──There's no real difference from patrolling the Biotope.

In the shade of a large tree, Horn looked down at the electronic display of her watch.

"......Thirty minutes have passed. No scheduled reports from the main unit."

She muttered in a mechanical tone and stood up from the bushes around the many trees. She repositioned her rifle leaning against her shoulder and bitterly bit down on her lip.

──Something happened. No, something else happened in addition.

She had received a report from Leon thirty minutes ago that they were infiltrating the base. The regular scheduled reports had stopped immediately after that. Even if it was called a report though, it was just pressing a button on the communicator to 'confirm you're alive'.

That's not coming.

And it wasn't just Leon, there was no signal from Sheltis or the Number Nine of the Governmental Sector. But even hypothetically, could a unit containing a Sennenshi and executive of the Governmental Sector be wiped out this quickly?

──What comes to mind is that they're in the midst of responding to an assault.

"They were either all separated or surrounded......"

At any rate, there was no way anything good was happening.
Another source of worry was that there were no instructions from the Priestesses. The one watching over them via clairvoyance was Syun-rei so if anything happened to Leon, she would have reported it straight away.

......That hasn't happened. So the situation isn't bad?

The two possibilities were contrasting. Which one is true? Which one should I trust in as I move?

"───It is unavoidable."

She started moving again after having come to a stop.

Horn had come to the conclusion that she had to link up with the main unit. If the circumstances were good, then it would just end at her having made a meaningless trip. However, if something happened at the enemy base, her not going to support them could be a fatal mistake.
Unease was still within her heart but even then she would believe in her choice and head towards the base that Leon reported──

"............"

Immediately afterwards, the abnormality that surfaced on her thigh made her doubt her eyes.

"......Blood?"

The section of her camouflaged suit at her thigh was cleanly severed and was being dyed red with the spreading blood. It wasn't from a tree branch or scraping against a rock. It was a clean cut like that of a sharp blade.

......When was I wounded?

......Was it just now or was I already wounded when I was walking around the floating archipelago ?

No. This is not a wound from the floating archipelago 's environment. It is obviously man-made. Also, if I was wounded like this on the way, there's no way I wouldn't notice.
So it was just now?

"───"

Without removing her blinder, she maintained a watch over the future shown by her 'Celestial Map Drawing'. Within the future that was only a few moments ahead, if she were to perceive the slightest thing out of place, she should be able to react at least minimally.

Nothing stood out in the view of Celestial Map Drawing. Large trees surrounded her and she was right next to the thickets. This floating archipelago was devoid of any dangerous lifeforms so it could be said there was not a single thing to watch out for. Nothing was out of place in the surroundings............

──Click.

──Shiver.
The tiny mechanical sound Horn heard made her jump directly to the side in an instant. Though nothing stood out in her vision, she trusted her instinct and kicked at the ground.

"!?"

She felt 'something' pass near her shoulder. At the same time, the camouflaged cloth there was torn up, and blood shot out from beneath it. Whatever passed by kept going and pierced through a tree's trunk behind her, leaving behind a hole like a needle.

"A sniper at close range!"

She threw aside her rifle and drew a machine pistol with her right hand, then she tumbled to the ground and moved deeper into the bushes.

──I could confirm neither the round nor the sniper but there's no doubt.

──It was a snipe performed with an accurate understanding of my position.

Concealing herself within the shrubbery even more, she didn't stay in that location for even a second before dashing into the sea of trees. A split second later, the spot she was at was sniped.

"......Do they want to have a shootout with me?"

She put aside figuring out why she couldn't see the bullet with Celestial Map Drawing. No matter what, finding the sniper's location took priority. Otherwise this one-sided defensive would continue.
Then.

Suddenly, the sniping came to a halt.

"I'm surprised you would just show yourself so easily."

A thin figure stood within a clearing in the sea of trees which was sparsely populated by flowers.

"............"

A dead tree.

That was Horn's first impression upon seeing the man before her.

He was as tall as was standard for men but he was unusually thin. His muscles and fat were trimmed to the limit ── no, they were trimmed beyond the limit. Standing upright in a camouflaged suit, he resembled the sea of trees around them.

"Or are you surrendering?"

"............"

The man did not answer. As the camouflaged suit drew up over his head, neither his expression nor even his line of sight could be verified.

......That was quite the magical-looking gun.

In the man's right hand was a rifle and in his left was a small automatic pistol. Both were white streaked with grey and various places such as the magazines and muzzle had protrusions.

......That was quite the magical paint job on his gun.

In the man's right hand was a rifle and his in left was a small automatic pistol. Both of them where white with grey paint overtop and bumps in various places like the magazine and mouth. That design was reminiscent of nature and the bones of animals.

"So you're from the third organization. I'd heard about you guys but how delightful of you to aim at a woman from behind. Is that to show off your lack of confidence?"

"......Is that......all......you've got?"

"Did you say something?"

"Unable............to......even......figure.....out......where I......was and......being hit......by such a......slow bullet...... Is that all you've got?............Sennenshi............"

His voice was a low bass like a person's groans had been converted into words. However, the scorn mixed into it was clear to Horn.

"Are you this headquarters' guard?"

"......This is personal. ......Since I finally found......a......kindred spirit......"

He lifted the arm holding his gun high into the air and declared with that voice which seemed to be fading.

"Executive of the Sacrements of the 'True Darkest Grey'. Fourth of the Lords of Unusual Books, Beltoma......the......'Dark Grey'............"

"It's upsetting that you would one-sidedly decide we're kindred spirits. I have other things to do."

Horn put her hand to her blinder and tore it off forcefully.

"I'm in a hurry so I'll only charge you for the clothing fee."
Part 2
The 'Chapel' floor.

Flames ── the phenomenon that appears together with intense heat and light when matter burns. Even amongst burnable matter, combustion of gases, especially oxygen, are overwhelmingly numerous.

"......I dabbled a little in science when I was a brat."

Not bothering to wipe the sweat off his cheek, Huick glared at the phenomenon before him.
It was not a cold sweat. It was caused by the oppressive heat swirling in the surroundings.

"It didn't help jack squat."

"Oh my? Now why might that be?"

Snicker, snicker.

Natraja stood upon the Chapel's altar with a bewitching expression upon her face. Gazing lovingly upon the pillar billowing behind her, she poured flames and wine of the same color into her empty glass.

"The flames I know are all good children that obey the laws of physics, you see."

"Oh, how mean of you. That makes it sound like my flames are naughty rascals. Though it did in fact take a lot of effort to tame them."

A flame lit at the tip of the finger she stuck out into the air. The swaying flame gradually grew in size, giving off more intense heat and light and becoming a swirling flame.

"That's one really domesticated flame."

......It's a shinryoku art. The classification is the common manifestation type.

Whereas Hyouketsu Kyoukai manifests "ice", that one manifested "flames".

"It's the same trick as Zeadoll-sama's Absolute Santuary arts, isn't it."

Kuro spread the iron fan she took out from her pocket.

......Well, that's right.
......It's a common art.

Natraja's art itself was unlikely to be difficult.

Just like Hyouketsu Kyoukai's ice crystals which are "matter which does not exist in this world", the vaguely defined matter that Huick materializes, "something that's hard, firm and translucent", is much more difficult to execute. Something like flames is easy to imagine.

But────

"That kinda crazy burning will turn this Chapel into ashes."

"It's fine. I'll just request for the repair fees from the Governmental Sector."

The flames around the Lord of Unusual Books weren't dying down at all. The flames which were touching the ceiling of the Chapel gave off sparks and grew even more heated.

"......What a walking disaster."

The metal decorations that should have been atop the altar had melted due to the heat. Being able to pull out this amount of firepower freely and at a moment's notice.

──is not a matter of the difficulty or anything like that at all.

──The pinnacle. That single word.

"! Huick-sama!"

He jumped backwards at the same time as Kuro's warning. The crimson wave of flames licked at the tip of his nose. Afterwards, he crouched and leaped to the side. He bypassed the wave of flames and headed for the practitioner.

But.

"You're a little too slow."

The moment Natraja's lips moved charmingly, a wall of flames partitioning her from them rose up from her feet.

"Nah, this is just the right distance."

"Moving."

Kuro ran up from beside him and plunged into the towering wall of flames. She jumped without slowing down and swung down the iron fans in her hands against the crimson wall.

"Hah!"

The iron fans easily cut away at the scorching wall of flames.

"......!?"

The Lord of Unusual Books' face was dyed with surprise. Following that, a chakram was thrown. With just a strong flick of the wrist, the circular blade severed the cup in Natraja's hand from the base.

"Wahhh, so you can do something!"

A high-pitched cheer echoed through the Chapel.

"The iron fans were swept down at supersonic speeds and created a shockwave. That shockwave shook the atmosphere and cut through my flames ── you predicted that much and used the instant the flames were down to throw a hidden weapon at me. Both of those are the work of a master."

"I am terribly pleased by your praise. Though that should be my line. You saw right through what happened...... You have good eyes."

"I happen to like shiny things."

Left and right, the Lord of Unusual Books winked with a chakram between the fingers of each of her hands.

The left hand's chakram was the one that cut through the glass. The right one thrown by Huick was lined up with the first. Even if the first one was dodged or stopped, the second one would tear into the enemy. But the real shot that was aimed at her shoulder was also stopped just as easily.

"Hmmm? Looking closely, this second one is a ring narrower and thinner. That makes it hard to spot."

The Lord of Unusual Books was taking a more detailed look at the chakrams.

"Don't stare at them so hard. The trick's going to be exposed."

"Oh, my apologies. Come to think of it, I've heard something about this. Huick of "Heaven's Wheel" is an intelligence agent. Accomplished in infiltration and causing disturbances, he is also a top-class hidden weapon user."

......Information leaked again.

He didn't even feel like hiding his wry smile. Just which idiot talked about his info?

"An esteemed old man from the Governmental Sector. It looks like they were trying to boast about somebody in the same organization."

"......Those old fools, it's about time for them."

"Say, I've already gotten the information I wanted so can I retire now?"

So that's it.

"So you're the spy that snuck into the Governmental Sector."

He had already expected that a secretary for one of the parliament members, with their high clearance which included control over the regular patrols to this Plant, was part of the third organization.
......Of all things, it had to be a Lord of Unusual Books in person.

"If I didn't know about that, I might have nicked myself catching these."

──Crack.

The chakram held between the woman's fingers cracked. Made of hardened ceramic, it should crack under some superficial pressure.

"......You're joking. I'm speechless."

"Oh, but that's my life."

The woman ground the fractured chakram beneath her boot but never once took her eyes off them.

"The members of 'Heaven's Wheel' use an amount of weapons that match with their nicknames. ......So, Huick the 'Ninth', how many hidden weapons can you use at once?"

With a roar, Natraja's flames became even more fierce.

"Not enough, not enough. Not enough, not enough, not enough. This isn't enough at all. There's no meaning in my coming here. Allow me to show you just how fearsome the number two of the Lords of Unusual Books is────"

Crawling her fingers along her own nape, she let out a hot sigh.

A devilish charm and madness were reflected within her eyes.

"My flames will become much, much, much, much stronger. If you don't get serious, you might just turn into cinders?"

Part 3
A coincidental resemblance.
There are people who resemble each other despite sharing neither bloodline nor environment. He had not a shred of intent of denying that.

......However, this.
......Can this be explained away with just that?

"────"

Just once, Leon cast a gaze of doubt upon the man before him.
This man resembled him not just in height and face, but also in bone structure and right down to the way his muscles connected. Even his name, Armadel, was the same as Leon's brother's. ......Could such a thing be a coincidence?

"What is it?"

"......Do you recognize me?"

"What a strange thing to ask. Leon Nestorius Ova, one of the Sennenshi partnered to a Priestess. It is less likely that anybody within Orbie Clar does not know of you."

There was no hesitation within Armadel's voice. There was not a fragment of him hiding something or having come to a realization.

"That's not what I meant."

"What is it?"

"Do you......have any personal recollection of my face?"

He was the reason I picked up a sword. He was the reason I decided to become strong.
If my brother wasn't there, I wouldn't have entered Sophia. I would never have met Syun-rei, Sheltis or Ymy either.

"How expected to be asked such a thing by a Sennenshi as soon as we meet."

Putting those words up first, the blond greatsword user gave a slight, strained laugh.

"I remember hearing talk from my allies that there's a Sennenshi whose face greatly resembles my own. I've heard that I resemble others many times."

"I'll just ask one thing."

He spoke before Armadel could answer.

"What about your family and siblings?"

"I have none."

"......I'll change my question. What were you doing before you joined the Lords of Unusual Books?"

"I don't remember."

What a barefaced lie. He's just saying that to dodge the question, right? Just before Leon decided that ── the next line caused him to lose his words.

"I have not a trace of memory from before I came here. I heard from the doctor in charge of me that I had collapsed from grave wounds but I don't remember that myself."

"......Amnesia?"

"It seems to be something of that sort. But it doesn't matter to me now."

The worst answer.

......No, I certainly did consider this possibility over the years.
There's no way that brother of mine would die. Then the reason he didn't come back must be because he was in critical condition or something else.

"Is that all you wanted to ask?"

"Yeah."

Leon stayed the indignation against this world's harshness within himself and continued his words indifferently.

"I had an older brother. His name was also Armadel and he also used a greatsword. Just like you......he looked just like me."

"............"

"I don't know if you really are him. ......No, that's a lie. Within my mind, I've already come to the conclusion that you're most likely him. However────"

He glared at the greatsword user head-on.

"I doubt that matters to you right now."

"Of course."

Armadel's response was quick.

"Even if you set me up as your older brother, it's just sudden and without proof from my point of view. There's no proof beyond 'resemblance'. It might even be a trap to turn an enemy into an ally."

Such a short reason but that explanation was a given. In his shoes, Leon wouldn't be able to assent so easily either.

"......I get it."

"So what will you do?"

"I will just follow my ideals."

He lifted the greatsword he'd had held downward and directed its tip toward his opponent's chest.

"Let's have a match. If I win, I'll drag you back to the tower and have you undergo treatment from a specialist whether you like it or not. You have no complaints in that case, right?"

"......Now you're making sense."

It was the first smile the man before him had made. Just like Leon, the man lifted his greatsword that was on standby and pointed it at the opponent's chest.

"Transfer me, Igun-I."

"What?"

After a short while, an man's androgynous voice echoed from the arena's stone tiles.

'......How sudden. And I just got to a good point with Sheltis.'

"It'll be a problem if the intruder gets rowdy here. The twins are on break."

'Okay, okay. Honestly, you slave driver. The same place as always, right?'

"Yeah."

'Then I'll transfer you. Pardon the dizziness.'

At the same time as the voice disappeared.

── [Wyrd] ── [T/N: Blank Song]

A glowing ring of light appeared out of thin air. It was neither red nor blue nor white: a transparent door with no colour to speak of.

"......What's this?"

The door of light that appeared in the air rapidly increased its brilliance. From candlelight to standard electrical lights to the sun and even beyond──

"!"

He reflexively closed his eyes from the pain frying his eyes.

..............................?

"......Wind?"

The first change he felt was the refreshing, balmy breeze stroking his hair. This breeze could never occur underground in an airtight sealed chamber.

The feeling beneath his feet was also that of earth. It was no longer the hard floor he'd felt until just before this.

────This.

"What kind of magic trick is this?"

He pointed at the great roaring waterfall behind him. The waterfall was flowing down from a distant cliff edge. He could feel the splashes from it against his face and hear the grand roar of water falling. It was not an illusion and he could not see it as something man-made.

"Your senses are correct."

"What?"

"It's real. This isn't the Lagoon you went to anymore. I don't know if it's Orbie Clar's nature district or the Biotope though."

......Impossible.

It took several hours in a supersonic airship to reach that Lagoon and we arrived in Orbie Clar in an instant?

"It's a guy called Igun-I's secret art. He seems to just use it freely but the man himself says that it has much more 'constraints' than even Maha's Hexagon."

"......Well, whatever."

There's no point in worrying about the truth about this art right now. What I should do ──── is face this man. Everything else is an idle thought. I doubt I have a chance if I don't focus on it at least that much.

......Maybe I should be happy about this?
The man I've chased all these years is my opponent.
It's a miracle to have my goal standing before me once again.

......Have I.
......Have I managed to reach my goal?

He lifted his sword above his head and held his stance. The destination of his incessant effort. The meaning behind his polished sword skills. The absolute rank he climbed to within the tower. Dreaming of the time all of it would come together, he came this far.

That's why──

"Let's do this."

Leon ran towards the man before him.

Part 4
Bathed in the bright lighting.
Repeatedly descending the endless emergency stairs in the tower. And ascending them.

......Just how long have I been running?

"Haa..................ah......!"

Ymy put her hands against the wall and leaned on them, forming an angle with her body as she repeatedly took deep breaths.

"Ishtar-san, where did you go at a time like this?"

Ishtar should have the communicator which connects to the detached unit. But she couldn't be found anywhere. Asking Meimel had only resulted in the repeated response of "You don't have to worry about her."

......Ishtar-san is in charge of staying in contact.

......But this isn't working. Too much time has passed. I should head back to Syun-rei.

To reach floor 287 where Syun-rei is waiting, the Priestess-exclusive elevator is the fastest. She turned her quivering feet towards the exclusive elevator which should be in the northern part of every floor──

'......Leon!?'

Syun-rei's voice filled with surprise suddenly came in through telepathy.

'............I found Leon!'

"Eh?"

Before Ymy could process Syun-rei's words, images from Syun-rei's clairvoyance were transferred.

──A ravine?

Against a backdrop of a waterfall kicking up a spray of water, two greatsword users were engaged in a back-and-forth battle. One of them ── the silver-haired swordsman in a white coat was certainly the Leon Ymy knew.

"Ehh. But telepathy was being blocked just now. Did you break through it?"

'............This isn't Lagoon.'

"B-but I can clearly see it from clairvoyance."

'............It's Orbie Clar's nature district. The clairvoyance marking I had on Leon suddenly moved from Lagoon......and appeared in the nature district's eastern area.'

──What does this mean?

With an extraordinary phenomenon before her, Ymy was speechless. Even if Leon had returned to Orbie Clar from Lagoon, the method for that can't have been anything that would easily exist.
And the opponent Leon was fighting against.

"There are two Leons?"

The blond swordsman resembled him in every way from his face to his physique and even to the greatsword he wielded. However......who was that blond swordsman?

The strength to take Leon's greatsword head-on. He even repelled it and used the return to unleash a violent stroke upwards. As soon as Leon avoided that with inhuman reaction speed, the opponent aimed for his exposed flank with his fist, not giving him even the slightest time to fix his posture.

......That was an irregular fighter.

......Any swordsman other than Leon would likely be unable to even react to the first counter.

Is this man also a Lord of Unusual Books?
But why does he resemble Leon to this degree? I can't think of him as some stranger.

"Syun-rei."

'............I don't know.'

The telepathy came in a shaky and small voice.
I don't know. In other words, this man's identity was also unknown to Syun-rei.

'......I've pinpointed......the location. It's the fifth ward of the eastern area of the nature district.'

──She wouldn't normally be this panicked.
──Because it's Leon. There's no way he would be surpassed with the greatsword.

She wished for and trusted in that.

But from the battle they had seen just now......it had been only a moment, but wasn't Leon the one being pressured?

'............Leon.'

Syun-rei's words like a prayer echoed through the tower and dispersed into thin air.

Part 5
──Clack.

Her boot lightly collided against a tree root sticking out of the ground.

"Ohh......toh, toh. That was close."

She placed a hand against the tree trunk and steadied herself from her pitched forward posture.

"Oh, you managed to keep yourself standing?"

The guard slightly ahead was facing her with a wry smile.

Looking at the hand that was offered to her──

"Hey, Tsali-san."

"What is it?"

"Was this hand to help me if I was about to fall?"

Eyriey asked Tsali, who still had her hand out, with trepidation.

"It's great that you managed that yourself."

In place of a response, the person in question shrugged.

"It's because Eyri-nee doesn't watch where's she's stepping."

"Ahh, what's with that look? You're wrong! There was just a pretty butterfly on top of a leaf just now and I was interested!"

"You said the same thing when you got caught on a vine just before this."

"Mghh. That was just because there was an unusual bird call......"

"No, no, it's not like I'm poking fun at you."

Tsali pulled back her hand and once again turned around and started walking. That tone of voice sounded more like she was enjoying Eyriey's reactions.

"Children have many more things besides their feet to look at. It's endearing if you consider falling to be an expression of curiosity."

"......I feel like that statement is highlighting the children part too much."

"It's true you're a child though?"

Tsali laughed and, for some reason, her gaze was directed at Eyriey's chest──

"Your underwear size hasn't changed since a year ago."

"Wh-why do you know that!?"

"This older sister knows many things."

She started walking again with a teasing smile.

"Mghh...... Ah, but Tsali-san, why do you call me Eyri-nee?"

"I told you Yuto told me that, right?"

"Not that. I'm younger so calling me Eyriey is fine. The only one who calls me Eyri-nee is Yuto so it's kind of embarrassing."

"Fumu......"

After a few seconds of thinking.

"Eyriey, Eyri-nee, Eyriey, Eyri-nee...... Eyri-nee it is. I'm used to it."

"Is that so?"

She got used to it after only using it several times?

"That's how it is."

"......Well, okay, if that's what you say."

She did her best to keep up with the woman walking briskly ahead of her. She might already be being considerate but because of the difference in their strides, a moment of carelessness would result in a large separation.

And.

That woman passed a root sticking out of the ground and came to a complete stop.

"We're here."

"Eh? What is it? What............ Huh, this is"

Tsali was looking at one side of a research facility sticking out. There were no windows or equipment, only a door at what would be the first floor.

"Ah, I remember seeing this before! It's like when I came with Yuto and Leon before. Are we going to be doing the same kind of investigation?"

"Something like that. However......this tremor."

Above the facility ── the woman glared at the blue sky sparsely lined with clouds.

"Some people were moved."

"Moved? You mean Sheltis and the others have already gone to another location?"

"I don't know how many people it was but they're no longer on this Lagoon."

"Ehhh!? And we came all this way just to find them!"

"Want to head back?"

Tsali pointed at the door that stood open.

Now what would you like to do? ── The woman's eyes shone challengingly as if saying those words.

"......Hmm, but there might be others left behind."

"That's true."

"Then let's go! I can't relax until I've seen everybody's faces!"

"Well done."

She patted her head.

"......Jeez, you're treating me like a child again!"

"Eyri-nee, you're just too cute."

The guard smiled with a teasing look in her eyes. That seemed to indicate it was neither serious nor a joke; it was a mix of both.

"We're going in. Follow me."

"Ah, o-okay!"

Is it okay to not be on guard? Tsali boldly went through the door and didn't have a whiff of caution or alertness about her. Even when descending the stairs underground, she casually did it without a care.

"Hey, hey, Tsali-san, have you come here before?"

"No, to be honest, I have no idea what the layout is like beyond this. Well, there are some kindly laid out guideposts so we'll just follow those."

Diagonally ahead ── on the simple wall with a thin metal plate tacked on, there was a small but clear scratch. Multiple at regular intervals. And it was easy to spot since it was at eye level.

"Ohh? Now that you mention it!"

Once she knew about it, Eyriey could make a conjecture as well. It was a sign left behind by the main squad for the detached squad.

"I wonder if Sheltis is up ahead."

"I don't know about that. Personally, I'm hoping to see somebody else."

"Hoeh? Somebody else meaning who?"

"The guys who built this anthill. I'm looking forward to hearing their story firsthand."

Tsali narrowed her eyes in what could be construed as being belligerent. Taking her hand from behind, Eyriey pulled at her.

"Ah, wwait! ......I think something's coming!"

Footsteps could be heard from the passage leading to the left. The curious point was that despite being boots, it sounded like metal. And from the echoes......it wasn't just one or two people.

"The guards, huh. Maybe we're being treated as illegal trespassers?"

What to do. Fool them with an excuse when we're spotted? Or is it time for the debut of my back-up anti-molester pepper spray?

Before she could come to a conclusion, a shadow appeared from the passage.

A shadow resembling a human. It was covered in iron armor from the top of its head to the tips of its toes, with a massive mechanical left arm and a machine gun for a right. The mark glowing blue atop its armor was probably a shinryoku seal.

──A heavy mechanical soldier equipped with even anti-Yuugenshu weaponry. And a great number of them enough to clot up the passageway.

"W-wait a second!?"

Rather than guards, aren't these battle machines for eliminating vicious animals or Yuugenshu? And with these numbers, if a flesh-and-blood human were to take those attacks............
......Crap.

......And these guys are completely standalone. They don't care if the opponents happen to be human?

"Tsali-san!"

Eyriey took her hand and made to run away.

Before that, she saw the robotic soldiers in the frontmost row line their sights up. The boorish design fired several dozens of bullets──

Dozens of bullets..............................Huh?

"It doesn't hurt."

"Of course it won't hurt if you don't get shot."

Eyriey gingerly opened her eyes to see Tsali standing in front just as usual.

"......Huh?"

"I told you I'm an outstanding guard, right?"

Clatter. She smiled calmly while standing on the bullets that were supposed to have been fired at them just now.

She cut them out of the air? No, that not it. The bullets themselves changed their flight path downwards. I don't get the reason behind it but that's what it feels like.

"So shall we get going, Eyri-nee? The search looks like it's about to get interesting."

"Huh? But just in front of us──"

"Is something there?"

Being asked a question in response, Eyriey blinked repeatedly. The dozens of heavy robotic soldiers had already fallen and stopped moving.

"Eh? H-how did you"

"Who knows? Maybe my charm is effective on machines too so they surrendered."

Maybe there was some kind of trick or she used techniques like Sheltis such that Eyriey couldn't process it. No matter how much she thought about it, Eyriey couldn't understand it.

"O-ohhhhhhhh!? I don't really get it but you're amazing, Tsali-san!"

"Have you calmed down, milady?"

Brushing her glossy bangs to the side, Tsali started walking again.

"We'll be moving faster for a bit. It looks like there's a lot of ground to cover."

Part 6
"That's......the art called Celestial Imaging that can foresee the future."

The man bearing the nickname of 'Dark Grey' didn't move. A large rifle held in his right hand and a small automatic pistol in his left. Each was painted in an off white and camouflaged to look like animal bones.

"The inescapable magic bullet. So named because it's fired after reading the enemy's future movements and how they will dodge......"

"You've done your research."

Exposing her face hidden behind her blinder, Horn glared at Beltoma.

"Research? No, I searched."

The man wearing camo gear up to his head shook his head from side to side.

"For a delightful, delightful kindred spirit."

"Unfortunately, I have not a speck of intention of becoming your kindred spirit. I have other matters to attend to."

Confirming the feel of the SMG in her hand, she took stock of her opponent. Approximately seven meters. It was close enough that missing was an impossibility even without looking. For both her and her opponent.

"............"

Both continued standing at attention and glaring at each other. Neither lifted their guns nor loosened their postures that resembled the trees around them.

A balance of silence.

What broke that harmony a sudden whirlwind. It kicked up loose dirt and dry leaves high into the air.
Immediately after, lead-colored bullets were launched from the barrels of each of their guns.

 ──A single gunshot.

 "!"

Jumping directly to the side and turning away her upper body, she dodged the bullet that scraped right by her chest. Following the momentum from that, she spun to the left and ran counterclockwise.

......There was only the sound of a single gunshot.
......So he fired at the exact same time as me.

The Lord of Unusual Books was running counterclockwise. Kicking off the ground with force that betrayed his dead tree appearance, he ran unnaturally like a butterfly in flight.

"How pointless."

In the face of Celestial Imaging, Beltoma could not escape her regardless of what kind of course he took. She lined up her shot with the future image of the Lord of Unusual Books heading diagonally backwards and pulled the trigger.

This is the end.

As soon as she was assured of that, a new gunshot sounded and Horn's bullet was deflected in midair.

"Wha!?"

It was different from the mateki barriers of Yuugenshu. Just now......he shot down the bullet that was unavoidable?

"The unavoidable magic bullet is not all-powerful, is it?"

A string of white smoke was coming from the barrel of Beltoma's gun.

"It cannot change courses after it has been fired. As such......I merely need to wait for it to be shot and then shoot it down."

"You sure make it sound simple."

For the unavoidable magic bullet, any action to dodge made before the firing would be pointless.

Then all you have to do is defend against it after it's shot.

──However, that's just the logic.

In actuality, humans aren't able to see the path a bullet travels.

To defend against Horn's bullets would require the ability to see the bullet's trail, inhuman reflexes and the precise techniques to respond.

......I can't believe there's somebody who would do this who isn't a professional.

That absolute skill required an instinctual level of danger sensory. Amongst the Sennenshi, Ran and Leon stood out especially in this field.

"Your bullets are too straightforward."

The Lord of Unusual Books bent forward even further as if crawling along the ground and sped up his dash. She sent two shots to his evasion route and one more pursuing round with an eye feint mixed in.

But that was also repelled just short of Beltoma.

......So it's not just a coincidence.
......He's sniping my bullets down with nearly 100% accuracy.

"The trail will be roughly straight from the mouth of your barrel...... No matter how much of a magic bullet it is......if you see the instant of its firing, figuring out the path is easy, right?"

Kachak.

The Lord of Unusual Books thrust out the rifle in his right hand. Distance of seven meters. It could be comparable to zero for a gunslinger but Horn had plenty of leeway.

──I'll perceive the instant he pulls the trigger with Celestial Imaging.

It would be fine if she just dodged the bullet's path in that instant.

"You want to dodge?"

"......What?"

"If you want to dodge, I'll count for you. On three."

Revealing his own firing timing. Is this a trick?

No, there's no abnormality within Celestial Imaging's future. He can't really be following that count?

"Three............two..................one...... Now dodge this."

"!"

She certainly saw the moment of his firing with Celestial Imaging. And at the same time she stopped running counterclockwise, she jumped directly back, 180 degrees in the opposite direction.

──Crack.

The sound of something hard breaking.

In the next instant, an intense pain ran through Horn's left shoulder.

"────!"

A scream that couldn't quite be vocalized leaked from her throat. Her coat was torn at the left shoulder and the camouflage suit underneath was quickly dyed red with blood.

......I should have......avoided it......but my left collarbone was shot?
......What happened just now?

"Next."

"......Don't mess around!"

Clenching her teeth, she took another step forward. Eye to eye and barrel to barrel, she put force into her SMG's trigger. Distance, five meters. At this distance, even if he tries to shoot my bullets down, he can't react to them all!

A single set of gunshots.

Amongst the gunshots, one had grazed his thigh and another was pierced deep into a flank.

"It scratched me. I guess this is a little too close for me too."

Beltoma clicked his tongue at the welt that had formed on his thigh.

"Well, that was more than close enough."

"........................Guh............"
Pressing down on the wound in her left flank, Horn had dropped to one knee but still held onto her gun.

......I see.
......I can't see it with my Celestial Imaging.

Not even bothering to hide her ragged breathing, she turned up the corners of her mouth into a deep smile.

"So it's an invisible bullet that couldn't become an unavoidable magic bullet."

"That's how it is."

Animal bones ── the Lord of Unusual Books held his rifle whose design pattern evoked a large animal's spine.

......Is it that gun's make or Beltoma's ability?
......Either way, the bullet is accelerating unnaturally.

A superspeed bullet which had surpassed the domain of sight.
Ordinarily, a speed of 400 meters per second would warrant "high speed" for a round. However, Beltoma's gun was likely shooting at double that speed. It was probably reaching triple at its fastest.
Beltoma pulled the trigger ── it would be fine to say she was hit as soon as she recognized that. That was why she couldn't read the bullet path even with Celestial Imaging.

Celestial Imaging did capture it.

It was, but she couldn't see it herself.

"I don't have to explain the secret?"

"I told you, didn't I? I don't have time to waste on you."

......I've figured out his trick.
......But I paid too large a price.

Moreover, despite figuring out the opponent's ability, she couldn't think of a way of countering it right now.

......If it was any other time, I could've thought about running away.

Clenching her teeth against the severe pain running through her abdomen, she maintained her calm.
Pushing her gun barrel against the ground, it served as a cane replacement.

......I won't give up.
......I had already planned to join this mission even without Meimel's request.

'It will be rewarded, for sure.'
'I've heard your report. It said you defeated that Yuugenshu. ......So believe in what happens after this. In what you have done. And in me.'

Priestess Ymy. I owe that woman a debt for purifying the orphanage child's mateki. Truly, it's almost too large of a debt.

......Cultivation of Yuugenshu. The goal of the Lords of Unusual Books will expose the Priestesses to danger.

......My sister is a given but there's no way I could just not repay my debt to that cheeky priestess, right?

"Honestly, I've become indebted to someone troublesome."

She whispered that quietly and then turned her gaze to the Lord of Unusual Books once again.

"Well, that's fine, I've come to a conclusion."

"About how to surrender?"

Beltoma scoffed and Horn shook her head with a fearless smile. She slightly lifted the barrel of her gun off the ground and then.

"About how to turn this around."

She aimed at her opponent ── no, she aimed at his feet and strafed. The dozens of bullets dug into the ground and blew up a dense cloud of dirt.

"A smokescreen......"

"I don't want to but I'll keep you company for a long fight."

The smoke was dispersed by the wind and after it had cleared up ── Horn was no longer there. Only scattered crimson bloodstains continued into the sea of trees.

Part 7
"Huick-sama!"

A whirlpool of fire closed in from directly behind him in his blind spot at the same time as Kuro's warning. Sparks continued to rain down from blaze.

......There's no end to this.

Just before he hid behind the wall of fire, he threw the two knives in his right hand at the same time.

"Wahhh!"

Natraja let out a cheer while dodging. Passing a few centimeters over her chin, one knife went to the floor and the other stuck into a pillar further in.

"Amazing. I'm in suspense wondering when one will hit."

"Dear me...... Sis, your eyes are just too good."

He took a deep breath as he wiped the sweat coming out from the heat. Taking one look around the Chapel which was now 60% engulfed in flame, Huick glared at the woman atop the altar.

"Could you just let yourself get hit already?"

"Gosh, I'll think about it if you let yourself get toasted by my flames."

The Lord of Unusual Books put a finger to her captivating, flushed cheeks and smiled. At her feet, along the walls and even on the ceiling, Huick's hidden weapons were stabbed into every area but there was not a single scratch on the woman.

"......Unfathomable."

"My beauty?"

"I actually welcome that part but something just doesn't click."

......How is she seeing my hidden weapons?

Even though I'm hiding my actions behind the flames, she's dodging like she already saw what's coming. Just intuition can't explain this. There has to be a reason she can easily see the chakrams which are thin as can be and the transparent needles made out of fortified glass.

"So I thought about a lot of things."

This time, he jumped sideways to dodge the incoming flames. Riding on that momentum, he moved towards an interior pillar and kicked off that pillar to rise up higher ── he climbed up over the chandelier.

The flames wreathed around Natraja. Huick observed the pillar of flame that even now was burning high enough to char the ceiling and let out a breath.

"Well, I knew it had to be this."

"Whatever do you mean?"

"Your flames come in two types."

He became convinced after seeing everything from the ceiling to the floor. Natraja's flames were split into those that burned their surroundings and those that did not.

"True flames that give off heat and light. The other type is just red light with no heat. It's a shinryoku barrier that's fashioned to look like flames."

"............"

"I think barrier arts are blue by default? That would give it away too easily so you're using baptism arts which give out red light with them and have that wrapped around yourself. You sense my hidden weapons the instant they enter that territory. And that's how you're seeing them."

"............Mm, correct."

Natraja scratched her cheek shyly.

"How surprising, I wonder how long it's been since I was seen through on the first encounter?"

"Do I get a reward?"

"I'll present you with scalding flames. These are real ones so rest assured."

"I'd like to take a pass on that."

He jumped off the chandelier and distanced himself from the rising flames.

"Something's off."

"Hm?"

"I could say the same for you. The man known as the 'Ninth' can only throw out two knives in a situation like this? Judging from your nickname, you should be able to handle nine hidden weapons at once."

"That just means my nickname is bluster. If I threw nine hidden weapons at once, I'd be one hell of a street performer."

"......Well, fine. I'll just force it out of you."

From behind Natraja, a particularly massive crimson flame burst into life. It rained down flares to the entirety of the Chapel."

"Oi, oi, you're gonna end up burning the whole Chapel down."

"If you'd burn up first, the floor would be spared. Would you do me that favor?"

"No can do."

......It's pretty much a rain of cannonballs.

He hid himself in the shadow of the pillar directly behind himself and let the flares go past. ......But the Chapel would become a sea of flames at this rate. He'd lose his ability to close the distance to the range of his hidden weapons.

"This heat is an unexpectedly troublesome foe."

He clicked his tongue as he used his wrist to wipe away the waterfall of sweat flowing down his neck. Even if he didn't take a direct hit, dehydration was a very real possibility.

......It can't be helped.
......I had hoped to settle this as gently as possible.

"Oiii, Kuro. How are you holding up?"

"Nothing major. The only issue is that the sweat is making my suit cling to me and it feels nasty."

His subordinate's voice came from the pillar directly beside his.

"Then why don't you take it──"

"I won't take it off."

"......No charm at all."

He smiled wryly while leaned against the pillar.

"Can you do it?"

"You'll just order me if I say no."

......Good answer.

He took out a new knife from the holder on his belt. He hid four knives in each hand for a total of eight. That was the signal.

"I'll go first."

Kuro lifted her iron fans and ran out from behind the pillar with terrific speed.

Overhead ── diagonally overhead, a rain of fire was falling like a blizzard. All of that was blown away with a single sweep of her iron fans.

"Well done!"

"Not yet."

With the admirative Natraja in the corner of her eye, she once more mowed down the flames in her surroundings. The rifts in the air created by the iron fans sliced away at the flames──

"Huick-sama!"

At the same time as his subordinate's voice, Huick leapt out from behind the pillar. He ran straight down the path Kuro had opened through the flames.

"S'up, sis, get ready. This'll sting a bit."

With eight hidden weapons in hand, he sped towards the Lord of Unusual Books atop the altar without deviation.

"How about I just melt those knives with my flames?"

Roar ── the flames towering before Natraja howled ferociously. She had gotten rid of the shinryoku barrier-made fake flames and called upon real ones once again.

"Can you pierce my flames?"

"Nope. I don't need to."

He brandished both arms in front of the blockading flames. And Huick the 'Ninth' threw eight knives at once.

──Clang!

"Eh?"

Natraja leaked out her first agitated breath. All the hidden weapons she thought would be aimed at her went to a different place ── some went to the ceiling, others to the floor and some went past and stabbed into the wall.

"I'm done throwing eight."

"Throwing knives into all the wrong places? Just what..................!?"

The Lord of Unusual Books looked around at her surroundings. She suddenly jumped back without warning.

──Thuk.

The ninth knife dropped from directly above. It grazed the retreating Natraja's shoulder and fell to her feet.

"Oi, oi, you even dodged that one......"

He sighed as he looked on at the ninth that missed its mark.

......I thought she dispelled her shinryoku barriers.
......She just barely sensed it with the scant vestiges.

"Hehhh."

The Lord of Unusual Books picked up the knife on the ground. She stared at the gleaming white body of the blade enough to bore a hole into it and brought her lips up into an alluring smile.

"That was close. This knife is the ninth...... So this is your trump card."

"Who knows. I don't think it's as great as that."

"Hmmm. But when did you throw it? It's perfectly unharmed......though it would be normal for the tip to have melted from my flames. I also didn't see you make to throw something after the first eight."

She ran her finger along the blade and exaggeratedly tilted her head.

"I still have questions...... This knife isn't a real one. It's made to look like iron but it's actually iron molecules that have been given form with advent-type shinryoku arts. And the eight you threw beforehand. These are real but they're covered in a thin layer of shinryoku. Does that serve some purpose?"

"Sis, are you a researcher by heart?"

"I suppose. If it's analyzing something intriguing like this......for example."

Throwing aside the knife, she calmly stood upon the altar with her arms crossed.

"With the eight knives serving as the boundaries of an area, you can create the ninth knife there ── How about that for a hypothesis?"

"............"

"Oh, was that wrong?"

"......No, no, that's completely correct. I can't even be frustrated with that."

He spread his sweat-drenched palms open and sighed.

......It's amazing of you to see through it in one go.

That was the sole shinryoku art that Huick the 'Ninth' knew. Unlike the Lord of Unusual Books, he couldn't just create freely create flames and required a boundary marked for its activation. On the other hand, if he had the marking done, he could perform a snipe at any time.

Against an opponent that expected him to physically throw his knife, that 'ninth that wasn't thrown' was truly an unavoidable strike......or so it should have been.

"That's an interesting mechanism. But it loses its formidability after you figure out the trick. Is this fight over?"

The Lord of Unusual Books with her crimson hair swaying snapped her fingers.
At the same time, all of the flames around her burst with great intensity and rained down balls of flame. The ceiling was charred, the walls were burned and the floor was scorched.

The flame enveloping the Chapel raised its head like a snake......

"I win──"

"Nope."

Huick pressed down on his hat and declared so to the Lord of Unusual Books atop the altar.

"I win this battle of deception."

"────!"

The flames that had been on the verge of striking any time came to a halt.

"I told you it'd sting a bit."

"............Wha............this.........is"

Natraja looked down at the knife stabbed into her stomach.

"......When did you......throw this......"

"I didn't throw it. That knife is also made of shinryoku crystals. Just like you said, I used the eight knives to mark out a territory and then made a knife there."

"......But you're......the Ninth......"

"I'm the Tenth."

He faced down Natraja's glare.

"I only call myself the Ninth to make the enemy let down their guard."

"〰〰!?"

The man called the Ninth would undoubtedly use nine weapons. That's what she would think unconsciously but unfortunately for her, Huick was not naive enough to let his tricks slip out ahead of time.

......Well, the truth is that I'm not actually the Tenth either.

"Guh."

Her one-piece's midsection was stained bright red. She removed the knife from her stomach with an annoyed look but ended up crouching in anguish.

"You should stop that. Your organs aren't really damaged but your abdominal muscles should be shredded. If you don't settle down, that pricey-looking dress is going to get even redder............"

Huick stopped what he was saying and stared at her. He could see her stomach while she was crouched over. Her bare skin was in view behind the ripped cloth. That bare skin was covered in scales giving off a dark green lustre.

──This is.

"..................So you......saw it."

A voice that could be mistaken for a lump of pure hatred rumbled through the Chapel.

"Huick-sama, this woman is......one of the 'Koh nomads'."

They were a race of demi-humans that covertly lived in areas with blizzards, torrential downpours, deserts, etc. that rarely appeared on Orbie Clar save for the absolutely bare minimum.

They had excellent kinetic vision and physical prowess as a strong point and her special characteristic was the dark green scales that could be seen covering her skin. The skin had come from evolution to survive the harsh climates but the majority of the 'Koh nomads' hated exposing their skin, with many of them living their lives hiding it.

"......Yeah, but what does this mean?"

From what Huick knew, those with scales amongst the 'Koh nomads' had scales from their necks down, up to their elbows, down to their thighs and all around their stomachs to their backs. But Natraja only had scales on a section of her stomach. Her exposed shoulders and thighs that could be seen were white skin.

"......I have............undergone dozens of surgeries to remove my scales, you seeee."

Natraja should have been bleeding from her stomach but she shakily stood up.

"It hurt so, so badly...... Just how many sleepness nights have I endured............ But this is all for becoming a woman suitable for Armadel-sama. I regret nothing."

......We've......quite literally gotten under someone's skin.

The indignation and bloodthirst spread out to fill the Chapel. Huick clenched his jaw at the sight of the Lord of Unusual Books glaring in his direction like a different person.

Removal of scales via surgery. But there were still scales leftover even after dozens of procedures and she was hiding that with her clothes.

"But this is ironic."

She pointed directly below her chest. The knife wound that should have been stabbed in deeply was strangely shallow and the bleeding had already stopped. The resilient scales had caught the knife and stopped it at just the skin.

"You and I......we are all unfortunate."

The Lord of Unusual Books descended step after step from the altar.
"You two......have......seen something that you should not have. That which I did not want to show anyone except Armadel-sama."

Her high heels lit ablaze with a small pop. Those flames caught onto the edge of her one-piece and her body was wrapped in crimson flames. The flames grew stronger as her crimson hair and white skin were burned.

......Burning herself with her own flames?
......Is it beyond her control?

"──You unforgivable two."

The instant the metallic decorations atop the altar were licked by a section of the flames, they melted into a pool. Similarly, the ceiling and even the massive stone pillars touched by the flames were melting and shedding stone-colored droplets.

The blaze behind her blew up into the form of a massive tsunami. Just looking up at it hurt as the heat baked his eyes. Its intensity was like looking directly at the sun.

"......Such heat!?"

This is abnormal. Taking this unprotected is an act of suicide.

──How about Kuro's iron fans? No, those will be melted by the flames.
──Hiding behind the pillars? No, that flame will just melt them in an instant.

Defense and evasion were both impossible. He had no methods available to intercept those flames.

"──I will have you taste the same pain!"

It was simultaneous. At the same time Huick and his subordinate made for the exit, Natraja's tsunami of flame pushed forward.

"Kuro, don't look back! Your eyes will fry!"

The approaching wall of flame. The tsunami that was high enough to reach the ceiling was approaching with frightening might. It melted the chandelier, the pillars and burned the floor marble black in an instant.

"Tch!"

Leaving the Chapel, they headed for the three-way fork that they had separated with Leon and Sheltis at.

"Not yet!"

Kuro's scream. Even as the flames burned away the surrounding walls without a trace, they closed in without losing any momentum.

......Can we escape?

"Run to the entrance! Don't get engulfed in the flames no matter what you do!"

Back turned to the incoming flames, Huick shouted at his subordinate.

An instant.

The passage they were in was dyed crimson with scarlet, roaring flames──

Part 8 An omen of wind.

The super high-speed swordplay that severed the air and even created vacuums was already beyond both of their abilities to see.

......Focus. Don't miss the sound of the wind.

In response to the shadow before him retreating back, he did the opposite and stepped in strongly to pursue. He put the strength from his back foot into his back, from his back into his shoulders, and swung his greatsword──

A slash.

"!"

Without swinging down his greatsword, Leon kicked off the ground and jumped directly to the side. Afterwards, the sword that was thrust out without any warning easily shredded the edge of his coat.

"Hah!"

He cut down diagonally at the same moment the thrust ended. Tch ── his sword cut nothing but a few golden strands from Armadel's head. Immediately, Armadel's sword leapt up from directly below to intersect with his.

......No chance for a follow-up, huh.

Twisting his upper body, he dodged by a hair the sword that scraped by his chin. Following that, he repelled the incoming fist with his own fist. Neither of them was looking at their swords or fists.

They were focused on the shoulders and hips ── they only looked at the important parts for starting an attack and relied on their instincts and experience to instantly react.

Clanggggg!

A high-pitched sound was given off as they locked swords.

"So we're evenly matched in strength."

With their noses almost in range of each other, Armadel made a little smile.

"Then this match shall be decided by none other that pure sword skill. Both of our spirits shall do the talking."

"......I wonder about, that!"

He stepped in deeper with that breath. Changing his forward motion into a spinning one, he blew away Armadel together with his sword.

──Tap.

The blond greatsword user landed a few meters away without difficulty.

"You don't like contests of strength?"

"It's a waste of energy."

He quickly responded and stealthily fixed his grip on his sword. ......His hand was trembling slightly. The collision leading to their locked swords had numbed both his hands and he couldn'T even grip his sword correctly.

......Our strength is even? What a load of crap.
......There's a gap. I'm slightly below.

Physical strength. Reaction speed. Decision-making. Above all else, our training level as greatsword users is different. I'm falling behind him by one step in everything: plain sword speed, technique in chaining together follow-ups, tactics, precision in changing from defense to attack, and so on.

A gap in strength. Each difference is slight but the difference our combat strengths when all of them are added up......is not something so small.

......This is a Lord of Unusual Books.

............This is.

"Is something wrong?"

"I'm glad it was you."

Armadel had a doubtful look in his eyes as Leon didn't even attempt to hide his smile.

"......I really am."

Because he was able to confirm his brother survived despite being enemies?

No.

"Let's continue."

He gripped his sword with his still-trembling hands. And then dashed. No tricks or anything, he simply added his own speed to his greatsword, a dash at the limits.

Facing him, the blond swordsman wordlessly held his sword above his head.

──Two strokes are unnecessary.

He controlled tactics with his eyes, distance with his feet, his sword with his arms and battle with his sword.

""────────!""

A wordless roar.

Not just one of them, both let out cries of fervor at the same time which echoed through the waterfall ravine.

Two flashes.

The intersection of gold and silver lasted but a moment. After that, they both took distance with their backs to the waterfall.

"I guess you could say we've both taken one hit."

Armadel said that as he turned and there was a small rip in his coat at the shoulder. However, it was just the fabric that was damaged and there was not a trace of a cut on his skin.

"......Bullshit."

Leon also turned around with ragged breaths.

Sting ── he let out a pained breath without thinking at the severe pain that ran through his right elbow.

"It's just a scratch for you, right?"

"You sure make it sound simple."

The elbow of his white coat was dyed red and the droplets continued on to the ground. The artery in his elbow was probably damaged. Left untreated, he would eventually be unable to hold his sword.

But──

"I made it simple because you have that look on your face."

"......Of course."

Now that it had come to this, Leon couldn't suppress the joy in his heart.

──I'm glad.

Because I confirmed my brother, the embodiment of my ideals, is alive? No.

I'm happy that he is still able to be my ideal even after all these years we've been apart.

......I thought memories were beautified the more time passed.
......I feared that the ideal I sought would one day be a mere skeleton of itself.

But that's wrong.

Just as I had imagined......no, there is a greatsword user even better than I had imagined right here.
Armadel Nestorius Ova.

Lord of Unusual Books Number One, 'Silver' Armadel.

"Because you have remained who you are......I can become even stronger."

He gripped his sword with his powerless right arm and clamped down on his right hand with his left. In that instant, Leon did not miss the tiny fragment that broke off his sword tip.

Crumble.

A single crack ran down from the tip of his sword and split countless times as if forming a spiderweb until it covered the sword's body.

──So you can even break a greatsword covered in ice crystals.

He had gone past the point of awe and gone speechless. This greatsword had experienced countless battles and fought dozens of Yuugenshu without dulling in the slightest.

......He's too far.
......How do I catch up to my ideal?

Standing in his blurred vision, a greatsword user that looked basically the same as him.

"──"

Suddenly, he remembered the face of the Priestess who he served as a partner. Her sleek black hair and dainty build with a youthful face. Her face which was much more fearful than others.

"......Syun-rei."

Leon spoke that name knowing that it would not reach its recipient.

......Was this how I appeared to you as well?

A Sennenshi is not allowed to lose.

But even beyond that, they were not allowed to leave their Priestesses in solitude. He might break one or both of those taboos now.

"Forgive me......for this singular instance of selfishness in my life."

He let out a breath and stopped breathing. His spirit overcame his flesh and wiped away the fatigue; his resolve overcame his senses and nulled the pain from his elbow.

──Lift my sword to my shoulders and overhead.

"Fourth Sennenshi, Leon Nestorius Ova, engaging."

"I'll take you on."

Bathed in the spray from the waterfall.

The two swordsmen's voices echoed once more through the sheer cliffs of the ravine.

""────!""

Both of them with their greatswords that stood outside the norm at lengths comparable to an adult.
The silver-haired swordsman swung down from overhead and the blond swordsman swept up diagonally. Despite being faster than the eye can see, their strikes carried precision enough to thread a needle.

Slash.

The two swords which had become embodiments of slashes clashed head-on and passed each other by, leaving a slight reverberation.

"............"

"............"

Both the blond swordsman and silver-haired swordsman made not a quiver.

"......Splendid."

Finally, a word carrying some measure of inflection left Armadel's lips.

"Your spirit and strength are both at the pinnacle with your sword skills. Truly fitting for one known as the protector of a Priestess."

Crimson droplets flowed along the sword's hilt. The laceration on Armadel's right shoulder was proof beyond anything else that Leon's sword had grazed his ideal.

"......Bullshit."

The other voice came from directly behind Armadel.

Crack............crack............

The Sennenshi's voice overlapped with the sound of something cracking. At the same moment he stepped powerfully from his bent-over position to draw his sword that was stabbed into the ground──

Kii, iiiiiiiii......ii, ii............iiiiiiinnn, nnn............

Just like ice shattering, his greatsword shattered into countless fragments with a perfectly clear sound.

"............"

The Sennenshi watched the thousands of fragments dance through the air. His clothes were brutally torn from the left shoulder down to the right side of his torso and a great amount of blood flowed down his waist and dyed the ground.

At last, his eyelids slowly closed.

"............I'm......sor, ry."

Who were those words meant for?

The silver-haired swordsman whispered those words feebly and collapsed. He slipped on the slope of the cliff below him and tipped forward.

"──"

Leon fell towards the waterfall basin. He still continued to hold onto the greatsword which had lost its body.

"............"

Finally came the quiet sound of something hitting the water.

Armadel did not turn around. He just sheathed his own sword and walked towards the edge of the ravine.

"I don't think you're a man that will die with just this much?"

Nobody was there in the ravine to hear him. That slight monologue mixed with the waterfall's splashing and disappeared.

Chapter end