon with physical substance.

Lisha accurately grasped the opponent’s line of sight and positioning and made her attack succeed using advanced technique where accurate trajectory manipulation was indispensable. At that moment, the cannon Lisha readied had its trigger pulled and it fired.

Right after that, the shot impacted Nidhogg that had its movement stopped and its frame was enveloped in flame.

Part 18

On the other balcony of Gigas’s left shoulder that was several times larger than a large type warship──

There Lux and Yoruka’s duel was unfolding.

Every single one of the high speed slashes that were unleashed in rapid succession aimed at the vital spots. Even Lux found it difficult to defend.

In addition, the Divine Raiment of Yato no Kami that Yoruka wore──the Spell Code that could steal control from other Drag-Rides, it would be strengthened in its controlling strength and the span of time it stole control in proportion to the length of time it touched the opponent.

Not to speak of locking swords for several seconds, even being touched by Yato no Kami would invite danger.

Furthermore, even when Lux tried to use Quick Shot using the reinforcement of time compression from Bahamut’s Reload on Fire, he was unable to predict Yoruka’s attack’s preparatory movement at all.

Quick Shot would decelerate the time of one’s own body by several times first before activating, because of that at the beginning it would leave an opening. It couldn’t be used without being able to see through the opponent’s attack’s preliminary movement first.

Right now Lux was still able to continue defending against Yoruka’s attack just barely, but that was the best that he could do.

「As expected from Aruji-sama. This is the first time there was someone who could evade my sword this long. But──」

The slash of Yoruka who was showing a composed smile increased further in speed and weight.

「Is it fine like this? The current Aruji-sama doesn’t have that much time left until you cannot fight anymore correct?」

「Kuh……!?」

Yoruka’s tone that sounded like she had seen through him caused Lux to feel impatient.

The operation time limit of Bahamut was approaching moment by moment even while they were doing this.

Yoruka’s exquisite swordsmanship wasn’t something he could ascertain in this short time.

Therefore Lux resolved to throw away safety.

「Then──I’ll make you let me pass.」

The moment Lux declared, Bahamut’s great sword drew a slashing line with speed that te eye couldn’t follow.

It was the super speed activation for one action only by completely harmonizing body control operation and mind control operation──Quick Draw.

The attack that came from the Drag-Ride control technique that Lux devised in the past, when it hit the shoulder of Yato no Kami──that instantaneous attack clashed with the slash Yoruka unleashed and fierce sounds and sparks scattered.

「Wha-……!?」

Lux who saw that was shocked. He quickly flew backwards and took some distance.

Quick Draw’s attack shouldn’t be able to get overtaken by a normal Drag-Ride operation even when they reacted.

That movement that he had seen only once before at Cross Field was as expected──

「Truly splendid Aruji-sama. It’s only to be expected from someone who had devised this hidden technique as well as the remaining other two earlier than me isn’t it?」

「Eh……?」

Yoruka suddenly showed an innocent smile and told Lux so.

「The great figure who was the youngest Drag-Knight of the Arcadia Empire and devised special control techniques that ought to even be called as three types of hidden techniques. The true identity of that person wasn’t known until now but──I can understand with this.」

「…………」

Lux was speechless hearing those matter-of–fact words.

If Yoruka was speaking the truth, then she too was also able to use the three hidden techniques just like Lux.

(──No good. This girl’s strength far surpasses my imagination.)

But, there was no time for him to hesitate.

Lux kept taking distance while concentrating his mind. He readied his great sword.

The second hidden technique──Recoil Burst.

By creating a contradiction of holding down a full power body control operation with mind control operation that was focused into one point, this hidden technique of destruction would unleash an attack that was impossible to control from an intentional rampage.

The armor’s Mythrildite raised a strange creaking sound. That sound could be heard from Bahamut and Yato no Kami.

(──Yoruka is also doing Recoil Burst!? Is she planning for both of us taking each other down simultaneously!?)

• giggle* A small chuckle leaked out from Yoruka’s mouth. Right after that, the blades of both sides that were unleashed as though there was an explosion behind them crossed while grazing each other.

The slash was unleashed so that both sides would dodge just barely, but that terrific might blew away both Drag-Rides just from the shockwave of the aftermath.

「Ku……aa!」

Lux endured the recoil from the attack that was strengthened until more than ten times while rushing so as to not miss that opening.

The third hidden technique, End Action.

It was a special move where a Drag-Knight could infinitely launch consecutive attacks without end by alternately stacking operation command of body control operation and mind control operation that was independent from each other. Lux executed the technique with the resolve to decide the match before Yato no Kami’s Spell Code was activated , but──

「My──so this time it’s a contest of endurance?」

The slashes that were unleashed without pause over and over were all returned blow by blow with exactly the same sword speed by Yoruka too.

Upper slash, low slash, thrust, return slash, repel, dodge, parry.

The sharpness of the sword flashes was gradually increasing, accelerating in high speed as though all the other awareness was cut loose.

When more than a hundred slashes were crossed and repelled in the span of a few seconds, their arms and legs finally stopped.

「Haa, haa……haa……!」

「Haa, a……haa……」

Because they were unleashing slashes without any pause in a state of not breathing, they both ran out of breath and stopped moving.

「──It’s not so easy to defeat you Aruji-sama. There were several chances if I aimed for a simultaneous defeat but…… I too still cannot die.」

Yoruka smiled with her shoulders heaving up and down. Her breathing was rough without even any composure to hide her exhaustion.

Lux who was similarly lacking the composure had a question coming to his mind after hearing those words and he asked back.

「……What do you, mean?」

「Because after this, I have to raise Aruji-sama’s younger sister to become a king in Aruji-sama’s place.」

Yoruka said that with a matter-of-fact tone.

She said that if Lux died, she would raise Airi who would be the last remaining bloodline of the Old Empire as king.

「……Why are you that fixated on the Old Empire? No matter because you promised──」

「……How about we have a bit of a talk about the past?」

Yoruka said that and started talking quietly about it.

「Just as I said before this, I am a defective article. I didn’t have a human heart since I was born. A heartless doll that lacked humanity. Even when my father told me that and cut off our familial relationship, I didn’t feel a single thing.」

Yoruka who was the princess of the nation of Koto and her younger twin brother.

Her little brother was sickly but a person of character, in contrast to him Yoruka continued to instinctually kill the hostiles who attacked her and she was avoided by all her surroundings.

「It was only my sickly little brother who was concerned for me who was shunned by everyone in the castle. Inside the castle that was like a rubbish heap where every single person only thought of kicking down another person, it was only my little brother who tried to become a splendid lord. He even spoke that he would surely protect me who wasn’t understood by anyone──」

Lux wondered why.

Yoruka’s little brother whose face he didn’t even know, he felt the same as Lux who tried to change the Old Empire from the inside.

「We swore. My little brother would become a splendid lord. And I would become a servant who devotes my loyalty to my little brother who would succeed the throne. Both of us would risk our lives to protect the other, and persisted on our respective paths until the end. And then──」

Yoruka suddenly put her breathing in order, twisted half her body, and readied her katana shaped Blade in middle stance.

「Now then, let’s end this soon. Next I will display my own personal sword. This left eye──that has been strengthened from having the operation called 『Baptism』conducted on it, enabled this technique──」

The pupil of Yoruka’s left eye suddenly opened and it was tinged with bewitching purple light.

Lux put up his guard against the uncommon presence, but right at that moment, it happened.

• zagu-!*

「Wha──!?」

When Lux heard the sharp sound of slicing wind, he was already cut.

Bahamut’s barrier that was deployed before his eye was slightly torn, a part of his armor was broken, and an impact pierced Lux’s body.

「Instant Strike──perhaps that’s how I should name it? It doesn’t has that much power, but if it’s a Drag-Ride that only has average armor then it will take only one strike you know?」

「U…… kuh!?」

Lux immediately took distance from Yoruka and grasped the situation.

(……Just now, what did she do!?)

The speed of the Blade that Yoruka slashed was indeed fast.

But, its speed was obviously inferior to his hidden technique Quick Draw, and her swordsmanship just now also wasn’t particularly unusual.

And yet, it was as though Lux was unable to see that slash that should be extremely simple.

「Human, cannot do something like being conscious of the unconscious.」

Yoruka talked matter-of-factly while closing the distance.

The pupil of her left eye stayed open while shining blazingly with mysterious light, a gruesome smile surfaced on her face.

When Lux noticed, he was receiving the second attack.

Lux concentrated trying to at least ascertain that sword flash, but he was unable to.

「What is called consciousness is the same as breathing. No matter how much someone tried to focus, there surely will be an instant where they paused. If I attack at that moment──it will feel like the attack is visible but the opponent won’t be able to react.」

「Gu, ah……!」

Lux received the slashes Yoruka unleashed one after another and his Drag-Ride’s output was rapidly decreasing.

The moment his balance suddenly broke, Yoruka unleashed a slash as though she was aiming for that and he received it in full. He was sent flying.

(Damn, it……!)

「When using Aruji-sama’s hidden techniques and Instant Strike, I need to focus so I cannot use my Divine Raiment but──the attack just now was different you know?」

「Ku, a……!」

Mysteriously shining cursed pattern was surfacing on Bahamut’s armor.

Due to the ability of Yato no Kami’s Divine Raiment, Spell Code, Bahamut’s control was taken away.

The power of that Divine Raiment gave stronger domination the longer the opponent was touched, but facing against an opponent as skilled as Yoruka, even a single second of opening would be fatal.

Bahamut’s movement stopped and even the barrier deployment was dispelled.

The instant Lux became completely defenseless, Yoruka swung up her Blade with a smile.

「-……!?」

(──She got me)

That moment when Lux resolved himself, Yoruka’s sword quickly moved. With his gaze kept facing the front, two throwing weapons flying from behind him deflected that attack.

Right after Lux noticed that it was the cover fire from Lisha’s fired Legion──

「Uwah!?」

Two more Legions hit Bahamut’s shoulders and blew Lux backward.

「I see, so that’s her aim.」

Right after Yoruka smiled, the effect of Spell Code was dispelled because a distance was opened from her.

『Get a hold of yourself Lux! Why are you having trouble facing against that kind of person!』

The Dragon Voice from Lisha became blurred from the middle.

Looking there, far away at the other side of Gigas, Lisha was receiving fierce attacks from Hayes who was wearing Nidhogg.

Part 19

「Hah! Exposing an opening to save that shitty prince, you made an awful mistake!」

Hayes laughed loudly while doubling her attacks, but Lisha endured stoically.

Although she once built an advantage against Nidhogg, but in order to save Lux she used Legions. Hayes took advantage of it and the battle situation was reversed once more.

Because Tiamat was a Drag-Ride that possessed a lot of armaments for long range, it was weak when the enemy got close.

But, the glint in Lisha’s eyes didn’t weaken even slightly even while she was getting cornered into a disadvantageous situation.

「Mistake you say? Are you talking about me?」

「That’s right. How can someone standing above other people get done in from covering for their subordinate’s life? Because you don’t even understand something like that you’ll──」

「It’s you who don’t get it, you damn wannabe strategist!」

• GAKII!*

The two-bladed sword Hayes swung got through the barrier. But the Sword Device Lisha pulled out blocked it and using Howling Howl, Nidhogg was pushed back.

「……What-!?」

That unexpected defense shook Hayes. It was then that Lisha swiftly swung her Sword Device.

Countless Legions were circling around Nidhogg like a tornado, cutting off the path of escape. Lisha pulled the trigger of Seven Heads.

「Gu, AAAAH!」

The barrier of Hayes’s Nidhogg was smashed through and a part of her armor broke apart.

Hayes couldn’t hold out and fell on her knee. Lisha readied her weapon once more.

「You said that I’m weak. But then, how can you lose against this me? No one was telling it to you. You put the Ragnarok and this Gigas, things that no one can be a match against under your control, and you got deluded that all these are your own strength just from that. But, I’m different from you! That guy remonstrated me who was conceited of my own strength. That’s why──the current me is here, because I had piled up hard work, wanting to be recognized by that guy!」

Hayes was crouching in front of the pointed cannon muzzle.

「Ku, kukukukuku……」

Her lips were distorted into a fearless grin.

Part 20

The duel of Krulcifer versus Greifer was continuing in the arena.

Thanks to Fafnir’s Divine Raiment, Wise Blood, that was the ability of future foresight, Krulcifer was avoiding Greifer’s fierce offensive, but at the same time she was also unable to find a decisive chance.

「You’re really something huh! It’s a waste of your skill that you appeared as a borrowed thing of your allied country yeah!」

「I also think that you would be even more troublesome if you were just a bit more prudent, it will be at the level that I wouldn’t be able to manage.」

Greifer’s Tail Blade lengthened its blade and attacked by drawing a strange trajectory.

That consecutive attack that was unleashed with rapidly increasing power and precision was evaded by Krulcifer using her mobility and Auto Shield.

Even so, because of Greifer’s Divine Raiment, the invincibility ability──Photon Dive, Krulcifer’s counterattack was all neutralized.

Therefore, both sides didn’t have the deciding factor and the battle was prolonged, but──

「……I wonder if you can withdraw soon? I also don’t have much free time.」

「Is it about that huge thing approaching this way?」

Greifer kept his gaze on his opponent Krulcifer while replying like that with a fearless grin.

「If you understand, then restrain yourself. Continuing further than this is meaningless.」

「Doing that caused things with the Old Empire to get vague for many years. Unfortunately this is an order from above yeah.」

「It looks like the intention of my words is not conveyed to you isn’t it?」

Krulcifer who heard that let out a small exasperated sigh.

And then, she gazed quietly at Greifer and informed him with a calm tone.

「Fighting more than this will end with your defeat──that’s what I’m saying.」

「What……?」

「You didn’t notice? You have lost once to Lux-kun. At that time, the weak point of your Divine Raiment was identified.」

「Fuh, that’s interesting yeah! I got curious now, just how confident you are in that!」

Greifer dashed and attacked fiercely. Krulcifer evaded while sniping with Freezing Gun. Greifer instantly activated Photon Dive and reflected back the freezing bullet that hit him.

「It’s pointless! At this state, nothing will get through to me.」

「Kuh……!」

Krulcifer who kept evading like that was cornered to the wall and when she couldn’t continue backing away,

「Soon──it will be time for your invincibility to end isn’t it?」

Krulcifer stopped escaping and dodging and stood her ground.

「I see, so you really believe that my Photon Dive only has seven seconds in it huh?」

「……!?」

Until now Greifer showed that his Divine Raiment’s effect of invincibility would stop at precisely seven seconds.

That fact itself was a trap Greifer laid out.

In order to bring down Krulcifer who shifted into offense aiming at that moment when the effect was cancelled──

「The loser is you, young lady of Ymir.」

The Tail Blade that was filled with energy to the maximum was deflected once by the Auto Shield, then the returning blade attacked Krulcifer.

But,

「──No, it’s as I thought. It’s you who lost.」

At that time, the muzzle of Fafnir’s Freezing Cannon was already pressed on Cuelebre’s shoulder.

• BANG!* The sound of a normal bullet hitting was echoing inside the arena’s ring.

Right after that, Cuelebre that was clad in Photon Dive was sent flying backward. At the same time, its Divine Raiment and reinforced barrier were dispelled and decreased in output.

「Wha, aat-……!?」

「What I’m measuring isn’t the timing when your Divine Raiment’s invincibility cut off. But how to make my attack hit when you’re in that state──. Thinking back it’s a simple thing. If all material and energy are deflected when you are clad in that light, your own attacks too should only push back your opponent instead of hitting.」

Krulcifer was informing the shocked Greifer with her usual cool smile.

「In other words, anything that attacks you will be ineffective unless it’s an attack that is done with a certain mass and speed. That’s why, if I shoot in zero distance with my gun muzzle glued on you, even the light of invincibility covering your Drag-Ride can be broken through. If I readied my gun muzzle the moment you rushed in convinced of your victory──」

「What a……woman. So you making me think that you were aiming at the moment my invincibility ran out was──intentional huh. I must be losing my touch.」

「It’s not something that you should feel that down about. Your Drag-Ride also still has that damage from Lux-kun, also I was told about your Divine Raiment so I had the time to prepare a countermeasure. And then──」

Krulcifer whisperd while fixing the aim of her rifle on Cuelebre again.

「It was him who gave advice to me, who was lacking a trump card against the powerful. If I drive in an impact aiming at the dead center of the Force Core, then even when it only hits from across the armor, it can stop the energy output of the Drag-Ride temporarily.」

As though following Krulcifer’s words, the Freezing Cannon that was aimed at Greifer was focusing bluish white light of cold wave.

If she was unable to obtain instantaneous high offensive power, she would surpass it with her accuracy.

That was the answer that Krulcifer reached based on Lux’s advice.

「I don’t know how our next fight will go, but for the time being this match is──my and his victory.」

Krulcifer said that calmly and pulled her weapon’s trigger.

That moment, the conclusion in the arena was settled quietly.

Part 21

Inside the castle──at the reception hall in front of the conference room, countless light bullets and blades were flying about.

The three Drag-Rides that were planted with the seed of Yggdrasil. Horn flute was played to strengthen them.

The grotesque Drag-Rides that were called B-blood were pushing back Celis’s Lindwurm.

Inside the complicated structure inside the castle where countless marble pillars were standing, Celis’s options in fighting were extremely limited.

Her special armament, the huge assault lance, Lightning Lance was too big to be wielded freely indoors, and Starlight Zero that fired light bullet of wide range destruction was impossible to even be used here.

Therefore she was forced into a one-sided defensive battle against the teamwork of Saniya, Egnid, and Kirly.

「What’s wrong Celistia! Can you still call yourself as a Drag-Knight of a prestigious noble family like that!?」

The Blade of Saniya’s B-blood Wyvern sharply slashed through, furthermore her other hand pulled the trigger of a Breath Gun and attacked further with rapid-fire.

Holding a Blade and a Breath Gun in her left and right hands, she continued to attack without pause. That style of hers was the same as in the past, but her skill and power were far increased than in the past.

Furthermore the support of Egnid who was wearing a Wyrm and Kirly who was wearing a Drake that were similarly B-blood allowed them to completely grasp the initiative of the battle.

「Kuh……!」

Celis was sent flying by the impact and crashed onto the stone wall inside the castle. She groaned faintly.

Saniya who was convinced of their superiority slackened the tension in her lips there into a smile.

「With this──my dear wish will finally come true. All of you will be defeated and put under the rule of our Heiburg. All of you who are standing above other people only because of your lineage, but from now on the time has come for you to be the ones to obey us!」

「Is that your objective? You took part in this plan for the sake of something like that?」

When Celis asked that, Saniya exposed her rage.

「You who were born from the house of a great noble won’t understand, about us who were used by them and had our everything snatched away! My life will start from here! I will stand on the top of this country, and then I’ll make all you bastards pay what you owe us without fail!」

「Is that so──but, I reject that.」

In response to Saniya’s words, Celis slowly stood up and took a stance with her lance.

「I understand your circumstance but, that kind of wish is pointless. You only want to torment other people with weaker position than you, just like what happened to yourself in the past. ──There is no way I can let such wish be accomplished.」

「Fuh, that’s what I thought you would say. Do it! Egnid! Kirly!」

Saniya grinned fearlessly and called out to her two subordinates.

The three Drag-Rides simultaneously attacked Celis all at once.

「If it’s the me of the past, I would surely have been shaken by your words. I would wonder whether my actions are really correct. Whether the current rule is actually just the same as the rule of the Old Empire in the past──but」

But, Celis’s eye glint wasn’t wavering at all.

Instantly, Lindwurm’s armor shined and a territory of faint light was spreading around.

「……-!?」

At the same time Celis rotated a Dagger in the air. She accurately thrust at the butt of its handle and fired it like hammering a nail.

「────」

Saniya who saw that movement instantly guessed what was happening.

A double attack. It was Cross Fire from two directions by using Lindwurm’s Divine Raiment, the Divine Gate’s instant teleportation.

The strength of that special technique that only Celis could use was something that Saniya had witnessed many times.

「Damn idiot! We have prepared──countermeasures against that!」

Saniya quickly flew backward until near the wall, threw way her Breath Gun and readied her Blade with two hands.

The countermeasure was to limit the directions she needed to be on guard against by making it impossible to attack her from behind.

With the strengthened barrier of B-blood Wyvern, she could repel the Dagger flying to her from the front.

Next if she could just drive away the lance attack, Egnid and Kirly would take advantage of the opening──but,

「Crossing──Multi Attack.」

Celis appeared in the space right before her eyes, at the same time her lance that was tinged with electricity lunged diagonally downward.

And then, the Dagger that she was throwing just now, the Dagger that was similarly tinged with electricity, its tip hit the same spot of the lance’s target.

It was an attack focused to one spot from two directions that was done with a flawless timing.

After receiving Lux’s advice in the training camp, Celis devised this new tactic by herself.

「Gu, AAaAAH!」

The impacting attack easily pierced through the Wyvern’s barrier that was strengthened by Yggdrasil’s ability and the readied Blade, furthermore even its Force Core was pierced and destroyed.

「What-……!?」

Even Egnid who was trying to attack from behind stopped moving seeing that unimaginable result.

「────」

Celis finished Saniya and turned around, then in a flash she aimed her lance at Egnid before firing a Dagger wrapped in electricity once more.

Staying on guard against the Crossing Multi Attack just now──the attack that focused its hit on one spot, Egnid resolved himself to block it.

He poured all his energy into his barrier, strengthened it to maximum, and deployed it facing the front, but,

「──That’s a bad move.」

「Whaa-……!?」

Using Divine Gate, Celis circled behind Egnid this time, launched a thrust of her lance that was tinged with electricity, and smashed apart the armor of the B-Blood Wyrm.

「Gahah……!? Bi, bitch──that’s just, cheating……right?」

It was Cross Fire attack from two directions of back and front, right after she showed the Crossing Multi Attack that was an attack that focused on one spot simultaneously from two directions.

Pressed with two options that would result in his instant defeat if he chose mistakenly, even Egnid was tragically defeated.

「Winning percentage is sharply reduced──retreating.」

The remaining Kirly activated her B-blood Drake’s camouflaging and began escaping, but Lindwurm that circled right in front of her eyes smashed the armor with one lance attack.

「──Escape is not permitted. I’ll have you receive a slightly painful experience too.」

• BASHIiIII-!*

Blinding electricity spark scattered and Kirly’s mask slowly fell.

Behind the mask, there was the face of a little girl with special trait of ears that looked like a bird feather.

「Second clone──serious damage.」

Kirly whispered while at the same time her body crumbled into sand──no, into something powder-like that was even more minute than sand.

From her heart area, a mechanical lump that had countless steel wire growing from it spilled out and in the end only her head retained its shape.

「This is……what in the world!? Your true identity is──」

Right after Celis reflexively raised her voice, something strange occurred.

「Kukukukukukukukukukukukukukuukuku kekekekekekekekekekkekekekekekekeke」

The head of the girl who until now persisted in her artificial silence started laughing like a broken record.

And then, the Automaton borrowed Hayes’s words and muttered something terrifying.

Part 22

「What is happening!? Why is she not defeated even with this much battle strength!? The enemy is just a single Drag-Ride!」

On the other side, at the plaza in front of the castle gate, it was a battle between Philuffy’s Typhon versus the swarm of Abyss and fifty Drag-Knights of the Rebel Army Ragreed was leading.

It was a battle that started in a condition that should be advantageous for the Rebel Army Ragreed was leading.

The battle that seemed to be all but a victory for them was disturbed by Typhon that Philuffy was driving with control technique that was interweaved with martial arts. The battle situation was gradually inclining to her side.

Against the enemy’s long range sniping, Philuffy would use Pile Anchor to pull in the Abyss and made them into a shield, or she would throw them and reduce their numbers. Furthermore if she was surrounded, she would shoot her wire into the ground or the castle wall and moved herself at high speed.

Furthermore her straight punch with all her weight behind it and her various kicking techniques that would suddenly come flying would smash apart the enemy along with their weapons without giving them any time to react, burying them into the ground.

「──Biting FlareDragon Bite Bursting Fire」

The last Abyss, a Chimera was seized by Typhon, and with its special armament the Chimera was blown up while still being seized.

The remaining Drag-Knights of the Rebel Army who saw that raised fearful voices and backed away.

「──This, bunch of dullards-!」

Ragreed was enraged seeing his fearful subordinates and spat out in irritation. But even the few who escaped were seized by Typhon’s Pile Anchor and they were easily shot down.

「How, how can you fight like that!? You fight alone continuously using a Divine Drag-Ride, why aren’t you breathing hard!?」

「Because, Lu-chan taught me.」

Philuffy told the yelling Ragreed the answer seriously.

「I became tired from fighting, because I put too much strength.」

Even in the academy, Philuffy was among the top class powerful people there, but her unique fighting style that incorporated martial arts consumed a lot of stamina within a short time.

Therefore through mock battles Lux taught Philuffy the way to relax even in the middle of battle──she would constantly tense a part of her consciousness while also looking for timing to rest her body. She learned it and carried it out in actual practice.

「Hah, just a pointless struggle! You think making such effort would actually bear fruit? If your true shape as someone who has a part of an Abyss inside you is brought to the open, you won’t have any place to belong anywhere in this country! Your solitude fighting won’t be rewarded at all!」

Right after that, Ragreed took out a horn flute from his pocket and blew into it strongly.

The discordant chord resounded through the plaza in front of the castle, right after that Philuffy’s face grimaced slightly.

「-……!?」

「You get it now, damn monster! Become skewered meat just like that!」

Philuffy split her focus in order to oppose the domination effect from the horn flute. In that moment Ragreed’s EX Wyvern soared, then swooped down with his great sword at the ready.

He fully used the flying device on his back wings that he preserved until now and violently assaulted Philuffy who couldn’t take her stance, at that moment──

「──Missing Faith.」

Philuffy’s eyes were dyed jet black with slight tinge of gold light.

• GAUNN!* Typhon’s armor shined and a jet black wave was emitted to the surrounding.

「……Wha, aattt!?」

It was Typhon’s Divine Raiment that neutralized other Drag-Ride’s Divine Raiment and lowered the power output of the Drag-Ride itself.

The output of Ragreed’s EX Wyvern decreased the moment that wave of howl dashed over it and its speed fell.

Right after that, Typhon’s straight punch that was lying in wait struck the EX Wyvern.

「Gu, GAAaaAH!」

The impact pierced the barrier and crushed the armor.

Ragreed spat out blood and he was sent flying far away behind, crashing into the closed castle gate.

「Gehoh…… ho, how……can you maintain your sanity? My horn flute, certainly──」

「Because, I keep training. Since then, Lu-chan and Airi-chan always, trained me with that.」

The eyes of Philuffy who was whispering that indifferently had already returned to her usual eyes.

「It’s not pointless. Because from here on, I’ll protect Lu-chan.」

It was a training to accustom the body, in order to endure the horn flute’s control.

Although there was a limit to the time and number she could endure, the training was continued periodically so that she would at least be able to maintain herself as much as she could.

Therefore, it was possible for Philuffy to Abyssificate herself by her own will although it would only be for a short period of time.

Of course it was a trump card that would put a burden on her body, but in that short time she would be able to activate Typhon’s Divine Raiment that originally she was unable to use while her physical ability would also increase by leaps and bounds.

「That’s, impossible……! Something, like hope, for you is……」

Ragreed’s head dropped down and he fainted.

Philuffy who saw that leaked out a relieved sigh, but at that moment, a strange voice could be heard.

『Kukukukukuku──how admirable to defeat two bodies of the facility’s Gear Leader who is my compatriot and resist until this far. But, don’t think that you are in the advantage with this, you lowlifes.』

「……What’s, this?」

The shining powder flaking off from the EX Wyvern Ragreed was wearing took the shape of a human face and started talking.

It copied the expression of the strategist Hayes grinning fearlessly.

「This──don’t tell me」

Airi who was hiding together with Noct’s Drake near the castle gate saw that and groaned reflexively.

『I’ll at least show you the prize for resisting my plan until this far. The destruction of this country that is!』

• UUUN!* Instantly, Gigas that was visible far away at the capital’s townscape radiated light and the ground was starting to shake like an earthquake.

「Lu……chan?」

Philuffy whispered anxiously, at the same time she fell on her knee from exhaustion.

Part 23

「Gigas is vibrating……!? What are you planning to do, Hayes!」

Nidhogg stood up taking advantage of when Lisha’s attention was diverted by the loud rumble.

Lisha who saw that reflexively pulled her Cannon’s trigger.

But, when Hayes swung her two-bladed sword that was tinged with light as though drawing a circle, a wall of light was created before her and blocked Lisha’s cannon shot.

No──strictly speaking it wasn’t a wall.

The light of Nidhogg’s Divine Raiment was transmitted through to the two-bladed sword and tinged the blade──turning it into a light blade that cut apart everything, the trajectory that blade passed would leave behind a cut section.

「──It’s futile. No one is able to pass through the cut section this thing creates. And then, eat this!」

Next Nidhogg swept its weapon sideways. Just by doing that, the flash from it diagonally severed the upper part of the castle that was far behind. The castle crumbled down.

「Wha-……!?」

「This is your fault you know, damn substitute. To use this──Nidhogg’s Divine Raiment, Astral Line, even I will need to resolve myself. After all it’s a Divine Raiment that splits apart space itself, it’s an article that might destroy even this Gigas and the treasure I want to snatch.」

Hayes laughed seeing Lisha shuddering from witnessing that terrible might.

「See, I’m good with just killing you guys, the top of the royalty in the capital. Beheading everyone will make it troublesome for controlling this country later, it will also prolong the chaos. But──I gave up holding back already. Using Nidhogg’s Divine Raiment and Gigas’s all-direction firing, I’ll blow up everything altogether along with this capital!」

「Are you sane……? You──」

「It’s the fault of you guys for making me angry! You can go to hell without worry! Cause you’ll go together there with the people of this New Kingdom that you try to protect!」

Hayes yelled while Nidhogg swung down the blade that was tinged with the light of its Divine Raiment once more.

The flash of Astral Line split the world vertically, from the sky to the ground.

「-……!?」

Lisha’s body was blown away along with one arm of Tiamat that immediately deployed a reinforced barrier.

Part 24

A moment later, even Lux and Yoruka who were standing at the opposite side could hear that abnormal sound of slicing wind.

Due to the Divine Raiment Astral Line that severed the very space itself, the capital’s clock tower along with the city below were severed and collapsed with thunderous sound.

The Gigas was quickening the gathering of faint light toward its central cannon muzzle and on its whole body. The aftermath of the vibration from it shook the ground.

While screams and shrieks could be heard from below, Lux who was on his knee lifted his face.

「──It looks like that side will also be concluded soon doesn’t it?」

Yoruka was approaching near with a composed look even now after witnessing the omen of destruction that Gigas was showing and Nidhogg’s attack.

Although Lux was saved from his predicament due to Lisha’s support, he was unable to find a conclusive means of survival.

Lux had no method to block Yoruka’s special move──the Instant Strike that took advantage of the gaps of consciousness.

There was less than three minutes left for the activation time limit of Bahamut.

He was completely──cornered.

「Are you……not scared? Even though that Gigas and Hayes might destroy this capital soon.」

「Yes, not at all. Because I don’t have any human emotion in me.」

Yoruka answered instantly while showing a carefree smile.

「But, this is curious. Aruji-sama too doesn’t look scared at all. Aruji-sama is seriously intending to do it, isn’t it──of saving this country.」

「……What happened with your little brother?」

「Yes?」

「Your little brother swore to succeed the throne of Koto and become a splendid lord. And then, you──swore to walk the path of a servant who would protect him, what happened to that?」

「In this kind of situation, Aruji-sama is asking an interesting thing isn’t it?」

「Because I think that I have to ask it, as the last prince of the Old Empire.」

「…………」

Yoruka hesitated just for an instant with the smile still fixed on her face.

「My little brother──was killed.」

She said it smoothly from start to finish without any change at all in her expression and tone.

「Eh……?」

「The castle was surrounded when I was going outside, so in order to save my little brother I surrendered. I obeyed the command to enter under the banner of the Old Empire with the condition that only my little brother’s life was saved──but」

Yoruka talked with a hint of nostalgia in her tone and she smiled.

「My little brother was already killed, by none other than his subordinates, the chief vassals. The chief vassals who gave up the war because of the difference in battle strength with the empire laid the responsibility on my little brother in order to protect themselves. They beheaded him and presented his head to the empire.」

「…………」

「It was, vexing.」

The girl who was said to be not human whispered with something that felt like emotion coloring her tone for the first time.

「My blood relative who was the only one who believed in a defective product like me died. And yet, even when I heard that news, I didn’t feel sad even a little. That’s, the most vexing thing above all else, was how I wasn’t a proper human until the very end.」

「Then, you following the contract with my father──with the Old Empire is……」

「Both of us really weren’t cut out for it. Something like becoming a splendid lord, and a servant who devoted her loyalty to such lord is just──」

Even so just like her little brother who kept his oath until he died, she herself also exchanged a contract with the Old Empire in order to save her little brother. She was attempting to be faithful until she died to the only oath she had ever sworn by protecting that contract.

「Now, the time to talk harmoniously is also over with this. Let’s conclude this, Aruji-sama.」

「……Got it.」

Lux gazed straight at Yoruka, then he took a stance by pulling his sword greatly to the back.

「As a prince of the Old Empire, I’ll defeat you here.」

In response, Yoruka took her stance and her purple eyes shined fierily.

The battle technique of perceiving Lux’s conscious wavelengths and taking the opening of the unconscious gap──Instant Strike.

Yoruka intended to settle the match using the greatest technique she had.

The surrounding atmosphere tensed tinglingly and the tension was drawn until the very limit.

A few instants later, it came.

• BAKIiiIN!*

「──!?」

An instant of crossing, when the blades of both sides ran through empty air, Yoruka’s Blades snapped and twirled in the air.

At the same time, the Chaos Brand that Lux wielded also cracked, but it wasn’t separated from his hand.

「──Reload on Fire.」

Lux’s attack that struck last pierced through the barrier of Yoruka’s Yato no Kami and her armor was destroyed.

The impact on the Force Core completely downed the Drag-Ride’s output.

「──How……can this be?」

Yoruka showed a color of agitation for the first time. She whispered with a dumbfounded voice.

「I don’t understand something like the moment when there is gap in a human’s consciousness.」

Lux answered with wheezing breath.

「But, I predicted it only hazily, your tendency, the omen when you are about to move after reading the gap of my consciousness. I was finally able to see it, thanks to you getting emotional for the first time.」

「…………」

Lux’s Quick Shot that originally should only be usable when he used Reload on Fire.

That technique which aimed to attack at the moment the opponent unleashed their attack by perfectly seeing through the attack preparation movement of the opponent, against Yoruka, it was unable to reach until her armor.

Therefore, in the first attack Lux concentrated on only brushing away her sword, and then he decided the match with the next attack.

「Certainly, my tendency will come into view if I exert my strength emotionally. What a failure. For I who am not a human──to still have something like that.」

The moment Yoruka chuckled, the Gigas shined once more and it shook fiercely along with the ground.

Right after that, from the shoulder of Gigas that was tilting diagonally──Yoruka and Yato no Kami slipped off.

「With this, the Arcadia Empire is finished too. Sayonara──Aruji-sama.」

That moment she began to freefall, Lux flew his Bahamut, weaving through the gaps of the broken armor that was thrown away along with the Gigas’s movement. And then──

「What are……you doing?」

With a look as though she was seeing something inexplicable, she stared at the hand of Bahamut that was saving her.

Lux reached out his hand in order to save Yoruka at a timing where it seemed like he wouldn’t make it in time at all.

Even while shaking with most of his strength used up, Lux slowly pulled up Yato no Kami.

「Aruji-sama doesn’t have any responsibility or free time to save me you know? My wish is already──」

「I once tried to change this country──and then I failed.」

Lux spoke cutting off Yoruka’s words and he turned his eyes that were tinged with sadness to her.

「No matter how I couldn’t believe in how the country was, so I resolved myself to change it. After that various things happened and the Arcadia Empire was destroyed. My older brother, he told me that it’s impossible to persuade them. Perhaps he was right. Something like my wish might be a mistake that won’t come true in the end. But……」

While whispering, Lux mustered his remaining strength and pulled Yoruka up.

「If it’s possible to save, then I want to save even just one more person. It doesn’t matter even if that’s a reckless wish. After all, I resolved myself to destroy the Arcadia Empire for that.」

「……I’m astonished. Something like that──to choose the path of destroying one’s own country by one’s own hand in order to save it. This is my terrible misunderstanding. Aruji-sama, from the start you are fighting all this time for the sake of the Arcadia Empire aren’t you? In order to make it come true, the ideal country that you dreamed of──」

Yoruka suddenly made a tranquil smile, as though she was released from something.

Like that Lux pulled up Yoruka to the edge of Gigas’s shoulder before he let go of her hand.

「My battle is still not over. It has continued all this time──since that day seven years ago. That’s why, I’m going.」

Lux only left those words behind and he was about to turn on his heel. It was then he heard a voice.

「……Does Aruji-sama know, about the entrance to the shortest route heading towards Gigas’s control room?」

Yoruka who dispelled her armor was looking up to Lux with her usual smile.

「I think it’s a necessary information for Aruji-sama. If it can save your country, and really grant your wish then──」

Part 25

「How long are you going to run? It won’t be much longer until Gigas’s all-directional bombardment you know? You’re planning to abandon this country huh, princess-sama.」

「Kuh……!」

Lisha barely continued to avoid fatal wounds from the fierce attacks that Hayes’s Nidhogg unleashed by skillfully using Legion and Suppressor.

The trajectory that was passed through when the blade of Nidhogg’s Divine Raiment, Astral Line was swung──that severed cut section remained behind as a wall of light. Because the space was literally cut apart like that, any attack wouldn’t pass through to the other side.

(As long as the enemy doesn’t dispel that cut section created by the Divine Raiment, my attacks won’t reach, huh……)

Besides, the slash from Hayes’s Astral Line could further sever that cut section of space from above.

Just like how a paper with countless lines drawn on it had a new line drawn on it and enclosed an area, Lisha’s was also gradually getting cornered with her escape path getting cut off one by one.

It was a hopelessly unfavorable situation. Even so inside her head, Lisha was trying to form a strategy towards victory.

How to make her attacks pass through using all the methods available to her.

That was the tactical thinking possessed by Lisha who was called as the New Kingdom’s Scarlet Battle Princess.

(However, thanks to seeing that Divine Raiment many times like this, I finally understand how it works.)

The moment Hayes tried to unleash a slash using Astral Line again, Tiamat flew.

「Idiot! No one can fly through the space that Nidhogg cut──……!?」

But, the moment Hayes unleashed a new slash using her Divine Raiment, one of the walls of light from the cut space that was surrounding the area suddenly disappeared as though dissolving into air.

「You’re quite something in scheming, but you are not really a big deal when it comes to Drag-Ride tactics huh──bungler strategist.」

Lisha charged and slipped through that vanishing cut section──the hole between the light walls.

The cut section of space created by Nidhogg’s Divine Raiment couldn’t be done infinitely by any means.

In the case when more new slashes were unleashed after already cutting apart a certain size of surface area, the cut section that was previously made would vanish in turn, starting from the oldest cut section.

Therefore, Lisha memorized the order by which the light wall of cut section was created, then she matched her timing with Hayes’s attack and broke through the hole of the vanished wall.

Even though Hayes understood the trait of Nidhogg’s Divine Raiment, she wasn’t grasping it thoroughly in real battle.

That time when the difference in battle experience between the two sides was brought to the fore, Lisha aimed her Seven Heads.

「Prepare yourself Hayes! This is──your loss!」

「──Hah」

But that moment, *gashiin!* Lisha together with Tiamat were restrained.

「Wh, at……!?」

The rumbling Gigas that should be only preparing for its all-directional bombardment until now.

Its giant arm had moved unnoticed by anyone and caught Lisha with it.

「That’s naïve, you substitute princess. Even if Gigas is in a state of opening all its gunports, but were you looking down on it that it won’t be able to move all the time?」

「-……!?」

「I have great power, the proof of my bloodline that once ruled over this world and made you lowlifes succumb! This is──the status that you fake absolutely cannot obtain.」

「──That’s idiotic.」

Lisha raised her voice in response to Hayes who was showing a triumphant smirk.

「What did you say……?」

Gigas’s hand was tightened until just barely, even so Lisha grinned fearlessly.

「Just what is amazing from that? I don’t get it at all. Are you really satisfied that you are able to subdue a junk that will move just because of your bloodline?」

「You are still going to bluff even at this point huh, this fake princess.」

「……You see, when I obtained Tiamat, I didn’t think like that for even the slightest bit. No matter how strong specs it has, I didn’t want something like that for even the slightest bit. Since the past until now, what I want is the strength and qualification that is worthy for that Drag-Ride!」

Lisha put her strength into her Drag-Ride, trying to tear off Gigas’s restrain.

「I’ll teach you! The thing that I’m trying to obtain by fighting, if far higher in rank than your so called strength!」

「──That as far as your joke goes, get crushed and die.」

Hayes raised an angry voice and Gigas moved to closed its fist and crush Tiamat.

But at that instant, several of its five fingers were cut apart and a jet black Drag-Ride cut through the sky.

「I’m sorry to make you wait, Lisha-sama.」

Lux carried Lisha along with her Drag-Ride in his arms and spoke to her.

Lisha who became aware of that saw Lux’s face from close up and her face flushed up red.

「──!? Yo, you are slow, really! Don’t make me worry so much……」

Lisha yelled angrily to divert attention from her state before she averted her face and whispered so at the end.

「Also, that girl’s Divine Drag-Ride, Nidhogg, I saw through its ability. It will be sink or swim, but will you follow me?」

Seeing his master, the princess pretending to be tough, Lux gently smiled at her.

「There is only little time remaining until Bahamut’s activation time limit. Please instruct me about your plan through Dragon Voice.」

「……Yeah! We are going to teach that mad strategist a lesson!」

Lisha faced Nidhogg once more and began to focus energy into Seven Heads.

At the same time, Lux who flew drawing a sharp arc attacked towards Nidhogg.

His swordsmanship was endowed with weight and speed, but Nidhogg obstructed it with the wall its cut section created.

「It’s futile! It’s impossible for you to surpass this wall! You guys will absolutely──」

「Try blocking this Hayes! The other technique that I devised!」

Immediately after Hayes who was convinced of her victory yelled, *DON!* Tiamat’s armament the Seven Heads fired flickering purple light bullets from its center muzzle.

Seeing that unfamiliar attack, Hayes showed an alert expression, even so she didn’t move from her spot.

Nidhogg’s surrounding was already surrounded by the cut section light wall it created. No attack would pass it. In that case it should be absolutely safe if she didn’t move but──

「Linker Burst. ──And then, Reload on Fire.」

The moment Lux raised his voice, Nidhogg itself advanced forward as though it was being pulled.

「Wh, at-!?」

Bahamut was internally equipped with a special armament to create force fields that controlled a material’s trajectory. It went through compression reinforcement by Reload on Fire, and the force field that originally didn’t have the strength to move a Drag-Ride moved Nidhogg.

In order to prevent herself from getting crushed by the light wall that her own Divine Raiment created, Hayes removed the cut section. In that instant──the purple light bullet Lisha fired directly hit Hayes.

「Gu, u……! Damn idiot! My Nidhogg’s barrier won’t even break from just this much──」

「No worry Hayes. Your time is already over.」

The moment Lisha showed her grin, it happened.

Nidhogg that received the black purple light bullet became unable to move.

No, far from that──

「What, this is──!?」

Her armor creaked fiercely and began to distort in turn from the small parts.

It was as though she was being held in place by pins midair. She was fixed on the spot by a powerful pressure and she was unable to escape.

「Gravity bullet, it’s a technique that applies Tiamat’s Divine Raiment, the Suppressor. Also, once you get touched, you will be dragged to the center of the sphere until its effect runs out and get crushed there. In other words──」

Lisha was explaining while loading energy into Seven Heads.

At the same time in front of her Lux’s Bahamut was silently readying its black great sword──a red flash surged.

「──Reload on Fire.」

Lux compressed his own time to the greatest degree and then he unleashed Quick Shot.

Faster than Astral Line could create a light wall, that two-bladed sword that was the Divine Raiment’s starting point was destroyed into pieces.

「──Farewell Hayes, Heiburg’s strategist whose identity isn’t even revealed, see with your own eyes the strength of this Scarlet Battle Princess and fall!」

Right after that, the maximum output cannon shot of Seven Heads attacked Nidhogg.

「──Gu, GAaAAAaAaAAH……!?」

Extremely glaring light bore into the armor, then Nidhogg broke down along with Hayes’s shriek.

Shriek and armor fragments scattered everywhere along with an explosion, melting inside the light.

『Wh, y……! Why are you bastards! The likes of the descendants……who betrayed us……!』

Hayes’s voice that was sent through the Dragon Voice got blurry at the end and became distant.

When their sight returned a few moments later, Hayes’s figure had vanished without any trace.

「We did it, next is──」

Lisha moved even while wheezing roughly.

「Yes! There is only one left──」

Mustering their last strength, Lux and Lisha followed the passage that Yoruka told Lux and infiltrated inside from Gigas’s chest part. After progressing through a single path for ten-odd seconds, they found the control room area just like what they saw before inside the Ark. There, a single girl was sitting on a chair.

She had countless cables connected to her and a mechanical crown on her head, gazing to the front with emotionless eyes.

Perhaps she was splitting her focus with the control of Gigas, she moved her face for the first time when catching sight of Lux and Lisha.

「Situation of certain defeat. Evacuation impossible. Last order──activate.」

The Automaton’s expression was hollow. But, just a single animosity could be sensed from the peculiar tone of Gigas’s Gear Leader, El Fajura.

She knew of the defeat of Hayes, the Lord that she worshipped. And yet, even now she was resolved to take revenge by destroying the capital.

「Stop! The outcome has been decided already. More than this is──」

Lisha raised her voice to stop her while aiming her Cannon’s muzzle at El Fajura.

But, perhaps she had used up all of her energy and willpower because Tiamat didn’t show any reaction.

And then, Lux’s Bahamut had also passed through its activation time limit and got dispelled.

「Damn i──」

「Confirming situation change by sight, achieving the objective within the remaining few seco──」

El Fajura whispered while watching that movement at the corner of her sight, in that instant,

「That will be impossible I think.」

• stab* A katana shaped Sword Device sprung out from the center of her chest, *crackle* and yellow sparks scattered.

「……!?」

When the surprised Lux and Lisha looked behind them, they noticed that Yoruka who had arriving from behind the two of them had thrown her Sword Device.

「You──!?」

Right after Lisha raised her voice in surprise, Yoruka smiled bewitchingly like usual.

「This is a contract violation Automaton-san. Destroying this very country itself is different from my agreement with your master you know?」

「…………」

El Fajura didn’t react to those words. She gazed at Lux with sparks scattering from her stabbed chest. And then, her lips distorted into a grin and she laughed, as though displaying her will as an Automaton for the first time.

「……I see, so you are the rebel. Did you obtain the world you wished for after throwing the previously created world principle out of order?」

「──What?」

Lux asked back with a dubious face after hearing the Automaton’s sudden words.

「You will soon remember. Even if you forgot, someday──if you wish for that once more.」

After leaving those words behind at the end, light vanished from El Fajura’s eyes. At the same time Gigas’s rumbling stopped and the surrounding was filled with silence.

The many long battles were closed here.