Toaru Hikuushi e no Seiyaku:V2Part8

Part 16 He kept his eyes on the enemy's tail. According to the posted formation, Arrow 1 was Illia, Arrow 2 was Balthazar, and Arrow 3 was Obando.

Spotting the aircraft marked with a "3," Kiyoaki shouted into the mic.

"Obando is on the right; we'll take him down first!"

Following the prior briefing, he pivoted to face their first target.

The Arrow formation, agile as ever, tilted its aircraft and charged straight at them. Leading the pack was, of course, Illia.

Kiyoaki banked sharply to the left, raising his nose. They were both trying to draw smaller circles than the opponent, attempting to close the distance with as tight a left turn as possible.

The enemy Arrow formation moved up towards his windscreen. Kiyoaki looked up at the approaching enemy planes. To his sides, Kagura and Reiner closely flanked him, ready to protect. The enemy also appeared to enter a horizontal turn—at least that’s what he thought.

"The enemy is losing altitude. They're trying to bring it vertical!"

Kagura relayed through the speaker. The enemy was rotating horizontally while subtly dropping in height. The previously horizontal ring gradually tilted, and then it looked as if it would stand vertically. This was likely Balthazar's strategy, having identified their vertical turn as a weakness.

"It'll be a G-force contest. Mental strength will decide the outcome; do not lose!"

"Understood!"

Kiyoaki responded to Kagura’s urgent tone.

"Especially you, Reiner! Don’t give up easily!"

"Why am I being singled out?!"

Listening to the exchanges over the speaker, Kiyoaki glared at the top of the windscreen. Flying at high speed in three-dimensional space made it difficult to sense up and down. Beyond the windscreen, the land seemed to descend from the sky, creating a bizarre view.

On the fourth rotation, the turn completely transitioned to vertical. The Arrow and Lance formations continued to chase each other's tails, rolling through the air.

With each dive, air was sucked from his lungs, and with each ascent, his weight bore down on him like a rock.

Negative Gs and positive Gs slammed against his body with both fists. If he relaxed even for a moment, his consciousness would be swept away entirely; the heavens above and the earth below intertwined in a hell of gravity and inertia. Yet both formations tore through that hell, breaking free.

Kiyoaki bent his neck back as far as possible, glaring at Illia above him. The sky and ground alternated, descending in a dizzying array around Illia. No matter how painful it became, he would never take his eyes off her. Breathless, he held his breath, the crushing weight of inertia pounding at him relentlessly. But those who succumbed to this agony would fall behind. To win in aerial combat, one must endure, endure, and endure again.

—I will never lose. I will not lose. I will not lose...

Holding onto that singular thought. Clinging tightly and not letting go. No matter how much the plus Gs battered his lungs or how the minus Gs threatened to pull his soul away, he kept his gaze fixed on Illia above.

Ilia was struggling too. Balthazar and Obando were surely gritting their teeth, both their eyes reddened as they endured the hell of gravity and inertia. The pain felt by everyone in this cockpit was equally felt by all engaged in the aerial battle. There was no way he would be the first to give in.

The clash of wills continued, keeping their vertical dance alive.

As they danced, the two formations began to unravel.

What had once been a perfect triangle at the start of the battle now morphed into a distorted shape over time.

The differences in the stamina and mental strength of each pilot were becoming evident in their formations. The least experienced were being pushed out of the dance.

—Obando is falling behind...!

Kiyoaki could see Obando in the right wing of the Arrow formation gradually slipping from the upper part of the windscreen to the front. Frustrated with the agony of continuing to fly in circles, he was likely opting for another manoeuvre. Though he had the best stamina among the six, his mental state was faltering. During aerial combat, the brain often lacks the oxygen needed for normal functioning, leading to unexpected actions. Regardless of the reason, this crack was a stroke of luck.

Kiyoaki aimed his nose toward Obando. Against the rapidly shifting sky and ground, the silhouette of the faltering aircraft began to fit into his sights.

Closing in to the point of guaranteed hits.

Obando noticed and hurriedly turned his controls to the side. The Arrow formation began to break apart dramatically, with Illia and Balthazar flipping vertically, while Obando fled horizontally. The Lance formation, sticking to their original plan, closed in on Obando's tail, pulling him into a horizontal chase.

Chasing Obando at full speed, Kiyoaki also pushed his throttle wide open. The windscreen rattled.

He was concerned about Illia, but there was no time to glance her way. Trusting that Kagura and Reiner would protect him, he focused all his attention ahead.

He locked onto the struggling silhouette of Obando.

With all emotions set aside, he placed his finger on the trigger.

Like a ritual, Kiyoaki superimposed Mio's smiling face over the enemy aircraft.

An irreplaceable smile he never wanted to lose.

To ensure that people like his parents and sister never had to face Mio.

—I will take down the enemy.

He pulled the trigger without hesitation.

The specialized round shot through the air, leaving a white trail as it lunged toward Obando.

He watched as red splashes erupted on the "3" tail.

"Arrow 3, shot down. Leave the airspace."

The announcement from the monitoring instructor's aircraft echoed through the speakers.

In that moment of relief—

"Kiyoaki, up!!"

Kagura's shout struck his ears.

He looked up.

Suddenly, a hawk was diving down, backlit by the sun.

"Illia!!"

—There’s no way to avoid it…!!

The moment when he would be most defenceless was targeted. Kiyoaki had completely exposed the upper surface of his aircraft to Illia. From her perspective, the target was large, and he couldn't shoot back. It was a beautifully executed, precise attack by Illia.

He tried to tilt his aircraft desperately, but Illia was faster.

—This is how I lose...!!

In that moment of regret, a shadow intruded between Kiyoaki and Illia.

From the corner of his right eye, he spotted the "2" on the tail.

"Kagura!!"

As soon as he shouted, red splashes scattered in the air, and Illia descended past Kiyoaki's aircraft.

"Arrow 2, shot down. Leave the airspace."

Looking down at Illia shrinking toward the ground, Kiyoaki heard the merciless voice of the instructor.

"Kagura..."

"I'm sorry, this is it. Win, Kiyoaki."

Kagura said this and turned her red-stained aircraft toward the airfield. She had been shot down by Illia, acting as Kiyoaki's shield. His own inadequacy had forced Kagura into this situation. The guilt burned in his throat.

"There's still one left!!"

Kiyoaki snapped back to reality at Reiner's yell.

He glared at the sun. A second hawk was diving down.

It wasn't just Illia. There was a second arrow.

"Ugh...!!"

Clenching his jaw, Kiyoaki flipped his aircraft and began to glide diagonally through the sky. A special round's mark grazed nearby. If Kiyoaki hadn't been yelled at by Reiner, it would have been a direct hit. He quickly scanned the area around the windscreen and saw Balthazar diving toward the ground above him.

—They’re targeting my moment of distraction.

Kiyoaki shivered, realizing Balthazar had picked up on the fact that he was using up energy in the vertical manoeuvre and was solely focused on Illia. After dodging Illia’s attack, Balthazar seized the exact moment Kiyoaki was caught off guard.

—The captain is strong...!

The combination of Illia’s raw strength and Balthazar’s cunning and calmness was truly the worst for any opponent.

Just as Kagura had said, Balthazar should be the next target after Obando. If possible, Kiyoaki wanted to create a situation where he and Reiner could team up against Illia.

"I'm targeting Arrow 2!!"

Kiyoaki announced his target to Reiner and shifted his wings. Though he was still struggling to breathe from the vertical manoeuvres, there was no time for hesitation. Illia and Balthazar were continuing their manoeuvres and fighting as well. To win in aerial combat, he had to push his body, mind, and spirit to their limits.

—Throw everything into this.

Kiyoaki encouraged himself and opened the throttle. More weight pressed on his struggling lungs, causing his body to scream. Yet he didn’t stop pursuing the enemy aircraft.

Noticing he was being pursued, Balthazar dove low. While chasing Balthazar, Kiyoaki glanced back but saw no sign of Illia.

She was probably hiding in a spot out of sight—perhaps directly behind the aircraft. However, he couldn't take his eyes off Balthazar.

Forcing his bloodshot eyes wide open, he glared solely at Balthazar.

Balthazar dropped to an altitude of one hundred fifty meters and switched to level flight. He was likely trying to dodge Kiyoaki's attacks by flying low. Dropping to that altitude required a significant level of skill from the pilot. If he faltered, he could crash to the ground, causing a major accident involving the spectators.

However, this only heightened Kiyoaki's determination. His instincts as a pilot drove him to pursue Balthazar, who was opting for a risky manoeuvre.

"I won't let you escape...!!"

He plunged down and used the momentum to latch onto Balthazar's tail. Balthazar shook his aircraft from side to side in an attempt to flee, but Kiyoaki quickly closed the distance.

—I've taken his tail easily.

There was no way Balthazar, known for his cunning, would resort to such an easy escape.

—It's a trap.

Kiyoaki’s instincts whispered to him. Illia was undoubtedly targeting him from behind. However, he couldn’t ignore Balthazar.

—Even if it’s a trap, I’ll keep pursuing.

—Because I have Reiner.

To break Balthazar’s trap, he had no choice but to rely on his teammates.

With a raspy voice, Reiner strained to speak into the mic.

"Illia...!!"

It was difficult to get that much out. Perhaps Reiner was struggling with the same burdens; there was no response from her. Yet he believed that just those words would convey his intention to Reiner as he concentrated on Balthazar.

The gathered spectators below looked like a colourful mosaic. He flew past them in an instant, with Balthazar slithering away like a sea snake. Kiyoaki did not ease up on his pursuit for even a moment. Veins bulged at his temples as he grit his teeth, locking onto Balthazar.

But then—

"Watch out!!"

Reiner's shout reverberated through the speakers.

At the same time, Kiyoaki kicked the right footbar.

His aircraft slipped sharply to the side, and a barrage of special rounds flooded toward him.

Looking back, he saw Illia, just about to fire another shot aimed at him. In front, Balthazar turned left. He was likely planning to escape in that opening.

—Not if I can help it...!!

Focusing entirely on Balthazar, Kiyoaki tilted the control stick left and lifted the nose, enduring the approaching inertia while calling out to his reliable partner.

"Reiner!!"

"I got it...!!"

As Kiyoaki continued, Illia pursued him from further behind.

Just as Kiyoaki focused on Balthazar, Illia concentrated on him. Reiner, at the back, aimed to take advantage of Illia’s momentary lapse.

—Reiner, take her down...!!

He prayed but had no time to check behind him. The instructor's voice did not come through the speakers. All he could see in the corner of his vision was Illia dodging Reiner's shots with a swift sideways manoeuvre.

Illia was pulling away. Reiner was chasing. Balthazar, pressed by Kiyoaki, fled in the opposite direction from Illia. Kiyoaki entrusted Reiner with dealing with Illia and pursued Balthazar.

The surface of Air Hunt Island disappeared, and in an instant, the view below turned blue. They had reached the sea. A ten-kilometre radius around Air Hunt Island was designated as the combat area; leaving it meant an immediate loss. Balthazar was flying close to the edge of this boundary. If Kiyoaki got too caught up in the chase, he risked leaving the area himself.

—What a sneaky move...!

He had anticipated that he couldn't win against Kiyoaki's skills. It was a cunning but undeniably tricky tactic. After coming this far, he couldn't afford to lose out of bounds.

Balthazar flew enticingly close to the boundary line of the ocean. Above them, an instructor’s large aircraft monitored the mock aerial battle. The moment it was deemed out of bounds, the speakers would sound off. Kiyoaki couldn't pursue below.

He observed Balthazar's piloting. How was he keeping track of the ten-kilometre zone? He made educated guesses based on his flying.

—He’s only making right turns. He has to do that to keep track of the airspace.

—The captain must be judging the approximate distance by the shape of the island.

—Don’t make wide turns. If I stick closely behind, I can win.

There wasn't a clearly marked boundary in the sky. If he strayed too far outside the designated area, the instructor would surely stop him, but they would likely overlook slight deviations. What was essential was not to be shaken by Balthazar's psychological tactics; that was the only thing that mattered.

Determined, Kiyoaki increased his speed.

He closed the distance to Balthazar. At this point, Balthazar finally challenged him to a horizontal manoeuvre. Perhaps he was reading Kiyoaki’s fear of going out of bounds, and he engaged in a dogfight right at the edge of the designated airspace.

—Don’t be afraid.

Without hesitation, Kiyoaki accepted the challenge. If he let the fear of losing out of bounds stop him, Balthazar would gain the upper hand. As long as he turned tighter than the enemy, he couldn’t lose. He should only focus on that; there was no room for other doubts.

—Don’t get heated. Stay calm.

He reminded himself. Balthazar's aim was to provoke his opponent and make them lose their composure. He couldn't fall into that trap.

At an altitude of three hundred meters, they engaged in a low-level horizontal manoeuvre. As the fight continued, their altitude gradually decreased. If he fell too low, he would crash into the sea. But Balthazar was just as afraid. He steeled himself, keeping his eyes locked on the silhouette above him.

Kiyoaki was worried about Illia. However, he had no room to divert his gaze. He believed Reiner was keeping Illia in check, and on the third rotation, Kiyoaki focused the sights on Balthazar.

Current altitude: one hundred fifty meters. It was a dangerously low flight for a candidate. If Balthazar lifted his nose, the upper surface of his aircraft would fill the sights, and that would mean victory for Kiyoaki—but Balthazar continued to fly low. He was trying to shake off Kiyoaki by swerving left and right without fear of crashing into the ocean.

—He's not just cunning. He’s bold and brave...!

Kiyoaki had long understood that he couldn’t measure up to Balthazar in theoretical knowledge, but there was something noteworthy about his piloting skills. The aircraft currently in his sights belonged to someone who would be remembered in history as a great commander or strategist. Holding that thought, Kiyoaki imposed Mio's smiling face over it.

"Arrow 2, shot down. Leave the airspace."

With his tail marked "2" stained bright red, Balthazar effortlessly withdrew from the battlefield. It was as if he were saying he had fulfilled his role.

Kiyoaki turned his gaze back.

—Now, only Illia remains...!

It would be great to battle Illia with Reiner by his side. But where was Illia...?

In an instant, Kiyoaki scanned the entire airspace and spotted them.

High above Air Hunt Island, about three thousand five hundred meters up, two silhouettes were tangled together.

Reiner was desperately fleeing, while Illia relentlessly pursued her.

"Reiner!!"

He shouted, flipping his wings and heading straight for her. But by the time he realized it, victory was already on the line. Illia unleashed a precise shot at Reiner, who struggled to keep her aircraft upright.

"Arrow 3, shot down. Leave the airspace."

As Kiyoaki finally returned to the sky above Air Hunt Island, the speakers sounded off.

"You’ve stuck it out till now; you better be grateful."

Reiner’s nonchalant voice reached him. While he was chasing Balthazar, Reiner had taken on Illia's pursuit as bait. Kiyoaki expressed his gratitude.

"Yeah, thanks, Reiner."

"Win for me. For my score."

"I know. I won’t waste your efforts."

"Stop it. That's too mushy."

Ignoring the teasing tone, Kiyoaki fixed his gaze on Illia, who was soaring toward the zenith.

From here on, it would be a one-on-one fight.

Illia, who had seemed so far out of reach, now spread her wings in the same airspace as Kiyoaki. She was aiming for him.

—Let’s settle this, Illia.

He surrendered to the surging emotions and opened the throttle. Illia, realizing he was coming for her, began to gain altitude.

In aerial combat with aircraft of the same performance, the one at a higher altitude held the advantage. Kiyoaki pulled the control stick back, but since Illia started at a higher position, they would engage with a difference of about five hundred meters in altitude.

The horizontal distance shrank to less than one thousand meters. Current altitude: two thousand two hundred meters. Illia, from about two thousand seven hundred, twisted her aircraft.

A silver silhouette descended diagonally from above like a hawk. With both using the same engine to ascend, there would be a significant energy difference.

—Don’t dodge. Go straight in.

His instincts whispered. Rather than initiating a circular manoeuvre, he wanted to set up a position where they would pass each other.

Illia noticed his intentions. Instantly, she corrected her stance and prepared for a counter manoeuvre.

Kiyoaki clenched his teeth and twisted his aircraft, aiming to ascend toward Illia’s front.

Through the windscreen, he saw Illia descending from directly above.

As if tracing the pre-set rails, the two planes followed the same trajectory. If they were trains, a head-on collision would be unavoidable.

Illia's wings slipped out of the sights.

From those wings, bright red flames erupted.

At the moment he was shot at, Kiyoaki twisted his aircraft.

For an instant, a trail like a bullfighter’s lance pierced the outside.

The sound of the enemy aircraft’s propeller pierced Kiyoaki’s right ear.

Hearing was suddenly taken away, and a flickering light remained in the retina.

In a flash of light and the tail of an explosion, the two aircraft passed each other.

Looking down at the lower part of the aircraft, I saw Illia swiftly ascending, using her momentum. She was drawing a large diagonal trajectory, aiming for my side.

My climbing power was diminishing. The engine of the Gray Fox alone couldn’t sustain its ascent. I flipped the aircraft and started descending towards Illia.

Again, I looked up at Illia and the ocean above the canopy. The longer the air battle dragged on, the more my ability to grasp three-dimensional space weakened. I was confused about which way was up or down; my spatial awareness was in disarray.

Illia’s silhouette grew larger and larger, without allowing me a moment's respite. It’s generally said that women have better G-tolerance than men, and Illia showed no signs of fatigue despite the intense aerial manoeuvres.

— Am I going to lose?

A tremendous negative G-force struck me, as if pulling my spine out. Illia’s aircraft pushed down behind my canopy, and the ocean loomed closer.

I was about to crash into the water.

“Ugh…”

With all my might, I pulled the control stick. The Gray Fox responded as if to a prayer, barely lifting its nose to fly level at 350 meters. I hurriedly looked up, but Illia, who had just been visible, was gone.

— I lost sight of her.

The moment I realized this; I kicked the left foot bar. As my aircraft slid left, Illia’s shots tore through the position I had just occupied. If I had been even a fraction of a second slower, the battle would have been lost.

I looked back. Illia had already positioned herself above and behind me. How did she manage to take her shot? My thoughts couldn’t keep up. But I had to escape.

“Come on.”

Resolutely, I dropped my altitude to 100 meters, the absolute minimum allowed during training. The instructor’s warning came through the speaker.

“Do not drop lower. You risk touching the ocean.”

“Yes!”

I replied, but my focus remained on what was behind me. I wanted to regain altitude and counterattack, if possible, but for now, all I could do was endure. I swayed from side to side, gauging Illia’s shooting timing. Even if she was chasing me, due to both of us flying at high speed, there would be a slight delay before her bullets reached me. In that time, I could kick the foot bars to avoid them, but Illia surely knew this too.

As expected, Illia didn’t shoot right away.

She merely followed me, pretending to shoot.

She was trying to frustrate me, waiting for my stamina to drain.

As I fled at low altitude, I had to constantly glance back at the ocean, which severely drained my stamina and concentration. Illia knew that being chased put far more strain on a pilot than chasing.

— It’s not just about technique. She’s calm and clever...!

I knew this, but actually going head-to-head made me realize Illia’s brilliance anew. In a few years, she could very well stand alongside Akmed and Karnasion as the King of aerial combat in the archipelago.

— But.

I twisted my body as much as I could, enduring the pain while glaring behind me. Illia was closely observing me as she followed from above and behind. If I got flustered and lifted my aircraft, I would be taken down on the spot.

— I won’t give up.

— Shoot me.

If I could read her shooting timing, I could escape this predicament. Until I figured that out, I would endure — and just then, Illia’s wings glimmered.

In that instant, I kicked the right foot bar.

Into the sliding gap, special ammunition streamed forth.

In a split second, Illia’s second shot pierced through the airspace.

I kicked the left foot bar. The bullets grazed by as they passed.

I looked back at Illia. She was closing in, having adjusted her aim to the point where she could shoot accurately. She intended to finish the fight here.

In that moment when her wings shone — I increased my speed and slightly pulled back on the control stick.

Every one of Illia’s arrows passed under my aircraft and plunged into the ocean.

I ascended diagonally to the left. Illia was pursuing, but because I had leaned slightly forward during the shot, her pursuit was delayed just enough.

— I’ve got it!

Excitement surged through every cell in my body. I had captured the timing of Illia’s ascent by mere milliseconds. From here, I could move into a dogfight.

The speaker crackled.

“Five minutes remaining.”

It seemed that fifteen minutes had passed since the air battle began. I was surprised that so much time had flown by, and I turned my wings. I aimed for Illia’s tail, twisting my aircraft.

Ilia also adjusted her position. In a manner reminiscent of fighting dogs, we chased each other’s tails, a dogfight that looked exactly as it should in February’s sky. In a normal fight, we would be flipping through the air repeatedly, but Illia didn’t draw a perfect circle. She aimed for an even smaller turning radius, drawing elliptical aerial manoeuvres in all directions. To keep up, I had to aim for an even smaller radius, creating a bizarre pattern of overlapping ellipses in the blue sky.

“Ugh...”

I endured the pain, straining my eyes to follow the silhouette before me, determined to stay with Illia.

— Don’t let her get away.

This was a level of flight I had never attempted before. Spins, stalls, and aerial disintegration, even crashing into the ground or sea were all possibilities. But if I fled out of fear, I would be shot down the next moment. There was no way to win against Illia without challenging the unknown.

— Stay with Illia.

It felt as if I were being pulled by a stage dancer, stepping into unknown movements during the aerial battle. I used every piloting skill I had, with no time to think.

My body and mind pushed beyond their limits; I squeezed every ounce of oxygen from my cells to keep Illia in my sights.

My thoughts began to falter. My brain function groaned. Perhaps due to oxygen deprivation, the pain began to fade gradually.

At that moment — I suddenly recalled a conversation I had overheard between my parents.

Shortly after my father’s friend’s funeral, a drunken Masaharu had spoken to my mother.

“Unprecedented aerial manoeuvres began to emerge one after another.”

Young Kiyoaki had hidden in the shadows, listening to his father speak of a past duel.

“It felt like I was dancing with Captain Karsten.”

My father, who had never spoken about aerial combat in front of the family, had let that slip just once.

“I wished this moment would never end.”

My father gazed nostalgically out the window and said:

"I understand now that I was born into this world for the duel with Captain Karsten, having left the battlefield."

For a long time, I didn’t grasp the meaning of those words. At that time, I thought my father was deeply intoxicated with grief from losing his best friend, and his words were simply sentimental.

But now…

I’m sure I’m experiencing a fraction of what my father felt during that duel with Illia. A sense that transcends worldly logic understands this.

Enduring the positive Gs, I force my eyes open.

Before I knew it, the pain had transformed from suffering into something else, something almost euphoric, seeping from my heart. My oxygen-deprived brain, gasping for breath, was likely conjuring up images unlike anything normal.

The colour of the sky was different from before.

It was a deep, vibrant blue I had never seen before.

Against that shimmering blue, Illia danced in silver.

It felt as though tiny particles of light were swirling down from around Illia, showering me.

— Illia.

The power that had laid dormant deep within my soul began to rise.

New strength surged into my limbs, which should have been at their most exhausted.

— Let’s dance.

My body, which had been screaming in agony, now craved to pursue Illia.

— There’s something ahead.

— With Illia, I can go even further beyond this airspace.

I opened the throttle.

Beyond that dreamlike blue, into a place…

— A place no one has ever reached before.

Illia, residing in my consciousness, was both a warrior of the skies and an angel.

With her wings spread wide, drawing unseen spirals, she beckoned me to the lofty heights of the sky. The purity and elegance of her dance stirred something that had long been dormant within me, awakening it.

The sentimental words of my father, which I had thought were overly emotional, became understandable beyond the logic of the ground.

— Illia.

It almost brought tears to my eyes.

I wanted to grasp Illia, dancing in the air, and pull her close to my chest.

Together, I wanted us to become one and dance freely in this sky.

Words weren’t necessary. Our flight paths, our spread wings, would convey our true feelings through the air.

— Illia feels the same way.

— Surely, she wishes this moment would never end.

“Right? Illia?”

I knew we couldn't communicate with the enemy aircraft, yet I spoke to the sky.

“Sakagami.”

As she soared high, cutting through the blue, Illia whispered that name.

The burden of deceleration and acceleration faded into thoughts I no longer comprehended. I could no longer perceive suffering as suffering.

A sense of euphoria I had never felt before suddenly emerged in the midst of my duel with Kiyoaki.

My sharpened senses, to the point where I could see the differences in air pressure, grasped everything within the battle airspace.

There was no longer any need to observe the outside through the canopy.

— I know where you are.

It felt as if I were melting into this sky along with the aircraft.

— I can hear your words.

As if I were a breeze, Kiyoaki and I danced freely through the sky.

— I can feel your wings.

My current state was likely influenced by the high altitude and rapid flight, causing effects on my brain function. It was probably a phenomenon similar to runner’s high. If I descended to the ground, this special mental state would undoubtedly dissipate.

Illia observed her own state with such calmness and surrendered to that sweet consciousness without resistance. I thought that was just fine.

— I want to keep dancing like this.

— With you.

Thoughts that I would normally shake off on the ground were now met with acceptance. After all, these were illusions conjured by my oxygen-deprived brain, and trying to eliminate them seemed futile. Instead, I wanted to indulge in this pleasantness.

— I never knew flying could be this joyous.

The painful flight that had been tormenting me transformed into joy for the very first time.

— Airplanes are not coffins.

The sky taught me that.

— Pilots are not mere particles of iron.

Tears fell.

— The sky is not a hell.

The curse of my father, which had bound me since childhood, dissolves into the clear blue as if it were nothing.

— The sky is so free and full of joy.

Illia communicates with Kiyoaki through the sky.

— Right? Kiyoaki.

Beyond the shield and the windscreen, a brilliant blue silhouette dances as if guiding Illia.

My chest burns with warmth. It’s painful yet sweet and pleasant.

What a graceful dance. What a swift and beautiful way to fly. I've never met someone who flies like this before.

— I want to keep flying with you like this forever.

I sent that prayer into the sky.

Even without words, I understood that my feelings were reaching Kiyoaki.

“Time remaining: one minute.”

The instructor’s voice reached Kiyoaki’s ears.

There’s only that much time left. This moment will end. It’s sad. It’s lonely. I want it to last forever.

But childish hopes won’t reach me. In one minute, this dance will end.

— Then, right here.

Suddenly, a thought flashed in the back of my mind.

— The technique my father used.

In the duel twenty years ago, my father Masaharu supposedly defeated Karsten Kreishmidt with the secret technique "Snake Shot." On the St Vault side, it was said that Karsten was shot down by an intervening aircraft, and it’s recorded that Kiyoaki never executed such a technique. When this was debated last August on the airship, Illia dismissed the Snake Shot as a "fantasy."

— Maybe now I can do it.

By following Illia, new techniques that I’ve never executed are emerging one after another. This is a special state; I don’t know how many times this could happen in the future.

It’s worth challenging.

Kiyoaki opened the windscreen. The parachute has been strapped on since boarding. If I fail, I can quickly deploy my parachute into the sea.

I glanced at the instrument panel to check the remaining fuel. It’s running low. I looked back to confirm Illia’s position.

I gradually increased altitude without being noticed.

Illia was coming up from below.

I increased my speed. Illia also opened her throttle.

Through the airspace, I sensed Illia’s suspicion.

This is something I’ve never shown before. Illia can’t read my intentions. That’s how it should be.

— Here it is.

Resolutely, Kiyoaki suddenly tilted the aircraft upward.

A tremendous G-force hit me.

Transitioning from straight flight to vertical ascent, the Gray Fox was met with sudden deceleration that could pop my eyeballs out.

Kiyoaki endured.

Illia was pushed forward as if she stumbled.

I couldn’t see. If I could level the aircraft again from here, I could take Illia’s back in an instant…

—

Kiyoaki’s consciousness cut off at that moment.

—

“Are you stupid…?!”

Illia turned around and yelled without thinking.

The severed left wing spun helplessly down, with the fuselage following it. Among the remnants of the Gray Fox that had broken apart in mid-air, Kiyoaki, with a yellow parachute deployed, fell limply with arms and legs stretched out.

He must have fainted from the G-force. If you suddenly tilt the aircraft while moving at over 400 kilometres per hour, that’s only natural.

“What are you doing…?”

With a dumbfounded expression, Illia watched Kiyoaki fall. It must be cold in the sea in February, yet he attempted such a reckless manoeuvre.

A patrol ship approached Kiyoaki as he fell into the sea, leaving a white trail behind.

“Lance 1 has been shot down. Congratulations, Illia. You win.”

As the instructor's voice came through, Illia finally realized Kiyoaki’s intention.

“Snake Shot…”

It was the aerial combat technique that Masaharu had claimed to have used to shoot down Karsten. It’s said that the snake rises, slamming into the enemy who stumbles forward and takes them down... but no pilot has succeeded in reality. Nearly everyone who attempted it ended up in the same situation as Kiyoaki, so in St Vault, it was dismissed as a fictional technique.

“It’s impossible.”

After watching Kiyoaki being lifted onto the ship by the approaching sailors, Illia turned her aircraft towards the airfield.

It seemed like an anticlimactic ending... yet her heartbeat didn’t settle. In fact, it became stronger.

Just a moment ago—when Kiyoaki suddenly transitioned to a steep ascent and demonstrated the Snake Shot manoeuvre.

He Lost.

He thought so.

If only his aircraft had been more resilient, if Kiyoaki's body had been strong enough to endure the forces of inertia, and if he had the experience and skills to dodge the brink of disintegration, the Snake Shot could have been executed perfectly.

“Foolish.”

As she dismissed her own thoughts, Illia returned to the skies above Air Hunt Island. The spectators were waving their hands toward the sky with expressions of joy. The St Vault people were probably cheering, while the Akitsu people were biting back their frustration.

She had no interest in how the ground would report today’s duel.

More importantly, she wanted to remember what she felt today.

The sky she hadn’t known. The flying that had always been painful since childhood had transformed into joy for the first time today.

—It’s thanks to you, Kiyoaki.

If she could, she would have liked to fly a little longer. With a heavy heart, Illia returned safely to the airfield.