Magika No Kenshi To Shoukan Maou:Volume 9 Chapter 3

Chapter 3 – Male and Female

Part 1

“However I’m really troubled here if you don’t treasure us a little more as comrades that fight together on the same side. Even though we came helping trying to stop those Germans from going wild, there is my comrade that just got left to die without any help and fell into magic intoxication for all that. That’s just really heartless ain’t it―. And then there is no thanks or apology at all, you guys looks like you are just completely concerned about those German bunch only, yeah―”

A rare guest was visiting the Witch’s Mansion.

That person was securing the position right in front of the Phantasmagoria where it was the easiest spot to watch the show in the living room. The person was earnestly complaining and spouting sarcasm while gulping down the served cookies and black tea.

“Mu… this cookie! I said many selfish things to that old man Yamagata and got him to feed me with various high class food, but this cookie is the tastiest I have gotten to eat until now… It looks simple somehow, but there is this good feeling that it was made courteously. It feels like a mom’s cookie. Seconds!”

That person shamelessly held out the plate that had become empty to the [server].

“Then please enjoy.”

Kazuki took the plate and placed a second helping. The one who brew the black tea was Mio, but the one that baked the cookies was Kazuki. …After hearing the word mom, there was still a complicated feeling gushing out in him.

“Hauu―…even though it’s Otouto-kun’s cookie that was baked for us… because of the sudden visitor the portion for each person decreased completely…”

Kaguya-senpai fell prostrate on the table.

The rare guest―was Ryouzanpaku’s Roshouko. From the wild jacket and denim pants that she wore, it showed her figure in civilian clothes with her skin that was burned healthily exposed, giving off the impression of her southerner origin.

She looked wild but her instinct was sharp, she was strangely proficient at bargaining―she gave off the impression that she was someone he mustn’t let his guard down against.

“Shouko-san, how can you act this freely?”

Originally she was not a person that was supposed to be left alone too much to do as she pleased. She was friendly but, she was similar with the Kings that came from the outside, a powerful warrior that was a match for a thousand. It was strange that she was monitored by the country.

“You don’t really need to worry, after all my comrade is hospitalized in Japan’s Knight Order’s facility y’know?”

Shouko-san shrugged her shoulder and answered.

“I’m not gonna do anything suspicious okay. I begged to Old man Yamagata to let me go play, if I try to do something then it’s fine for them to just kill off Silirat. It’s the opposite way of thinking.”

I’ll give you my comrade as hostage so let me do as I please―opposite way of thinking or whatever, such a shameless reason wasn’t supposed to be accepted. But he guessed that Commander Yamagata couldn’t really reject her so strongly.

Before, Silirat intervened to help Kaguya-senpai that fell into predicament because of Germans running wild, and because the girl fell into magic intoxication from that fight, right now these girls were perfectly in the position of a good willed injured party.

By making the rampaging Germans into their common enemy, it also could become a good chance to deepen the relation between Japan and Ryouzanpaku.

But as for Kazuki―he didn’t want to turn Germany into an enemy.

First he wanted to ask the circumstances why Beatrix rampaged around like that.

As for Silirat’s action, who was going to add more injury to Eleonora whose magic power was gone, without even asking about the circumstances, although they said it was for the sake of helping Japan’s side… that was something that he couldn’t thank them for.

Due to that Japan’s attitude toward Ryouzanpaku was still in the air until Beatrix and the others woke up.

Shouko was dissatisfied with this stance that compromised with Germany rather than Ryouzanpaku who was supposed to be their comrade in standing together against Chukadou.

“So, why does Shouko-san who became free come to this place?”

“It’s Old man Yamagata’s public stage after all, so I was thinking to watch it with everyone like this. Come on, it’s beginning see. …Hyaa―, they really make a spectacle eh.”

Shouko-san amusedly pointed at the Phantasmagoria while biting at the cookie.

{Regarding the east and west war that was suddenly tied with a cease-fire agreement, the General Staff Headquarters Vice Chief Yamagata Koyata of the Knight agency opened an urgent press conference. We are now broadcasting from the Asaka garrison of the Knight Order.}

Along with the stiff voice of the announcer that was colored with nervousness, the Asaka garrison where many knights were forming a tight line there was projected in the Phantasmagoria. The avatars of Solomon 72 Pillar were floating at the back of the knights in a line. What Shouko-san called as a spectacle was surely about this rather than the knights itself.

In the center, there was Commander Yamagata with his best serious expression.

No, should he call him General Staff Headquarters Vice Chief now?

So that the household that didn’t have the Phantasmagoria could also watch, this announcement could also be watched on flat television. It was the consideration so that this announcement could be conveyed to all the people of this country without fail.

“Leme, what’s with these avatars of the 72 Pillar?”

Kazuki asked Leme who was gulping down cookies with a vigor that didn’t lose or was inferior to Shouko.

“It’s just a show. With this the persuasiveness toward the people will increase right? Everyone of this country loves the 72 Pillar after all.”

In Japan the people were not obligated to be faithful to Divas, rather the 72 Pillar was loved like idols.

The announcement from now on was something supported by the 72 Pillar. If they appealed with that kind of setting, the way the people received it would greatly change.

“Still I wonder why it’s old man Yamagata that does this? For this kind of thing, the highest big shot… in this country it’s the Knight agency’s minister right, shouldn’t it be more logical for that guy to be the one that does this?”

Shouko-san was talking while somewhat making fun of it along with sending a sidelong glance at Kazuki. It looked like she was looking for an answer from Kazuki. He felt her nastiness that was trying to test him. Kazuki answered.

“This too might be a show. Today, what will be announced here will be more persuasive if it’s said by a person that was actually there.”

Originally Vice Chief Yamagata was the commander of Shizuoka regiment that was located in the front line of the east-west war. He fought along with Kazuki till the end and accomplished a promotion in this occasion.

Because Kazuki’s active role was not made public, in the society the achievements from the battle against Yamato were all assigned to Vice Chief Yamagata. Of course the person himself didn’t wish for that, but…

In the eye of society, he was without a doubt a hero.

{…It’s exactly as has been reported, the mediation of the other Magic Advanced Countries was the impetus behind the sudden ceasefire of the east-west war. It was a mediation on the basis of the logic of a mythological country.}

Vice Chief Yamagata got the ball of the press conference rolling with a grave tone of voice.

{Their logic disregard the historical legitimacy that we own and stated that the one that should govern this Japanese archipelago is the mythologically legitimate King―the Basileus. Because of that the dispute between our country and Yamato will be settled not by war, but by looking at who can gather the King’s symbol―the Three Sacred Treasures the fastest. Regarding this matter, I think it will make all of you the people of this country become terribly uneasy of this course of events that cannot be understood at all looking from the sense of values of our country, but this matter until the end is something for the sake of obtaining the international acknowledgment.}

Something for the sake of obtaining the international acknowledgment―in other words it was not something absolute.

They still did the Three Sacred Treasures gathering for the sake of obtaining the acknowledgment from the other countries, but if they lost in that endeavor they still wouldn’t withdraw so easily, it was that kind of thing.

If the situation is moving to the destruction of the country, we the government plan to continue our battle of resistance while telling something like international acknowledgement that they could go and eat shit. That was whatwas indirectly said here.

{Here I reported that the struggle for the Three Sacred Treasures between the two camps of Japan and Yamato had come to an end.}

The journalists that filled the interview hall were making a stir.

{With <Ame no Murakumo> in our country, and <Yasakani no Magatama> and <Yata no Kagami> in Yamato, all of the Three Sacred Treasures have been discovered and the searching has ended.}

The commotion among the journalists grew even bigger as if an earthquake was happening.

{Isn’t it one against two?} {What’s going to happen?} {There was also the legend that the magatama had low importance you know.} {How are you going to take responsibility?} {What responsibility if the country is going to disappear…}

Vice Chief Yamagata surveyed the journalists and informed more without any panic.

{The Three Sacred Treasures are divided between the two camps, so both camps are going to bet their respective Sacred Treasures and a duel will be performed by the two people that Japan and Yamato respectively have as King.}

The commotion reached its peak. …Even Kazuki swallowed his saliva nervously.

{Who is this King you talked about!?} Someone yelled that. Asaka garrison fell silent in unrest.

{The King is―a fifteen year old high school student named Hayashizaki Kazuki.}

He said it. Vice Chief Yamagata really said it.

“Oohh hoh! It’s finally really said out huh!”

Shouko-san pointed the tip of her finger at the screen and directed an amused gaze at Kazuki.

“Otouto-kun, are you okay…?

Kaguya-senpai was worrying for him. Kazuki shook his head unrelated to the strong pressure.

“It should be clearly announced officially like this. It’s different with the era of Kaa-san’s time. The connection between people and Diva has become strong. There is no need to shoulder this alone by myself and fight while understanding nothing.”

“But won’t this affect the fight later~? What are you going to do if you get cold feet and lose and this country end then~? As expected it’s hard right? This kind of thing will only become unnecessary pressure on you yeah.”

Shouko-san laughed as if to stir him up.

“Of course this will become a pressure without doubt, but I don’t think that this fight that will decide the fate of this country should be performed behind closed doors without anyone knowing. I should fight in front of the people. After all the fight this time is not for the sake of protecting the people that is only within my sight, this is a fight for the sake of protecting all the people of this country.”

“Hou…?” Shouko-san retracted her laugh and narrowed her eyes.

{Who is this young man called Hayashizaki Kazuki?}

Inside the uncomfortable silence, Vice Chief Yamagata continued his words with a powerful weight.

{He is without a doubt the strongest Magika Stigma in this country. I, who knows every single one of Japan’s knights, can affirm that.}

{But he is still a young boy right..?} {Moreover a male…?}

{He has already growing up by piling up diligent training of an old style sword art since his childhood and made a contract with a special Diva―the King of the Diva that supervises Solomon 72 Pillar. He had cultivated the skill of a sword master, moreover he possess the possibility to be able to use all the Summoning Magic of Solomon 72 Pillar. He has already obtained several dozens of magic and special abilities. Let alone being the strongest person in the Knight Order, even if he is paired against a single regiment of the Knight Order as his opponent he is able to win… while he is a human he is still a young boy that is bestowed with a power that is similar to an ultimate weapon. That is what a BasileusKing is.”

There was conviction that was not just fleeting inside those powerful words.

The figure of Vice Chief Yamagata that extolled the young boy called Hayashizaki Kazuki with conviction didn’t seem like a top brass of the Knight Order or the likes anymore. That was the figure of a [follower of Hayashizaki Kazuki].

He who was seen as a hero by the society had declared such a thing until that far.

{All of you are mistaken if you feel an apprehension whether it’s okay or not to leave such an important matter to him. If you asked why, that’s because if he didn’t fight in the first place then Yamato would have already finished invading this country. That is the reality of the battle before.}

The anxiety of the group of journalists that were in that place was gradually changing into anticipation towards the new hero that was still unseen. At the same time a solemn atmosphere that was unlike a press conference of a democratic country but more like of a religious conference of a religion country began to drift in that place. One of the journalist raised a fearful voice.

{If he wins… will this country become the possession of that youth..?}

{It won’t.} Vice Chief Yamagata declared so.

{Of those I know he is stronger than everyone, and also a person with a more upright nature than anyone. He is absolutely not someone that is going to change the thing that he loves the most by his own greed. Also in the case that he does such a thing, he will lose his power as a King… it will become something like that.}

―After that Vice Chief Yamagata announced that the duel would be performed tomorrow and ended the press conference.

The announcement was sudden, but there was already previous arrangement between the two camps and Kazuki had already been noticed in advance.

The duel ground was Sekigahara.

“It seems they really made too much of this matter.”

When Kazuki unintentionally uttered that out while sitting and drinking tea, Mio stood up from her chair noisily and hugged at his neck right from the side, the tea was almost spilled.

“Isn’t all of it the truth! As expected from our Kazu-nii! Kazu-nii is magnificent!!”

Kaguya-senpai also took the opportunity to stand up.

“As expected from Otouto-kun! This Otouto-kun is raised by all of us!”

She said something like an old man of a farmer family and then hugged Kazuki from the opposite side.

The face of Kazuki who was sitting on the chair was sandwiched between the breasts of the two that were hugging him while standing.

Kazuki distorted his expression to hide his embarrassment while continuing to drink his tea.

Seeing that situation, Shouko-san too murmured “Hmmm…” while drinking her tea.

The tea time was over, Kazuki sent Shoukou-san back.

After that, when Kazuki was washing the tea set, Kamimura-san in a jersey appearance came trottingly into the kitchen. An active Kamimura-san that moved by her own instigation like this was rare.

“Kamimura-san, are you coming to give me help?”

“That’s absolutely not it. I don’t want to work degozaru.”

A wry smile reflexively appeared on Kazuki’s face hearing Kamimura-san clearly declaring that.

He thought that someone younger that needed to be looked after was cute.

Kamimura-san sat down with a plop on the nearby floor and looked up at the working Kazuki.

“Kazuki… sorry. It looks like I pushed it out to you, about becoming the King of the Japanese Mythology…”

“The bad one is Amaterasu who abandoned her work you know.”

When Kazuki carelessly back-talked like that, {Just wait right there―} the avatar of Amaterasu too was floating beside Kamimura-san.

How he was going to simultaneously become the King of Solomon along with the King of Japanese Mythology, when he thought back now it was only the natural progression of events.

“But Kazuki… after coming back from Mt. Fuji, I have the feeling that your atmosphere has changed a little.”

“Is that so? Though I don’t know it myself.”

“Somehow… you feel heavy.”

Was she saying that he was fat? Kazuki reflexively tilted his head.

Kamimura-san stood up and tightly gripped the fringe of the working Kazuki’s shirt from behind.

“Maybe you feel even more worth it to depend on than before… I feel this awesomeness from you, that if I become a parasite to this person then he would give me support, that I can continue to live without working. It’s a NEET’s intuition.”

{I get it.} The NEET god Amaterasu was also nodding.

“But I’m thinking… I wonder whether I have made Kazuki shoulder something really heavy like this.”

“That’s not true Kamimura-san.”

Certainly, perhaps right now he had become unperturbed by everything. The heavy pressure that he thought to be really heavy before, didn’t feel like it burdened him really that much now.

Why he became like that―it wasn’t really related with Kamimura-san.

Right now he already knew that he was really loved by his mother from the bottom of her heart, and then he also knew that his mother now had already died in the true meaning.

It was nothing more than that.

Part 2

When Kazuki returned to his room, a paper was stuck at his door.

When he took and looked at it, it was a cutely looking pastel pink paper sealed with a heart seal, but right in the middle of it there was [Letter of Challenge] written with a bold stroke.

He wondered who was the owner of a sense that made a love expression and letter of challenge coexist together on one paper without any contradiction. When Kazuki confirmed the name of the letter’s sender, it was Kanae just as expected.

―Tonight at 10 o’clock, I will be waiting in front of the Sword’s Division Washed Blood Pond.

‘Just where in the world is this Blood Washed Pond located…’ Kazuki thought.

To purposefully prepare a cute paper yet choosing the meeting place that the other side had no way of knowing, it was a really careless mistake that really seemed like Kanae. Kazuki contacted Kazuha-senpai by phone and got taught the general location of the place, and then right at 10 o’clock after he finished tidying up the aftermath of the dinner, he finally arrived.

The garden of the Sword Division at night was dark as usual. Before, Kazuki had once proposed to install illumination here though it didn’t happen.

The place called [Blood Washed Pond] had an outrageous name that seemed to be earned because it seemed the place was often used as the duel arena for fellow students. There was an open space in front of the pond. Even though originally it was a plaza for the sake of admiring the beautiful pond, the youthful students began to use the place as a duel space.

Kanae was waiting there with her back facing the pond. The night sky was really clear without a single cloud in sight, moonlight that really matched a black cat was shining down.

“So you came, Nii-sama.”

“I didn’t know at all about this place called Blood Washed Pond, so it’s quite a trouble to arrive here you know.”

Kanae raised “Eee-!” voice and for the first time she noticed her failure, she was then pitifully all shaken up from the shock of having the wind taken out from her sail.

“So so so so, sorry Nii-sama.”

“You careless girl. And then, what’s with that letter of challenge?”

Kanae who received a fresh start from Kazuki cleared her throat with *kohon*.

“Just like the words that I wrote there… right now, in this place, please have a match with me.”

Kanae unsheathed her black katana smoothly. <Michikage>… it was Kanae’s old beloved sword that she used a long time ago.

Although these few years Kanae had been using two kodachi, in a two sword style all along until now.

Her two sword style that came from her concern of her powerlessness. For her to stop doing that meant… that she might have broken out of her shell. That should be the reason of this sudden duel.

―[Shin’iki]. The technique Kanae used in the Grand Haunted Ground that even Kazuki didn’t have any knowledge about.

What kind of technique was it, Kazuki at that time couldn’t ascertain it clearly.

“Got it.” Kazuki didn’t ask her reason and drew his sword too.

“Is it fine to start from this distance?”

Kanae asked. The distance between them was around 3 meter. The distance between them shrank really naturally due to their conversation in the middle of this darkness. It was a swordsman’s distance that was disadvantaging for chanting a spell.

“I’m not a magician. It’s fine for you to start at the timing that you like in the distance that you like.”

“Nii-sama has an important event tomorrow so… let’s do this only until a good timing to quit.”

The decisive duel was tomorrow. Some magic power could be recovered when sleeping but he couldn’t force himself here.

“That helps.”

“Well then.” The figure of the black cat melted into darkness.

He used not just his eyesight but also used his magic power perception to Foresight Kanae’s movement―behind.

The magic power’s flow conveyed to him a horizontal sweeping slash.

Evasion was impossible. Kazuki put up Ame no Murakumo vertically and blocked the attack while his body was still turning behind. The sound of steel and steel clashing scattered sparks inside the darkness.

From there the two blades entangled with each other softly, trying to break the sword stance of each other.

The disturbance at each other was equal. When they both saw that what they were doing was difficult, both of them simultaneously took distance from each other to the back.

Immediately Kanae’s figure vanished with a jump. It was similar with a reinforced Beatrix and Ikousai, a speed in the dimension where a naked eye was helpless to do anything. He had to read her movement using only the portent of the magic power.

The movement of Kanae tonight was sharper than usual.

A thrust assaulted him from diagonally behind. Kazuki drove away the tip of the sword to the side and tried to parry the attack. Kanae’s blade twisted like a snake’s head and tried to run away from that redirection. Both blades entangled with each other once more. Instant Positioning. But he couldn’t pour the concentration of his whole nerves into this battle between sword and sword.

If he couldn’t chant Summoning Magic, this fight would only become a one-sided defensive battle. The other side was superior in speed.

Saying it in reverse, as long as he could just maintain his spell chanting, he wouldn’t mind even if he got hit with one or two strikes.

However… what about Shin’iki?

Kazuki began the chant of Phoenix’s level 5 [Blazing Wings]. If he could just invoke that then it was a large scale attack magic that was impossible to evade.

Having said that, it was hard to contest Kanae equally in sword while maintaining this chanting. While advancing his chanting, Kazuki was falling little by little into the inferior position.

His posture was broken. Kazuki resolved himself to get hit. In exchange he passed the climax of the spell chanting. He switched his consciousness’s gear from the sword to his chanting and poured all his concentration onto that.

“O immortal bird that soar from dusk to dawn, please grant that wings of hope on my back…”

“Now!” At that time Kanae shouted―she had read what Kazuki was going to do.

Kanae’s movement became even more honed and accelerated with a trajectory that depicted nothing pointless in it.

It was a movement that was the only one for Kanae. And then her timing was exactly when Kazuki was welcoming the climax of his chanting. He had the feeling that some kind of unseen gears were clicking in him.

“Shin’iki!!”

While slipping into Kazuki’s bosom, leaving behind an afterimage, Kanae swung down her black katana diagonally at his shoulder. All of her movement was unified like a gust of wind. The impact of a slash ran inside Kazuki.

“For the sake of rebi……..”

The attack just now was by no means something heavy.

But blue defensive magic power was shining and the reflectionrecoil from that transmitted a spark at the most vital part of the chanting that Kazuki was spinning inside his head.

Like a candle extinguished by a gust of wind―the chanting inside Kazuki’s head vanished on its own.

“…So this is Shin’iki!”

Kazuki spontaneously yelled and took a step back behind. But Kanae was fast. Foreseeing his escaping movement, she came in pursuit to attack. He couldn’t evade. But something like a minor damage was trivial.

The true identity of Shin’iki was a chanting destroyer technique. Power was unnecessary for it. It slipped a single attack at the keystone that became the chant’s most inner core with extreme sharpness and accuracy.

He was being in wonder that a human’s movement could produce such an extremely sharp blow. There was no mistaking it, that this technique was something obtained from the realization of the most optimum movement solution that was derived from Kanae’s muscles, bone structure, and every kind of factors in her body.

Slipping the ultimate sharpness inside in the ultimate timing, a miraculous technique.

The hair on Kazuki’s back stood up in cold shivers. In front of this technique, Magika Stigma were powerless.

Having said that, this was absolutely not a technique that would succeed without fail.

Just now he tried level 5 but… if he went for a low level magic with an easier chant then…

Kazuki corrected his posture and once again he clashed his sword against Kanae’s. What kind of magic should he chant from here? There was a lot of choices available for Kazuki.

Several methods to deal with the situation appeared inside Kazuki’s head. Magic that could make Kanae’s Shin’iki powerless if he invoked it in this occasion. Kazuki picked out one from the list of his magic that he thought would be the most certain.

“O stream of atmosphere, converge on this body, become the storm that reject the hated person…”

Baal’s level 3 defensive magic. He brought down the level quite far, also if a defensive magic was targeted to the caster himself, then the Targeting step would be unneeded and he could chant easier.

It was a magic that clad the whole body with an armor of wind. Moreover that wind could be manipulated according to the user’s will. In other words he would be able to disturb Kanae’s delicate swordsmanship with wind. Her perfect movement would deviate due to the wind that was impossible to calculate against, if her timing was out of place, just from that, Shin’iki would be unable to be completed anymore.

It seemed that Kanae sensed the nature of the magic that Kazuki was trying to chant from the magic power wave because her face went ‘hah’ in realization. Kanae’s concentration increased even further.

“Become the storm that reject the hated person…!”

“…Shin’iki!”

Before Kazuki’s eyes, Kanae stepped in with a speed that made her seem as if she was warping. It was a perfect movement.

Shin’iki had once more―destroyed Kazuki’s chant.

“Level 3 defensive magic is impossible-!?”

Kazuki was struck with admiration. With this the majority of Kazuki’s magic became sealed.

Kazuki barely blocked Kanae’s pursuing attack. He didn’t have any composure to bring out offense from his side.

Plan B―a magic with even more simpler chanting, that he thought would most likely be able to break down Shin’iki.

“O peerless master, make another showing from beyond the dream…”

Futsunushi no Kami’s level 2 magic, [Kenki Tensei].

It summoned a phantom of famous swordsman from the past, whose history of sword was remembered even in this era, to make them fight. Kanae wouldn’t be able to unleash Shin’iki while fighting the phantom swordsman. During the interval when Kanae wasted her time driving away the phantom swordsman, he could just chant [Storm Fort] or [Blazing Wings].

“Along with the flame of transmutation…”

Now, what would she do? Kanae who was just earnestly swinging her sword and Kazuki who was blocking that while chanting, both of their gazes entangled.

Kazuki’s spine froze in shudders. Kanae’s eyes stood out inside the darkness of the night. A strong magic power was residing inside those eyes for the sake of sensing Kazuki’s magic power, those eyes were shining with magic power light.

That blue magic power light increased in intensity and was changing color to green―and then it was changing into a golden color.

It was a phenomenon he had never seen before. He felt the shivers from witnessing something amazing.

Kanae’s figure vanished. That instant, Kazuki completely felt gears interlocking inside him. ‘No good, it’s going to get smashed’, Kazuki half gave up.

“The memory sealed inside the silver mirror……….”

“…Shin, iki-!!”

Kanae’s strained voice. Blown away magic power. Even level 2 magic was destroyed…

His Plan B… Most of level 1 magic was a simple attack magic. It wouldn’t land on Kanae.

The Summoning Magics were all sealed.

Then with pure swordsmanship…

Kazuki’s expression turned bitter. Kanae’s swordsmanship had been polished several levels higher than several months ago.

In contrast during these several months he spent all his time just for magic training.

So Kanae was this powerful if she could just force her opponent to stand in the same arena as her.

Another alternative plan, there was none. Now it was only a matter of until when Kanae’s concentration could continue, how many times she could continuously make her Shin’iki succeed against Kazuki’s magic in succession.

Finally the two laid down on the lawn while feeling a comfortable fatigue. The scent of the grass was pleasant.

After that Kazuki attempted low level magic three times. Kanae crushed all of those attempts.

In the first place it was a match that started with the promise to stop at a good place. If they gave it their all, it would affect the duel tomorrow. Inevitably, Kazuki instantaneously invoked magic with Zekorbeni and ended the match.

A magic with its potency weakened hit Kanae with a bump. The match ended with that.

That meant Kazuki as a magic swordsman was destroyed by Kanae, and Kazuki became the victor as a King.

Of course rather than the sense of fulfillment of his victory, his feeling that was extolling Kanae was stronger.

“This technique is, Hayashizaki-style Dream Sword the Second, named Shin’iki.”

Kanae who was lying down with him said melodically.

There was a technique in Hayashizaki-style that was called the dream sword. A technique that was hard to realize like fulfilling a dream. His stepfatherfather created a technique called [{{furigana|Kasane|Pile{{furigana|] and handed it down to Kazuki and Kanae.

“…[Kasane] is still hard to put into practive and that’s why it’s a dream sword, but this technique is different don’t you think? Because yours can be used in the form of real battle.”

That was exactly the point that had to be praised. Kazuki too was able to understand the principle of the sword. But this time he didn’t get it how the technique could continuously succeed even against low level magic. Rather than a divine work it could be thought of as an abnormal technique already. It was just too absurd that he wanted to feel astonished more than praising it.

In the first place, those golden eyes…

“No, it absolutely cannot be used until this far in real battle. It’s because the opponent tonight is Nii-sama that it could be used until this far.”

“What?”

“It’s Nii-sama doping. Nyaa―!”

Incomprehensible. Kazuki turned his head with a roll to Kanae and asked for an explanation.

“…I wanted to show my good aspect tonight towards Nii-sama that I could display a concentration that surpasses my limit. Even I, myself, am surprised that I can do that technique successively like that. Even if I try the same thing to other opponents, it’s absolutely impossible. After all I cannot let out my full power if it’s not concerning Nii-sama.”

Kanae also rolled and turned her face at Kazuki and returned a wide smiling face like a cat.

“…What if, for example it’s concerning your life, or it’s concerning the fate of the world?”

“If there is no Nii-sama in there, surely I will not become so heated up like this. The greatest concentration that cannot be used except once in a lifetime, was used tonight, only in this moment.”

Kazuki was astonished and looked up to the sky.

“Tonight, the time where I was exchanging slashes with Nii-sama, just the two of us with determination and conviction… for Kanae it was completely like a stage of a dream. That’s why this technique, is still just a dream sword.”

Unintentionally a deep sigh escaped his mouth while looking at the moon. Just when he thought that she had mastered an absurd technique and became a monstrous swordsman, she then completely returned to the usual little sister.

“You who can let out a power even greater than your full strength because I’m the opponent… what kind of meaning does that kind of thing have? Use that kind of thing for something more, like, for the sake of world peace or something.”

“I’m fine with this. I’m different with Nii-sama… After all rather than everything in this world, I love only Nii-sama alone.”

It was the usual―stupid beloved little sister of his.

“That is why, fufufu. Nii-sama, what do you think? About Onee-chan’s strength.”

“I still admire you just like in the past you know. Rather than me or Ikousai… Kanae-neesan is exactly the strongest swordsman.”

“But even Nii-sama surely can also do that technique you know? Even Nii-sama should have continued to pursue your ideal movement until now.”

Perhaps that might be so. It was simple to imitate it if he had worked out the how and made comparison.

“If there is an instant where I cannot concede that I rapidly concentrate on something… when my adrenaline is flowing out gushingly inside my brain…”

What was needed was a concentration that saw through instantly. This technique was largely influenced by the state of mind.

Kanae tonight was concentrating to her maximum limit.

“In my case, I had to demonstrate this technique to Nii-sama no matter what tonight.”

He somehow understood. Why did Kanae look for a turning point in the relationship between them tonight…

These few days, the person called Hayashizaki Kazuki was in the process of having his essence changed dramatically.

“Nii-sama is not a successor of the Hayashizaki-style anymore. Nevertheless, there is me here so please rest easy.”

Surely Kanae wanted to say those words no matter what before the decisive duel.

“…It looks like you have confidence in it huh.”

“Yes. Please climb to a different stage Nii-sama. I will become the strongest swordsman.”

If Kanae could say so with pride, then the Hayashizaki house had no need for anything like Kazukia child for duty anymore.

Unneeded. That’s why…

“That’s why Nii-sama, Nii-sama is not a Nii-sama anymore. Nii-sama now is an existence that is like a Nii-sama.”

“You suddenly said out something so incomprehensible.”

“Nii-sama is not a Nii-sama… but an existence that is like a Nii-sama… a man that I loved.”

He felt a sign of nimble movement like a cat from Kanae.

He felt a weight bumped his stomach. On the torso of Kazuki who was lying down face up, Kanae was taking a pose of straddling him. From there she brought down her body and got her face closer to him.

“Please look at me… not as brother and sister, but as a woman.”

Kazuki softly caught the face of Kanae that was nearing him with one hand.

“…Since a long time ago, I have already been aware of you as an opposite sex you know?”

Since his puberty arrived, he had always mobilized his reasoning power in full to reject Kanae’s temptation while saying joke in his mouth even though inside he was desperately reigning himself. Now the reason to reject her had completely disappeared.

“I noticed already that Nii-sama on the inside is always throbbing fast from my every single action. Kanae is not that shameless, to keep asking to be spoiled so much like that while knowing that what I’m doing is making the other party seriously draw away instead.”

“What a wicked woman.”

While saying something like a sore loser, Kazuki accepted the face of Kanae who even now was still drawing closer.

Even inside this darkness Kanae’s lips looked extremely alluring.

“…nn-“

The lips felt extremely sweet, like a strawberry milk.

Their lips admirably separated after touching only slightly.

“Nii-sama… I’m happy…”

A single male and female were connected.

“Fufufu… tonight for while… please kiss me like this the whole time.”

One more time, Kanae brought her lips closer timidly. Kazuki embraced tightly the thin waist of Kanae.

Part 3

The ground of the duel was at Sekigahara.

Looking from the sequence of events until now, from the geographical situation between Japan and Yamato, from the historical nuance that Sekigahara possessed, there was no place more fitting to settle the dispute other than here.

Looking back, the place where the battle between Japan and Yamato was halted because of the intrusion from China was also at Sekigahara. It could be said that right now the time that had stopped since then was moving again.

The battle between Tokugawa and Toyotomi happened far in the past, but even now Sekigahara was still a vast field. It was surrounded by fields of crops and partitioned by roads, but there was nothing blocking the view at all around them in this unduly wide field. When taking an extensive view at the stretching out mountains in the distance, the viewer would understand that this ground was a hollowed basin.

The sky of the midday was clear. In the center of Sekigahara, Kazuki and Ikousai were facing each other. Taking a few dozen meters distance from there, the east army and the west army were taking position in representation of Japan and Yamato.

The promise was a one on one fight, but there were a lot of people that would ascertain this event with their own eyes.

On the east side, everyone of the Witch’s Mansion were forming a line at the front line. After them was the top brass of the Knight Order, with Vice Chief Yamagata at the front with ten knights as their escorts. There were also the figures of Kanon-senpai and Akane-senpai.

Roshouko-san of Ryouzanpaku too was coming here, though for some reason, she was taking along her beloved horse while wearing a knight outfit. Perhaps she didn’t ride the car of the Knight Order and came here riding her horse.

“Kazuki, knock downBOM-BA-YE♪ Kazuki, knock downBOM-BA-YE♪”

Kazuki spontaneously shouted.

He loved sword art. He had respect for someone that worked hard in sword.

Kazuki was… he had recognized Ikousai as his rival, he respected her skill, he noticed that in a sense he fell in love.

He earnestly sympathized towards Ikousai’s strength, he felt respect and affection.

That Ikousai, right now, her figure that was going to completely throw herself away for the sake of her longing to become strong was something that he absolutely wouldn’t accept, no matter what.

Muster out the strength for the sake of protecting!

Kazuki’s mind tensed in that instant and he concentrated.

The body moved naturally. With a movement that didn’t have even a single futility in it he took a step forward.

…What Kanae worked out, that technique!

Finally Susanoo’s magic power completely eroded everywhere of the body below the neck and it fully covered the face of Ikousai that painted the look of terror. The last stronghold of the existence called Ikousai, when even that fell then Ikousai’s everything would be changed into the god of rage.

The timing, that would become the cornerstone of Susanoo’s encroachment.

With a motion that had been honed, Kazuki swung down Ame no Murakumo.

That was the most ultimate movement that the flesh body could possibly build. The motion was different from Hayashizaki Kanae’s optimum movement, an optimum movement solution that was only his. Added to that, with a perfect timing he finally reached it. The gears were meshing perfectly with each other.

The single strike that broke down every kind of magic phenomenon.

• DON!* Something shot off from Ikousai’s body―and vanished. The pitch black magic power that eroded Ikousai’s body was torn off, broke down, and evacuated back to Astrum.

“…Ju… just now… what kind of technique that…?”

Ikousai who was a researcher of sword asked that as the first thing even while sprawling down.

The duel was decided. Kazuki answered while slowly pointing out the tip of his sword right before her eyes.

“Hayashizaki-style Dream Sword the Second, Shin’iki. The highest peak of Japan’s sword art, that my little sister worked out. …Recognize your defeat, Ikousai. Both as the King of Yamato, and also as a swordsman.”

Part 4

…Now that he remembered, his wrist hurt.

Only after this late Kazuki grimaced his face from the blood that continued to flow from his left hand.

“O dazzling beauty of fire of reincarnation, burn the surface of life and make bud the regeneration inside… Anti-Aging!”

He invoked the magic that accelerated cell renewal and restored the wound of the body.

Even with magic power yet if a human bled out in a large amount then he would die.

“…I won’t recognize it.” Ikousai squeezed out her voice while still sprawling down on the ground.

“I’m… going to stand up no matter how many times… I’ll keep challenging you.”

“If that’s what you want to do then its fine if you do that. I absolutely cannot do anything like stealing your life, so you just do as you please.”

In this case his bond with her was completely different compared to his bonds with everyone of the Witch’s Mansion, Kazuki felt something like a bond between swordsmen with her and his expression broke out into a smile.

Although before this fight he had already spouted off some abusive language about how he had grown tired already of facing her.

“But as promised, I’ll receive all of the Three Sacred Treasures now. If you say that you are going to challenge me again, you are going to be empty handed next. You’ve got to train really diligently before that won’t you?”

Kazuki plundered Yasakani no Magatama from Ikousai’s powerless hand and then picked up the thrown away Yata no Kagami. Ikousai groaned “Shit…” while being treated like that.

“You can do whatever you like about how the conclusion between us is going to be, but… the matter about Japan and Yamato is settled already.”

A sudden command rang out in Sekigahara.

“Go!”

The neigh of the horses that seemed to paint the atmosphere pitch black answered that.

From the west direction, *DO-DO-DO-* a sound of earth tremor was audible.

It was the sound of horses’ hooves coming closer. Kazuki who understood that turned back.

The pure black cavalry of the Emperor’s Imperial Guard Squad of China’s army that appeared out of nowhere was rushing all at once at Kazuki and Ikousai.

The one who gave the command was Loki.

“What are you planning!?” Kazuki yelled at the really sudden happening.

Their number was about ten horsemen. …These guys, where in the world were they coming from!? He had confirmed at the beginning, these guys shouldn’t be anywhere near here.

Ambush troop…? But there was no hiding place in this field where the visibility of the surrounding was great.

The cavalry that was on the level of having achieved the unity of horse and man was clad in magic power, they were shortening the distance in the blink of an eye.

Arthur was flustered but he still rushed to Kazuki and Ikousai, whose battle was over, in order to cover him.

“Stop! If you all don’t stop…!”

Arthur was yelling, but the cavalry was not stopping.

Arthur didn’t lose his composure and he didn’t even hesitate.

“If all of you don’t stop… draw!!”

Magic power light wrapped the stick that Arthur was holding close to his body, it transformed into an elegant knight sword with gold ornament. The Sacred Treasure that was famous in legend―Excalibur.

“壮揚兵馬(Zhuang yang bingma)!” “杀, 杀(Sha―, sha―)!”

The soldiers atop the horses let out words of violent atmosphere from their mouths. And then several streaks of low level attack magic flew wildly all at once at them. Completely like a wild shooting of cavalry rifles.

Kazuki too took a stance with Ame no Murakumo in hand.

“Excalibur!”

“Kusanagi no Tsurugi!”

Against the approaching bullets of flame, lightning, or ice―Kazuki and Arthur that were standing side by side swung the swords that were their proof as King at the same time. A flash of horizontal line erased the flying bullets like smoke.

After all those were attack magic to hold them back in the first place. The cavalry shrank the distance even closer.

What made Kazuki feel a chill was how the cavalry fired magic wildly regardless of Ikousai who was sprawling down right besides him.

The one who gave the order was Loki, and the one that came attacking then was the soldiers of China. These guys already didn’t pay any mind of what was going to happen to Yamato after this or the like.

“Finish off the exhausted Hayashizaki Kazuki and his comrades in this place!”

Loki yelled. “Ilyailiya! You too!!”

Loki and also the illegal magicians were rushing to their direction behind the cavalry.

“Immediately using other so roughly… No, I see, so he has that kind of ulterior motive. What a petty Diva.”

Ilyailiya who was standing beside Regina was murmuring to herself.

“Regina! You take care of Ilyailiya!!”

Arthur looked back and yelled while going to meet the attack of the cavalry unit.

“…Chih! Trying to instruct me around just for the sake of this country!! But Ilyailiya, I really can’t stomach you!!”

“Agoni Koparyof… Mec!”

“Ptéra Lonkhé!”

Ilyailiya changed one of her hand into a sliver blade that she swung down, while Regina blocked it with a thick Resist and stabbed back with her spear.

“Kazu-nii-!”

Everyone from the Witch’s Mansion that came to witness the duel with their own eyes and also the guard knights that were protecting the top brass were rushing to him all at once. But the cavalry of China would arrive at his location faster than them.

“Hayashizaki-kun. Please take Ikousai away and escape.”

Arthur worried about Kazuki’s exhaustion and said that.

“Even for you isn’t this too excessive. It’s one against ten.”

“It’s unnecessary for you to worry about me! There is no such thing as excessive or the like ahead of the path that a knight should advance on!”

Leaving those words behind, he went to intercept the approaching cavalry squad. ‘Is he serious’…Kazuki saw him off.

“Loki bastard…”

Ikousai whose whole body was damaged from inside by Susanoo was raising her upper body with difficulty.

“So he already considered me the loser from the start and cowardly prepared an ambush troop like this…!”

“No, that guy is a Diva that always prepares a situation so it will go well for him no matter what kind of result turned out.”

That guy easily discarded Yamato.

From the start he didn’t have anything he wanted to protect or the like. That was why he easily changed his attitude like that.

From the east, there was also a single horseman that rang out the sound of hooves approaching near Kazuki and Ikousai.

“Now then King, what are you going to do?”

―It was Shouko-san riding her horse.

“You knew that it would become like this didn’t you?”

Even though Shouko-san was in the position of being a witness of the duel. From the beginning she was already prepared, riding her horse here for the sake of battle.

She was grinning widely on top her horse while looking down on him. It was only her smiling face that was innocent like the sun.

“Among those Imperial Guard bunches, there is a guy that can use concealment magic that hide their appearances. The extent of its effect is ten people. Using that to become an ambush troop is those guys’ specialty. It’s just as you said, I have expected this.”

“You have information until that much. Why didn’t you teach it to us?”

“I forgot to mention it.”

…This girl.

“What are you going to do now, King. If you clash with them like this… there might be some damage that comes out to your comrades in a place where your hand doesn’t reach.”

It was her usual unpleasant tone that seemed to be amused while in her position where the happening were other people’s problem.

“I have thought this from quite a while ago, putting you aside, several of your comrades are a little inadequate to seriously clash against China. Just look at that.”

From atop her horse, she pointed at the beginning of the hostilities that had opened exactly at that moment between Arthur and the ten horsemen.

Even further behind Loki and three of his close illegal magician associates were following after the cavalry. There was also the figure of that black skinned girl called Naiarlako among them.

“Those tens horsemen are chosen among the best of China’s army. I think even with Arthur as the opponent with the ten of them the battle will be more than equal y’know. Well, Arthur too is not exposing all his hand here so I wonder if he is cutting corners. And here your comrades will rush there after this. Loki and his guys will also come running. If they clash with each other just like this, now, I wonder what will happen then.”

She longwindedly talked in a roundabout way plainly trying to agitate him.

But certainly, Kazuki was scared of his comrades fighting in a place where he was not there.

“Even winning against Yamato like this, Japan is still a minor power. However feel relieved, of course this Shouko-san of Ryouzanpaku will lend her hand to you! That’s why this time for sure…”

At this point her way of talking changed completely into a heavy tone.

“…This time for sure, feel some obligation properly. Not to Germany, but towards us.”

Shouko-san left those words behind and spurred her reins, she was heading to reinforce Arthur.

“…That kind of thing is an unnecessary concern you know.”

Leme materialized beside Kazuki.

“The contractor of us, the Solomon 72 Pillar is not inferior at all against the contractor of other Mythology. …Kazuki, you too have become a splendid King. Leme and the others have stopped our test for all of you. We are going to hand over that power completely. This is not only regarding you… but for your <favored princesses> too.”

“Completely handing over…? Are you saying that until now you were still holding back on us?”

Leme didn’t answer. Right there Mio and the others were rushing at him.

“Kazu-nii! We are going to fight so Kazu-nii escape… kyaa-!”

“The Magic Dress is…!?”

The moment they arrived Mio and Koyuki’s Magic Dresses shined dazzlingly. …It was the two whose positivity levels were above 150. Above their head, the avatars of Phoenix and Vepar were floating sublimely.

{The time that should arrive has come. Right now this country is not a baby bird that is still waiting to grow into an adult. The time to liberate the power that you should possess has come.}

{The King is standing here, and then the princesses that are the most favored by the King were born. We too are going to offer this power without sparing anything left to the princesses.}

The avatars of Phoenix and Vepar were absorbed into Mio and Koyuki. The Magic Dresses of the two, who were taken aback, were continuing to shine.

Kazuki turned his face to Leme in order to demand for an explanation.

“What is happening!?”

“You have become a human that is worthy as King. Until now, so to speak was [the testing period of Solomon King], but in this occasion of your victory in the battle against Yamato, Leme and the others are also recognizing you for real as the King of this country. From now on Solomon 72 Pillar and Japan are truly a collective of one body and soul that shares the same fate. Consequently we are liberating a new power for the comrades that are supporting you.”

“A new power? This time it’s not to me, but to everyone?”

“A new power… the power of Solomon 72 Pillar that was scattered until now is temporarily concentrated into a special Magika Stigma. That is the <Chouki Magician>. Watch…”

With a flash shining brightly for an instant―the luminescence from Mio and Koyuki’s Magic Dresses finally settled down.

When the light settled, both of their Magic Dresses achieved [evolution]―with a single glance he understood that it was not transformation but an evolution. With the contractor recognized by the Diva that they were worthy, the ornaments that decorated the dress became something with more gravity. Like flower petals in full bloom.

Phoenix was orange and Vepar was light blue, with their personal color staying the same, the Magic Dresses turned into something with raw materials that possessed depth like a thick magic power made real.

“…This, Phoenix’s magic power is transmitted at me through the Stigma…! Phoenix is supplying me with magic power!!”

Mio touched her greatly exposed breast with one of her hands and raised a voice of wonder.

“Magic power supplied from Diva you say…? Is that kind of thing possible? What is called as Summoning Magic is so to speak an action where the contractor receives a [magic blueprint] from the Diva right?”

Summoning Magic was receiving the blue print of the ten magic that symbolized the myth of the Diva through the Stigma. Using that blueprint the contractor kneaded their own magic power and caused a magic phenomenon in a greater scale and efficiency that was far more complex compared to the phenomenon that was caused by general magic.

But in the end the one that invoked the magic was nothing more than their own magic power.

“Correct, Summoning Magic is just bestowing the source of magic phenomenon. But in the first place a Diva is a vast mass of magic power. Nevertheless there is a reason why Diva doesn’t lend away that magic power. …That’s because there are a large number of contractors. For example Phoenix has dozens of contractor in the Knight Order. He is unable to share his power equally to all of them.”

In order to deal with the illegal magicians and Demon Beast that appeared throughout the whole land of Japan, Solomon 72 Pillar distributed their power to a large number of knights. Even so the number of Magica Stigma was still quiet lacking.

“That scattered power is… temporarily, concentrated on the Magica Stigma that you favored. That’s the Chouki Magician. Using a direct connection with their Diva, their chanting speed becomes faster and they can cast large scale magic from the magic power of the Diva itself that is lent to them. …But during the time Amasaki Mio becomes a Chouki Magician, all of the other contractors of Phoenix become unable to use Summoning Magic though.”

Zekorbeni was the King’s trump card, and then this was the princesses’ trump card…

“…It’s great that we got a power up but, I think its fine even if you don’t up the exposure rate too.”

Even while Koyuki was twisting her body around fidgetingly while acting embarrassed, she kept stealing glances at Kazuki.

He had the feeling that even while being embarrassed she was indirectly appealing to Kazuki.

Certainly Koyuki’s dress that until now was in the shape like a school swimsuit turned into a suit with a sense of translucence as if the skin was showing through just like that with a cutting that was a little bold.

“I think it’s cute you know. …No, now is not the time for that though.”

In that direction Arthur and Shouko-san were struggling hard against the cavalry of ten horsemen as their opponents. Behind them Loki and his group were standing by.

“Chouki… With Kazu-nii as the King, we are the princesses!!”

Mio hopped up and down happily then like a princess she puffed out her chest and instructed Kazuki.

“Kazu-nii just withdraw! We are not only going to keep getting protected by Kazu-nii, we are going to protect Kazu-nii too! Just like what we promised at the beginning!!”

Mio and the others rushed with full speed to the location of the fighting.

“Otouto-kun has to conquer us more so that we can quickly become like that too.”

Kaguya-senpai too who was watching over the development with wide eyes was following after Mio while saying that.

…Certainly he who was running out of gas right now might just be a hindrance here.

He should move out of the way while preparing himself to move immediately if something happened.

“We are drawing back, Ikousai.” Kazuki pulled out the hand of Ikousai who was still powerlessly sprawling down.

Ikousai was flustered “Wha-!?” having her hand grasped and she resisted, trying to shake off his hand.

“Stop it! I have never got my hand held by the opposite sex you know!”

“…It’s not like I hold your hand for something strange, there is no way I can let you get away right now. You are a prisoner you know?”

“Kuh… I won’t forgive this disgrace…!”

For a while Kazuki kept pulling at Ikousai’s hand like a tug of war, but then “Sheesh troublesome!” he lost his temper and carried up Ikousai forcefully from her waist.

He ran in this princess carry posture toward the east side where the stronghold of the Knight Order was located.

“I―am―dir―ti―ed-!”

“There is no way you got dirtied just by a carry like this!”

“Is the King of Britain just around this level huh!?”

Chukadou’s Imperial Guard―Son Shouryuu bared his teeth and howled like a wild monkey making an intimidation. In his hand the Nyoibou created by his contracted Diva, Sun WukongSeiten Taisei was gripped.

Other than him another six horsemen, in total seven horsemen were surrounding Arthur.

“I don’t really want to use Summoning Magic against the likes of all of you.”

As if waving his finger patronizingly, Arthur brandished Excalibur. In the end Excalibur was a Sacred Treasure. With Arthur Basileus relying fully on it, he particularly hid the power of his Diva.

He felt Loki’s gaze. He didn’t really want to show his hand here.

“You really said it!!”

The seven horsemen matched their breath and assaulted Arthur without giving him any opening to dodge. Nyoibou, Heaven JiHoutengeki, Snake SpearJahoko, Moon Fang StaffGekkajou, Wolf Fang PoleRougabou… all of them created their own respective Sacred Treasures and added the speed of their horses into their attack like a falling meteor coming at Arthur. All of them were Magika Stigmas that had expertise in their weapon technique.

…No, was it as expected that he couldn’t get out from this just with a single sword?

Arthur honestly recognized his opponents and took out a small wood branch from inside his glen check suit. It was a small oak branch that carried the magic power of a druid.

He carried it around in reserve as an item that had the characteristic of a disposable item after a one-time use.

He pointed the tips of that branch to the opponents without considerable regret of wasting it and threw it away.

The instant it left Arthur’s hand, the small branch set free its magic power and it grew into a giant trunk in the air. The solid trunk diverged into several branches while spreading wide, and entangled the seven horsemen.

Their advances were obstructed. While they were trying to escape from the tree branches that even now were still elongating, their sure-kill formation was disturbed. Just with that the battle was now his―a single sword was enough to face them hand-to-hand, one by one and crush them.

Arthur raised Excalibur overhead and rushed aiming for Son Shouryuu who was in the middle of the disordered rank.

…He could also blow away all seven horsemen altogether if he got serious.

But the reason why his will to fight didn’t get that far was not only because of Loki’s gaze.

Because it was obvious that the fault was in Yamato’s side who broke the agreed stipulation, he was not reluctant to lend a hand to Japan like this. But because of that, if Japan’s Knight Order was going to leave dealing with this situation all to the foreign forces like this, then in that case they deserved to be scorned….

“Still, if the King has used up all his power then next it’s the turn of his close aides to show their power for him, now then…”

With a glance Arthur took a look at the encampment behind, he was anticipating for Japan’s Knight Order to rouse themselves.

“As always, you ran around well! You insect are shrewd as usual!!”

A manner that made people think of Kan’u Unchou… rather than that it was the huge girl that exchanged contract with <Kantei Seiten> himself that was yelling at Shouko while swinging around Seiryuutou.

Other than her, two more horsemen were chasing around Shouko.

But the horse of the escaping Shouko―had been transformed into a completely different living thing. Using the magic of her contracted Diva <Taikoubou> the horse was evolved into a magic creature <elpahureSuppushan>, with its mysterious appearance that was a crossbreed of various animals’ appearance, it was flying in the sky as if swimming even though it didn’t have wings.

“Your attack is always a large swing huh! I’m already practiced buying time like this with you guys as the opponent y’know!”

Shouko who was riding Suppushan nimbly moved around with a far greater maneuverability than the cavalrymen could and she further laid out violet magic smoke around.

“But, if you are just running around then you won’t be able to obtain victory!!”

The huge woman yelled. As for Shouko―’As always she is a woman that cannot pay attention to the situation.’ Inside her heart she was laughing derisively.

She was saying threatening things to Hayashizaki Kazuki, but Loki had already achieved his objective. That guy was already in the state of waiting for the chance to retreat. That was why just buying time like this was good enough.

Shouko had noticed. Loki and the illegal magicians with him pretended to join the fight yet stayed still in the middle of the way He was watching her and Arthur from the distance where he could escape anytime.

Although for the moment she was laying out smoke screen… it would be her loss if she was observed even if she fought seriously.

Shouko who was straddling Suppushan and flew ran around parrying the severe martial arts of the Chinese cavalrymen like a flexible willow. Both her hands were swaying to and fro around and she directed a fooling around face to the horsemen chasing her.

“Hmph, what are you talking about that I cannot obtain victory. Idiooooooooott! Your King is ugly!!”

‘Now then, what will become the cue’, Shouko looked back at the behind―and saw the Magica Stigmas of Japan rushing here with their body clad in an evolved Magic Dress.

“From the bottom of earth dance the wing and scatter. Trail behind the spiraling wind, become the bullet that reveal the fury of the star! Flap, shoot and destroy! Lava Spiral FlowerVolcanic Barrett!!”

After Mio’s instantaneous chanting, the ground was splitting up in cracks and bullet of lava was floating, it ride the spiraling wind of Phoenix’s wing and shot out.

Koyuki too chanted quickly at the same time.

“O the utmost limit of permanence, with that freezing wind please comfort this chest. With the flowing silence of rejection, let’s announce the demise of that life… North Pole WindArctic Wind!!”

The wind of intense cold that symbolized the world where life couldn’t live was brought about into this world following Koyuki’s will.

Both were level 1 magic in the first place, but those destructive powers were greatly amplified.

“Fuh… as expected they won’t leave it to us huh. It’s great that I didn’t make a misjudgment!”

Arthur’s expression broke out into a smile witnessing the attack of the Magika Stigmas who appeared to be the comrades and close aides of Hayashizaki Kazuki.

“Oops, is that some kind of power up? Wonder if that is the cue he is waiting for.”

Shouko who was earnestly running around to buy time heaved a sigh of relief.

The cavalry that was concentrating in their battle with Arthur and Shouko was taken by surprise at the magic of Koyuki and Mio that came flying, the pace of the cavalry became disturbed.

“Now! Those that can use sword are going to charge there!”

Kanae called out to Kazuha like that and went to slash at the cavalry that were in agitation.

The cavalrymen looked down on Kanae who came charging without using any Summoning Magic. They fired low level magic simultaneously and swung a single attack of a Sacred Treasure at Kanae while making light of her.

―That kind of thing wouldn’t hit Kanae. She saw through all of the intercepting attacks and leaped between the cavalrymen. She sowed disturbance while running about between the cavalrymen and made them fell further into disturbance with a single strike to each opponent that she passed.

…Kanae was feeling impatience inside her heart. It was another matter if this was a one-on-one battle, but in this chaotic melee, Shin’iki was completely unusable. In the end it was a technique that still couldn’t be called as practical for real battle.

As expected it was Summoning Magic that dictated the battlefield. She once again thought so after witnessing the power up of both Amasaki Mio and Hiakari Koyuki.

Perhaps both of those younger Magika Stigmas now had even become as strong as Otonashi Kaguya.

And then from now on too there should be the same power up that was waiting for that Otonashi Kaguya too.

‘Wait a second’, Kanae thought. She was troubled that her [rivals] could be powered up so casually like that.

That’s right, they are rivals.

Herself was completely pursuing the path of swordsman. That determination didn’t shake at all. But… the desire of wanting to be loved by Nii-sama even more than those girls was burning Kanae’s chest like a devilish fire.

Even though until now she showed jealousy on the surface, but inside her heart she was coolly thinking that she was herself, and they were themselves. That was because she had the thought that she didn’t even stand on the starting line at the time. But now she had finally kissed with Nii-sama and Nii-sama was looking at her as a girl.

Now that she had progressed to this point, she couldn’t stay as she was until now. Moreover that kiss…

“Nyaa~~~~~~!!”

Something that was completely improper for the occasion filled Kanae’s head, her face was blushing bright red and she meowed. Her beautiful footwork completely degenerated into jitters and she swung around Michikage up and down.

The Sacred Treasures and attack magic of the cavalrymen flew wildly at Kanae, who thought of a strange thing and got agitated by herself.

…Damn it. Lacking in observation and concentration were something that was absolutely forbidden in the Hayashizaki-style.

“Burn to ashes all that you touch… the howl of flame without place to depend! Embrace of Fire WingSelf Burning・Empress!!”

Flame was whirling in Kanae’s surrounding in the nick of time, the burning wings of the immortal bird became a folding shape and protected Kanae, who was enveloped inside, from the countless attack magic.

“Please be careful there! Kanae-oneesan!!”

Mio said that with a tone that got carried away.

“I, I never remembered becoming something like a sister-in-law of someone like you!”

‘I, if I don’t stay calm’…Kanae thought while being protected inside the flame.

―Hayashizaki Kanae, thou art wholeheartedly a heaven-sent child of the sword.

Suddenly a voice rang out inside her head. Kanae was amazed with his timing.

“Bereth huh. What do you want at this kind of time? Right now I’m in the middle of a bustle that has no compare you know. Go back.”

―I have resolved myself.

“Listen to what I’m saying. This is not a situation for something like a long-winded talk. I cannot make anymore blunders.”

―I have continued to think for a long time, whether there is a way or not for me to [aid] thy resolve.

The Diva that was called as the Devil King of Indignation said that with a meek voice.

―By no means thou art going to become my contractor. Thy pure soul won’t accept a contract in equal form with me. Then… Then, I have resolved. I’m going to become thy follower. For thy sake, I’m going to distort my own state.

“What?”

―From this, I will abandon the fact that I’m a Diva. I will make all of my magic power to possess thy weapon… becoming a single Sacred Treasure. Doing that I can make thee, still as a swordsman, aim for a greater height.

“Wait, wait a second. Are you fine with that?”

Kanae was flustered. She had the feeling that an outrageous being was going to do an outrageous thing after dragging out his own resolve.

“Wait, you have been searching for a contractor to be a Magika Stigma all this time right? Surely you also have your own pride as a Diva. Why, to go that far for my sake…?”

―I am Beleth. The supporter of noble valor and earnest love. The significance of my existence as a Diva is all in there. O girl that straightforwardly follow thine own path, this is by no means an emotion of love, but I have been charmed with thy soul. A human that charmed me this much, I won’t find it anymore hereafter even if I search for eternity.

“…Hmph. I also don’t really like Sacred Treasures though.”

Kanae murmured annoyedly.

“If you say until that far, then I’ll accept you.”

Kanae too, despite appearance, was also pleased by this Diva called Beleth.

So, a supporter of noble valor and earnest love. Being liked by such a Diva didn’t feel so bad.

―Then as the replacement of thy beloved blade, call my name.

Beleth’s presence that appeared inside her consciousness through Astrum was overflowing out to the outside world.

Magic power that was like a mist of jade color floated in Kanae’s surrounding. This was Beleth’s color.

“Shem ha MeforashI know thy name! Thy name is Beleth! O the supporter of noble valor and earnest love! That passion into my beloved blade!!”

The jade magic power flowed into Michikage in one go. Kanae shuddered from that momentum that was like a muddy stream while holding tight the hilt of her sword. Michikage was changing. It unified with Beleth!

The name of that Sacred Treasure was…<Black Cat Path ShadowKuroneko Michikage>!!

Countless Stigma emerged on the surface of her beloved sword. That was the shape of Beleth’s soul. The sword blade distorted and changed. ‘Don’t make any weird shape okay’, Kanae thought.

‘Similar with a Magic Dress, it’s the shape of my and thy soul hailing each other in concert’, Beleth answered.

The blade’s shape fixed into a streamlined form that gave off the impression like flowing water, a gust of wind, an impression of speed.

Kuroneko Michikage… draw out that power immediately!!

“{{furigana|Battou Kaikon―Kokui Musou|Black Coating Dream{{furigana|!!”

The Sword Division battle uniform that Kanae wore disintegrated into Prima Materia, mixing with the jade magic power that overflowed from the Sacred treasure. While making a vortex, it materialized into a completely different shape.

This was… completely like a Magic Dress?

―This long talk is exchanged inside your heart in an instant using telepathy.

At the time when the attack magic and the defensive wing of flame finished fighting each other with both sides neutralized and vanished, the contract between Beleth and Kanae was over.

At the same time with the flame vanishing, Kanae appeared in a completely new appearance.

“Kanae-san also powered up!? …Wait, is that a Magic Dress!?”

Kazuha who was right beside her was the first that noticed and raised her voice.

“No… it’s not a Magic Dress, but a power created by Sacred Treasure? But there is the presence of a Diva…?”

The girl that excelled in manipulating magic power analyzed accurately the true form of that power.

That’s right, this was not a Magic Dress. But a <Sacred Treasure Dress> that was produced by a Sacred Treasure.

Until the end the core of this was the katana in her hand. But she wondered what kind of power resided inside this black outfit that overflowed out due to the Battou Kaikon.

{Even though it’s called a cloth, but thou doesn’t need defensive power.}

Beleth’s voice sounded the clearest she had ever heard until now.

{This is <the clothes of one who seeks the way>. Since thou made a contract with me, thou art not allowed any crude movement anymore. That black outfit become a sensor that sense the movement of the four limbs, that movement is a movement that thou idealize, the more thou move closer to thy [Quintessence Movement], the clothes will bestow Divine Protection and bring about might into the sword blade. If thou make a crude movement, the power will wane instead. This is the power that is born from the hailing of my and thy soul.}

It was an ability that was stranger than she imagined. It seemed that the Sacred Treasure didn’t simply heighten her defensive power or physical ability. In other words everything would be fine if she just swung her sword with the determination of constantly unleashing [Shin’iki] from her every single attack.

Kanae kicked the ground and attacked the enemy that was in nearest distance from her. The opponent was in the middle of chanting a spell. But it was difficult to Foresee her movement on top of the horse and Shin’iki failed.

But Kanae’s own movement was close to the quintessence. The instant the blade slashed―her black outfit shone faintly in jade color and it flowed into the blade.

An impact she never experienced before and a thunderous roar rang out. The black cavalryman was blown away to the side as if gotten hit by a cannon rather than just being slashed, the knight desperately controlled the reins so the horse barely stayed standing.

It was great if Shin’iki succeeded, yet even if it failed the attack would still become a critical hit depending on how much her movement deviated from the quintessence.

Kanae spontaneously opened her eyes wide. For Kanae who had continuously worried of her powerlessness, the attack just now gave a feedback she had never known before.

{Looks like there is irregularity in thy concentration. A crude movement like just now that resulted in embarrassing failure is intolerable so pay more attention.}

Beleth talked in a way completely like a partner. Kanae let a huff escape her nose.

“Hmph, not bad. Thank you Beleth.”

She said that in a just a little good mood. The gripped hard Sacred Treasure’s hilt emitted heat as a reply.

“They are resisting more energetically than I thought… though if luck is on our side I was thinking of making surprise attacks too.”

While maintaining a distance from the battles of Chukadou’s cavalry and Ilyailiya where he could escape immediately, Loki observed the battle progress and then he gave his order.

“Yosh! We are retreating you bastards! Run away!!”

When Kazuki, who moved away to the encampment at the back while carrying Ikousai, looked back at the battlefield, he caught the sight of Ilyailiya and the cavalry of China making a complete U-turn and retreated from there.

The speed of Ilyailiya and the cavalry were so effective that they had vanished from Sekigahara to the west before he could even say ‘ah’. It was a splendid retreating performance to the degree that it felt like anticlimaxic.

{Kazu-nii, Kazu-nii! This is an emergency, Kanae-neesan, she!}

Suddenly Mio transmitted her voice using telepathic communication to him.

{…What’s with the ‘nee-san’. I get the feeling that there is something different in how you say that. What’s wrong with Kanae?}

{Kanae-san, she, she turned into an appearance that completely looks like a Magic Dress!!}

What did she say? He couldn’t imagine that Kanae making a contract with a Diva as a Magika Stigma, but…

{Kazu-nii, by any chance… you are also connected with Kanae-san, with the power of bond? By any chance Kazu-nii can now understand the positivity level of Kanae-san or…} Mio inquired from him timidly and anxiously.

Amasaki Mio―155 Hiakari Koyuki―150 Lotte―152 Otonashi Kaguya―148

Hoshikaze Hikaru―140 Tsukahara Kazuha―138 Ryuutaki Miyabi―74 Ryuutaki Shinobu―74

Katsura Karin―55 Kamimura Itsuki―42 Liz Liza Westwood―39

Hayashizaki Kanae―175

One, a single fellow with a ridiculous number was there.

{Yo, you have checked now? About how much? Is it higher than me?}

{Mio is 155, Kanae is 175.}

When the positivity level had went pass 150, it then became fairly hard to raise. At that stage the emotion of love that was flaring up in one go was already maturing, it seemed there was no other way to move the number up except for piling it up little by little with emotional attachment. That was why Kanae’s number was not unexpected for Kazuki.

{Fu, FUNYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!?}

But for Mio who thought of herself as number one, she could only raise a shocked scream.

Translator's Notes and References

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