The bitter struggle was still ongoing.
"So annoying!"
Haia's impatient voice was drowned out by the noise of the battlefield.
Even Heaven's Blade successors didn't have battle experience against consecutive enemies possessing strong regenerative ability.
Even if a wound was treated that didn't mean strength had recovered. For the moment, they were in a condition where they were able to act, but their fighting ability had lowered quite a bit.
This was an evident fact for the other Heaven's Blade successors as well, making Haia's mind ease up slightly.
"Though we can't resolve the problem like this~"
Haia avoided the things like fangs that flew by.
The originally vile, twisted monster had now become a giant tower sitting in the center of Grendan, emitting an unknown atmosphere.
A somewhat nauseating, organic tower.
It changed the feeling of the environment to something different for those who were familiar with the city Grendan.
The giant tower randomly shot out teeth-like objects.
Dodging these teeth while carrying out attacks was their current battle plan.
Though it was a monotonous battle, they needed time to prepare in order to be able to release a Kei technique with sufficient destructive power to defeat that regenerative strength.
"Does anyone still have any killer techniques?"
Seeing the cut paths that he slashed out slowly disappear, Haia clicked his tongue while saying something regarding shirking responsibility.
"If I did then I would have already used them."
Claribel's voice carried weariness.
"Ah, if it were Master......"
"If I had that kind of ability at this time, I would be incredible."
Troyatte smiled wryly.
"......Though, if it were Barmelin, she should be able to do something."
"You're annoying. Go die, you dung beetle."
(Everyone's still so spirited.)
Elsmau spoke helpless words.
"Ah, even if we let out angry voices it's no use."
Troyatte ignored the thorns that the Psychokinesis brought, smiling.
"But if this goes on we can't talk about going underground to rescue them, but instead we should request them to help us."
"If that side determines a winner, then shouldn't this thing disappear?"
Haia asked a question towards Troyatte's words.
"If this thing is a leftover body of that first thing then it would probably be that way. Ah...... I can only hope."
As he put it, right now Haia could only maintain silence.
At the same time as this conversation was being carried out, the battle still continued.
Haia's slashes, Troyatte and Claribel's Karen Kei, Barmelin's cannon strikes...... various Kei techniques battered the flesh of the towering monster.
But even like this, there was no way to overcome its regenerative ability.
It seemed like they could only stop their opponent from proliferating.
"Annoying......"
Barmelin said her mantra.
Haia also thought this.
It already counted as a great help that the opponent's offensive power wasn't strong.
"How long is this kind of shitty game going to continue."
Barmelin carried out her cannon strikes while talking indignantly.
"What's that person doing?"
Her words indicated the person on a building far from the battlefield.
"I wouldn't have done something like standing in a high-up spectator position after debuting gorgeously."
"Long-winded."
Ignoring the conversation between Barmelin and Troyatte for the time being, Haia also felt a strange feeling.
The person there should be the one called Nina.
He didn't remember having much contact with her when he had been in Zuellni, but she should be a person with a strong sense of justice suitable for a Military Artist.
She shouldn't have the kind of style to spectate from afar.
"......Maybe she's playing with us?"
"It's nothing like that!"
Claribel claimed, shouting out.
"Speaking of which, you also went to Zuellni, right?"
Troyatte butted in.
"What kind of person is she? Also, how did she come here? Both you and that girl."
"That...... I don't really understand either."
"Haa...... I'll pretty much lose my energy if everything's an inexplicable thing."
"No, please don't lose your energy."
Ignoring the banter between the two, Haia grabbed the Psychokinesis flake next to him.
"I said...... do you know any clues or not~?"
The one he asked was Felli.
Her Psychokinesist self had definitely already communicated with Nina.
(If I knew then it wouldn't be annoying.)
He had originally thought she would keep silent, but he didn't think that Felli would make a reply.
But, the contents of the reply didn't make any developments in the situation.
"Really~!"
They couldn't just rely on talking right now.
Haia focused his mind on the battle.
How long would this continuous, see-sawing battle keep going for... Haia gave up on conversation, beginning to search his mind for a way to resolve this.
(What's going on with you?)
Felli's voice wasn't panicked.
Rather, it should be said that she was keeping calm to confirm any responses.
Nina kept silent.
But, her eyes didn't move from the battle.
Above her head...... Of course, her consciousness hadn't left there either.
She kept paying attention to the pieces of the moon floating in space.
More would come.
Schneibel had said this.
Things that had been closed off inside the prison of a moon would descend.
Nina's strength existed to fight with those things. Yes, Schneibel had said so.
So, she couldn't waste her strength here.
Nina clenched her teeth.
Nina knew she wasn't the kind of person to be content with this. Giving the battle before her to others and preparing for the next battle wasn't the kind of thing that Nina's style would do.
But......
(Captain?)
But, it was only because of strength that the current Nina stood here, because of strength that didn't rely only on Nina.
Not only the Haikizoku, not only the Electronic Fairy that had saved her, but also the three Electronic Fairies that she had inherited from her great-grandfather.
Thinking of her great-grandfather, she couldn't make the wrong move now.
But......
"Is this really alright?"
She asked of herself.
Why had she come here?
In order to directly face the world's crisis.
She had come for this.
So she had listened to Schneibel.
That was also the correct choice.
Necessary strength had a necessary situation to be used in. This was a natural way of thinking for one who thought about battle tactics. It was the most appropriate way of thinking for one who could view the entire overall situation.
Nina was also the platoon captain of the seventeenth platoon.
She could also do this kind of thinking.
But, even so......
The battle still continued.
Though they were currently in a stalemate situation, in the end it would become a situation unfavorable for them.
They couldn't win against that monster in terms of power.
It was unknown when their strength would be depleted. After Layfon and the others had achieved victory underground, the battle aboveground should have been pretty much over.
No, thinking about that, then Schneibel wouldn't have told her not to act.
"So she was saying there was no reason to act?"
Even if she brought it up, Schneibel wouldn't reply again.
She didn't know whether it was because other matters had caught their attention, but none of the Electronic Fairies responded.
(Captain? How are you?)
Felli felt confused at Nina's self-dialogue.
It definitely seemed that way to an observer. But, that couldn't stop Nina.
"But, but......"
Asking.
She responded.
"Is this really alright?"
Entrusting matters to others.
Hating this more than anyone, hadn't Nina only appeared here because of that?
Hadn't she only come here because of that?
"I......"
Even if she understood what was necessary......
Just at that time.
A fine change occurred in the battle.
The change happened from Claribel.
Her foot had slipped.
That kind of error would inevitably appear in battle. Because of the loss of focus brought about by fatigue, she was unable to correctly recognize the condition of the ground.
It was that kind of feeling.
Because of the momentum of her movement she turned in the air, and Claribel's body collided hard with the ground. Then new misfortune had befallen the otherwise unharmed Claribel.
Countless teeth shot out from the giant tower.
Though falling wasn't deadly, because of the loss of time to escape brought about by the fall, it became deadly to Claribel.
Nina's eyes caught all of this.
"Ugh!"
Before she realized it, she had already entered a state of high-speed movement.
She passed by the teeth on her path to Claribel, and moreover the shockwaves produced by her movement scattered the teeth away.
"N, Nina?"
"Are you alright, Clara?"
"Ya~ I was almost done in just now...... but what's going on?"
Was she talking about that strength, or was she talking about Nina's actions?
Regardless of which, explaining was still annoying.
"Things are complicated."
"Ah, it's the same for both of us."
Nina noticed that though the Dite in the hand of Claribel who said this had the same appearance as before, it had a somewhat different feeling.
"......Could it be that this is a Heaven's Blade?"
"It is. I always felt that I got thrown into this. Though that is the style of Her Majesty."
"Is that so."
At the same time as she spoke, teeth continuously flew down.
But they couldn't reach the place where the two of them were.
"Nina, what happened to you?"
Claribel brought up the question.
"Well, it's very troublesome to explain."
The falling teeth couldn't get close to the two of them.
When the teeth got close to a certain distance they would disappear as if they had evaporated.
Claribel knew that this was because of the Kei that Nina released.
"Instead of that, let's deal with this thing quickly."
"......But, if you don't join the battle I fear that it will drag on forever."
"......Sorry."
Regardless of what was said she would become speechless in the end, and Nina lowered her head, deciding to end things earlier.
After Nina readied the iron whips, Claribel left her, running towards the giant tower.
(Is this alright?)
Armadune brought up the question.
(Mother-sama should have told you not to act.)
"Just call it your good luck for having made me your master."
(Understood.)
Though Nina felt surprised that she could so easily convince her, right now wasn't the time to ask for the reasons.
Nina had already begun running.
"Quickly make this thing disappear. Use full power."
(Yes!)
The Electronic Fairies' voices overlapped.
Kei rushed forth.
Kei ignited.
Nina ran at high speed dragging a red streak behind her, and the iron whips emitted sparks of lightning.
The paths of the iron whips being waved back and forth were being guided to the target.
The iron whips were carried straight forward.
Raijin's charge.
The connected attack became consecutive explosions.
The blow spread throughout the giant tower, and sparks flew everywhere.
But, only this much would be the same as the first time.
"It's not......over!"
One of the iron whips hadn't been swung yet!
Combined Internal and External Kei variant, Double Raijin.
Her left hand's iron whip followed the path before, adding another blow to the tower.
The chain reaction of explosions became even more intense.
Shockwaves wreaked havoc in the interior of the tower, carrying out destruction.
Regenerative ability was already being used to the utmost.
But, it wasn't in time.
There was a huge tilt in the balance between destruction and regeneration.
But, it still hadn't fallen.
"In that case......"
One more time.
Nina's figure disappeared, a red light appearing from another direction and closing in on towards the tower.
Double Raijin was struck.
Explosions again.
"One more time!"
She shouted, once again pulling back the distance, and at this time Nina felt something else.
She felt the flow of the strength inside her body.
She had always felt this.
She hadn't been able to control this strength.
The strength that the Electronic Fairies continually supplied was turned into Kei. Though Nina herself didn't understand, but Nina's Kei vein had fused with the young nameless Electronic Fairy, so her compatibility with Electronic Fairy energy was extremely high. She probably surpassed her grandfather in Kei conversion efficiency at the time of her decision.
But, that wasn't to say she used that converted Kei completely efficiently.
Nina herself understood this.
"One more time!"
Nina shouted.
Though she clearly knew that she didn't have the sensation of using her strength fully well, it was enough to feel that part of it had been improved.
Compared to the battle before her, this made her feel more anxious.
In a truly important battle, if she couldn't perfectly utilize this strength then it would be useless.
"As expected, taking action is better!"
One more time.
Nina spoke to herself, repeating Raijin for the nth time.
The monster was buried under the flame of the explosions, and its bulk had already diminished greatly.
"Damn, that person took away our share completely."
She heard that kind of voice.
She felt that it was one of the Heaven's Blade successors.
"Then let's at least decide the victor in the area of beauty. Barmelin, take your clothes off quickly."
"Go die! Dung beetle."
Without any reason to pay attention, Nina continued focusing her mind on controlling her strength.
The overflowing strength was gathered into the iron whips in her hands.
Leg strength, back strength...... her entire body was filled with Kei.
Accompanying the accumulation of Kei, her entire body was covered with a film formed of red light, the overflowing strength that had become red light.
"More...... I need more!"
Nina repeated her technique.
Explosions repeated.
Her running repeated.
She could gradually see the Kei flowing in her own body.
One Haikizoku.
Four Electronic Fairies.
One young Electronic Fairy that maintained her life.
Six kind of energies fused into one inside of Nina's body. Nina was the one who controlled all of them.
This was definitely the iron will that Gildred had spoken about.
So she definitely had to achieve it.
"One more time!"
She definitely had to succeed.
"One more time!"
She definitely had to succeed.
"One more time!"
As for why......
"This is something that I can do!"
Sprinting.
This time she felt that she could do it.
The red light covering her body disappeared.
Her feet were light.
Her hands were light.
The feeling of the Kei flowing into the iron whips was light.
It wasn't because her strength had left her so they became light, as she had speed and strength right now.
It was possible!
Raijin!
There was only one explosion.
But, the scale of the explosion far surpassed the ones before.
The blow spread through the interior of the monster in a moment, and explosions occurred without anything between them that could be called a pause.
Even Nina who had released the move hadn't expected the momentum of the explosions.
"Wah!"
Because of the shockwave of the explosion, Nina was pushed back by the out-of-control Raijin, leaving her original position.
The continuous destruction that far surpassed its regenerative ability made quite large changes in the monster's appearance.
Moreover, the Heaven's Blade successors weren't fatigued to the degree that they would let this opportunity go.
"Ahahaha!'
Troyatte made a loud laugh.
"I never thought that the moment to use this thing would come!"
He shouted this, and raised his Heaven's Blade with an outer appearance of a staff.
That moment.
The surroundings were filled with the howling of Kei.
And it wasn't the giant tower's surroundings.
It was the entire surface of the city.
"Hidden Kei? That much strength!?"
Claribel made a surprised sound.
"What, so you did have a killing move hidden."
"Didn't I say, I didn't think there would be a good opportunity to use this move!"
Troyatte looked extremely excited.
"Because it requires so much time to prepare that it feels stupid. Though I tried doing it, it was completely unsuited for actual battle...... Ah!"
Just as he was saying this, the howling Kei continued changing.
Troyatte's hidden Kei filled every corner of the entire city.
Moreover, every part contained strong Kei within it.
"Since it costs a lot of time, and moreover controlling it is extremely strange, it's really only fitting for this kill. Die after receiving this!"
Calling this out, he released the Kei technique.
External-type Karen Kei variant - Song of the Crusade.
The Kei hidden in all corners of the city rushed towards the monster.
Rushing towards it, engulfing it.
The Kei engulfing the monster became a sphere, absorbing the monster's body.
Countless spheres.
The countless spheres formed from Kei eroded the monster, absorbing it.
This relied on engulfing the monster with Kei and destroying it from the inside until none of its substance remained.
Though this kind of thing wasn't too different from the moves of the other Heaven's Blade successors.
The difference was the number.
A small portion of the Kei hidden everywhere in the city was enough to equal the strength of a Heaven's Blade successor's Kei technique.
And countless of these had appeared at the same time.
And finally the countless Kei merged into one, creating an enclosing sphere.
Various attacks destroyed the regenerative ability, and finally attacked in unison.
This was extraordinarily large-scale destructive power.
"Break!" [1]
He made a command.
The Kei contained in that sound stimulated the spheres, producing a giant vibration that shook the entire city.
It was this great of a destructive power.
The Heaven's Blade successors on the battlefield couldn't possibly go untouched.
"Woah~ It's like a festival!"
While being blown away by the wind produced from the explosions, Troyatte laughed.
"Hey, apprentice, hurry up and think of a way to deal with that talkative person."
"......Sorry, controlling that hidden Kei has probably used too much of his brain."
Claribel and Barmelin talked while they flew.
"......In the end we weren't able to end it, huh."
Haia was also being blown away, and he muttered words while watching this.
Because of the huge explosions that Troyatte had initiated, Nina was blown even farther.
"Damn!"
Nina who had originally been sent flying from Raijin's momentum was now flying even farther than the Heaven's Blade successors due to the additional strength added afterwards, and was still in the sky even now.
She flew while musing in her heart: How worthy of being a Heaven's Blade successor.
She couldn't help but think that these were the people who had stood in the same position as Layfon in the past.
"Unexpectedly...... they can do.................. this kind of thing!"
Nina spoke while inspecting her body. She moved her gaze, searching for a place where she could land and carry out a finer inspection.
And then she landed.
"............Really!"
But, because of the explosions she had been blown to a place extremely far away.
(What is it?)
"Nothing!"
After replying this to the Electronic Fairy who asked, Nina once again looked towards the battlefield.
Even now, the smoke covering the monster still hadn't dispersed.
The smoke that seemed as if it grew out of the ground had a muddy color, being brought into the sky accompanied by the rising airflow, and stopping there after touching the air filter.
Along with the help of the aboveground air converter, that smoke would finally be exchanged to the outside of the air filter, but right now in this period of time visibility would not return.
"......The problem is."
At the same time as her visibility continually worsened, Nina saw the sky.
The crumbling moon still spread its remains.
"This city can no longer endure the next battles."
Destructive power of this scale shouldn't be too common in the Heaven's Blade successors' Kei techniques.
But seeing from the city's poor condition, one could notice that such Kei techniques had already happened several times.
If they didn't have the protection of the air filter, humans couldn't live.
Even in Nina's current state, it was the same.
But the city Grendan could be said to be already on the brink of death.
"But, there's nowhere to go."
If she thought about it carefully, those anxious elements would become more and more numerous. Nina gave up on thinking about them, focusing her mind on the battle that was to come.
Of course, it would truly occur.
No, it would definitely occur.
Nina was only here for this.
So, Nina calmly accepted the abnormalities happening in the sky.
Layfon heard Felli's report while running aboveground.
The moon had fragmented.
If they weren't in the current situation, he would probably have a hard time believing that kind of nonsense report.
Layfon was also concerned about other things.
That Nina had come here.
And that the battle with Lævateinn had ended.
But, the person named Airen had said that there was still a final thing to conclude.
Moreover, the moon had crumbled.
(Captain's actions are very strange.)
"Strange?"
(How should I say it, it feels like she's been stopped from fighting by someone.)
"Is she saving her fighting power?"
(You could think that way. Though she still charged out in the end.)
Nina fought with strength incomparable to what she had in Zuellni.
But, that was fine.
Layfon had also understood something after the events in that battlefield of a city, which was that something flowed in her body that was about the same as Leerin's kind of strength. [2]
So, Layfon didn't feel surprise at her suddenly becoming abnormally strong.
In the end, the problem was still why she had appeared at that time.
"What do you think?"
(It will still continue. That way of thinking is more appropriate.)
Felli had easily arrived at the current situation.
In this regard the two of them held the same opinion.
Battle would still continue.
"There's still no......"
The sound of his muttering disappeared in the middle.
Layfon looked at his hand.
There wasn't anything there.
There was nothing in his weapon belt either.
His Dites had all broken already.
(What is it?)
Though he hadn't said anything, he couldn't hide anything from Felli.
He couldn't think of how he should respond, and Layfon didn't say a word.
He maintained silence, advancing upwards......
"Well......"
He heard that kind of voice.
On the road to the surface, Layfon stopped his feet.
After Layfon let Alsheyra and the others go first, he turned back, and there was Saya.
The black-clothed girl stood there quietly. How had she pursued Layfon and the others? Layfon couldn't picture her running with all of her strength.
"Well...... what?"
A secret existence of his hometown, Grendan. Layfon didn't know what he should say to her.
"I'll give this to you."
"This is......"
There was a Dite in its unrestored state.
Layfon was very clear as to what kind of thing it was. Layfon had once wielded this kind of peculiarly engraved thing in his hands.
It was a Heaven's Blade.
"Why......"
"Because Saya is the mother who created the Heaven's Blades."
It was Leerin. She, who had gone on ahead, must have also returned.
"The Heaven's Blades are her......"
"Yes. So, as long as she says she'll give it to you, even Her Majesty won't have objections."
Layfon's breathing stopped, and he looked at the Dite in Saya's hands.
A Heaven's Blade.
The thing that he had once taken up, and abandoned.
"Do you want it to become the way you used it before, or should I make it like what you were using just now? Which one do you want?"
Layfon didn't reply to Saya's question.
His mind was blank.
There was something in that blankness.
That was a hesitation about whether he wanted to reach out to take that Dite.
"Layfon?"
Seeing the motionless Layfon, Leerin made a puzzled voice.
"Layfon, what's wrong?"
He only needed to take it. Taking it was better.
Layfon also understood this.
The current Layfon didn't have any Dites. To a Military Artist, this was the same as losing one's method of fighting.
Of course there was the method of using one's overflowing strength like Alsheyra.
But, that way the sword techniques that Layfon had trained in until today would ne unusable. Steel thread techniques as well. The things that he had stolen in battle, learned, and made into his own techniques would also be almost all unusable.
Only by taking that Dite could Layfon use his full ability.
In that sense, the best weapon was currently in front of Layfon.
But......
"Layfon, what's wrong with you?"
By now, Leerin who felt that Layfon's attitude was annoying had changed her tone.
Leerin was also conscious of the fact that Layfon had refused the choice of the Heaven's Blade in his heart.
"......Are you still going to fight? Or perhaps, you're not fighting?"
"No, I will fight."
"In that case!"
"I understand."
"......This is necessary."
"It's necessary."
"Then, why don't you take it?"
Compared to Leerin who was somewhat in turmoil, Saya didn't make any response, just placing the Dite between her palms, standing straight.
Layfon's figure was reflected in her deep black eyes, motionless.
What should he say - Layfon thought of this question in his mind.
But, he couldn't think of it.
But right now he couldn't not say anything.
The other party definitely wouldn't understand the word he didn't say.
"......It's probably my own stupid commitment."
Layfon already had a conclusion, a conclusion he had made well before this, and he chose his words carefully.
"This battlefield didn't expect me. No, thinking carefully, I never experienced any battles 'expecting me' in the first place. In Grendan, there have always been many people much stronger than me."
With a serious expression, Leerin just watched Layfon who had begun speaking, but she still assumed the position of a listener.
"No battle has ever expected me. But, because of my battles, I have been able to see the results that I looked forward to. So I'm fine with that."
Though he didn't know whether he had been born here, at the least he had grown up in Grendan. Being taken in by his adoptive father, and being raised with Leerin and the others.
Because he had experienced the pain of a food crisis when he was young, he had truly longed for the special existence of a Military Artist.
Becoming a Military Artist, he began thinking of what he could do for everyone in the orphanage.
Afterwards, he had put it into practice.
"To the me from that time, Heaven's Blades were meaningless, just rather useful. Moreover, to me, the position of a Heaven's Blade was the only important thing to obtain."
If he rationally used the things that accompanied that position, then he could help more of his brothers and sisters.
He had thought this.
"And the results were as you know."
He had made too much of an effort.
Perhaps he had gone in over his head.
In the end, Layfon had been expelled from Grendan.
"Though I suffered a blow at that time, right now I've already stood back up. I've met everyone again, and made up with them again......"
Regardless of what he had experienced in between, he was thankful to Zuellni for allowing him to have his current thoughts. Layfon felt extremely grateful, and also felt thanks for Leerin who had supported him to go study in Zuellni.
But, there were still many areas that he had to reflect on.
He had failed repeatedly. The places he needed to go over again continuously piled up.
But more numerous were the things that couldn't be retrieved.
Even if he knew he had done things wrong, Layfon didn't know whether he would be able to make up these mistakes or not.
"I feel that my way of thinking has already changed."
These words were his desire originally.
He hoped that he could change, hoped that he could mature. And now maybe those desires had produced illusions in him.
Thinking of it made him feel that maybe it wasn't completely like that.
When he had been refused in Grendan by Leerin, he had originally believed that his 'maturing' had all become hot air.
Perhaps it had all been an illusion since the start.
"I have already changed. Probably...... though I don't have much confidence."
In the number of victories and defeats, in the use of external Kei, etc...... his maturing as a Military Artist was very clear.
But, his maturing as a person was hard to understand. Even if he thought of not making similar mistakes, he would still make them. In the end, he had been pushed away by the person he wanted to protect the most.
Perhaps people wouldn't encounter anything exactly the same as something from the past, but all in all, it was pretty much the same as before, only with some slight differences.
But though some things seemed similar, the situations behind them might be different.
In that case, gaining experience from the defeat was probably truly impossible...... If it wasn't the same situation, then there wouldn't be any lesson in that defeat, right?
Could his maturing be only an illusion?
Maybe it was just being repetitively cut apart, giving up, and losing enthusiasm after a few steps.
What he thought of as maturity was probably something like a magical ball of light that would jump in from somewhere else and overcome defeats.
The maturing of a single person was truly hard to understand.
"But, I don't want to repeat similar mistakes. That feeling is definite."
"......I don't understand at all what you want to say."
"Yes. I don't really understand myself."
"In that case then hurry up and take the Heaven's Blade."
"But, I don’t want to take it."
He finally said it.
He couldn't take the Heaven's Blade.
He didn't want to take the Heaven's Blade.
"Why!?"
Leerin's confusion was apparent, and Layfon's chest tingled with guilt.
That was obvious, but thinking of it was a bit strange.
"Didn't you say you wanted to fight together before?"
It was that way.
She had indeed said this.
"But, fighting together and taking the Heaven's Blade are different things."
Even if he said this, Leerin's face was still full of confusion.
She definitely hadn't understood the actions of Layfon who refused to take what was necessary.
"I am no longer a Heaven's Blade successor. I haven't thought of returning."
"I never said you had to become a Heaven's Blade successor. Don't you need a weapon because there's more fighting? So I'm just asking you to use it."
"I already- threw it- away."
Yes, he had abandoned it.
At that time, he had lost it.
In Grendan, during the battle with the monster that had covered all of Grendan.
In order to turn the situation, Layfon had thrown the Heaven's Blade away. [3]
At that time, Layfon had thrown out his hatred together with the Heaven's Blade.
He had lost it.
It wasn't like he had never done something like putting Kei into his Dite and throwing it out.
But, when he threw away the Heaven's Blade, Layfon had truly been in the mood of completely giving up on it.
"At that time because I couldn't help but fight with my adoptive father, and because of many other reasons, I was a bit angry, but now I have different reasons."
"......What?"
"Because I'm not someone 'expected' by this battlefield."
"Eh?"
"I once obtained a Heaven's Blade, but I was unable to fight with it to today. In other words, I shouldn't actually have appeared in this battlefield. The fact that I am here isn't something anyone expected."
"The ones who were expected should possess Heaven's Blades, and I shouldn't obtain one. I came here by my own means, and fought without being expected to by anyone."
"What are you saying?"
Leerin continued being confused with an unconvinced expression on her face.
"The number of people who are using Heaven's Blades has diminished. The owner of this Heaven's Blade is no longer here. Then isn't it okay for Layfon to use it?"
"That's not the same. Though I don't know whose it is, at the least that person has always held this Heaven's Blade to fight. I can't just use that person's thing whenever I want."
"But, don't you no longer have a weapon!?"
"......There should be some emergency arsenals of weapons that haven't been destroyed, if I look for them I think there should be some sword-type Dites there."
"Relying on that kind of thing can't possibly be enough in this battlefield!"
"It's enough. That's my stubbornness as well as my challenge."
"This has been my challenge all along up to today."
"How......"
Layfon knew that Leerin couldn't understand him.
But, seeing Leerin's downcast expression, Layfon still felt a sad pain.
"This is very strange."
"I know you will definitely think that way. But, I already decided."
Since the fate that had pulled in Leerin, Captain, and the others refused to accept Layfon.
"I have to rely on my own strength."
"The current situation isn't the time to say that kind of thing!"
"I understand, but......"
It was obvious that Leerin would get mad, but even so...... Layfon's thoughts still wouldn't change.
He didn't want to identify himself with those people who had been chosen by fate.
Nor did he want to add to the list of people chosen by fate.
"Since fate has refused my unauthorized conduct, then I can only do a similar thing."
Leerin went silent as if she weren't breathing.
She looked as if she were so mad that she couldn't talk.
"Because of those thoughts...... Do you want to die?"
He had originally thought that he would be yelled at, and he hadn't thought that in fact, she would have asked with an extremely calm voice.
But to Layfon, that kind of serene expression and voice was even scarier.
"I'm not planning on dying."
"But, you'll die. In this case......"
"I won't die. I didn't come here to die."
"........................Felli! Are you listening!? Do you think that Layfon is truly okay this way?"
Leerin shouted to the Psychokinesis flake.
(It's not okay at all. If he dies then I'll be very troubled.)
"Then......"
(But, if we're just considering his current choice not to choose the Heaven's Blade, then I still must approve.)
"......What?"
(Just like Layfon said, we aren't expected by anyone, and could only rely on our own means to come to this battlefield.)
"Maybe that's like you say, but haven't you already come and fought with us before?"
(What kind of thing is fate - truthfully, I don't really understand, and I fear that Layfon understands even less than I do.)
"Um......"
Layfon was speechless at Felli's emotionless words.
(Assuming that there are fixed boundaries among it, then we who are outside of those boundaries should not possess those things that can be keys of fate. Layfon cannot choose the Heaven's Blade because of that sort of meaning, though he craves a strong weapon.)
"What is that......"
Layfon felt very happy that he was able to obtain Felli's support.
But, seeing Leerin's confused state, Layfon felt worried.
But right now he had to uphold his beliefs.
He couldn't go back on them.
Even if they were believed to be very meaningless things, he still had to uphold them.
Because these were the restraints put on those who had been excluded by fate.
"But, in that case Layfon will die."
(I said that I don't want him to die.)
"The things you two talk about are very strange."
(But I believe that when he dies, it will be when this battle is lost, and moreover at that time the probability of this world's destruction will be very high. I will also die at that time, and in that case, I hope to be by his side if I can.)
"Eh?"
Though it was Leerin who made a questioning sound, Leerin wasn't the only one who became speechless because of this unexpected reply.
Layfon's mouth hung open along with Leerin's.
"Felli......?"
Layfon stared at the Psychokinesis flake with his eyes wide, but the flake only quietly released light.
He was very thankful that she had been able to come with him, and he felt very happy about that.
But, he hadn't had that kind of meaning.
No, that wasn't right.
It wasn't that kind of thing.
"You...... This......"
(By now I no longer have any reason to conceal it.)
"We weren't talking about that kind of thing......"
(To me, we were talking about that kind of thing. I'm only following my own thoughts.)
"Don't jo......!"
Just as Leerin was shouting out.
"Ah!"
Suddenly, she clutched her face and fell on her knees.
"Leerin!?"
Layfon ran over.
"Uuuu......"
Leerin's hands pressed on her right eye.
Leerin kept moaning, continuously repeating Layfon's name.
"What's going on with her!?"
Layfon immediately turned around and looked at Saya.
But the black-clothed girl only silently shook her head.
"I don't understand either. But, there's some change......"
When Saya spoke to her, Layfon noticed that Leerin's movements had stopped.
"Leerin?"
"It's broken, evil things are returning."
From the mouth of Leerin who was lying on the ground came the voice of a man.
"Aien."
"Nn, evil things have fallen."
"What's going on?"
"You don't understand, huh. I don't know how to explain it either...... if we were there, then it would be enough to have the thoughts 'I think, therefore I am', but here that doesn't work. So only my factors exist here."
"What will happen to her?"
"You don't need to worry about that. I don't have bad enough taste to seize a female body. Nor have I shared thoughts with that person. I only need to take the factor. The important right eye. Maybe there will be some problem, but that would only be with the body, and relying on the medical techniques here would be enough to resolve it."
"Is that so?"
"Then, see you later...... Ah, right, you over there."
"......What is it?"
Naturally, his reply was very tough.
Leerin clutched her right eye, and only her mouth still moved, and the voice of a still-unknown man came from inside.
This kind of incomprehensible situation was already happening for the second time, so he was able to be a slight bit calmer.
But, his worries about Leerin still hadn't changed. He kept worrying in his heart whether something bad would happen.
"Your thoughts aren't bad, are they? Though to us maybe you're only an obstruction."
"But we won't tell you to go anywhere because of this, and more relevantly you'll also die if we are defeated. In that case you shouldn't bring us too much worry. Though, since the one who originally kept you out of involvement was someone on our side, right now we won't forcefully add you back in."
Suddenly saying things like this also made him very puzzled.
"Just do what you want. In any case, whatever you do it won't make any problems for the feast that's about to begin."
"How......?"
"Ah......"
Just as Layfon prepared to ask, Leerin's voice once again came from that mouth.
And then......
"Uh...... Uuuu......"
A red liquid leaked from the gaps between the fingers pressing on her right eye.
It was...... blood.
But, this blood slid out from the gaps as if it had a will of its own, and then disappeared in moments.
Leerin's hand didn't even have any bloodstains remaining.
Nor was there any odor.
"Ah, ahhh......"
"Leerin!"
"It disappeared. It completely disappeared......"
"Leerin?"
"My fighting strength, from my body......"
Leerin's hands still clutched her face as her mouth spoke.
"I can...... no longer fight."
Layfon felt that the hand placed on his shoulder had lost its original strength.
He caught her as she fell forward.
(We'll have the rescue team go there.)
"I leave it to you."
After replying to Felli Layfon looked at Saya.
"So, what happened to Leerin?"
"Airen took away his factor inside Leerin's body in order to materialize in the world on this side. I think that's what happened."
"She no longer has any reason to continue fighting."
"......Really."
Seeing Leerin who had lost consciousness clutching her face, Layfon didn't think of the meaning of taking that thing.
"I must go."
Saya spoke to Layfon who was holding Leerin.
"Airen is waiting for me, and I need to give him his weapons."
"I will leave her to you."
Layfon didn't know what he should say to Saya, and he could only nod his head, and then look at the figure of the black-clothed girl running over the ground.
(The rescue team is already heading towards you. They will probably arrive after ten minutes. There are people guiding them, and I'm also watching over them. Do you want to go first?)
"No......"
Layfon quietly shook his head.
"Though the battle hasn't ended, I've reached my goal of helping Leerin. So I still want to see it out to the end."
(I understand.)
Afterwards, Felli went silent.
Layfon felt a bit uneasy in this underground space with no other people.
"Well...... Felli?"
(............What is it?)
"No, that...... What should I say......"
(Though I also thought it was probably like that, you couldn't truly have not noticed until now, could you?)
Layfon felt that Felli's words had been emphasized halfway through.
Layfon couldn't say anything.
(What's your reply?)
But, silence wasn't allowed.
"Y, yes...... sorry."
By his side was a Psychokinesis flake glinting with light.
Because of this, Layfon still felt a strong Psychokinesis pressure that made him unable to move.
He couldn't say anything.
The Psychokinesis flake also went silent.
That state continued.
Layfon lost his patience first.
"............Well."
The flake didn't say anything.
"That............"
He couldn't think of anything to say. Leerin was still unconscious. The trembles he felt from his hands holding her should be produced from breathing and heartbeats, and there was nothing strange. The sound of her blood flow didn't feel abnormal either, and she had only lost consciousness.
(And?)
As a plea for help, Layfon moved his gaze, and afterwards, the Psychokinesis flake broke the silence.
"......What?"
(And what, what do you want to say?)
"That......"
(I'm asking for your thoughts.)
"Ah......"
Yes.
"That......"
Speaking of which, he had never talked about those.
"I......"
(No, actually, just never mind.)
"......Eh? Ehhh?"
The words that had pushed through his throat were suddenly stopped, and Layfon almost fell over.
(Tell me the reply after this is over.)
"After, you say......"
(Reply to me when you're dressed neatly and in a more suitable place, instead of when you're fatigued in this kind of place.)
"O, okay......"
Layfon didn't know what to say because of Felli's words.
And not long afterwards he heard the footsteps of the rescue team.
Maybe Felli had stopped Layfon from responding because she had noticed them getting closer?
The Psychokinesis flake was silent, and Layfon couldn't know the truth.
After giving Leerin over to the rescue team, Layfon once again advanced to the surface.
Felli definitely had also seen the situation aboveground, but she hadn't told Layfon about it.
He passed through an entire hallway, and passed through an entrance that already been half-destroyed.
The sudden light made Layfon close his eyes.
Right now should still be evening.
Then what was up with this light?
Moreover it was very hot.
Was there some place that was on fire?
In fact, there were several places for which that applied.
But it wasn't the same as the heat he felt right now.
Both the light and the heat came from above.
"......What is that?"
After he got used to the blinding light, Layfon raised his head to look at the sky.
Speaking of which, someone had recently said that the moon was already broken apart.
But, Layfon didn't have time to confirm that.
Reflected in his eyes was a blazing red object.
It was flame.
Something giant that was entirely covered in flame was falling down.
That thing burned the entire sky in a deep red, and continuously descended.
"That......"
Could this be the 'remaining thing' that Airen had spoken of?
He couldn't see the true appearance underneath the light released by the flame because it was too blinding.
But the falling thing was extremely huge.
"......Maybe that thing is even bigger than the city?"
Layfon who stared at the sky spoke dully.
(Many strange responses have been produced in the city's surroundings. This is......?)
"Is it related to this?"
(It's still unclear.)
It wasn't strange for that kind of falling thing to produce effects in the surroundings.
It would be time for Layfon to begin fighting after it fell.
But, he didn't have a weapon.
"If I don't hurry up, it won't be good......"
Layfon moved his gaze from the sky, searching for an emergency weapon arsenal.
In order to deal with a tense battle developing inside the city, and in order to guard against one being unable to fight because of a lack of weapons, there were several weapon arsenals prepared inside the city.
Because there were no records of them having been used, maybe they had already been abolished. Though Layfon had worried about this in his heart, it wasn't like that.
Layfon gathered the Dites with the markings of blades.
One wasn't enough, so he should take as many as possible......
When he thought of this, along came the sound of the air in the sky being pressurized, and moreover the speed of that thing increased.
The flame was already not far from here.
Layfon once again looked at the sky, noticing that the flame had slightly moved farther back.
It passed through Grendan's sky, falling diagonally towards the ground.
The heat that it had brought with it when it passed over still scorched Grendan.
The thing could be seen to be clearly far away, but the sound beat intensely at his ears.
The flame disappeared in the distance away from the city, and then exploded.
Light shot out, and after a breath, sound and shockwaves assaulted Grendan.
"Ugh!"
Layfon endured the great wind in order to keep from being blown away.
The giant flame produced by the explosion continuously spread. It far surpassed the size of the city. The endlessly released light and hot flame stopped at some point.
A shadow appeared from the flame.
It was a wild beast with four legs.
A red wild beast.
Moreover, it was a giant beast.
The Dites that Layfon held fell down.
He didn't think of picking them back up either.
The swelling flame continued burning.
And then, the beast born from the flame began closing in on Grendan.
Its gigantic size made Layfon stop breathing.
No, if it were only size then it wouldn't be enough to make him tremble. Until now, he had fought with countless giant opponents.
Then, what was different?
What made Layfon feel like trembling?
He trembled?
He was scared?
Yes......
The moment he saw the beast, Layfon felt some kind of feeling from its body.
After he felt that feeling, he was overcome by its size.
That was, anger.
Unparalleled fury.
The moment he sensed it, he felt that the beast housed a fury as red as flame.
No, it wasn't housed inside it.
It was the other way around.
It wasn't the beast that was mad.
It was that after the feeling of fury had reached its limits, it had become a four-legged beast.
That feeling was more accurate.
So Layfon understood.
This fury wasn't so easy to get rid of.
Until the entire world was burned, it wouldn't be gotten rid of.
Layfon had never had felt another person's emotions so directly.
As if it were forcefully tinting Layfon's feelings. Feeling this kind of tough pressure, Layfon had even dropped his Dites.
"This......"
Very strong.
Not only from the fury that he could feel.
Nor just its gigantic bulk.
Not because of the inexplicable phenomenon where the flame swelling behind its back had suddenly been stopped.
But rather, it was only because all of these factors were gathered together that Layfon thought this.
He couldn't win using this kind of weapon.
(What do we do?)
"What should we do......"
(As expected, should you lower your head and beg them to lend that Dite to you? Right now I think you can still make it.)
"Ha ha ha......"
Layfon grimly laughed at Felli's joke.
(I'm not joking.)
(Or are you going to run?)
"......I won't run."
He didn't have anywhere he could run to.
Right now he could feel the fury in the beast's body telling him that.
There was no longer anywhere to run.
If they were defeated, then that flame would begin its final expansion, and would then burn the entire world.
There was no longer any way to avoid the option of battle.
(But the situation is too unfavorable.)
"Even if it's unfavorable to us, we can't run right now."
(Why?)
At Felli's question, Layfon thought of it.
He thought of the reasons why they couldn't escape from this place.
"Though Leerin's matter is my personal battle, still......"
Still......
Yes, still.
The battle continued.
The crisis had already involved the entire world.
The people shut out by something like fate couldn't help but fight either. They had to continue holding their ground.
Because they had been shut out, they had to fight.
"The battle after this is going to belong to us."
Nina was somewhere in this city.
In order to fight with that gathering of fury, she was confirming her determination again somewhere.
She wanted to go fight alone.
"So, we won't run."
'Even now, if you still feel that you must stand tall-!'
Layfon suddenly heard that kind of voice.
It was a voice that he felt he had heard before.
"Eh?"
At the same time, he heard the sound of wind.
He felt as if there were something hurtling towards him. When he felt that it was an inorganic object with no hostility, Layfon reflexively caught it.
"Eh?"
A second surprise.
The feeling grasped in his hand was a familiar sensation.
It was a Dite.
From its color, he knew what Dite it was.
A Dite that other cities definitely wouldn't have.
The Shim Adamantium Dite.
"That means......"
(The surrounding responses have been determined.)
Layfon felt puzzled at Felli's words.
The surrounding responses? Speaking of which, she indeed had said there were strange responses in the surroundings.
And then, the responses had been determined?
Determined, what did that mean?
(They're cities, there are countless cities in the surroundings...... Right now, they're connecting together.)
"Connecting together...... Eh?"
Layfon didn't understand what Felli was saying.
Since she said connecting, then what was connecting with what?
The answer came through the Psychokinesis Flake.
(Yo~ It seems like you're safe and sound.)
"Sh, Sharnid-senpai!?"
(Haha, though this injection equipment was made by Harley, it's not bad. Of course, it can only work because of my godly sniping ability.) [4]
(No, no, senpai, I think that everything was brought about by relying on my skill.)
(Shut up, Harley.)
(What's the meaning of this treatment!?)
"Eh? Eh?"
Layfon was still surprised, looking at the place that the Dite had flown over from.
He saw it.
He not only saw that one, but saw others as well.
Cities.
On the other side of the tilting Grendan, he saw traces of other cities.
There was one that he was very familiar with...... Zuellni.
Moreover, Zuellni wasn't the only city.
Other than Zeullni, there were many other cities. As if they were surrounding Grendan, lining up to protect Grendan.
'We don't have extraordinary strength! We don't have their courage! We don't even have their determination!'
Layfon heard a voice.
Hearing this familiar voice, Layfon looked at the Psychokinesis flake.
(What is that person doing now.)
Felli sighed.
(Really......)
Sharnid also made a sound as if he were seeing something funny.
'But, we no longer have anywhere to run. We have no other choice; other than facing the reality in front of us, we are permitted no other options.'
Yes.
This was Karian's voice.
'Then! Then what choice must we make on this basis? It is to fight, or to hide, only these!'
'We will not blame anyone who chooses the second option. However, however...... However, if there are people who still think that they can only stand tall-!'
Karian was making a speech.
'If you wish that you will still be able to live in this world tomorrow, then we can only choose to fight.'
He yelled.
'If you still want to try relying on yourself to grasp your own fate!'
Layfon felt that a presence responding to this voice.
There were countless presences.
Sounds of battle came from the cities surrounding Grendan.
Sounds rose and filled the sky.
(Though I don't know what's going on, it seems like something big has happened. Felli's brother is truly incredible.)
(......Though I worry about whether he will be thought of as the greatest trickster ever.)
(Haha!)
Layfon laughed.
(Zuellni's platoons are all assembled.)
Drowning out that voice, another voice came through the Psychokinesis flake.
It was Gorneo's voice.
(The assembly of the Military Arts students will be finished soon. I hope that we can make formations with the Military Artists of other cities, can I request that you be the center?)
(Put the information-gathering in Grendan, and then let other cities make formations between each other. I will request the Psychokinesists here.)
(Understood.)
Felli replied to Gorneo's request.
Layfon was speechless at Gorneo who could calmly organize the situation here.
(Ooooh, our Military Arts head truly has fighting spirit.)
(You should also hurry up and get energized.)
(Of course I am, didn't you see me just now? My extraordinary sniping technique.)
(I just don't want to see your ability end at that.)
Dalshena was conversing with Sharnid.
Hearing everyone’s conversations, Layfon felt that the feeling of having his entire body surrounded by something was gradually ending.
He felt that his body was lighter than before.
(Layfon......)
"Yes."
(Since they said 'us', then we will do the same.) [5]
"Yes!"
(Okay, then, leave it to us.)
"I'm counting on you."
Layfon's hand held a Dite.
It was the Shim Adamantium Dite that Harley and Kirik had manufactured.
He restored it, and readied it.
The sensation in his hand was completely the same as before.
If he had it, he could fight.
His body hurt, and his fatigue hadn't completely disappeared.
But, his soul had been healed.
He was full of fighting spirit.
'Fight, people of the moving cities!'
Voices full of fighting spirit replied to Karian's call.
Layfon also made a response.
"I'm going!"
Shouting out, Layfon flew out.
He ran to Nina who thought of fighting alone.