The Reached Out Hand, Didn't Reach

"I won't hold back. It will be fine, after this I will revive you all without fail after all."

Kouki thrust his holy sword together with those words. At that moment, the dragon of light that was made right from the highest grade light element attack magic 'Heaven Might' itself――the light dragon fired breath attack of Heaven Might.

The pure white light that scorched the air drew a spiral trajectory while approaching Shizuku and others.

Looking at that, Suzu was about to wave her iron fans to invoke Holy Severance for scattering the energy.

But, as though foreseeing that, Eri invoked her magic a step faster.

"Ahah, 'Mind Sliip'!"

"――"

Darkness magic 'Mind Slip'――a magic that temporarily sealed the target's memory of a few seconds before until the current time. It was only a memory that felt like a blink of eye, but even so, if that magic was used in the middle of a battle it was an extremely troublesome spell that created a fatal opening. It was supposedly difficult to handle this magic because it was a high-class magic, but Eri could use it without difficulty.

"Chih"

In front of the approaching light of death with Suzu failed to lay out a barrier, Ryutaro lightly threw away Suzu while he jumped away from that place together with Shizuku.

Right after that, the roar of Heaven Might passed through the spot where the three were just at the moment before, it pierced through a ruined building and fiercely shaken the whole building.

The corpse beast soldiers leaped from all direction in careful aim toward Shizuku and others who escaped to the air.

"Shred, ――'Fang Flash'!"

Shizuku invoked 'Fang Flash' while drawing out her black katana toward the corpse beast soldiers who swung their large sword from left and right. This attack would carve three lines simultaneously with one slash, however, although the arms of the corpse beast soldiers were cut off, the attack didn't reach until their torso.

Shizuku narrowed her eyes looking at the result of the attack that she let out with the purpose of bisecting the enemy into two. The reddish black magic power enveloping the corpse beast soldiers was reflected in her eyes.

"'Vajra' is it."

As though to say that they didn't feel any pain, even while they lost one arm the corpse beast soldiers switched to their other arm and swung their sword, Shizuku was whispering to herself while kicking on the air using 'Air Force' and rotated her body to evade.

Nearby her, there were the figures of Ryutaro who blocked the approaching countless wind blades with his 'Vajra' and Suzu who parried redaspear using petals of light.

It appeared that the corpse beast soldiers had full array line up. Other than people who could use elemental offensive characteristic magic, there were also other people with defensive skill and healing skill. The group was really abundant with variation. In this aspect, perhaps there were also corpse beast soldiers that could hide themselves or absorb magic like the chimeras they faced before.

When Shizuku was being vigilant against the ability of the soldiers, suddenly a chill ran through her whole body. The warning bell of her instinct was ringing loudly. Shizuku immediately invoked 'Air Force' in conjunction with 'No Beat' and leaped away from that spot using her full strength.

At that moment, countless light blades passed through the space that Shizuku just vacated. The light blades kept soaring without stopping and cut into pieces the side of a ruined building at slightly far away place, the ruined building that lost its support collapsed with a thunderous sound.

Furthermore, Shizuku obeyed her ringing alarm bell that still wasn't stopping and twisted her body, without even checking she turned behind and drew out her sword. The black katana that was accelerated with the unsheathing motion returned resistance and hard sound *GAKIN!*.

There, the figure of Kouki who blocked the black katana with his holy sword was standing.

"As expected from Shizuku. You're strong."

"You are the one who became weak. It's a disgrace for Yaegashi-style's name."

"…How pitiful. So you are also made to be unable to understand even the difference in strength between us. But, that's fine. Because I'll protect Shizuku-!"

Perhaps thanks to the light dragon on his back, Kouki was able to normally fly in the air. He was smiling to Shizuku while locking sword with her in the air. But, the reply that came back to him were sharp words that made him murmured misdirected words and his expression distorted.

At the same time, the light dragon that glared at Shizuku from behind Kouki opened its jaw widely. And then, Heaven Might was fired from point-blank range at Shizuku with no lag time.

"-, 'Scorch Wave'! 'Draw Sky'!"

Shizuku swung her sheath at Kouki. Using the generated shockwave she forcefully separated their distance and Shizuku escaped from the firing line. But, she was unable to completely escape from the breath attack of Heaven Might that looked like an extremelyalaser.

And so, using the black katana's ability the 'Draw Sky' that she invoked almost simultaneously, she attracted the breath of Heaven Might to her blade. And then, the moment the breath touched the blade, she used the twisting of her wrist and body and parried the pressure and shockwave toward behind her.

A sword art of Yeagashi-style――'Wood Chip Dance'. A parrying technique that made use of the blade to slide the opponent's attack. This time the technique was used in conjunction with 'Draw Sky' that was an ability to attract the target to the blade. She attempted this technique without any prior preparation, but she succeeded splendidly.

In her back, the sound of one more building collapsing due to Heaven Might was audible. Shizuku sent an exasperated gaze at Kouki while hearing that sound.

"Protect, is it. You had said that to me a few times in the past, but honestly, there is not even one time that I can remember where gray. Even now, you are saying you will protect me while releasing outrageous attack at me aren't you?"

"Is that so…that bastard Nagumo, he even falsified your memory. I guess you don't remember, but I was always at Shizuku's side, protecting you. Well, even if I said that I think it's pointless no matter what I said to the current Shizuku though."

"That's completely my line. I wonder, would I feel a little better if I put even just one large wound on that handsome face."

Blood vein was pulsing on Shizuku's forehead in irritation. Corpse beast soldiers were circling behind Shizuku. Looking closer, all of the soldiers had reddish black wings growing from their back. With that, they wouldn't have a problem even in mid-air battle.

Furthermore, when Kouki swung his holy sword, the light dragon on his back fired countless branching lights that formed small light dragons. The number was roughly thirty dragons.

"Shizuku, I will end the battle with this. As expected, you won't be able to endure simultaneous attack in this number right? It will hurt, but I will nurse you properly after this. Just sleep in peace."

After saying that one-sidedly, Kouki turned the tip of the holy sword at Shizuku. Immediately after, thirty small light dragons and corpse beast soldiers assaulted Shizuku from all directions. There was no place to escape. Ryutaro couldn't approach because of the light dragon's breath attack and the corpse beast soldiers.

Suzu immediately tried to act, but Shizuku herself stopped that using 'telepathy'.

{Shizuku-}

{It's fine, Suzu. I'll show you I can manage somehow against just this much!}

Right after those words reached Suzu through telepathy, Shizuku was swallowed by human silhouettes and light.

Kouki shook his head sadly looking at that. And then, as though to say 'If it's to save everyone, then I won't balk from dirtying this hand or getting hated!', with a resolute expression as though putting on airs like a tragic hero, he moved his gaze at Ryutaro who he designated as his next target.

At that moment,

"My bad, but I flatly refuse for my sleeping face to be seen by any man other than him. ――'Flash Blossom'."

"-gua!?"

A straight horizontal line cut was opened on Kouki's chestatand blood spray danced in the air. Thanks to the impregnable holy armor it wasn't a fatal wound, but even so it was quite a damage.

Kouki gazed in wonderment at how Shizuku was speaking calmly and how he got cut even with the distance. He was moving back with his hand pressing on his chest. And then, he discovered that.

"The, the katana, is flying?"

Kouki whispered by reflex.

Exactly as he said, in front of Kouki, Shizuku's black katana and a jet black katana that looked exactly the same were floating in the air with their tips pointing at Kouki.

Then, was Shizuku giving lethal wound at the corpse beast soldiers and small light dragons unarmed…Kouki moved his gaze gravely at Shizuku who was crowded by soldiers and dragons that they looked like an enclosed sphere shape.

Then, *slid* the soldiers and dragons that surrounded Shizuku had their bodies slipping off diagonally and fell down. Such astonishing scene entered Kouki's eyes.

And then, what appeared from between the gap of the enemies that fell down or dispersed in tatter…

Was the figure of Shizuku who blocked all the attacks with a barrier of countless black katana deployed around her.

"Sever off, ――'Omni Blade - Flash Blossom'!"

Shizuku raised her voice once more.

In an instant, the barrier of black katana shined in dark blue color, then this time all the soldiers and small dragons were bisected for sure. The soldiers fell to the ground, and the small light dragons dispersed. Amidst those, Shizuku headed straight to Kouki with black katana in hand.

Then, the naked black katana at the surrounding all pointed their tip down and lined orderly with Shizuku as the center. The number in total was twenty katana.

That figure standing in the air with straight back and dignity, a swarm of jet black katana following her, looked just like a hero in an illustrated story. The beautiful black hair in ponytail fluttered, the gray eyes carrying tenacious will pierce through Kouki.

Beautiful…Kouki whispered so in his heart without realizing. It was out of place, yet Shizuku's figure that was like a war maiden caused his heart to be stolen helplessly and he gulped.

"――'Living Swords(Swarm of Katana that Exemplify the Will)'. My soul is poured into all of these black katana. I wonder, can Kouki who continue to escape into convenient dream endure this?"

"Shi, Shizuku…"

Despite the calm voice, Kouki fell into a hallucination where he was struck physically, his voice got unconsciously caught in his throat. The current Shizuku was filled with a pressure that couldn't be pushed down using the difference in magic power and body spec.

"…Toward my Kouki-kun….what cheekiness. As expected, I just can't stomach Shizukuuu!"

Eri's expression distorted into ugliness and she was about to fire a magic at Shizuku. It seemed that she sensitively sensed how Kouki was fascinated by Shizuku. It was unforgivable for her that Kouki was attracted to anybody except her now when he was under her brainwashing. Her hatred and jealousy exploded, she was about to direct a magic to disturb Shizuku's mind and sent all her soldiers at Shizuku.

But, at the eyes of such Eri, countless fluttering shadows were reflected as though to hinder her.

Eri's gaze ran at the surrounding dubiously. And then she gazed in wonderment.

"Wha, what? This is, butterfly?"

Her murmured words hit bull's eye. Before she noticed, a swarm of a lot of butterflies was fluttering about the battlefield.

The source of this scenery was Suzu who unfolded her twin iron fans. Butterfly monsters were summoned continuously from the jewel that was attached to the handle of the iron fan. The spectacle of black crest butterflies with a red pattern on their jet black wings flying in spiraling orbit with the light petals deployed at the surrounding while rising to the sky were showing a mix of charm and mystique that usually didn't exist in Suzu, giving off a beauty that couldn't be put in words.

"Suzu had endured your first attack you know, Eri? This time it is Suzu's turn. Suzu won't let you ignore her anymore."

"Ahaha, what is the like of Suzu is saying――"

Amidst the battlefield that brimmed over with light petals and black crest butterfly, Suzu yelled at a different summoning artifact dangling on her waist――at one of the magic orbs.

"Inaba-san! Please!"

"Kyukyuu!"

At that moment, a white and crimson rabbit leaped before Suzu's eyes, its figure vanished leaving behind afterimage, and instantly, the rabbit's figure appeared behind Eri.

Eri was unable to react at that extreme speed. She was only able to barely catch that figure using her physical spec that was reinforced using the technique to create apostle.

Therefore, right after her eyes opened wide,

"aGUH!?"

Eri received the strong leg of the kicking rabbit 'Inaba' and crashed into a ruined building with a tailspin. Without stopping she pierced through thatthebuilding and got blown away for few hundred meters more. Just before she got hit by the attack, she enveloped her body with magic power equal to that of an apostle and performed reinforcement, so her life wasn't ended with the attack just now.

"Eri-! Shit-, Suzu, what are you doing to your best friend-!"

"That's why I told you, don't keep sleep talking like that on and on!"

Kouki saw Eri was blown away and raised his voice. And then, when he was going to blame Suzu, an impact right from the side blocked his voice.

Kouki blocked Ryutaro's fist using his holy sword while creaking sound resounded *creak creak*. The two of them glared at each other from point-blank range in a posture similar to sword locking contest.

Kouki averted his gaze from Ryutaro and glanced at the direction where Eri was blown away, at the same time the light dragon unleashed its claw and tail at Ryutaro.

Ryutaro paid attention to the claw and tail of the light dragon while he took no evading action. In exchange, he invoked the age of god magic that he obtained.

"Come, steel demo-n! 'Sixth Heaven's Demon Transformation!" (TN: Tenma Tenpen)

Right after, Ryutaro's body was tinged with light green magic power and transformed. *beki-beki* With such sound the muscles of his whole body enlarged and tore apart his tunic. His tall body that was originally a hundred and ninety centimeters easily surpassed two meters now, the corner of his eyes lifted upgrayand his canine lengthened and became exposed.

The radical change of Ryutaro made Kouki gazed in wonderment, during that time the swung tail of light dragon attacked Ryutaro's back while the claw attacked his shoulder.

But, the attack of the light dragon that hit directly didn't make Ryutaro got wet with blood, *gakin!* a hard sound that was impossible for living flesh body resounded and the attacks were blocked.

"Wha-, Ryutaro, that's-"

"Kuuu! I felt that, oi! But, I endured it yeah? This time it's my turn! 'Scorch Wave'!!"

"――"

As expected, it seemed that it was impossible to be undamaged after directly receiving the attack of the light dragon that was the avatar of Heaven Might, even so Ryutaro didn't get any serious wound, Ryutaro who was grinning fearlessly with literally demonic look unleashed enormous shockwave from his gauntleted fist that was locked with the holy sword.

That attack didn't consist only from the magic power that was converted into impact, but the addition of the pure physical strength that was drawn out from the muscled arm that had enlarged two sizes bigger like ogre's arm became a tremendous strength that blown away Kouki.

Flying away with his voice caught up in his throat, Kouki crashed into a ruined building at the other side similar like Eri just now.

The corpse beast soldiers aimed at Ryutaro who stayed unmoving with his fist thrust forward, but they were scattered by the many black katana soaring at high speed. Shizuku arrived beside Ryutaro who transformed into an ogre and she opened her mouth after gazing briefly at him.

"Looks like you can use it well aren't you. That's wants pressure."

"Hehe-, well, it's also thanks to Nagumo's cheatmate though. If it's just by myself, I'm not gonna be able to easily use it this far."

Ryutaro glared at the ruined building Kouki crashed into without letting his guard down while acting humble in contrast with his appearance.

Metamorphosis magic 'Sixth Heaven's Demon Transformation'――using magic stone as a medium to change one's a body, the characteristic of the monster whose magic stone was used would A great into the body, it was a little unique magic for a metamorphosis magic.

Ryutaro had the aptitude for the metamorphosis magic itself, but he was unskillful in the usage of the magic (because he waswantsa muscle-brain, he did nothing but punching and kicking), he was unable to subdue the monster in the abyss in such short time.

There, Ryutaro who thought of various things obtained a hint from Tio's 'dragonification', and arrived at a conclusion typical of a muscle-brain.

Namely, 'if I cannot subdue the monster, then isn't it fine if I just become the same like the monster that I want to subdue?',athat. Ryutaro who was also familiar with his a body because he had done karate since he was little tested that idea of his without delay.

And the result, the metamorphosis magic Sixth Heaven's Demon Transformation actually had a good aptitude for Ryutaro, gray this magic could be classified as a super advanced magic even among the metamorphosis magic but he succeeded in it relativelyan .

Of course, there was no time for him to train so the time he could transform was really short, his result was also erratic so that when he released the transformation he got a severe feedback and it became a trump card of trump card that could only be used as last resort, but there Hajime resolved the problem.

That was, cheatmate――minerals that didn't have an adverse effect to human body like calcium and the like were enchanted with metamorphosis magic and sublimation magic, it was then turned into powder and then transmuted and became a solid food with a particular effect. With this food the body was temporarily transformed into an optimum condition in metamorphosis, next, strengthening effect that was nearly like 'Limit Break' was also applied on the eater so that they could endure even heavy burden.

This cheatmate once taken would maintain its effect for half a day, on top of that there was also no side effect after use. It was a top product of Hajime, all the members who stormed into Holy Precincts had already taken it. Shizuku was able to use twenty katana at the same time which was impossible without increasing her brain throughput was also thanks to this one-time use food artifact.

By the way, the naming was from Calo—Mate (TN: Calory Mate). If you believed the story that the meaning of 'mate' was 'friend' then…it was quite a horrible naming.

Shizuku and Ryutaro were making frivolous talk while running their gaze through the corpse beast soldiers at the surrounding, then suddenly a 'telepathy' reached them.

{Shizuku, Ryutaro-kun. Let's divide the two like this. Leave Eri to Suzu. Both of youa large amountplease take care of Kouki-kun.}

{Suzu…you are going to be fine right?}

{Yep. Suzu will say what she wants to say, ask what she want to ask, and then, punch that idiot flying.}

{Heh, that's great. …Don't you die yeah.}

{You too, 'kay.}

Far away, Suzu who put Inaba on her head gave a thumb up to them. And then, she turned on her heel and chased after the crashing Eri while handling the attack of the corpse beast soldiers at the same time.

Right after that,

*DOGOOOOOOOON-!!*

A thunderous sound resounded and the ruined building before Shizuku and Ryutaro's eyes collapsed――no, the building was blown up from the inside. There shining brilliantly like a star, the figure of Kouki followed by a light dragon and countless small light dragons appeared.

Kouki was silent and expressionless. Like that without any sound he directed the tip of his holy sword at Shizuku and Ryutaro.

"Ryutaro!"

"Ou-!"

As expected, the two of them were war comrades who had fought together until this far. Dancing to the same beat they entered the stance for a pincer attack as thought they had arranged it beforehand. After that, the howl of Heaven Might passed through.

Even the after effect struck the body with immense impact, amidst that Shizuku and Ryutaro paid attention to the light dragons that were flying near them and the surrounding corpse beast soldiers while moving toward their absolute moron childhood friend.

Part 2

Suzu advanced between the intervals of the ruined buildings, followed by light petals and black crest butterflies, and also Inaba.

Inaba who possessed sensitive rabbit ears taught her that the presence of Eri who was blown away was already gone from where she crashed.

Suzu thought for a moment whether Eri had headed to back up Kouki, but her instinct whispered to her somehow that Eri wouldn't leave her alone and she would head toward her.

And so, she moved through the area that was surrounded by the ruined buildings of the ruined city while being on guard but…the corpse beast soldiers had also vanished from the area without her noticing, in the area that was enveloped in eerie silence except of the battle sound of Shizuku and others from far away, Suzu was trickling sweat from unknown nervousness.

"Kyuu, kyu"

"Inaba-san…thank you. I'm just a little too nervous."

Inaba said "Suzu-han, you are too nervous ya. I'm here so you can puff up your chest without worry, you are betting on the winner here." and used his front leg to pat Suzu's forehead. Suzu's cheeks slightly loosened up and her shoulders relaxed. Inaba who was riding fluffily on Suzu's head crossed his arms as though to say 'That's good' while nodding his head going 'uh huh, uh huh'. (TN: Inaba still talk with Kansai accent here)

The comical gesture made Suzu's cheek loosened up further.

At that moment, Inaba rolled over vertically above Suzu's head. And then, with a handstand he crumpled Suzu's hair while rotating, he turned behind and let out a strong kick.

*zugan-!* Shockwave sound resounded, what Inaba blocked was a shining gray sword.

"…Really, this disgusting rabbit is just irritating."

"Eri-"

Yes, the one who had taken Suzu by surprise from behind and swung the sword was Eri herself. When Suzu looked behind her shoulder, her eyes met Eri's cold inhuman gaze that was like ice.

The slashed sword was blocked by Inaba's leg which was equipped by Hajime's special leg armor artifact, without that the sword would be in a direct course to Suzu's head. Looking from the strength of the leg armor and sword that were locked fiercely with each other, Eri was obviously trying to kill Suzu in the surprise attack.

Inaba twisted his body further. He rotated as though breakdancing on Suzu's head and fired a shockwave with his opposite foot. Characteristic magic 'Sky Walk’s' derivative skill, 'Rending Spiral'――an ability that launched shockwave from the kick.

Eri flapped the gray wings on her back and somersaulted in the air while evading that shockwave.

"I heard that to evolve monster using metamorphosis magic will take quite some time thouugh. That monster, isn't it a little too abnormal?"

Eri asked in a bad mood while scrutinizing with her eyes.

"Well, that's because Inaba-san is special in various aspects. Most of this is from his base ability."

"What's with that, so cheating huuuh. But, that rabbit won't match the violence of number riiight? As expected, I don't think Suzu is employing so many monsters of that level riiight! ――'Wicked Wrap'!"

Eri materialized dark sphere in front of Inaba's eyes. Using that, the movement of Inaba who tried to immediately move was obstructed for a moment.

Using that timing Eri launched gray bombardment. It was a brutal bombardment that was enchanted with disintegration ability. Furthermore, the corpse beast soldiers that lurked in the ruined buildings leaped out all at once to block the path of escape.

"Everyone, please! ――'Holy Severance - World'!"

With Suzu's command, her subordinate monsters jumped out from the magic balls hanging on her waist. Two centipedes with body length of ten meter, ten one meter tall bees with striped pattern of black and red, four praying mantis where each of them had six sickles, one spider with eight reddish black eyes and four meter body length. This was Suzu's prided(?) bug squad!

While defending against the approaching grey flash with fifty overlapping Holy Severance and replenishing the disintegrated layer at the same time, Suzu further used her other iron fan to control the light petals――the 'Holy Severance - Sakura' to back up her subordinate monsters.

The soldier who swung red hot spear was met by the barrage of the missile bee. Ten bees all at once were rapid-firing with shooting rate of five shots per second, right after the shot impacted flower of explosion bloomed.

The blown away soldiers were finished off by the web of steel thread laid out at the valley of the ruined buildings by the steel thread spider sticking on the building wall. Their body was carved apart into pieces.

Furthermore, the soldiers who slipped through the barrage of missile needles and approached close were met by the wind blade praying mantises, wind blades that were unleashed from their six sickles minced up the soldiers.

The soldiers with defensive characteristic magic were defending using large shield while charging forward, from their shadow large sword user with 'Magic Shockwave' ability leaped out and swung their swords at the acid coiling centipedes protecting Suzu's back.

At the same time with the reddish black ripples spreading, violent shockwave came into being. The acid centipedes that got hit by those large swords were easily scattered.

The soldiers that used large sword and impact weaved through the gap of the scattered centipedes and approached Suzu. But, that moment, from all direction――more accurately, the fragments of the centipedes that scattered at the surrounding sprayed dissolving liquid like surging waves from their segmented parts.

The flawless surprise attack bathed the soldiers' whole body in dissolving liquid and made them wet as though they had encountered a squall, white smoke were rising grandly from their body and in the blink of eye they changed from human into bone model, they changed job into skeleton and at last they dissolved completely leaving not even dust behind.

So that the acid centipedes who had split into ten segments didn't hit their fellow subordinate monsters and their master Suzu, they performed the spraying of their dissolving liquid like bit weapon.

Reinforcement gushed out further from the shadow of the ruined buildings. However, the moment the soldiers jumped out, the ground and wall undulated and from there ants that had grown until one meter long jumped out with their jaws grinding, they crunched the soldiers and pulled them back into the ground or the wall.

Barrage of exploding missiles and terrifyingly sharp wind blades, heavy rain of dissolving liquids that accurately weaved through the gaps and rained down on the enemies, spider webs made from lines of death that were gradually tightening its encirclement, swarm of ants that ambushed from underground the moment anyone approached.

The corpse beast soldiers who were supposedly turned into super human with the combination of human skill and technique added with monster's toughness and characteristic magic, were killed one after another like a joke.

"Wai-, this is a joke right!? What's with those monsters-! Even Freed only have a few monsters that are evolved until that far!"

Eri spontaneously yelled angrily. Her gray bombardment was also unable to break through Suzu's protection, even though she should have obtained immense power! Her irritation grew violent.

And then, while maintaining her attack she tried to send grey feathers toward Suzu's subordinate monsters and darkness magic 'Slip Mind' toward Suzu.

There,

"Kyuu!"

"-!?"

The white rabbit materialized. His crimson eyes narrowed dangerously as though to say "Now you have really done it, youuu! I'm gonna punch you arounddd!". The extreme speed *zurararara―* left behind overlapping after images of Inaba, at the same time that strong leg shot out toward Eri.

Although Eri immediately defended using her gray wings, she was unable to endure the fierce destructive power and got blown away.

"KYUUuUUUU!!"

"You-, a mere beast, is getting carried away-"

Inaba chased. His rabbit ears flapped, he kicked on the air, polished kicking attacks that were like surging waves were launched right and left. Up middle bottom, high speed three stage kick attacked like a flash, before all those could be processed by the mind, Inaba rotated horizontally and a serial round kick filled with a lot of centrifugal force exploded.

*PAN-!* Along with such dry sound, air wall and shockwave were generated with Inaba's kicking leg as the center. The effect wasn't due to magical skill, but pure kicking speed that broke through the sound barrier.

Eri barely defended that storm of kicks using sword skill and apostle spec. Yes, Eri was barely dodging direct hit using superb sword skill. Ahead of the gaze of Suzu who exposed her shock of that, magic power of disintegration burst out from Eri's whole body.

Unable to endure it, Inaba kicked on the air while returning to Suzu's side.

"What's this? Why am I getting pushed back? My body was changed into apostle's body, I also obtained skills, I also prepared corpse beast soldiers, I made the supreme swordsman of the kingdom possess me, despite so, why? Hey, why do I have to get cornered like a loser? My opponent is not that monster right? Despite so, why? Hey, why? Why? Why!?"

Despite tiding over Inaba's attack safely, Eri's expression warped into something ugly and repeatedly said "Why?" in hysteric, while her hand was scratching her hair so roughly that her hair might get torn off. That figure had madness that was a little too thick to be waved off as just a child that was throwing tantrum because the reality wouldn't go as she expected it to be.

Toward such Eri who was yelling "why?" repeatedly in madness, Suzu turned her eyes and voice that were calm like a quiet water surface.

"That's obvious. It's because Suzu wants to talk to Eri."

"Ha?"

Suzu's words made Eri stopped talking and leaked out dumbfounded voice. Her expression was befuddled from not understanding what Suzu meant.

"This is because Eri thought that Suzu isn't worth to take on seriously. Suzu has worked hard in training to come here. In order to make Eri unable to ignore Suzu. Well, there is Nagumo-kun's help so it feels pathetic though."

"…Hee. And? You want to yell at me? This time you are going to make me grovel, and then sneer while cursing at me? Geez Suzu, you got that desperate for that kind of thing? You have become really distorted nicely aren't youuu~. It's ok then you knoow? How about trying to curse at me as you likeee? I'll listen for you okaaay?"

Eri guessed what was inside Suzu's heart and sneered. It seemed that she recovered her composure from feeling that she had seen the bottom of Suzu's heart, that Suzu only miserably acted for the sake of revenge.

But, Suzu's expression didn't even twitch from such Eri. She kept looking straight at Eri and spoke out calmly.

"Curse? Sneer? No way. There is no way I can do that kind of thing. Because…Suzu was also using Eri the same like how you were using me after all."

"…What does that meaaan?"

Eri scrutinized Suzu with one eye and tilted her head. It appeared that she held interest toward Suzu's story. Even the soldiers right now were only surrounding Suzu without any sign of attacking.

"Just like Eri said, Suzu laughed foolishly and plainly acted like idiot, totally shallow, however Suzu isn't hated by anyone――Suzu lived like that until now. Because Suzu hated to be alone. Because being lonely is unbearable. Because Suzu want to be always included inside the circle of people."

"Well, Suzu is like that aren't youuu"

"Yep. Because Suzu was like that, the existence of 'best friend' was necessary. Suzu was thankful. Because, a child that isn't hated by anyone, if you change the way you look at it, that child is merely everybody's friend. Something like being equal and fair to everyone is really a heresy. That's why, an existence for Suzu to favor was necessary for Suzu. So that Suzu can let the surrounding know, that Suzu isn't that kind of heresy, that Suzu is a normal child who has a special friend with good relationship."

"Fuuun. So? You are saying that it was me?"

"Yep. Though of course, Suzu wasn't being best friend with Eri while being fully self-aware of that thinking. Right now when Suzu looked back, Suzu realize how Suzu acted like that. …That time when it became a pinch in Orcus, Shizuku and Kaori tried to be together at the end right? At that time, Suzu was convinced. Aa, Suzu and Eri are not like that huuh. Suzu desperately pretended not to notice that at the time though."

"….So? What do you want to say then?"

Suzu's words that sounded like she was talking to herself made Eri asked with a voice that sounded a little irritated. Toward that, Suzu looked straight at Eri and then she quietly lowered her head.

"…What?"

"Sorry, Eri. Eri said that Suzu is a convenient tool, but Suzu didn't even have the qualification to get shocked because of that. Suzu is also the same like Eri. Because Suzu treated Eri like a convenient tool."

"…Look hereee. You mean you are coming this far to say that kind of shitty trivial thing? You thought, that I'm even caring about that kind of thing? If that's true, then I cannot help but say that your head is gnawed whole by bugs inside. After obtaining Kouki-kun, someone like Suzu is just worthless thing like a rock in roadside for me you knooww?"

Eri's eyes warped, as though to say from the bottom of her heart that she had just listened to something stupid, however, Suzu replied while grinning.

"Yep, I know. This is just Suzu's self-satisfaction. Suzu just wanted to apologize to feel refreshed."

"You have become really brazen aren't youuu. That's all you want to talk about?"

"Nope. There is still something Suzu want to ask. Hey, Eri. Why did Eri fall in love with Kouki-kun?"

"Haa?"

There was a limit even for being out of place, Eri who was asked with a girls' talk raised a disarrayed voice. Without minding such Eri, Suzu continued her question.

"Since the past Suzu somehow felt sympathy to Eri though, as expected did Eri had problem in home? Eri often came to play to Suzu's home, but not even once Suzu could visit Eri's home. So Suzu wonders if Eri actually felt hard to stay at your own home. You also nonchalantly avoided talking about your father and mother didn't you? Your relation with your parents is bad? By any chance, did you get help from Kouki-kun when you were worried about that?"

It was a storm of questions that came pushing like surging waves as though Suzu was dancing tap dance on a minefield. Suzu was stepping in brazenly with muddy shoes into Eri's childhood that could be said as her heart's darkness. Furthermore, her question was strangely right on the mark so it was nasty.

From the point of view of Eri who had reminisced of her past just now, it felt like Suzu knew about that yet she still dared to dig up at the painful memory to throw at her.

And so, Eri's answer was a wordless bombardment. Grey flashes mercilessly attacked Suzu from shortest distance. To that, Suzu defended from the front with 'Holy Severance - World' while grinning sweetly. The soldiers also moved once more, following that the subordinate monsters also reacted perfectly.

"Hey, come on, teach Suzu please, Eri. Suzu want to know about Eri. All the part where Suzu didn't dare to step in even while calling you best friend, right now, Suzu wants to know."

"Like this your personality has become really wicked isn't iiit, Suzuu? Were you warped from the shock of my betrayaaal?"

"Don't dodge the question here. Come on, teach Suzu? About Eri. What happened? Why are you warped? What kind of feeling are you looking at Kouki-kun with? Please, teach Suzu?"

"Aa, geez-, you are really annoyiiing!"

Suzu who continuously laid out barriers one after another at the same speed with the rate they were disintegrated, was piercing Eri with her straight gaze from between the gaps of the barriers and flashes. There wasn't any scorn or contempt in those eyes, only sincerity of wanting to know about Eri was residing there.

Having such gaze directed at her, Eri became even more irritated. Her heart was disordered in a level that was far exceeding her own expectation. She used magic with that irritation staying in her heart.

"――'Lawless'!"

Darkness magic 'Lawless'――a magic that blocked the target's image supplementation for using magic.

How Suzu was maintaining the deploying speed of barriers in the level that could oppose disintegration ability was possible because there was the abbreviation in her magic invocation using image supplementation. Consequently, if Suzu received interference in that, naturally her barrier's deploying speed would drop――that was how it should be.

"Why-!?"

Eri's shocked voice resounded. Ahead of her widely opened gaze, Suzu was continuing to lay out her barriers without any change. Her speed was equal with before.

"-, you are interfering with the image supplementation aren't you. Thanks to that now Suzu doesn't have any leeway left."

"Don't tell me…you are saying that you were going easy on the barrier deployment just nooow!?"

"Yep. After all Suzu is a barrier master. In protection Suzu won't lose to anyone. Well even though Suzu said that, there is also the help of Nagumo-kun's artifact, if this is a bombardment from a real apostle, Suzu won't be able to say this though."

Suzu squinted and looked at Eri while whispering "Suzu cannot block Kaorin's bombardment after all."

"Eri's body. Indeed it looks like you are able to use apostle's power, but you are unable to do it perfectly like Kaori I think? Twenty percent…nope, looks like the spec dropped by thirty percent. You also cannot use the experience trace among apostles aren't you? The sword skill before this, Suzu guess you got it from Melt-san using necromancy? If we are talking about the pinnacle of the knight's sword art, Suzu cannot think of anyone else except that person."

"-, don't get carried away!"

After having been analyzed and gotten seen through various things one after another, Eri was feeling like she had been totally seen through because of how all those analyses were correct. Eri raised an angry yell. The color of scorn and composure that filled her expression at the beginning was already gone, there was only the display of lack of composure that merely wished to erase even for a second faster the opponent she was unable to stomach.

"Eri, Suzu won't avert her eyes anymore. Because, Suzu doesn't want to overlook what's important and lose everything helplessly again. Suzu doesn’t want to keep being ignorant anymore. That's why, please. Teach Suzu about Eri."

"You keep saying teach me, teach me, annoying! What are you going to do after knowing such thing at this lateee!? You want to grasp my weakness and then attack me mentallyyy!?"

Eri fired a large number of feathers from her gray wings. The bombardment circled around and launched an attack from all directions in a plan to break the equilibrium. The soldiers were blocked from approaching by the iron wall formation that Suzu's subordinate monster formed, with that Eri had to do something herself. She was lamenting that she got separated from Kouki who excelled in offensive power.

But, as expected that plan of Eri was crushed by Suzu. At the other side of the barrier, Suzu elegantly waved her iron fans. Then, *zaaaaaaa* such sound came from the surrounding and light petals gathered, drawing spiral around Suzu.

And then, the spiral swallowed all the soaring feathers where the two magic neutralized each other. The petals were erased, however, the petals were immediately replenished again and showed no sign of decreasing at all.

Suzu sent her words to Eri as though nothing happened.

"You are wrong. You see, Suzu want to know about Eri. Suzu will know, look properly, feel, think………then Suzu wants to become friend with Eri, one more time."

"――What are you saying?"

Eri's bombardment unconsciously weakened. The grey feathers also flew toward wrong directions. That was just how much Suzu's words were incomprehensible and lacking in common sense for Eri.

That was only natural. After how she betrayed them that nastily, killing a lot of people, and furthermore she was trying to kill them right now. If someone was saying that they 'want to be friend' toward such person, she could only think that there was something wrong with that person's head. If this was the mental attack of Suzu-style, then in a sense it could be said as effective. Though until the end it was effective only in the meaning of taking her by surprise.

Suzu continued her words to that Eri. Her voice was powerful, her gazing eyes were endlessly clear.

"Is that strange I wonder? Yep, that's strange isn't it. Eri has done bad things after all. Even now you are trying to kill Suzu."

"…What, so just as I thought you have gone mad?"

"Nope, Suzu is sane. Even Suzu herself is thinking that it's strange huuh, but, this is Suzu's true feeling without any falsehood. Because, Suzu remember."

"Remember?"

"Yep. Eri's smile."

Hearing those words, Eri's expression turned even more confused.

"Eri was always a child that smiled reservedly from slight distance away, but right now Suzu understands that it was fake smile. But, but see. Like the time when Eri came for sleepover at Suzu's home, or the time when the two of us talk leisurely on the way home after school, or when both of us slackened up at the nearby park when there is really nothing to do on holiday, your languid smile that you suddenly showed at those time, or your smile that looked a little cynic, or your smile to Suzu that looked exasperated, but also looked a little amused, Suzu remembered those."

"…"

"Surely those were, smiling faces that the 'Eri who is acting' must not show isn't it right? Those smiles were fragments of the true Eri that couldn't be shown to other people, isn't that right? Eri rested your heart just for a smidgen, only when Suzu was with Eri, isn't that right? You see, that's what Suzu think."

Eri was wordless. Her eyes couldn't be seen because they were hidden by her front hair. The shadow created from the light was also hiding Eri's expression.

Suzu's words echoed. The Suzu who feared being hated and wouldn't step forward had gone. Even if she had to take the risk of what she wanted slipping away from her hand, she would still take a step forward. Because she had learned, that ahead of the constant risk, there lied what she exactly wanted.

"Eri, come back. Together with Kouki-kun. Something like a world with only two people is just sad. Suzu, want to be together with Eri. It's better to be together forever even after this. Suzu want to become best friend with Eri, this time for sure."

"…"

Suzu closed one of her iron fans with a snap and hung it on her waist. When she noticed, the feather attack had stopped. There was no need to control the light petals anymore. And then, like that her empty hand reached out straight toward Eri.

"If you take this hand, Suzu won't let anyone hurt Eri. No matter what anyone says, even if, Suzu have to oppose Nagumo-kun, Suzu swear that she will protect Eri!"

The gray bombardment was gradually losing momentum. Before long, it was decreasing until it became like a thin string and like that it melted into the air and vanished.

Suzu also erased her barrier. At her surrounding her monsters were standing by quietly. The corpse beast soldiers also stopped moving.

Her words reached her. Perhaps even her heart…Suzu thought that and her lips broadened slightly.

Ahead of Suzu's gaze, Eri quietly raised her face. What was reflected in those eyes was the color of passion and happiness――not, but coldness that was like ice filled with endless scorn.

And then, her words too.

"Are you an idiot?"

"――"

Suzu loosened cheeks instantly stiffened. Right after that, a huge gray magic circle manifested on the sky.

Eri's feather attack wasn't only intended to circle around Suzu's barrier and attacked her. Amidst the turmoil, Eri secretly slipped her feathers toward the sky. She bought time by going along with Suzu's talk and created a huge magic circle there with her grey feathers.

That magic circle was shining gray even while spurting out muddy black miasma. That shape was exactly the same like the crack of space that appeared above God Mountain.

The déjà vu that Suzu harbored was immediately proven to be correct. As expected, similar with the crack of space a lot of monsters appeared from there. What Eri created seemed to be a summoning magic circle.

"The nonsense is enough until this far isn't it? Just when I thought what are you going to talk about…Suzu really exposed your stupidity plainly here aren't youuu? Thank you for letting me buying so much timeee. Well theeen, can you die swallowed by these waves of monster?"

"…"

This time it was Suzu who was the silent one. From the sky, monsters that could fly or fought midair appeared continuously. The number of the surviving corpse beast soldiers was also still around seventy.

In contrast, Suzu's subordinate monsters, there were three missile bees, and one wind blade praying mantis, although they didn't die but they bore heavy wounds that made them unable to continue to fight. Although it was only a few but it was still a decrease in Suzu's fighting strength.

No matter how strong Inaba was, in front of the violence of number it would be only a problem of time before he was overwhelmed.

And then, far away the sound of fierce battle was still resounding, the possibility of Shizuku and Ryutaro coming for Suzu's reinforcement was remarkably low.

And so, Eri's expression warped in ecstasy. Indeed, Suzu's strength made her got cold sweat, but when the lid was opened, Suzu pointlessly wasted her time to persuade Eri and now she got the situation reversed, it was really an amusing joke. "Really what a stupid girl", Eri whispered one more time inside her mouth.

"I am your be-st-fri-end yes, even after a fashion? Then I'll at least listen to your last will you know?"

A great number of monsters covered the sky, amidst the darkness that fell on the battlefield like a dark cloud, Eri lifted up her sword and said such thing. Most likely, when that sword was swung down, an all-out attack would start.

In contrast, Suzu who realized that her word didn't reach Eri's heart and now she fell into an absolutely desperate situation said,

"Eri. You looked down on Suzu too much. ――Inaba-san! Please take care of the magic circle!"

"Kyukyuu!"

Taking out the iron fan that she settled on her waist before, as though to say that she had resolved for everything, Suzu stared back straight at Eri with eyes filled with determination without any unease or agitation there.

That excessively strong gaze made Eri took a step back unconsciously. When she noticed what she did she gritted her teeth. And then, feeling fed up with all the worthless talk, she swung down her sword that was equal with the scythe of the death god.

At that moment, the monsters in the sky and the corpse beast soldiers attacked all at once.

However, the corpse beast soldiers went toward the monsters.

"Wha-, what is-. Even though my command reached them properly-!"

Looking at the sudden friendly fire which began between the soldiers and monsters, Eri yelled angrily with confused tone mixed in. Eri's command was certainly reaching the soldiers without any obstruction. Despite so, they mistook their target and assaulted the monsters.

The one who brought the answer to the confused Eri was Suzu herself.

"Suzu's black crest butterfly――what do you think Suzu was letting them flying around for?"

"Do, don't tell me…"

"Finally noticed? You see, these children, they can scatter scales with various traits. Looks like the soldiers has been showered with enough. Right now, they should be looking at the monsters as Suzu and Suzu's monsters."

Eri felt like clicking her tongue. It seemed Suzu was thoroughly prepared.

Furthermore, at that time, a smashed sound resounded as though making doubly sure everything was screwed for Eri. Looking at the sky, a part of the summoning circle was blown away. At that spot, there was Inaba in a stance of kicking. He slipped through the gap between the monsters fully covering the sky in high speed and destroyed the magic circle.

The corpse soldiers who were originally the soldiers and knights of the kingdom, who were experts in anti-monster battle, with their specs increased like a joke they now killed the summoned monsters one after another.

There, naturally the subordinate monsters of Suzu, also the injured ones were healed by the corpse soldiers with healing ability because they looked like allies. After they returned to the battle line, the monsters in the sky were completely reduced to the hunted side.

Eri gritted her teeth while making the monsters to prioritize dealing with the black crest butterflies. The loyal monsters headed toward the butterflies fluttering in the battlefield and rushed them all at once.

At that moment,

*DOOOOON!! DOOOOON!! DOOOOON!!*

Flowers of explosion bloomed one after another at the sky of the ruined city. The moment the butterflies were touched, they instantly exploded.

The voice of Suzu resounded to the dumbfounded Eri.

"Did you think that Suzu can really subdue a total of a hundred butterfly monsters? Even though only three days has passed?"

"…Are you saying there are also fakes there?"

"Yep. More than half are Nagumo-kun's handmade butterfly golem. In exchange of scales they are carrying a large amount of combusting powder, see. Although it's only mini treasure warehouse, seems like gunpowder that cannot be compared with dynamite is packed full into it. How scary isn't it."

Eri narrowed her eyes. When she looked, she didn't notice before but there were black crest butterflies clinging on the head or the back of all the soldiers. Anybody would understand what the meaning of that was. While the soldiers exterminated the monsters and decreased their number, simultaneously it was also the countdown for the death of the soldiers.

"…This is checkmate? In this kind of place? Ahahah, how strangeeee. For Suzu to be the one who is destroying my plan. Even though you could just grovel like before without standing up again. Is this, also because of that monster I wondeeer."

"Suzu don't think she can say that Nagumo-kun has no relation in this. But, Suzu is here is unmistakably by Suzu's own will. Because Suzu thought that if Suzu leaves this alone then Eri will be killed by Nagumo-kun."

"What? Are you planning to say that you saved me I wonder?"

"Yep. Suzu come in order to save Eri. Because Suzu wants to restart with Eri one more time."

"…enough already."

Eri fell quiet once more. But, different from until now, it was only for a moment. Right after that, she invoked darkness magic 'Slip Mind' to Suzu while at the same time leaped at her. In a straight line, with her eyes carrying killing intent.

As though to say, would Suzu kill her or would she get killed by her, there was nothing else that could be done but to choose between those two choices. As though to cut away all of Suzu's words as complete nonsense. As though to declare that it was impossible for her to take Suzu's hand after this late.

"AaAAAAAAAAAAAAA-!! JUST DIEEEEEEEEEEEE-!!"

Toward Eri who performed suicide attack while yelling an abnormal shriek, Suzu bit her lip tightly. Her feeling wasn't conveyed to Eri. It couldn't be conveyed. Frustrating. Mortifying. Her reached out hand――didn't reach.

"Why, it has become like this…surely, Suzu mustn't say such words isn't it."

Suzu who looked like she was laughing and crying, bit her lip and blood trickled down, then she swept her fan.

At that moment, barriers were deployed enveloping the rushing Eri. Naturally, Eri used her disintegration ability and immediately cut apart the barrier but she was forced to stop for a moment. That was a fatal opening that was created forcefully by Suzu.

The moment Eri destroyed the barrier, the light petals that were controlled by the other iron fan rushed to Eri and wrapped her. Eri tried to sweep them away using her gray wings and bombardment and also her sword, but the light petals were like leaves fluttering by the wind, or possibly like river water that flowed unhurriedly, they swam in the air and evaded the attacks.

And then, right after that,

"Everything into the light, ――'Holy Severance - Falling Flower of Light'."

Light exploded.

All the light petals exploded in a chain reaction. A combination technique of 'Holy Severance - Sakura' and 'Holy Severance - Burst'. Surrounded by flower storm without any place to escape, impacts were fired inside without any spot spared from it.

With a timing that matched that, further thunderous sounds rang out consecutively in the battlefield. Along with those explosive sounds, several grand flowers of flame and impact bloomed proudly in the sky of the ruined city. The corpse beast soldiers that finished defeating the monsters were swallowed by the self-explosion of the dummy golems of black crest butterfly attached on their body and died.

Suzu was bathed in orange light by the several explosive flames. On her head, the fluffy Inaba fell. Inaba's fluffy front leg patted on Suzu's head *peshi peshi* as though to console her.

From inside the flame of light, *bobat* sound rang and a silhouette fell. White smoke was rising from Eri's whole body and she fell on the ground. Her four limbs were twisted to strange direction, her ash gray wings were already scattered. Magical shockwave also exploded simultaneously at that time so her magic power should be already blown away too.

Suzu quickly waved her iron fan.

"――'Light Halo'."

Then, halos of light linked into a net that materialized at the falling point of Eri. Eri was caught by that and she was dropped on the ground.

Suzu accompanied by Inaba landed down beside Eri.

"Kahah, gohoh………just, kill me."

It appeared she barely retained her consciousness. Eri didn't even move her empty eyes toward Suzu, she was staring far away and demanded for the killing blow.

"Eri…"

"Fri, end? Impos, sible…dying, is….better"

"…"

There was no disdain or contempt. Eri talked as though she wasn't looking at Suzu, to that, Suzu bit her lip tightly.

"Everything, is just, the worst. …I, only…"

"Eri? Only…what? Tell Suzu."

"…"

The words that stopped midway might be words that spilled out unconsciously even for Eri. Even with Suzu asking, she didn't show any sign of opening her mouth anymore. It was obvious that Eri's body was in a state where life was spilling out from her. Although her body was upgraded with the technique of apostle creation, the might of Suzu's trump card the 'Holy Severance - Falling Flower of Light' wasn't something half-assed. Without any treatment, she would only expire like this.

Suzu took out a container in the shape of test tube from her 'Treasure Warehouse II'. The content was healing medicine. It was something that had its effect dramatically increased by Hajime's metamorphosis magic, so it had ten times the effect of the highest grade healing medicine. It couldn't be like god water that immediately completely recovered the health, but it was able to keep alive someone even from a near death state.

But, Eri who saw Suzu taking that out and guessed what she was going to do, pierced Suzu with a severe gaze that was unthinkable coming from someone who was about to die. There was no word. But, those eyes talked more eloquently than anything. She would decline any pity from Suzu even if she was on the verge of death.

Suzu clutched the healing medicine tightly, wondering with clenched teeth if this was going to be their conclusion. This was something that she was half-resigned to. Even so, as expected her heart clenched tightly.

But, she couldn't be half-hearted. She couldn't reach Eri's heart. She couldn't reach her. She couldn't half-heartedly let her stay alive here. The path to let Eri live and brought her back wasn't by sheer strength, it had to be done by connecting their heart and pulling her hand. If Suzu acted half-heartedly here, the tragedy of that day would be repeated once more in the future.

That was the only thing that she absolutely mustn't do. A wish that blindly believed at convenient future and averted eyes from reality, what kind of future such thing would be connected with was something that Suzu understood really well to the depth of her bone.

Then, at the very least not by other's hand, this should be done by her hand.

That was Suzu's resolve.

Because although it was warped and imperfect but Eri was once her best friend. And then even now, she was able to wish to be best friend with her once more. That was why…

Suzu stored back the healing medicine. And then, in exchange her hand gripped the iron fan tightly.

Suzu and Eri's gazes crossed.

But, at that time, suddenly immense magic power burst up from a place that was separated from them by several ruined buildings between here. Before long the pure white magic power that stabbed the sky changed into a shape of human ten meters tall, the arm of that giant was swung down below.

The fierce impact was transmitted even until the place where Suzu and Eri were at.

"…Kouki, kun."

Eri opened her eyes and whispered.

Right after that, the light giant dispersed. It was as though it showed the fate of the caster…

"Kouki, kun…Kouki-kun!!"

"E, Eri-!?"

Eri's body that should have been in the death's door instantly shined gray.

And then, at the next moment her flickering wings and ragged body flew away with immense force toward the place where the light giant was seen.

Suzu who was unable to immediately move from being completely dumbfounded returned to her senses and chased after Eri in hurry.

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