Ultimate Antihero:Volume 3

These are the novel illustrations that were included in Ultimate Antihero Volume 3

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  Cover

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  Table of Contents

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  page 35

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  page 53

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  page 79

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  page 89

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  page 141

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  page 147

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  page 205

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  page 229

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  page 233

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  page 266

Prologue

<Vatican life sphere>

Race, religion, ideology… with the calamity that the <Demon King class> demon Typhon caused, the sense of values of human society that was once divided into many such parts were all returned to ash whether one wanted it or not, yet amidst that, this holy ground of the <Holy Path Church> continued to maintain its unique position as the [capital of the devout people of god] even now.

At the center of the capital of such zealous believers of the <Holy Path Church>, there was a large structure built in church architectural style that continued to exist even now even after going through the aforementioned great calamity.

St. Peter’s Basilica.

As the headquarters of the <Holy Path Church>, it was the stronghold of the pope Innocentius XVII.

It was once a flourishing and splendid church as a sightseeing spot, but right now the general public was forbidden to enter as it was now a government facility, a solemn silence spread out even when the sun was high in the sky.

However, that church which was usually didn’t have people coming and going to it, unusually had a visitor today.

Amidst the silence that made one feel the solemnity, there were three people walking with loud footsteps,

The president of America Joseph Franklin.

Britain’s prime minister Leti Cline.

And then the secretary general of China Republic Union Wan Tairon.

“By the way have you heard both of you? About the details of that fairy uproar.”

A great man with his body wrapped in a dazzling white suit, Wan Tairon talked to the other two walking with him inside the church with a hoarse unpleasant voice.

The stylish man with brilliant blonde hair and sparkling white teeth, Joseph Franklin returned a nod.

“It’s the story about how the <Holy Path Church> moved on its own in order to exterminate the fairy right? I am told that Alfaro-dono of the <Special Missionary> and a <Paladin> squad that he led attempted to exterminate the <Fairy Queen>, but due to <Evil God User>’s obstruction, they failed their duty.”

“Right, that’s the one. That gramps kept it secret even to us who were in that place and moved as he pleased. Do you know? That guy Alfaro, his ass got dug up by <Evil God User> from the other side of the earth and his consciousness still hasn’t returned yet yeah. Haha-. He must have felt too good from his ass and still ain’t returning yet from heaven, that’s a pathetic story from the <Special>-sama that usually acts superior to us the S-class magicians.”

Towards Tairon who guffawed loudly from the ineptitude of the <Holy Path Church>, the middle aged woman clad in intelligence that even made one feel it hard to approach her, Leti Cline let out a sigh saying “How vulgar…”.

“However it’s incomprehensible. <Evil God User> is supposed to be poor at detecting other people’s magic power even more than average people due to the height of his magic power. It’s hard to imagine that he can attack accurately calculating the position of a human located on the other side of the equator.”

“That’s probably because of the power of that Onjouji girl. That girl was on the actual scene at that time, so she should be able to calculate accurately the coordinates. And then even transmitting that information to the <Evil God User> who was in Australia, it was surely not something impossible by making use of her power as a <Saint>.”

Leti knitted her eyebrows toward this answer of Joseph and exposed a discomfort.

“…For a human that can attack us no matter where we are in the world if he feels like it to exist. How aggravating that is.”

There was an existence that threatened the life of them who had become the leaders of the world which had overcome the great calamity brought by Typhon.

It was a matter that was hard to tolerate.

In this, Joseph also showed his consent.

“Really. However…――that too is only until today.”

Joseph removed his gaze from Leti and raised his face.

What was reflected in his eye was the golden angelsGloria that shined from receiving the sunlight shining in from the skylight.

The innermost place of St. Peter’s Basilica, Throne of Saint PeterCathedra Petri.

Joseph stood in front of the throne and touched a part of the throne’s pedestal with his hand.

Instantly, the spot that he touched became a cube block and sunk inside with a thump, with a sound of motion the floor under the pedestal of the throne slid aside.

A stair that continued down was revealed.

Ahead of that stair was the place that these three were heading for.

The sanctuary where their messiah was sleeping.

Correct. They were not gathering in this place today by accident.

The thorn in the side of the <United World Government>.

In order to oppose the abominable <Evil God User>, they spent these few years to prepare this <Messiah Creation Plan>.

The <artificial messiah> that was the result of that plan had finished the last adjustments and they received a contact from Innocentius saying [the time of awakening has come], therefore they gathered here in order to witness that awakening.

(Just how long we have waited impatiently for this day?)

While descending down the dark lengthy stairs, Joseph listened to the throbbing of his own heart.

Until now the <United World Government> had the conceit that they were the rulers of this world, yet that position couldn’t be established without the cooperation of the <Evil God User> Kamishiro Homura.

If he felt like it then it was possible for him to exterminate the <United World Government> just in one day, and most of all, among the whole human race it was only Homura alone that could oppose the demons of <Demon King class> that appeared from the demon world.

If he didn’t exist, then whether it was government or even the human race, it couldn’t be preserved.

As it were, they were in a situation of dependence towards Homura.

But, with the awakening of the <artificial messiah>, this relationship now wavered.

According to Innocentius who took command of this plan, the power of <artificial messiah> greatly surpassed the <Evil God User> who in the end was just a single human.

In other words as long as they just have the <artificial messiah>, there was no need to rely on the <Evil God User> anymore.

They could kill him and grasp the real power of this world for real.

That could be said to be exactly the dearest wish of they, the <Five Great Leaders>.

It could be said that it was only obvious for his heart to throb hard like this.

And then when they reached the deepest part of the underground sanctuary, that throbbing reached its peak.

In the middle of a small hall without lighting.

Cables and pipes of various sizes were stretching out from the surrounding walls that were filled to the brim with machinery, towards a cylinder shaped water tank.

Inside the nutrition liquid filling the tank that was emitting luminescence like a firefly, the figure of their hope possessing a pair of wings was visible.

“…So this boy, is the <artificial messiah> then?”

“What a beautiful boy…”

Joseph, Leti and then Tairon, those three were astonished from the boy’s shapely modeling.

It was absolutely beautiful.

A sacredness that surpassed gender which made one felt like that was gifted to that boy.

However――Tairon suddenly noticed when he was looking above.

“Oi, ain’t his eyes opened there. He had woken up already?”

Correct. The eyes of the boy inside the water tank had already opened when the three of them arrived.

Tairon showed his discomfort of this.

The awakening of the messiah would be performed in a place where all members of the <Five Great Leaders> who assisted in this plan were all present.

That was the promise.

But this discomfort was denied by the person approaching them from inside the darkness.

“Don’t worry. He is awake physically, but that’s all. Only his eyes are opened. There is nothing reflected in it, he is not thinking of anything. At the present he is nothing more but an empty vessel.”

The one who appeared from the darkness was a thin man that gave an impression of a crafty snake.

He arrived in this place earlier than the three, the supreme ruler of Soviet, Gregorio Rasputin.

“Empty vessel you said?”

“Affirmative. A flesh vessel created from the blood of an angel collected from this holy relic. By making the soul of the <Archangel> Michael reside in it, the messiah will attain the true awakening.”

“Or rather I think something regarding this procedure had been explained before this, but I wonder if you are forgetting something this important?”

Tairon spouted out with a loathsome expression towards Leti who was pointing that out in scorn.

“Shu, shut your trap……! Just who was gonna remember all that trivial details one by one!”

And then he kicked at the pedestal of the water tank defiantly and said.

“What’s more important than that, is whether this guy is really usable or not. If this guy cannot win against that brat(<Evil God User>), we’re gonna need to restart our <One Year Plan> from zero again. I don’t know just how great this archangel is, but Alfaro that was possessed by an angel was easily done in at the spare time while that brat was taking care of Hecatoncheires. If this guy is just about as much as Alfaro, then this all is gonna be nothing. Is it really okay regarding that part?”

Tairon threw his question at Gregorio, but the one who answered that question was not Gregorio.

“A needless worry, Wan Tairon.”

Showing his appearance next after Gregorio from the darkness was an old man wearing white priest’s robe with a long beard, pope Innocentius XVII, he was the one who answered.

“Your grace……!”

“The divinity rank of angel <Power> that can possess <Special Missionary> and the <Archangel> is greatly different. It’s like the difference between <General class> and <Demon King class>. Besides, in the first place this is different compared to possession. Michael-sama himself will use this body of the artificial messiah and get incarnated into this world.”

Using the defective human flesh that only possessed lowly soul rank, an angel’s power couldn’t be fully manifested by possession.

No matter how excellent the software was, but if the hardware’s ability was low, it was only natural for the hardware to be unable to move in satisfaction.

However, the artificial messiah floating inside this water tank was made with the DNA that was recovered from a holy relic as the base, going through several procedures――an authentic flesh body of an angel.

If this was used as the hardware, then the software that was an <Archangel> could be leveraged to a hundred percent, that was what Innocentius asserted.

“No matter how powerful the <Evil God User> is, he is just a human in the first place. He will be no match against Michael-sama that will be manifested in possession of his full power. If you have free time for needless worry then you better quickly make the arrangements. From here on the <Heaven’s Gate> will open… we are going to summon Michael-sama from heaven.”

“ “ “…………-!” ” ”

Listening to that command from Innocentius, the expression of the three other than Tairon increasingly turned serious and they scattered to the five pedestals around the water tank.

“Chih-. I ain’t gonna accept it if what comes out is just a small fry.”

Tairon was a violent man, but at the same time he was a cunning man.

For the sake of their current selves to oppose the <Evil God User>, there was no other way than to make use of similar power of god.

There was no other way than to borrow the power of heaven… a god different than the evil god.

Because he understood that, he moved on top of a pedestal even while making a threat.

After that, Innocentius moved to the designated location for the last――

――And that was started.

{Look, he arrives embarking in lightning.

The people that stabbed him will look up to him.

Everyone of all races above the earth will also be touched and lament due to him.

Aah, god.

Thy art the now, thy art the past, the person who should come before long, the principal god the almighty who commands.

I am the beginning(Alpha), I am the end(Omega) ――}

The <Five Great Leaders> standing on the pedestals which were for the sake of praying formed their ritual prayer in the words of their own country.

It was the letter of prophecy that was recorded at the end of the New Testament.

It was the words of Johannes’ Revelation.

It was the warning about the prophesied destruction of everything that was expected to come in the future.

And then――it was the elucidation of power that came from heaven in salvation from the destruction……!

{Holiness, holiness, holiness. The almighty principal god.

Thy art the now, thy art the past, the person who should come before long――}

{The day that should come, the seven envoys carrying the seven trumpets, they prepared to blow those.

The first envoy played the trumpet loudly.

Thereupon, hails and fire mixed in blood appeared, raining down on earth.

A third of the earth was burned, a third of the trees were burned, even all the green grasses were burned to ash.}

{The second envoy played the trumpet loudly.

Thereupon, something like a large mountain burning in flame, was thrown into the sea.

A third of the sea became blood, a third of living beings which grow in the sea died, a third of ships were wrecked.}

To sum it up it was a revelation of salvation.

Reading that out loud, singing it, they wished for the fulfillment of the great lord’s promise.

The promise was etched on the book, their sound scale was a concealed voice that was not a voice.

This Revelation itself was a ritual prayer, for the gate that separated between sky and earth, between salvation and destruction, and then between the world of man that was heading to ruin and the heaven, to open.

{The word of prophecy of this book cannot be sealed. Because the time is nearing.

The immoral person will carry out even further immorality, corrupted person will carry out even further corruption.

Righteous person will carry out even further righteousness, sacred person will carry out even further sacredness as it is.

I will soon come. Carrying retribution in one hand, I will recompense according to each one’s deed.}

{I am α, I am ω. The beginning, and the end.}

The ritual prayer went through the several brass resonance tube from deep underground, being amplified, being magnified, rising up to aim at the exactly highest place right now at the skylight of St. Peter’s Basilica.

For the sake of reaching the ear of the lord that was right there beyond even the stars and nearer than even the neighbor.

And then as the ritual prayer progressed, the flesh of angel inside the water tank began to shine gold.

• throb*, *throb*, like that, quickening that was like the rumblings of the ground hit everyone’s earlobes from inside the reinforced acrylic glass.

Before long not only the air but the earth also shook.

The machinery overheated one after another and shutdown.

The many clusters of cable squirmed while scattering sparks.

From the pedestals that were directly connected to five dragon veins, wind of ether(magic power) to the level that it could be confirmed by sight blew violently.

And then finally――

{ { {Aah lord, come! So that blessing will be together with all of us!} } }

The moment the ending of the ritual prayer was spoken.

With the flesh of angel as the center, an explosion of sound and light and magic power occurred.

The hall was overflowing with blinding light, everything, even color and sound were blown away.

And then, that destruction passed away, finally the eyelids of the five people were raised… what was there was,

A smashed up… empty water tank was the only thing that remained.

“Wha, e, eee!?”

“O, oi, what happened!? There ain’t nothing there!”

“Don’t tell me, it exploded to pieces just now……”

Leti, Joseph, and Tairon’s faces paled from the sight in front of their eyes and fell into confusion.

That was only natural.

The messiah that would descend from this ceremony was their only trump card.

For that trump card to explode into pieces… it was not a good situation by any means.

But――it was a needless worry.

The reason was,

“No. ……Above.”

Gregorio that was relatively calm among the members lifted his head.

Right above the smashed up water tank, there was a large hole gouged out.

That hole bore through the bedrock that had several layers and passed through the sanctuary.

The skylight broke, and sunlight reached even until the underground.

There was no mistake of that, it was the proof of something flying from this underground towards the sky.

The five hurriedly exited the underground and pursued that something.

And then――

……The five used the stair for the garbage collector and came out to the roof of St. Peter’s Basilica, and saw that.

The cross at the summit of the roof of St. Peter’s Basilica.

Standing beside that… was a naked boy.

Faintly shining white skin even under the sun of broad daylight.

Silver hair that sparklingly shined from the sunlight.

And then, the pure white wings that grew from the shoulder blades.

That was unmistakably the boy that was in the water tank until just now.

The boy didn’t turn to look at the five people pursuing it, he merely stared at the sky with his back still turned on them.

Around that boy, the pigeons that were raised at Vatican’s garden gathered.

That sight was… possessed sacredness just like a religious painting, each of the five people running after him swallowed their breath.

But, they couldn’t just get bewitched like that forever.

They had to confirm it.

Whether their ceremony succeeded or not.

The one who broke the silence was the supervisor that was pope Innocentius.

While he supported his old body with his staff, he walked a few steps on the unstable rooftop and approached the boy.

The one who first reacted to his movement were the pigeons in the surroundings.

The pigeons flapped their wings noisily and flew away from that place.

But Innocentius didn’t pay it any mind,

“Michael-sama… is it you?”

He asked the boy.

From that, the boy finally directed his eyes at the direction of Innocentius and the others.

“ “ “-…………!?” ” ”

Instantly, they lost their words from surprise.

That was because the boy… was spilling large drops of tears without stopping from his lapis lazuli eyes.

And then, without even wiping those tears, the boy formed his words.

“It’s certainly audible to me. The scream of the grass that was burned to ash. The scream of the polluted sea. The scream of the persecuted sons of god. And then the scream of this star grieving and moaning for all those irrationalities. By having a flesh body like this, and budding as a single life in this world… they blow into my heart like the cold wind of winter.”

In that voice which was spun by the trembling lips, kindness and affection towards life was overflowing.

“Pious servant of god. Innocentius. Come here.”

“Ye, yes-!”

Called by the refined voice, Innocentius climbed the unstable rooftop.

But that action was impossible for his old body.

“-――!”

On the way, the blowing wind stirred up Innocentius’s priest robe.

There was no power in that old body to even brace himself.

Innocentius’s posture crumbled greatly――

However, that body didn’t fall.

It was because in no time at all, that boy gently supported that old body with a gentle movement as if nestling close to him.

And then, the boy embraced closely the body of Innocentius just like that, and he said his gratitude to Innocentius with a tearful voice.

“…You did well. You really did well to endure patiently until the coming of this day. However it’s fine already. You can now welcome the end of this turbulent time. We and our father in heaven, will surely grant salvation to the children of humanity. After all, that is the reason father sent me to this land.”

“O, oooooo……-!”

Those words made Innocentius’ body tremble, tears were spilling out from his dried up tear gland.

It was because the words of the boy showed that the boy was the person that he wished for.

That was also when the other members that were watching from afar comprehended it.

The holiness that could be felt from the boy.

That presence which was only dazzling.

It was exactly because the boy was someone worthy to be called an angel.

Correct… their ceremony had certainly succeeded.

This boy that was here right now was exactly an angel that was in service of the god worshipped by the <Holy Path Church>.

Inside that boy was the owner of a strong power and authority that was above all things, the <Archangel> Michael.

And then when Michael separated his body from Innocentius, he next turned towards the remaining four people, and he expressed his thanks towards them also in an identical way.

“All of you too. You all had worked really well until the coming of this day for the sake of preserving this broken world. Surely the great father will reward that work of yours.”

Hearing this, Tairon took a step forward and opened his mouth.

“Our wish is one! To rule this world with our hand! We ain’t handing over this world whether to those demons or to the <Evil God User>! Can you grant that wish!?”

In response, Michael nodded without hesitation.

“Of course. This world is a world for the sake of all of you, the children of man. In order to return all of that to the hands of all of you the children of man, the great father sent me to this land.”

There was no sound of falsehood in that voice.

No, in the first place the existence called as <angel> wouldn’t lie.

They were not an existence that could do that.

Surely because of that, there was not even a bit of impurity and hesitation in the echo of his words, the ears of the five, and then their hearts, were soaked with that truth that made them understood.

This boy was without doubt, their ally.

And then Michael who showed himself as the ally of mankind turned back to Innocentius once more. And then he asked.

“I cannot endure to hear the grieve of this star more than this. We have to act for the salvation of the world promptly. O pious servant of god, Innocentius. Have you put in order the preparation for the aforementioned matter?”

In response, Innocentius wiped his tears with the sleeve of his robe.

“Everything has been prepared without anything lacking. Please leave the routine tasks of the world of man to us……!”

He returned a response with an unusual strong and young tone.

Michael made a smile to that response and thanked him.

“O pious servant of god. I thank the dedication of all of you.”

After that Michael closed his mouth thinly, directed his gaze at the sky of the east, and said.

“Then, let’s go. In order to return this world once more, to the hands of the children of the god that is overflowing with light.”

Flame of rage was residing in the eyes of Michael who was announcing that.

The destination of that gaze of rage was… the island country in the far east.

What was there… was the <traitor> that tied a covenant with the evil gods.

And then receiving this will of Michael, Innocentius gave out orders to the four people that were in this place.

“Notify all the government troops who are under the banner of the Five Great Leaders! From now on the <The Eastern Grand SubjugationReconquista> will begin!”

In this moment, a new world order by the <United World Government> was started. The last stage of the <One Year Plan> that was created for that sake, the <Reconquista> began.

Chapter 1

Part 1

It was a humid season from the late summer heat that still left lasting effects.

That day in the Tokyo life sphere, it was overflowing with unusual liveliness.

*pan pan*, the clear blue sky was filled with countless sounds of fireworks that were launched up.

Cheerful music of various countries were played.

Matching those sounds, laughing voices of men and women of all ages singing and dancing filled the air.

It was completely like a festival commotion, but that was also natural.

It was a festival that was carried out by Tokyo life sphere’s government, corporation, and the residents, all of them for three days.

This was the victory festival commemorating mankind’s survival and victory against the <Demon King Typhon>.

The festival opening was the grounds of Japan’s Imperial Palace that was lent to them by the good will of the emperor, and the roads at its outer circumference.

There, countless people had already been gathering, colorful stands were built lining up.

The contents of the stands were yakitori, choco-banana, apple candy, stall-keeper――, a typical line-up of a Japanese festival, then there was also fish & chips, shish-kebabs, pickled herring, stalls that didn’t look Japanese yet still didn’t lose in its colorfulness, there were a great variety of stalls.

Of course there was not just food, there were also stands offering sake and juice, then shows like circus and manzai.

Even the people who usually were forced to a frugal living because of the infrastructure that hadn’t been completely recovered yet, just on this day they could cut loose, eat a lot, got drunk a lot, and enjoy the exchange of foreign cultures.

It was only natural even if it was bustling like this.

And then there was one more festival that was carried out at the same time with this festival.

That was the festival of the students――the culture festival.

Currently, the strength of the educational institution hadn’t recovered to the point where every single school could hold their own particular culture festival.

That was why all the educational establishments inside the Tokyo life sphere received government’s support and held their culture festival by riding on this victory commemoration festival and the students built their stalls as they pleased.

The stalls and shops, and performances that the students built, were as expected quite crude compared to the adults. But there was no mistake that there were many unexpected things from the students and that their magnificent enthusiasm and merriness managed to serve to rouse this festival.

However… during such a fun festival, no matter where it was, there were always bunches of people that got carried away and overdid it, so――

“Hey, it’s okay right? Just accompany us for a little yeah-“

A little far from the throngs of people, under the shadow of the trees, something was going on.

Two men with large body builds were standing as if cornering a girl wearing a short-sleeved apron dress and hairband that was imitating cat ears to the thick tree trunk, they talked with a slimy tone.

“Big brother is going to treat you, you know? Okay?”

“Bu, but, that, I, I’m, in the middle of attracting customers, so……”

The girl who got involved in this was a student of New Tokyo Sorcery Academy. It was Koga Ayumi.

In the middle of distributing the flyers of their stand of cat-eared teahouse, she was caught by these men.

In order to run away from the approaching two men, Ayumi was backing off.

“That’s why, I’m troubled……”

Her eyes behind the glasses looked scared, rather she was really bothered from this.

Well, in actuality, although she was a young girl but Ayumi was a magician that was participating in the battle with Jambure. Against two mere hoodlums, she could do anything if she felt like it.

But the girl had an obedient personality, so she didn’t want to use that kind of strong measure as much as possible.

That was why Ayumi attempted to persuade the men to back off by themselves.

However――

“’I’m troubled’, she said that you hear! Ho-w-cu-te-e!”

“You really like this kind of serious kid aren’tcha―”

“I-diot. Teaching this kind of girl who looks like she never play around, about the fun of adult game is a gentleman’s obligation y’know. That’s why, see, just leave alone things like culture festival and go play yeah. It’s the long awaited festival after all.”

Ayumi’s hesitant behavior only served to make the men get even more carried away.

Ayumi’s behavior made the two thugs mistaken their own superiority and now they approached even more oppressively.

And then――

“And so~, we are going to have fun now~”

Of all things, one of the two thugs.

He was a man with skinhead and excessive piercings, he grinned vulgarly while reaching out his hand at Ayumi’s chest.

Ayumi stiffened from that sudden vulgar action.

However, a moment before the man’s hand touched Ayumi’s chest,

“Okay, stop there―”

The hand of the man went away from Ayumi.

The body of the man was pulled back by someone.

“What the hell are……!?”

Naturally the skinhead man turned back with an angry look towards that someone who was holding his shoulder and pulled his body.

And then, he lost his words altogether with his partner beside him.

The reason was because they knew just who was the black haired youth standing behind them while wearing a black cat ear hairband.

“Hii, yo, you are……! <Evil God User>!?”

Correct. There was no way they didn’t know him.

The one standing behind them was the most famous magician in the world. It was the <Evil God User> Kamishiro Homura.

With the unexpected entrance of this dangerous character, the two thugs were seized with fear and their expressions paled.

Against such two thugs, Homura was making a gentle smiling face that looked eerie and put his hands on the shoulder of the two as if he was their good friend, before whispering.

“Big brothers, do you like girl’s chest that much? Then I’ll introduce you to a good girl. It’s this girl called Ib-chan you see. I think you big bros who are in the breast faction will surely be pleased with her. After all, she got around twenty breasts on her y’know. You’re interested right?”

“Tha, that’s fine-su! We will refrain for now-su!”

“That’s right-su! We don’t have any interest at all to breast or anything!”

“I told you no need to get so reserved. Well, come here with me. I’m gonna show you my treasured photo of Ib-chan first.”

“ “Hi, hiii!” ”

Homura grasped the neck scruff of the two and dragged them to a bush.

Both of them desperately tried to resist, but the physical strength holding them was like a bulldozer.

Their resistance was useless and they got dragged into the bush. Then

“ “GYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!” ”

A scream like a death throe exploded.

Ayumi’s shoulders trembled twitchingly from that extremely painful voice and stood stock still.

Then only Homura came back in front of the girl.

“-geez. They are at the age to know better to not make a ruckus. You ok? Koga.”

“Ah, yes……-. I’m okay. I’m fine.”

Ayumi replied while thinking that probably those two were not okay at all.

Homura smiled in relief hearing that reply.

“That so? That’s fine then.”

“Bu, but Homura-san, why are you here……? Homura-san is the floor manager right?”

“Aah. The customers are better than expected. The ingredients for the menu in the store ran out so I got out to restock see. Then when I did that there was this mind transmission from those guys telling me that Koga got entangled with these men with perverted looks, so they asked me to help.”

Pointing behind him, at the direction where Homura’s thumb was pointing, there were the friends of Ayumi who were her teammates in the same platoon, Anna Dronin and Rozalind Wagner.

“Man― just now was a close call! But it’s great, it’s really great that nothing big happened―”

“…It’s a little dissatisfying for me. I want to make those kind of idiots that made Ayumi scared meet an even more painful experience, not just surprising them with a photo.”

Rozalind frankly said that Homura’s way was too lenient.

Homura also replied back to Rozalind who was like that.

“Then y’all take care of this yourself. Even if Koga is too meek that it can’t be helped, you two are not the type that gonna hesitate to use sorcery on civilians right? Why did you expressly call for me huh?”

“Haha. Rather than getting helped by us, Koga will be happier to be helped by you right!?”

“A, Anna-chan!? Ge, geez―!”

Ayumi’s face turned bright red from Anna’s unneeded words and she protested.

While thinking that her face looked completely like an apple combined with her round face, Homura clapped his hands.

“Now, the two idiots that were a hindrance to the business are taken care of already, so you all stop messing around and quickly get back to your jobs. Right now is the lunch time, time to make it big. Don’t waste even a second. Hurry, hurry!”

“Yeah, yea―hh. Even so Homura-kun, for some reason you are really spirited. It’s not like you isn’t it?”

“Right. You actively proposed at the planning session time, you even looked unusually full with motivation now.”

“Yep yep. This cat ear teahouse is also Homura-kun’s proposal. Even today, you work hard as the floor manager. Just why on earth? Is Homura-kun the type of man that gets fired up in this kind of festival?”

Rozalind and Ayumi also shared the same doubt with Anna.

Homura who had completely decoded the world’s strongest grimorie, <Liber Legis>, had learned all the sorcery that existed in this world. Therefore, there was not a single thing that he should learn in schoolwork.

That was why usually he slept in class, or he didn’t even come to the class from the start.

The point was, his attitude in class was really not proper. He had that kind of delinquent image.

But in regards to this culture festival, with a motivation that was completely unthinkable compared to his usual attitude in class, he participated actively since the planning stage.

Just what in the world was the reason for this difference in attitude.

Of course Homura had his own reason for that.

“I like the bustling atmosphere but the reason for my high spirit is not that. You gals also heard right? About how the sales of the store in the culture festival is split equally to the students.”

Correct. The truth was that the culture festival of New Tokyo Sorcery Academy was adopting the system of returning the whole earnings to the students in order to encourage the students’ motivation.

In other words, the students could make their business with zero risk using only their physical strength as the capital.

“You gonna get high spirited from that?”

“You really want money that much?”

“After all I’m always running out of money see.”

Anna seemed to guess something from these words and nodded.

“Aah, I see. It’s really hard for <Evil God User>-san who attracted the eyes of the government―”

“If you really think so then attract customers, even if its just one more. I’m begging here.”

Saying that Homura turned on his heels and left the three.

“Homura-san, thank you very much for helping me! That was really cool!”

“Ou-“

After receiving the word of thanks by his back and returning the reply by lifting his arm, Homura dashed with all his strength towards the backyard of their cat ear teahouse which was located in a corner of the opened grounds of the imperial palace.

It was a full power dash under the burning ray of the sun that rained down from directly overhead.

For Homura who was always receiving a heavy burden on his mind and body as if he was inside the deep ocean from the effects of <Aureole>, it was quite an intense act, but his legs didn’t stop even though his breath roughened.

That was how serious Homura was in this event.

However that was only natural.

Just like Anna guessed before, having the eyes of the <United World Government> zeroing in on him, Homura whose nationality was robbed couldn’t find a proper job. It meant that he almost had no way to obtain money.

As the only way to properly obtain money, he could also exterminate demons and receive compensation from the <United World Government>, but they were extremely bitter in their payment. Because the other side also understood that even without compensating Homura he would still kill demons, and also because of the relation structure that the <Evil God User> was under the control of the <United World Government>, they didn’t pay him generously.

Yet despite so, it was not Homura’s personality to rip off money from other people by force or asked for money from humans who regarded him favorably like Kinugasa.

As a result, Homura’s financial situation was always barely scraping by.

For someone like him, this culture festival was an extremely profitable event.

It was only obvious that he would be unusually motivated.

However, until the end it was only Homura’s circumstance.

It was irrelevant for the other students.

No, rather, the more Homura got motivated, the other students who harbored fear to the <Evil God User> would only shrink back more.

But―that was only a story until before this.

“Ah-! Homura-san came back already!”

“Welcome baa―ck!”

“Oo―. I’m back.”

When Homura arrived at the backyard, several students who were working behind the scene saw his figure and gathered around him with light footsteps.

In their expression there was no color of fear that was there until before.

Rather, their expressions were even filled with adoration and respect.

――The impetus for this was the battle with Hecatoncheires.

Not only once but twice, not just twice but thrice, Homura had showed that he saved this world from <Demon King class> demons.

No matter how much lies the church and government piled up, but such brilliant efforts were not something that could be hidden.

The students were beginning to realize gradually.

The <Evil God User> was not that terrifying of an existence like how the government made him out as a <traitor>.

Certainly the power he possessed was terrifyingly fearsome, but… there was no doubt that he was the ally of them, mankind, a reassuring protector.

And then, that change of recognition didn’t happen only inside the academy.

The recognition of the normal civilians towards the <Evil God User> was also in the process of changing.

The truth was,

“Ah, the back, look at the back. The <Evil God User> has come back there!”

“Hee. That’s the you-know-who… looking at him directly like this is my first time, but isn’t he really cool!”

“Of course he is cool. After all he had already saved humanity three times now.”

“Waa― lets’ take a commemoration photo!”

The big part of the reason why their shop was thriving to the degree that he needed to purchase additional ingredients was the result of customers that came rushing to take a look at Homura.

The moment Homura entered the weather-beaten backyard,

Countless gazes were gathering on him.

The gazes were filled more with interest rather than good will. The gazes were overflowing with curiosity.

Among them there were also people taking pictures.

{Even though they had feared Master until that much……. Self-interested bunch.}

Looking at that populace, the avatar of <Liber Legis> that Homura hid in a pocket dimension, Vel leaked out her honest opinion in a small voice that only Homura could hear through mind transmission.

That was because she didn’t wish for Homura to become closely mixed with humans.

Because she knew that it was only a fleetingly brittle relation that would surely break someday.

Homura talked to Vel who was like that with a soothing tone.

{Come now, don’t say that. They dropped their cash here after all, so I’ll warmly welcome them.}

{…Even something like that?}

While saying that Vel directed Homura’s consciousness towards one of the customers, an old woman sitting at the corner.

“Gratitude~gratitude~……nanmandabu, nanmandabu……”

{No well, as expected I wanted to be spared from getting prayed on while rubbing prayer beads like that……}

“Eh? Kamishiro-san. Where is the additional ingredients?”

One of the students tilted her head and asked Homura who was looking at the old woman with a wry smile.

Homura moved his gaze from the old woman hearing that voice and said “Aah, wait. I’ll take it out now”, then he took out a cube that shined like rainbow the size of a dice from his trouser pocket. After that――

“<Box of Spirits and GoblinsPandora Box>――release.”

He liberated the space that was compressed by the dimension element fifth grade sorcery, <Pandora Box>.

Large amount of food and drink of various kind was brought out in the backyard.

“Wow, amazing……! Isn’t there around the amount of one mini-truck here?”

“That’s a convenient sorcery.”

“Can you teach me somehow?”

“Oi, there is no way you can use fifth grade sorcery……”

“If it’s not for combat use then it’s not that hard of a technique y’know.”

“But Homura-kun. No matter what, this amount is just too much……”

One of the female students pointed that out after looking at the materials that were in a heap.

From that the other people were also continuing “Certainly.”

The truth was, the amount of material that Homura brought was around five times the amount that the kitchen group requested.

But naturally, there was a reason for this.

“Aah, about that――”

When he was going to explain that,

“Master―!”

With pitter-patter footsteps, among everyone who were wearing cat ear hairbands, there was only one petite girl wearing dog ears, Ichinotani Chikori was energetically running into the backyard.

Homura asked Chikori.

“Oo―. Chikori! How was it? You can borrow it?”

“Yes-. The additional tables and chairs. The share for twenty tables, the people of the Imperial Household Agency lent them to me.”

Right. This was the reason why Homura procured an excessive amount of ingredients.

Homura intended to invite even more customers by doubling the number of the shop’s seating.

“Yoo―sh, you did well!”

“Ehehe―”

Homura messily patted Chikori’s head that accomplished her errand properly.

Thereupon Chikori’s small ponytail shook all over like the tail of a dog.

But in contrast with the two’s harmonious atmosphere, the surrounding students’ expressions paled from that exchange.

“A, additional table, you want to increase the seats more than this!?”

“No way no way, that‘s impossible! Even though we are in the brink of burning out here already……!”

Their reaction was most correct.

Currently even with just twenty tables the students who were not used of working part-time were already gasping for breath.

If the number of seating was increased more than this, both the kitchen and the hall wouldn’t be able to manage.

But naturally, Homura had also expected that. Therefore he said this.

“Calm down. After all I’ve already called for helper soon.”

“Eh? Helper?”

“Well, more accurately they are not people though.”

“Eh, wai-, not people you said, don’t tell me……!?”

Those were ominous words one couldn’t pretend to not hear coming out from the mouth of Homura who was the <Evil God User>.

Hearing that all the students in that place felt a bad premonition, they even tried to stop――

They were already late.

(This time ain’t a battle, so there ain’t any need to manifest them at full power I guess.)

Like that, Homura discarded almost all the chanting――

And called the name of the god he summoned.

“Come walking like gliding. <God of Evil Cat> Bastet!”

“Uwaaa! It’s <Evil God> as expecteddd~~~~!”

“What are you thinking――――-!”

The students screamed.

However the summoning was heartlessly carried out without any trouble.

The moment Homura called the name of the god, a silver pentagram―<Elder Sign> was carved on the ground, an eruption of light was produced from there.

Before long that surge of light was settled and on top of the <Elder Sign>, a lot of furballs were making their appearance.

That was a mountain made from countless cats that curled up their bodies.

And then there was a single girl that laid sprawled on top of that cushion of cats.

Light brown skin and jet black hair.

And then on the head of the little girl was crowned with cat ears of the same color as her hair.

This girl was the god of love and bountiful crops which were revered by the ancient people of Egypt, the goddess that supervises the cats of the earth―<Cat Goddess> Bastet.

Homura talked to the materialized god of cats with a carefree tone as if asking a favor from a friend.

“Bastet. It has surely reached your ears which can listen to the voice of the Jupiter cat. Just as you know, this is a situation where I even want to borrow a cat’s hand. Cooperate with me.”

In response, Bastet raised her body on top of the giant furball,

“Fu……. Being flattered or the like by a human is not something we the highly proud cats do but, if it’s thy request then we cannot also just refuse. Leave it to us.”

Smiling a little after that, she largely opened her mouth where there were two fangs growing there,

“Nyaa―oo――――-“ She emitted a greatly low sound that was like a rumble, it was not a sound range that generally could be pronounced with a human’s vocal cords.

That sound, no, that voice made the cats that were curling up until now to come alive all at once.

With their inherent keenness and nimbleness, the cats spread out through the whole area of Homura and the others’ shop in the blink of an eye.

“Kyaa! Wh, what’s this!?”

“Ca, cat!? Look, the cat is carrying the food!”

Some cats clutched a cup with their tail, bringing it until the table――

Then some other cats were skillfully carrying a plate of hotcake on top of their heads,

And some other cats began to carry out transportation of ingredients for the sake of the students in the kitchen.

Sometimes there was also a cat that sneaked a bite, but those individual cats were immediately punched by other cats and punished.

Actually, their movements were led really well.

All the students and also the customers similarly opened their eyes wide towards this sight.

“How cute~. It looks like a fairyland for some reason!”

Precisely because this was a shop that originally was dressed as a cat ear teahouse, that these helpers generally received great evaluation.

However, the students who knew about what happened behind the scenes couldn’t stay calm about it.

“Wa, wait Homura-san! Is this really okay!? Using the power of <evil god> for something like this is……!”

A student asked Homura while sweating buckets.

As if in agreement with that student, Bastet smiled bewitchingly.

“Fufu. The worry of that person is most correct Homura. My power certainly cannot be borrowed so casually. My name is the <God of Evil Cat> Bastet. The <ancient god> that has the like of blood and entrails as offering! Now, thy wish is fulfilled. Just as what the priest of Bastet did for me before, thy can present the compensation of blood to me now! ……Or maybe, the people that are here in this place are that offering?”

“ “ “Hii……!” ” ”

Bastet’s eyes that shined bewitchingly made the students tremble and back away.

But, Homura reproached Bastet who acted like that.

“That ain’t it―. Don’t threaten anybody even though you know already. In the first place, you aren’t eating things like humans anymore anyway.”

After that Homura plunged his hand into his pocket and,

“――Here, the promised thanks.”

Homura carelessly threw [that bag], which he purchased together with the ingredients for the shop’s use in the supermarket, to Bastet.

Instantly, Bastet caught it with a agile movement that should be expected from the god of cats, then that childish face burst out in a smile.

“Oo~♥ Monpucchi! Further it’s the grill-type that I like best~♪”

Correct. What Homura bought from the market was cat food.

And it was of the grade that was a little expensive.

The moment Bastet caught it, she immediately opened the seal.

She plunged her hand into the bag like a kid that was eating snack food and began to eat with a completely satisfied expression.

“Nn~♥ Deliciousss. Deliciousss~♪ I thought that you all just merely a hairless ape, but you human bunch are quite a big deal. After all you made something this deliciousss~♪ The instant you know this flavor, things like humans just smell so fishy that you cannot bear to eat♥”

“Is that so? That’s really great.”

Homura who had paid the compensation to Bastet gave his guarantee to the students around who were still showing a fearful expression.

“……It’s fine not getting scared like that. <Ancient god>, like Bastet, is different from <Ancient RulerGreat Old One>, like Ithaqua or Iod, they are <evil gods> that have coexisted with humans for a long time until now. They are not so friendly to the point that they can be called as ally, but they are not a bunch that actively harm humans. They can be talked with as suits the occasion. Especially Bastet, she is harmless as long as you don’t torment cats, so it’s fine to relax.”

“What’s going to happen if you torment a cat?”

“Death.”

“I know right―”

“She is a goddess of bountiful harvest as long as you don’t torment cats. She is just right as a beckoning cat.”

After laughing in a joking tone, Homura gave out orders to all present in the backyard.

“Now. With this the lack of personnel is resolved. Resume all the closed menus. Everyone to your stations! Get money, money, earn more money!”

“U, understood!”

“Be careful to not step on any cats……!”

“Chikori. You are going to set the new tables with me.”

“Go―t it!”

Like this, without any considerable difficulty Homura and the others operated the cat ear teahouse favorably.

Perhaps because this was connected with Homura’s livelihood, he showed unusual motivation, ran around between the hall and kitchen as the supervisor of the project and gave out instructions to the students.

Looking at his figure that was like that……Hoshikawa Sumika who was wiping a table at the hall while staring at him was sighing deeply in amazement.

“Ge, geez Homura-san……”

Certainly with this busy time where it made one’s eyes spun around, Sumika herself was also thinking that she wanted to borrow help even if it was a cat’s hand, but… to call an <ancient god> for this kind of reason was just too much.

(…Well, Bastet herself is not a god that harms humans, most of all it’s exactly because she is safe that Homura-san also summoned her in this kind of place……)

As a straightforward, common-sense woman, Sumika felt dizzy from this idea that was extremely lacking in common sense.

But, towards that Sumika,

“Ahaha! As usual, he is really an extraordinary boy isn’t he, that Homura!”

“Truly. Summoning an <ancient god> with that messed up chanting and still able to control the god. That’s really something. Don’t you think so too, Miss Grimoire?”

“Eh……”

Two voices she had remembered hearing from somewhere entered Sumika’s ears.

When she turned to those voices reflexively, what entered her eyes was a pair of a man and a woman sitting on their chairs.

A silver blonde haired middle aged man wearing a characteristic suit with a basic tone of blue and white.

And then, wearing a tropical aloha shirt that really suited the summer and a suggestive G-pants where half of the bottom was visible, a young red haired woman.

“Sir James! And also Dorothy-san……!”

Sumika knew well the two of them.

That was only to be expected.

Both these two were the trump cards of humanity, similar with Sumika――

Sir James Weasley.

Dorothy Scarlet.

They were people who held the designation of S-rank magician.

“Hey, Miss Grimoire. Last time we met was at your commemoration party for your S-rank promotion wasn’t it?”

“Long time no see! Sumika!”

The moment Sumika called the names of the two, the young woman leapt from her chair and began to embrace Sumika.

“I was worried what would happen when Jambure appeared, but looking at you still energetic like this makes me happy!”

“Yes. I am also happy, Dorothy-san. ……But it’s a little hard to breath for me here.”

When Sumika who was being buried alive into the voluptuous chest pointed that out with a wry smile, Dorothy went “Ou!” exaggeratedly in surprise and immediately let Sumika go.

“Sorry. I am too high spirited.”

Dorothy stuck out her tongue while apologizing.

It was an act where no apologetic feelings could be seen from it, but coupled with Dorothy’s cheerful personality, it felt lovely just like her without any unpleasantness.

Most of all Sumika felt honestly happy that Dorothy felt that worried for her.

That was why Sumika was going to say her gratitude “Thank you very much for worrying about me” with a smile.

But――

“I was also worried you know. It was also the case with Jambure, but… for you to also go as far as exchanging battle with that <Special Missionary>, that’s really something.”

“―――!?!?”

Sumika’s expression froze from those words of James.

“……Ho, how do you, that”

“When you have become a S-rank as long as me, you will already create your own information network whether you want it or not. That’s why, naturally, I know that. Whether it’s about how you fought Alfaro. ……And even the demon called <fairy> that became the cause of that fight.”

“……-“

Sumika’s expression turned increasingly stiff from this.

Obviously.

The affair that happened in the beginning of this summer.

The arrival of the <Fairy Queen> Elfiena to Japan, and also the acceptance of the <Fairy race>.

It was something that the general public mustn’t know.

The day the <United World Government> spreads the story of the demon’s acceptance onto this earth, the panic among the people would be unavoidable.

Most of all Japan was… Sumika and the others were fighting the church in order to protect a demon.

It was an act that was generally off the right track from mankind’s principle.

It was hard to be understood.

If this matter came to light, the position of this country would be shaken.

――If the reason for these two S-ranks coming to Japan together was to criticize her.

Like that, Sumika racked her brain with a hard expression,

“Whoops, it’s okay even if you don’t make that kind of scary face, Miss Grimoire. I and also Miss Scarlet have no intention to criticize that decision of yours at all. We didn’t come here for that.”

Having predicted what she was thinking, James declared that,

“Rather if the event went just as the <Holy Path Church> wished for and they discovered the corpse of a demon in Japan’s state guest house… the standing of this country will worsen drastically. Protecting a demon, even though it was such an unprecedented affair, but fighting them back was the appropriate judgment. Even regarding the migration, there was no way to stop it if that was the decision of the <Evil God User>.”

He showed that he didn’t have the intention to criticize Japan and showed his understanding of Japan’s position.

“Rather, in the first place――the <Holy Path Church> itself also showed their understanding of this migration of the <fairies>. Yet despite so they broke that promise and stabbed you in the back… it was a trick of a brute that is a disgrace to chivalry. I disdain those fellows instead.”

“Exactly as James said. We don’t have any intention of blaming Sumika’s decision. …After all if right now Japan collapsed, we will also get troubled the same. Rather we are really, really thankful that you accurately handled that difficult situation.”

Dorothy also continued at the same line after James.

Hearing the words of these two, Sumika… she felt relieved inside.

“…Thank you for the understanding.”

While expressing her thanks, Sumika felt embarrassed of her hasty conclusion.

If she thought back, there was no merit for these two even if the position of Japan right now was shaken.

The reason was that James was the head of the <Queen faction> that was incompatible religiously with the <Holy Path Church>.

Dorothy was also in the opposition of the Democratic party of the president of America, Joseph, she was a member of the Republican party’s force.

They were all in a position of putting a distance with the <Five Great Leaders>.

These two were closer to Japan with their standings.

Just as Dorothy said, if Japan collapsed then the power of the <Anti-Five Great Leaders> force within the <United World Government> would decline comprehensively.

That was also something inconvenient for the two of them, so they had no reason to endanger Japan’s position here.

However, it created a question in Sumika if that was not their reason.

“Then, what business made two S-class magicians to visit Tokyo life sphere together like this?”

James answered this question.

“Yes. Actually we have a talk that we want prime minister Kinugasa and the <Evil God User> to hear. This is also not a subject that we can just talk about through phone, so that’s why we are here like this. This morning we had already met prime minister Kinugasa and finished talking, so next we are going to meet the <Evil God User>, however――”

Saying that, James sent his gaze from Sumika towards the shop’s backyard in a glance.

At the end of his gaze was the figure of Homura busily giving off instructions to the students.

“He seems busy that we cannot find the timing to talk until now.”

“I see…”

This was the culture festival after all.

Even though it was fine to call out to him if they had business.

Perhaps this was the refined act of an English gentleman.

Sumika suggested an idea while thinking so.

“Then, should I call Homura-san here?”

But James shook his head toward this suggestion of Sumika.

“No, that’s fine.”

“But, it’s an important story that made you purposefully cross the sea to arrive here isn’t it?”

“It seems the gist of the story has been already told to him from prime minister Kinugasa. Besides… right now I don’t really want to be a hindrance.”

“Hindrance?”

After saying that, James directed a gentle gaze from within his narrowed eyes toward Homura and murmured.

“It has been a long time since I’ve seen it. The figure of Homura within a circle of people.”

That voice was filled with intimacy that had no falsehood in it.

(By any chance…)

Seeing this expression of James, Sumika asked just in case.

“Sir James, are you close with Homura-san?”

In response James nodded with a soft expression.

“That’s because originally both him and I were magicians affiliated to the same organization in the past, in the <Knight Order Without Borders>. I had also instructed him in sorcery once when he was still little.”

“Is, that so?”

Sumika was surprised from this unexpected connection between James and Homura, then she recalled.

The day right after the day where Homura arrived in this academy.

When he crushed the <Grim Bullet> that she fired, he was making use of the dimension element sorcery James specialized in.

There was authenticity in James words from that fact too.

“That’s why, for the moment I believe that I know about him more than most people. Of course, I also understand that the infamy coiling around, all of those <Evil God User> are also the pretentious negative campaign of the <Five Great Leaders>. …Really, what an ingratitude bunch they are.”

Saying that, James breathed out the indignation inside his chest as a deep sigh.

Looking at him like that, Dorothy at the side asked him.

“You said that it has been a long time since you saw him like this, that means that Homura in the past was not this lonely?”

“Yes. Homura, when he was still with the <Knight Order Without Borders> already possessed an outstanding talent as a magician, but even so it was not to the degree that could subdue even <Evil God>. At best he was at a level that was a little stronger than all of us S-rank magicians, so he was also not isolated because of extreme strength or anything, …most of all he had comrades. Comrades that possessed strength where they could fight as much as they could to stand equal together with him at that time.”

(……!)

Sumika didn’t know anything about Homura except him as the superior <Evil God User>, therefore she was shocked.

She never imagined of existences that could be called as the comrades of Homura of all people.

“……Then those people, right now where are they?”

Sumika asked that question mostly by reflex.

In response to this question, …James shut his eyes in grief and answered like this.

“The sections we belonged to were different, so I don’t know about the details, but… I heard that all members other than Homura, had died in battle at <Walpurgis Night>.”

“…Ah.”

――Sumika remembered from these words of James.

The dialogue between Homura and Shiori that she overheard.

The rift that was created between him and Shiori.

What Homura said back to Shiori, who was criticizing his actions that were covering himself in mud to fix the wrongs was,

{After all, there is also a team that no matter how much you wish, you cannot return back to like before for a second time anymore.}

Those words filled with such sadness.

“If they were still alive, then it’s possible that Homura too won’t choose to be isolated this much…”

“ “…………” ”

“…No, please pretend you didn’t hear that. It’s something where there is nothing that can be done anymore.”

James who noticed that he had said something that couldn’t be helped anymore from the pensive look of the female camp cut the talk a little forcefully.

And then he directed his gaze to Sumika, saying “Rather than something like that”.

“Miss Sumika. The reason of our coming to Japan today, I want to talk about it to you too. It’s something that by no means is unrelated to you who are also a S-rank. …Right now, can you give us a little of your time?”

“――Err”

Sumika confirmed her surroundings after hearing those words of James.

Thanks to Bastet’s assistance, it seemed that the store was progressing favorably.

If it was now, there was free time to listen to their story a little she guessed.

Deciding that,

“Yes. It’s fine. What is this about?”

Sumika asked what James’s business was.

Towards this, James formed a deep crease on his forehead while… saying this in a serious voice.

“…Recently, the government troops under the banner of the <Five Great Leaders> are moving actively.”

So he said――.

Part 2

{Active movement?}

Dorothy nodded against Sumika’s question.

{Yes. Whether it’s America or Britain, recently the movement of the military is very fishy. It’s really suspicious.}

{Specifically it seems they are steadily progressing their preparation for battle. We can feel the sign as if a war will happen somewhere in the near time.}

{…The times are like this. Is it natural to arrange war preparation because of that?}

{Certainly it’s natural to take the war stance in preparation of demon attack. However… the current movement of the military is… no matter how I see it, they look like they are preparing to fight humans. An amount of ammunition and explosives that is too much to be called a reserve amount is coming and going through the life sphere.}

{……!}

Sumika’s expression turned severe from that information.

Ammunition and explosives… fundamentally, modern weapons like those didn’t have any power to affect demons.

Demons could only be injured by an attack that was clad in magic power.

That was the reason why magicians like Sumika were highly treasured.

Yet despite so, to increase the reserve modern weapons like those was… certainly like what James had said, it was a movement that couldn’t be thought of as anything other than preparing to fight against humans.

Moreover, James pointed out that there existed a causal relationship between the Five Great Leaders and Japan that supported this bad premonition.

{I said this to you because you are a S-rank magician, but in order to make their rule even more rock solid, the Five Great Leaders are trying to enforce a reorganization of the <United World Government>’s member-nation with a plan called the <One Year Plan>. …By any chance, perhaps they are trying to make a bold movement with the pretext of the fairy race’s acceptance here.}

{But, the acceptance was unanimously decided under the presence of the <Holy Path Church> and both America and China. I was present at that place so I know that.}

{They will surely deny that fact.}

{This is an information of my country, but Alfaro, who is currently unconscious, was transported into the Detroit life sphere. The possibility that they might invent a story that the <Holy Path Church> as well as the <Five Great Leaders> were trying to prevent the acceptance of the <Fairy race> with his presence as the proof cannot be denied.}

{…………-}

Sumika felt unpleasant sweat perspiring on her forehead.

The prediction of these two, …until the end was only in the realm of conjecture.

However, it was too fishy to be considered as groundless fear that could be easily dismissed.

Certainly, something like that might really be done.

If it was the <Holy Path Church> that broke their promise with the <Fairy Queen> and came attacking, then they really might do it.

They would do something that shameless calmly without any hesitation.

{So that’s why, you two came here.}

{Exactly―. For the Republican Party and also for the Queen faction, it will be bad if Japan which is one of the pillars of the <Anti-Five Great Leaders> force collapsed.}

{I see… If it’s something like that then I also can understand why two S-ranks came together to Japan.}

{…Well, it’s nothing more than speculation in the current stage. However it’s not an impossible scenario, the suspicious actions of my home country is a fact. It’s best to be alert. …Miss Grimoire, you too, please have the readiness for the worst case. You must be able to act quickly in the case of emergency.}

{Understood. Thank you for your advice.}

――The unrest that was surrounding the Tokyo life sphere.

After hearing that, Sumika made use of her break time and lightly patrolled the city.

If the <Five Great Leaders> were really moving in the scenario exactly as James said, then the possibility of their hand already reaching into the inside of the life sphere was extremely high.

She was on a lookout for suspicious people in this town that was jammed with people due to the victory commemoration festival.

It was a bone-breaking work, but it was not really that hard if one had reached the level of a magician as Sumika.

She put the magic for seeing-through objects in her eyesight and searched if there was someone that was carrying a weapon.

But, even after walking around for thirty minutes, she hadn’t found anyone that was like that.

(At the very least there is no one that is that suspicious… I wonder.)

That was also natural.

Right now, the security level of Tokyo life sphere was increased to the highest level to match the festival.

In addition, there was also that incident with Alfaro.

The action of the <Special Missionary> Alfaro who caused battle inside the life sphere by his own accord and ignored the decision of the government leaders made Kinugasa send an extremely strong protest towards the <Holy Path Church>.

Just as James said, if they had discovered a corpse of a demon in that place, the standing of Japan’s government would become extremely dangerous whether in the external or internal.

That attack couldn’t be thought of as anything else other than having the objective of aiming for that.

Innocentius claimed that it was the arbitrary movement of <Paladins> and the <Special Missionary> and denied his own involvement, but it was clear that it was only sophistry.

Since then, Kinugasa imposed an extremely strict immigration check towards any person related with the <Holy Path Church>.

As it were Japan was in a super high alert on the double.

Breaking through something like that couldn’t be done half-heartedly.

――No, in the first place,

(…Will they really, make a movement that bold…)

Sumika also had such a doubt.

Certainly James’ conjecture was not an impossible story in light of the disposition of the <Five Great Leaders> and their political relationship with Japan. …No, rather, it could even be said that it was only obvious they would cause such a thing.

But currently, there was an existence in Tokyo life sphere that could deter and obstruct their movement.

Kinugasa beat them to the punch by calling the <Evil God User> Kamishiro Homura here.

He owned the strength that far surpassed the whole battle strength of mankind just by his lonesome.

As long as Homura resided in this land, their ambition wouldn’t be realized.

No matter how much large an army they prepared to challenge him, everything would only come to nothing.

It would be Hecatoncheires and its army all over again without fail.

Homura would surely protect the innocent people to the end from all kind of selfish malice.

Even if he was just alone he would still…

“――――……”

After thinking until that far, suddenly Sumika’s expression clouded.

……Yes, certainly if it was Homura then he could do that.

However, the result from that was easily imaginable.

Her memory of the battle with Jambure was still fresh, where even the people that Homura had saved were looking up at him with a scared gaze after witnessing Homura’s power with his summoning of Ithaqua.

Strength that was too powerful would lead to isolation.

Since the case with Hecatoncheires, it seemed that people were gathering around Homura, but it was nothing more than something temporary.

Surely they would take distance once again from Homura when he wielded his power even more.

It was impossible for the tiny humans to accept the threat of the likes of <Evil God>.

Sumika who understood well about the threat of <Evil God> more than most people realized that.

No――rather, getting scared and then distancing oneself was the more wholesome way.

What was the most deplorable were the people who thought of Homura’s existence as a deterrence, just as a convenient phenomenon that protected them yet ignored his sacrifice and hardship.

With such a situation, the young boy named Kamishiro Homura became all the more distanced from being human.

He was becoming unable to live as a human among humans.

…Homura didn’t mind that and even accepted that selfish weakness with tolerance, but… something like that was wrong.

Even Homura was just a single human. He was nothing more than a youth the same age as Sumika.

He was an individual human, with the same heart like her that could get hurt, that could grieve the same like her.

That was surely the reason that Homura could be kind until that far to other people.

To push such a youth to loneliness and isolation until that far, that was absolutely something wrong.

(……No, this is not about wrong or not wrong.)

This was not about reasoning anymore.

It was nothing but Sumika herself that hated this.

That future where that compassionate youth would walk such a lonely path.

…She wanted to be beside him.

Not as just a mere baggage, but as an equal comrade, as a friend, and then as an opposite sex.

She wanted to be together and loved him.

――But, each time Sumika thought that, her expression fell into an even deeper shadow.

(…I’m just all talk, aren’t I.)

What she remembered was a bitter memory.

Her battle with Alfaro.

At that time Sumika couldn’t do anything.

If she wasn’t saved by Homura, her life would have surely been lost in that place.

She couldn’t do anything but be protected.

She couldn’t become anything but baggage.

The memory of that battle weighed on Sumika’s both shoulders as a feeling of powerlessness.

(…I want power.)

A power that wouldn’t let the person she loved to be alone.

But, Sumika didn’t know what she should do to achieve that.

In any case, the girl was a hard worker by nature.

The book collection of Tokyo life sphere. Knowledge of sorcery.

Everything that she could read using her authority as a S-rank magician had already been carved into her brain.

That was the reason for her S-rank designation.

But if she was going to try to stand equal with Homura, she had to search for something more than that.

What should she do to answer that wish?

When she was struck with an idea, she could think of nothing else than to obtain a grimoire of <Artifact> class like <Liber Legis> that Homura owned――

“Eh?”

Suddenly, Sumika was returned from the world of her thought back to reality from the darkening sunlight in her field of vision.

And then she noticed how she had unconsciously went off course from the main street while she was strolling aimlessly being absorbed in her reverie, and now she had entered a back alley where not even sunlight reached this place.

“Get a hold of yourself… me.”

Scolding herself, Sumika lightly knocked her forehead with her small fist.

She was glad that this place was a back alley.

If she wandered aimlessly and then unconsciously stopped at the middle of the road, it would be a big trouble for her.

The cause of death of a S-rank magician was a traffic accident, if that happened then she wouldn’t have the face to look at the other heroic spirits who died in battle.

But even so, garbage dump with its contents scattered everywhere, outdoor machinery covered in spiders’ nests, rusty pipe that looked torn, what a filthy place. The place was smelling of mold perhaps because the sunlight couldn’t enter here.

When her break time was over she had to go back to work where she would handle food stuff, so this was not a good place to stay for long.

“…Let’s go back.”

But――in the sight of Sumika who was going to turn back,

“Hm?”

Something that bothered her was reflected in her eyes.

It was the dead-end ahead of the back-alley.

There was a single western-style house built in a very small empty plot.

It had the appearance as if it had been there since the Bunmei era in 1469.

That small house which was surrounded on four sides by square concrete of apartments had a stylish signboard dangled on its frontage.

The signboard had the letters [John Doe’s Old Book Hall] written on it.

“…An old book shop, in this kind of place?”

A shop located in a really unsuitable place.

Maybe it was cornered to this kind of place because of the progress of the city’s development.

Sumika guessed the history of the building like that from its weathered state that made the one looking at it feel the small house’s age, as if it had been there all along since the far past.

And then, that conjecture led to her thinking from before.

(Unexpectedly, I might find <Artifact> level grimoire inside lying around.)

――It was not something impossible.

In fact, most <Artifacts> were treated as antiques in the era where humans still hadn’t noticed magic.

Grimoires were also like that.

A lot of them was passed around all over the place as merely old books that were impossible to understand, from secondhand book stores in the city until the secondhand book market of the Shimogamo shrine.

However――

“Well, as expected, there is just no way something like that still happens in the current era.”

Correct, Sumika laughed off her own convenient thinking.

Certainly there was also a period like that, but it was something in the past.

The demon attack rapidly elevated the demand for sorcery, the antiques that possessed that kind of power… the government of countries all over the world strove to be the first to gather <Artifacts> and <grimoires>.

Japan was also the same.

To say nothing of how this was in the middle of Tokyo. It was right inside the turf of the Japan government.

One century had passed since the appearance of demons, there was no way something like that still remained free.

(…………)

But, just why was it?

The appearance of that old bookstore strangely touched the heartstring of Sumika.

Her gaze was mysteriously sucked to it.

She was unable to ignore it and turned on her heel.

In that case, Sumika walked heading to that old bookstore.

――She still had some time in her break time.

She guessed it wouldn’t be bad to just take a peek and glance around.

Sumika laid her hands on the brass knob that was attached with a note of [Shop Open].

Perhaps the hinges of the door had rusted, the door heavily creaked while it opened.

Part 3

When Sumika peeked inside the shop, moldy smell characteristic of old books pierced her nose.

What next entered her sight as information was, five lines of bookshelves, then old books which were bound by string, western books attached with locks, yellowing bundles of paper, all of that were stacked up disorderly inside the cramped shop. What entered her sight was such a scenery.

The memory of her own room after an all-nighter of researching sorcery came to mind, it was quite a terrible sight.

“Excuse me―.”

There was no reply even when she called out.

Even at the counter that was visible inside behind the lining up tall shelves, there was no sign of anyone.

“Excuse me―. Is there no employee here?”

She called out once more but just as she thought there was no reply back.

There was a note [Shop Open] attached outside, the lock was also opened so the business should still run.

Had the shopkeeper gone out somewhere leaving his store opened?

Or else it was because of this kind of location. Usually there was no customer or anything, so perhaps the shopkeeper stayed inside sleeping.

No matter which one it was, this was extremely careless.

(If I’m a thief then what would they do I wonder?)

Well, however, there was no shopkeeper but if there was a [Shop Open] sign, then surely there would be no problem with her looking around inside.

Deciding that, Sumika entered the unmanned shop.

And then she was going to approach a bookshelf, …she took a deep breath after looking under her feet.

“This place feels exactly like a place one must not even step inside isn’t it. This is more or less a service business so they should clean up this place just a little bit more.”

Well, originally it was a store in this kind of location.

Maybe the owner opened this only for their hobby and didn’t think of profit.

“Yo, tto”

While Sumika was paying attention to not step on the books and parchments that seemed to be scattered on the floor, she walked until in front of a bookshelf.

The thing called an old book might be sold at an absurd price depending on the book.

For example, the first edition of Copernicus’ [Regarding the Revolution of Celestial Sphere] was recorded to be sold at the end of an auction with its price skyrocketing until $2,200,000 (About 200,000,000 yen).

She didn’t know whether the books scattered all over the place around her had that kind of price, but they were products that she couldn’t carelessly dirty or damage.

That was why.

Just by moving for five meters from the entrance, Sumika was relatively exhausted.

When she arrived in front of the bookshelf she aimed for, a regret of why she forced herself like this and didn’t immediately go back filled her heart.

While Sumika was hating herself who lost to her curiosity,

(Let’s just take a glance and quickly get out…)

She laid her hands on one suitable bundle and pulled it out.

Instantly――

“—――――!?!?!?”

Sumika screamed inarticulately and released the book that she pulled out from the bookshelf.

*GARAN!* A stiff sound was raised from the metal fastened book which fell to the floor.

Why did Sumika release the book?

That was because the instant her hand took the book… it was as if countless maggots were creepily crawling through her palm, her back of the hand, her fingers, such sensation that made her feel a primitive disgust was awakened in her.

Were there bugs springing out from the book?

No. The book that fell to the floor wasn’t infested with any bugs. But――

“Just now…! Don’t tell me, this is…!”

Sumika who used a sorcery called <Grim Bullet> had once felt that kind of sensation.

She looked at the title of the western book that fell on the floor of the gloomy old bookstore.

It had a thick dark leather cover and was bounded with a metal clasp.

The title that was engraved there was… [De Vermis Mysteriis].

(The mystery of demonic maggot…! Furthermore it’s the original copy of the Latin version…!)

It was exactly a grimoire just like Sumika imagined.

And then it was also not just a mere grimoire.

Since the moment in year 1542 when its first edition was sold, it received suppression procedure from the <Holy Path Church> due to its too dangerous nature, it was a S-rank rare book with hazard level where there was a need for this book to receive <Sealing Treatment>.

She had heard that it was burned to ash altogether with the sealing facility in <Walpurgis Night>, but why was this book now in this private old bookstore――

No, right now such circumstances were trivial.

More than that,

“By any chance…!”

Sumika turned her eyes in panic to the bookshelf and read the letters written on the book spines one after another――she was dumbfounded.

…Correct. [De Vermis Mysteriis] was not the only one.

[Unsigned Ritual Writings]

[Monolith’s People]

[Gold Twig Compilation]

[Ponape Scriptures]

[Revelation of Guraaki]

The books lined up on the shelves, there was not even a single one upright book among them.

All of them were the same as [De Vermis Mysteriis], they were grimoires with power.

“This is a lie, right…”

The number, variety, and danger level of this book collection… was incomparable against the likes of the academy library.

No, even that Great Britain Library surely didn’t have this many a collection of rare books.

――This place was obviously abnormal.

“Just what in the world… this shop is…-“

What was this?

The moment she was going to express that question,

*Gii*…

The rusty sound of a door opening was audible from the entrance where Sumika entered before.

“――-!”

When she directed her gaze there in panic, there was a black skinned youth there holding a paper bag from street stalls in both hands.

“Fuu―, what an awful crowd there. However, it’s fine to be bustling, yet I want to get spared from getting trapped in a line up thirty minutes just for buying kebab. …Hm? Eh? Is there a customer by any chance? How rare this is. Welcome to [John Doe’s Old Book Hall]. Have you found the book you are looking for?”

“Don’t movee――――-!”

Noticing the presence of a visitor, the youth made a mild business smile.

Sumika wasted no time to call out her contracted heroic spirit, the <Gun Saint> Billy the Kid.

She drew out her revolver that was her <Arms> and aimed it at the temple of the youth.

The youth was surprised in panic that he jumped on the spot from this.

“Hahe!? Uwaa, wha, what are you doing!? Don’t tell me, a robber…!?”

Well, it couldn’t be helped that he thought that from having a gun suddenly pointed at him.

In order to dispel that misunderstanding, Sumika calmly and indifferently introduced herself.

“No, you are wrong. I am affiliated with New Tokyo Sorcery Academy. I am Hoshikawa Sumika, the leader of the 101st trainee platoon. From the way you are talking you are related with this store right? By my authority as a trainee platoon member and article seven of Peace Preservation Act, I’ll arrest you for being caught red-handed in [illegal possession of sorcery relic].”

“Eh, eeh~? I, illegal possession? Wha, what are you saying…”

“I saw that there is the note of the shop being open in the front, so while impolite I came in by myself. Then I found that the shelves there are storing grimoires where roughly all of them are S-rank in danger level, no matter what kind of circumstance you have but those are not items where personal possession of them will be recognized. I have finished confirming the evidence goods so its meaningless to talk your way out.”

“Uu…”

Sumika’s words that didn’t give him the opening to talk his way out made the youth smile wryly――

Before long he released a deep sigh as if resigning himself.

“Haa… customer or the like coming here is really rare, so I really neglected to put down the note. Laziness is really something that must not be done.”

And then the youth thrust his hand inside the paper bag and rustled around.

“Don’t move!”

Sumika immediately gave the order to stop that act, but he didn’t even show any sign of stopping and took out a kebab that he had went out to purchase from a street stall.

“It’s okay. I’m just taking a late lunch. I’m not going to run so can you put down the gun for me? Even if this is my favorite food, but it won’t go down my throat if I’m being pointed at by the gun nuzzle of the <Gun Saint>’s contractor you know.”

“-!”

(He saw through my contracted heroic spirit…!)

Sumika was a famous magician.

Even a civilian would know her if it was just her face and her name.

But the data of contracted heroic spirit and the like were hardly disclosed to the civilians.

Was he seeing through her just by looking, or did he already know beforehand?

In any case, he was not a normal human.

In addition, the number of rare books inside this store.

It was impossible for a single human to gather this many goods.

It was better to consider this youth of having some kind of large organization as his backup.

Was it some cult organization, or possibly the instigation of some other country?

Whichever it was, he broke the law and gathered dangerous grimoires, and then from how he hid himself from public eyes, there was no way he was a friendly force for this country.

Sumika held an even stronger vigilance and put even more strength on her finger holding the trigger while asking.

“…I’ll ask you directly to the point. Who are you?”

“*chew chew*, I thought I’ve wrote it already at the front. My name is John Doe.”

“You think I’m going to believe a name that is obviously an alias like that?”

John Doe if it was translated to Japanese meant the [nameless palace guard], it was a fictitious name that was used to refer to someone whose full name was unknown in the English-speaking world.

When it was pointed out, the youth scratched his head with a troubled expression.

“…An alias, huh. Well, certainly that’s not my real name. It’s just… it’s also not an incorrect name to call me by any means you know? The [nameless palace guard]… it’s okay to even say that there is no name more accurate than this to represent my existence. If you ask why, that’s because I’m everyone, and I’m also no one.”

“……?”

“I am not even someone that is here, I’m also someone that is there. Therefore I have no interest in defining what kind of person I am. The one who defines me is always you humans. I have [faces] as many as the number of those definitions. I have [names] as many as the number of those definitions.”

“Eh…………”

――*throb*

The youth’s words rang out the alarm bell in Sumika’s heart.

Cold sweat drenched out from her whole body.

As if enjoying that uneasiness of the girl, the youth lifted the corner of his mouth.

“The person dwelling in the darkness.

Black sphinx without face.

The father of a million loved person.

The person howling to the moon. The faceless god. The bulging woman. The nonexistent priest. The black man――

――It’s fine to define me whatever you like. It’s fine to call me whatever.

All of that is me according to you, you know? <Grim Bullet> Hoshikawa Sumika-chan.”

“~~~~……!”

The surrounding air turned heavy.

As if sticky mud was pressuring on Sumika.

When she noticed, Sumika’s hand that was holding the gun was trembling.

Her wide opened eyes were shaking in astonishment.

It was natural.

A magician of a cult organization?

A spy of another country doing subversive activities?

――Just how much she would feel glad if this was only such a mundane thing like those.

But that was not how this was.

What was before her eyes was, …not even human in the first place.

It was the worst existence that far surpassed Sumika’s assumptions.

The girl knew.

About the being that was called by all of those aliases… that evil god.

“<The Crawling Chaos>… Nyarlathotep…-!”

Chapter 2

Part 1

Right just when Sumika was having her unexpected meeting with a god of outer space.

The <Operator> of the 101st trainee platoon that was led by Sumika, Onjouji Shiori was in the middle of chaos.

“――What is, the meaning of this…-“

This morning, the girl was requested by Kamishiro Homura and her father, Onjouji Kai, for one thing.

That request was that they wanted her to monitor whether there were any magicians from another country that infiltrated into <Tokyo life sphere> during this time of the culture festival.

According to what she heard, two S-rank magicians from Britain and America gave information to prime minister Kinugasa, that the <Five Great Leaders> were showing strange movement.

By any chance, perhaps they were intending to do some kind of bold action.

In the current situation it was nothing more than a story that was still in the realm of conjecture, but… taking consideration of the political situation that was surrounding Japan, it was not a story that could be fully rejected.

That was why for the moment, they requested her to just be on the lookout.

Of course the prime minister Kinugasa Yoshinori also knew about this story, the national defense magicians were spreading out their observation net but, …in actuality, the accuracy of Shiori’s detection net was higher than the likes of their observation net. In this event of victory commemoration festival where the people were always moving around everywhere, there was the possibility that this difference in precision could be fatal.

For the sake of their peace of mind they wanted to spread out a double observation net in this high alert state, that was how it was.

If this was also the request from Homura, then Shiori also didn’t have any reason to refuse.

The girl agreed to this with an immediate reply.

While doing her role of distributing flyers, she was also spreading out a detection net until the radius of two kilometers around her, she was prepared to continuously observe her surroundings.

Yet, despite so――

When she noticed… Shiori was in a world without sound.

Traffic regulations were imposed during the victory commemoration festival, even though Shiori was supposedly standing in the middle of the main road that had been turned into a pedestrian paradise where she was distributing flyers to the people coming and going there, …during the instant of the blink of an eye, the throngs of people as far as the eye could see had vanished completely.

There was only so much silence that it hurt the ear, lying ahead in a city without people.

“……Kuh-“

Even when she tried to search the enemy with sorcery, there was not a single reaction of a living being inside the sphere radius of 50 kilometers.

This was an attack sorcery of someone.

It couldn’t be considered as anything else with this kind of phenomenon occurring.

Shiori tried to activate the emergency alert all over the life sphere in order to invite vigilance from the national defense army.

But… she couldn’t connect to the network of mind transmission.

She couldn’t connect to the national defense army, or to Homura, or to anyone else.

The circuit was snapped apart.

Shiori understood the situation to a certain degree from that fact.

Most likely, …the one who disappeared was not the people… but just her alone.

She guessed that she was dragged inside a pocket dimension that was created by sorcery.

(Naturally, the <Five Great Leaders> also know about my searching ability.)

If she was isolated like this because they feared her ability, then this situation was extremely bad.

She had to somehow find the rift of the dimension and raise the alarm outside.

Thinking so, Shiori raised the precision of her detection net until her limit and looked for the tear of this pocket dimension.

However, be that as it may――

(I don’t understand.)

With her dragged inside a pocket dimension like this, that meant that there was an enemy beside her who dragged her here like this.

Shiori didn’t notice at all that there was someone that close to her.

That was completely incomprehensible.

Shiori’s ability to detect the enemy… was honestly something inhuman.

It was not a metaphor that pointed at the excellence of her precision, but it was the honest truth.

It was not a power she obtained because she wished for it, but… she had the confidence that she wouldn’t overlook even a single ant.

Despite so… she didn’t even notice someone using sorcery nearby her.

―――Just what kind of person was the enemy?

Then, at the ear of Shiori, who was searching for the dimension tear while thinking of such thing,

*step, step, step*――――there was such sound.

The sound of bare feet walking on asphalt could be heard.

“Who……-!?”

Shiori was so surprised her heart leaped up from that sound which entered her ear.

Even though she couldn’t confirm even a single reaction of living being inside the sphere radius of fifty kilometers of her detection net, she could hear footsteps right behind her.

For Shiori who possessed absolute confidence in her own ability, that was not a normal matter.

It was only natural for her to be shocked.

She raised a voice that was nearly a scream and turned back while her hair became disheveled.

――What was behind her,

A body wrapped in a feather robe that was faintly shining… a young boy possessing pure white wings was standing there.

Part 2

“<The Crawling Chaos>……Nyarlathotep……-!”

“Aah, that’s correct. I have also been called by that kind of name when it’s pronounced by human words.”

The god of outer space made a wide smile like a crescent moon which split his cheeks.

At the same time, the radiance of a flame pregnant with ominous darkness was residing inside those pair of eyes and forehead――

“Quick Draw–!!!!”

Sumika’s judgment was swift.

Without hesitation she shot through with Quick Draw at both eyes and the forehead――the three burning eyes of <The Crawling Chaos> that was currently imitating human form.

But, even so,

“Aha-, ha-, ha! You really pull that trigger without any mercy. To not shrink in fear even after knowing who I am, that’s quite a mental strength. …But I think it’s better for a girl to be a little more graceful you know?”

The body of <The Crawling Chaos> didn’t even sway.

Far from that, there was not even a single drop of blood that flowed out from the pierced holes, *kopori*…with that sound that was like bubbling mud, the bullets that were made from mythril were spitted out from the gun wounds, then the gun wounds were also closed up as if time was being rewound back.

“…Kuh-“

“I wish you don’t act that crabby here. I don’t have any intention to harm you at all.”

“Who will believe the words of <The Crawling Chaos> who laughs mockingly at everything for eternity?”

“I really want you to believe it. In the first place if I didn’t teach sorcery to humans, the human race would be destroyed already a hundred years ago. Now that I’ve said that, aren’t I the benefactor of the human race’s life? I think it’s fine even if you believe me a little.”

“Ridiculous.”

Sumika said that as if spitting out.

That was obvious. That was because Sumika knew well just what kind of existence this god, <The Crawling Chaos> was.

<The Crawling Chaos> Nyarlathotep.

He was one of the divinity that dwelled in outer space. A century ago, he was the <Evil God> that taught sorcery through <Liber Legis> to the human race who was on the brink of annihilation.

If one only heard that part then they could think that this god was friendly to humans, but that was a big mistake.

<The Crawling Chaos> certainly favored the human race in some sway.

Affection… calling that as this god’s feeling towards humans might not be wrong.

But, that love was really distorted, to the point that it was difficult to describe, it was something twisted and insane.

That was because this god felt supreme joy in viewing the tiny humans drowning, writhing madly, and broken by their own karma.

“You are just merely… disliking other people’s finger mark to dirty your own toy. There is not even a splinter of good will or anything that exists in you!”

In response to this accusation of Sumika,

“Yep. Guess so.”

<The Crawling Chaos> didn’t even pretend to give some excuse and affirmed that.

“In the first place something like good will or malice, those emotions that humans can define doesn’t exist inside us. That’s something that really cannot be helped. But… if you know about me until that much then surely you understand already. That crushing underfoot a single human like you doesn’t appeal to me at all.”

“…………”

Having that pointed out, certainly, Sumika also thought that it was exactly as he said.

Killing a human before one’s eyes without any particular reason at all.

An upfront <Evil God> that was satisfied by joy which was obtained from such extremely straightforward debauchery, that was not how <The Crawling Chaos> was.

A human that was ruined by one’s own karma.

He was a god that reveled in finding out exactly such ridiculous figure.

――If that was the case then certainly, her encounter with him here wouldn’t turn into a battle.

But, even so, Sumika didn’t let down her guard.

That was natural. Just what was an evil god like this, which was a mass of malice, doing in this kind of place.

There was a necessity to ascertain that.

Even knowing that it was meaningless, Sumika didn’t lower her gun and questioned.

“…Just what in the world is a divinity like you doing in this kind of place?”

In response to this demand for an explanation, <The Crawling Chaos>’s eyes turned round in amazement and he answered.”

“What I’m doing you asked? Can’t you understand just from looking? I’m opening an old bookstore here?”

“I know that already! What I want to ask is what are you planning by lining up truly repulsive knowledge like those books!”

“Aah, so that’s what you mean.”

Perhaps he finally understood the aim of the question, <The Crawling Chaos> nodded briskly and began to explain what kind of place this was and what he was doing in here.

“You see Sumika-chan, this place is the <World of Awakening>――to put simply this is the place that existed in the interstice of the human world and the <Dream Land>, the place where humans who desired the [power] of sorcery from the bottom of their hearts ended up.”

“The person who desired, the power of sorcery…”

“Correct. A father that wished for the resurrection of his beloved daughter. A king that wished for even more rock solid rule. A merchant that wished for wealth far more than anyone else. A deviant that wished for wanting to kill humans a lot more than anyone. And then, a leader who tried to save the human race that was ruined by demons――… until now, various humans have visited this place with various motives. Seeing how you too have discovered this place, I wonder if you have the memory of having done something yourself?”

“…………”

“And then towards all of those people, I offered the suitable grimoire for their wishes. …Everyone showed me quite interesting tales you know.”

“…I see. So you freely disseminated dangerous knowledge without discriminating good or evil. What a disgusting hobby that is really like you.”

“I said it right? Both good and evil are just values that humans decided as they pleased. They are measurings that don’t exist in us gods from the start. I’m just merely… aiding the humans who are doing everything at their very best so desperately. Aah, that’s right. The one who provided <Liber Legis> to your beloved Homura-kun too was of course this me you know.”

Sumika was taken aback from these words of <The Crawling Chaos>.

“Homura-san too, he had come here before!?”

In response, <The Crawling Chaos> nodded and confirmed it.

“Yeah, exactly right. Just like how you have come here today, the him when he was still immature also came here searching for power. …Even while the wound of his heart still hadn’t healed from his family getting killed, he said that he didn’t want for anybody else to taste the loss that he himself had tasted… And then, I responded to that wish… and I granted him. All of the sorcery that I had personally written, and the devilish book where the technique to subdue even <Evil God> was recorded―the <Liber Legis>.”

“Such thing, was…”

To this past of Homura that Sumika became aware of for the first time, she felt that it was heartbreaking, yet at the same time she also once again felt his nobility.

He was not driven by revenge even though his family was killed by demons… but he resolved himself to fight, so that the same pain wouldn’t descend down to anybody else.

That way of his heart was ――truly,

“Really, he really is a masterpiece isn’t he―!”

“――-!?”

“It’s not even for revenge, it’s not even for the sake of the person he loved, he sought power for the sake of protecting a total stranger he has never seen or known at all, he even shouldered with that body a heavy responsibility that originally shouldn’t be burdened to a single person! Human is really amusing!”

This evil god was truly feeling that from the bottom of his heart.

Without minding Sumika who was raising her eyebrows from rage, his body was trembling while he expressed his feelings with an ecstatic expression as if he was a maiden deeply in love confessing her love to her loved one.

“Aaa, aah! How very interesting-! How very amusing-!

A young man possessing the power to completely shoulder everything of this world, while his heart was still that of a weak human.

No ally or enemy can be his equal, he cannot become a demon or even human, the only human that is the <Ultimate One>.

Until the last moment of his isolated lifetime, he will merely, merely undergo great hardships pouring his heart and blood for the sake of a complete stranger he has never seen or known, at the end of his lifetime that is like a worthless idiotic slave, alone, just what in the world will he think of while rotting in obscurity?

I wonder if he will pass away still thinking that it was all worth it, protecting with all his life the mankind that would never even look back at him? Or else, I wonder if he will writhe while cursing everything in regret!? Will he laugh!? Will he grieve!? Aah, truly interesting!

How very interesting-!

Hey, what do you think? What kind of end will he meet?”

“You, …sleazebag…!”

Sumika reproached the evil god before her eyes by spitting out foul abuse that she had never said out her whole life until now.

But <The Crawling Chaos> instead was only laughing happily.

“Hahaha. You rea―lly hit the mark. But that really can’t be helped don’t you think? After all, that was really the first time I saw a human like Homura-kun. Even for this me who is the self-proclaimed best human connoisseur in the universe, only him who has ever managed being outside the scope of my prediction. …Truly, I never,

for him to go as far as killing his beloved comrades with his own hands, and choosing the path of protecting total strangers instead, how unimaginable is that―”

“…………Eh……?”

Sumika’s lips that was shut tight from rage, suddenly came apart from the sentence that spilled out from the evil god before her eyes.

Homura was, …killing his comrades?

“What you just said, what do you――――……–!?!?”

However, the moment she tried to press the question of what was the meaning of those words.

Suddenly――that was beginning.

Part 3

A silver haired young boy possessing a pair of wings approached Shiori who was being lost in a closed pocket dimension.

He directed a gentle smile to Shiori who turned at him with disheveled hair and opened his mouth.

“Finally we meet, Onjouji Shiori.”

It was at that moment.

“――――ah”

The moment that graceful voice sung from the mouth of the young boy hit her earlobe, a shock like a lightning pierced Shiori’s brain.

An operating table for use by children made from cold rock.

Leather belt that stole her freedom.

Cramped cellar cage where she couldn’t even stand up.

Lined up colorful bottles of medicine and various shapes of bladed tools.

Unceasing sorrowful screams resounding, asking for help.

And then, a mountain of small lumps of meat, piled up so much that the lumps jutted out from a large hole dug out in the ground where the lumps were discarded――――

“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!! Uu, o”

Unable to endure it, Shiori shrieked while falling to her knees on the spot, along with tears she vomited everything inside her stomach.

The flashback that crossed her mind just now, was Shiori’s past.

――Eight years ago from now. That period when magicians who should possess the strength to fight demons didn’t share their knowledge, stole from their fellow humans, and killed each other.

Shiori was captured an taken into a research lab of a country ruled by a really mad king that searched for the power of sorcery.

At that lab, a research to have a stable production of soldiers with high aptitude for sorcery was performed by combining scientifically the DNA of an angel that was collected from a <holy relic> with the genetic information of infant children.

…Shiori was the single success case of the aforementioned research.

That meant that the blood of an angel was flowing inside the girl.

And then, exactly because she was that kind of girl, she obtained an intuition towards that figure of the young boy which was similar to a sympathy bond that identical twins had, she understood that together with that flashback of the past.

The flesh of the male in front of her eyes possessed the genes of angel flesh the same like her, that he was an existence that was exceedingly close to an angel.

“Wh, why……! The only survivor of <Angel Soldier Plan> is just me… all the researchers, the data, altogether with the facility should have all been burned to nothing by the <Book Burning Corps>, yet……-!”

The repulsive research that had tormented her was continuing even now.

Shiori couldn’t hide her agitation towards that fact.

Toward Shiori who was like that, the young boy――Michael told her.

“Everything is in the discretion of the great father. That research was something abominable, but… it was useful for creating the receptacle of me once more in this land that was desecrated by demons. Therefore, the great father entrusted this in the hands of the pious believer.”

“……Recep, tacle……?”

(Don’t, tell me…………!)

Shiori realized the true identity of the young boy in front of her eyes from that roundabout talk.

Close to angel――that was not it at all.

The authentic soul of the <Archangel> Michael was the one residing inside that body that was created from the DNA that originated from his original body.

And then, there was only one existence in this world that possessed the influence that could possibly do such a thing.

The <Holy Path Church>――namely the <Five Great Leaders>.

Shiori had been told before this from her father and Homura about the strange movements of the <Five Great Leaders>.

Therefore, just by noticing that one thing was enough to comprehend the true situation.

――This man, Michael, was the assassin for use against the <Evil God User> that the <Five Great Leaders> had bide their time to send.

(Certainly, if it’s the authentic <Archangel>, perhaps he can oppose the <Evil God User>……!)

Dangerous.

She had to tell Homura as soon as possible――

Thinking so, Shiori tried to escape from that place, but just as she tried to raise her crumbling knees,

(I can’t move……!)

Shiori’s expression was colored in shock.

No matter how hard she tried to escape, she had become unable to move even the tips of her fingers.

But… in a certain meaning it could be said to be only natural.

The flesh that composed Shiori’s body in the first place was the possession of the angel Michael.

For the young boy in front of her… for Michael, Shiori’s body was just like a part of his own body.

Therefore, for Michael, whether it was deceiving Shiori’s detection net or inviting her into this pocket dimension――and then even completely sealing her very movements itself were things that he could do freely.

Like this Michael stole the freedom from Shiori’s body and approached her,

“How pitiful……”

He bent his knee and touched the cheek of Shiori that was placing both her hands on the ground, there he wiped her remaining tears and vomit with his own pure white robe.

After that, he talked with a voice filled with compassion from the bottom of his heart.

“Onjouji Shiori. I know well the chronology of how this flesh body was created. Therefore I cannot stop this pity toward the great many heartbreaking circumstances that you had experienced before. However, child of man. You mustn’t resent the people who tormented you. They too are imperfect, therefore they don’t know what it is that they ought to do. Everything is the fault of those demons that try to lay their hands on the world of the people of god that is humans, and also the fault of those evil gods that indoctrinated evil knowledge to humans. The great father sends me on this day, in order to give the retribution towards those evil people.”

“What are you, planning to do……!?”

Michael answered Shiori’s question without hiding anything at all.

What he was going to accomplish in this land, what he would do――that was,

“A paradise. …I have come to create a paradise, where the children of man won’t need to fear the threat of demons, or be tricked by the malice of evil god, a paradise of light and order that is supervised by god and the servants of god. And then for that sake, your power is――no, the piece of me that is inside you is needed.”

“-……!”

Those words caused Shiori to feel fear that made the hair on her whole body to have goosebumps.

Just what was the messenger from heaven in front of her going to do?

What kind of objective made him call her into this space?

She understood all that.

However, no matter how scared she was, no matter how desperately she tried to flee, Shiori’s body didn’t answer her will for even a little bit――

“Onjouji Shiori. O child of man walking a harsh fate. The tragedy that shakes your body will not be repeated under other people. The time for the chain of sorrow to be severed, and for people to return to god’s side has come. Now――let’s depart. Just like the many of lives that have become sacrifices for the sake of this flesh body. That must also be happiness for you too.”

“u……ku…………”

A termination of consciousness like sleepiness that couldn’t be resisted attacked Shiori.

Even her arms were losing the strength to support her body, she fell down on that spot.

But Michael gently caught that body of Shiori.

(No, no……! Noooo!)

Shiori felt repulsiveness from that affectionate embrace and screamed.

But her consciousness was melting into white inside the sublime light of Michael.

And then, in her last moment where she lost her consciousness――

(Homura…… I’m, sor, ry…………)

Shiori let out a streak of tear,

While apologizing for her own powerlessness that could do nothing except make him lose a dear friend again.

On the other hand… Michael let out a small amazed sigh from the last emotion of Shiori who lost her consciousness inside his arm.

“……Falling in love with the foolish <traitor>. What a deep sin.”

(However, that too, is something that cannot be helped because they are the imperfect child of man.)

“Surely the great father will generously forgive all of that.”

Michael murmured while stroking the back of Shiori who was not moving as if she had died.

The sin of man was forgiven by receiving retribution.

The reason was because the angels knew that humans committing sin was something that couldn’t be helped.

Human was truly an incomplete and immature life.

It was only natural for them to commit sin. It was only natural for them to mistake their path.

For humans, whether it was shoplifting or rape or massacre――

If they were human then all of that couldn’t be helped… all those were cute mistakes because of humanity’s immaturity.

The angels forgave all those generously by means of retribution. But…

“Even so the sin of the <Evil God User> is something unforgivable no matter how much retribution he pays…!”

The <Evil God User> didn’t pray to the Great God in heaven and depended on the power of <Evil God>.

That was a lapse of virtue that couldn’t be forgiven.

No matter how difficult the tribulations that humans went through, humans ought to believe in god and die while praying to him.

Even though that was exactly how a human should be, the <Evil God User> made use of the power of evil and dared to become a sham messiah. That could be said to be an act that looked down on the god of the angels.

That sin was already impossible to wash away no matter what retribution that person received.

For that reason――he had to kill that man himself.

Michael was strongly convinced that it was what he ought to do,

{O the pious servant of god, Innocentius.}

Through mind transmission, Michael called out to the believer of god.

{The day of salvation has come. Right now is the time for the true salvation to be brought about to everybody.}

Hearing those words, Innocentius replied with a voice that was trembling from joy.

{Ooh lord! I thank god that I can welcome this day of today together with you! Our side too will begin to act at once!}

{Please, I’ll leave it to you. Everything is according to the will of the great father.}

After informing that, Michael closed his eyes quietly and prayed while embracing Shiori.

For the salvation of the human race that would be carried out after this.

So that this work of the deeply benevolent god could be held without any obstacle.

Thereupon――

The light that was emitted from Michael’s body became stronger, the color of his hair and wings changed.

From silver… to golden that was nothing but dazzling.

Part 4

“Suddenly the weather had become strange……”

The sky had become clouded as if the previous clear sky was just a lie.

The fishermen that were carrying out maintenance of a fishing ship anchored at Tokyo bay looked up in annoyance at that weather while sighing.

“Even though today is a day of celebration, the rain might be coming like this.”

“Is it going to rain suddenly? There is a lot of them recently huh……”

But, at that time.

One of the fisherman noticed [that] gradually rising from beyond the horizon.

“Hm? What’s that?”

The other fishermen also stopped their work from that voice and focused their eyes.

“Is it a demon again?”

“That ain’t it, that’s a ship.”

“Today is the war victory festival after all. Perhaps that’s a ferry from another life sphere.”

“Is there any arrangement for passenger ship to enter today?”

“Ship or anything coming from sea is really rare anyway. After all, demons are living in the sea too, so most sea routes cannot be used anymore, yet they still came.”

While exchanging comments from seeing something rare, they became relieved that it was not a demon and the fishermen were going to return back to their work again.

But――

“Eh……?”

“O, oi. What the hell, is this……-!”

The expression of the fishermen that were returning to their work froze.

The reason was because the outline of the ship that was gradually rising from the horizon increased from one into two, from two to four――…those numbers increased in no time at all…

Witnessing that scenery, they finally noticed just what it was that was approaching them and shouted.

“That’s not it. …That ain’t a ferry! That’s a warship……-!”

Part 5

――The warships of another country were approaching Tokyo bay.

That emergency state was immediately notified towards Kinugasa who was the prime minister.

Facing this situation, Kinugasa abandoned all his routine work.

He rushed out from the prime minister’s office and headed to the national defense army headquarters that was located in the same building of the old Tokyo Metropolitan Government Office building.

And then when he entered the headquarters where the staff was running around with a pale face inside,

“Report the situation!”

He yelled with a deep voice at a volume so loud that couldn’t be imagined coming from that thin body.

The defense minister that was younger by quite a bit from Kinugasa, rushed at him to answer that demand and explained the situation.

“Today at 1320 hour, a notification came from a fisherman that was performing maintenance on his fishing ship at the bay coast, that warships are infiltrating Tokyo bay! According to the report of the reconnaissance plane of the air force, a total of thirty ships under the banner of the <Five Great Leaders> are has approaching until the position of 20 kilometers from the bay coast!”

“So they have already come in the range to launch the warships’ missiles to Tokyo life sphere then.”

“Ye, yes, that’s the situation. Also they are coming not only from the sea, from the land a ground force under the banner of the <Five Great Leaders> is also on the march aiming at this Tokyo life sphere!”

“So we are completely surrounded. …The other side too shouldn’t have this much leeway in the number of people that they have.”

“I think they probably have invested the biggest military force that they can possibly field!”

“How much difference is there between our forces?”

“As far as we can confirm, perhaps they are ten times as big as our force.”

Kinugasa was chewing his nail while knitting his eyebrows in disgust.

In <Walpurgis Night>, the base of Minamiboso and Yokosuka were destroyed. Also, because of their lack of personnel, Japan Coast Guard was disassembled, currently the surveillance of the territorial waters was only barely performed by the radar that was established barely in Urayasu at Tokyo life sphere’s outer circumference, it made Japan’s surveillance have many holes in it. But… even so, it was strange for thirty ships to be overlooked until they arrived in a position where they could be confirmed by eyesight.

A radar with maximum range of 300 kilometers was deployed in the national defense army protecting the Tokyo life sphere, to say nothing of the information that James and Dorothy gave him today, they had already strengthened the security.

This was not a situation that could possibly happen originally.

――If the national defense army was functioning normally.

“……Why did they get discovered only after this late?”

Hearing this question, the young defense minister hitched his words while answering.

“That’s, it seems that there are believers of the <Holy Path Church> among the personnel… it looks like the radar’s settings were tampered with.”

“……I see. They got us.”

“My deepest apology.”

“There is nothing you need to apologize for.”

Frankly, that their monitoring room stopped functioning like this was within the degree of his assumptions.

Since the <Walpurgis Night>, the faith towards the <Holy Path Church> had taken root really too deep, their influence was already becoming impossible to be purged out.

Subversive activities like this were already something that couldn’t be prevented.

It could be said to be a factor that had to be thought of as a given thing from the start.

That was why Kinugasa through Onjouji Kai made Shiori who possessed the power of an angel to spread out her lookout net.

But, there was also no contact that came from her.

(The <Five Great Leaders> also know about Shiori-san’s power as an <experimental body>. …Perhaps they also prepared some kind of hand to deal with her too.)

And then that fact… indicated that the enemy had already entered into the life sphere.

The enemy had completely stolen the initiative from them.

This situation was extremely dangerous.

(However, be that as it may, they really mobilized and came here…)

Kinugasa was surprised from the bottom of his heart about that.

He had been on alert after hearing James’s story, but even James himself didn’t think that the <Five Great Leaders> would act boldly while the <Evil God User> was staying in Japan.

(Don’t tell me, do they have a method to defeat Homura-san?)

If that was the case, just what in the world was that method――

Just when Kinugasa was wracking his brain like that.

――That voice was directly reverberated inside the heads of all the humans that were in the Tokyo life sphere.

{Informing Japan government as well as all the citizens of Tokyo life sphere.

Informing Japan government as well as all the citizens of Tokyo life sphere.

I am the Holy Path Church’s highest leader, Innocentius XVII.}

Part 6

“Eh? What’s this……?”

“A voice inside my head……”

“Just what in the world is going on!?”

The citizens that were gathering in the festival were perplexed from the voice that was suddenly reverberating inside their heads.

For those many people that didn’t have grounding in sorcery, something like a mind transmission was the first for them.

But even that surprise――

Was blown away from the next words that Innocentius said.

{I am representing the <United World Government> to notify the Japan government as well as all the citizens of the Tokyo life sphere.

Currently, we, of the <United World Government>, are in the middle of deploying around the Tokyo life sphere.

As soon as this notification ends, we, the <United World Government>, will launch our whole army and march to the Tokyo life sphere.

Thereafter, we will start military suppression.}

“Haa…………?”

“Wh, what? What is the meaning of this!?”

“Military suppression he said? He means this is war!?”

Out of nowhere those words expressed hostility frankly.

The stir of confusion of the citizens grew large from that, becoming a tumult that could be mistaken as a waterfall.

But even amongst such tumult, Innocentius’ words could clearly be heard inside their minds.

{Surely the many citizens that are living in Tokyo life sphere are feeling surprised from our actions.

But we, as the <United World Government>, and then as the representatives of mankind say this to you.

The fault for this time’s military action, everything lies inside the Tokyo life sphere――and then in the Japan government.

If you ask why, while Japan is a member of our <United World Government>, yet they are conspiring with the <Evil God User>. They sold their souls to that evil man, and they invited demons to this earth of all things to do, they handed over a part of their country for the demons to inhabit!}

Innocentius blamed this country like that.

But most of the citizens didn’t believe these words of Innocentius.

There is no way that was true. Don’t say utter nonsense like that.

Boos and angry jeers were directed at the cloudy sky.

At the <Walpurgis Night>, among the many old government bureaucrats that escaped treasuring their own lives, starting from Prime Minister Kinugasa, the current cabinet ministers and bureaucrats staked their lives at that time to continuously maintain the minimum functions of the government. Therefore they received tremendous trust from the people.

Surely Innocentius too had anticipated that reaction of the people.

He strengthened his tone and continued his words.

{You ladies and gentlemen who are listening to this transmission, I have guessed that you aren’t going to recognize this fault.

But everything that I have said is the truth!

My <Holy Path Church> noticed that situation first before any others and dispatched a <Paladin squad> led by Agent Alfaro. They carried out an act in order to destroy the demons that the Japan government had invited.

However, the uncivilized Japan government obstructed this act of justice with force!

They inflicted serious wounds to Agent Alfaro!

The circumstances of that battle is left behind as video evidence!

Know that any excuse is meaningless already!}

“-…………!”

Hearing those words of Innocentius, one person had her face gone pale, she was the sister that was once under the service of the <Holy Path Church> and together with <Special Missionary> Alfaro, headed to destroy the <Fairy Queen>, she was Lily Hoegaarden.

After that battle, she was told by Sumika that the <Holy Path Church> had also already consented to the circumstances of the <Fairy race>’s migration.

That was including how the attack that they carried out was the one sided annulment of the promise of the pope that he had already sworn in the name of god.

Her despair at that time was something great, including how she was also betrayed by Alfaro.

However, even so, Lily was still trying to have faith to the god of the <Holy Path Church>.

……yet,

(He doesn’t care for his own appearance, until this far……-!?)

Making use of the promise that he had broken one-sidedly by himself, the pope scorned other people, instigated his allies, and raised the fire of war.

That… already made her emotions go straight through despair and even boil up inside her as rage.

But――,

{Not only with the <Evil God User>, the Japan government even went as far as joining hands with the demons, that is the sworn enemy of all mankind.

Something like this… an unforgivable corruption and betrayal, truly a great sin-!

We, the <United World Government>, as the order of the new world, cannot possibly overlook this foolish actions of Japan!

Therefore, right here, we form the twelfth Crusades. In order to pass the death penalty to the foolish nation that has lost their path, including the wicked people that nation gave birth to, we have gathered here!}

Because this was a foul play, therefore Innocentius’ method was effective.

A battle recording that had been doctored as they pleased so it was convenient for the <Five Great Leaders>.

As well as the sound recording of the conference with the <Fairy Queen>, all of those were used to instigate the rage of the magicians and military under the banner of the <Five Great Leaders>, and it resulted in the formation of a great army that surpassed nationality and race.

Every single one of their soldiers had their loved ones and country stolen by demons, they were holding strong hatred to demons, to say nothing of the rage towards Japan who was conspiring with the demons.

Therefore, their morale was terrifyingly high.

They mercilessly and incompassionately participated in the attack towards the country of Japan that was their fellow human race.

“……This is really bad huh.”

While feeling their ferocious rage at the far away sky and sea, Onjouji Kai gritted his teeth.

――It was only Japan that was the only country implicated with the <Fairy race>.

A method to resolve this misunderstanding existed.

The place that conference was carried out at was this board chairman’s room.

Naturally, …he reserved a record in a safe place so that it wouldn’t be exposed to other countries.

However, no matter what, time was needed to make the explanation.

And then the <Five Great Leaders> wouldn’t allow that time.

They didn’t have the least bit of intention to leisurely let Japan verify the authenticity of the recording and gave justification.

There was no doubt that they intended to keep their whole army ferociously enraged and directed them to crush this nation.

It was a violent, hasty method. However, exactly because of that it was effective.

To have reached this situation where there was nothing that could be done, battle was already unavoidable.

Most of all,

(As long as Homura is here, it can even be said that it will be easy to withhold the fierce attacks of the <United World Government>, but……)

What weighed his mind was that the <Five Great Leaders> should also know about that fact, and also the fact that there was no contact from Shiori who should have noticed the existence of the warships first before anybody else.

From those two things, he harbored a terrifying imagination and unknown fear――

And then, what appeared before his, before their eyes was something that made that fear into reality.

{――However! All of you can rejoice. You ladies and gentlemen are blessed. The great god that protects the mankind has spoken to save even all of you ladies and gentlemen that have sinned until that far!

Right now, raise your eyes to the sky! And then see!

He is the one that is exactly the messiah of mankind, sent here from heaven in order to guide this world to salvation, the <Archangel> Michael-sama!}

The instant Innocentius announced that――

An extreme light as if the sun itself was exploding painted the world pure white.

Everyone screamed from the excessive radiance and shut their eyes.

And then after the light passed away, they opened their eyes… and saw him.

Lead colored clouds hanging over the skies above the Tokyo life sphere.

Under those clouds was the figure of an angel, his golden wings spread out shining like a star.

Part 7

“Oi, that……”

“That’s, an angel?”

Floating high in the sky while looking down on Tokyo life sphere, was a young boy with dazzling golden wings and golden hair.

According to Innocentius, it seemed that it was an angel that was going to save this world.

Indeed, certainly his appearance really suggested that.

But, the reaction of the people looking up to the sky was mostly doubtful.

“Do angels really exist in the first place?”

“There are demons, so angels should exist too, shouldn’t they? I don’t know if that’s the real thing though.”

“That must be a fake anyway. If the real thing really does exist then why didn’t they save humanity until now, ain’t that the question.”

Due to the development of sorcery, these days, humans flying in the sky was not something rare.

Wings were also not something that needed to be flapped wildly so that the wearer could fly, the user just needed to spread them open slightly.

The boy above could even be seen as fake from what they could see.

In the first place, the words just now were coming from the man who expressed hostility towards them.

There was no way they were going to believe that.

However――

{O children of man. Listen well.

I am one of the <Archangels> under the service of the great father.

The person who is talked in the world as Michael.}

“ “ “…………――――a” ” ”

Those doubtful hearts were erased the instant they heard his voice echoing inside their mind.

It was a gentle voice filled with endlessly deep compassion.

His gaze of kindness could be felt by every person no matter how far they were soaking into them.

Without distinction of old or young, man or woman, other sect or atheist, that voice awakened the primitive intuition inside humanity and shook awake conviction that surpassed comprehension.

――That he was the real thing.

That boy was unmistakably, something different from human.

And yet he was different from demon, he was a being that loved humans.

He possessed something like that which could make everyone convinced passing over all process of understanding.

Most likely that was something that should be called authority.

And then, Michael that had proved himself to the humans talked about the reason he came to this land with his own words.

{In order to save mankind as the work of the great father, I descended to this earth once more.

I come here entrusted with the technique to create a barrier to shut the hollow that connects the demon world and the human world for eternity from the great father.

Using this, surely the world of man will be liberated from the threat of demons for eternity.

This earth will once again turn into heaven of the blessed people of god.}

There was not a single lie included in the words of this Michael.

He was truly coming to this earth from the heaven carrying the plan to save this world.

There was not even a single self-interest or calculation, he was just merely here for the purpose of granting salvation to the suffering mankind.

And then his sincere words that weren’t filled with lie were transmitted to the human heart.

The heart of the angel that wished for the peace of man was also conveyed to the people listening to that voice.

――He was going to save this world for real.

He would save mankind from the threat of demons.

The people believed in those truly sincere words of Michael and delighted.

“Oi oi, for real!?”

“We can live without fearing the demons anymore!?”

“Aah… lord! Thank you very much!”

The people had even forgotten the verdict of war proclamation from Innocentius and erupted in happiness.

It was not unreasonable.

After all… this was the arrival of salvation that mankind had continuously waited for these hundred years.

Some people yelled in joy, some people shed their tears in gratitude, they kneeled on that spot.

But that was… a truly human imprudence.

Toward those people trembling in joy of salvation, Michael was――

{――However, though the great father is fair, he is impartial.

The invasion of demons into this world, is not the work of only demons, but also the work of men that conspire with demons.

Revival of the dead, perpetual youth and longevity, transmutation of gold, panacea――

Since ancient times, humanity possessed desire beyond any limit and got led astray by the sweet words of demons, they came disturbing the world.

There is a need for mankind to redeem those sins before the salvation.

There the great father declared.

This barrier that brings about salvation.

The magic power for creating it… should be compensated by the souls of humans, he said.}

Declaring that, he spread his golden wings widely and deployed a fully giant magic circle in the sky behind him.

And then that magic circle was just like a halo that Michael emitted, with radiance that was brighter than the sun, it illuminated the Tokyo life sphere, in that moment

“……gi-!?”

“Wha, what, is this……!”

“Suffocating…………!”

Screams arose from everywhere, the people began to crumble on the ground and writhed in pain.

Being enveloped by the light, pain as if their entrails and bones were forcefully dragged out while they were still living attacked them.

But that was natural.

Because right now they were having their souls torn away alive.

And then it was beyond doubt, that the one trying to tear away their souls was Michael himself who just now was informing them of their salvation with sincere words from his heart――

“Why……!?”

“You will give us salvation won’t……”

Just why he did something like this?

Even though there was no lie at all in his words.

Even though he said that he would save them.

Doubtful gazes were directed high to the sky. In response, Michael who was collecting human souls as magic power said to them with a bright smile on his face.

{O child of man. You must not hold fear of taking part in god’s work.

Your souls are not disappearing for nothing.

It will be piled up as the wall that protected the country of the people of god for eternity in the future.

For mankind, there is no greater happiness than this.}

Having reached this hopeless situation, the people finally understood.

Of the difference in sense of values that existed between humans and angels.

The angel was a virtuous being, they wouldn’t be reluctant to throw away their life if it was for the sake of god’s will.

Being whipped, abused verbally, crucified by nail, they would even accept all that happily.

Everything was in accordance of god’s will.

That was an angel’s nature.

However, people were not like that.

They adhered only to their individual life.

Sacrificing themselves for other people’s sake.

Saying that was simple, but there were not many people that could put that into practice.

The gap of the sense of values that existed between the two people was so wide to the degree that something like mutual understanding was already something that couldn’t possiblly happen.

Based from that one point, …there was no difference between angels and demons for humans.

“NO WAYYYYYYY! I DON’T WANT TO DIE!”

“IT HURTS! IT REALLY HURTS! MAMAA―!”

The people who comprehended that the existence of angel was not a convenient ally like what they imagined screamed, they dragged their body trying to escape from the light of the sorcery <Enforced Ascension>.

However, those agonized voices and appearances didn’t touch Michael’s heart.

Just as humans couldn’t understand the sense of values of angels, angels too also couldn’t understand the humans’ sense of values.

From the bottom of his heart, Michael believed that being a sacrifice for the sake of good was something to be happy for.

For that reason, no matter how much people grieved, suffered, and screamed entreating him to stop, he didn’t rest his hand from tearing away souls.

Under the conviction that the very best thing for humans was complying with god’s will, with overflowing love and affection that this was all for the sake of mankind’s happiness, ――he massacred them.

――No, he was going to, before.

But, such brutality――there was no way he was going to allow it!

“-――――!”

Immediately following the deployment of the magic power harvesting technique that was the <Enforced Ascension>.

In this world that was filled with golden light that stole the soul, a young man clad in jet black light was heading to Michael, exactly like an arrow racing through the sky he struck at the cheek of Michael.

Michael’s body collided into the magic circle behind him from the impact of the blow.

The magic circle was pulverized into pieces.

The light that was stealing souls vanished, the people that were liberated from the pain of having their souls torn away looked up to the sky and saw his figure.

Glaring at the messenger from heaven with a furious look, that was the appearance of the true protector of mankind.

“Oi the blondeyankee there. What the hell did you do to Shiori and Sumika……!?”

In response, the angel that was just trying to massacre the people stared at this attacker with a gaze filled with a glint of hatred.

“As I thought… so you appeared to be a hindrance to the work of god. O abominable [traitor]……!”

Part 8

“The voice just now……!”

The sequence of voice that was reverberating in the mind also reached Sumika who was inside <The Crawling Chaos>’s old bookstore.

Beside Sumika who was confused from the sudden happening, <The Crawling Chaos> put his hand on his chin and said a brief comment with a groan.

“Hmmm. Looks like it’s starting already.”

“Starting?”

“The conquest of this world by angels. The ones who are aiming to make this world theirs are not only limited to the demons. The motive is different, but angels are also watching vigilantly to take this world all the time.”

“What possible reason is there for angels to aim for the human world?”

“Just like a human soul is a provision for demons, the angels are similar, making faith as their provision. In other words, for both sides the human world is an important resource. Humans, too, are also disputing over oil fields, they even go to war over it right? This is similar with that. However――”

After saying that, <The Crawling Chaos> cut his words and murmured with a pondering face.

“……Because of Typhon’s manifestation, the current human world is [leaning on the demon world]. The angels should have become unable to come to the human world directly with their flesh body like in the ancient past, but… I wonder if this time there is a vessel prepared from the human world’s side……? If that’s the case, then they really ain’t caring for their appearance at all. Aren’t their methods the same as the demons with this? Those guys really are a masterpiece.”

<The Crawling Chaos> made a wide disgusting grin.

Sumika didn’t understand the meaning of most of his words, but even reluctantly she was able to understand that currently Tokyo life sphere was in a dangerous situation.

(The <Five Great Leaders> and heaven join hands and attacked Japan, is that what he means?)

Normally, there was the image that angels were the allies of humans, they really shouldn’t be associated with dangerous words like conquest.

But, …Sumika had once fought with the being called angel.

The power which conspired with that <Holy Path Church>.

It wouldn’t even be strange if they acted violently like conquering the human world.

If that was so, then she had to quickly go outside――

(……His words that said Homura-san had killed his comrades are concerning, and I’m reluctant to leave alone this evil at large like this, but……)

Just as he said himself, he was not the kind of <Evil God> that meaninglessly spreads destruction.

She guessed that she could leave him alone for now.

In the first place, he was also not an opponent that Sumika could deal with alone.

The matter about Homura was also something that she couldn’t do anything about right now.

What she should do right now was――to get out, even for a second faster, and deal with this situation at hand.

Deciding that, Sumika was going to go outside.

But――

“Aah, wait, wait.”

<The Crawling Chaos> grasped her hand and pulled her back.

She had never even imagined that he would stop her, so Sumika shuddered from having her hand touched and yelled with a voice that was almost like a scream.

“-! Release me!”

“Calm down I told you. It’s not like I’m going to eat you. Sending the long-awaited guest back home without giving any present is going against my principle after all. I’ll give you something good.”

“I don’t need power from someone like you at all!”

“If it’s to protect even more people, then no matter how evil the available power is, it should be used. Isn’t it a part that you can sympathize with Homura-kun?”

“…………!”

“……Well, even if I said that, but a grimoire or <Artifact> that can grant that wish of yours of [wanting to stand equal with Homura-kun] doesn’t exist here. I don’t know if even <Liber Legis> can grant a wish like that, that wish is just too great. ……That’s why, well, I’ll give you something useful for the current you.”

After saying that, <The Crawling Chaos> put a certain object the size of a human palm on Sumika’s palm and made her clutch it.

“――This is”

“Something I made that is called <Saturday Baron>. It’s quite cute don’t you think?”

Sumika who was an expert in sorcery knew just what kind of power this thing had.

It was annoying but, certainly, …this thing was something extremely useful for the current situation.

That was why Sumika roughly thrust it into her pocket and returned an obligation thanks.

“……Thank you very much.”

“Aha. No need for thanks. After all, a world of dystopia controlled by angels where there are only righteous people that are only permitted to do the righteous things, that’s something worthless even for me. It’s exactly because humans have both good and evil that they are interesting. I love the chaos that humans possess like that. That’s why, I’ll wait in anticipation for a good fight from you all.”

“……”

Glint of inquisitiveness that couldn’t be hidden appeared in <The Crawling Chaos>’s eyes.

His roundabout talk that was completely like a spectator looking forward to a movie’s screening made Sumika felt irritated that she even bothered to say thanks, yet she didn’t say any word about that and averted her gaze from him.

And then she stepped and kicked at the rare books on the floor while running to the exit of the old bookstore.

While displaying through her back her rejection that she didn’t want to see his face anymore.

But, the meddlesome blabbermouth <Evil God> talked at that back of Sumika.

“Sumika-chan. That strong spirit which is trying to stand equal with Homura-kun is praiseworthy, but that is something impossible. There is no one that possesses the talent to counterbalance a noble determination like his. ――However, something like that is just a trivial problem. After all the true strength of the race called humans is not there.”

――Don’t forget that.

“…………”

While listening to the words of advice that seemed to hint at something, Sumika closed the door of the shop.

(……Just now,)

‘What could he possibly mean’, she was going to think of it, yet Sumika shook herself off, clearing away that line of thought.

This was not the time to mind the words of the likes of <The Crawling Chaos>.

Screams and angry roars resounded around her, telling her of the seriously chaotic situation of the Tokyo life sphere.

As a S-rank magician, she had to immediately head to the front lines.

Sumika pulled the tie of her uniform and exchanged her outfit into a <Magi’s Jacket> that was modeled after a cowgirl.

And then, she deployed the <Air Raid> that was supplied for the personal use of magicians of A-rank and above.

She flew up to the cloudy sky peeking from between the buildings.

Part 9

“Homura-san-!”

“――!”

That voice was directed to Homura who was confronting Michael.

Homura immediately turned to that voice’s direction and felt relieved from seeing the person who was rising to the sky.

It was because the owner of the voice was one of the people who until now didn’t reply even when called through mind transmission, a member of the platoon whose whereabouts were unknown.

“Sumika! You’re safe!”

“Ye, yes!”

Sumika showed an expression that was a little surprised from Homura’s menacing look.

From that reaction, Homura guessed that most likely she was not aware herself that until now she was in a place where no transmission could reach.

――Just where in the world was she at until now?

He was concerned, but since she had returned it was a question of low priority.

Rather than that――Homura asked Sumika about one more member whose whereabouts were also unknown.

“What about Shiori!? She ain’t with you!?”

“N, no……-. Has something happened with Shiori-san!?”

“If it’s about her location, then I know about it.”

The one who answered in place of the confused Sumika was the <Archangel> Michael who was hovering slightly away from the two of them.

His expression was not the gentle one that he had shown when he was talking to the people before this, he sent a condemning gaze at Homura and answered his question.

“It would be a little troublesome if my power that is residing in that girl’s blood forestalled me, so I sealed her movements beforehand.”

“Asshole……!”

“I’m not taking away her life or anything. She is conducting a great sin of falling in love with the vulgar <traitor>, but unlike you, there is still room for her to repent. The girl’s soul is also something to be used for the sake of salvation. Unlike you, the <traitor> Kamishiro Homura. ――What is permitted for you is only a meaningless death.”

Declaring that as if spitting out something unpleasant, Michael lightly waved his right arm to the side.

Thereupon the space behind him tore apart like a gaping mouth.

That was the gate to the pocket dimension where Shiori was invited to before this.

“If you are calling out her name with that vulgar mouth then come along with me. In the end, this battle is a match between you and me. Which side loses and which side wins will decide the whole situation. Then there is no need to fight in the same place with other people. If you can defeat me, then I will return the girl back to you.”

“So you took her as hostage. What a dirty method eh. How about you value your image as an angel a little bit more.”

“The one who decides good and evil is god himself. That’s not something the human hand can interfere in. Know your place.”

Homura heaved an amazed sigh form the bottom of his heart and responded to Michael’s proposal,

“Don’t screw with me.”

He returned a refusal.

“After bringing scary friends fully armed like that in front of my friend’s house, there ain’t no way I’m gonna go along with your shit.”

That was natural. Something like this was obviously a trap to separate Homura and Tokyo life sphere.

It was not a proposal that he could accept at all.

But in regards to this refusal of Homura, Michael was,

“Don’t think that a leeway to choose will be granted to you.”

Saying that, ――Michael spread widely both his wings once right now.

Instantly, magic power light that flickered and hot like flames surged out from Michael’s body.

The light gushing out from Michael as the center illuminated Tokyo life sphere until every nook and cranny, leaving nothing spared, it was a powerful light that might even reach the moon from here.

It was as if that light and that presence was just like a falling sun.

(Cheh. ……Ain’t he fully manifested already like this. This is quite troublesome.)

Not to mention Sumika, even Homura had his expression tensed from this.

It was an overwhelming magic power that even Homura who was insensitive to other people’s magic power could sense.

Compared to the <Demon King class> that he had fought until now like Typhon and Hecatoncheires, they didn’t even compare against this.

Possibly… the <Archangel> Michael possessed magic power that surpassed even Homura.

After displaying his own battle strength like that, Michael once again announced.

“So you understand. If we fight here in full power, naturally the surroundings will not end safely. The life of the children of man that should be used for the world salvation will be swallowed, scattered away meaninglessly. That’s not something that I wish for. Therefore, if you say that you are not going to follow, then I’m going to have to be heartless to that girl’s life don’t you think.”

“You shitty bastard……!”

“I’m going ahead to wait for you there. If you dressed yourself as a messiah even temporarily, I hope that you won’t take any foolish decisions.”

Ignoring the curse that Homura spouted out, Michael passed through the gate first and his figure vanished from that place.

If he didn’t chase him now, surely that angel would take Shiori’s life with certainty.

The existence called angel wouldn’t [lie] no matter what the situation was.

After all, they were existences that couldn’t [lie].

Homura knew that.

However――

(If I follow him now, this time it will be this place that becomes completely defenseless.)

What should he do?

While Homura was biting his lips pondering in distress like that――

“Homura-san! Please go to save Shiori-san!”

Sumika behind him yelled that to Homura.

Hearing that Homura exposed his irritation and talked back.

“Sumika… Do you understand what you are saying? This is a trap to divide our side. If I leave this place, the idiots in the surroundings are gonna rush in here at full force y’know.”

That was something she understood already.

But, Sumika didn’t withdraw from Homura’s objection.

“I know that it’s a trap! But… just as that man said, if you two fight here, that’s exactly the situation where there is nothing we can do. It’s vexing, but we are still… unable to catch up to the dimension where Homura-san is fighting. …But if it is against fellow humans as our opponents, we can do something like protecting Tokyo life sphere to the end then, until Homura-san returns here!”

And then a person appeared that backed this claim of Sumika.

“Exactly as Sumika said! Don’t try to show off by yourself!”

Just like Sumika, it was Dorothy Scarlet and Sir James that were ascending to the sky with their personal <Air Raids>.

Dorothy’s body was wrapped in a standard <Grappler> type of <Magi’s Jacket> that prioritized mobility rather than thick armor. James was also clad in silver armor that was decorated with a dark lapis lazuli mantel. His hand was holding the highest rank <Artifact – the King Sword Excalibur> that was entrusted to him directly from the queen’s hand.

“Lead away that monster from us. This is also a big chance for us!”

“Exactly as the ladies said. Fortunately, right now there are three S-rank magicians gathering here. It’s just an insignificant power compared to you, but… we will show you that we can handle the likes of the <Special> possessed by <Powers> somehow by making good use of <Grim Bullet> and <Excalibur>.”

{I also requested this from you, Homura-san.}

That voice came from the corner of Homura’s field of vision.

Inside the window that was projected by mind transmission was the projection of Kinugasa.

{It has been five years since <Walpurgis Night>. By no means that we have been doing nothing since then. Our simulation training of holing ourselves inside the life sphere in defensive battle under siege is flawless, I have the confidence that our manual for the citizen’s evacuation guidance has the best completion among all the life spheres. Against the large army under the banner of the <Five Great Leaders> as our opponents, we possess the preparation that is enough for a defensive battle against fellow humans. ……Despite so, the only one who can oppose an opponent that can control such terrifying sorcery, is only Homura-san.}

“Cheh……!”

The suggestion that continuously came from the four people was to daringly accept the enemy’s invitation.

Homura clicked his tongue with a bitter expression to that.

But, he didn’t object.

Because he also understood that it was the valid countermeasure.

In the first place there was also the large factor that if he didn’t do that then Shiori wouldn’t be saved.

However, …although that countermeasure was a valid one but it was also an incredibly risky move.

That was why Homura――

“Unrestricted limit. From tenthMalchut until firstKether――forced purge!”

The <Great SealAureole> that had continuously bound him.

He forcibly tore apart all of it.

Instantly, ――an impact shook the star.

Because <Aureole> was a magic formula that suppressed Homura with the very power of this planet itself, forcibly releasing it made a backlash appear as a cataclysm on the star.

Earthquake that shook the ground. Lightning strikes that rained down from the sky. Tornadoes――

It was a spectacle as if it was the end of the world.

But, the people that were in Tokyo life sphere, …didn’t even notice such a spectacle.

It was――darkness.

From Homura who had torn apart <Aureole>, deep jet black magic power light surged out from Homura as if it would paint over the whole world.

That darkness covered the whole Tokyo life sphere, wrapping the area in an even deeper darkness than the dead of night.

“…………–!”

Sumika and the others were dumbfounded from witnessing for the first time the power and presence of Homura who was in his full power.

Looking at Sumika and the others who were like that, Homura said.

“Right now I have dispelled <Aureole>. Because that guy is an opponent I can’t go easy against and won’t be able to beat unless I do this. ……Shiori also ain’t here, so once I start fighting, I won’t be able to back you up like that time with Elfiena. Even so, can you bastards intercept that murderous bunch just by yourselves?”

At the fighting against all the <Demon Kings> until now, Homura still had the composure to secretly make preparations for assistance even though he was dragged down by his surroundings.

But this time he wasn’t like that.

By some kind of way, an <Archangel> had manifested in possession of a complete flesh body.

Even for Homura, against the <Archangel> Michael who possessed strength and popularity that could even be said as a symbol of the world of heaven as an opponent, he had to challenge such an enemy with his full strength.

In other words, no matter how cornered Sumika and the others were against the <United World Government> without Homura, he wouldn’t be able to back them up cleverly like until now.

Homura exposed his own lack of leeway and questioned the determination of Sumika and the others.

In response, although Sumika was taken aback for a moment from Homura’s full power, she immediately straightened her expression,

“Protecting the citizens from the fires of war is the duty of the national defense magicians. We have received training for the sake of that. It’s nonsense to question our determination for that. Besides――”

Sumika asked back with a dignified voice and eyes that were filled with a strong resolve.

“For Homura-san, Shiori-san is someone that is more important than a mere old acquaintance right? …Then please go. We still don’t have the power to fight together with Homura-san, but exactly because of that, dragging down Homura-san is the only thing that we don’t want to do.”

The expression of Sumika who answered so, and also the expression of the people standing at her side, were expressions that Homura knew well.

It was the same like his comrades of the <Book Burning Corps> who once fought together with him and fell in battle.

That was why he understood exactly.

The people with this kind of eyes wouldn’t step back no matter what kind of despair they faced.

Despite being a brittle and weak existence that would break completely just from a little damage, they staked their lives for the sake of someone other than themselves.

From the point of view of the strong Homura, it was something unbearable and terrifying… he couldn’t help but think that it would be far better if they just let themselves be protected, but――

(……Really, what a really good woman, to the degree that I even get fed up.)

At the same time, ……he was really grateful and reassured, to the degree that he felt vexed.

Just as Sumika said, for Homura, Shiori was……

{I’ll take [responsibility] for your future. ――That’s why, live.}

An important person that he didn’t want to lose.

Then, there was only one action that he should take――

Homura took out the grimoire <Liber Legis>, and chanted while making the pages flutter from the wind.

“Lower down the stair of time. ――<The Treader of the Dust> Quachil Uttaus!”

Thereupon, a streak of light from the sky shined into the world of darkness that was enveloped in Homura’s magic power.

And then that person laxly descended that path of light and appeared from the sky.

Its appearance was a humanoid mummy with size almost as big as a human.

There was not a single hair all over its body, its skin was dry and rotten with web-patterned wrinkles carved on it.

At the part that seemed to be its head, there were no eyes, nose, or mouth, there was only a hole that seemed to go on forever until the depths of the abyss, each of its body parts were pierced, its two hands were stiffened in a thrusting forward position as if searching for a mother.

Its appearance was as if it was the ghost of a fetus that had dried up completely, unable to even get born into the world.

This ugly and repulsive existence was exactly the divinity that was recorded in the <Testament of Karnamagos>, <The Treader of the Dust> Quachil Uttaus.

And then the moment that divinity descended.

Not to mention Sumika and the others, all the people inside the Tokyo life sphere had a divine protection of sorcery affixed to them.

“This is……!”

“……Thinking about the fight with an <Archangel> after this, I can’t really waste magic power. This is just a simple summoning with the chanting discarded, but even so, with this it should be easier for you to intercept those guys.”

This was the declaration of Homura’s intention.

Homura was determined.

That he would entrust this place to Sumika and the others with this divine protection as a parting gift.

“Listen. Absolutely don’t kick the bucket until I return back!”

“……-, YES-!”

Sumika replied her consent with a loud voice towards Homura’s encouragement.

After Homura listened to Sumika’s vigorous reply for the last, he chased after the <Archangel> Michael,

(――I’ll murder him right away……!)

He leaped into the gate himself.

Right after that, the gate closed after swallowing Homura――

{Notification for all national defense magicians! The <Five Great Leaders’ Allied Army> deployed around Tokyo life sphere is beginning to march all at once!}

When the enemy began to move, the message was sent to Kinugasa from the observer of the observation radar that had been restored.

{So they wasted no time to quickly attack when Homura-san is gone.}

Kinugasa who took the command of this place closed his eyes to resolve himself against the enemy’s movement――

{Announce the third issue of the emergency manual! Abandon the first and the second defensive line! Please operate the bulkheads of the third defensive line!}

He opened the channel of mind transmission to all the magicians of Tokyo life sphere and gave out his order.

Hearing that command, the actual scene immediately reacted with well-trained movements.

On the circling line surrounding the imperial palace with a radius of five kilometers, armored walls with thickness of ten meters and height of seventy meters raised up from the underground while making the ground rumble, becoming a rampart that enclosed the space inside the Tokyo urban areas.

So that the tragedy of <Walpurgis Night> wouldn’t be repeated, through these five years this trump card of this city defense had been constructed.

After confirming the deployment of that trump card, next Kinugasa also connected the transmission channel to the city broadcast and spoke to all the humans within the life sphere.

{From now on we will concentrate all our battle strength in the third defensive line and deploy in a siege battle.

All national defense magicians, as well as the student magicians, please take the <Air Raid> in the nearest national defense army facility and arrange your battle preparations.

The non-combatant personnel are to follow the third issue of the emergency manual and guide the evacuation of the citizens.

All citizens, please evacuate to the geo-front.

All citizens located in the first and second defensive line are to use the underground linear train and head directly to the geo-front.

As soon as all citizens are recovered, explode the linear line. Quarantine the area physically.

All citizens, please complete your evacuation in a hurry.

……Surely everyone has questions about Innocentius’ words and the cooperation with the <Evil God User>, but right now the enemy is advancing here with certain intent to kill. Please, for the sake of repelling back the approaching threat, just like the time of <Walpurgis Night>, I want all of you to lend me your power……!}

Hearing those words of Kinugasa, the citizens all closed their mouths and nodded, they then took action following the instructions.

The citizens of this life sphere knew, just who it was that was worthy of their trust.

That trust didn’t waver from just Innocentius’ words.

Part 10

On the other side――, above the sea of Tokyo bay.

The American army aircraft carrier that had been prepared beforehand as the headquarters of the <Five Great Leaders> somehow passed through the cataclysm that was produced from Homura tearing through <Aureole>.

“So the waves have finally settled down.”

“Eight ships capsized. Six ships in serious damage from collisions. ……Chih! This much damage just from the release of his power. An absurd asshole like usual! Just how is that guy really human!”

The president of America, Joseph, who felt relieved and Tairon, who clicked his tongue from the severe damage report of the sea force that he received.

“But it also can be said that he is cornered to the degree that he has to lift off <Aureole>. With our unswerving determination for these five years, we finally can see the prospect of victory.”

“But that wall is a little troublesome. Like this the land force cannot advance.”

“Whaat. Rather than having them scatter from panic, having them gather in one place like this is more convenient for us too. After all our role is to capture the people of the Tokyo life sphere without letting even a single one escape so that they can be used as the energy for laying out the barrier that Michael brings.”

“Yes. Exactly.”

Innocentius also agreed to Tairon’s words that were returned to Leti.

The duty that was bestowed to them was to capture the people of Tokyo life sphere.

It would trouble them more to deal with people escaping everywhere.

“And then, …the time right now is a good opportunity with the <Evil God User> away from Tokyo life sphere――!”

There was no other timing to attack other than now.

Innocentius represented the <Five Great Leaders> and gave the order to the whole army after confirming that the gate was closed.

“All forces, full speed ahead! Surround Tokyo life sphere and suppress them!”

With this the allied army under the banner of the <Five Great Leaders> began advancing.

Warships from the sea, tanks from the land, and fighter aircrafts and <Air Raid> equipped magicians from the sky.

Each of them deployed and rushed to Tokyo life sphere from all directions with violent force that was ten times more than Japan. In addition――

“Don’t get stingy. ……All of you too depart immediately.”

Innocentius also gave the sortie order to they who were on stand by aboard the warship headquarters.

“Aaa!? Something like that is obvious already you senile gramps! Just who the hell d’you think we are!”

“Yes, just now was truly impolite to us.”

“Do you think that we, the <Special Missionary>, will let live the heretics that go against the holy work of god I wonder?”

“NnnnnnRS (talk) 20:02, 2 September 2016 (UTC)!”

“E, e-e-e, eve, everything is, in, in-in accordance with, go, god’s, will……!”

A man with bristling up red hair that was like a flame.

A bald headed man wrapped in binding clothes combined with sewn shut eyes and mouth.

A sister or something with a pallid face and a katana in one hand.

Men and women that each possessed unique appearances.

Those people that were burning with fighting spirit were the <Special Missionary> that were gathered for the sake of the day that was today.

―Like this, the spark of the all-out war between Japan and the Five Great Leaders’ allied forces was fully lit.

Chapter 3

Part 1

The war between Tokyo life sphere and the Five Great Leaders’ allied force finally began.

The one who took the first move was the air force of the allied forces.

Under the lead colored clouds, drops of rain began to fall.

Countless aircrafts drove through the sky and rushed to Tokyo life sphere.

{I see it. The nest of the shitheads that conspire with demons.}

{Ain’t their defense something. They are just guarding.}

{I’m gonna shove my thick dick there now and make them say ‘hii-hii’ just you see.}

Even while exchanging vulgar talk through the wireless, the pilots moved to do their work.

The role granted to them was to destroy the protective wall that was protecting Tokyo life sphere with missiles.

Each pilot controlled their console and locked-on to the wall.

After that,

{ { {FOX2!!!! (Missile fire)} } }

They pressed the button for missile fire.

From the aircrafts that numbered more than 200 even just on the side of Tokyo bay, missiles numbering more than double of those aircrafts were released.

No, not only aircraft missiles.

The warships above Tokyo bay were also shooting their missiles.

And then those fired swarm of missiles approached Tokyo life sphere with white smoke trailing behind them.

――They impacted the protective wall.

Heat and black smoke bloomed and roared that shook the sky.

……However regardless of that much concentrated firing, the veil of coiling black smoke shook due to the sea breeze, and the pilots saw inside the appearance of the wall that was just slightly sooty.

{Oi, oi, you serious! There ain’t even a crack!}

{It even got hit by the warship missiles, aircraft missiles won’t do anything to something like this.}

The pilots were amazed.

But, that was only natural.

In the first place this protective wall was something prepared for use against <Demon King class> demons.

Destroying it using man made ammunition was out of the question.

Even if it was hit by a nuclear missile, this wall wouldn’t be broken through physically.

Therefore, the mission entrusted to the first wave of the air force to destroy the wall using missiles was impossible to be accomplished.

In this situation, the commander of the air force immediately called to all pilots using wireless.

{Notifying all pilot. Changing the strategy to plan B. I repeat. The strategy is changed to plan B.}

{This plan B is―……}

Plan B was the tactic for the case where the missile attack failed to inflict a telling blow to the wall.

Giving up on the side that was protected by wall, they would descend from above the sky that was virtually defenseless.

The descending unit would try to steal the control of the wall and open the wall from the inside, that was the tactic.

The ones who became an obstacle this time were the interception units of the enemy that were deployed above the wall.

The protective wall was thick, it was also equipped with the likes of anti-aircraft gun and anti-aircraft interceptor missiles, turning it into a place that was well-suited as a defensive line.

The intercepting unit that was deployed here would become an obstacle for the helicopter sending in the descending unit and the magicians equipped with <Air Raid>.

Therefore the role that was assigned to the aircraft units in this plan B was concentrated attack on the enemy units above the wall.

They rained down gun shots and bombardments and obstructed the interception units from deploying.

{Put simply we just got to let loose our guns properly.}

{Ai―n’t that right.}

{Hah, this is an easy win!}

While saying that, the pilots pressed the switch of their aircraft gun.

There was no feeling of tension at all in them.

That was also only natural.

This time the allied forces managed to slip under the radar and launched a surprise attack.

It hadn’t been five minutes since Innocentius declared the war proclamation.

In other words, right now the enemy should be running around in panic from the sudden surprise attack.

Like that, naturally, not to mention the interception unit, the set up of the anti-aircraft guns and anti-aircraft missiles hadn’t been done adequately.

After all, the enemy didn’t have the leeway for that timewise.

If that was the case, this mission would only become one-sided killing――that was how it was supposed to be.

{Ha……?}

Instantly, the aircraft flying in the lead became a ball of fire and exploded while baking the clouds.

Successively, the aircrafts around it also exploded similarly one after another.

They fell to the ground while raising flames.

{GUWAAAAA!}

{ROCK! STUART!}

The pilots opened their eyes wide, witnessing the friendly troops getting shot down one after another in surprise.

The first aircraft formation attacking from the Tokyo bay that easily numbered more than two hundred planes had their numbers decreased until less than thirty planes merely in a few dozen seconds.

Just why in the world?

Even though the enemy shouldn’t have time to even take battle formation, yet

The pilots fell into confusion from not understanding anything.

But one pilot among them directed his gaze at Tokyo life sphere that was still wafting black smoke and noticed.

The upper part of Tokyo life sphere protective wall.

Taking aim at the swarm of the flying airplanes were the anti-aircraft guns, anti-aircraft missiles, and then――

A battle line of magicians looking up to the sky setting up <Arms> of rifle-type and wand-type.

{Lies……!? They have finished deploying the interception unit already!?}

Correct, the Japan army had put their interception formation in order under five minutes and deployed above the protective wall.

Part 2

Japan army’s high speed deployment.

There were three reasons for that.

The first reason, a simple high level of skill.

Japan national defense army, exactly as that name implied, they weren’t particularly good in attacking from their side, but they boasted unequalled skill in defensive battle.

Especially under the policy of their current administration led by prime minister Kinugasa, the army carried out training that was leaning extremely heavily to the importance of defensive battles.

Training for the in case occasion of the capital’s defensive battle was carried out once a week.

And disaster drill with the participation of all citizens was carried out with the frequency of twice a month.

Usually the citizens behaved as if the drill was troublesome, but those persistently piled up training demonstrated their fruits in this emergency.

Not only every single of the soldiers, even the evacuating citizens, and even the student magicians, all of them understood what they should do and where they should go in the current situation, because of that whether it was the unit deployment or the evacuation guidance, all were carried out extremely smoothly.

That was the first reason.

And then the second reason was because today was the war victory commemoration festival.

The war victory commemoration festival, a big festival that was held once a year.

Most of the citizens of Tokyo life sphere were gathering around the imperial palace.

The student magicians that participated in this festival with their culture festival and the national defense magicians who were responsible for the security so that the festival could progress smoothly were also the same.

In other words since the moment of the war proclamation, all of them were already in the position where they could immediately coordinate and solidify their battle strength.

This was also one of the reasons that made it possible for the high speed deployment.

But, it was hardly possible to construct the defensive line in only five minutes just from these two reasons.

As expected the biggest reason was――

The existence that even at this moment was continuing to hover above the sky of Tokyo life sphere… the human-type mummy.

The existence of the <Evil God> Quachil Uttaus.

The divinity that Homura summoned just before he left, the one that took the name of <The Treader of the Dust>.

This was an <Evil God> that specialized in interfering with [time].

Homura made use of that power and granted to all humans that existed in the Tokyo life sphere the divine protection of <Time AccelerationChrono Drive>, accelerating everyone’s inherent time until ten times faster.

Therefore, the people of Tokyo life sphere could move just as much as fifty minutes in only five minutes.

With that much time added with the above mentioned conditions and the height of their skill, it was not even an exaggeration to say that it was easy to construct the defensive line before the aircrafts reached Tokyo life sphere.

And then with their time accelerated――

The movement of the enemy also looked relatively ten times slower.

“Haha! This thing is awesome! They are slower than even RC planes!”

“Yeah, it’s far easier than shooting down clay!”

“Doing monkey business in this long awaited joyous festival, I’ll shoot you all down until there is nothing left!”

{It’s fine to not force yourself aiming at the missile heading to the wall and the enemy’s ground unit.

But don’t you all dare letting even a single aircraft or magician equipped with air raid, as well as the heli of the airborne unit, come close!

Shoot them all down!}

“ “ “YES SIR!” ” ”

Under the instruction of commander Hassad of the national defense army’s seventh division, the national defense magicians deployed on the protective wall at Tokyo bay’s side were shooting down one after another the approaching enemy with truly a one hundred shot, one hundred hit.

If the relative velocity between the two side had the gap until ten times then that was only natural.

Even for the people who got red mark in shooting training, it was hard for them to actually miss the targets.

“As I thought, Homura-san is just, amazing……!”

“To be this reliable even when he is not here, really, the <Evil Gods> are just so various eh―”

The student magicians Koga Ayumi and Anna Dronin, that were mixed among the deployed units on the wall and preparing their rifle and wand, were aiming at the assault landing boats that were launched from the warships while talking about the blessing.

Even the jet aircrafts looked like they were flying at the speed of clay pigeons and shooting.

The likes of the assault landing ships gliding on the water looked as if they were mostly standing still.

Especially for Anna who received the divine protection of <Eagle Eye> of the <White Death God> Simo Hayha, added with this divine protection of Quachil Uttaus, shooting out those things was so simple that it was not an exaggeration to say it was like she was shooting a sitting duck.

Within one second in real time, Anna alone could easily sink three missiles or aircrafts, or seven if she targeted the landing ships.

And then in the interception unit, other than Anna there were also the magicians and the soldiers equipped with anti-aircraft equipment, then the anti-aircraft gun and missile pods and the likes. All those interception attacks that were multiplied ten times, in the real time that didn’t even reach one minute, had sunk all the approaching more than two hundred aircrafts and missiles that were more than twice that number, and also the landing ships that were approaching their location, there was not even one left.

The enemy that was launching a surprise attack on them had the tables turned on them.

“Yosh! With this the first wave of the enemy is annihilated!”

“The second wave will come soon! Don’t get careless!”

“Hehe-. No matter how many of those half-wits come here, they are just not our match.”

Due to the ten times difference in speed that brought them one-sided victory, the morale of the national defense magicians who showed uneasy expressions when they began to deploy were now really high.

It could even be said that they had already recovered from the emotional impact of the surprise attack.

“I, if we can keep this up, then we are going to be able to hold on until Homura-san returns!”

Even the expression of Ayumi who at first looked like she was going to flee anytime showed a little composure that didn’t get too careless.

But――

(Now now, I wo―nder about that.)

Among those people that were like that Anna sharpened her gaze, then with her <Eagle Eye> that reached very far, she glared at the enemy’s mother ship that was floating far away in the Tokyo bay and thought.

Attacking in this so large a scale, that meant that the enemy was also coming here with considerable determination and resolve.

If that was the case then surely they wouldn’t pull back just from this much.

The most telling thing was that most of the attackers just now were normal soldiers.

The magician unit that was the main force still hadn’t shown most of their strength.

(As expected, they aren’t going to let us win easily like this aren’t they.)

And then, Anna’s hunch was unfortunately right on the mark.

Part 3

From among the swarm of aircrafts rushing to Tokyo life sphere which numbered several thousands in total, not even one were able to reach Tokyo life sphere.

Every last one of the approach was shot down after receiving the fierce attack of the interception unit which was bestowed with the divine protection of Quachil Uttaus.

That fact was reported to the command room of the <Five Great Leaders> by a soldier of the allied forces with a pale face.

“The, the first wave of the air force that went ahead, has been annihilated……!”

Hearing that, Joseph shouted angrily that sounded like a scream.

“Wha, what is the meaning of this! Didn’t the surprise attack succeed!?”

“Don’t tell me that our preparation for war has been leaked to them.”

“Even if that’s the case it’s still strange yeah. That many missiles and aircrafts were all shot down, their firing line is just too much! That ain’t possible physically!”

Tairon immediately denied Leti’s words.

For him that was familiar with war, he was able to imagine the scale of counter attack from Japan’s whole battle strength.

And then Japan’s counter attack that repelled the first wave had greatly surpassed that imagination.

“Just how in the world they did that?”

The <Five Great Leaders> were perplexed. Towards them who were like that――

“About that, from the picture that the air force took, the people of Tokyo life sphere were moving around with unbelievable speed……”

The reporting soldier transferred the recording of Tokyo life sphere that he obtained from the pilot of the air force to the terminal of the command room and it was displayed to the people in that place.

All eyes were opened wide from that recording.

The reason was because the movements of the soldiers of Tokyo life sphere that looked like rice grains in that recording projection looked as if their image had been fast forwarded ten times faster.

“This video, is it being fast forwarded?”

“No. This video is being played at the normal speed.”

“……The cause is most likely that thing.”

Gregorio who was also a magician paused the recording temporarily and pointed at something.

What was projected far away in the pilot’s field of vision was, a person’s shadow.

The mummy that had its both hands thrust forward floating above the sky of Tokyo life sphere.

Gregorio knew just what was that shadow.

“<Great Old One> Quachil Uttaus. The evil god that manipulates time. The <Evil God User> must have summoned it before leaving and left it behind. If we imagined that the divine protection of this evil god quickened the time of the people of Tokyo life sphere ten times faster than us, it will explain this interception’s fierceness.”

“Kuh-, he really becomes a nuisance for us at every opportunity……! How annoying!”

Leti cursed while biting her nails without caring of other people’s eye.

“Secretary general Wan. You are also an S-rank magician right? Is it possible to perform the same technique to us?”

Tairon showed irritation to Joseph’s question while shaking his head.

“Don’t say something absurd. <Chrono Drive> itself is not that difficult of a technique, but that’s only if you put it on yourself alone. Expanding the range until the scale of anti-army ain’t something possible even for S-rank like me. Besides, in the first place <Chrono Drive> can speed you up until three times faster at best. This situation is just hopeless.”

Their plan at first was to send the air force as the opening gambit before sending in their main force that were the magician unit and the infantry.

However to keep sending in their forces like this continuously would only be a pointless effort.

What should they do in this situation?

Everyone in the command room pondered.

Toward they who were like that,

“Sheesh, it’s just too sluggish I cannot bear to see this.”

A mocking voice came from behind.

The one who spoke was one of the <Special Missionary> who smiled thinly.

“Aa? What, so you guys have any better idea instead eh.”

Tairon snapped at this and he directed his gaze at the talker with a question.

In response, the eldest one even among the <Special Missionary>, a white bearded old man named Dalet took a step forward,

“But of course. You cannot expect anything from a human who is not even a magician from the start. Hey, Bet.”

He directed the attention at the figure of the girl behind him who was wearing a dress with rolled blue hair.

Towards this, the girl called Bet nodded,

“Yes, really. Or perhaps I should say that in the first place the plan to throw our force little by little using aircraft or landing ship itself is a stupid plan. Against a single small country like Japan, it’s better to just engulf them completely with the power of numbers. ……Just like this!”

The moment she raised her voice, she clasped both her hands together and kneeled on the spot taking a praying posture.

Instantly――the girl’s figure began to be enveloped in light, a pair of wings grew from her back, and then a silver halo appeared on the top of her head.

That was a possession that was only possible for <Special Missionary> with a rank above the hero possession that was used by magicians.

That was the secret of the church where one was possessed by an angel, which was a higher rank spiritual body.

And then, right after an angel descended down on that body of the girl called Bet,

A tremor that was even fiercer compared to when Homura tore apart <Aureole> began to shake the aircraft carrier.

In the middle of that, Dalet informed Innocentius.

“Your grace. We are going to charge there. Please hold on to something.”

“Don’t tell me……-! All members prepare for impact-!”

Innocentius comprehended just what they were, the <Special Missionaries>, going to do from the words of Dalet, then he gave such order through the mind transmission to all the units that were deployed in Tokyo bay.

Right after that――

{Witness the day of rage of the great god.

Something like a mountain is thrown into the sea, the sea surged like it’s going mad.

All life living inside the sea are stolen, all ships are crushed.}

A severe earthquake that couldn’t be compared to anything until now assaulted them who were on the sea.

Part 4

After repelling the first wave that was mainly formed of aircrafts, the second wave of the enemy attacked Tokyo life sphere in almost no time at all.

The attacker was the enemy unit that was mainly formed from <Air Raid>-equipped magicians.

With their magic power bombardment and barrier, they were more variegated in technique than aircrafts, it could be said that they were more of a nuisance than the first wave.

Furthermore their numbers were a lot.

It was as if they were a swarm of locust, their numbers floating in the sky was close to a total of a hundred thousand.

Just from the magicians in this second wave, it was already more than twice the numbers of all the magicians in the Tokyo life sphere that could possibly fight.

But――even so there was the divine protection of Quachil Uttaus on Japan’s side.

It was more than enough to compensate for the difference in numbers, The magicians of Tokyo life sphere were holding out without even letting them get close similar to the first wave.

“The interception of the second wave is also going well.”

Looking at the war result that surpassed his imagination, Hassad that was the commander of the unit in Japan sea side felt relieved even though it didn’t appear on his face.

――If it kept like this they could stop the enemy at this defensive line, he thought.

But, such fleeting illusion… was immediately crushed.

“What’s this sound?”

“Rumble……?”

A part of the people with good ears noticed that sound which was buried under the explosion of sorceries and missiles and made a stir.

Hassad was also late to notice that stir among the soldiers.

The sound, no, it was closer to being a vibration, like an earth tremor.

(Just what in the world is this sound……?)

“O, oi! That’s!”

At that time, one of the soldiers became pale and pointed at the sea from where the enemy came.

Hassad directed his gaze there wondering what it was this time.

――There, he saw an unbelievable sight.

“The horizon is, rising!?”

“Tha, that’s a tsunamiiii!”

Of all possible things, the sea itself was undulating greatly, turning into a giant tsunami and surging closer here.

And then… riding the tsunami, the enemy’s warships were also heading here with fierce speed.

It was just like a surfboard riding a wave.

“Don’t tell me, they are planning to charge to the land just like this altogether with the ship……!”

The fleet was marching altogether with the sea.

Those actions of the allied forces that never even entered the imagination made even the veteran Hassad go pale.

This was bad,

The height of the tsunami wasn’t higher than their 70 meters prided wall, and with the wall strength they also wouldn’t get washed away.

But, the enemy’s main force was located in the fleet that filled the horizon.

If they deployed this close, then as expected they wouldn’t be able to hold out just with their unit at the sea side.

{Emergency situation occur! The enemy main force is rapidly getting closer riding a tsunami! Rotate the manpower to the sea side! ASAP-!}

Hassad hurriedly requested to the headquarter and then he gave instruction to the panicked magicians o0n the actual scene.

“All members, hit the wave with freezing element sorcery! Don’t let those guys get closer~”

“ “ “Y, Yes sir!!!!” ” ”

“<Freeze Lancer>!”

“<Blizzard>!”

The national defense magicians somehow worked out their magic even while being agitated and shot at the wave that was eerily approaching calmly. But,

“It’s no good! It’s not stopping at all!”

“The driving force is just too powerful! The ice is broken the moment it starts freezing!”

Like that the resistance of the national defense magicians didn’t have any meaning.

The tsunami swallowed the Gate Bridge and approached until before Odaiba.

In that area it was already less than a kilometer from the protective wall.

But, when the tsunami was going to swallow Odaiba――at that moment,

“Abuda. Nirabuda. Atada. Kakaba. Kokoba. Ubara. Hadoma. Makahadoma――

Counted thing possess eight death, attach all the evil of the world of the dead to the bottom of the ground and stop it.”

Hassad heard a voice that engraved a curse. That was――

(Freezing series fifth grade sorcery……-!)

“<Eight Winter HellCocytus>”

The instant that voice announced the bundled curse, the tsunami until the end of the horizon was instantly frozen.

“Wha, amazing……!”

“Who in the world……!?”

The surprised soldiers searched who it was that accomplished this grand sorcery, they found their answer under their eyes.

Standing with his back towards the international exhibition hall, there was a long haired man clad in black clothing.

Many of the people here knew him.

The reason was because for many of the national defense magicians in this place, he was once their superior,

“Bo, board chairman-sensei-!?”

Also, because for the student magicians like Anna and the others, that man was their teacher.

“So you are standing by huh……! <Death God of White Night>……!”

What Hassad mentioned from his mouth was the alias of Onjouji Kai at the time when he was the leader of the <Knight Order Without Borders> that led the big guns like Homura and others.

At <Walpurgis Night>, he kept fighting to the bitter end from the beginning until the last, a veteran courageous warrior, a strong person where there was no one superior to him in using freezing series sorcery.

This man that was the trump card of this country who stood equal with the <Grim Bullet> Hoshikawa Sumika, had kept back the surging tsunami and enemy warships barely in time.

But―― there was not even a little bit of composure in Kai’s expression, a regret seeped instead at his expression.

Why? The reason for that was one.

(We allowed them to get too close……!)

The enemy’s method that came charging altogether with the sea was something unimaginable for Kai too.

That was why he was late in dealing with it.

From Odaiba to the protective wall didn’t even take 1 kilometer, and both places were adjoining land.

Now that it had come to this――there was no doubt that the enemy would unleash all the battle strength that they held.

This hunch of Kai immediately turned into reality.

“ “ “OOOOOOooOoooOoooOO!!!!!!” ” ”

From the aircraft carrier, a large number of magicians equipped with <Air Raid> flew out just like a beehive that just got struck, the ordinary soldiers and the magicians who still didn’t get the share of the <Air Raid> also landed on the wharf and rushed towards the wall.

They didn’t bring any climbing rope or anything, they were just carrying assault rifles in hand. He guessed that they probably planned to have the magicians twist the wall with gravity sorcery and rush up the wall like that.

Naturally Kai wouldn’t just stare quietly letting that happen and moved to intercept, but―

“Ha――――aaAAaAAAAA!!!!!!”

“-……!”

That action of Kai was hindered by Wan Tairon who jumped down from above the frozen tsunami swinging his weapon that was like a spear, or possibly an axe.

Kai who blocked Tairon’s downswing with a weapon in the shape of a scythe glared at Tairon in annoyance.

“<Fangtian Huaji>……-! So you brought out something exaggerated huh, Tairon.”

“After all you asshole had totally been a pain in my ass for my policy since your time in the <Knight Order>……! Today I’m going to pay back my thanks for all that a lot! ――――Fuhn-!”

Tairon swept his <Artifact – Bouten Gageki> to the side to drive away the scythe.

Kai didn’t choose to block it and leapt to the air.

Instantly, the international exhibition hall that was in the line of <Fangtian Huaji>’s slash was felled right from its foundation.

It was an arm power that surpassed human intellect. But that was how it should be.

Tairon’s contracted heroic spirit, the <Flying General> Lu Bu possessed the Heroic Skill <Rakan>, that heightened the physical ability of the magician with a scaling factor of several dozens of times more than other abilities like Chikori’s <Peerless Herculean Strength>, it was an ability that was even called as one of the strongest even among the currently present Heroic Skills. In addition, Tairon was using the weapon of the heroic spirit possessing him when the spirit was still alive, enabling him to draw out the potential of the weapon until the limit.

Compared to Homura he was just a small fry, but even so, Tairon was a S-rank magician. One of mankind’s strongest.

“What a foolish bunch. ……I guess that you all intend to make the angel your ally, but do you think the people of that side can understand the sense of values of you bastards?”

“Ha-, keep barking! You loser dog!”

In front of Tairon, even Kai didn’t have any more leeway to protect his comrades.

From the allied force’s fleet that had rushed to the land together with the sea, soldiers were rushing out one after another and flooded the protective wall of Tokyo life sphere from sky and land without any obstruction.

Looking at that sight, the interception unit deployed on the wall gulped their breath.

“Chih-! What’s with this number!”

“But with this difference in speed that ain’t gonna work! Shoot them all down!”

Even so, with the support of the predominance that Homura left behind, the defenders showed a resolute will to meet the enemy and they wildly fired their sorceries and guns without aiming towards the rushing enemy soldiers that blanketed their field of vision from above and below.

They didn’t even aim because there were so many enemies that no matter where they shot it would surely hit.

But――

{Watch the day of the great god’s fury.

The sun clouded, the moon gouged, the stars broke.

And then whether afternoon or night, it will surely all end the same.}

The moment such hoarse voice became audible from who knows where.

Suddenly the movement of the rushing enemy soldiers became quick and most of the interception was evaded.

“Wha……!? They evaded!?”

“Has the <Evil God User>’s sorcery run out already!?”

The interception unit became panicked from the unexpected situation.

Among them, Anna noticed it.

“That’s not it! The enemy also got faster! They are as fast as us!”

Correct. That was the answer.

The aircraft carrier placed on top of the frozen tsunami.

Further above it, in the sky, the old man Dalet smirked smugly with a magic circle shining blue floating behind his unfolded wings.

“Fo-fo-fo. There is no way we the <Special Missionary> who have received the power of god cannot do something that can be done by the likes of evil god. Stupid unbelievers.”

With a performance that far surpassed human magicians, he could manipulate time.

That was the power of the <Fourth Trumpeter> that was possessing Dalet.

Due to the deployment of his power, the time of the allied forces’ main force that was rushing from the sea side became ten times faster, stealing the last advantage remaining on Japan’s side as well.

The interception unit was made so that they had to fight an army that numbered several dozens of times of their number without any advantage.

The amount of enemies was already something that could not be held back by a long distance cannon.

“Prepare to unsheathe your swords! Close range magician unit, intercept the enemy that passed over the wallll-!!!!”

But even so they couldn’t run away by any means.

Because behind them there was already no more protection at all.

They couldn’t withdraw from this wall by any means.

The interception unit fought back with all they had following Hassad’s command.

“ “ “U o O O O O o O O O O o O O o ――――――—!!!!” ” ”

They were burdened with the life or death of their birthplace.

They were burdened with the lives of their family.

That awareness filled every single one of them with a do-or-die resolution and made their spirit screamed loudly.

Even the student magicians that usually didn’t show any guts in living as magicians unhesitatingly fought bravely against the approaching hostility.

However, no matter how much they challenged the enemy with a do-or-die resolution and loud screams of fighting spirit, the difference of resources between the two sides were too overwhelming――the situation was worsening moment by moment.

“Uooo!”

“Dangerous Roze-!”

Amidst the battlefield where enemy and ally mixed haphazardly, Anna shot through the head of the enemy magician that was trying to slash at the back of her teammate Rozalind Wagner who was intercepting the enemy in mid-air battle equipped with <Air Raid>. It was an assist that made it just in a hair breadth. But――

“-――――!”

Rozalind couldn’t even notice that she had been helped and intercepted the next enemy.

Looking at this state of her teammate, Anna’s expression was colored by impatience.

(Everyone cannot see their surroundings anymore……)

They had their hands full with defeating the enemy before their eyes that their field of vision turned narrow.

If it kept like this they wouldn’t last long.

But something like that,

(This is not a joke! Just who is going to die young like this!)

Anna got boiled up and bit her lip to shake off her fear of death, she kept pressing the trigger with her finger which lost its feeling. In the middle of that――

“――――–!?!?”

With a shiver, she felt a chill on her back as if the tongue of the god of death was crawling there.

Anna’s contracted heroic spirit Simo Hayha was a rare sniper.

Therefore, she instinctively understood just who had to be killed the most right now.

Anna obeyed that instinct and dropped her sight to the ground.

What she saw there was――

“Nnnn~~~~~~~~!!!!!!”

Breaking out alone from the group of soldiers rushing out on the ground, was a bald man with his body wrapped in a straitjacket charging towards the wall with fierce speed.

That man whose eyes and also his mouth were sewed shut by thick strings was wriggling his impaired body like a caterpillar while creeping near the wall with unbelievable speed.

(That guy, he is bad news somehow……!)

That strangeness made Anna feel a sense of danger even more than physiological disgust.

“Koga-chi! Take care of the defense!”

Anna immediately instructed Ayumi behind her to protect her body, then she leaned her body forward from the edge of the wall and took an aiming posture.

And then, she aimed at the man that was creeping near with fierce speed――the <Special Missionary> He and fired rapidly.

Anna’s unparalleled accurate shooting impacted the head and the heart of He with certainty.

But――

“N!? N! N~~~~n~~~~~~!!!!!!”

“He, he doesn’t stop……!”

No, it was not that he didn’t stop.

He didn’t flinch even when being struck, rather his creeping speed increased even further, finally he jumped from the ground like a flying fish and reached the wall.

Instantly, all the restrains that were restraining him got shredded to pieces――darkness gushed out from his back.

That was a pair of jet black wings.

(Shit―)

“AAAaaaaa―――――――――—!!!!!!”

Simultaneously with Anna gasping from the bad premonition, He emitted a turbid strange voice like the crying voice of an ominous bird from his mouth that became free, and struck at the bottom part of the wall surrounding Tokyo life sphere with his fists that similarly became free too.

Right after that―― a shockwave that could send a body flying, and the sound of destruction as if a heavy hard thing was smashed like a collapsing star struck the ears of Anna and the others.

The interception unit was agitated from this happening.

Pushing through them all, Hassad who thought of the impossible directed his eyes to the bottom of the protective wall,

“Im…… impossible-!?”

He was taken aback by the impossible sight.

Of all things to happen, with just one punch, the defensive wall with thickness of ten meters that could even endure against a direct hit from a nuclear missile was broken, a giant tunnel with height of around twenty meters and width of around forty meters was opened.

Using common sense… no, even by using sorcery that was a destructive power that was already being out of bounds.

But that was how it should be.

That was exactly the power of the <Fifth Trumpeter> that possessed He.

That angel, <Abaddon> was entrusted by god with the authority as the destroyer that destroyed everything above the earth.

Therefore, in front of He material hardness was meaningless. No matter how hard the steel was, material with inferior spirit rank than him could all be destroyed with no questions asked.

And then, towards this hole that was opened by He’s strike――

“A hole opened in the wall!”

“Suppression unit! Get inn–!!!!”

The infantry unit flooded in all at once after it.

The defenders never imagined even in their wildest dream that a hole could be opened in the protective wall, so there were only average soldiers that couldn’t use sorcery deployed below there.

Almost all of their fighting strength was assigned for the protection above the wall.

Consequently there was no one that could stop this enemy advance,

(No good……-!)

Hassad was going to close his eyelids in resignation, but, it was at that instant.

“ “ “GUaAaAAAAAAAAaa――――-!!!!” ” ”

All the rushing in enemy soldiers floated in the air as if they were all blown away by a gale without anyone spared, they were blown out from the gouged wall.

Just what in the world was going on there, it was a moment where all the eyes, whether ally or enemy were stolen there.

They witnessed the appearance of a figure appearing from inside the fiercely rising dust of the gouged hole.

“Just now, the timing really was only by a hair’s breadth wasn’t it?”

“Yes. But as a hero, that’s the best timing.”

“It’s unfortunate, but going any further from here is forbidden! Quickly go home!”

Who appeared were four males and females.

Sir James.

Dorothy Scarlet.

Ichinotani Chikori.

And then… Hoshikawa Sumika.

These four people were unmistakably the people that could be called as the highest battle strength of Japan’s side.

Seeing their figures, Hassad heaved a sigh of relief that he couldn’t hold back.

“So they made it in time……!”

On the other hand, the side of the allied forces was obviously confused.

“<Grim Bullet>……! Moreover, even the <White Knight> James and <Crimson Leo> Dorothy Scarlet……!?”

“Why is my country’s S-rank magician…!”

The S-rank magician of their own country was with the enemy.

The soldiers displayed their bafflement at that situation.

Towards them who were like that――Hoshikawa Sumika addressed them with a loud voice.

“Among us exists a misunderstanding due to the scheme of some selfish people. Originally we shouldn’t have any reason to fight at all. Please give us the time to dispel that misunderstanding and the chance to explain ourselves.”

But, the reaction towards those words of Sumika already went beyond rejection and were already merely jeers for her.

Shut up. Traitor of mankind. Atone with your death. Become the sacrifice――

Perhaps from being affected from the zeal of war, or perhaps from being charmed by Michael’s offered salvation, or maybe because of both of those reasons.

Inside the allied force, there was not a single man that would approve any grounds for dialogue.

――Towards those responses,

“……I see. So all of you will never listen to our story, you are all treading inside our homecountry, carrying your rage and blade to trample us. If that’s the case… we won’t show any mercy to all of you who are trying to harm our families!”

The gentle Sumika also resolved her heart and pointed her gun at them.

Towards that girl,

“Kakaka. Not showing mercy aa? That’s our line you bitch-“

Ridiculing voice was thrown at her.

When she directed her eyes to the direction of that voice, there four men and women adorned with an atmosphere that was clearly different from normal soldiers, with the man He who destroyed the wall just now mixed among them, they were standing there facing Sumika.

The voice came from one person among them, a man with bristling red hair that was like flame.

And then Sumika realized their true identity from the shining cross necklace on the chest of those four.

“<Special Missionary>……!”

The man with bristling red hair exposed his canines and laughed as if to affirm those words,

{Witness the day of rage of the great god.

At that day, the sky is cut open until its end, blood and hail and flame will rain down to you all,

The earth, the trees, also the grasses, everything of those will be burned down.}

As his own name――Aleph indicated, the <First Trumpeter> was residing in that body.

The power of the <First Trumpeter> was the power controlling flame.

“This is the power of god… If you think this is something that you can defend from without the <Evil God User>, then just try it!”

He attacked at Sumika and the others.

In response, Sumika and the others also didn’t step back――

“That’s our intention even without you telling us……!”

The decisive battle between the two army’s main forces began.

Part 5

That time when the main force of Japan and the Five Great Leaders clashed at the outer circumference of Tokyo life sphere――

The <Evil God User> Kamishiro Homura and the <Archangel> Michael were in a different Tokyo.

That was the unelected world from among the many existing worlds that were existing parallel to each other.

This world worked without corresponding to any kind of choice, got disconnected from the flow of destiny, and now it was an abandoned, uninhabited world.

If it was here then no matter how flashy the sorcery they were going to use, no one would get dragged involuntarily into it.

It was the most ideal place for a duel.

At the sky of such world where everything had died, both of them turned into black and golden meteors streaking in the air.

“<Photon Bullet – Mode Genocide>!”

The black meteor, <Evil God User> Kamishiro Homura deployed magic power energy bullets behind him in a number that made one hallucinate that the number might even surpass the many stars in the sky.

Aiming at the enemy who was dancing in the sky while scattering golden splendor, he shot them all.

It was the technique that once instantly annihilated the group of <General class> baphomet led by the <Demon King> Jambure.

It was a storm of destruction that was approaching in a density where there was no gap for evading anymore.

But against this, Michael didn’t even show the least bit of unrest――

“Hmph”

He moved utilizing <Teleport> through the slight gap of the raining down red Photon Bullets barraging him.

The bullet storm was evaded without any trouble――

“Holy Art――<Heaven’s JudgmentJudge Ray>.”

This time it was Michael who shifted into offensive.

The golden wings that were widely spread out emitted even stronger light,

From every single feather of the wings, several hundred streaks of white heat rays were fired and rushed at Homura.

Naturally Homura was also dancing in the sky at speed that broke past the sound barrier and slipped through the approaching barrage of rays, but

“――――!”

The trajectory of Homura who was trying to slip through the barrage was pursued and the rays changed their trajectory.

“Chih-!”

The several hundred lights were hot on his heels persistently like zigzagging snakes.

Different from Homura’s <Photon Bullet>, their number were few but their tracking ability was extremely high.

He couldn’t widen the distance by evading.

When Homura judged so, he turned to face the pursuing light arrows.

And then, he changed his weapon that was <Liber Legis> into a jet black sword,

“Vel-!”

{Leave it to me……!}

He made a full swing with <Liber Legis>.

Intantly, the sword blade of <Liber Legis> lengthened out until the end of horizon with a speed that far surpassed a bullet――

With a single stroke, all the approaching heat rays were mowed down.

Furthermore that was not all.

The instant <Liber Legis> was sweeping down the rays, its sword blade twisted like a tentacle and stretched out towards Michael.

“……!”

The interception changed extremely smoothly into counterattack.

Michael was unable to react.

Vel didn’t let escape that instant.

Just like a snake assaulting its prey, she coiled herself at Michael’s surrounding――

She tightened in one breath.

{Get hi……-!?}

However, in the transient moment where Vel thought she had caught him,

The tentacle constricting Michael was pushed back by the tremendous power coming from inside.

As if being blocked by an invisible sphere barrier, <Liber Legis>’s blade was only coiling around Michael and couldn’t even touch his skin.

{I cannot get close……!}

“Even among the angels, I am entrusted with high spirit rank above others by father. I’m not an existence that can be bound by a mere grimoire that is nothing more than a part of an <Evil God>.”

“<Holy Ground> huh……- Well, naturally, you have something like that.”

<Holy Ground> was a special power possessed by life-form with high spirit rank.

It was something like a barrier that shut out attack from inferior beings with lower spirit rank.

Before this, when Sumika’s gunshots and sorcery couldn’t inflict telling blows to Alfaro was also because this <Holy Ground> was functioning in Alfaro who was possessed by <Exousia Power>.

“This is why taking on an angel is a pain in the ass……!”

“The pain is your side. Taking time for a <traitor> like you like this, even a second longer is truly aggravating……!”

Michael who returned provoked words to Homura’s provoking words manifested his own <Holy Ground> into the shape of a sword.

And then after lightly swinging it, Vel’s tentacle that was coiling around him was cut apart.

The <Holy Ground> was an unparalleled shield that could defend against any kind of spear when used as protection, if it was used to attack then it would become a sword that would bisect everything with lower spirit rank than it. It was an omnipotent power that was offense and defense in one.

Michael took a stance with it in hand and soared like a meteor towards Homura.

Against this, Homura too also strengthened the magic power he poured into Vel and met the attack with a reinforced blade.

The black and golden meteors clashed at the dead gloomy sky while entangling each other.

No one backed down. No one yielded.

Until now the battle of these two was in a complete stalemate situation without even any ebb and flow.

Both of them possessed the power to the degree that could destroy this star, but at the same time they possessed extremely high evasion capability starting with things like <Teleport>, so far from any decisive hit, they couldn’t even make their right jab to hit to take the initiative.

But,

(Fucking shit……!)

That deadlocked situation… was disadvantageous for Homura.

It was natural. Even while he was doing this, the fighting in Tokyo life sphere was intensifying.

He guessed that they could hold out to a certain degree, but if Homura didn’t return there, sooner or later Tokyo life sphere who had inferior battle power in total would be defeated.

Homura had to hurry the battle.

On the other hand, Michael didn’t have the need to hurry in this battle.

There was no factor that would make him disadvantaged the more time passed.

This difference in leeway for the two would show itself in reality the more time passed――

Finally,

{Master!}

“-……!”

Homura’s side created a fatal miss.

Getting impatient in this match, Homura forcibly let loose a large attack that could decide the match which was evaded by <Teleport>, causing his body to be largely imbalanced.

That fatal opening――naturally didn’t get overlooked by Michael!

“Holy Art――<Flame of God’s PunishmentMegiddo Flame>.”

Matching the words of curse, white light flickered in Michael’s eyes.

Thereupon, Homura’s whole body where the eyes were focusing was enveloped in white flame.

“Guoo……!”

{Master! Kuh, use dispel!}

In order to save Homura who was enveloped in flame, Vel immediately attempted to dispel the sorcery that enveloped Homura’s body in flame, but――

{The dispel, doesn’t work……!?}

The sorcery formula which formed that flame was something unknown even for <Liber Legis> which had all knowledge of sorcery written in it, Vel was unable to dispel the flame.

However that was also only natural.

“That’s pointless. <Megiddo Flame> is different from sorcery.”

This flame was not a sorcery.

The power of god, ――the power system that was called as Holy Arts was like this.

No matter how much wisdom of sorcery one possessed, they wouldn’t be able to oppose the Holy Art which was from a different system in the first place.

And then, it could be said not only to Vel but also to Homura.

Homura’s body was scorched by that flame without any way to resist and fell to the ground.

“Dispel is impossible. And then until <Megiddo Flame> burn the life of that person to nothing, it will not disappear by any means. Burn and die just like that――-!?”

Instantly, the expression of Michael who was boasting his victory twitched.

The reason was because Homura who should be falling to the ground, enveloped in flames, was moving above Michael’s head by <Teleport> and swung down his sword.

“RAAa-!”

“Kuh-!”

Michael barely blocked the attack with his <Holy Sword> and averted any damage, but the force of the attack couldn’t be nullified and he crashed into the ground from the sky.

While that pure white raiment was dirtied by the dust, Michael looked up in annoyance to the sky.

There, was the figure of Homura who looked calm even while his body was scorched by the white flame――

“This god’s Megiddojudgment is really warm huh. It’s just right for warming the body this high in the sky yeah.”

The large swing that Homura did before this was certainly his miss, but Homura was not so weak to have his life taken just from one miss.

By regenerating his skin with healing sorcery even faster than the flame burning his body, he offset the power of <Megiddo Flame>.

Toward this Homura’s countermeasure,

“……I see. It seems that no matter how much little tricks we exchanged, we won’t make any progress like this.”

Michael closed his eyelids as if he was resolving himself of something, the golden sword of light in his hand――the <Holy Sword> was raised to the sky, there he poured magic power that he could possibly unleash all at once.

Thereupon, Michael’s body shined with a light that was even stronger, and the <Holy Sword> was enlarged.

Transforming into a blade that pierced the moon from this earth.

With that sword which could bisect even this star in his hand, Michael declared.

“Just as I said before, spending even a second longer on a <traitor> like you is too lavish. …………I will decide this battle with this one attack.”

――So that was it. Certainly, if Homura got hit with that sword’s attack, his life would be lost.

Michael’s <Holy Sword> truly possessed that much power.

It was dangerous to challenge this right from the front――, but,

“Bring it on……! I’m also getting tired playing around with you bastard.”

For Homura, a short decisive battle was just what he wished for.

About Shiori’s location, he could just extract it out from the brain of this angel’s corpse after he killed him.

Deciding that there was nothing inconvenient from this, Homura raised his sword with the resolve to confront the whole spirit of this <Archangel> Michael, who had the preeminent spirit rank in heaven, with all the spirit that he possessed.

Part 6

On the other side at Tokyo life sphere, with Sumika and others pushing back the enemy that was invading through the opened hole in the protective wall, Japan’s side was in the process of building back their battle front.

Be that as it may, there was no doubt that the defense of the coastline was a close battle.

And then, the main force of Japan and the Five Great Leaders’ allied forces were divided into three groups where they began fierce battles.

One battle was between Sir James and He, who was possessed by <Abaddon>.

This person’s power as a destroyer couldn’t be blocked unless it was by Sir James’ <Artifact – Excalibur>.

It could be said that this personnel selection was valid.

However, the strength of the two was in close rivalry, the battle began to show the sign of a protracted battle.

――In the meantime, there was also a battle that seemed like it would be decisively settled immediately.

That was the battle between the pair of Dorothy and Chikori against the sister with a bad complexion holding a katana in one hand, Gimel.

…The main forces of both camps were confronting each other.

Among them the one whose strength was a cut lower than the rest, was none other than Chikori.

So to speak, the girl was the hole in Japan’s side.

Therefore the moment the battle began, Dorothy immediately covered up for her.

As a result, the battle was in the form of two against one where Chikori and Dorothy confronted Gimel alone.

This superiority in number brought a large difference.

At present, Gimel couldn’t handle the two’s fierce attack and her body got hit by the two’s fist several times already.

Right now even in this moment――

“SMASH!!!!”

Dorothy’s fist struck Gimel’s nose, making her step back for some distance.

However――

“Fufu, fufuu, pointless, pointless……”

There was not a single drop of blood flowing out from Gimel’s nose.

(There are several telling blow that got in since a while ago, but they didn’t become any significant damage.)

Chikori knew this sensation.

(――It’s the same like that time.)

It was like the time when she fought the <Paladins> in order to protect the <Fairy Queen> Elfiena before.

This was the same when Sumika’s bullet and sorcery were ineffective against Alfaro.

And then, of course the one who noticed that was not only Chikori.

While shaking off the numbness remaining in her fist that was as if she was just striking steel, Dorothy whispered in annoyance.

“I see. So this is the rumored <Holy Ground>.”

Hearing her words, Gimel’s pale face warped happily in a wide smile.

“Fu, fufu, fu, e, exact, ly. Ju, just a S-rank ma, gician, is only, a, human……! Doing something like, hurting an angel’s body, is impossible……!”

That was why no matter how many time they hit her, no matter what they did to her, Gimel said that it was all pointless.

However――

“Fufun. Something like that is nothing you know? Sister.”

“……!”

“The difference in spirit rank is the difference in power of existence. The difference in power of existence is the difference in soul, that is heart, that’s equal with the difference in magic power. Then――everything will be fine as long as that gap is just filled.”

And then the one who could do that―― was S-rank magician. The trump card of the human race.

When Dorothy said that, she opened her right fist wide――

“I call on the corrupting power of Gold! Bring your Ruin!! (The power of gleaming golden sun lavish your might and destroy the impurity with the light of world-destorying conflagration)”

She invoked the grand sorcery that was the reason she was called as <Crimson Leo>.

“<Flame of OriginAncient Zero……-!”

Along with the announcement of that binding curse, a shining bright fire ball was manifested on Dorothy’s right palm.

That fire ball was gushing with light and heat wave to the degree that could be said as a miniature sun, burning the surroundings.

Even just by releasing it as it was, it could surely decimate half the number of the allied forces.

But, Dorothy did something that was even more unbelievable.

That fire ball of such enormous energy was grasped by her fingers like a baseball, it was compressed and compressed―― it was squeezed tight inside her fist.

Instantly, Dorothy’s right fist was shining in a beautiful crimson, like a ruby.

(That, that’s an amazing energy……!)

“――-“

Chikori was fascinated by this radiance while Gimel exposed uneasiness.

It was the strongest power of fire element sorcery that was compressed on top of compression into such a condensed form.

Certainly that fist was possessing magic power in it that could tread into Gimel’s <Holy Ground>.

Dorothy cocked her fist to the limit, believing in her chance of winning from that fretfulness of Gimel.

And then――she gave an order to Chikori through mind transmission.

{Chikori. I’ll present this to that Sister’s flank……! It’s fine even if it’s just for an instant, please freeze that Sister’s movement!}

{……! Got it-!}

Following Dorothy’s instruction, Chikori unhesitatingly filled the distance with Gimel.

She attacked firmly against a <Special Missionary> as her opponent.

That was the result from her everyday training with Homura.

She could see Gimel’s movement to a certain degree.

She could follow the enemy.

She had confirmed that when she fought in a tag with Dorothy against this enemy.

Therefore she didn’t fear. She advanced resolutely, weaving through Gimel’s slash.

Unleashing her fist compactly, she tried to stop Gimel’s movement.

But――

(I can’t stop her……!)

Gimel absolutely didn’t show any opening.

That was how it should be. This sister was protected by <Holy Ground>.

Something like the fist of Chikori that she unleashed while evading the slash, it didn’t hurt no matter how much Gimel got hit with it.

Far from stopping her movement, there wasn’t even any need to protect herself.

Gimel swung around her katana while being hit.

Like this Dorothy also couldn’t get closer.

It would end up a pointless effort like this. They would make no progress.

But――

(That’s right……! There is that! The way that can stop her movement for sure!)

Right after that, a revelation from heaven graced Chikori’s brain.

She noticed while attacking Gimel in a hit-and-run.

There was only one, the way that could stop Gimel’s movement with certainty even for her.

――That was, by getting slashed.

Saying it more accurately, she would dull the slash by purposefully letting her flesh get cut, and in that moment she would grasp the katana.

If she did that, Gimel’s movement would stop whether she wanted it or not!

(Nothing else but this……!)

Chikori entrusted her body to that divine revelation and resolved herself.

And then she was probing while dodging the slashes, and chose a moment.

Perhaps it was from impatience, but it was a thrust that was a little rough.

She would let her left arm get pierced by this, and after that――

(I’ll catch it with my right hand and stop her movement-!)

That decision was――……

Really like a student magician with little experience of real battle, a fatal miss.

“Chikori! NoOoo――――――–!!!!”

“Eh-“

Chikori was thrust away by the interfering Dorothy while she was yelling, then Chikori fell over to the ground.

And then Dorothy who thrust away Chikori was pierced in the right shoulder by Gimel’s katana.

“――Wh, why……!”

Dorothy’s interference happened out of nowhere.

Chikori was unable to comprehend this development.

But… it was only temporary.

Chikori soon realized the meaning of Dorothy’s action, together with an intense regret.

“Fu, fu, fuhuhuhuhu! Fi, fi-fi-finally, I caught youuu……!”

Gimel who stabbed Dorothy’s shoulder with the tip of her blade smiled widely,

{Witness the day of the great god’s fury.

That day, the absinthe wormwood that is blazing up red is, raining down incessantly to every sea, and to every river.

The water of every sea, every river all became bitter, killing many living things.}

While spreading the manifested wing from angel’s possession on her back, Gimel whispered those words.

Thereupon――

“Gofu-!”

Dorothy vomited reddish black blood from her mouth.

“Dorothy-san!?”

Just what in the world happened? It was only her shoulder that was stabbed at best. Yet despite so, why did Dorothy vomit out blood?

“……Wormwood, the power of the <Third Trumpeter>, is it……”

“Ju-ju-just as, yoouu said hihi……! The power that go-go-go-god granted me is, poison! The power to control god’s absinthiumpoison! Thaat’s whyyy! Yo-yo-yo-you a-a-, are already, ca, canot be saveddd hihihi!”

“Po, poison……! Su, such thing……!”

In this moment, Chikori’s comprehension finally caught up.

And then she noticed her own error.

――She was going to lightly take an enemy’s attack who still hadn’t exposed her hand yet.

That could be said to be the extremity of a stupid move.

After all, depending on the opponent, there was some kind that possessed the move that could inflict lethal wounds even through just a scratch.

And unfortunately, Gimel was an enemy of that type.

“……-, guh, gaho-! Geho-!”

“Dorothy-sannn!”

While vomiting out a large amount of blood, Dorothy collapsed on the ground.

Her body was already violated by the <absinthium>, she was in the grip of death.

(It’s my…… fault……-! Because I’m, an idiot like this……!)

Chikori stood stock still in a daze from the worst situation that her carelessness had invited.

Towards Chikori who was being like that,

“Fu, fufufu, i, i-it’s fine even if you don’t feel sad, like that. Yo, you too will immediately, follow after her. The, the same like her, to the place of the lorddd-!”

Gimel mercilessly attacked.

“-……!”

On the other hand, Chikori was already not in a mental state where she could counter attack.

She was only devoting herself to evading using her inherent reflexes.

However――

(Fufuhi, her motor, reflexes, are something……! But……!)

Surely it was because Chikori had seen the threat of <absinthium> that made Dorothy unable to move just with one thrust.

The focus of Chikori’s eyes were completely fixed onto Gimel’s katana.

――She couldn’t see anything other than that.

And then, it also became known to Gimel who was confronting her,

(Her experience is, just, too lackinggg!!!!)

“Gahha!?!?”

Gimel’s kick that was like a stab bore into Chikori’s defenseless solar plexus.

“Fufufu, yo, you didn’t thi-think that a kick will come right? Your eyes only see, the sword…… hihi, your stomach, is completely open.”

“Geho! A, aa…… oe!”

Both of Chikori’s knees gave in from the unbelievable intense pain of her entrails bored by the kick.

It was a heavy and deep pain as if she was struck by a gigantic steel hammer.

That was only natural.

The ability granted to Gimel by the angel possession was [poison].

Because the woman used that power and produced a large amount of anabolic steroid inside her body, she could launch a kick with muscle power that had been reinforced until the territory that had far surpassed the range of common sense.

“u…………――”

That single kick was more than enough to break Chikori’s consciousness, Chikori whose knees had fell on the ground was going to collapse down just like that.

On the verge of that… a certain scene flashed in Chikori’s mind.

{Chikori’s movement is just too direct you know? That’s why it’s easy to read.}

That was, the memory of her training with Homura――

It was the words of Homura when she was grumbling from being completely unable to touch Homura at all in a mock battle.

(――Aah, that’s right, at that time, Master was……)

{But, that step-in without any hesitation, and that straightforward feeling you directed to the enemy… are also Chikori’s strength.}

{My, strength?}

{Right. Training so much that you can even offset the symptoms of Apple SeedAS syndrome is normally something that cannot be done. That straightforward feeling and the willpower to realize your original intention is really something uncommon.

…And then a strong will can be sublimated into a strong power.

You’re still lacking in experience, you are not clever like Sumika so from now on you will surely meet some hardships. But remember this each time you meet those hardships. Just whose pupil you are.}

(――――)

{I guarantee your strength. That’s why, don’t you dare doubt your own strength.}

“~~~~~~~~~~~–!!!!”

When her consciousness was on the verge of sinking into darkness, Chikori who remembered Homura’s words gritted her teeth, then she supported her body by striking the ground.

And then, with eyes that were filled with a strong sense of purpose, Chikori fixed her eyes on the enemy in front of her.

It was an outside enemy that was breaking into their home, trying to kill their family right about now.

(I’m, the pupil of Master……!)

Then, she couldn’t lose uncoolly like this against the bunch that was trying to break the thing her master was protecting.

Her body could still move. Her fist could still strike. Then――!

“DORORTHIIII-SaAAaAAN!!!!”

Chikori turned to Dorothy, who was collapsing in a puddle of her own blood, and yelled with all that she had.

“For my sake, please buy a minute, no, thirty seconds for me! I beg you-!”

And then,

“Because, I’ll defeat that woman……-!”

She spread her stance and strained her fist, aiming at Gimel.

With a misty vision, Dorothy stared at that action, and that expression of resolve of Chikori……

She squinted happily from her heart and laughed.

“Okay……! Just leave it to big sis……!”

Instantly, Dorothy lifted up her body that was on the verge of death from being violated by poison, and even while spouting out blood, she assaulted Gimel.

“Fuu-!”

Dorothy’s fist was blocked by the <Holy Ground> and didn’t even do any damage, but the breaking through shockwave hindered Gimel’s movement with certainty.

“……!? Hoow are you moving? Even though, the <absinthium> should be, circulating inside you-!”

Gimel opened her eyes wide in astonishment from Dorothy’s fierce attack.

<Absinthium> was a poison that didn’t exist in this world.

If it entered the body even just for a little, then the person could not be saved anymore, their bone and flesh would rot off and they could only wait for their death, being tormented by intense pain. That was how it should be.

Towards such a Gimel,

“That’s an easy question, you miss stupid.”

Dorothy even showed a daring smile and spoke out.

“The reason is… obviously because I’m the <Crimson Leo>!”

“Kuh-, this… di, die, don’t comeeeee!”

Gimel slashed at the attacking Dorothy and tried to drive her off.

But, even while being afflicted with poison, Dorothy’s fierce attacks couldn’t be compared with before.

That was also only natural.

Until just now, she was hiding her cards and moved carefully to fight Gimel.

She was attacking by always saving a space where it was possible for her to dodge in emergency.

But right now… there was no need for that anymore.

Her body already didn’t have any future. She unleashed her fist without minding to receive some cuts.

Even while her whole body was wet with blood, that heroic appearance challenging the enemy was exactly like―the <Crimson Leo>.

The protector of the human race. As a S-rank magician, her proud figure wouldn’t bring shame to anyone.

(Dorothy-san…, thank you…-)

Burning that sight of Dorothy’s heroics into her teary eyes, Chikori filled her drawn back right fist with magic power.

Chikori couldn’t do anything like Dorothy’s miraculous feat of enchanting her fist with fifth grade sorcery.

For that reason, her feeling of gratitude, frustration, rage, she changed all of those into a determination to defeat the enemy before her eyes――

(Crammed it into the fist…!)

――And then, the time had come.

“Gah, buaAa”

The time when Dorothy’s life ran out.

Vomiting conspicuously large amounts of blood, Dorothy’s body lurched violently.

That was her limit.

Even without getting cut down, she would surely collapse just like that into her puddle of blood and not move anymore for eternity.

But even so… this valorous female burned the light of her life until the very last.

――She had certainly, bought thirty seconds.

{I leave, the rest, to you……}

“-――――…….!”

Hearing those apologetic words, Chikori didn’t answer.

There was no need to answer or anything.

Right now, there was only one thing that she needed to do.

The feeling filled into that fist, she had to send it straight into the enemy before her eyes!

“<Star SmashMeteor Strike>–!!!!”

Chikori’s right fist that was drawn back to the limit struck aiming at Gimel’s life.

The fist emitted light as if several hundred white thunders were bundled inside it.

The trace that fist drew――was exactly like the comet that smashed the star!

During the thirty seconds, Chikori’s thought continued to draw the image of going towards Gimel’s life and waited until the time was ripe before striking.

To evade that fluent, unhesitating attack that rushed at the fastest and shortest route was impossible.

But――

(Do, do-do, don’t, minddd!)

Gimel ridiculed that as nothing, she didn’t even try to defend, she held aloft her katana in order to prance at the neck of the approaching Chikori.

That was obvious. Gimel possessed the <Holy Ground> of the angel possessing her.

Certainly the <Ancient Zero> that was compressed inside Dorothy’s fist was a threat, but……

In the first place, Chikori was nothing more than a mere magician.

No matter how much feeling that kind of human put into their attack, the status of a mere human was something of no importance.

There was no way in the world that it would be able to hurt an angel or anything.

Whether it was Chikori’s will, or even Dorothy’s sacrifice, everything was a fruitless effort. It would end for nothing.

Such thing.

To allow such an absurdity was not Chikori at all!

The instant Chikori’s fist touched Gimel,

A strange noise like flesh and bone and entrails being crushed all at once reverberated in the battlefield. Chikori’s fist was caving deep into Gimel’s stomach.

“u, o, ――Ge, geeeeeeeeee—-!?!?”

Most likely, her stomach was rupturing like that.

Gimel fainted in agony while scattering abundant amounts of blood colored vomit and excreta.

(Wh, wh, wh-wh-wh-whyyy!?!? E, even though I should have <Holy Ground>, in meeee!?!?)

Despite that, Chikori’s fist slipped through that and bored into her.

That was something incomprehensible from Gimel’s point of view.

Because something like the strength of will, wasn’t supposed to be something on the level that could allow someone to surpass that difference in rank.

Just what in the world……!

While Gimel was fainting in agony, she glared at Chikori.

And then――she noticed.

(Don’t tell me, don’ttellmedon’ttellmedon’ttellme)

The right fist of Chikori that was soaked in blood.

What could be peeked from its gap was… pure white. That was――

“This is your feather you know?”

“~~~~~~~~~—!”

――Correct, Chikori had already seen angels twice including this one.

The first one was Alfaro. The second one was today’s moment.

That was why she understood that her attack wouldn’t go through just with her power.

But what should she do so that her fist could reach Gimel?

Pondering of that, the answer that the girl found out in her own way, was this.

By clutching Gimel’s feather that fell in the middle of battle in her fist, she misrepresented her spirit rank.

And then, that scheme succeeded in a perfect form.

The girl’s feeling that was put inside her fist, it certainly pierced through Gimel’s life.

“I’m stupid, weak, I’m lacking in ability, experience, in everything but… I certainly won’t forget, the bitterness that I have been made to swallow once……-!”

“Hi-, hiaaAAAAAEeEeOoOEEeEEEEEE–!!!!”

Gimel held her stomach while writhing in pain as if her whole body was lit on fire.

The amount of blood vomited from her mouth as if the full content of a bucket was overturned, was obviously a lethal amount, showing that her life would soon be extinguished.

(Dorothy-san. Your revenge――)

Is paid, ――just in the moment when Chikori was convinced of that.

“Gefu, kefu, fufufufu, fuhihihifufuhihihiiI――–!”

(Eh?)

Suddenly, Gimel began to laugh insanely while vomiting blood,

“HyaaAAAAA!!!!”

A kick that was like a stabbing spear approached at Chikori.

It was really sudden. Chikori was unable to react from that counterattack which she thought as impossible,

“Agu-!”

Her face was struck, and like that the back of her head hit the concrete wall nearby.

(Gu, a…… wh, y……!)

Even though she should have inflicted a lethal wound already to the enemy.

To the ear of Chikori who was in such confusion,

“HURTHURT HURTHURT HURTHURTTTttTTAAAAA! HAPPINESsss-!”

Such joyful voice that made Chikori doubt her ears could be heard.

“!?!?”

“Gebu, e, e-e, even thoughhh it’s really hurttt! Even though, it’s painfull!

The faith inside me! Is not wa-wavering at all!

My heart to-to-toward the lord, is! Not wavering!

My, my fa, fa, faith is, welling up this strongly!

How can there be any bliss that could surpass this!? HihIhihihihihihihi!”

――Of all things, Gimel was truly in joy from the bottom of her heart.

By reconfirming her own faith, it brought her supreme joy that Chikori couldn’t understand at all.

“III, I feel, grateful to you, you know, you gave me a magnificent time……!”

Gimel’s eyes were laughing in joy.

The fighting spirit residing there didn’t wither at the slightest.

She would defeat the enemy of god. Such determination didn’t weaken even for a little.

On the other hand――

“…………-“

Chikori couldn’t move.

Because she had put her everything into the <Meteor Strike> just now.

Her consciousness was cloudy from the back of her head hitting the wall.

She didn’t have any strength remaining to resist.

(I’m sorry, Dorothy-san…… Leader……. Shiori-chan……)

While her vision was darkening, Chikori looked at the figure of Gimel approaching her while dragging the katana that would be aimed at her.

She guessed that Gimel was intending to finish her off.

But, Chikori was already unable to do anything about it,

(……I’m sorry…… Master…………)

Tears leaked out from frustration…… Chikori fell into a darkness where there was not a single streak of light shining.

Part 7

At that time, Sumika was also in the middle of a severely hard fight in the sky of Tokyo life sphere.

The reason was because she was taking on Aleph, who was possessed by the <First Trumpeter> wielding the power of flame, and Bet, who wielded the power of the <Second Trumpeter> that controlled water, at the same time by herself alone.

Rather than saying that this was the adverse effect from filling in the hole in their battle strength that was Chikori, this was the situation that came due to these two regarding Sumika as dangerous the most among the <Special Missionaries> and so they concentrated their battle strength like this.

A <Special Missionary> was a formidable enemy, even in the best of times.

Taking on two at the same time naturally made the outlook for Sumika bad.

――Furthermore,

“ORA ORA ORA ORAAA-! Come on, show me how you are going to protect them-!”

Of all things to do, Aleph and Bet fought Sumika while scattering flame bullets and water cannons aiming at the city below that hadn’t finished their evacuation yet.

“Kuh……-! You fiend……!”

As for Sumika, naturally she couldn’t let herself to not deal with that, each time they attacked the city, she offset the attack with her shooting or sorcery.

But――naturally such way of fighting would create a big opening that would be taken advantage by the enemy.

“Your side is completely defenseless!”

“-……!”

A water ballista flew right from the side.

That attack aimed for the instant where Sumika’s ammo became empty after she shot to protect the city, it was already impossible to intercept.

The attack traveled the shortest distance aiming at Sumika’s heart.

However――

“Haaa-!”

Even while it was very risky for Sumika, she guarded by deploying a chantless Protection.

What was surprising from this situation, was that even being attacked by two people like this, and further with hostages being taken, Sumika didn’t let the enemy inflict a decisive blow and held out just barely.

This could be said to be solely because of her quick wits.

Her sense as someone that had been listed as a S-rank magician while still being a student was, as expected, not something ordinary.

Even Aleph and Bet had to recognize that.

(But… that girl is also already at her limit.)

“Haa-! Haa-! Haa……-!”

The compensation for playing a really active effort in many roles like that was certainly eating at Sumika.

Her face was pale from overtaxing her brain, her fingers were trembling from pressing her gun trigger too many times, her breathing was like a drowning person.

Sumika’s body was in the process of nearing her limit.

However, even so Sumika didn’t retreat even for a single step. Above the sky of Tokyo life sphere, she stood imposingly in front of the two <Special Missionaries>.

On the other hand, Aleph and Bet gave a light applause toward such Sumika,

“Kakaka… ma―n, that’s amazing, amazing, you really protect them well.”

“That’s really unbelievable. That’s why――we will give a present to such a hard worker here.”

Behind their respective backs, fire bullets and water ballistas that were several of dozens more than what they had shot until now, at the same time appeared.

They were playing around with half of their power with Sumika while waiting.

They were waiting for the moment when her stamina reached rock bottom and she became unable to protect anymore.

“~~~~~~~~~~–!!!!”

“You are happy right-? This is the special service of EX stage for the hard worker S-rank magician-san.”

“Counting in total two hundred shots for bullet hell. Do your very best, show us that you can protect them all!”

Together with those words, the murderous barrage floating behind the backs of the two shot all at once.

“U, aAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!”

Against this Sumika activated her <Air Raid> at full force.

In order to cover for the city behind her, she flew out in front of the barrage and intercepted with all her power.

While shooting she refined her sorcery and invoked defensive wall and <Photon Bullet> while simultaneously emptying her bullets.

While intercepting with sorcery she reloaded her bullets using <Material Transference>.

She connected it to her <Quick Draw> in a hairbreadth and at the same time she chanted the sorcery for the next reloading――

It was an act that surpassed the limit of her physique and mind altogether.

Sumika’s body screamed from such act, blood flowed out sordidly from her eyes.

However that was only a matter of course.

It was an abuse of the brain to the level that if it was the average person, their brain would have melted out muddily.

It wouldn’t be strange even if she instantly became an invalid.

But, even so, Sumika gritted her teeth and continued to maintain her sense of self,

“Ha-, a――――, A!”

Even while her body was becoming riddled with wounds, finally she showed how she blocked all the barrage of two hundred shots.

Looking at that wondrous tenacity of Sumika, Aleph was――

“Here is a freebie.”

While ridiculing all of the girl’s act, he directed the 201st flame bullet to the city and threw it.

“Wha-!?”

She had intercepted two hundred shots.

The relief from her success brought an instant where Sumika’s guard was down.

That was fatal.

Because her guard was down, the girl couldn’t immediately react to this 201st shot and missed her chance to intercept.

What she could do to protect the city was only――

To use her body as a shield.

“~~~~~~~~—!”

She operated the <Air Raid> with the whole output.

She plunged into the flame bullet and her body was enveloped in flame explosion.

It was a direct hit where she couldn’t even build a satisfying protective wall.

Naturally the damage from that was great, Sumika’s body fell to the ground just like that.

“Haa…… haa……-“

“Aa―hhaha! That girl really is stupid! To throw her own body into the flame bullet, how funny!”

“Kakaka. Well, don’t laugh Bet. Isn’t that a honorable spirit that is a shame to be left as a renegade?”

Both Sumika’s heart and body had turned worn-out and collapsed on the ground.

Looking down at her, both the <Special Missionary> were laughing joyfully.

“But there’s no mistake that she is an idiot. No matter how noble a spirit she has, if the idiot kicks the bucket then she won’t be able to protect what she actually can.”

It couldn’t be helped for the two of them to think that all of Sumika’s action was foolish from their point of view.

If she abandoned the people of the city to a certain degree right from the start, she might be able to fight a little more respectably.

Sumika didn’t do that.

No, she couldn’t do that.

It could be said as kindness that wouldn’t abandon other people, but for Aleph and Bet, it was nothing but a foolish weak point.

“Die while being drunk in that cheap heroism.”

That was why Aleph announced that with a tone of contempt and created a flame bullet in his palm.

It was in order to burn Sumika’s life to nothing using that.

――But, in that absolutely desperate situation,

“……fufu”

Sumika who collapsed on the ground and looking up at the sky leaked out a small laugh.

“Ah? What is funny?”

“That’s obvious… What’s funny is the two idiots in front of me getting elated in triumph by themselves from wrong thinking.”

“Whaatt?”

“I’m not being drunk from heroism or anything. Something like a hero… I don’t think of becoming one. After all, I don’t have the disposition of protecting everyone by myself alone at all. If I can just buy time, then that’s already great.”

It was right after Sumika said so.

{Notifying everyone of the interception unit!

Just now, the evacuation of all citizens into the geofront has been completed!

It doesn’t matter anymore how much the upper part of the protective wall is destroyed!

Everyone, please proceed to intercept the enemy……!}

That notification of Kinugasa was broadcasted clearly through the whole battlefield.

Naturally, the notification also entered the ears of Aleph and the other, making them being taken aback.

“The evacuation of seven million people of Tokyo life sphere has been finished in this short time he said……!?”

“Even while you were idiotically getting elated, everyone was still fighting.

People with strength took up weapons, the people without escaped to the safe place for even a second faster.

So that they don’t lose anything. So that no one will make them lose anything. ――Everyone is fighting in their own way.

……Despite that, there is no way I can just forsake them as I pleased……!”

And then in this moment, Sumika was finally liberated from the baggage of hostages.

“――With this, I can finally fight properly.”

“Kuh-!”

She could finally fight.

Aleph felt a pressure that made his body tremble from the hostility that was put inside those words, he immediately shot the flame bullet that he created in his palm.

――But that action was already too late due to his carelessness.

Faster than even his flame bullet,

“<FlashFlashbang>.”

Sumika invoked a non-element first grade sorcery <Flashbang> without chanting.

“UO-!”

“Kyaa-!”

The vision of Aleph and Bet were dazzled for a moment.

And then in that one moment, Sumika’s figure disappeared from those two’s field of vision.

“Using a sly technique like that……!”

“This coward, just where is she――”

Trying to search for Sumika who was concealing herself, both of them looked around at their surroundings.

However… there was no need to search. The reason was――

{Listen from beyond o the most shining bright person in the abyss of heaven and earth}

Sumika was standing high in the sky as if she was looking down at the two people, she prepared her gun without even hiding the fierce crimson magic power light.

(<Grim Bullet>……-!)

Aleph guessed that Sumika was trying to use her sure-kill technique from that surging tremendous magic power.

Because until now she had to protect the city, there wasn’t even time to chant, but just now that shackle had been gone. There was no more need to hesitate for Sumika.

If it was <Grim Bullet>, then it would penetrate without minding anything like <Holy Ground>.

This was the worst development for Aleph and Bet――was how it should be. But,

(This idiottt……-!)

“Let’s go Bet!”

“I know already-!”

Against this sure-kill of Sumika, Aleph and Bet showed unhesitating action as if to declare that they had been waiting for this.

They separated into two groups and manifested flame and water sword in their respective dominant hand, they then assaulted Sumika from different directions at the same time.

――That was exactly the countermeasure that the two of them had prepared.

It was the formation that struck at the weak point of <Grim Bullet>.

(Certainly <Grim Bullet> can’t be evaded or blocked or anything once it had been invoked, it’s a powerful sorcery that could even penetrate <Holy Ground>, but… in exchange you got to chant it!)

In other words, it couldn’t be rapid-fired.

If that was the case, then by constantly facing her by two people, if they divided into two groups the moment Sumika entered the motion of <Grim Bullet>… by trading the life of one of them, the blade of the other would be able to reap the life of Sumika with certainty.

Correct. This was why Aleph and Bet were fighting Sumika with the two of them like this.

(It’s better to face her down with hostages as a shield, but this is fine! We also don’t think that we can kill a bastard prodigy like you bastard without sacrifice anyway! We’ll give you the life of one of us! But, the time we take the payment for that, that’s going to be the last of you bastard!)

In response towards this countermeasure of Aleph and Bet’s towards the weakness of <Grim Bullet> that couldn’t be shot rapidly, Sumika right now aimed the other gun to Bet while the gun that was loaded with <Grim Bullet> was aiming at Aleph.

But even if Bet was aimed by gun, she didn’t stop.

――That was natural. There was no need to stop.

Based on how the <Grim Bullet> couldn’t be fired rapidly, the power of Evil God wouldn’t come to Bet’s side.

What would come was just a mere normal bullet.

Against something of that level, it would be repelled away by <Holy Ground> even without her defending.

That was why Bet’s expression didn’t change, she spread her wings and charged to behead Sumika.

Aleph also came at Sumika similarly with his full speed.

――That became the cause of defeat for the two.

{The seething stars shine radiantly in blasphemy announcing the time of destiny to thy

{The seething stars shine radiantly in blasphemy announcing the time of destiny to thy

The person walking riding the wind o the great god of white silence

Living flame o the king of red Formalhaut

Break the eternal precept and stand up tear apart the sky and come here

Invite reign trample

Every stick and stone altogether for the sake of mowing down with thy power}

Right now once more for the sake of displaying thy supremacy in this star}

“ “……—!?!?” ”

Both of them noticed when they got closer until they could hear the voice clearly.

How Sumika was chanting one more curse as if it was overlapping with the tone of the first chanting.

――<Overlapping AriaDual Spell>

A super advanced skill that among all the magicians there were not even five people that could use it.

Aleph and Bet overlooked this from having their eyes stolen by the threat of <Grim Bullet>.

They overlooked Sumika’s talent… the height of her foundation skill as a magician.

Certainly <Grim Bullet> couldn’t be fired rapidly due to the length of its chanting.

But if it was used by the skill of Sumika, it was possible to fire both at the same time.

And then, it was already too late when they noticed their mistake.

They were already accelerating to the degree that they couldn’t brake themselves――

{Rage madly. ――<God of Raging Storm> Ithaqua.}

{Burn to ash. ――<Flaring God> Cthugha.}

“ “――――” ”

Aleph was swallowed by the flaming lion flying out from the right gun’s nuzzle together with his death agony, Bet was frozen by the freezing chill that flew out from the left gun’s muzzle without even time to scream, then that body was smashed into pieces by the bashing storm that was caused by the silver eagle that flew right after the chill.

However, the power of the two evil gods that were liberated didn’t stop at just eating the two.

The two were heading to the ground just like that gliding in the air――――

“'AA'aaa'A'aaaaaaa!?!?!?!?”

“HiiIIAAaAAAA!?!?!?!?”

Gimel who right about now was going to finish off the fainting Chikori with her raised katana and He who was involved in a death match with James, both of them were similarly swallowed like the previous two and their existences disappeared from this earth.

――Of course that was not a coincidence.

Sumika had seen through the tactic of Aleph and Bet of parting into two groups, so she was aiming for this from the start and adjusted her position. She was intentionally making the line of fire of the four people overlap.

James who was understanding that from looking at afar, felt a shudder even more than the reliability he felt.

“……I understood that she is a prodigy, but……”

He never imagined that it would be to this degree.

Even among the S-rank magicians, she was certainly a cut above the rest.

――But, that was how it should be.

The target that Sumika aimed for was in the height that was far higher than even S-rank.

That was why she couldn’t stop at just the level of S-rank.

……From this quick-wittedness of Sumika, almost all the main force of the allied forces had been annihilated.

Sumika and James that became free due to this immediately turned to assist the interception unit, rallying the Japan’s side in one go due to the addition of the two S-rank.

The allied forces that lost their main force was pushed back right away, the majority of them were crushed.

Because there was still reserve forces remaining at the allied forces’ rear, they were by no means annihilated, but the damage inflicted to them was enormous, most of all having the defensive line of Japan’s side rallied back really hurt for them.

It was mostly impossible to make this battle into a short one.

At this point of time, Sumika and others were mostly succeeding in their victory condition to hold out until Homura returned to the life sphere.

And then――almost at the same time.

The showdown between Homura and Michael that was carried out in an abandoned world’s Tokyo life sphere was also reaching its climax.

Part 8

By thinly compressing his own <Holy Ground>, Michael created a giant <Holy Sword> that pierced even through the clouds.

Against this, Homura raised his sword of <Liber Legis> and engraved the spell that called out to a repulsive evil god.

Listen from the interstice of life and death o the person watching dream on the throne at the bottom of water

The seething stars shine radiantly in blasphemy declaring the time of destiny to thy

The person that should come o the great Cthulhu

If thy hear this voice then open thy eyes if this voice reach then exert thine arm

Judgment day the sea is colored by blood R’lyeh is surfacing

Verse theory, as that cursed song kept advancing, the planet began to shake as if it was going mad.

The sea surged, the ground broke, underground water and magma spurted out from everywhere, that situation was, yes, exactly like the primeval earth.

And then, at the earth’s surface which was desolate like that――

“――Open thy eyes. <The King of Killing Sea> Cthulhu!”

That god showed its figure as if turning over the bottom of the sea.

What appeared out to the earth’s surface scattering water spray that was like waterfall, was the majestic appearance of that god.

That thing possessed two arms that even while looking like anthropoid ape, possessed the enormous size that pierced through the clouds even while from the bottom of the sea, its back also had giant wings of a bat that spread covering the sky fully.

Its whole body was wet with sea water, its tentacles covered with scales were like rubber, possibly even like gelatin that was tinged with unique green luster, parts of those tentacles writhed, undulated, like dirty water that was flowing without pause.

And then its body part that seemed to be its head was bloating grotesquely, under its eyeballs that stuck out as if they were scooped out, countless tentacles were wriggling while raising sounds *nucha nucha* that awoken the watcher’s primal disgust.

That repulsive divinity which was hard to describe was exactly the master of the stone-built sanctuary city, R’lyeh, that was sealed in the depths of the Pacific Ocean, the Great Old One that was said would manifest to rule the surface once more when the celestial bodies were assembled――<The King of Killing Sea> Cthulhu.

{―――・・―――・――――・――}

Cthulhu which appeared before Michael and Homura greatly wriggled its tentacles that were like a beard while emitting sound like electronic sound, it thrust its giant arms to the sky.

Thereupon at the sky where the arms were raised, a giant magic circle that was inscribed with shining green hieroglyphz was enfolding.

At the same time, all the water in all the seas above the earth were shining in the same color――and floated up.

The floating water rode fast to the sky as if they were possessing a will.

The water was turning into a few hundred million water currents and gathered at the blade of <Liber Legis> that Homura held up.

And then the large amount of water that was gathered into one, before long was turned into a giant blade that pierced the sky.

(He controlled all the water on this planet into a sword……!)

Just as Michael said, it was a <demon sword> that compressed all the water that existed on this planet with extraordinary pressure.

The seven seas that existed on this earth.

The slash that was established from all that weight, could smash apart even this planet for real.

It was a great feat that couldn’t possibly be used at the previous world where there were living beings.

Homura was also being serious in front of the <Archangel> Michael, a formidable enemy that he had never faced before.

And then, his full power certainly made even Michael feel the pressure.

But――

(It’s just the power of evil god in the first place. Against I, the <Archangel> that received the blessings of god, there is no way such thing can eliminate me!)

Michael was not an existence with a weak heart that would waver against such thing.

The work of god. In order to accomplish that salvation, Michael swung down his <Holy Sword> which possessed all his spirit.

Against this Homura too, in order to save his comrades, he swung the <Demon Sword> staking his magic power and his whole might.

“ “OOOoOOoOooOOOO――――――–!!!!” ”

The blades of the <Holy Sword> and the <Demon Sword> that were swung with all the power that both sides possessed clashed.

Instantly, the clash between the out of norm powers, a shockwave of light was created, the clouds, the trees, the rubbles, the mountains――every single thing that existed on the surface of this death world was smashed into pieces and swept away.

However, even while spreading such destructive power, the two who were exercising this power didn’t even twitch, the blades that the two sides were swinging were also fighting each other without the advantage going which way.

If it kept like this perhaps it would be this star that would meet its end first.

It was such a dangerous rivalry that made one think like that.

But―― such situation didn’t continue for long.

Little by little, but with certainty, the crossing blades were beginning to lean to one side.

The pushing one was――the <Holy Sword> that was shining gold.

The side of the <Archangel> Michael.

“OOoOOoOaAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!”

Producing a voice that was like a roar, Michael put even more strength into the blade that he swung down… pushing back Homura.

<Archangel> was an existence that was sitting in a position that was exceedingly close to the summit of the world called <Heaven>.

On the other hand, no matter how abnormal of a prodigy Homura was, he was to the very end a human.

In that fact existed a difference in potential that was carried since their birth which couldn’t be filled in any way.

And then that difference manifested itself as reality in this match that clashed one’s full might against the other’s full might, finally――

• ZAN-*

Michael’s <Holy Sword> severed Homura’s <Demon Sword> of water from the middle and got the better of the battle.

(This is my… victory-!)

The <Holy Sword> which wasn’t obstructed by anything anymore fell down just like that in order to bisect Homura.

Michael showed his joy from his conviction in victory,

“――!?!?”

In an instant, that expression froze into dumbfoundness.

In his field of vision where not even a single inch ahead could be seen from the shock wave of the annihilation of everything of the earth surface passing through.

The figure of his hateful enemy reflected there was――changing.

Of all things, the one who was holding the broken <Demon Sword> of water was… not Homura.

A little girl enveloped in a red dress.

It was the avatar of his grimoire, Vel.

(~~~~–!)

And then when Michael noticed that substitution, the battle had been already decided.

Deep at the bosom of the dumbfounded Michael,

“That’s a great idiotic expression yeah, <Archangel>-san.”

Homura made use of <Teleport> and stepped in, and unleashed a fist filled with magic power.

Michael who swung down his sword at a mistaken place was completely defenseless.

Toward this surprise attack of Homura, he couldn’t make any response.

Correct, this was what Homura aimed for right from the start.

In order to obtain an even more definite victory.

“Shih-!”

What he unleashed for this chance of a lifetime, was an uppercut that he forced up with all his body.

And it was exactly as Homura aimed for, it grazed the tip of Michael’s jaw accurately.

“Gu, u!?”

Thereupon Michael’s body which was trying to right its stance lurched violently.

It was cerebral concussion.

No matter that he was the <Archangel> himself, the construction of body that he currently used was similar to that of a human.

Consequently if the tip of his jaw was grazed by a strike, a cerebral concussion would be caused by the shaking in the brain floating inside the skull.

Michael couldn’t release himself from such truth.

Like that Homura took away the freedom of Michael’s body, while he was at it he invoked the sorcery to the fist that he thrust up.

He summoned the sword of <Liber Legis>, grasped its handle――

“HAAaa-!!!!”

In a flash he aimed at the neck of Michael who was in cerebral concussion and swung down the blade.

His opening taken, his movement stolen, and a final blow was delivered.

Homura didn’t even give the opponent the slightest chance to counterattack, this was a flowing finishing move that could only be accomplished by real battle experience of a veteran of hundreds of battles.

The instantaneous slash without any hesitation and mercy didn’t allow Michael to evade or defend,

It was just like a black thunder falling down to Michael’s neck――

Crimson flower bloomed in the desolate land.

{Eh……?}

Instantly, a slightly idiotic voice of a girl resounded in the battlefield of the two.

That voice was unmistakably, the voice of Vel which was grasped in Homura’s hand.

But that was only natural. The girl was unable to understand.

Why――

Even though her blade still hadn’t reached Michael’s neck, just how could this much blood come out?

“Gofu-“

But, that baffling question of Vel was only temporary.

The girl also noticed the voice that was like a cloudy groan.

The blood that dirtied the ground was――

Something that came out from the largely opened cavity at Homura’s chest.

{Ma, MASTERRR――――–!?!?}

Part 9

(Nn……?)

A warm something was touching her cheek unpleasantly in drops.

It awakened the consciousness of Shiori who was sinking in darkness.

(Eh, I, was……)

Within her muddy consciousness, Shiori recalled just what happened to her before she lost consciousness.

She encountered Michael inside a pocket dimension, she was restrained… just like that she was swallowed into his body entirely, that was her memory.

Like that, when she recovered the working of her brain until she could remember that, at that time

“――――-! -!”

A voice she remembered hearing before struck her ear.

Shiori knew really well the owner of that voice.

There was no mistake.

The avatar of <Liber Legis>. The voice of that monster.

The annoying avatar of evil god who was trying to pull away Homura from the human world into the world of monsters, so that she could monopolize him alone.

For Shiori who wished for Homura to obtain happiness as a human, Vel was an opponent where hatred was insufficient to describe her feelings.

But, why did she hear her voice like that?

And then, why did the voice of that girl sounded this desperate?

To obtain the answer to that question, Shiori reflexively opened her eyelids,

“Eh――”

She saw the figure of Homura, his chest gouged standing in front of her.

“Ho, mu… ra?”

Unable to swallow the sudden situation, Shiori was dumbfounded.

On the other hand, Homura looked at Shiori who opened her eyes,

“……Aah, that’s great……. So you’re still alive……”

It was a relieved smile from the bottom of his heart.

“-really. This is because, you are sleeping in a place this dangerous…… that I almost cut you down, y’know.”

“That wound of yours……! -!? ――What’s, this……!?”

Most likely Shiori was trying to rush at Homura’s side.

But, Shiori’s body didn’t move forward even for a little.

That was natural.

That was because the girl’s face was half hidden, buried inside the chest of Michael that was exposed bare.

“As expected you stopped your sword. ……So you cannot kill your beloved person for the second time.”

That amazed tone of voice, was Michael’s.

In other words, this was the trick of this situation’s reversal.

In that decisive moment, Homura’s sword should definitely have severed Michael’s life.

But in that last moment timing, Michael let out the trump card that he had prepared beforehand.

Giving a glimpse of the hostage that was Shiori, he thrust before Homura the fact that killing him meant killing Shiori.

As a result, Homura stopped his sword just barely.

And then, in that fatal opening, Homura’s chest was gouged open by a holy art.

“If you care for human life until that much, it would be better if you only advance in the path of faith praying to god. If you just did that… surely you wouldn’t need to shoulder such great sorrow with that body of man.”

There was not even a little bit of tension anymore within Michael’s voice.

He was convinced.

That Homura was already… a dead person walking.

In actuality, Homura’s internal organs together with his breastbones had already been blown away, no matter how excellent a magician Homura was, it was difficult to preserve his life like that.

After vomiting out even more large amounts of blood from his mouth, Homura fell down on the spot.

But―― before his body fell down to the ground, he grasped the arm that Michael thrust forward to release the holy art, that grip strongly held on to the degree that his nails caused blood to come out. Homura held his ground like that.

And then,

“Kukuku…… hahahahaha-……!”

Even while blood was leaking out from his mouth, Homura laughed without minding that.

Looking at that reaction of Homura, Michael asked with a dubious expression. “What is funny?” He asked.

In response Homura answered as if spitting out.

“It’s obvious just what the hell is funny, you stupid idiot―. You said out something idiotic. The god of you assholes… has he saved us even once huh? That time, when my family was killed… That time, when Shiori was at that hell… That time when Typhon burned cities, when mankind itself was ruined… You assholes, just what the hell were you doing then?”

They didn’t do anything.

When humanity was lamenting, praying, begging for salvation, there was nothing that rewarded them.

Homura knew that to a painful degree.

“Then there ain’t nothing to do, but to protect them myself……!”

But the angel didn’t try to understand that grievance of Homura.

“Those trials were also all the will of god. It’s going to far even beyond your station to try to surmise that with that body of man. ……Humans only need to believe and pray to god no matter what kind of time they are in. If they do that, then no matter how much their bodies are ruined, they will receive the blessing of having their soul guided to the paradise of god.”

It was a one-sided salvation that was too condescending in all respects.

It was a stance that didn’t try to understand even for a little bit, the sense of values of humans who only possessed a single body and a single heart.

And yet, these people were exclaiming salvation with loud voices.

It was already a story where he could do nothing but laugh.

It was also only natural for Homura to laugh out.

“This talk just ain’t going anywhere. I’m not calling for you. Shitty bastard.”

A scorn spitted out together with blood. In response to that,

“That’s my line. In your trial you didn’t pray, didn’t believe in god, you made use of the power of evil and imitated god. You violated god’s privilege of [salvation]. That’s a great sin. God will not save you anymore. In the salvation that will be carried out after this, ――is not of any concern to you anymore.”

Michael put magic power into the arm that Homura clutched.

Golden magic power light was manifested in his palm.

That was the same thing with the holy art that gouged Homura’s chest just now.

“Leave this world without leaving a single dust behind. You foolish <traitor>.”

Michael once more directed that power of destruction to Homura, he was going to shoot him.

Homura whose body was already dead didn’t have any way to resist, that attack would surely thoroughly burn his life with certainty.

“Homuraa! Run! Just run… please-!”

Imagining that future, the pale Shiori yelled as if she was going to vomit blood.

There is no need to care of whatever happened to her anymore, so just run, she pleaded.

But, toward such Shiori, Homura was… of all things, he directed to her a powerful smile persistently,

“I’ll save you for sure. Just wait.”

“-…………!?”

Instantly――, the light shot out mercilessly from Michael’s palm.

The fired flame of light swallowed Homura in the blink of an eye――

“――――――”

Altogether with the words that he let out in his dying moment, everything was burned to nothing, leaving not even a single dust behind.

Part 10

At that time, even in Tokyo life sphere… something unbelievable was happening.

“――――eh”

In drops, something red spilled out from the corner of Sumika’s mouth together with a frothing sound.

When she dropped her sight, a golden blade wet with blood was piercing out from her chest.

And then that blade was unmistakably,

――the <Artifact・Excalibur>.

“Finally, you showed an opening that is really an opening.”

That voice tone which seemed to be apologetic somehow, belonged to the <White Knight> Sir James, who stabbed her in that instant that was not even a second where her <Back Sniper> was slightly dulling from the continuous battle.

“Wh, y……-“

Toward the sudden attack of this man that was supposedly their ally, Sumika directed a gaze that was mixed with doubt and surprise to him that asked “Why?”

“There is nothing else to it. From the beginning I came to Japan in order to do this. ……After all I understand that without the <Evil God User>, it’s the <Grim Bullet> that will be the biggest obstacle. In order to bring you down with certainty, I prepared this trick.”

“From, the start…… so you tricked us……-“

James nodded a little towards that blaming.

“Before I came to Japan…… I met Michael-sama. And then I was taught. The life of all of you the people of Tokyo life sphere will become the cornerstone for mankind’s heaven. I had resolved my heart since that time. ……If the world can be saved from the threat of demons for eternity just with seven million sacrifices, then all of you should become sacrifices.”

“James, san……-“

“I feel regretful. I am also aware that this is an act that is out of bound. However―― if by my falling into heresy I can save my motherland, then I will happily turn into a snake……!”

Saying that, James pulled out <Excalibur> from Sumika’s body.

And then, even faster than Sumika turning to him and aiming her gun muzzle――

The girl’s neck, was lopped off with a single stroke.

The parted head and body scattered fresh blood while falling into the Tokyo life sphere beneath.

That sight―― was witnessed by the leader of the allied forces, Innocentius, through the mind transmission from James.

“So the sowed seed finally sprouted.”

“Mr. James is our spy!?”

“Indeed. ……After all there is no such thing of being too careful against the <Grim Bullet>.”

Innocentius returned such words towards Joseph who was shocked of this hidden ace, then Innocentius notified the whole army.

{The whole army is to turn back and attack! The enemy’s main force has died! Crush them in one breath-!}

“ “ “U O O o O o O O O o O O O O O O o O――――――!!!!” ” ”

Raising up war cry, the allied forces’ soldiers turned from their retreating battle and moved out in offense.

Originally the interception unit barely rivaled the allied force’s [number superiority] with their [individual superiority] starting with the S-rank magicians like Sumika.

With this betrayal of James, the flow of the battlefield tilted to the allied forces’ side in one go.

“The allied forces are turning to offense without stopping! We cannot push them back at all!”

“Kuh……! Of all things, for this to happen-!”

SOS signals were entering the command room of Tokyo life sphere from everywhere without pause.

If the situation kept like this, it was only a matter of time before their battle front crumbled.

Especially the side of Tokyo bay that was assisted by the traitor James was in a bad situation.

That place was already the place where the enemy was concentrated, in addition there was even a hole that was opened there.

In two, three more minutes the enemy would break through there for sure.

And then, once they allowed the enemy’s breakthrough, it would become a total rout next.

Surely the enemy would then gain total control until the geofront in one stretch.

However, even if they tried to defend, the only one who could deal with James, Onjouji Kai, was now busy with suppressing Wan Tairon.

They had no piece that could hold back a S-rank.

There was no more cards available to Kinugasa.

Already,

(Homura-san…… you still haven’t finished yet……!?)

There was nothing he could do except praying for the hero’s return.

Thereupon――

Uneventful empire meeting sunset in the innermost bottom of Severn valley o the evil divinity crawling the ground

The seething stars shine radiantly in blasphemy announcing the time of destiny to thy

Suddenly, a voice that Kinugasa knew well was spreading, enveloping the whole of Tokyo life sphere.

“This voice is……!”

That was the voice of the young man that they were exactly waiting for right now.

{Homura-san! You have come back!}

Kinugasa immediately attempted a mind transmission.

But―― there was no reply coming back.

No, far from that, the transmission didn’t even get connected.

(……?)

Just what was the meaning of this?

Putting aside Kinugasa who didn’t comprehend the situation, the ritual prayer was spinned――

The lord of corridor o the person forced to choice

The key of amalgam right here Thy castle gate is opened for the sake of my friend

Arraying a hundred rakshasa on the street of the lost continuing to the abyss blow the trumpet of welcome

The stars were resonating in concert with the spun words.

The rain clouds that hung low over the battlefield began to form a giant vortex, sending myriads of thunderbolts to the ground.

“UWAaAA!?”

“What in the world is happening……!?”

The soldiers in the battlefield screamed from this cataclysm that was like the end of the world.

But James was,

(――――- this, spell is……)

He knew that these cursed words were an exchange of spell with an evil god.

And then, it was exactly like his premonition――

The deceiving <God of Labyrinth> Eihort

At the same time with the last binding words, the world distorted, an enormous evil manifested.

“Wh, what the hell is thissss!?!?”

“Flea……? No, that’s, spider?”

Just like that soldier somewhere said, [that] which came down from the center of the vortex of sea of cloud was a mysterious appearance that was a combination of flea and spider.

It was a sheathing flesh that made one thought of a soft and flabby bloated evil tumor.

From that tumor, innumerable gnarled legs that looked similar with the nerve ganglion of insects were sticking out.

And then, scarlet eyeballs in the number that might be as many as those legs.

Those eyeballs surveyed the surrounding without any oversight, their blinking was hard to describe and inspired discomfort.

This decaying flesh that was modeled after insect, giving form to an ominous shape of evil, was exactly the lord of the underground labyrinth that existed deep under the ground of Severn valley in Britain, the <Great Old One> Eihort.

And then… the one who could summon these <evil gods> in their complete shape to this world, there was only one person in this whole world――

“Don’t tell me, was Michael-sama defeated……!?”

Looking at the figure of the evil god descending before his eyes, James went pale from imagining the worst development.

The defeat of Michael meant that all their expectations would come to nothing.

However, when he looked for it, as expected the figure of Homura couldn’t be found anywhere,

“――–!”

Putting aside that uneasiness of James, Eihort showed a movement.

The scarlet eyeballs that were restlessly surveying the surroundings suddenly stopped moving, just when it looked like the eyes were going to close all at once, all the eyes opened the widest it could,

Simultaneously, light of chalk white color surged out from the opened eyeballs, painting over the world to white.

“UWAaA-!”

“What is it this time-!”

Inside the white darkness, the soldiers of the allied forces put themselves on guard.

But, even after waiting there was nothing that was like an attack coming at them.

Wondering what the heck was going on, as the light settled down, they sent their gaze to Eihort――but,

“Wha, t…………?”

When color returned to the world, the appearance of that ominous god was already gone.

――No, not only Eihort.

Of all things, the soldiers of Tokyo life sphere that they were fighting until just now.

Their figures were also vanishing.

Even until the corpses that were lying down on the ground, all of it.

In exchange what appeared in front of the allied forces’ soldiers was…… black mist.

Inside the protective wall that protected Tokyo life sphere, all was covered by a hemisphere that looked completely like a dome by muddy jet black mist.

Epilogue

Part 1

A hour after the disappearance of Tokyo life sphere’s soldiers together with Eihort.

The soldiers of the allied forces succeeded in completely surrounding Tokyo life sphere.

But……

“What is this mist?”

“I cannot see anything inside……?”

The allied forces was hesitating in front of the unknown black mist that suddenly enveloped Tokyo life sphere at the same time with Eihort’s disappearance.

“This is eerie. Like this is the entrance of hell.”

It was a thick darkness like mud where you couldn’t even see an inch ahead.

Perhaps the soldiers of the allied forces also sensed something hair-raising from the eerie darkness, they exposed their insecurity from their mouth.

While ignoring the voices of those soldiers, Innocentius was in the command center that had been moved in front of the hole that He had opened, he was talking through mind transmission with the leader of the scouts formed from a hundred soldiers that had been sent inside.

{Captain. What is the situation inside?}

A reply from the leader of the scouting unit came back with a deep sound of noise.

{――The sight becomes clear when we enter inside. It seems that the mist is only at the entrance. It’s just……}

{Just what, is there something?}

{This place is not Tokyo life sphere is it? ……There is a tunnel created from brick covered in growing moss continuing ahead. This place is like a labyrinth.}

“Labyrinth you said……”

“Chih, just what is going on with this……”

The countermeasure of Tokyo life sphere’s side that was beyond their expectations exasperated and confused not only Innocentius, but also Tairon and the others.

Sure enough, now the question was if it was okay to let their main force to charge inside like this.

To begin with, was that labyrinth something really connected with the geofront where Tokyo life sphere’s seven million people were evacuating?

They couldn’t grasp even a single definite information.

That was why both the leaders and the army couldn’t move.

And then, in front of them who was confused like that,

“I see. I thought that he was doing something in his dying moment, so he was doing something like this.”

Golden color spread out in air where there was nothing, before long it took the shape of a humanoid with wings and landed softly in front of Innocentius and the others.

Their savior Michael had defeated Homura and had returned from the parallel world’s Tokyo.

“Mi, Michael-sama!”

“You are here means that you have taken care of the <Evil God User> then!”

Toward that question of Tairon whose face was colored with expectation, Michael gave a decisive nod.

Looking at that reply, the <Five Great Leaders> raised their voices in joy.

“Magnificent! We are finally liberated from that cursed young man.”

“Aah! How long we have waited for this day……-“

“With this all the obstacles for the accomplishment of god’s work is cleared away……. What’s left is only to use the residents of Tokyo life sphere to pile up the stone wall of the paradise…..”

When Innocentius whispered that, he stared at the deep darkness peeking out from the hole that He opened and asked Michael.

“Michael-sama. Just what is this black mist, do you understand this?”

Michael nodded to this and answered back.

“This mist is a boundary. The destination on the other side of this mist is not Tokyo life sphere anymore, but it already turned into a labyrinth that twisted time and space where the <Evil God> Eihort is living. It appears that the <Evil God User> hid all the humans of the Tokyo life sphere in the deepest part of this labyrinth with the last of his remaining power.”

“In other words, there is no doubt that ahead of this there are the people of Tokyo life sphere then?”

“Yes. The exit of this labyrinth is connected to Tokyo life sphere. It seems that the vanished soldiers are also there. ……I have absorbed the body of the girl, so I can see really well. Of course, that’s including the distance until the destination.”

“Ooh! Then we are going in quickly! <Evil God User> and <Grim Bullet> already kicked the bucket, and the <White Knight> is also together with us, there ain’t any battle strength that need to be feared anymore left in Japan. What is left is just a fixed match!”

“Our paradise is already in front our eyes!”

“Well then, let’s start the reorganization of the troops quickly.”

Hearing the reliable words of Michael, the <Five Great Leaders> were eager to advance the preparation for the army’s march.

But Michael spoke to them who were like that.

“No. ……It’s impossible for all of you children of men to travel through this labyrinth.”

“Eh?”

The <Five Great Leaders> were all directing their gazes at Michael wondering what he meant.

It was at that moment.

{He, headquarters! Headquarters! Please respond-!}

A transmission from the scouting unit came to them with the sound riddled all over with even thicker noise.

It was hard to listen with all the noise, but that voice was in a state of panic.

{What’s wrong!? Has something happened!?}

{Something’s here, u, uaa, GYAAAAAAAAA!!!!}

{-!?}

Suddenly, a shriek that directly hit their brain could be heard, making the faces of Innocentius and the others grimace.

And then, that shriek was not stopping in just one.

{Headquarters! Shit-! Inside the mist is a nest of monsters!}

{Hi, do, don’t come hereee!}

{Noooooooo! Headquarters, save ussssss!}

Voices of unit members came in rapid succession shrieking and begging for rescue.

Those voices were increasing without stopping, and then the voices began to decrease rapidly after a certain limit.

What resounded in exchange was the sounds of bones being pulverized to pieces and the slurping sounds of a liquid that sounded highly viscous.

And then―― the eerie sounds of uncountable somethings moving around *kasakasa* with countless small legs.

……The transmission was completely filled with such sounds, then finally not a single scream could be heard anymore,

“……The life response from the scouting unit has ceased.”

Headquarters’ <Operator> that was chasing after the beacon of the scouting unit announced that with a trembling voice.

“Michael-sama, that’s……”

“Eihort’s labyrinth is not only making time and space getting out of order, a great number of creatures are patrolling inside. I guess the scouts were attacked by those.”

“Shit……! That brat, he left something troublesome just before he died.”

“What do we do? All of the soldiers are exhausted. It will be hard for them to defeat the monsters while heading to the deepest part with their condition.”

What Leti pointed out was correct.

From the previous battle, the allied forces also had to bear loss that was by no means few.

They didn’t know how strong these creatures were, but it was the protection that the <Evil God User> had left behind by wringing out his last strength.

It was not something truly threatening, but this threat couldn’t be made light of.

It was surely dangerous to charge inside while still being exhausted like this.

After surmising that, Innocentius decided.

“……Then, let’s enter a complete rest once for twelve hours. Use that time for treating the injury and redistributing equipment, we will also reorganize the units.”

“I’m in favor of your grace’s thinking. We have taken care of the enemy’s main force in any case. There will be nothing troubling us even if we more or less reorganize our stance.”

The other <Five Great Leaders> also showed their understanding to this decision of Innocentius.

But――

“No. There is no need for that. After all everything is still within the range of the original assumption.”

Michael displayed a rejection to Innocentius’ decision,

――At the same time, he spread his golden wings and deployed a gigantic magic circle towards the sky.

“ “ “Eh?” ” ”

Beginning from the <Five Great Leaders>, all the people in that place looked up to the sky… and got dumbfounded.

The reason was because the deployed magic circle… was exactly the same with the holy art that was attempting to tear off the life of the residents of Tokyo life sphere before this.

“ “ “GUAAAaAa――――――――-!” ” ”

At the same time with their understanding of what that meant, the magic circle began to shine as if it was burning.

And then the pulling power that was like the bones and organs inside the body were forcibly pulled out which assaulted the residents of Tokyo life sphere before this, attacked all the soldiers of the allied forces this time.

The soldiers fell to the ground from the intense agony, they then writhed around while frothing in their mouth.

“Mi, Michael-sama, just what in the world are you doing……!?”

Toward this action of Michael that they had never even imagined, the double-crossing <White Knight> Sir James looked up and asked Michael while perspiring with a cold sweat.

Hearing that question, Michael… answered very naturally without even a little bit of guilt.

“Hadn’t I said it? It’s impossible for all of you to invade this labyrinth. That’s why, I’ll have all of you to surrender your body to the force of heaven… the angels.”

“Wha……!”

“If one is not a <Special Missionary> that have received the acknowledgment of god, angels cannot possess their body, but… it’s a different story if the inside of the body is empty.”

“Thi, this is different from what we talked!”

“Asshole, didn’t you say, that you will give this land to us to rule over!”

Leti and Tairon fell to their knees while protesting.

However toward their protest, Michael only tilted his head as if saying ‘Goodness gracious’, unable to understand just what were they being indignant for,

“That’s correct. What will be created from now on is no other than that, a paradise for the sake of all of you humans. The souls of all of you will sprout as new lives in that paradise, I promise that you will be blessed with glory.”

He declared out such thing.

“You, you fucking idiot! Something like that, won’t be us at all ain’t it!?”

Such reasoning couldn’t possibly be accepted at all.

Tairon protested while affixing angry look at his pale face.

But――

“That’s only a trivial matter. After all even without the memory of flesh, the soul is still something of yours in the end.”

“-――!?”

Michael didn’t show even a little bit of understanding.

Seeing this behavior… whether he wanted it or not Tairon was reminded of Onjouji Kai’s words.

――It seems you intend to make the angel your ally, but do you think that those angels will comprehend the sense of values of all of you?

It was exactly as that man said.

Angels didn’t comprehend the sense of values of humans.

And then, at the same line, the salvation that they brought about was also not something that a human could understand.

“It shouldn’t, be like……-“

Beginning from Innocentius who was of advanced old age, the people of the allied forces had their souls torn off one after another.

The torn off soul came outside from the mouth in the shape of a fiery ball before they were absorbed into the shining magic circle in the sky.

What was left behind were only the empty corpses.

Michael was serious.

He was seriously intending to kill them and steal their bodies.

Tumbling down on top of each other and then seeing the piling up corpses, Tairon was convinced of that,

“This, SHITTY BASTARDDDD!!!!”

He took out <Fangtian Huaji> and swung it down with all his might aiming at Michael’s neck.

But―― Michael blocked the blade of Tairon who had obtained the power of the <Flying General> by pinching it with his two fingers.

And then…… with a sweet smile, as if a mother was smiling softly to sooth a scared child,

“……O child of man. There is nothing to fear. How joyous it is for all of you that can participate in this work of god. God will surely, reward the souls of all of you.”

He admonished Tairon who was attacking him.

Even while overflowing with endless compassion, thinking from the bottom of his heart about humans… it was a thinking incompatible to the end with human’s wish.

“~~~~~~-“

How, distant――.

Tairon realized their own shallowness,

“…………Gu, a, ……”

Similarly with other people, he also vomited his soul from his mouth and crumbled down on the ground.

Before long, there was not even a single person that could move on to the land of Tokyo life sphere.

{O my brothers. Please assemble for the sake of accomplishing god’s work.}

Michael faced the sky and loudly raised his voice.

Thereupon, the magic circle that was shining golden in the sky cracked altogether with the black clouds at the background and warmly shone like a sun.

When that warm light illuminated the cold collapsing corpses on the ground… the tumbled corpses of humans experienced a change.

White wings grew from their back and one after another they began to wake up.

Correct. It was the force of angels who lived in heaven.

Right now, they made the dead bodies of humans as their vessels and descended down to the human world.

Michael talked to two angels among his brothers that were descending down to earth who were possessing the flesh of James and Tairon.

“The people called S-rank are quite a superior flesh within human limitations, but how is your condition in actuality? My brothers, Raphael, Gabriel.”

Toward this question, the angel who was possessing the body that was called James,

“No problem.”

He answered frankly, on the other hand Raphael who was possessing Tairon’s body,

“Hmm? Well, as expected this is not a custom made product like your body, so our strength fell down quite considerably, but this is the body of an imperfect human in the first place. I cannot really ask for luxury.”

He answered so with a tone that didn’t suit that strict bear-like face.

The two of them together with Michael were the three angels.

They were the ones who were called <The Three Archangel>, the greatest battle strength of heaven.

Both of them organized their army in heaven and were waiting for Michael’s calling.

In other words from the beginning, Michael was leading the allied forces to this land for the sake of using them as vessels.

Looking at the way those angels were doing thing,

“Ahahahahaha. That guy really makes for a terrific spectacle again.”

*Pachi pachi*, an applause together with ridiculing voice suddenly resounded out of nowhere.

Part 2

“ “ “-…………!” ” ”

The angels directed their gazes at the direction of the voice that they had never heard before all at once.

Ahead of the gaze where they turned to.

On top of the rubbles of the building that crumbled down from the fires of war, a black-skinned youth was standing.

That was the youth which had a chanced meeting with Sumika in the [John Doe Old Book Hall] before this.

While that youth made a smile on his shudderingly good looks, he praised the angels.

“You eloquently manipulated the idiotic humans with sweet words, then after you use every little bit of them just as you told them, you killed and stole their bodies, what the hell, isn’t that actually a pretty wonderful hobby? I say, if I don’t work hard too then my character will get upstaged like this huh.”

“……You. <The Crawling Chaos> huh.”

“I have also been called that. You can call me whatever you like. After all I’m anyone and I’m no one.”

Hearing that answer from the youth, each angel of the forces of heaven produced shining sword or spear and got ready for battle.

In response to that, the youth――<The Crawling Chaos> waved his hands flusteredly,

“Aa―, stop, stop. Come on, don’t get so on guard like that. I don’t particularly intend to get in the way of you guys for the human sake or anything. Of course I also don’t have any intention of fighting. I like humans, however, direct intervention like that is just not to my liking.”

He claimed that he didn’t have any hostility.

In fact, this statement of <The Crawling Chaos> was true.

He didn’t have the least bit of intention to fight.

The one who grasped that fact was Gabriel who had the disposition of a warrior.

He commanded the forces of heaven with his hand and took a step forward towards <The Crawling Chaos>, then he questioned him with a sharp gaze like an eagle.

“Then what is your business that makes you appear before us? Our relationship is not one where we can talk harmoniously.”

Hearing this question, <The Crawling Chaos> smiled joyfully from the bottom of his heart and answered.

“Yeah, well― I guess that’s true. I’m just thinking that I’ll give you all who are going to hunt the humans hiding inside Eihort’s labyrinth after this a single warning.”

“Warning?”

“Correct. A warning. ……You guys keep saying something about imperfect or salvation, it seems that you all really are underestimating the humans, but… different with you all who are getting comfy in a place higher than even the stars looking down on the humans. I have been nestling close to humans from a very close place until now. That’s why I know. About human’s weakness, and also a certain strength of theirs that compensates for it.”

“Nfufu. And here I was thinking what you are going to say, how worthless. Something like the strength of humans who had lost the <Evil God User>, is of no importance at all.”

“No such thing at all. Certainly Homura-kun was a transcendent [Ultimate One]. ……But until the end that was a [strength] of an individual, that’s a little bit different with [human strength]. ……Well, it’s not something that can really be looked down, only if you all don’t want to lose face unnecessarily.”

He shook his <burning three eyes> as if smiling and warned them, the angels, of such a thing.

Those words… were the true feelings of <The Crawling Chaos> that had been continuously observing the human race from really close for a long period.

He was seriously thinking so.

That humans possessed the strength that could possibly defeat angels.

……Even in the case, that a hero possessing preeminent power like Homura wasn’t with them.

Towards this warning of the outer god,

“――――”

Michael didn’t return any words and stopped gazing at <The Crawling Chaos> as if it was truly worthless listening to him, he directed his step towardd Eihort’s labyrinth.

The surrounding angels were surprised from that act of Michael.

“Michael-sama! We are not going to defeat that person?”

“Yes. I don’t mind to leave him be.”

“He is going to vanish like mist even if we kill him anyway. That thing is nothing more than a part of <The Crawling Chaos> after all.”

“Just taking him as an opponent is a pointless waste of time.”

Saying that, the other <Archangels> also cut their gaze from <The Crawling Chaos> like Michael and stood in front of the labyrinth.

If that was the opinion of the <Three Archangels>, then the other angels also couldn’t interject.

Even while feeling uncomfortable to not hand down judgment in front of such a great evil, the force of heaven still continued after the three.

“Then, we are going now. In order to save this world, and also those children of man.”

Part 3

Like this――

Tokyo life sphere had averted annihilation due to the <Evil God User> Kamishiro Homura’s quick wittedness, now the place was hidden in the very depths of Eihort’s labyrinth including the space inside the protective wall.

But, it was nothing more than a temporary stopgap.

Michael had summoned the forces of heaven and set out to invade the labyrinth with perfect readiness.

The creatures jostling inside the labyrinth possessed quite the strength within limitations, but they didn’t possess the strength to stop the forces of heaven led by the <Archangel> Michael who was victorious over Homura even if it was due to a cowardly method.

In addition, by absorbing Shiori, Michael was now endowed with extremely high <enemy searching ability> that Shiori possessed.

In front of that power, no matter how complicated the labyrinth was it would not accomplish anything.

And then when Japan would face them the next time, the chances of victory for Japan who had lost all of their main force was… none.

――That was how it seemed.

But… that was a mistake.

The tide of era was something mysterious, during the long history of the human race, in the [turning points] that moved the many eras, there were always the figure of [hope] that appeared like a glittering star.

They were the figures of courageous humans who were unyielding against any kind of despair, exerting and risking their own lives to win the future.

Correct, as long as humans didn’t give up fighting in order to live, then, no matter how dark with no salvation the era was, there would always be a gleam of hope.

And then such thing hadn’t come to an end.

Such thing was, right now, even in this moment――……

“……u…………”

The hopegirl lifted up her eyelids together with a gentle awakening that soaked into her.

And then, she raised her upper body from the cold asphalt and inserted her hand into her pocket.

What she took out was… a humanoid that was plainly made wrapped in string.

It was something that was called a <Voodoo Doll>.

The moment she took that out, the doll was torn off from above its neck.

As if it was bisected by a sharp blade.

――<Voodoo> was a sorcery system that manipulated life and death.

The <Voodoo Doll> that was created by that knowledge was so to speak a stock of life.

It could undertake [death] in place of the owner for just once.

“……Of all things, to be saved by that evil god……”

After whispering with a little dissatisfaction in her tone like that, the girl threw away that humanoid doll.

Because it was something that didn’t have any use anymore.

And then… raising her body that was on the verge of death with willpower―― the <Grim Bullet> Hoshikawa Sumika stood up.

To fight for the sake of living.

Whether it was now or in the past, not a single thing had changed, that heart harbored the pride of the living.

In order to stand against the despair of 144,000 that would visit after this――……

Afterword

The third volume of [Ultimate Antihero], thank you very much for purchasing this.

This is Misora Riku who even now cannot get his cat at home to be emotionally attached to him.

That child of mine, now when I’m inside the house it would act like a stray cat for some reason.

But even with all that it’s still unfairly cute, that sly cat.

The third volume of Antihero had the story moved largely, so it was fun when I was writing the plot.

When I was thinking about the character of the Special Missionary, I was thinking as if I’m operating fully the strange circuit that I didn’t really have the chance to use since my first debut (a work in GA Bunko called [Exceed of Judgment]).

The supervisor-san who give me the impetus for this story’s idea. And then Nardack-san who kindly drew the illustrations that enliven this tale. Truly, thank you very much.

Now then, this time there is a lot of evil god making their appearance, but even among them the one that I like the most is Eihort.

Quachil Uttaus too, it fastened the time of the surrounding and decayed material into dust by degradation over time, since it entered and descended down until around when it was called as the <Treader of the Dust> my heart kept going ‘kyun kyun’, but Eihort-san the bisexual that dragged human into its labyrinth without minding man or woman storing them in its womb like chicks is truly beast-like that makes one feel that it’s truly an evil god, how magnificent that is.

In the fourth volume the opponent will be the marching forces of heaven, where I plan a development of siege battle in Eihort’s labyrinth. Because this time Homura got into great disaster, I guess it will be a do-or-die situation for the one more leading character in this tale, Sumika. Please look forward to her hard work in the future by any means.

Also this [Ultimate Antihero], the truth is that it is being comicalized in [Wednesday Sirius] by Uonumayuu-sensei. If it’s alright with you then by any means I too will be happy if you read that too.

Well then, let’s meet again at the fourth volume’s afterword.

References

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