Saijaku Muhai no Bahamut:Volume 11 Episode 4

Episode 4 – Crossroads

Part 1

A few days before Lux and the others headed towards Garden.

「This place──just what」

Some distance away from the showy and bustling castle town, there was a dark grey town that had lost its color.

The abandoned capital that was a cultural heritage site within the Marcafal Kingdom──and at the same time an area that was designated as forbidden to enter, Gelsera.

Celis, who accompanied the captain of the Seven Dragon Paladins, Magialca, as her aide spontaneously forgot to breathe after seeing that magnificent view.

The tall townscape that had elaborate carvings and designs applied to it looked completely dull with its dark grey color. It was filled with the atmosphere as though time had stopped.

「Amazing view isn’t it? The ups and downs of life, the microcosm of the world that humans live in is only noted within this single land as history.」

「…………」

What Celis learned until now about world history was in the end nothing more than a part of the destroyed city that was left behind as only an anecdote.

And yet, she could sense some kind of bizarre atmosphere from the sight spreading before her eyes.

「There is some kind of presence. A presence of something that isn’t human──traces of the Abyss is it?」

「Hou? As expected from a member of the prestigious Four Great Nobles who are praised as the New Kingdom’s strongest. Even though we are still at a distance where even the Drake’s radar cannot reach, you have a keen eye there.」

Magialca made an obscene fearless smile and commended her.

But, Celis of course didn’t let her guard down.

Far from that, she even harbored wariness towards Magialca and she backed away while her hand touched the handle of her sword.

「Since when have the Abyss lived here? Do the other countries know about this?」

When Celis asked that with a voice that was laced with tension, Magialca grinned cynically and looked up at Celis.

「I want to ask you instead, don’t you think it’s unnatural? Marcafal is facing the sea and its territory is also vast, its natural resources are abundant and it’s also a neutral country. But, although the Abyss appear here, it’s not a place where a Ruin’s treasure can be obtained, no one has any interest in this country. In these more than ten years after the seven Ruins had been confirmed, there was no foreigner who visited here because they liked the place.」

「…………」

When Celis fell silent, Magialca looked down on the abandoned capital from a slightly elevated cliff.

Her cloak was flapping from cold gust while she brushed up her front hair.

When Celis asked, she was told that there was an oral tradition that spoke of this place as a holy land that one mustn’t get near since the ancient times.

If someone carelessly laid their hands on it, demise would come along with calamity just like this abandoned capital.

In fact that tradition had been kept for several hundred years, but since Ruins were discovered in various places, a lot of outsiders from other countries came here.

「Abyss came out from here, but not even a single treasure or Drag-Ride can be found. And yet, although the Abyss here are few in number, but they are mighty without equal. Of course without cooperation from the other countries, this country won’t even be able to defend against the disaster to the surroundings that rarely happens, but no country exists that would poke their nose into such a troublesome thing. There, this country called out to me.」

Fortunately, the Marcafal Kingdom was rich in natural resources.

Magialca who was buying up a lot of Drag-Rides at that time negotiated with the Marcafal Kingdom that was scared of this abandoned capital and intruders, and she was granted with an extraordinary position.

Magialca hired Drag-Knights from many countries and she defended this country, while she was also mainly cooperating for the betterment of the public order of Marcafal, where a Ruin didn’t exist.

In exchange she was allowed to mediate for every kind of matter in regards to commerce. She piled up enormous wealth and achieved a sweeping conquest of the market.

「However, why are you telling me such story? Don’t tell me, the danger in this abandoned capital is also increasing in accordance with the revitalization of the Ruins in the recent years──……-!?」

Celis who was talking until that point felt a chilling shudder running through her spine.

「Ku-ku-ku. There are also bunches who said that I didn’t do much work despite being the captain of the Seven Dragon Paladins. The fact is exactly as you see. What kind of place this location is, even that arms dealer Hayes had also showed her face at this abandoned capital for a time.」

「Then could it be, this abandoned capital is actually──」

「Yeah, the place where all ancient technology and legacy are sleeping, Avalon. There is no doubt that this is the entrance to go there. On the surface I pretended to concede my authority to that snob──Singlen, while I’m advancing my investigation of this area. When those Lords bunch also pretended to not know anything, they cannot complain of anything about me coming and going to this place as I please. Underground that decayed castle standing tall at the distance, is most likely where everything exists.」

「Such thing, is……」

Beside Celis who was muttering dumbfounded, Magialca shrugged her shoulders further.

「Those so called Lords, they are staying quiet even while they know about this matter. It’s necessary to prepare without delay so they won’t get a head start on us. And the so called true enemy of us too, they got impatient and finally allowed me to grab them by their tail.」

「……!? Just now, what did you say?」

Celis was unable to grasp the meaning right away and asked back.

Magialca continued with an indifferent tone.

「What those Lords bunch mentioned, about finding the so called traitor. Dragon Marauder that broke off from Heiburg, who was contracting and moving them? Why the Moon left from the sky of the Turkimes Confederation? How did that Dragon Marauder bunch obtained the Ruin’s treasures like Elixir──」

『 ──Leave, you foolish people.』

• WIIIIIIIII-!*

Right after Magialca was going to tell the truth, a discordant sound that felt like it was scratching and tearing inside the brain could be heard. Several Abysses flew out towards them.

Two headed giant dog, Orthros.

A powerful specimen that was treated as a gatekeeper at Ark appeared.

「──Hah! So they won’t let us get away easily huh. And so miss aide, we will be doing a bit of work now. This battle concerning the Ruins will be intensifying from here on.」

Magialca laughed obstinately while finally pulling out the Sword Device on her waist.

She quickly pushed the trigger on the handle while muttering the passcode at the same time.

Part 2

Returning back to the present, in the New Kingdom──

Lux, Lisha, and Airi were taken inside the Ruin, Garden. Outside Garden, the Triad and Yoruka were taking care of defense.

At the back side of the giant cube shaped Garden, a single girl was standing.

The girl with glossy black hair was wearing a white mask.

She was holding her breath and concealing her presence while observing the situation.

「……That man, his pieces are more complete than expected. However, in the end his stamina is worn out due to the consecutive battles. He is not in a state that can oppose us.」

There was no one beside the girl to receive her words.

Till the end she was just talking to herself. She was speaking out the situation to confirm it to herself.

Due to the immensity of what she would do after this, she would need a lot more resolve.

In order to endure the weight, in order to accomplish it, the girl purposefully put it into words.

「If the situation is like this, it will definitely succeed. If by any chance the unlikely event happens, I will take care of it. The time is──」

「Can you not move, the person over there.」

「──!」

Coral Esther warned from behind the masked girl.

Wearing his EX Wyvern, he pointed the muzzle of his Breath Gun on the girl’s back.

「Why, are you here?」

The masked girl asked with a muffled voice without turning back.

In response, Coral also kept unmoving and talked to that back with a dispassionate tone.

「Dragon Marauder is a warmonger organization that is composed of three division commanders. They already cut their connection to the King of Vices, but after losing connections to both Hayes and Calensia, they should have another main contractor. I don’t know what you all are planning but, there should be the existence of an employer.」

「…………」

The masked girl didn’t even stir.

In exchange Coral continued his investigation.

「Even I didn’t expect that you would appear. Just, when I came to observe the situation in order to protect Lux-kun, an unexpected fish was baited like this. Is it you who provided Dragon Marauder with the horn flute and Elixir?」

「Liar.」

Suddenly an innocent laugh that was like a child came back from under the mask.

「──Lies lies lies lies, aaaall lies. While you are planning to interrogate me so proudly, you are overlooking the essential thing.」

「──!?」

The masked girl snickered with a bottomlessly bright voice.

「You are keeping watch of that descendant of the traitor. Certainly he is someone the Lords might be paying attention to, but even then what you are doing is too excessive. I don’t know if this action is something you are doing arbitrarily or if there is some kind of secret but──either way, from my point of view you cannot be trusted.」

Even while the girl was raising both her hands in a display of non resistance, she spoke threateningly with a calm tone.

「How do you know that!? You──who are you!?」

Coral’s voice turned rough. Right after that, the masked girl spoke coldly.

「It’s not only you who is laying a trap. Showing one’s figure intentionally as bait for the sake of the objective, is also a trap under the name of diversion.」

「……Coral! Behind you!」

Suddenly Lux’s tense voice came from behind.

(Damn it! An ambush!?)

Thinking that, Coral immediately turned around, but behind him there was only wasteland, the horizon, and a very clear blue sky.

「──Born out from flame, the taboo god. Devour hatred and truth and transcend, Vritra.」

Instantly, from behind Coral who turned around, the passcode to summon a Divine Drag-Ride could be heard.

The voice of Lux that came from behind was a fake.

Coral turned around in panic while he tried to pull the trigger of his Breath Gun in order to shoot the masked girl, but his armored arm was stabbed from behind.

「──Wha-!?」

This time Coral didn’t force himself and glided to the side to escape.

Why was an attack came from behind even though he was turning around to face the masked girl again?

That question was cleared when he saw the two Drag-Rides before him.

The Divine Drag-Ride with dull yellow color the masked girl was wearing, Vritra.

The Drag-Ride that was standing by its side, was a Drake type Divine Drag-Ride with the trait of steel sharp claws growing from its four legs and two arms, Asp.

One of the three division commanders of Dragon Marauder, Drakkhen Megistry.

The girl who dressed like a bandit with her leather breastplate and waistcloth was someone who Coral also remembered.

After all he was chasing after Dragon Marauder until now.

「The Divine Raiment of Asp that freely manipulates sound──Hell Choir. Using that to mimic Lux-kun’s voice, when I noticed that it was a trap and became flustered, Asp that was hiding with camouflage ability attacked──what an elaborate plan just to kill me with certainty.」

First Drakkhen made Coral to look back where she was hiding, then by making him turn around once more when the masked girl chanted the passcode, his concentration was taken away and his back became defenseless.

But, perhaps Coral suddenly noticed something out of place, he shifted his body just by a hair’s breadth and avoided from getting shot in his vital spot.

The unnaturalness of no one being there when he heard Lux’s voice made him suspect that there were multiple enemies using Divine Raiment.

「Even sneak attacks will become unnatural instead when it’s overdone. As expected, it looks like I’m not suited for fighting.」

The girl in Vritra sighed in disappointment. Then Drakkhen calmly walked forward.

「Just leave this to me as this is my job. You have something to do right?」

「You have a loose tongue. I’ll decrease the pay if you say anything unnecessary.」

「That’s harsh. Then──the pointless talk is over now!」

Drakkhen flew towards Coral at the same time as her words.

Using the steel claws growing from Asp’s both hands, sharp thrusts were unleashed consecutively.

At the same time, strange noises were reverberating once more, right after that──the masked girl vanished.

「You’re planning to summon the Abyss by making the horn flute sound? But, why are you fighting here?」

「Hm? Ku-ku-ku, I’m a mercenary after all. As long as there is money, I won’t be picky about the time and place!」

Drakkhen evaded Coral’s question and continued to rush forward.

But, even with one of his EX Wyvern’s arms destroyed, Coral skillfully handled his Blade and avoided a direct hit.

Seeing Drakkhen’s attitude, Coral reached a certain fact instinctually.

(She is able to produce a horn flute’s sound using her Divine Raiment Hell Choir and draw in the Abyss toward her. Why then she would intentionally fight outside the Garden?)

Of course, the other division commanders, Vine and Gatouhan surely also had horn flutes, but for Drakkhen who was able to freely handle sound, fighting inside a Ruin should be far more effective for her.

For her to not do that suggested two possibilities.

One, the Abyss that at a glance seemed to have been exterminated already around this Garden were actually hiding.

The other possibility, was that Drakkhen considered it to be more effective for her to be outside rather than inside the Ruin.

That was to say──

「You are quite skilled. Besides you also have a good head on your shoulders. Should I say, as expected from an aide of the Seven Dragon Paladins.」

Drakkhen took a distance for the time being and grinned fearlessly while releasing her stance.

「But──you aren’t the type to survive for long on a battlefield. You have too much confidence in your own strength. Try looking up.」

「──!?」

This time, Coral didn’t stop looking at Drakkhen so he wouldn’t get his attention diverted. He was only directing his alertness towards above.

The moment his body trembled from getting hit by killing intent from a fiendish Abyss, Drakkhen’s Asp fired Daggers consecutively from its claw tips.

「Kuh……!」

Coral immediately unleashed Howling Roar and strengthened his barrier at the same time.

The trajectories of the countless blades were shifted and he avoided direct hit.

But, the medium size Abyss──Diablos that attacked from the sky couldn’t be blocked at all because of that.

(……Damn it, she got me!)

Coral shut his eyes tightly and resolved himself, it was then,

「──That’s not like you eh, for the honor student-sama to get flustered and make a mistake like that.」

A familiar voice came from above along with the sound of slicing wind.

Right after that, the multiple Abyss that were charging at Coral were carved into countless meat chunks and fell onto the ground.

「……What!?」

This time it was Drakkhen who scowled due to the unexpected situation.

The one who landed down in front of Coral as though to stand in the way was the Divine Drag-Ride with wild thorny armor, Cuelebre, and the Seven Dragon Paladins of the Vanheim Principality, Greifer.

His expression was peevish like usual looking unmotivated, however there was no opening at all in his stance.

「Greifer! Why are you here!?」

「I’ve got nothing to do now that the Dungeon is already conquered for the moment. I got ordered by our princess-sama to go check the situation here.」

「──Hah! That’s an absurd joke. No one’s going to decrease the protection of their own country just for that. It must be that Magialca or Singlen’s instigation right? Did they predict that we were going to aim at this Garden after we made our getaway from the pursuers of you, the alliance?」

The aide exchange was a proposal from Listelka of the Lords, but there was no rule that the Seven Dragon Paladins of each country couldn’t move away from where they were.

Magialca caused attention to be directed towards Avalon with her movement, while she gathered the remaining battle force near Garden.

When Drakkhen said that with a loathsome face, Greifer jerked his chin.

「Well, there is the duty of confidentiality so I cannot say anything about the details, but thinking with common sense, there are only two Ruins with known locations that haven’t been conquered. It’s only obvious to guard them right?」

「That’s certainly reasonable. But, it’s also troubling if you underestimate our strength. I see, the Greedy Wolf Greifer who is famous in Vanheim seems to be quite powerful but, it’s overwhelmingly advantageous for me in this situation.」

「Oi Coral, chase after the masked strange fellow just now. I’ll deal with this bandit.」

「──Got it! I’ll leave it to you!」

Coral nodded obediently and he flew his EX Wyvern towards Garden.

Instantly, several Diablos swarmed around Greifer.

Similar to before, the Abyss were coming down, not from Garden’s surroundings but from high in the sky.

「It’s unfortunate for you, Seven Dragon Paladin-sama. A battle is not against only what you can see in front of you. Even you won’t be able to do anything against this many.」

「So what? You are going to let me off the hook if I beg for my life or something?」

「Unfortunately a stray dog like you have no value as a hostage. I’ll finish you quickly──」

Drakkhen was making a threat that was the same like a death sentence, but Greifer wasn’t perturbed.

「That’s saved me the trouble. I hate troublesome things like pulling my punches. If you ain’t planning to capture me alive, then that’s just make it easier for me.」

「Stop it with the acting brave. The man who is categorized as the weakest among the Seven Dragon Paladins is──」

Drakkhen sent Greifer a ridiculing gaze while ordering all the Diablos to attack simultaneously at the same time.

All of them were deflected by the light membrane covering Cuelebre and the Tail Blade was quickly swung in a counterattack.

Just with that, several Diablos that were within the range got their head lobbed off and their core destroyed.

In front of Drakkhen who took distance to the back in surprise, Cuelebre glided sharply and slipped into her bosom.

「Photon Dive──is that Cuelebre’s Divine Raiment that covered itself with the light of invincibility?」

Once that was activated, any kind of attack couldn’t possibly defeat Greifer.

But, the activation time of the invincibility didn’t even reach ten seconds, and it was impossible to reactivate right away after the time limit ran out.

In other words, if she made the Abyss to attack continuously at different timings, it would be easy to make the attack pass through.

「How naïve. I have prepared countermeasures for someone at your level since a long time ago.」

In order to fix her balance, Drakkhen called more Abyss using her Hell Choir to imitate a horn flute.

Greifer and the others hadn’t discovered it but, other than Garden, there was a liberated facility where Abyss gathered that was hidden.

But, the moment Drakkhen leaped backwards and took distance, she noticed that her surroundings were covered by heavy fog.

「Hideout’s True NameMist Cypher──then I’ll give you one more thing to learn. This is the power of the special armament that Cuelebre has.」

「Hah! When I wondered what you were going to do, it’s just a really cheap trick in the end!」

Making mist to obstruct the vision.

Certainly it would be troublesome in a normal battle, but Drakkhen’s Asp was a special equipment type Drag-Ride.

Similar to general purpose Drag-Ride Drake, her Asp was equipped with a radar function, because of that it was meaningless to seal her field of vision. Thinking that she investigated using her radar, but she didn’t detect anything.

「──Don’t tell me!? This is a mist for obstructing electromagnetic waves……!?」

It wasn’t a mere heavy fog, but a special mist of metallic fragments that jammed even radar.

Right after she noticed that, the Tail Blade with its many joints drew a spiral trajectory and aimed at Drakkhen’s neck.

「Guauh!?」

Even though the Tail Blade was already hard to dodge even at the best of times due to its flexibility that was like a whip, Drakkhen was late to defend when it struck from inside the thick mist.

She strengthened her barrier and barely avoided a lethal wound, but her body from her shoulder until her chest was shallowly ripped up.

But right after that, the Abyss attacked Greifer inside the thick mist one after another.

During that time Drakkhen withdrew to a safe distance, but the moment the mist cleared up, the Abyss were already annihilated.

「My invincibility is dispelled, but if you make the Abyss charge into the Mist Cypher, as expected it was easy to defeat them yeah? Did you really prepare countermeasures for me properly?」

「…………」

Drakkhen was breathing hard due to her injury while realizing her own naivety.

Greifer preferred to challenge a battle recklessly. Even so, how was he able to survive through every kind of battlefield until now? It wasn’t just because of simple coincidence.

Even while he was constantly throwing himself into battle against powerful people and difficult situations, he was avoiding lethal injury while tenaciously surviving and sharpening his senses.

And then, he was healing his injury until the next battle while finding countermeasures.

Therefore he was called with the nickname Greedy Wolf.

「Seems like I misread this guy. In this situation I want to withdraw for the moment but, I also cannot do that yet. Until my comrades obtain it and return──」

「────」

Greifer’s face frowned slightly and he turned his gaze towards the closed Garden.

The actions of Lux and his group of entering inside under the pretext of investigation was predicted somewhere along the road.

「You are picking up sound with your Asp’s Divine Raiment and grasp the situation inside, is it? But, if you are planning to shake me, then it’s meaningless yeah?」

「That’s what I thought. A lone wolf doesn’t have anything like feelings of fellowship after all.」

Drakkhen made a fearless smile and took a stance for attacking.

「Exactly as you said but──it’s slightly different yeah?」

In response Greifer also readied his Tail Blade and he held his breath and skated forward once more.

「That naïve prince-sama, he ain’t as weak as his looks suggest.」

Greifer muttered jokingly and laughed.

Part 3

At the same time──inside Garden.

Inside the small room of the small world that was illuminated by a fake sun, with forest and lake, Lux stepped inside it once more.

The arm of Lux’s Wyvern was carrying Airi. Beside him Lisha was flying wearing Tiamat.

If they went straight like this, they would arrive at the altar that he visited together with Krulcifer in the past, but right now he wouldn’t be able to enter there even if he wanted to, and there was also no need for that.

After all in the end he only needed to leave behind the treasure box that was keeping the Grand Force in a place where it would be easy to dig out again.

「How about under this rock, Lux?」

「Yes. I also think there won’t be any problem there.」

In that place that resembled a real forest, there was a large rock the size of several houses put together, it looked like it would take time to destroy it using the ability of a general purpose Drag-Ride.

「Then here I go. Suppressor!」

Lisha activated Tiamat’s Divine Raiment, the gravity manipulation and floated the large rock in midair.

Lux took distance from the rock’s spot and opened a large hole on the ground under it using Cannon.

There was no problem until then, but when he dug up the soil using his Drag-Ride’s hand, a strange white stone caught his eye and he dug it out.

「What’s this──!? Human bone!?」

Lux was taken aback and he held his breath. Lisha and Airi were also surprised and peered in.

Human bones, furthermore they looked like they belonged to a child or a girl from the small size.

A gruesome incident could be imagined from the trace of the broken skull.

He unconsciously stared with intense concentration at it, but right after that, a sharp sound of slicing wind caressed his back.

Airi reacted to the sign of a violent attack that was fired from the direction of the forest.

「Is it the Abyss? Then──!」

Without delay, she was going to blow the horn flute she was carrying just in case, but at that instant several Daggers flew out between the forest’s trees.

「──Howling Roar!」

When Lux stood up in front of Airi and blocked them, something flew out like a squall from the opposite direction where the Daggers came from, and took away the contents of the treasure box.

The big crystal around the size of a human head, the Grand Force itself was taken away.

「Wha──!?」

The happening that was too sudden caused everyone including Lux to stiffen.

What plundered the Grand Force was a large man with dark brown skin wearing a flying type Divine Drag-Ride.

He didn’t say even a single word and flew away to the distance.

「Who is that guy!? Why did he take away the box!? No──」

There was no time to think right now.

They had to reach Avalon in order to stop the Sacred Eclipse──which couldn’t be done with the Grand Force stolen when it was necessary to conquer the Ruins. But there was something even worse than that, which was if this fact became known by others.

If the fact that the New Kingdom was hiding a treasure that was related to the Ruins’ conquering was reported to the world alliance, they might be falsely accused as a traitor.

「Lux! I’ll chase after that guy! You hold back the guy who threw the Daggers just now!」

Even within the situation that drastically changed right away, Lisha made a snap judgment as calm as possible.

The Daggers were thrown from the right side, which was a diversion action from an enemy. From the left side another person with a flying type Drag-Ride ran off with the treasure box.

Because Lux wasn’t in his best condition, the time he could use Bahamut was extremely short. He wasn’t suited to chase after the fleeing Drag-Ride and fight.

Originally he wouldn’t want to fight in this situation and expose Airi to danger, but it was a point of compromise that he only barely could accept.

「Please be careful! The enemy is likely a division commander of Dragon Marauder!」

Lux somehow told Lisha that before she vanished inside the forest chasing after the enemy.

Right after that, the enemy who threw the Dagger before this slowly showed himself.

「Not only did you avoid getting damaged in that instant, you even found out. That’s a great discernment.」

「You are──Vine Hachettes?」

「Vine……. One of Dragon Marauder’s three division commanders……the Earth Dragon division commander?」

Airi looked doubtful because the person before them was younger than expected. He was a youth with a slender face.

He looked far removed from the general image of a Drag-Ride mercenary, but his calm attitude made him seem like an experienced powerful person.

He was wearing a land battle type Divine Drag-Ride with deep green color, but there was no information at all about its Divine Raiment or special armament.

With Lux in his current condition, it would be a herculean task to face him while protecting Airi.

When Lux glared at the opponent nervously, Vine’s armor suddenly shined radiantly.

「Miasma of PetrificationCurse Fader」

「……-!?」

Violet air was blown out to the surroundings.

Lux immediately leaped back from that spot, but his armor from his wrist downwards that was touched by the violet smoke stiffened, and each joint became unable to move as though they were glued.

It was air of instantaneous binding with adhesive property.

It also caused the energy from the Force Core to become unable to get transmitted to the touched part too.

「──This is!? Is it that Divine Drag-Ride’s…… Divine Raiment that binds objects!?」

「Well, you’re right. The name of this Divine Drag-Ride is Basilisk, but this ability itself isn’t that amazing. The effect will cut off before long if the target isn’t bathed in this miasma continuously after all. There is no way I can fight with you in this situation. ──Sayonara.」

Right after that, Vine turned on his heels and skated away from the courtyard at full speed.

Why did he let go of the perfect chance to defeat Lux? And then why didn’t he chase after Lisha? Those puzzles were solved a few seconds later.

–

──*UUUUUUUN-!*

–

「This is──Ruin’s outer wall is rumbling!? Even though we only came inside just now!」

Airi looked around to the left and right with a surprised expression.

The Garden had a mechanism that would take in objects from outside the vicinity of its outer wall while transferring things from the inside to the outside in reverse every fixed period.

But, Airi that possessed a pocket watch informed him that this was something different.

「Why is the Ruin activating even though the time hasn’t passed that much, don’t tell me──!?」

The possibility that came to mind, was an existence of a Xfer.

Just like how the Ruin once detected danger towards Krulcifer and took her inside it, there was the possibility that the Ruin could be freely opened and closed by a Xfer’s existence and strength of will.

「However, how? Both Krulcifer-san and Mishis-san shouldn’t be here.」

Lux tried to move to outside even while feeling anxious like that. It was then, the one other uncomfortable feeling that he felt from some time ago showed its true identity.

「──Don’t move, you traitor of the world alliance. Lux Arcadia. I caught you red handed, handing over a Grand Force to Dragon Marauder. I’ll have you wait for my lord to decide what to be done with you after this.」

「……You are, Sir Singlen’s──!?」

Airi opened her eyes wide in shock while her voice was trembling in fright.

The aide of the Blackend Kingdom’s Seven Dragon Paladin, Zweigbergk Gimle.

An old soldier with a tall and lean figure, wearing a steel mask that was covering his face.

He was wearing an armor called suit armor that accomplished the same function as a pilot suit, along with an unfamiliar Divine Drag-Ride.

「I once heard from Magialca-san, most likely that Divine Drag-Ride is Tarasque…… there is no other information other than that is a land battle type.」

Lux was listening to Airi’s information while pondering in order to grasp the reason why this man suddenly appeared here.

Lux ignored his words of catching them red-handed while making conversation to buy time.

「Why are you here? Shouldn’t you be taking post together with Sir Singlen at this time inside the first fortress?」

「That’s right. But I happened to catch sight of Dragon Marauder’s members and gave chase. There I happened to see what was taking place here. You all handed over a treasure box filled with a Grand Force to them by pretending to have it stolen away. By the way──my subordinate who is a Drake user is recording the image of what happened just now. Acting innocent is just a pointless waste of time.」

「I see, so that’s the reason Vine didn’t attack me just now and retreated ……」

Lux was reaching an understanding seeing Zweigbergk talking with him with a bland tone as though threatening him.

In other words, since the beginning, Dragon Marauder and Singlen had each prepared two traps that differed from each other for Lux and the others who entered the Garden.

Dragon Marauder, through an unknown method, had somehow obtained information that Lux and the others would try to hide the Grand Force, and so they prepared in advance here to steal it.

On the other hand, Singlen who knew about the existence of the Grand Force predicted the hidden plan behind this Abyss extermination mission. He must have ordered his aide Zweigbergk to catch Lux and the others in the act of burying the Grand Force.

But, an unexpected situation occurred.

Each side’s objective clashed with each other.

Vine, a division commander of Dragon Marauder feared that it would become a battle against Singlen’s aide Zweigbergk, he threw away the good chance to kill Lux and escaped.

That was the sequence of events just now.

「Please don’t joke around! We aren’t betraying──」

Airi suddenly objected with her voice unusually loud.

「It’s pointless even if you feign innocence. We have proof. But, we aren’t demons. If you swear an oath to serve under my lord’s command, we won’t let the matter just now drop and hold back from publishing the image.」

「From the start that is your intention──!」

Airi groaned with a shaking body.

Even so it was impossible to oppose them if they had taken irrefutable proof, that was what she thought but,

「I want to ask one thing, it’s a lie that you saw Dragon Marauder and pursued them until here right?」

「…………?」

Zweigbergk kept silent under his mask toward Lux’s question.

「In the first place no one can enter this Garden for investigation without making a request to the New Kingdom. Sneaking inside here without permission is a violation of the agreement.」

「Nonsense.」

Zweigbergk coldly cut off that objection.

「Do you think you can cover up your fault with that kind of excuse? It’s clear as day whose offense is heavier here.」

「You cannot be so sure of that.」

Till the end Lux firmly declared without shrinking back.

「That time there was no other Drag-Ride other than us around the Garden. In other words, you had sneaked inside the Garden beforehand while waiting for our arrival. And then, you didn’t give chase when there was Dragon Marauder member right in front of you──that means」

Conversely the possibility of Singlen faction having connections with Dragon Marauder instead could be pointed out.

「Kukukuku. Your tongue is slicker than your appearance suggest. But it’s pointless. You are nothing more than a puppet dancing above my lord’s palm. I have no need to chase after those guys. After all this Garden is already surrounded by our White Ridge knight order.」

「──!?」

The complexion of Lux and Airi who heard that changed.

That was the true reason why Singlen was leading his army to the first fortress that was near the Garden.

By threatening Lux with this case while easily letting Dragon Marauder get away with the Grand Force, there was the possibility that it would be them instead who got accused for having connections with Dragon Marauder.

In order to prevent that counterattack, Singlen had already launched his countermeasure.

(But, what is this──this strong uncomfortable feeling……!?)

Even if Singlen had spies within the New Kingdom, there was no way he should be able to obtain information this specific.

But, from his talk with him at Babel, Singlen talked as though he knew the fact that the New Kingdom was hiding a Grand Force in their possession.

Then, there was a high possibility that Singlen had noticed their plan since the New Kingdom requested to do an Abyss extermination mission around the Garden a few days ago.

Just with that, Singlen had seen through the plan of Queen Raffi to bury the Grand Force secretly.

That was to say──

Yoruka who was on guard against Singlen, might be vaguely sensing that too.

If Yoruka noticed Singlen’s scheme this time, she would──

『Vi, vice captain Zweigbergk! Please respond!』

At that time, a Dragon Voice from Zweigbergk’s subordinate contacted his Tarasque.

The old knight let out a sigh while answering it in front of Lux and Airi.

「What is it? You should be forming formation to intercept the Abyss at the outer perimeter. Why did you enter this Garden?」

『Sir! I approached the Garden in order to avoid getting mixed up within the chaos and got transferred in suddenly──no, more importantly it’s an emergency state! The Drag-Knights of our army who were stationed around the first fortress suddenly began to attack each other!』

「What!?」

『I escaped from that conflict in panic and approached the direction of Garden, it was then I got sucked inside here! It had become impossible to form an encirclement. At this rate the strategy will──』

The voice of the male member of the White Ridge knight order that made his report was impatiently cut off there.

Zweigbergk stood still in surprise that their plan had collapsed. In front of him, Lux and Airi who felt the uncommon threat looked at each other’s face.

「Attacking each other……? Nii-san, could that be──」

「Right. Most likely, surely……」

Lux also nodded without concealing his discomposure towards Airi’s muttering.

The possibility that this was the work of the Divine Raiment of Kirihime Yoruka’s Yato no Kami──Spell Code, was extremely high.

Yes──if Singlen kept a watchful eye on the movements of the New Kingdom and he didn’t miss this chance── that girl was also the same.

If Kirihime Yoruka also didn’t fail to notice Singlen’s movement…….

「This is bad Nii-san! If Yoruka-san noticed this situation……!」

「──I know. We also have to go outside!」

There was a chance that Yoruka would move to directly crush Singlen who was trying to trap Lux.

But, the two were stopped by a single gaze from Zweigbergk.

「Do you think I will let you go, you brat?」

「Kuh! This is not the time for us to fight like this!」

Lux fired a Howling Roar and started the battle.

Dragon Marauder, Singlen ──and then the New Kingdom.

A battle where the motives of three factions were entangled was started.

Part 4

Around that time──at the first fortress near Garden.

Right now inside that stone fortress where the White Ridge knight order that was led by Singlen was stationed, a hellish commotion was happening.

The elites of the knight order started moving in order to encircle the Garden under the pretext of exterminating the Abyss, in order to not let Lux and the others get away. But then they started to attack each other one after another.

「What are you doing! Stop! Don’t!」

The majority of the White Ridge knight order consisted of powerful High Class Drag-Knights, but due to the turmoil that occurred suddenly, they were unable to execute the original strategy and they were knocked down into chaos.

「Shit! Is this the work of the rumored Empire’s Assassin Blade!? But why!? Even though the Drake’s radar has been watching all directions since the start, guaaaah!」

One of the knights yelled that, but his fellow knight order member struck him and he stopped moving.

The veteran soldiers that numbered fifty in total were in complete disarray.

–

「We are under attack by an intruder, Sir Singlen! At this rate the operation to subdue Lux Arcadia cannot be carried out!」

「………….」

Singlen was sitting alone inside a room that was illuminated by tallow lamp──the throne room at the center of the fortress that was used for the commander.

His body deeply leaned on the armrest. In a glance his posture looked slovenly, while a deep smile was carved on his expression.

「How could this happen!? We should have exercised maximum alertness to the surroundings! For that woman to outwit us is──」

「It seems that our actions were predicted. We fell into that girl’s trick. It seems she had come beforehand through an entrance towards the underground passage.」

When a female Drag-Knight wearing glasses who stood beside Singlen acting as his aide yelled, Singlen slowly straightened his posture and answered.

「Just like how we hid troops in ambush inside the Garden in order to trap that Chore Prince, the Empire’s Assassin Blade was also aiming at our necks since the start. I don’t know whether this is her arbitrary decision or that prince’s instigation, but she isn’t half bad.」

Singlen grinned ironically while touching the handle of the Sword Device on his waist.

There, a curved blade was hanging.

「Pl, please wait! There is no way we can trouble our lord with something like this! We will immediately send out messengers to the Drakes to find and obliterate the intruder with full force──」

The female aide yelled that with rage and pride filling her voice, but Singlen shook his head slightly.

「Stop it. None among you will be a match against that girl anyway. It will only be a pointless waste of precious pieces──no, instead it will only increase the number of my enemies.」

「……!?」

The female was taken aback and gulped, then right after that she conveyed her lord’s words to all the troops.

A few minutes later, the Drag-Knights of the White Ridge knight order retreated.

–

「──So you remain here alone.」

Yoruka fully deployed the searching range of her Yato no Kami’s radar and searched for her target’s position.

There was no more other soldiers wearing Drag-Rides inside the fortress. There was only one life sign inside.

There was no doubt now that it was the sign of the Blue Tyrant──Singlen Shelbrit who Yoruka wished to bring down.

There was no doubt that he noticed her existence who caused this situation, and before she could steal his whole army using Spell Code, he made his subordinates retreat.

「With this──my role is also over.」

Her existence was accepted into the Academy, but she wasn’t a formal member of Syvalles.

Even if her life fell in this battle, no harmful effect would reach Lux.

Since a long time ago, Yoruka already had an inkling regarding Singlen’s wicked obsession towards Lux, although she didn’t know the reason for that.

While she noticed, she felt Singlen’s bottomless strength and she didn’t carelessly approach him.

She would die if she failed.

While it was just what she desired in a sense, but she didn’t go through with it because she had no definite chance of victory.

「This is the same──as that time.」

When she was living as a royal guard in the nation of Koto, Yoruka vaguely noticed the evil designs of the chief vassals towards her little brother, but she turned a blind eye to it and didn’t kill them.

There was no way she would repeat the same mistake.

This was the remaining meaning of life for her who wasn’t a human.

There was no way she would allow her master Lux to be taken away once more.

「He chose an interesting stage, that Blue Tyrant.」

Yoruka arrived at the fortress’s throne room, but Singlen wasn’t there.

Judging from the radar, his location was underground── Singlen was inside the Drag-Ride hangar.

The Drag-Ride manipulation by Yato no Kami’s Spell Code in the end could only display its effect towards a Drag-Ride that a person was wearing.

In an area where there were a lot of obstacles and other weapons that could be used, Singlen surely thought of it as advantageous for him.

Yoruka kept that in mind while grasping the terrain, then she immediately formed a plan.

Yoruka entered into the underground hangar with maximum vigilance.

Drag-Rides that were in the middle of assembly or repair, new Drag-Rides that had just been excavated from the Ruins, or even Drag-Ride parts.

It was an extensive hall made from stone with the smell of oil and metal drifting in the air.

On that stage where countless Drag-Rides were stored underground, it gave the impression like a catacomb of Drag-Rides.

In this place where sunlight didn’t enter, only several torches were illuminating the surroundings silently.

「This is unexpected. I completely estimated that you will aim for a long range battle in a place with no obstacles as a countermeasure against me though?」

Yoruka first let out just her voice and searched for Singlen’s reaction.

The enemy was only wearing a general purpose Drag-Ride Drake.

He wasn’t wearing his Divine Drag-Ride Leviathan not because of self-confidence, but in order to detect Yoruka’s approach using the Drake’s radar.

Finally, Yoruka could see Singlen’s face that was illuminated by flame, ahead at the spacious central passage.

「If I do that then you will go aiming at my subordinates right? That’s why I did the opposite and caught you in a trap like this. If I can turn the tables on you when you try to assassinate me and capture you, that softhearted hero-sama will have no choice but to obey me.」

「…………」

「You must be thinking that you came here by your own will, but you’re wrong. I’m waiting here. For the chance to steal that Chore Prince’s 『comrade』, which is his tender spot.」

「You have miscalculated there. I am Aruji-sama’s loyal tool──I’m not his 『comrade』 or anything like that.」

Yoruka continued the conversation without hesitation while searching for an opening in Singlen using her devilish eye that was shining purple.

「It’s you who have miscalculated, Empire’s Assassin Blade. That’s the reason why you are defective merchandise. You don’t even understand your──」

The moment Singlen was continuing his words, the air suddenly wavered.

Yoruka released the energy that was concentrated in the armored legs of Yato no Kami and assaulted with explosive momentum.

Singlen was standing between walls where Drag-Rides were placed on them. Yoruka aimed towards him, and unleashed a flash of sword draw strike that went towards his neck.

Drake had a lot of functions as a special equipment type, but in exchange its basic specs and output were weak.

The instantaneous attack that overtook sound should be able to tear apart the barrier defense and inflict lethal damage.

But, in front of that attack that looked as though it was taking the enemy by complete surprise, a light wall blocked it without delay.

「──Battle Array – Vicissitude.」

Tuning── using the system of a Drag-Ride, the activation timing and surface direction of the barrier that was originally activated and set automatically could be adjusted personally. It was such a battle technique.

From right to left──or from above to below. By instantaneously forming a force field that was facing a certain direction just before the impact hit, it became possible to deflect the attack using the barrier itself with this special move.

Yoruka’s sword draw that was literally a sure kill attack was parried. She pitched forward and passed beside the enemy, exposing an opening towards Singlen who was turning around behind her──was how it should be, but right after that the wrist of Singlen’s armored wrist broke, and the Blade that hand was holding flew to the air.

「……!?」

Singlen tilted his head in bewilderment, at that moment Yoruka caught a Blade that was twirling in the air.

With that the Blue Tyrant finally grasped the situation.

The first slashing attack was a fake that stopped with Yoruka merely throwing her Blade just before it hit.

The moment that Blade was deflected by Battle Array – Vicissitude, her free left hand used the Dagger it was holding to stab his Drake’s armored arm.

Due to her posture she was unable to directly attack Singlen, but by destroying Singlen’s method to counterattack beforehand, she made a perfect opening at this timing.

「Trying to probe my hand with that kind of half-baked Drag-Ride is a miscalculation isn’t it?」

Yoruka who firmly caught her Blade in midair propped her hand on the handle and pointed the blade, then took a stance of skewering Singlen who was right below.

She aimed to put the weight of Yato no Kami into the Blade and instantly kill the opponent, but Singlen spoke with composure.

「So what? You failure. ──Battle Array – Vicissitude.」

Yes.

Because Yoruka let go of her Blade temporarily, there was a lag until she unleashed her next sure kill attack.

Therefore, that attack was avoided once more due to the deflection of Battle Array – Vicissitude that was activated once more──wasn’t what happened.

「……What?」

Battle Array – Vicissitude──no, the barrier itself wasn’t generated from the Drake.

Looking closer, a purple pattern that looked like letters was covering the armor’s surface.

Spell Code──the Divine Raiment that could control other people’s Drag-Rides after Yato no Kami touched it directly.

This time Yoruka only touched the enemy with her Dagger for a moment, even so a single moment of opening by dispelling the enemy’s barrier could be made from it.

And then, in a battle between masters, that instant became fatal.

(──This is the end. If it’s like this, I can still return to remove Aruji-sama’s enemy. But)

Perhaps because Yoruka felt relieved with the success of her surprise attack, her feelings slackened inside.

That time, she suddenly felt it was a good thing that she would be able to return to Lux’s side.

She also felt that even if she returned, there wouldn’t be anything more that she who wasn’t a human could do for his sake. That feeling shook her.

Just like that time when she couldn’t answer the feelings of her little brother who treated a tool like her as human, she couldn’t even shed a tear for him──

That moment which was even less than a blink was stretched.

Along with the end of that, the Blade impacted with the defenseless Drake. At that time the armor burst into pieces.

「──Battle Array – Royal Domain.」

It was a basic technique that took off the Drag-Ride the user wore, while at the same time firing that armor like a buckshot.

It was a surprise attack that also put a risk on the user themselves, but Singlen’s Battle Array applied tuning to it and strengthened it.

「Battle Array – Royal Domain……it’s not a mere Break Purge isn’t it? By firing a buckshot to the enemy directly while taking off the armor at the same time, the enemy’s balance is broken while the user neutralizes the impact and escapes backwards at the same time. But, why──」

「Your finishing is poor. Your master──that kind Chore Prince is also the same. The world cannot be saved with that. Don’t you think so?」

「…………」

If it was the usual Yoruka, she would hide inside the Drag-Ride hangar and ignore Singlen’s question, then she would leap at the position of his presence and cut him.

The usual Yoruka should do that without hesitation, but the baffling phenomenon that happened in front of her just now dulled her actions.

The chance that should kill the enemy with certainty was avoided.

She wouldn’t be able to defeat Singlen while she was unable to understand the cause of that.

Like that, when she tried to recall her memory of just now, she noticed that at that moment, Singlen was fighting with his hand kept holding his Drake’s Sword Device.

「Aah, there is that thing called the order of precedence of command isn’t it.」

With that Yoruka comprehended it.

In other words, Singlen overwrote the order of『dispel the barrier』 that came from Spell Code, with a powerful order that had strong priority.

Furthermore Singlen held his Sword Device in his own hand, protecting his other control stick from the Spell Code’s effect.

Therefore he was able to perform evasive action just barely.

「As expected from a Seven Dragon Paladin. But, the same method won’t──」

「──Origin ocean, whirl powerfully to the critical point. Illuminate the heaven and bring down the judgment of divine will, Leviathan.」

When Yoruka glared forward, dazzling light surged inside the hangar.

A Divine Drag-Ride was summoned at the other side of the wall where Drag-Rides were placed.

The large frame that was covered with armor of hardy blue scales came from a land battle type, but the armor that looked like a tail and dorsal fins which substituted the back wings stretching from its back made it look like a mystical and fierce sea dragon.

「So that’s your star performer, the Leviathan. You won’t be able to escape like before again you know?」

Yoruka wasn’t perturbed at all seeing that majestic appearance and said that with a matter-of-fact tone.

But, Singlen was making a scornful grin that could be seen from the gaps of the wall that had Drag-Rides lined up on it.

「Empire’s Assassin Blade. Won’t you serve this me? You are quite the useful tool. It’s a bit of waste to break you here.」

「That’s an absurd joke. Or perhaps, you are simply intending to buy time?」

Yoruka replied like that while closing her distance with Singlen. At the same time she was searching for an opening.

She was measuring the timing for the special move of attacking by taking advantage of the gap of consciousness──Instant Strike.

「All of you should be able to understand──. This world is infested by not good things. The fools who don’t deserve salvation are reigning on the top and getting warped. Someone has to make it right. And then your current master cannot do that. No, far from that he is a half-baked person who will only get betrayed and fall to ruin.」

Singlen calmly gazed at Yoruka while talking with a faintly pitying tone.

「That guy has no strength to chase after his own dream. That’s why, submit to me. If it’s me, I’ll be able to use you more correctly. In exchange, I’ll at least spare the life of that Chore Prince.」

「…………」

She submitted under the banner of the Old Empire in exchange of them sparing the life of her little brother.

Singlen’s invitation was similar with the contract that she once accepted, however Yoruka shook her head.

「That condition is unacceptable. Aruji-sama──isn’t someone who will be defeated by the likes of you.」

The moment she finished talking, Yoruka leaped once more and drew near.

Her aim was one of the three hidden techniques of Drag-Ride control──End Action.

She planned to decide the battle in one go by striking down the opponent with infinite consecutive attacks that came from giving command to the Drag-Ride using two types of control operations, but that attack was stopped by a blade of water pillar that surged from the ground.

「This is, Leviathan’s Divine Raiment──!?」

Freely controlling water that it touched.

It was an extremely simple property and ability, but because of that it was difficult to beat.

Even Yato no Kami that could obtain overwhelming advantage if it could touch the opponent’s frame itself was unable to display its true worth due to the water’s obstruction.

「Yeah, it’s called Royal AuthorityLeaning. Just as you can see, it’s a Divine Raiment to control water, but it also has a bit troublesome aspect. In a place that is not a watery area, I first have to gather water to control using the internal mechanism special armament, Water TankBallast.」

It was required for a location like fortress and the like to secure water well due to their nature where a lot of people would stay there for a long period.

Thus even this location that was surrounded with wasteland was a place where water could be easily gathered.

Just as Singlen said, waves of water were starting to whirl around Leviathan.

It was a Divine Raiment that combined defense and offense into one, where those waters themselves could become a shield or spear. It began to show its characteristics.

「The nonsense just now was really buying time wasn’t it? Your act was really sneaky.」

「Hoo. You are quite strong headed. Few can live after challenging this me you know?」

Singlen showed a sneer, then right after that he quickly swung his Sword Device.

Immediately after, water blades surged like opening flower petal, the surrounding wall and stone pillars, then the Drag-Rides that were fixed in place were bisected.

With that, the traps that Yoruka laid out were completely destroyed.

Yoruka also similarly saw a chance and laid out her string shaped special armament, the Spider’s ThreadKumo no Ito at the surrounding.

Originally it was a barrier of thin size that the human eye couldn’t see, but it was completely severed.

「──You are someone with less patience than I thought.」

「Disrespectful fellow. You think that kind of thing will work against me? I’ll make you pay the compensation for that.」

• GO-*, the air of the hangar shook once more.

Right after the surrounding obstacles were destroyed, Leviathan skated and attacked toward Yoruka.

In respond Yoruka escaped to the air using the special armament Vacuum StepKarafumi that made it possible to leap midair.

She kicked on unseen air and tried to take position near the ceiling, but before she could──Singlen drew near with terrific speed and unleashed his power.

「──Battle Array – Aeon Fire.」

「……-!?」

The tip of the great sword that had energy focused into one point on it using tuning sharply fell towards her shoulder.

(Blocking it is──impossible isn’t it)

Spell Code could exert its effect even when it only touched through the weapon.

However if she blocked the super strength of Battle Array – Aeon Fire, her Drag-Ride would be bisected along with her Blade and barrier.

Thus, Yoruka made light and wind gushed out from the back of her four armored legs to dodge by jumping aside.

But, right after that, Singlen who got his sure kill attack avoided grinned fearlessly.

「Do you think you can even escape?」

「──!?」

Instantly, three water torrents undulated from around Leviathan and surged with spiraling trajectory.

Without delay Yoruka used her Blade as a shield, but even when she used her barrier she could only stop two, the last attack pierced her barrier and dealt an impact that felt like it was piercing into her body.

「Ku……u!」

Her breath was caught in her throat and her body’s freedom became restricted even if only for a bit.

To take advantage of that opening, Singlen quickly closed the distance.

He used water current as a foothold like surfing, and manifested agile mobility even midair despite the Drag-Ride being a land type battle.

Not just offense and defense, that Divine Raiment was also freely working on the movement aspect.

「Don’t make me repeat myself. To save that Chore Prince, there is nothing you can do except offering yourself. Are you planning to make me waste even more time than this?」

Singlen who arrived in front of Yato no Kami quickly held his hand towards its Force Core.

Right after that, countless light windows that manifested for the use of tuning opened, and a dazzling beam of light flickered.

「──Battle Array – Purple Lightning.」

「-……! What is this!? Yato no Kami’s movement is──!」

Although Yoruka immediately try to move for counterattack, the Drag-Ride she wore didn’t react.

All the command system was temporarily dispelled, exposing a completely defenseless figure.

(Could it be, he is using tuning to interfere with other Drag-Rides?)

「Interfering with tuning that connected the Sword Device with Drag-Ride, the Drag-Ride’s movement will stop for less than a second in order to check that command system.」

Singlen spoke as though to verify the answer and he lifted up his great sword.

「Therefore, if I get close, I will be able to cancel the opponent’s command to move their Drag-Ride even if it’s just for an instant.」

A large swing from right above was unleashed using that opening. In that instant, Yoruka barely moved her Blade and blocked it.

A single action performed at godspeed from perfectly aligned control operations, Quick Draw.

But, that too was nothing more than a temporary solution.

Yoruka was forced to back away while being unable to see any thread for counterattack.

「What happened to your bluster at the beginning? In any case if you die that Chore Prince will submit to me, so how about you stop with this trivial bluff?」

「What is your objective? Why are you trying that much──to move Aruji-sama for your own convenience like this?」

In response Yoruka barely avoided the water torrent of Leviathan while throwing a question.

The broken wall and stone pillars were washed away by the water torrent. That sight looked exactly like a disaster from heavy floods.

「I’m only doing what your master cannot possibly do. I had a bit of hope on that guy but, it’s impossible for him. Even if he can become a hero, he cannot become a king. Against those guys──against those guys he will be helpless. That’s all there is to it.」

「Are you saying that if it’s you, you will be able to do it?」

Yoruka hid in the shadow of the stone pillars or the stored Drag-Rides. The water torrent undulated after her.

Yoruka escaped into a place that couldn’t be entered by Leviathan’s huge frame while exchanging attacks, but the number of obstacles she could escape towards was decreasing more and more.

She was finally cornered in front of a huge stone wall.

「──I can. No, this me has to do it no matter what. There is no way I can entrust this world to those unenlightened fools wallowing in the darkest ignorance. Then, at the very least they should be of use as my pieces.」

「In other words, a secret for reaching Avalon is hidden with Aruji-sama, is that it? It seems you are talking while putting on an air of importance but, in short it’s something like that correct?」

「…………」

When Yoruka suddenly said that with a smile, Singlen fell silent with a hollow expression.

「You made Aruji-sama install the Grand Force in Babel too, it was a part of that plan correct? It’s fine. It doesn’t look like I will be able to make you run your mouth anymore──let’s stop our talk here.」

「Does your mind get disturbed? There is no more place for you to hide. In this situation where a lot of water is surrounding you, you are planning to contend against my Leviathan?」

「No──I don’t have such intentions in the slightest.」

Yoruka burst into a bright carefree smile and spoke that.

In response Singlen glared at his opponent with a cold gaze.

「I have obtained the information that I wished to ask from you to a certain degree, so I intend to settle this any time now. The terrain also has been arranged just as I wished── With this I am able to use my Divine Raiment to my heart’s content.」

「Just when I wondered what you are going to say, it’s just nonsense. In front of my Leaning that can attack with water, you are unable to even touch me. You are going to act tough at this point in time?」

「Then allow me to do this──Over Limit – On」

「……!?」

Right after Yoruka murmured, Spell Code emerged on Yato no Kami’s own armor.

It covered the whole frame without stopping. At the same time the dark colored armor groaned and changed shape. Almost at the same time,

An Abyss’ howl thundered from outside the first fortress.

Part 5

Around the same time.

Inside Garden, near the wall.

At the vicinity of the entrance where there was a plain that had plants growing luxuriantly and a huge metal wall, a one-on-one duel was unfolding fiercely.

Lux was forced into an unprecedented hard battle against Singlen’s aide Zweigbergk who stood in his way, not allowing Lux to pass to where his lord was.

Because Lux himself was exhausted from using Over Limit previously, he was unable to use his full strength.

Even so it would become worse gradually for him if it became a protracted battle, so he turned into offense even if it was reckless, but Zweigbergk skillfully aimed at Lux and he couldn’t narrow in on him.

Zweigbergk purposefully continued the battle in super close range, making Lux unable to memorize his movements on the whole and sealed Lux’s foresight.

「Shit-!」

Of course, Lux used his three hidden techniques and Critical Hit to make an opening and attempted to pull away from Zweigbergk like that, but it didn’t go well.

(Unbelievable, it’s like his movements are completely different from all my opponents until now.)

As expected from a veteran knight who was rich in experience, his precision in handling a Drag-Ride as though it was his own arms and legs was outstandingly skillful. Whether it was the way he took distance or his conduct so that his next action couldn’t be predicted, Lux felt it with his skin that he was an opponent that he couldn’t let his guard down against for even an instant.

Furthermore, the opponent’s attack was completely merciless, as though he didn’t mind even if Lux got injured beyond recovery.

On the contrary, because Zweigbergk caught them red-handed about the matter of Grand Force, he couldn’t injure his opponent seriously here.

That became a clear difference in strength at a battle of this level.

「──Kuku, it’s just as my lord said. It seems that you cannot hold a resolve to kill me even in this situation. Foolish man.」

Zweigbergk seemed to guess the thoughts of such Lux and threw ridiculing words.

「There is no meaning in such resolve! It’s unthinkable that a proper path can be opened by cutting down everything inconvenient for oneself!」

Lux yelled and swung his Scale Blade, but it didn’t work against Zweigbergk.

Almost at the same time in the next moment, an enormous rumble of the ground and the sound of destruction resounded from the other side of the thick metal wall.

「-……!? This sound, don’t tell me──!」

Lux was taken aback and opened his eyes wide, at the same time Zweigbergk was also stopping his hand in bewilderment.

Fundamentally the interior of Garden should be a special space that was isolated from the outside world.

Accordingly, sound and impact originally shouldn’t reach inside from outside.

Yes, as long as nothing drastic happened──

「Sir Zweigbergk. A large-scale battle is happening outside! It might be the work of Dragon Marauder! We shouldn’t waste strength here! If we don’t get outside while uninjured……!」

Zweigbergk’s countenance changed for a moment hearing Lux’s pleading.

But, his expression soon returned calm under the mask and he asserted coldly.

「You are quite quick witted, Lux Arcadia. To attempt to take advantage of the commotion outside like that, indeed it’s just as my lord said, you seem to have the qualifications as a 『hero』.」

In other words, he had no intention to differ from Singlen’s order by saying that.

「I won’t run or hide! More importantly are you alright with this? If something unusual happens that even caused sound to be audible from outside Garden, even the Drake that was recording that image might get done in. If that happens then it’s over!」

「…………」

‘A troublesome man as expected.’ Zweigbergk renewed his recognition of Lux once more.

Even this incident that happened at this timing, it made him feel like there was some kind of fate at work.

Exactly because of that a collar had to be put on this man here.

(My lord is fighting for the sake of doing what has to be done.)

In order to realize that, he would complete the order to obtain Lux here.

Zweigbergk hardened his resolve as such and skated his Tarasque.

──But, the ground sunk in at that moment and Zweigbergk was pinned to the ground along with a purple gravity field.

「Wha-……you!?」

「Lisha-sama!」

Lisha who was chasing Dragon Marauder lost sight of the enemy, so she returned. She reported her return to Lux before using Dragon Voice.

But if she immediately moved to assist Lux, Zweigbergk would surely react immediately.

Thus she was hiding her presence until now while looking for a chance, and she finally succeeded in capturing Zweigbergk like this.

Because Lisha didn’t use her other special armament and continued to pour her full strength, as expected even Zweigbergk was unable to move from there.

「Now Lux! Attack! I won’t be able to pin down this guy for long!」

「No, please stay like that, Lisha-sama. If we are at the entrance of this Garden, we will be transferred outside either way.」

「Don’t speak like it’s easy, it’s hard to maintain this gravity field here!」

Lisha raised her voice in hurry, in response Lux spoke with a wry smile.

「Please. It will be for one more minute so──」

「I, I get it. That’s, in exchange, accompany me for a bit when this is over.」

When Lisha averted her eyes shyly, Airi walked out from behind a rock’s cover.

「Geez, please don’t frolic around even at this kind of time. Just because everyone is traveling abroad and there is a chance to talk with Nii-san──」

「Wha, what are you saying this cheeky little sister! More importantly, it’s the happening outside and that ero woman──」

Certainly, right now he was worried about Yoruka.

If she noticed that Singlen laid a trap in order to make Lux into his piece, she might go to aim directly at him.

「Fuh, you all are naïve like usual. You will regret it if you don’t finish me off here you know?」

Zweigbergk threatened like that even with the gravity field pouring on him and made him unable to move.

However, Lux couldn’t bring himself to fight him at this place anymore.

The Over Limit that he used when fighting Rosa previously as well as the battle against the Ragnarok──Metatron after that overworked his body too much. His limit was near even just from the fight before this.

It wasn’t that Lux wasn’t using Bahamut, he was unable to use it.

But regardless of that fact, he didn’t feel like crushing Zweigbergk here.

Because he didn’t try to take Airi hostage when she was defenseless and hiding behind the rock.

This person wasn’t a good person, and if it was a military duty then he would surely be merciless.

Even so, limited to this time, it didn’t become a reason why Lux must not be merciful.

• Pou-*……during that time, the internal wall of Garden was shining faintly.

Soon the transfer to outside would begin.

「Nii-san. You understand right? No matter what’s going on outside, with Nii-san’s condition right now, you already──」

Cannot fight anymore.

Especially if he used Bahamut, the activation time would be extremely short. Not to mention Singlen, even Zweigbergk would be beyond him.

「It’s fine Airi, I won’t be reckless.」

Airi only turned a doubting gaze in response to Lux’s smile that looked like he was acting tough.

(Be safe, everyone──)

That time when he returned back with Yoruka after the date.

He recalled that her face looked vaguely worried.

She said that she was unable to answer everyone’s expectations with a seemingly lonely expression.

Previously, she also risked her life and faced the Ragnarok Metatron when it couldn’t be harmed.

If she noticed that Singlen laid a trap to screw Lux over, she might challenge him to a fight with the resolve to die too this time.

(Be safe, Yoruka……)

The moment he wished that, the bodies of Lux and the others were wrapped with a faint light. The sensation of gravity vanished.

After they put their bodies into the space of darkness for a few seconds── the sky opened along with a dazzling sunlight.

「We are out! Can you go, Lux──!?」

Lisha yelled at the same time with their exit outside Garden.

But, the moment she saw the spreading wasteland and blue sky in her vision, she became speechless.

「Just what happened, this──……!」

Airi murmured from the shoulder of Lux’s Wyvern. Lux couldn’t reply back.

To say it in few words, it was a manifestation of hell.

In the first place, the surroundings of Garden wasn’t a beautiful area because of the periodical appearance of the Abyss.

But, what existed there right now was the greatly gouged and smashed ground, and dozens of the Abyss that covered the sky.

The White Ridge knight order under Singlen’s command was wholly put into disadvantage.

「Why? How are we getting surrounded by this many Abyss? There wasn’t this many Abyss piled up inside the Garden, and we had investigated the vicinity with radar too!」

Zweigberk raised his voice in a disbelieving tone.

Lisha who heard that from nearby smiled even while sweating.

「It seems, this isn’t the time for stupid quarrels, huh. Lux──」

Lisha took a deep breath and turned her gaze to the first fortress that was a slight distance away.

It seemed she guessed something seeing that Yoruka wasn’t here.

「You owe me one with this. Later, set aside some time properly for me okay? Come hell or high water, I’ll hold out in this place. You go and drag that idiot ero woman back.」

「Please. I will return right away so──」

Even while Lux resolved himself like that, he became worried for Airi and turned his gaze to her.

Then, the Triad who were hiding in the cover of Garden showed up together.

「Yes. Please leave Airi and this place to us.」

「Maaan, it saved us even if it’s only Lisha-sama who will stay here! With just us, it was the best we can do to escape while fighting.」

「Both of you, you are safe!?」

It seemed Airi was anxious, because she unusually raised her voice loudly with the appearance of Noct and Tillfur.

Sharis gently caressed her head and then she turned towards Lux once more.

「Leave this place to us. You head to the fortress and go help Yoruka. We will stay safe here somehow. We already sent out a reinforcement request to Cross Field and the New Kingdom.」

「──Yeah, it’s impossible to hold out with this many opponents. We will gather those who can move and retreat!」

Lux who heard Lisha’s decision quickly pulled out his other Sword Device.

And then, he put strength into his stomach and let out his voice as though to clear away the fatigue coiling around his body.

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

Light particles converged and formed the huge jet black dragon.

Those parts quickly split and changed into armor that covered Lux’s body.

「Nii-san! Please don’t be reckless! It’s a promise!」

Lux flew his Bahamut with Airi’s words behind him.

He mowed down several flying type Abyss in his way while hurrying towards the first fortress where Yoruka was.

「…………?」

Although he was wearing Bahamut, he managed to defeat several of the Abyss excessively easily.

A very slight strange and uncomfortable feeling caused discomfort in Lux’s chest.

But, at this time Lux had no leeway to split his focus to that doubt.

Why had this many Abyss suddenly appeared?

And then, the reason why the White Ridge knight order was pushed back so much like this, was most likely…

There was an unseen something nearby this Garden.

(However, right now isn’t the time for that! If I don’t go to save Yoruka──!)

Lux exhaled while raising his spirit, aiming towards inside the fortress.

In order to not let Yoruka taste the same anguish as before.

In order to convey his own feelings to her, he went at full speed.

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