Ultimate Antihero

Volume 3, Chapter 3

Part 1

The war between Tokyo life sphere and the Five Great Leaders’ allied force finally began.

The one who took the first move was the air force of the allied forces.

Under the lead colored clouds, drops of rain began to fall.

Countless aircrafts drove through the sky and rushed to Tokyo life sphere.

{I see it. The nest of the shitheads that conspire with demons.}

{Ain’t their defense something. They are just guarding.}

{I’m gonna shove my thick dick there now and make them say ‘hii-hii’ just you see.}

Even while exchanging vulgar talk through the wireless, the pilots moved to do their work.

The role granted to them was to destroy the protective wall that was protecting Tokyo life sphere with missiles.

Each pilot controlled their console and locked-on to the wall.

After that,

{ { {FOX2!!!! (Missile fire)} } }

They pressed the button for missile fire.

From the aircrafts that numbered more than 200 even just on the side of Tokyo bay, missiles numbering more than double of those aircrafts were released.

No, not only aircraft missiles.

The warships above Tokyo bay were also shooting their missiles.

And then those fired swarm of missiles approached Tokyo life sphere with white smoke trailing behind them.

――They impacted the protective wall.

Heat and black smoke bloomed and roared that shook the sky.

......However regardless of that much concentrated firing, the veil of coiling black smoke shook due to the sea breeze, and the pilots saw inside the appearance of the wall that was just slightly sooty.

{Oi, oi, you serious! There ain’t even a crack!}

{It even got hit by the warship missiles, aircraft missiles won’t do anything to something like this.}

The pilots were amazed.

But, that was only natural.

In the first place this protective wall was something prepared for use against <Demon King class> demons.

Destroying it using man made ammunition was out of the question.

Even if it was hit by a nuclear missile, this wall wouldn’t be broken through physically.

Therefore, the mission entrusted to the first wave of the air force to destroy the wall using missiles was impossible to be accomplished.

In this situation, the commander of the air force immediately called to all pilots using wireless.

{Notifying all pilot. Changing the strategy to plan B. I repeat. The strategy is changed to plan B.}

{This plan B is―......}

Plan B was the tactic for the case where the missile attack failed to inflict a telling blow to the wall.

Giving up on the side that was protected by wall, they would descend from above the sky that was virtually defenseless.

The descending unit would try to steal the control of the wall and open the wall from the inside, that was the tactic.

The ones who became an obstacle this time were the interception units of the enemy that were deployed above the wall.

The protective wall was thick, it was also equipped with the likes of anti-aircraft gun and anti-aircraft interceptor missiles, turning it into a place that was well-suited as a defensive line.

The intercepting unit that was deployed here would become an obstacle for the helicopter sending in the descending unit and the magicians equipped with <Air Raid>.

Therefore the role that was assigned to the aircraft units in this plan B was concentrated attack on the enemy units above the wall.

They rained down gun shots and bombardments and obstructed the interception units from deploying.

{Put simply we just got to let loose our guns properly.}

{Ai―n’t that right.}

{Hah, this is an easy win!}

While saying that, the pilots pressed the switch of their aircraft gun.

There was no feeling of tension at all in them.

That was also only natural.

This time the allied forces managed to slip under the radar and launched a surprise attack.

It hadn’t been five minutes since Innocentius declared the war proclamation.

In other words, right now the enemy should be running around in panic from the sudden surprise attack.

Like that, naturally, not to mention the interception unit, the set up of the anti-aircraft guns and anti-aircraft missiles hadn’t been done adequately.

After all, the enemy didn’t have the leeway for that timewise.

If that was the case, this mission would only become one-sided killing――that was how it was supposed to be.

{Ha......?}

Instantly, the aircraft flying in the lead became a ball of fire and exploded while baking the clouds.

Successively, the aircrafts around it also exploded similarly one after another.

They fell to the ground while raising flames.

{GUWAAAAA!}

{ROCK! STUART!}

The pilots opened their eyes wide, witnessing the friendly troops getting shot down one after another in surprise.

The first aircraft formation attacking from the Tokyo bay that easily numbered more than two hundred planes had their numbers decreased until less than thirty planes merely in a few dozen seconds.

Just why in the world?

Even though the enemy shouldn’t have time to even take battle formation, yet

The pilots fell into confusion from not understanding anything.

But one pilot among them directed his gaze at Tokyo life sphere that was still wafting black smoke and noticed.

The upper part of Tokyo life sphere protective wall.

Taking aim at the swarm of the flying airplanes were the anti-aircraft guns, anti-aircraft missiles, and then――

A battle line of magicians looking up to the sky setting up <Arms> of rifle-type and wand-type.

{Lies......!? They have finished deploying the interception unit already!?}

Correct, the Japan army had put their interception formation in order under five minutes and deployed above the protective wall.

Part 2

Japan army’s high speed deployment.

There were three reasons for that.

The first reason, a simple high level of skill.

Japan national defense army, exactly as that name implied, they weren’t particularly good in attacking from their side, but they boasted unequalled skill in defensive battle.

Especially under the policy of their current administration led by prime minister Kinugasa, the army carried out training that was leaning extremely heavily to the importance of defensive battles.

Training for the in case occasion of the capital’s defensive battle was carried out once a week.

And disaster drill with the participation of all citizens was carried out with the frequency of twice a month.

Usually the citizens behaved as if the drill was troublesome, but those persistently piled up training demonstrated their fruits in this emergency.

Not only every single of the soldiers, even the evacuating citizens, and even the student magicians, all of them understood what they should do and where they should go in the current situation, because of that whether it was the unit deployment or the evacuation guidance, all were carried out extremely smoothly.

That was the first reason.

And then the second reason was because today was the war victory commemoration festival.

The war victory commemoration festival, a big festival that was held once a year.

Most of the citizens of Tokyo life sphere were gathering around the imperial palace.

The student magicians that participated in this festival with their culture festival and the national defense magicians who were responsible for the security so that the festival could progress smoothly were also the same.

In other words since the moment of the war proclamation, all of them were already in the position where they could immediately coordinate and solidify their battle strength.

This was also one of the reasons that made it possible for the high speed deployment.

But, it was hardly possible to construct the defensive line in only five minutes just from these two reasons.

As expected the biggest reason was――

The existence that even at this moment was continuing to hover above the sky of Tokyo life sphere... the human-type mummy.

The existence of the <Evil God> Quachil Uttaus.

The divinity that Homura summoned just before he left, the one that took the name of <The Treader of the Dust>.

This was an <Evil God> that specialized in interfering with [time].

Homura made use of that power and granted to all humans that existed in the Tokyo life sphere the divine protection of <Time AccelerationChrono Drive>, accelerating everyone’s inherent time until ten times faster.

Therefore, the people of Tokyo life sphere could move just as much as fifty minutes in only five minutes.

With that much time added with the above mentioned conditions and the height of their skill, it was not even an exaggeration to say that it was easy to construct the defensive line before the aircrafts reached Tokyo life sphere.

And then with their time accelerated――

The movement of the enemy also looked relatively ten times slower.

“Haha! This thing is awesome! They are slower than even RC planes!”

“Yeah, it’s far easier than shooting down clay!”

“Doing monkey business in this long awaited joyous festival, I’ll shoot you all down until there is nothing left!”

{It’s fine to not force yourself aiming at the missile heading to the wall and the enemy’s ground unit.

But don’t you all dare letting even a single aircraft or magician equipped with air raid, as well as the heli of the airborne unit, come close!

Shoot them all down!}

“ “ “YES SIR!” ” ”

Under the instruction of commander Hassad of the national defense army’s seventh division, the national defense magicians deployed on the protective wall at Tokyo bay’s side were shooting down one after another the approaching enemy with truly a one hundred shot, one hundred hit.

If the relative velocity between the two side had the gap until ten times then that was only natural.

Even for the people who got red mark in shooting training, it was hard for them to actually miss the targets.

“As I thought, Homura-san is just, amazing......!”

“To be this reliable even when he is not here, really, the <Evil Gods> are just so various eh―”

The student magicians Koga Ayumi and Anna Dronin, that were mixed among the deployed units on the wall and preparing their rifle and wand, were aiming at the assault landing boats that were launched from the warships while talking about the blessing.

Even the jet aircrafts looked like they were flying at the speed of clay pigeons and shooting.

The likes of the assault landing ships gliding on the water looked as if they were mostly standing still.

Especially for Anna who received the divine protection of <Eagle Eye> of the <White Death God> Simo Hayha, added with this divine protection of Quachil Uttaus, shooting out those things was so simple that it was not an exaggeration to say it was like she was shooting a sitting duck.

Within one second in real time, Anna alone could easily sink three missiles or aircrafts, or seven if she targeted the landing ships.

And then in the interception unit, other than Anna there were also the magicians and the soldiers equipped with anti-aircraft equipment, then the anti-aircraft gun and missile pods and the likes. All those interception attacks that were multiplied ten times, in the real time that didn’t even reach one minute, had sunk all the approaching more than two hundred aircrafts and missiles that were more than twice that number, and also the landing ships that were approaching their location, there was not even one left.

The enemy that was launching a surprise attack on them had the tables turned on them.

“Yosh! With this the first wave of the enemy is annihilated!”

“The second wave will come soon! Don’t get careless!”

“Hehe-. No matter how many of those half-wits come here, they are just not our match.”

Due to the ten times difference in speed that brought them one-sided victory, the morale of the national defense magicians who showed uneasy expressions when they began to deploy were now really high.

It could even be said that they had already recovered from the emotional impact of the surprise attack.

“I, if we can keep this up, then we are going to be able to hold on until Homura-san returns!”

Even the expression of Ayumi who at first looked like she was going to flee anytime showed a little composure that didn’t get too careless.

But――

(Now now, I wo―nder about that.)

Among those people that were like that Anna sharpened her gaze, then with her <Eagle Eye> that reached very far, she glared at the enemy’s mother ship that was floating far away in the Tokyo bay and thought.

Attacking in this so large a scale, that meant that the enemy was also coming here with considerable determination and resolve.

If that was the case then surely they wouldn’t pull back just from this much.

The most telling thing was that most of the attackers just now were normal soldiers.

The magician unit that was the main force still hadn’t shown most of their strength.

(As expected, they aren’t going to let us win easily like this aren’t they.)

And then, Anna’s hunch was unfortunately right on the mark.

Part 3

From among the swarm of aircrafts rushing to Tokyo life sphere which numbered several thousands in total, not even one were able to reach Tokyo life sphere.

Every last one of the approach was shot down after receiving the fierce attack of the interception unit which was bestowed with the divine protection of Quachil Uttaus.

That fact was reported to the command room of the <Five Great Leaders> by a soldier of the allied forces with a pale face.

“The, the first wave of the air force that went ahead, has been annihilated......!”

Hearing that, Joseph shouted angrily that sounded like a scream.

“Wha, what is the meaning of this! Didn’t the surprise attack succeed!?”

“Don’t tell me that our preparation for war has been leaked to them.”

“Even if that’s the case it’s still strange yeah. That many missiles and aircrafts were all shot down, their firing line is just too much! That ain’t possible physically!”

Tairon immediately denied Leti’s words.

For him that was familiar with war, he was able to imagine the scale of counter attack from Japan’s whole battle strength.

And then Japan’s counter attack that repelled the first wave had greatly surpassed that imagination.

“Just how in the world they did that?”

The <Five Great Leaders> were perplexed. Towards them who were like that――

“About that, from the picture that the air force took, the people of Tokyo life sphere were moving around with unbelievable speed......”

The reporting soldier transferred the recording of Tokyo life sphere that he obtained from the pilot of the air force to the terminal of the command room and it was displayed to the people in that place.

All eyes were opened wide from that recording.

The reason was because the movements of the soldiers of Tokyo life sphere that looked like rice grains in that recording projection looked as if their image had been fast forwarded ten times faster.

“This video, is it being fast forwarded?”

“No. This video is being played at the normal speed.”

“......The cause is most likely that thing.”

Gregorio who was also a magician paused the recording temporarily and pointed at something.

What was projected far away in the pilot’s field of vision was, a person’s shadow.

The mummy that had its both hands thrust forward floating above the sky of Tokyo life sphere.

Gregorio knew just what was that shadow.

“<Great Old One> Quachil Uttaus. The evil god that manipulates time. The <Evil God User> must have summoned it before leaving and left it behind. If we imagined that the divine protection of this evil god quickened the time of the people of Tokyo life sphere ten times faster than us, it will explain this interception’s fierceness.”

“Kuh-, he really becomes a nuisance for us at every opportunity......! How annoying!”

Leti cursed while biting her nails without caring of other people’s eye.

“Secretary general Wan. You are also an S-rank magician right? Is it possible to perform the same technique to us?”

Tairon showed irritation to Joseph’s question while shaking his head.

“Don’t say something absurd. <Chrono Drive> itself is not that difficult of a technique, but that’s only if you put it on yourself alone. Expanding the range until the scale of anti-army ain’t something possible even for S-rank like me. Besides, in the first place <Chrono Drive> can speed you up until three times faster at best. This situation is just hopeless.”

Their plan at first was to send the air force as the opening gambit before sending in their main force that were the magician unit and the infantry.

However to keep sending in their forces like this continuously would only be a pointless effort.

What should they do in this situation?

Everyone in the command room pondered.

Toward they who were like that,

“Sheesh, it’s just too sluggish I cannot bear to see this.”

A mocking voice came from behind.

The one who spoke was one of the <Special Missionary> who smiled thinly.

“Aa? What, so you guys have any better idea instead eh.”

Tairon snapped at this and he directed his gaze at the talker with a question.

In response, the eldest one even among the <Special Missionary>, a white bearded old man named Dalet took a step forward,

“But of course. You cannot expect anything from a human who is not even a magician from the start. Hey, Bet.”

He directed the attention at the figure of the girl behind him who was wearing a dress with rolled blue hair.

Towards this, the girl called Bet nodded,

“Yes, really. Or perhaps I should say that in the first place the plan to throw our force little by little using aircraft or landing ship itself is a stupid plan. Against a single small country like Japan, it’s better to just engulf them completely with the power of numbers. ......Just like this!”

The moment she raised her voice, she clasped both her hands together and kneeled on the spot taking a praying posture.

Instantly――the girl’s figure began to be enveloped in light, a pair of wings grew from her back, and then a silver halo appeared on the top of her head.

That was a possession that was only possible for <Special Missionary> with a rank above the hero possession that was used by magicians.

That was the secret of the church where one was possessed by an angel, which was a higher rank spiritual body.

And then, right after an angel descended down on that body of the girl called Bet,

A tremor that was even fiercer compared to when Homura tore apart <Aureole> began to shake the aircraft carrier.

In the middle of that, Dalet informed Innocentius.

“Your grace. We are going to charge there. Please hold on to something.”

“Don’t tell me......-! All members prepare for impact-!”

Innocentius comprehended just what they were, the <Special Missionaries>, going to do from the words of Dalet, then he gave such order through the mind transmission to all the units that were deployed in Tokyo bay.

Right after that――

{Witness the day of rage of the great god.

Something like a mountain is thrown into the sea, the sea surged like it’s going mad.

All life living inside the sea are stolen, all ships are crushed.}

A severe earthquake that couldn’t be compared to anything until now assaulted them who were on the sea.

Part 4

After repelling the first wave that was mainly formed of aircrafts, the second wave of the enemy attacked Tokyo life sphere in almost no time at all.

The attacker was the enemy unit that was mainly formed from <Air Raid>-equipped magicians.

With their magic power bombardment and barrier, they were more variegated in technique than aircrafts, it could be said that they were more of a nuisance than the first wave.

Furthermore their numbers were a lot.

It was as if they were a swarm of locust, their numbers floating in the sky was close to a total of a hundred thousand.

Just from the magicians in this second wave, it was already more than twice the numbers of all the magicians in the Tokyo life sphere that could possibly fight.

But――even so there was the divine protection of Quachil Uttaus on Japan’s side.

It was more than enough to compensate for the difference in numbers, The magicians of Tokyo life sphere were holding out without even letting them get close similar to the first wave.

“The interception of the second wave is also going well.”

Looking at the war result that surpassed his imagination, Hassad that was the commander of the unit in Japan sea side felt relieved even though it didn’t appear on his face.

――If it kept like this they could stop the enemy at this defensive line, he thought.

But, such fleeting illusion... was immediately crushed.

“What’s this sound?”

“Rumble......?”

A part of the people with good ears noticed that sound which was buried under the explosion of sorceries and missiles and made a stir.

Hassad was also late to notice that stir among the soldiers.

The sound, no, it was closer to being a vibration, like an earth tremor.

(Just what in the world is this sound......?)

“O, oi! That’s!”

At that time, one of the soldiers became pale and pointed at the sea from where the enemy came.

Hassad directed his gaze there wondering what it was this time.

――There, he saw an unbelievable sight.

“The horizon is, rising!?”

“Tha, that’s a tsunamiiii!”

Of all possible things, the sea itself was undulating greatly, turning into a giant tsunami and surging closer here.

And then... riding the tsunami, the enemy’s warships were also heading here with fierce speed.

It was just like a surfboard riding a wave.

“Don’t tell me, they are planning to charge to the land just like this altogether with the ship......!”

The fleet was marching altogether with the sea.

Those actions of the allied forces that never even entered the imagination made even the veteran Hassad go pale.

This was bad,

The height of the tsunami wasn’t higher than their 70 meters prided wall, and with the wall strength they also wouldn’t get washed away.

But, the enemy’s main force was located in the fleet that filled the horizon.

If they deployed this close, then as expected they wouldn’t be able to hold out just with their unit at the sea side.

{Emergency situation occur! The enemy main force is rapidly getting closer riding a tsunami! Rotate the manpower to the sea side! ASAP-!}

Hassad hurriedly requested to the headquarter and then he gave instruction to the panicked magicians o0n the actual scene.

“All members, hit the wave with freezing element sorcery! Don’t let those guys get closer~”

“ “ “Y, Yes sir!!!!” ” ”

“<Freeze Lancer>!”

“<Blizzard>!”

The national defense magicians somehow worked out their magic even while being agitated and shot at the wave that was eerily approaching calmly. But,

“It’s no good! It’s not stopping at all!”

“The driving force is just too powerful! The ice is broken the moment it starts freezing!”

Like that the resistance of the national defense magicians didn’t have any meaning.

The tsunami swallowed the Gate Bridge and approached until before Odaiba.[1]

In that area it was already less than a kilometer from the protective wall.

But, when the tsunami was going to swallow Odaiba――at that moment,

“Abuda. Nirabuda. Atada. Kakaba. Kokoba. Ubara. Hadoma. Makahadoma――

Counted thing possess eight death, attach all the evil of the world of the dead to the bottom of the ground and stop it.”

Hassad heard a voice that engraved a curse. That was――

(Freezing series fifth grade sorcery......-!)

“<Eight Winter HellCocytus>”

The instant that voice announced the bundled curse, the tsunami until the end of the horizon was instantly frozen.

“Wha, amazing......!”

“Who in the world......!?”

The surprised soldiers searched who it was that accomplished this grand sorcery, they found their answer under their eyes.

Standing with his back towards the international exhibition hall, there was a long haired man clad in black clothing.

Many of the people here knew him.

The reason was because for many of the national defense magicians in this place, he was once their superior,

“Bo, board chairman-sensei-!?”

Also, because for the student magicians like Anna and the others, that man was their teacher.

“So you are standing by huh......! <Death God of White Night>......!”

What Hassad mentioned from his mouth was the alias of Onjouji Kai at the time when he was the leader of the <Knight Order Without Borders> that led the big guns like Homura and others.

At <Walpurgis Night>, he kept fighting to the bitter end from the beginning until the last, a veteran courageous warrior, a strong person where there was no one superior to him in using freezing series sorcery.

This man that was the trump card of this country who stood equal with the <Grim Bullet> Hoshikawa Sumika, had kept back the surging tsunami and enemy warships barely in time.

But―― there was not even a little bit of composure in Kai’s expression, a regret seeped instead at his expression.

Why? The reason for that was one.

(We allowed them to get too close......!)

The enemy’s method that came charging altogether with the sea was something unimaginable for Kai too.

That was why he was late in dealing with it.

From Odaiba to the protective wall didn’t even take 1 kilometer, and both places were adjoining land.

Now that it had come to this――there was no doubt that the enemy would unleash all the battle strength that they held.

This hunch of Kai immediately turned into reality.

“ “ “OOOOOOooOoooOoooOO!!!!!!” ” ”

From the aircraft carrier, a large number of magicians equipped with <Air Raid> flew out just like a beehive that just got struck, the ordinary soldiers and the magicians who still didn’t get the share of the <Air Raid> also landed on the wharf and rushed towards the wall.

They didn’t bring any climbing rope or anything, they were just carrying assault rifles in hand. He guessed that they probably planned to have the magicians twist the wall with gravity sorcery and rush up the wall like that.

Naturally Kai wouldn’t just stare quietly letting that happen and moved to intercept, but―

“Ha――――aaAAaAAAAA!!!!!!”

“-......!”

That action of Kai was hindered by Wan Tairon who jumped down from above the frozen tsunami swinging his weapon that was like a spear, or possibly an axe.

Kai who blocked Tairon’s downswing with a weapon in the shape of a scythe glared at Tairon in annoyance.

“<Fangtian Huaji>......-! So you brought out something exaggerated huh, Tairon.”[2]

“After all you asshole had totally been a pain in my ass for my policy since your time in the <Knight Order>......! Today I’m going to pay back my thanks for all that a lot! ――――Fuhn-!”

Tairon swept his <Artifact – Bouten Gageki> to the side to drive away the scythe.

Kai didn’t choose to block it and leapt to the air.

Instantly, the international exhibition hall that was in the line of <Fangtian Huaji>’s slash was felled right from its foundation.

It was an arm power that surpassed human intellect. But that was how it should be.

Tairon’s contracted heroic spirit, the <Flying General> Lu Bu possessed the Heroic Skill <Rakan>, that heightened the physical ability of the magician with a scaling factor of several dozens of times more than other abilities like Chikori’s <Peerless Herculean Strength>, it was an ability that was even called as one of the strongest even among the currently present Heroic Skills. In addition, Tairon was using the weapon of the heroic spirit possessing him when the spirit was still alive, enabling him to draw out the potential of the weapon until the limit.

Compared to Homura he was just a small fry, but even so, Tairon was a S-rank magician. One of mankind’s strongest.

“What a foolish bunch. ......I guess that you all intend to make the angel your ally, but do you think the people of that side can understand the sense of values of you bastards?”

“Ha-, keep barking! You loser dog!”

In front of Tairon, even Kai didn’t have any more leeway to protect his comrades.

From the allied force’s fleet that had rushed to the land together with the sea, soldiers were rushing out one after another and flooded the protective wall of Tokyo life sphere from sky and land without any obstruction.

Looking at that sight, the interception unit deployed on the wall gulped their breath.

“Chih-! What’s with this number!”

“But with this difference in speed that ain’t gonna work! Shoot them all down!”

Even so, with the support of the predominance that Homura left behind, the defenders showed a resolute will to meet the enemy and they wildly fired their sorceries and guns without aiming towards the rushing enemy soldiers that blanketed their field of vision from above and below.

They didn’t even aim because there were so many enemies that no matter where they shot it would surely hit.

But――

{Watch the day of the great god’s fury.

The sun clouded, the moon gouged, the stars broke.

And then whether afternoon or night, it will surely all end the same.}

The moment such hoarse voice became audible from who knows where.

Suddenly the movement of the rushing enemy soldiers became quick and most of the interception was evaded.

“Wha......!? They evaded!?”

“Has the <Evil God User>’s sorcery run out already!?”

The interception unit became panicked from the unexpected situation.

Among them, Anna noticed it.

“That’s not it! The enemy also got faster! They are as fast as us!”

Correct. That was the answer.

The aircraft carrier placed on top of the frozen tsunami.

Further above it, in the sky, the old man Dalet smirked smugly with a magic circle shining blue floating behind his unfolded wings.

“Fo-fo-fo. There is no way we the <Special Missionary> who have received the power of god cannot do something that can be done by the likes of evil god. Stupid unbelievers.”

With a performance that far surpassed human magicians, he could manipulate time.

That was the power of the <Fourth Trumpeter> that was possessing Dalet.

Due to the deployment of his power, the time of the allied forces’ main force that was rushing from the sea side became ten times faster, stealing the last advantage remaining on Japan’s side as well.

The interception unit was made so that they had to fight an army that numbered several dozens of times of their number without any advantage.

The amount of enemies was already something that could not be held back by a long distance cannon.

“Prepare to unsheathe your swords! Close range magician unit, intercept the enemy that passed over the wallll-!!!!”

But even so they couldn’t run away by any means.

Because behind them there was already no more protection at all.

They couldn’t withdraw from this wall by any means.

The interception unit fought back with all they had following Hassad’s command.

“ “ “U o O O O O o O O O O o O O o ――――――—!!!!” ” ”

They were burdened with the life or death of their birthplace.

They were burdened with the lives of their family.

That awareness filled every single one of them with a do-or-die resolution and made their spirit screamed loudly.

Even the student magicians that usually didn’t show any guts in living as magicians unhesitatingly fought bravely against the approaching hostility.

However, no matter how much they challenged the enemy with a do-or-die resolution and loud screams of fighting spirit, the difference of resources between the two sides were too overwhelming――the situation was worsening moment by moment.

“Uooo!”

“Dangerous Roze-!”

Amidst the battlefield where enemy and ally mixed haphazardly, Anna shot through the head of the enemy magician that was trying to slash at the back of her teammate Rozalind Wagner who was intercepting the enemy in mid-air battle equipped with <Air Raid>. It was an assist that made it just in a hair breadth. But――

“-――――!”

Rozalind couldn’t even notice that she had been helped and intercepted the next enemy.

Looking at this state of her teammate, Anna’s expression was colored by impatience.

(Everyone cannot see their surroundings anymore......)

They had their hands full with defeating the enemy before their eyes that their field of vision turned narrow.

If it kept like this they wouldn’t last long.

But something like that,

(This is not a joke! Just who is going to die young like this!)

Anna got boiled up and bit her lip to shake off her fear of death, she kept pressing the trigger with her finger which lost its feeling. In the middle of that――

“――――–!?!?”

With a shiver, she felt a chill on her back as if the tongue of the god of death was crawling there.

Anna’s contracted heroic spirit Simo Hayha was a rare sniper.

Therefore, she instinctively understood just who had to be killed the most right now.

Anna obeyed that instinct and dropped her sight to the ground.

What she saw there was――

“Nnnn~~~~~~~~!!!!!!”

Breaking out alone from the group of soldiers rushing out on the ground, was a bald man with his body wrapped in a straitjacket charging towards the wall with fierce speed.

That man whose eyes and also his mouth were sewed shut by thick strings was wriggling his impaired body like a caterpillar while creeping near the wall with unbelievable speed.

(That guy, he is bad news somehow......!)

That strangeness made Anna feel a sense of danger even more than physiological disgust.

“Koga-chi! Take care of the defense!”

Anna immediately instructed Ayumi behind her to protect her body, then she leaned her body forward from the edge of the wall and took an aiming posture.

And then, she aimed at the man that was creeping near with fierce speed――the <Special Missionary> He and fired rapidly.[3]

Anna’s unparalleled accurate shooting impacted the head and the heart of He with certainty.

But――

“N!? N! N~~~~n~~~~~~!!!!!!”

“He, he doesn’t stop......!”

No, it was not that he didn’t stop.

He didn’t flinch even when being struck, rather his creeping speed increased even further, finally he jumped from the ground like a flying fish and reached the wall.

Instantly, all the restrains that were restraining him got shredded to pieces――darkness gushed out from his back.

That was a pair of jet black wings.

(Shit―)

“AAAaaaaa―――――――――—!!!!!!”

Simultaneously with Anna gasping from the bad premonition, He emitted a turbid strange voice like the crying voice of an ominous bird from his mouth that became free, and struck at the bottom part of the wall surrounding Tokyo life sphere with his fists that similarly became free too.

Right after that―― a shockwave that could send a body flying, and the sound of destruction as if a heavy hard thing was smashed like a collapsing star struck the ears of Anna and the others.

The interception unit was agitated from this happening.

Pushing through them all, Hassad who thought of the impossible directed his eyes to the bottom of the protective wall,

“Im...... impossible-!?”

He was taken aback by the impossible sight.

Of all things to happen, with just one punch, the defensive wall with thickness of ten meters that could even endure against a direct hit from a nuclear missile was broken, a giant tunnel with height of around twenty meters and width of around forty meters was opened.

Using common sense... no, even by using sorcery that was a destructive power that was already being out of bounds.

But that was how it should be.

That was exactly the power of the <Fifth Trumpeter> that possessed He.

That angel, <Abaddon> was entrusted by god with the authority as the destroyer that destroyed everything above the earth.

Therefore, in front of He material hardness was meaningless. No matter how hard the steel was, material with inferior spirit rank than him could all be destroyed with no questions asked.

And then, towards this hole that was opened by He’s strike――

“A hole opened in the wall!”

“Suppression unit! Get inn–!!!!”

The infantry unit flooded in all at once after it.

The defenders never imagined even in their wildest dream that a hole could be opened in the protective wall, so there were only average soldiers that couldn’t use sorcery deployed below there.

Almost all of their fighting strength was assigned for the protection above the wall.

Consequently there was no one that could stop this enemy advance,

(No good......-!)

Hassad was going to close his eyelids in resignation, but, it was at that instant.

“ “ “GUaAaAAAAAAAAaa――――-!!!!” ” ”

All the rushing in enemy soldiers floated in the air as if they were all blown away by a gale without anyone spared, they were blown out from the gouged wall.

Just what in the world was going on there, it was a moment where all the eyes, whether ally or enemy were stolen there.

They witnessed the appearance of a figure appearing from inside the fiercely rising dust of the gouged hole.

“Just now, the timing really was only by a hair’s breadth wasn’t it?”

“Yes. But as a hero, that’s the best timing.”

“It’s unfortunate, but going any further from here is forbidden! Quickly go home!”

Who appeared were four males and females.

Sir James.

Dorothy Scarlet.

Ichinotani Chikori.

And then... Hoshikawa Sumika.

These four people were unmistakably the people that could be called as the highest battle strength of Japan’s side.

Seeing their figures, Hassad heaved a sigh of relief that he couldn’t hold back.

“So they made it in time......!”

On the other hand, the side of the allied forces was obviously confused.

“<Grim Bullet>......! Moreover, even the <White Knight> James and <Crimson Leo> Dorothy Scarlet......!?”

“Why is my country’s S-rank magician...!”

The S-rank magician of their own country was with the enemy.

The soldiers displayed their bafflement at that situation.

Towards them who were like that――Hoshikawa Sumika addressed them with a loud voice.

“Among us exists a misunderstanding due to the scheme of some selfish people. Originally we shouldn’t have any reason to fight at all. Please give us the time to dispel that misunderstanding and the chance to explain ourselves.”

But, the reaction towards those words of Sumika already went beyond rejection and were already merely jeers for her.

Shut up. Traitor of mankind. Atone with your death. Become the sacrifice――

Perhaps from being affected from the zeal of war, or perhaps from being charmed by Michael’s offered salvation, or maybe because of both of those reasons.

Inside the allied force, there was not a single man that would approve any grounds for dialogue.

――Towards those responses,

“......I see. So all of you will never listen to our story, you are all treading inside our homecountry, carrying your rage and blade to trample us. If that’s the case... we won’t show any mercy to all of you who are trying to harm our families!”

The gentle Sumika also resolved her heart and pointed her gun at them.

Towards that girl,

“Kakaka. Not showing mercy aa? That’s our line you bitch-“

Ridiculing voice was thrown at her.

When she directed her eyes to the direction of that voice, there four men and women adorned with an atmosphere that was clearly different from normal soldiers, with the man He who destroyed the wall just now mixed among them, they were standing there facing Sumika.

The voice came from one person among them, a man with bristling red hair that was like flame.

And then Sumika realized their true identity from the shining cross necklace on the chest of those four.

“<Special Missionary>......!”

The man with bristling red hair exposed his canines and laughed as if to affirm those words,

{Witness the day of rage of the great god.

At that day, the sky is cut open until its end, blood and hail and flame will rain down to you all,

The earth, the trees, also the grasses, everything of those will be burned down.}

As his own name――Aleph indicated, the <First Trumpeter> was residing in that body.

The power of the <First Trumpeter> was the power controlling flame.

“This is the power of god... If you think this is something that you can defend from without the <Evil God User>, then just try it!”

He attacked at Sumika and the others.

In response, Sumika and the others also didn’t step back――

“That’s our intention even without you telling us......!”

The decisive battle between the two army’s main forces began.

Part 5

That time when the main force of Japan and the Five Great Leaders clashed at the outer circumference of Tokyo life sphere――

The <Evil God User> Kamishiro Homura and the <Archangel> Michael were in a different Tokyo.

That was the unelected world from among the many existing worlds that were existing parallel to each other.

This world worked without corresponding to any kind of choice, got disconnected from the flow of destiny, and now it was an abandoned, uninhabited world.

If it was here then no matter how flashy the sorcery they were going to use, no one would get dragged involuntarily into it.

It was the most ideal place for a duel.

At the sky of such world where everything had died, both of them turned into black and golden meteors streaking in the air.

“<Photon Bullet – Mode Genocide>!”

The black meteor, <Evil God User> Kamishiro Homura deployed magic power energy bullets behind him in a number that made one hallucinate that the number might even surpass the many stars in the sky.

Aiming at the enemy who was dancing in the sky while scattering golden splendor, he shot them all.

It was the technique that once instantly annihilated the group of <General class> baphomet led by the <Demon King> Jambure.

It was a storm of destruction that was approaching in a density where there was no gap for evading anymore.

But against this, Michael didn’t even show the least bit of unrest――

“Hmph”

He moved utilizing <Teleport> through the slight gap of the raining down red Photon Bullets barraging him.

The bullet storm was evaded without any trouble――

“Holy Art――<Heaven’s JudgmentJudge Ray>.”

This time it was Michael who shifted into offensive.

The golden wings that were widely spread out emitted even stronger light,

From every single feather of the wings, several hundred streaks of white heat rays were fired and rushed at Homura.

Naturally Homura was also dancing in the sky at speed that broke past the sound barrier and slipped through the approaching barrage of rays, but

“――――!”

The trajectory of Homura who was trying to slip through the barrage was pursued and the rays changed their trajectory.

“Chih-!”

The several hundred lights were hot on his heels persistently like zigzagging snakes.

Different from Homura’s <Photon Bullet>, their number were few but their tracking ability was extremely high.

He couldn’t widen the distance by evading.

When Homura judged so, he turned to face the pursuing light arrows.

And then, he changed his weapon that was <Liber Legis> into a jet black sword,

“Vel-!”

{Leave it to me......!}

He made a full swing with <Liber Legis>.

Intantly, the sword blade of <Liber Legis> lengthened out until the end of horizon with a speed that far surpassed a bullet――

With a single stroke, all the approaching heat rays were mowed down.

Furthermore that was not all.

The instant <Liber Legis> was sweeping down the rays, its sword blade twisted like a tentacle and stretched out towards Michael.

“......!”

The interception changed extremely smoothly into counterattack.

Michael was unable to react.

Vel didn’t let escape that instant.

Just like a snake assaulting its prey, she coiled herself at Michael’s surrounding――

She tightened in one breath.

{Get hi......-!?}

However, in the transient moment where Vel thought she had caught him,

The tentacle constricting Michael was pushed back by the tremendous power coming from inside.

As if being blocked by an invisible sphere barrier, <Liber Legis>’s blade was only coiling around Michael and couldn’t even touch his skin.

{I cannot get close......!}

“Even among the angels, I am entrusted with high spirit rank above others by father. I’m not an existence that can be bound by a mere grimoire that is nothing more than a part of an <Evil God>.”

“<Holy Ground> huh......- Well, naturally, you have something like that.”

<Holy Ground> was a special power possessed by life-form with high spirit rank.

It was something like a barrier that shut out attack from inferior beings with lower spirit rank.

Before this, when Sumika’s gunshots and sorcery couldn’t inflict telling blows to Alfaro was also because this <Holy Ground> was functioning in Alfaro who was possessed by <Exousia Power>.

“This is why taking on an angel is a pain in the ass......!”

“The pain is your side. Taking time for a <traitor> like you like this, even a second longer is truly aggravating......!”

Michael who returned provoked words to Homura’s provoking words manifested his own <Holy Ground> into the shape of a sword.

And then after lightly swinging it, Vel’s tentacle that was coiling around him was cut apart.

The <Holy Ground> was an unparalleled shield that could defend against any kind of spear when used as protection, if it was used to attack then it would become a sword that would bisect everything with lower spirit rank than it. It was an omnipotent power that was offense and defense in one.

Michael took a stance with it in hand and soared like a meteor towards Homura.

Against this, Homura too also strengthened the magic power he poured into Vel and met the attack with a reinforced blade.

The black and golden meteors clashed at the dead gloomy sky while entangling each other.

No one backed down. No one yielded.

Until now the battle of these two was in a complete stalemate situation without even any ebb and flow.

Both of them possessed the power to the degree that could destroy this star, but at the same time they possessed extremely high evasion capability starting with things like <Teleport>, so far from any decisive hit, they couldn’t even make their right jab to hit to take the initiative.

But,

(Fucking shit......!)

That deadlocked situation... was disadvantageous for Homura.

It was natural. Even while he was doing this, the fighting in Tokyo life sphere was intensifying.

He guessed that they could hold out to a certain degree, but if Homura didn’t return there, sooner or later Tokyo life sphere who had inferior battle power in total would be defeated.

Homura had to hurry the battle.

On the other hand, Michael didn’t have the need to hurry in this battle.

There was no factor that would make him disadvantaged the more time passed.

This difference in leeway for the two would show itself in reality the more time passed――

Finally,

{Master!}

“-......!”

Homura’s side created a fatal miss.

Getting impatient in this match, Homura forcibly let loose a large attack that could decide the match which was evaded by <Teleport>, causing his body to be largely imbalanced.

That fatal opening――naturally didn’t get overlooked by Michael!

“Holy Art――<Flame of God’s PunishmentMegiddo Flame>.”

Matching the words of curse, white light flickered in Michael’s eyes.

Thereupon, Homura’s whole body where the eyes were focusing was enveloped in white flame.

“Guoo......!”

{Master! Kuh, use dispel!}

In order to save Homura who was enveloped in flame, Vel immediately attempted to dispel the sorcery that enveloped Homura’s body in flame, but――

{The dispel, doesn’t work......!?}

The sorcery formula which formed that flame was something unknown even for <Liber Legis> which had all knowledge of sorcery written in it, Vel was unable to dispel the flame.

However that was also only natural.

“That’s pointless. <Megiddo Flame> is different from sorcery.”

This flame was not a sorcery.

The power of god, ――the power system that was called as Holy Arts was like this.

No matter how much wisdom of sorcery one possessed, they wouldn’t be able to oppose the Holy Art which was from a different system in the first place.

And then, it could be said not only to Vel but also to Homura.

Homura’s body was scorched by that flame without any way to resist and fell to the ground.

“Dispel is impossible. And then until <Megiddo Flame> burn the life of that person to nothing, it will not disappear by any means. Burn and die just like that――-!?”

Instantly, the expression of Michael who was boasting his victory twitched.

The reason was because Homura who should be falling to the ground, enveloped in flames, was moving above Michael’s head by <Teleport> and swung down his sword.

“RAAa-!”

“Kuh-!”

Michael barely blocked the attack with his <Holy Sword> and averted any damage, but the force of the attack couldn’t be nullified and he crashed into the ground from the sky.

While that pure white raiment was dirtied by the dust, Michael looked up in annoyance to the sky.

There, was the figure of Homura who looked calm even while his body was scorched by the white flame――

“This god’s Megiddojudgment is really warm huh. It’s just right for warming the body this high in the sky yeah.”

The large swing that Homura did before this was certainly his miss, but Homura was not so weak to have his life taken just from one miss.

By regenerating his skin with healing sorcery even faster than the flame burning his body, he offset the power of <Megiddo Flame>.

Toward this Homura’s countermeasure,

“......I see. It seems that no matter how much little tricks we exchanged, we won’t make any progress like this.”

Michael closed his eyelids as if he was resolving himself of something, the golden sword of light in his hand――the <Holy Sword> was raised to the sky, there he poured magic power that he could possibly unleash all at once.

Thereupon, Michael’s body shined with a light that was even stronger, and the <Holy Sword> was enlarged.

Transforming into a blade that pierced the moon from this earth.

With that sword which could bisect even this star in his hand, Michael declared.

“Just as I said before, spending even a second longer on a <traitor> like you is too lavish. ............I will decide this battle with this one attack.”

――So that was it. Certainly, if Homura got hit with that sword’s attack, his life would be lost.

Michael’s <Holy Sword> truly possessed that much power.

It was dangerous to challenge this right from the front――, but,

“Bring it on......! I’m also getting tired playing around with you bastard.”

For Homura, a short decisive battle was just what he wished for.

About Shiori’s location, he could just extract it out from the brain of this angel’s corpse after he killed him.

Deciding that there was nothing inconvenient from this, Homura raised his sword with the resolve to confront the whole spirit of this <Archangel> Michael, who had the preeminent spirit rank in heaven, with all the spirit that he possessed.

Part 6

On the other side at Tokyo life sphere, with Sumika and others pushing back the enemy that was invading through the opened hole in the protective wall, Japan’s side was in the process of building back their battle front.

Be that as it may, there was no doubt that the defense of the coastline was a close battle.

And then, the main force of Japan and the Five Great Leaders’ allied forces were divided into three groups where they began fierce battles.

One battle was between Sir James and He, who was possessed by <Abaddon>.

This person’s power as a destroyer couldn’t be blocked unless it was by Sir James’ <Artifact – Excalibur>.

It could be said that this personnel selection was valid.

However, the strength of the two was in close rivalry, the battle began to show the sign of a protracted battle.

――In the meantime, there was also a battle that seemed like it would be decisively settled immediately.

That was the battle between the pair of Dorothy and Chikori against the sister with a bad complexion holding a katana in one hand, Gimel.

...The main forces of both camps were confronting each other.

Among them the one whose strength was a cut lower than the rest, was none other than Chikori.

So to speak, the girl was the hole in Japan’s side.

Therefore the moment the battle began, Dorothy immediately covered up for her.

As a result, the battle was in the form of two against one where Chikori and Dorothy confronted Gimel alone.

This superiority in number brought a large difference.

At present, Gimel couldn’t handle the two’s fierce attack and her body got hit by the two’s fist several times already.

Right now even in this moment――

“SMASH!!!!”

Dorothy’s fist struck Gimel’s nose, making her step back for some distance.

However――

“Fufu, fufuu, pointless, pointless......”

There was not a single drop of blood flowing out from Gimel’s nose.

(There are several telling blow that got in since a while ago, but they didn’t become any significant damage.)

Chikori knew this sensation.

(――It’s the same like that time.)

It was like the time when she fought the <Paladins> in order to protect the <Fairy Queen> Elfiena before.

This was the same when Sumika’s bullet and sorcery were ineffective against Alfaro.

And then, of course the one who noticed that was not only Chikori.

While shaking off the numbness remaining in her fist that was as if she was just striking steel, Dorothy whispered in annoyance.

“I see. So this is the rumored <Holy Ground>.”

Hearing her words, Gimel’s pale face warped happily in a wide smile.

“Fu, fufu, fu, e, exact, ly. Ju, just a S-rank ma, gician, is only, a, human......! Doing something like, hurting an angel’s body, is impossible......!”

That was why no matter how many time they hit her, no matter what they did to her, Gimel said that it was all pointless.

However――

“Fufun. Something like that is nothing you know? Sister.”

“......!”

“The difference in spirit rank is the difference in power of existence. The difference in power of existence is the difference in soul, that is heart, that’s equal with the difference in magic power. Then――everything will be fine as long as that gap is just filled.”

And then the one who could do that―― was S-rank magician. The trump card of the human race.

When Dorothy said that, she opened her right fist wide――

“I call on the corrupting power of Gold! Bring your Ruin!! (The power of gleaming golden sun lavish your might and destroy the impurity with the light of world-destorying conflagration)”

She invoked the grand sorcery that was the reason she was called as <Crimson Leo>.

“<Flame of OriginAncient Zero......-!”

Along with the announcement of that binding curse, a shining bright fire ball was manifested on Dorothy’s right palm.

That fire ball was gushing with light and heat wave to the degree that could be said as a miniature sun, burning the surroundings.

Even just by releasing it as it was, it could surely decimate half the number of the allied forces.

But, Dorothy did something that was even more unbelievable.

That fire ball of such enormous energy was grasped by her fingers like a baseball, it was compressed and compressed―― it was squeezed tight inside her fist.

Instantly, Dorothy’s right fist was shining in a beautiful crimson, like a ruby.

(That, that’s an amazing energy......!)

“――-“

Chikori was fascinated by this radiance while Gimel exposed uneasiness.

It was the strongest power of fire element sorcery that was compressed on top of compression into such a condensed form.

Certainly that fist was possessing magic power in it that could tread into Gimel’s <Holy Ground>.

Dorothy cocked her fist to the limit, believing in her chance of winning from that fretfulness of Gimel.

And then――she gave an order to Chikori through mind transmission.

{Chikori. I’ll present this to that Sister’s flank......! It’s fine even if it’s just for an instant, please freeze that Sister’s movement!}

{......! Got it-!}

Following Dorothy’s instruction, Chikori unhesitatingly filled the distance with Gimel.

She attacked firmly against a <Special Missionary> as her opponent.

That was the result from her everyday training with Homura.

She could see Gimel’s movement to a certain degree.

She could follow the enemy.

She had confirmed that when she fought in a tag with Dorothy against this enemy.

Therefore she didn’t fear. She advanced resolutely, weaving through Gimel’s slash.

Unleashing her fist compactly, she tried to stop Gimel’s movement.

But――

(I can’t stop her......!)

Gimel absolutely didn’t show any opening.

That was how it should be. This sister was protected by <Holy Ground>.

Something like the fist of Chikori that she unleashed while evading the slash, it didn’t hurt no matter how much Gimel got hit with it.

Far from stopping her movement, there wasn’t even any need to protect herself.

Gimel swung around her katana while being hit.

Like this Dorothy also couldn’t get closer.

It would end up a pointless effort like this. They would make no progress.

But――

(That’s right......! There is that! The way that can stop her movement for sure!)

Right after that, a revelation from heaven graced Chikori’s brain.

She noticed while attacking Gimel in a hit-and-run.

There was only one, the way that could stop Gimel’s movement with certainty even for her.

――That was, by getting slashed.

Saying it more accurately, she would dull the slash by purposefully letting her flesh get cut, and in that moment she would grasp the katana.

If she did that, Gimel’s movement would stop whether she wanted it or not!

(Nothing else but this......!)

Chikori entrusted her body to that divine revelation and resolved herself.

And then she was probing while dodging the slashes, and chose a moment.

Perhaps it was from impatience, but it was a thrust that was a little rough.

She would let her left arm get pierced by this, and after that――

(I’ll catch it with my right hand and stop her movement-!)

That decision was――......

Really like a student magician with little experience of real battle, a fatal miss.

“Chikori! NoOoo――――――–!!!!”

“Eh-“

Chikori was thrust away by the interfering Dorothy while she was yelling, then Chikori fell over to the ground.

And then Dorothy who thrust away Chikori was pierced in the right shoulder by Gimel’s katana.

“――Wh, why......!”

Dorothy’s interference happened out of nowhere.

Chikori was unable to comprehend this development.

But... it was only temporary.

Chikori soon realized the meaning of Dorothy’s action, together with an intense regret.

“Fu, fu, fuhuhuhuhu! Fi, fi-fi-finally, I caught youuu......!”

Gimel who stabbed Dorothy’s shoulder with the tip of her blade smiled widely,

{Witness the day of the great god’s fury.

That day, the absinthe wormwood that is blazing up red is, raining down incessantly to every sea, and to every river.

The water of every sea, every river all became bitter, killing many living things.}

While spreading the manifested wing from angel’s possession on her back, Gimel whispered those words.

Thereupon――

“Gofu-!”

Dorothy vomited reddish black blood from her mouth.

“Dorothy-san!?”

Just what in the world happened? It was only her shoulder that was stabbed at best. Yet despite so, why did Dorothy vomit out blood?

“......Wormwood, the power of the <Third Trumpeter>, is it......”

“Ju-ju-just as, yoouu said hihi......! The power that go-go-go-god granted me is, poison! The power to control god’s absinthiumpoison! Thaat’s whyyy! Yo-yo-yo-you a-a-, are already, ca, canot be saveddd hihihi!”

“Po, poison......! Su, such thing......!”

In this moment, Chikori’s comprehension finally caught up.

And then she noticed her own error.

――She was going to lightly take an enemy’s attack who still hadn’t exposed her hand yet.

That could be said to be the extremity of a stupid move.

After all, depending on the opponent, there was some kind that possessed the move that could inflict lethal wounds even through just a scratch.

And unfortunately, Gimel was an enemy of that type.

“......-, guh, gaho-! Geho-!”

“Dorothy-sannn!”

While vomiting out a large amount of blood, Dorothy collapsed on the ground.

Her body was already violated by the <absinthium>, she was in the grip of death.

(It’s my...... fault......-! Because I’m, an idiot like this......!)

Chikori stood stock still in a daze from the worst situation that her carelessness had invited.

Towards Chikori who was being like that,

“Fu, fufufu, i, i-it’s fine even if you don’t feel sad, like that. Yo, you too will immediately, follow after her. The, the same like her, to the place of the lorddd-!”

Gimel mercilessly attacked.

“-......!”

On the other hand, Chikori was already not in a mental state where she could counter attack.

She was only devoting herself to evading using her inherent reflexes.

However――

(Fufuhi, her motor, reflexes, are something......! But......!)

Surely it was because Chikori had seen the threat of <absinthium> that made Dorothy unable to move just with one thrust.

The focus of Chikori’s eyes were completely fixed onto Gimel’s katana.

――She couldn’t see anything other than that.

And then, it also became known to Gimel who was confronting her,

(Her experience is, just, too lackinggg!!!!)

“Gahha!?!?”

Gimel’s kick that was like a stab bore into Chikori’s defenseless solar plexus.

“Fufufu, yo, you didn’t thi-think that a kick will come right? Your eyes only see, the sword...... hihi, your stomach, is completely open.”

“Geho! A, aa...... oe!”

Both of Chikori’s knees gave in from the unbelievable intense pain of her entrails bored by the kick.

It was a heavy and deep pain as if she was struck by a gigantic steel hammer.

That was only natural.

The ability granted to Gimel by the angel possession was [poison].

Because the woman used that power and produced a large amount of anabolic steroid inside her body, she could launch a kick with muscle power that had been reinforced until the territory that had far surpassed the range of common sense.

“u............――”

That single kick was more than enough to break Chikori’s consciousness, Chikori whose knees had fell on the ground was going to collapse down just like that.

On the verge of that... a certain scene flashed in Chikori’s mind.

{Chikori’s movement is just too direct you know? That’s why it’s easy to read.}

That was, the memory of her training with Homura――

It was the words of Homura when she was grumbling from being completely unable to touch Homura at all in a mock battle.

(――Aah, that’s right, at that time, Master was......)

{But, that step-in without any hesitation, and that straightforward feeling you directed to the enemy... are also Chikori’s strength.}

{My, strength?}

{Right. Training so much that you can even offset the symptoms of Apple SeedAS syndrome is normally something that cannot be done. That straightforward feeling and the willpower to realize your original intention is really something uncommon.

...And then a strong will can be sublimated into a strong power.

You’re still lacking in experience, you are not clever like Sumika so from now on you will surely meet some hardships. But remember this each time you meet those hardships. Just whose pupil you are.}

(――――)

{I guarantee your strength. That’s why, don’t you dare doubt your own strength.}

“~~~~~~~~~~~–!!!!”

When her consciousness was on the verge of sinking into darkness, Chikori who remembered Homura’s words gritted her teeth, then she supported her body by striking the ground.

And then, with eyes that were filled with a strong sense of purpose, Chikori fixed her eyes on the enemy in front of her.

It was an outside enemy that was breaking into their home, trying to kill their family right about now.

(I’m, the pupil of Master......!)

Then, she couldn’t lose uncoolly like this against the bunch that was trying to break the thing her master was protecting.

Her body could still move. Her fist could still strike. Then――!

“DORORTHIIII-SaAAaAAN!!!!”

Chikori turned to Dorothy, who was collapsing in a puddle of her own blood, and yelled with all that she had.

“For my sake, please buy a minute, no, thirty seconds for me! I beg you-!”

And then,

“Because, I’ll defeat that woman......-!”

She spread her stance and strained her fist, aiming at Gimel.

With a misty vision, Dorothy stared at that action, and that expression of resolve of Chikori......

She squinted happily from her heart and laughed.

“Okay......! Just leave it to big sis......!”

Instantly, Dorothy lifted up her body that was on the verge of death from being violated by poison, and even while spouting out blood, she assaulted Gimel.

“Fuu-!”

Dorothy’s fist was blocked by the <Holy Ground> and didn’t even do any damage, but the breaking through shockwave hindered Gimel’s movement with certainty.

“......!? Hoow are you moving? Even though, the <absinthium> should be, circulating inside you-!”

Gimel opened her eyes wide in astonishment from Dorothy’s fierce attack.

<Absinthium> was a poison that didn’t exist in this world.

If it entered the body even just for a little, then the person could not be saved anymore, their bone and flesh would rot off and they could only wait for their death, being tormented by intense pain. That was how it should be.

Towards such a Gimel,

“That’s an easy question, you miss stupid.”

Dorothy even showed a daring smile and spoke out.

“The reason is... obviously because I’m the <Crimson Leo>!”

“Kuh-, this... di, die, don’t comeeeee!”

Gimel slashed at the attacking Dorothy and tried to drive her off.

But, even while being afflicted with poison, Dorothy’s fierce attacks couldn’t be compared with before.

That was also only natural.

Until just now, she was hiding her cards and moved carefully to fight Gimel.

She was attacking by always saving a space where it was possible for her to dodge in emergency.

But right now... there was no need for that anymore.

Her body already didn’t have any future. She unleashed her fist without minding to receive some cuts.

Even while her whole body was wet with blood, that heroic appearance challenging the enemy was exactly like―the <Crimson Leo>.

The protector of the human race. As a S-rank magician, her proud figure wouldn’t bring shame to anyone.

(Dorothy-san..., thank you...-)

Burning that sight of Dorothy’s heroics into her teary eyes, Chikori filled her drawn back right fist with magic power.

Chikori couldn’t do anything like Dorothy’s miraculous feat of enchanting her fist with fifth grade sorcery.

For that reason, her feeling of gratitude, frustration, rage, she changed all of those into a determination to defeat the enemy before her eyes――

(Crammed it into the fist...!)

――And then, the time had come.

“Gah, buaAa”

The time when Dorothy’s life ran out.

Vomiting conspicuously large amounts of blood, Dorothy’s body lurched violently.

That was her limit.

Even without getting cut down, she would surely collapse just like that into her puddle of blood and not move anymore for eternity.

But even so... this valorous female burned the light of her life until the very last.

――She had certainly, bought thirty seconds.

{I leave, the rest, to you......}

“-――――.......!”

Hearing those apologetic words, Chikori didn’t answer.

There was no need to answer or anything.

Right now, there was only one thing that she needed to do.

The feeling filled into that fist, she had to send it straight into the enemy before her eyes!

“<Star SmashMeteor Strike>–!!!!”

Chikori’s right fist that was drawn back to the limit struck aiming at Gimel’s life.

The fist emitted light as if several hundred white thunders were bundled inside it.

The trace that fist drew――was exactly like the comet that smashed the star!

During the thirty seconds, Chikori’s thought continued to draw the image of going towards Gimel’s life and waited until the time was ripe before striking.

To evade that fluent, unhesitating attack that rushed at the fastest and shortest route was impossible.

But――

(Do, do-do, don’t, minddd!)

Gimel ridiculed that as nothing, she didn’t even try to defend, she held aloft her katana in order to prance at the neck of the approaching Chikori.

That was obvious. Gimel possessed the <Holy Ground> of the angel possessing her.

Certainly the <Ancient Zero> that was compressed inside Dorothy’s fist was a threat, but......

In the first place, Chikori was nothing more than a mere magician.

No matter how much feeling that kind of human put into their attack, the status of a mere human was something of no importance.

There was no way in the world that it would be able to hurt an angel or anything.

Whether it was Chikori’s will, or even Dorothy’s sacrifice, everything was a fruitless effort. It would end for nothing.

Such thing.

To allow such an absurdity was not Chikori at all!

The instant Chikori’s fist touched Gimel,

A strange noise like flesh and bone and entrails being crushed all at once reverberated in the battlefield. Chikori’s fist was caving deep into Gimel’s stomach.

“u, o, ――Ge, geeeeeeeeee—-!?!?”

Most likely, her stomach was rupturing like that.

Gimel fainted in agony while scattering abundant amounts of blood colored vomit and excreta.

(Wh, wh, wh-wh-wh-whyyy!?!? E, even though I should have <Holy Ground>, in meeee!?!?)

Despite that, Chikori’s fist slipped through that and bored into her.

That was something incomprehensible from Gimel’s point of view.

Because something like the strength of will, wasn’t supposed to be something on the level that could allow someone to surpass that difference in rank.

Just what in the world......!

While Gimel was fainting in agony, she glared at Chikori.

And then――she noticed.

(Don’t tell me, don’ttellmedon’ttellmedon’ttellme)

The right fist of Chikori that was soaked in blood.

What could be peeked from its gap was... pure white. That was――

“This is your feather you know?”

“~~~~~~~~~—!”

――Correct, Chikori had already seen angels twice including this one.

The first one was Alfaro. The second one was today’s moment.

That was why she understood that her attack wouldn’t go through just with her power.

But what should she do so that her fist could reach Gimel?

Pondering of that, the answer that the girl found out in her own way, was this.

By clutching Gimel’s feather that fell in the middle of battle in her fist, she misrepresented her spirit rank.

And then, that scheme succeeded in a perfect form.

The girl’s feeling that was put inside her fist, it certainly pierced through Gimel’s life.

“I’m stupid, weak, I’m lacking in ability, experience, in everything but... I certainly won’t forget, the bitterness that I have been made to swallow once......-!”

“Hi-, hiaaAAAAAEeEeOoOEEeEEEEEE–!!!!”

Gimel held her stomach while writhing in pain as if her whole body was lit on fire.

The amount of blood vomited from her mouth as if the full content of a bucket was overturned, was obviously a lethal amount, showing that her life would soon be extinguished.

(Dorothy-san. Your revenge――)

Is paid, ――just in the moment when Chikori was convinced of that.

“Gefu, kefu, fufufufu, fuhihihifufuhihihiiI――–!”

(Eh?)

Suddenly, Gimel began to laugh insanely while vomiting blood,

“HyaaAAAAA!!!!”

A kick that was like a stabbing spear approached at Chikori.

It was really sudden. Chikori was unable to react from that counterattack which she thought as impossible,

“Agu-!”

Her face was struck, and like that the back of her head hit the concrete wall nearby.

(Gu, a...... wh, y......!)

Even though she should have inflicted a lethal wound already to the enemy.

To the ear of Chikori who was in such confusion,

“HURTHURT HURTHURT HURTHURTTTttTTAAAAA! HAPPINESsss-!”

Such joyful voice that made Chikori doubt her ears could be heard.

“!?!?”

“Gebu, e, e-e, even thoughhh it’s really hurttt! Even though, it’s painfull!

The faith inside me! Is not wa-wavering at all!

My heart to-to-toward the lord, is! Not wavering!

My, my fa, fa, faith is, welling up this strongly!

How can there be any bliss that could surpass this!? HihIhihihihihihihi!”

――Of all things, Gimel was truly in joy from the bottom of her heart.

By reconfirming her own faith, it brought her supreme joy that Chikori couldn’t understand at all.

“III, I feel, grateful to you, you know, you gave me a magnificent time......!”

Gimel’s eyes were laughing in joy.

The fighting spirit residing there didn’t wither at the slightest.

She would defeat the enemy of god. Such determination didn’t weaken even for a little.

On the other hand――

“............-“

Chikori couldn’t move.

Because she had put her everything into the <Meteor Strike> just now.

Her consciousness was cloudy from the back of her head hitting the wall.

She didn’t have any strength remaining to resist.

(I’m sorry, Dorothy-san...... Leader....... Shiori-chan......)

While her vision was darkening, Chikori looked at the figure of Gimel approaching her while dragging the katana that would be aimed at her.

She guessed that Gimel was intending to finish her off.

But, Chikori was already unable to do anything about it,

(......I’m sorry...... Master............)

Tears leaked out from frustration...... Chikori fell into a darkness where there was not a single streak of light shining.

Part 7

At that time, Sumika was also in the middle of a severely hard fight in the sky of Tokyo life sphere.

The reason was because she was taking on Aleph, who was possessed by the <First Trumpeter> wielding the power of flame, and Bet, who wielded the power of the <Second Trumpeter> that controlled water, at the same time by herself alone.

Rather than saying that this was the adverse effect from filling in the hole in their battle strength that was Chikori, this was the situation that came due to these two regarding Sumika as dangerous the most among the <Special Missionaries> and so they concentrated their battle strength like this.

A <Special Missionary> was a formidable enemy, even in the best of times.

Taking on two at the same time naturally made the outlook for Sumika bad.

――Furthermore,

“ORA ORA ORA ORAAA-! Come on, show me how you are going to protect them-!”

Of all things to do, Aleph and Bet fought Sumika while scattering flame bullets and water cannons aiming at the city below that hadn’t finished their evacuation yet.

“Kuh......-! You fiend......!”

As for Sumika, naturally she couldn’t let herself to not deal with that, each time they attacked the city, she offset the attack with her shooting or sorcery.

But――naturally such way of fighting would create a big opening that would be taken advantage by the enemy.

“Your side is completely defenseless!”

“-......!”

A water ballista flew right from the side.

That attack aimed for the instant where Sumika’s ammo became empty after she shot to protect the city, it was already impossible to intercept.

The attack traveled the shortest distance aiming at Sumika’s heart.

However――

“Haaa-!”

Even while it was very risky for Sumika, she guarded by deploying a chantless Protection.

What was surprising from this situation, was that even being attacked by two people like this, and further with hostages being taken, Sumika didn’t let the enemy inflict a decisive blow and held out just barely.

This could be said to be solely because of her quick wits.

Her sense as someone that had been listed as a S-rank magician while still being a student was, as expected, not something ordinary.

Even Aleph and Bet had to recognize that.

(But... that girl is also already at her limit.)

“Haa-! Haa-! Haa......-!”

The compensation for playing a really active effort in many roles like that was certainly eating at Sumika.

Her face was pale from overtaxing her brain, her fingers were trembling from pressing her gun trigger too many times, her breathing was like a drowning person.

Sumika’s body was in the process of nearing her limit.

However, even so Sumika didn’t retreat even for a single step. Above the sky of Tokyo life sphere, she stood imposingly in front of the two <Special Missionaries>.

On the other hand, Aleph and Bet gave a light applause toward such Sumika,

“Kakaka... ma―n, that’s amazing, amazing, you really protect them well.”

“That’s really unbelievable. That’s why――we will give a present to such a hard worker here.”

Behind their respective backs, fire bullets and water ballistas that were several of dozens more than what they had shot until now, at the same time appeared.

They were playing around with half of their power with Sumika while waiting.

They were waiting for the moment when her stamina reached rock bottom and she became unable to protect anymore.

“~~~~~~~~~~–!!!!”

“You are happy right-? This is the special service of EX stage for the hard worker S-rank magician-san.”

“Counting in total two hundred shots for bullet hell. Do your very best, show us that you can protect them all!”

Together with those words, the murderous barrage floating behind the backs of the two shot all at once.

“U, aAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!”

Against this Sumika activated her <Air Raid> at full force.

In order to cover for the city behind her, she flew out in front of the barrage and intercepted with all her power.

While shooting she refined her sorcery and invoked defensive wall and <Photon Bullet> while simultaneously emptying her bullets.

While intercepting with sorcery she reloaded her bullets using <Material Transference>.

She connected it to her <Quick Draw> in a hairbreadth and at the same time she chanted the sorcery for the next reloading――

It was an act that surpassed the limit of her physique and mind altogether.

Sumika’s body screamed from such act, blood flowed out sordidly from her eyes.

However that was only a matter of course.

It was an abuse of the brain to the level that if it was the average person, their brain would have melted out muddily.

It wouldn’t be strange even if she instantly became an invalid.

But, even so, Sumika gritted her teeth and continued to maintain her sense of self,

“Ha-, a――――, A!”

Even while her body was becoming riddled with wounds, finally she showed how she blocked all the barrage of two hundred shots.

Looking at that wondrous tenacity of Sumika, Aleph was――

“Here is a freebie.”

While ridiculing all of the girl’s act, he directed the 201st flame bullet to the city and threw it.

“Wha-!?”

She had intercepted two hundred shots.

The relief from her success brought an instant where Sumika’s guard was down.

That was fatal.

Because her guard was down, the girl couldn’t immediately react to this 201st shot and missed her chance to intercept.

What she could do to protect the city was only――

To use her body as a shield.

“~~~~~~~~—!”

She operated the <Air Raid> with the whole output.

She plunged into the flame bullet and her body was enveloped in flame explosion.

It was a direct hit where she couldn’t even build a satisfying protective wall.

Naturally the damage from that was great, Sumika’s body fell to the ground just like that.

“Haa...... haa......-“

“Aa―hhaha! That girl really is stupid! To throw her own body into the flame bullet, how funny!”

“Kakaka. Well, don’t laugh Bet. Isn’t that a honorable spirit that is a shame to be left as a renegade?”

Both Sumika’s heart and body had turned worn-out and collapsed on the ground.

Looking down at her, both the <Special Missionary> were laughing joyfully.

“But there’s no mistake that she is an idiot. No matter how noble a spirit she has, if the idiot kicks the bucket then she won’t be able to protect what she actually can.”

It couldn’t be helped for the two of them to think that all of Sumika’s action was foolish from their point of view.

If she abandoned the people of the city to a certain degree right from the start, she might be able to fight a little more respectably.

Sumika didn’t do that.

No, she couldn’t do that.

It could be said as kindness that wouldn’t abandon other people, but for Aleph and Bet, it was nothing but a foolish weak point.

“Die while being drunk in that cheap heroism.”

That was why Aleph announced that with a tone of contempt and created a flame bullet in his palm.

It was in order to burn Sumika’s life to nothing using that.

――But, in that absolutely desperate situation,

“......fufu”

Sumika who collapsed on the ground and looking up at the sky leaked out a small laugh.

“Ah? What is funny?”

“That’s obvious... What’s funny is the two idiots in front of me getting elated in triumph by themselves from wrong thinking.”

“Whaatt?”

“I’m not being drunk from heroism or anything. Something like a hero... I don’t think of becoming one. After all, I don’t have the disposition of protecting everyone by myself alone at all. If I can just buy time, then that’s already great.”

It was right after Sumika said so.

{Notifying everyone of the interception unit!

Just now, the evacuation of all citizens into the geofront has been completed!

It doesn’t matter anymore how much the upper part of the protective wall is destroyed!

Everyone, please proceed to intercept the enemy......!}

That notification of Kinugasa was broadcasted clearly through the whole battlefield.

Naturally, the notification also entered the ears of Aleph and the other, making them being taken aback.

“The evacuation of seven million people of Tokyo life sphere has been finished in this short time he said......!?”

“Even while you were idiotically getting elated, everyone was still fighting.

People with strength took up weapons, the people without escaped to the safe place for even a second faster.

So that they don’t lose anything. So that no one will make them lose anything. ――Everyone is fighting in their own way.

......Despite that, there is no way I can just forsake them as I pleased......!”

And then in this moment, Sumika was finally liberated from the baggage of hostages.

“――With this, I can finally fight properly.”

“Kuh-!”

She could finally fight.

Aleph felt a pressure that made his body tremble from the hostility that was put inside those words, he immediately shot the flame bullet that he created in his palm.

――But that action was already too late due to his carelessness.

Faster than even his flame bullet,

“<FlashFlashbang>.”

Sumika invoked a non-element first grade sorcery <Flashbang> without chanting.

“UO-!”

“Kyaa-!”

The vision of Aleph and Bet were dazzled for a moment.

And then in that one moment, Sumika’s figure disappeared from those two’s field of vision.

“Using a sly technique like that......!”

“This coward, just where is she――”

Trying to search for Sumika who was concealing herself, both of them looked around at their surroundings.

However... there was no need to search. The reason was――

{Listen from beyond o the most shining bright person in the abyss of heaven and earth}

Sumika was standing high in the sky as if she was looking down at the two people, she prepared her gun without even hiding the fierce crimson magic power light.

(<Grim Bullet>......-!)

Aleph guessed that Sumika was trying to use her sure-kill technique from that surging tremendous magic power.

Because until now she had to protect the city, there wasn’t even time to chant, but just now that shackle had been gone. There was no more need to hesitate for Sumika.

If it was <Grim Bullet>, then it would penetrate without minding anything like <Holy Ground>.

This was the worst development for Aleph and Bet――was how it should be. But,

(This idiottt......-!)

“Let’s go Bet!”

“I know already-!”

Against this sure-kill of Sumika, Aleph and Bet showed unhesitating action as if to declare that they had been waiting for this.

They separated into two groups and manifested flame and water sword in their respective dominant hand, they then assaulted Sumika from different directions at the same time.

――That was exactly the countermeasure that the two of them had prepared.

It was the formation that struck at the weak point of <Grim Bullet>.

(Certainly <Grim Bullet> can’t be evaded or blocked or anything once it had been invoked, it’s a powerful sorcery that could even penetrate <Holy Ground>, but... in exchange you got to chant it!)

In other words, it couldn’t be rapid-fired.

If that was the case, then by constantly facing her by two people, if they divided into two groups the moment Sumika entered the motion of <Grim Bullet>... by trading the life of one of them, the blade of the other would be able to reap the life of Sumika with certainty.

Correct. This was why Aleph and Bet were fighting Sumika with the two of them like this.

(It’s better to face her down with hostages as a shield, but this is fine! We also don’t think that we can kill a bastard prodigy like you bastard without sacrifice anyway! We’ll give you the life of one of us! But, the time we take the payment for that, that’s going to be the last of you bastard!)

In response towards this countermeasure of Aleph and Bet’s towards the weakness of <Grim Bullet> that couldn’t be shot rapidly, Sumika right now aimed the other gun to Bet while the gun that was loaded with <Grim Bullet> was aiming at Aleph.

But even if Bet was aimed by gun, she didn’t stop.

――That was natural. There was no need to stop.

Based on how the <Grim Bullet> couldn’t be fired rapidly, the power of Evil God wouldn’t come to Bet’s side.

What would come was just a mere normal bullet.

Against something of that level, it would be repelled away by <Holy Ground> even without her defending.

That was why Bet’s expression didn’t change, she spread her wings and charged to behead Sumika.

Aleph also came at Sumika similarly with his full speed.

――That became the cause of defeat for the two.

{The seething stars shine radiantly in blasphemy announcing the time of destiny to thy

{The seething stars shine radiantly in blasphemy announcing the time of destiny to thy

The person walking riding the wind o the great god of white silence

Living flame o the king of red Formalhaut

Break the eternal precept and stand up tear apart the sky and come here

Invite reign trample

Every stick and stone altogether for the sake of mowing down with thy power}

Right now once more for the sake of displaying thy supremacy in this star}

“ “......—!?!?” ”

Both of them noticed when they got closer until they could hear the voice clearly.

How Sumika was chanting one more curse as if it was overlapping with the tone of the first chanting.

――<Overlapping AriaDual Spell>

A super advanced skill that among all the magicians there were not even five people that could use it.

Aleph and Bet overlooked this from having their eyes stolen by the threat of <Grim Bullet>.

They overlooked Sumika’s talent... the height of her foundation skill as a magician.

Certainly <Grim Bullet> couldn’t be fired rapidly due to the length of its chanting.

But if it was used by the skill of Sumika, it was possible to fire both at the same time.

And then, it was already too late when they noticed their mistake.

They were already accelerating to the degree that they couldn’t brake themselves――

{Rage madly. ――<God of Raging Storm> Ithaqua.}

{Burn to ash. ――<Flaring God> Cthugha.}

“ “――――” ”

Aleph was swallowed by the flaming lion flying out from the right gun’s nuzzle together with his death agony, Bet was frozen by the freezing chill that flew out from the left gun’s muzzle without even time to scream, then that body was smashed into pieces by the bashing storm that was caused by the silver eagle that flew right after the chill.

However, the power of the two evil gods that were liberated didn’t stop at just eating the two.

The two were heading to the ground just like that gliding in the air――――

“'AA'aaa'A'aaaaaaa!?!?!?!?”

“HiiIIAAaAAAA!?!?!?!?”

Gimel who right about now was going to finish off the fainting Chikori with her raised katana and He who was involved in a death match with James, both of them were similarly swallowed like the previous two and their existences disappeared from this earth.

――Of course that was not a coincidence.

Sumika had seen through the tactic of Aleph and Bet of parting into two groups, so she was aiming for this from the start and adjusted her position. She was intentionally making the line of fire of the four people overlap.

James who was understanding that from looking at afar, felt a shudder even more than the reliability he felt.

“......I understood that she is a prodigy, but......”

He never imagined that it would be to this degree.

Even among the S-rank magicians, she was certainly a cut above the rest.

――But, that was how it should be.

The target that Sumika aimed for was in the height that was far higher than even S-rank.

That was why she couldn’t stop at just the level of S-rank.

......From this quick-wittedness of Sumika, almost all the main force of the allied forces had been annihilated.

Sumika and James that became free due to this immediately turned to assist the interception unit, rallying the Japan’s side in one go due to the addition of the two S-rank.

The allied forces that lost their main force was pushed back right away, the majority of them were crushed.

Because there was still reserve forces remaining at the allied forces’ rear, they were by no means annihilated, but the damage inflicted to them was enormous, most of all having the defensive line of Japan’s side rallied back really hurt for them.

It was mostly impossible to make this battle into a short one.

At this point of time, Sumika and others were mostly succeeding in their victory condition to hold out until Homura returned to the life sphere.

And then――almost at the same time.

The showdown between Homura and Michael that was carried out in an abandoned world’s Tokyo life sphere was also reaching its climax.

Part 8

By thinly compressing his own <Holy Ground>, Michael created a giant <Holy Sword> that pierced even through the clouds.

Against this, Homura raised his sword of <Liber Legis> and engraved the spell that called out to a repulsive evil god.

Listen from the interstice of life and death o the person watching dream on the throne at the bottom of water

The seething stars shine radiantly in blasphemy declaring the time of destiny to thy

The person that should come o the great Cthulhu

If thy hear this voice then open thy eyes if this voice reach then exert thine arm

Judgment day the sea is colored by blood R’lyeh is surfacing

Verse theory, as that cursed song kept advancing, the planet began to shake as if it was going mad.

The sea surged, the ground broke, underground water and magma spurted out from everywhere, that situation was, yes, exactly like the primeval earth.

And then, at the earth’s surface which was desolate like that――

“――Open thy eyes. <The King of Killing Sea> Cthulhu!”

That god showed its figure as if turning over the bottom of the sea.

What appeared out to the earth’s surface scattering water spray that was like waterfall, was the majestic appearance of that god.

That thing possessed two arms that even while looking like anthropoid ape, possessed the enormous size that pierced through the clouds even while from the bottom of the sea, its back also had giant wings of a bat that spread covering the sky fully.

Its whole body was wet with sea water, its tentacles covered with scales were like rubber, possibly even like gelatin that was tinged with unique green luster, parts of those tentacles writhed, undulated, like dirty water that was flowing without pause.

And then its body part that seemed to be its head was bloating grotesquely, under its eyeballs that stuck out as if they were scooped out, countless tentacles were wriggling while raising sounds *nucha nucha* that awoken the watcher’s primal disgust.

That repulsive divinity which was hard to describe was exactly the master of the stone-built sanctuary city, R’lyeh, that was sealed in the depths of the Pacific Ocean, the Great Old One that was said would manifest to rule the surface once more when the celestial bodies were assembled――<The King of Killing Sea> Cthulhu.

{―――??―――?――――?――}

Cthulhu which appeared before Michael and Homura greatly wriggled its tentacles that were like a beard while emitting sound like electronic sound, it thrust its giant arms to the sky.

Thereupon at the sky where the arms were raised, a giant magic circle that was inscribed with shining green hieroglyphz was enfolding.

At the same time, all the water in all the seas above the earth were shining in the same color――and floated up.

The floating water rode fast to the sky as if they were possessing a will.

The water was turning into a few hundred million water currents and gathered at the blade of <Liber Legis> that Homura held up.

And then the large amount of water that was gathered into one, before long was turned into a giant blade that pierced the sky.

(He controlled all the water on this planet into a sword......!)

Just as Michael said, it was a <demon sword> that compressed all the water that existed on this planet with extraordinary pressure.

The seven seas that existed on this earth.

The slash that was established from all that weight, could smash apart even this planet for real.

It was a great feat that couldn’t possibly be used at the previous world where there were living beings.

Homura was also being serious in front of the <Archangel> Michael, a formidable enemy that he had never faced before.

And then, his full power certainly made even Michael feel the pressure.

But――

(It’s just the power of evil god in the first place. Against I, the <Archangel> that received the blessings of god, there is no way such thing can eliminate me!)

Michael was not an existence with a weak heart that would waver against such thing.

The work of god. In order to accomplish that salvation, Michael swung down his <Holy Sword> which possessed all his spirit.

Against this Homura too, in order to save his comrades, he swung the <Demon Sword> staking his magic power and his whole might.

“ “OOOoOOoOooOOOO――――――–!!!!” ”

The blades of the <Holy Sword> and the <Demon Sword> that were swung with all the power that both sides possessed clashed.

Instantly, the clash between the out of norm powers, a shockwave of light was created, the clouds, the trees, the rubbles, the mountains――every single thing that existed on the surface of this death world was smashed into pieces and swept away.

However, even while spreading such destructive power, the two who were exercising this power didn’t even twitch, the blades that the two sides were swinging were also fighting each other without the advantage going which way.

If it kept like this perhaps it would be this star that would meet its end first.

It was such a dangerous rivalry that made one think like that.

But―― such situation didn’t continue for long.

Little by little, but with certainty, the crossing blades were beginning to lean to one side.

The pushing one was――the <Holy Sword> that was shining gold.

The side of the <Archangel> Michael.

“OOoOOoOaAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!”

Producing a voice that was like a roar, Michael put even more strength into the blade that he swung down... pushing back Homura.

<Archangel> was an existence that was sitting in a position that was exceedingly close to the summit of the world called <Heaven>.

On the other hand, no matter how abnormal of a prodigy Homura was, he was to the very end a human.

In that fact existed a difference in potential that was carried since their birth which couldn’t be filled in any way.

And then that difference manifested itself as reality in this match that clashed one’s full might against the other’s full might, finally――

- ZAN-*

Michael’s <Holy Sword> severed Homura’s <Demon Sword> of water from the middle and got the better of the battle.

(This is my... victory-!)

The <Holy Sword> which wasn’t obstructed by anything anymore fell down just like that in order to bisect Homura.

Michael showed his joy from his conviction in victory,

“――!?!?”

In an instant, that expression froze into dumbfoundness.

In his field of vision where not even a single inch ahead could be seen from the shock wave of the annihilation of everything of the earth surface passing through.

The figure of his hateful enemy reflected there was――changing.

Of all things, the one who was holding the broken <Demon Sword> of water was... not Homura.

A little girl enveloped in a red dress.

It was the avatar of his grimoire, Vel.

(~~~~–!)

And then when Michael noticed that substitution, the battle had been already decided.

Deep at the bosom of the dumbfounded Michael,

“That’s a great idiotic expression yeah, <Archangel>-san.”

Homura made use of <Teleport> and stepped in, and unleashed a fist filled with magic power.

Michael who swung down his sword at a mistaken place was completely defenseless.

Toward this surprise attack of Homura, he couldn’t make any response.

Correct, this was what Homura aimed for right from the start.

In order to obtain an even more definite victory.

“Shih-!”

What he unleashed for this chance of a lifetime, was an uppercut that he forced up with all his body.

And it was exactly as Homura aimed for, it grazed the tip of Michael’s jaw accurately.

“Gu, u!?”

Thereupon Michael’s body which was trying to right its stance lurched violently.

It was cerebral concussion.

No matter that he was the <Archangel> himself, the construction of body that he currently used was similar to that of a human.

Consequently if the tip of his jaw was grazed by a strike, a cerebral concussion would be caused by the shaking in the brain floating inside the skull.

Michael couldn’t release himself from such truth.

Like that Homura took away the freedom of Michael’s body, while he was at it he invoked the sorcery to the fist that he thrust up.

He summoned the sword of <Liber Legis>, grasped its handle――

“HAAaa-!!!!”

In a flash he aimed at the neck of Michael who was in cerebral concussion and swung down the blade.

His opening taken, his movement stolen, and a final blow was delivered.

Homura didn’t even give the opponent the slightest chance to counterattack, this was a flowing finishing move that could only be accomplished by real battle experience of a veteran of hundreds of battles.

The instantaneous slash without any hesitation and mercy didn’t allow Michael to evade or defend,

It was just like a black thunder falling down to Michael’s neck――

Crimson flower bloomed in the desolate land.

{Eh......?}

Instantly, a slightly idiotic voice of a girl resounded in the battlefield of the two.

That voice was unmistakably, the voice of Vel which was grasped in Homura’s hand.

But that was only natural. The girl was unable to understand.

Why――

Even though her blade still hadn’t reached Michael’s neck, just how could this much blood come out?

“Gofu-“

But, that baffling question of Vel was only temporary.

The girl also noticed the voice that was like a cloudy groan.

The blood that dirtied the ground was――

Something that came out from the largely opened cavity at Homura’s chest.

{Ma, MASTERRR――――–!?!?}

Part 9

(Nn......?)

A warm something was touching her cheek unpleasantly in drops.

It awakened the consciousness of Shiori who was sinking in darkness.

(Eh, I, was......)

Within her muddy consciousness, Shiori recalled just what happened to her before she lost consciousness.

She encountered Michael inside a pocket dimension, she was restrained... just like that she was swallowed into his body entirely, that was her memory.

Like that, when she recovered the working of her brain until she could remember that, at that time

“――――-! -!”

A voice she remembered hearing before struck her ear.

Shiori knew really well the owner of that voice.

There was no mistake.

The avatar of <Liber Legis>. The voice of that monster.

The annoying avatar of evil god who was trying to pull away Homura from the human world into the world of monsters, so that she could monopolize him alone.

For Shiori who wished for Homura to obtain happiness as a human, Vel was an opponent where hatred was insufficient to describe her feelings.

But, why did she hear her voice like that?

And then, why did the voice of that girl sounded this desperate?

To obtain the answer to that question, Shiori reflexively opened her eyelids,

“Eh――”

She saw the figure of Homura, his chest gouged standing in front of her.

“Ho, mu... ra?”

Unable to swallow the sudden situation, Shiori was dumbfounded.

On the other hand, Homura looked at Shiori who opened her eyes,

“......Aah, that’s great....... So you’re still alive......”

It was a relieved smile from the bottom of his heart.

“-really. This is because, you are sleeping in a place this dangerous...... that I almost cut you down, y’know.”

“That wound of yours......! -!? ――What’s, this......!?”

Most likely Shiori was trying to rush at Homura’s side.

But, Shiori’s body didn’t move forward even for a little.

That was natural.

That was because the girl’s face was half hidden, buried inside the chest of Michael that was exposed bare.

“As expected you stopped your sword. ......So you cannot kill your beloved person for the second time.”

That amazed tone of voice, was Michael’s.

In other words, this was the trick of this situation’s reversal.

In that decisive moment, Homura’s sword should definitely have severed Michael’s life.

But in that last moment timing, Michael let out the trump card that he had prepared beforehand.

Giving a glimpse of the hostage that was Shiori, he thrust before Homura the fact that killing him meant killing Shiori.

As a result, Homura stopped his sword just barely.

And then, in that fatal opening, Homura’s chest was gouged open by a holy art.

“If you care for human life until that much, it would be better if you only advance in the path of faith praying to god. If you just did that... surely you wouldn’t need to shoulder such great sorrow with that body of man.”

There was not even a little bit of tension anymore within Michael’s voice.

He was convinced.

That Homura was already... a dead person walking.

In actuality, Homura’s internal organs together with his breastbones had already been blown away, no matter how excellent a magician Homura was, it was difficult to preserve his life like that.

After vomiting out even more large amounts of blood from his mouth, Homura fell down on the spot.

But―― before his body fell down to the ground, he grasped the arm that Michael thrust forward to release the holy art, that grip strongly held on to the degree that his nails caused blood to come out. Homura held his ground like that.

And then,

“Kukuku...... hahahahaha-......!”

Even while blood was leaking out from his mouth, Homura laughed without minding that.

Looking at that reaction of Homura, Michael asked with a dubious expression. “What is funny?” He asked.

In response Homura answered as if spitting out.

“It’s obvious just what the hell is funny, you stupid idiot―. You said out something idiotic. The god of you assholes... has he saved us even once huh? That time, when my family was killed... That time, when Shiori was at that hell... That time when Typhon burned cities, when mankind itself was ruined... You assholes, just what the hell were you doing then?”

They didn’t do anything.

When humanity was lamenting, praying, begging for salvation, there was nothing that rewarded them.

Homura knew that to a painful degree.

“Then there ain’t nothing to do, but to protect them myself......!”

But the angel didn’t try to understand that grievance of Homura.

“Those trials were also all the will of god. It’s going to far even beyond your station to try to surmise that with that body of man. ......Humans only need to believe and pray to god no matter what kind of time they are in. If they do that, then no matter how much their bodies are ruined, they will receive the blessing of having their soul guided to the paradise of god.”

It was a one-sided salvation that was too condescending in all respects.

It was a stance that didn’t try to understand even for a little bit, the sense of values of humans who only possessed a single body and a single heart.

And yet, these people were exclaiming salvation with loud voices.

It was already a story where he could do nothing but laugh.

It was also only natural for Homura to laugh out.

“This talk just ain’t going anywhere. I’m not calling for you. Shitty bastard.”

A scorn spitted out together with blood. In response to that,

“That’s my line. In your trial you didn’t pray, didn’t believe in god, you made use of the power of evil and imitated god. You violated god’s privilege of [salvation]. That’s a great sin. God will not save you anymore. In the salvation that will be carried out after this, ――is not of any concern to you anymore.”

Michael put magic power into the arm that Homura clutched.

Golden magic power light was manifested in his palm.

That was the same thing with the holy art that gouged Homura’s chest just now.

“Leave this world without leaving a single dust behind. You foolish <traitor>.”

Michael once more directed that power of destruction to Homura, he was going to shoot him.

Homura whose body was already dead didn’t have any way to resist, that attack would surely thoroughly burn his life with certainty.

“Homuraa! Run! Just run... please-!”

Imagining that future, the pale Shiori yelled as if she was going to vomit blood.

There is no need to care of whatever happened to her anymore, so just run, she pleaded.

But, toward such Shiori, Homura was... of all things, he directed to her a powerful smile persistently,

“I’ll save you for sure. Just wait.”

“-............!?”

Instantly――, the light shot out mercilessly from Michael’s palm.

The fired flame of light swallowed Homura in the blink of an eye――

“――――――”

Altogether with the words that he let out in his dying moment, everything was burned to nothing, leaving not even a single dust behind.

Part 10

At that time, even in Tokyo life sphere... something unbelievable was happening.

“――――eh”

In drops, something red spilled out from the corner of Sumika’s mouth together with a frothing sound.

When she dropped her sight, a golden blade wet with blood was piercing out from her chest.

And then that blade was unmistakably,

――the <Artifact?Excalibur>.

“Finally, you showed an opening that is really an opening.”

That voice tone which seemed to be apologetic somehow, belonged to the <White Knight> Sir James, who stabbed her in that instant that was not even a second where her <Back Sniper> was slightly dulling from the continuous battle.

“Wh, y......-“

Toward the sudden attack of this man that was supposedly their ally, Sumika directed a gaze that was mixed with doubt and surprise to him that asked “Why?”

“There is nothing else to it. From the beginning I came to Japan in order to do this. ......After all I understand that without the <Evil God User>, it’s the <Grim Bullet> that will be the biggest obstacle. In order to bring you down with certainty, I prepared this trick.”

“From, the start...... so you tricked us......-“

James nodded a little towards that blaming.

“Before I came to Japan...... I met Michael-sama. And then I was taught. The life of all of you the people of Tokyo life sphere will become the cornerstone for mankind’s heaven. I had resolved my heart since that time. ......If the world can be saved from the threat of demons for eternity just with seven million sacrifices, then all of you should become sacrifices.”

“James, san......-“

“I feel regretful. I am also aware that this is an act that is out of bound. However―― if by my falling into heresy I can save my motherland, then I will happily turn into a snake......!”

Saying that, James pulled out <Excalibur> from Sumika’s body.

And then, even faster than Sumika turning to him and aiming her gun muzzle――

The girl’s neck, was lopped off with a single stroke.

The parted head and body scattered fresh blood while falling into the Tokyo life sphere beneath.

That sight―― was witnessed by the leader of the allied forces, Innocentius, through the mind transmission from James.

“So the sowed seed finally sprouted.”

“Mr. James is our spy!?”

“Indeed. ......After all there is no such thing of being too careful against the <Grim Bullet>.”

Innocentius returned such words towards Joseph who was shocked of this hidden ace, then Innocentius notified the whole army.

{The whole army is to turn back and attack! The enemy’s main force has died! Crush them in one breath-!}

“ “ “U O O o O o O O O o O O O O O O o O――――――!!!!” ” ”

Raising up war cry, the allied forces’ soldiers turned from their retreating battle and moved out in offense.

Originally the interception unit barely rivaled the allied force’s [number superiority] with their [individual superiority] starting with the S-rank magicians like Sumika.

With this betrayal of James, the flow of the battlefield tilted to the allied forces’ side in one go.

“The allied forces are turning to offense without stopping! We cannot push them back at all!”

“Kuh......! Of all things, for this to happen-!”

SOS signals were entering the command room of Tokyo life sphere from everywhere without pause.

If the situation kept like this, it was only a matter of time before their battle front crumbled.

Especially the side of Tokyo bay that was assisted by the traitor James was in a bad situation.

That place was already the place where the enemy was concentrated, in addition there was even a hole that was opened there.

In two, three more minutes the enemy would break through there for sure.

And then, once they allowed the enemy’s breakthrough, it would become a total rout next.

Surely the enemy would then gain total control until the geofront in one stretch.

However, even if they tried to defend, the only one who could deal with James, Onjouji Kai, was now busy with suppressing Wan Tairon.

They had no piece that could hold back a S-rank.

There was no more cards available to Kinugasa.

Already,

(Homura-san...... you still haven’t finished yet......!?)

There was nothing he could do except praying for the hero’s return.

Thereupon――

Uneventful empire meeting sunset in the innermost bottom of Severn valley o the evil divinity crawling the ground

The seething stars shine radiantly in blasphemy announcing the time of destiny to thy

Suddenly, a voice that Kinugasa knew well was spreading, enveloping the whole of Tokyo life sphere.

“This voice is......!”

That was the voice of the young man that they were exactly waiting for right now.

{Homura-san! You have come back!}

Kinugasa immediately attempted a mind transmission.

But―― there was no reply coming back.

No, far from that, the transmission didn’t even get connected.

(......?)

Just what was the meaning of this?

Putting aside Kinugasa who didn’t comprehend the situation, the ritual prayer was spinned――

The lord of corridor o the person forced to choice

The key of amalgam right here Thy castle gate is opened for the sake of my friend

Arraying a hundred rakshasa on the street of the lost continuing to the abyss blow the trumpet of welcome

The stars were resonating in concert with the spun words.

The rain clouds that hung low over the battlefield began to form a giant vortex, sending myriads of thunderbolts to the ground.

“UWAaAA!?”

“What in the world is happening......!?”

The soldiers in the battlefield screamed from this cataclysm that was like the end of the world.

But James was,

(――――- this, spell is......)

He knew that these cursed words were an exchange of spell with an evil god.

And then, it was exactly like his premonition――

The deceiving <God of Labyrinth> Eihort

At the same time with the last binding words, the world distorted, an enormous evil manifested.

“Wh, what the hell is thissss!?!?”

“Flea......? No, that’s, spider?”

Just like that soldier somewhere said, [that] which came down from the center of the vortex of sea of cloud was a mysterious appearance that was a combination of flea and spider.

It was a sheathing flesh that made one thought of a soft and flabby bloated evil tumor.

From that tumor, innumerable gnarled legs that looked similar with the nerve ganglion of insects were sticking out.

And then, scarlet eyeballs in the number that might be as many as those legs.

Those eyeballs surveyed the surrounding without any oversight, their blinking was hard to describe and inspired discomfort.

This decaying flesh that was modeled after insect, giving form to an ominous shape of evil, was exactly the lord of the underground labyrinth that existed deep under the ground of Severn valley in Britain, the <Great Old One> Eihort.

And then... the one who could summon these <evil gods> in their complete shape to this world, there was only one person in this whole world――

“Don’t tell me, was Michael-sama defeated......!?”

Looking at the figure of the evil god descending before his eyes, James went pale from imagining the worst development.

The defeat of Michael meant that all their expectations would come to nothing.

However, when he looked for it, as expected the figure of Homura couldn’t be found anywhere,

“――–!”

Putting aside that uneasiness of James, Eihort showed a movement.

The scarlet eyeballs that were restlessly surveying the surroundings suddenly stopped moving, just when it looked like the eyes were going to close all at once, all the eyes opened the widest it could,

Simultaneously, light of chalk white color surged out from the opened eyeballs, painting over the world to white.

“UWAaA-!”

“What is it this time-!”

Inside the white darkness, the soldiers of the allied forces put themselves on guard.

But, even after waiting there was nothing that was like an attack coming at them.

Wondering what the heck was going on, as the light settled down, they sent their gaze to Eihort――but,

“Wha, t............?”

When color returned to the world, the appearance of that ominous god was already gone.

――No, not only Eihort.

Of all things, the soldiers of Tokyo life sphere that they were fighting until just now.

Their figures were also vanishing.

Even until the corpses that were lying down on the ground, all of it.

In exchange what appeared in front of the allied forces’ soldiers was...... black mist.

Inside the protective wall that protected Tokyo life sphere, all was covered by a hemisphere that looked completely like a dome by muddy jet black mist.

Translator's Notes and References

1. ↑ Odaiba is an artificial island in Tokyo Bay, and Gate Bridge is a bridge that connects the two sides of the Tokyo Bay

2. ↑ Bouten Gageki in Japanese, translated as Sky Piercer. Lu Bu’s weapon

3. ↑ The name Bet, He and Dalet come from semitic abjads. Bet is the second abjad, Dalet is the fourth abjad and He is the fifth abjad

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