Published at 25th of March 2019 10:04 pm

Volume 6 Chapter 4 - Clash

Part 1

The wasteland of rubble spreading around London. Magic weapon Albatrosses were standing there. Since the intruders they intercepted the other day after so long, they were continuing to spend their days just standing still once more.

However, this time visitors were coming not so long after the last time.

The sensor of Albatross detected enemy presence, thirty ships of Izgard’s fleet. Starting with the two thousand meter battleship which was the flagship, there were thousand meter class and five hundred meter class installed with powerful firepower, also high speed ships with fast movement were consolidating the flanks.

Currently, it was not an opponent that the magic weapon force surrounding London could do something about somehow. However, for the Albatrosses, difference of battle strength or anything wasn’t a problem. They would be vigilant if something not registered as an ally appeared, and if they were attacked they would return fire. That was the instincts programmed into theses magic weapons.

The bombing of Izgard impacted below the Albatrosses and explosion occurred. Magic power circulated in the whole body of the Albatrosses and they opened their wings together with activation sound. Curtain of sand dust rolled up from the mountain of rubble and the Albatrosses flew up. They readied their bayonets and aimed at the opponent bombarding them.

It was just like the time when the war between earth and AU was beginning.

“Albatrosses are coming! Five of them, behind them are twenty units.”

Operator’s report was resounding inside the flagship Gravel boarded. The bridge was like a lobby of a high class hotel, but it became noisy everywhere. Several operators and ten-odd leaders of every section were gathering. Every leader was moving around busily and gave out instruction for their respective post. And then Gravel was standing at the center, listening to the report.

“Yosh, launch the advance party just as planned. Aldea, Gertrude, I’ll leave this to you two.”

{Roger.}

{Leave it to us.}

Aldea and Gertrude took off from Izgard’s flagship, behind them the magic weapon force of Izgard was continuing after them, heading toward the Albatrosses. Looking at the soaring twenty five units, Aldea licked her lips.

“Fufufu, it has been a long time for an all-out battle like this……fuh, fufufufu.”

Readying her spear with both hands, she leaked out a chuckle that contained madness.

“This woman……she is really a dangerous fellow……”

Gertrude was taking a distance from Aldea with a cramped face.

“Fufuu, Gertrude-san. My bad but, I’ll take that prey.”

After saying that Aldea raised the output of her thrusters and flew out to the front of the Albatrosses in one go. She left behind the magic weapon force that originally was launched to fight as the vanguard.

“Wai! You are going too far ahead!”

In order to back Aldea, Gertrude drew out the two pistols hanging on her thighs. However Aldea was already tearing apart Albatrosses with her spear.

“Uwa! Just what’s that thing!?”

Gertrude spontaneously raised her face from looking at the cut apart Albatross that was warped into a bizarre shape. The Albatross’s body was warping with the track of the cut as the center, the armor and the mechanism inside were twisted up. And then in the next instant, a large explosion occurred. The twenty five Albatrosses were turning into fragments of light one after another.

“Come to think of it I had seen the data before……you have an ability that warps space or something.”

She recalled when they escaped from Zeltis, Aldea used that spear and escaped from Aine.

“If you keep being absentminded, I will really take them all you know?”

That smiling face was like a child when playing with a friend.

“Wai-! Just what’s with that woman. She looks really lively compared to all the time before this!”

The magic weapons deployed for surrounding London sensed the abnormality and were gathering here.

“Ahahahaha, they come, they come! One after another! Aah, I feel it.”

Aldea was lying in wait at the sky for the attacking Albatrosses, she was raising a bloodbath from every single one.

“This woman, it’s pointless no matter what I’m saying……”

Gertrude left this place to Aldea and slipped through the side of the Albatross. She hurriedly lowered her altitude and landed in the city of London. Around her was classical townscape in Victorian-style. She couldn’t see the figures of the people that were the energy source of the magic power plant. It seems that they were staying inside the houses and stores.

She didn’t understand whether it was because of the magic power plant’s timetable, or because it was the emergency behavior for when external enemy came attacking. But, it didn’t change that this was convenient.

“Magic power’s charge is OK……the bullets are enough. Then……”

Sound that was like earthquake was approaching. From the other side of the Victorian street, human-shaped magic weapons were advancing on in forces. It was the human sized magic weapon, Brigand.

The head of the Brigand running at the front row was popped off. It received Gertrude’s bullet and collapsed backwards. Another Brigand running from behind stumbled on its collapsed comrade and fell, where it was then got crushed under the feet by even more Brigands running from behind.

“This is now the battle for revenge of the sacrificed dummies for the previous diversionary tactics. Prepare yourself!”

Gertrude’s two pistols spouted fire. The advancing several hundred Brigands were shot through like jokes. Their heads and chest were shot out, the Brigands that had wind holes opened were blown away from the impact of being shot, their figures changing into fragments of light while rolling on the ground, turning into pieces.

“UOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-!”

The pistols in the two hands were continuing to shot bullets of light without any time to rest. Gertrude kicked a wall and jumped, then flew into the center where the enemies were crowding in. And then she rotated her body for 360 degree while rapid firing the guns. The Brigands were being taken care of like sweeping trash.

Gertrude’s surrounding suddenly turned dark, a large shadow was spreading underneath her.

“! So it comes.”

From the Entrance that was towering high at the other side of the Tower Bridge, the figure of Vatlantis’s battleship made appearance.

“This is Gertrude. Enemy’s fleet has come out from the Entrance-!”

Aldea who was defeating magic weapons at the sky received contact from Gravel.

{Aldea, retreat immediately.}

“Ee―, even though it’s the good part after this……”

Even while complaining, Aldea reluctantly withdrew from the battlefield.

Ataraxia was approaching Britain until a distance where they barely avoided being stranded and observed the fleet and magic weapons that made an appearance one after another from the Entrance.

In front of Reiri who was staring at the situation from the central control room, a communication from Gravel at the flagship entered.

{Reiri, how is the preparation of your side?}

“No worry. Rather than that quickly empty the path. You are going to sink together like this.”

Reiri pressed the switch on the console and the monitor projected Kizuna who was wearing Eros. Cables were connected throughout his body and he was settled inside a cramped place that was like a spaceship’s cockpit.

“Kizuna, can you do it?”

{Aah, no problem, I can start anytime! The order please!}

A giant screen was displaying the battleships of Vatlantis that appeared from the Entrance from bird-eye view. Reiri concentrated her nerves and stared at the screen where the battle situation kept changing moment by moment.

Her lips suddenly moved.

“Now! Fire, Kizuna!”

{Ouu!}

Magic power was flowed into the shooting device that was already filled until near full already as the last push. The magic power that was converted into electricity pulled the trigger of Ataraxia’s largest and strongest weapon.

“GOOOOOOOOOO-!”

Together with Kizuna’s yelling voice, vast amount of particles created at the deepest part of Ataraxia drove through inside the particle accelerator.

Fierce impact, and then radiance to the degree that one couldn’t look straight at it exploded, the super large particle cannon fired from the front side of Ataraxia.

The shockwave gouged out the sea surface while flying ahead. The radiance that was like the thunder of god instantly traversed above the city that had been turned into a mountain of rubble and reached London.

When the fleet of Vatlantis noticed that light, it was only after the light particles were already swallowing them. Several dozen magic weapons were instantly evaporated, the battleships had their armor torn off and explosions occurred inside. While secondary explosions were happening in succession, the battleships of Vatlantis were sinking down one after another.

Kizuna took a guts pose.

“Yosh-! We did it!”

The cannon had been powered up even more compared to the time they repelled Elma previously. Even the enemy’s fleet should be inflicted with considerable damage.

{Three enemy battleships and one aircraft carrier were shot down. About roughly one hundred and twenty magic weapons were crushed.}

Kei’s message flowed into his information terminal. Cheers were immediately raised inside Ataraxia.

“Hida-kun! You did it!”

Momo came as if leaping in to the firing cockpit.

“Aah, that was an amazing power!”

The firing cockpit where Kizuna was sitting at had an atmosphere like an airplane or spaceship simulator. There was a seat and trigger that looked like a joystick, and around it was surrounded by a lot of gauges and switches. Cables for transmitting magic power from Kizuna to Ataraxia were crammed into that cramped space. That was Ataraxia’s main cannon’s emplacement exclusive for Kizuna.

In the enormous underground tunnel created inside Ataraxia. Kizuna and the others were now in its deepest part. There was the particle generator device there, and the straight line tunnel became the particle accelerator. Inside it, several hundreds of the research department’s staff were moving around for the preparation of the next firing.

“We are going for one more shot. Is the preparation fine?”

“Wait a second! The confirmation is not over yet, so stand by there like that.”

Momo faced the nearby staff and yelled.

“Hurry with the checking of every part! Is the cooling device in full operation? The fifth sub breaks easily right? Go confirm it quickly!”

It was a facility that was this large. Personnel that reached hundreds were invested here to operate the weapon. Moreover, this was the newest experimental technology, not a technology that had been established definitely. On top of the immense preparation just for one shot, unforeseen matters often happened. Although the firing succeeded, it didn’t guarantee that the next shot could be fired without problem.

{Reiri, the movement of Vatlantis army changed. Can the second shot fire yet?}

Gravel’s communication also entered Kizuna’s floating window.

{It will take five more minutes. Can your side hold out?}

Gravel made a sober face at Reiri’s answer.

{The enemy is rushing in with battleships and aircraft carriers, so the tactic changed by sending magic weapons separately. They are not a threat but their number is a lot. The enemy that gets through can possibly head your way.}

Kizuna took off the cables from his body and got down from the firing cockpit.

“Nee-chan, I’m going out.”

{Wait, you stay there. It will be useless if you are not there when the firing preparations are finished.}

“But……”

{The magic weapons we are borrowing from Izgard are protecting Ataraxia. Don’t worry.}

Reiri said that and cut the transmission.

The monitor of Nayuta Lab projected the figures of magic weapons standing on top of Ataraxia’s defensive building. If compared to Vatlantis’s magic weapons, then the frame’s shape was like Albatross. But strangely the design was different, it gave the impression that it wasn’t as refined compared to Vatlantis’s magic weapons, it had the image like a model of several generations beforehand.

While looking at its appearance, a self-depreciating smile floated on Reiri’s face.

“Nevertheless……I never, to think that a day will come when magic weapons are protecting this Ataraxia.”

She tapped the console and gave out instructions with a dignified voice.

“From C-area to E-area, spread the barrage! They are coming!”

Exactly as Gravel predicted, the Albatrosses that broke through Izgard’s defensive line were approaching Ataraxia. Ataraxia’s defensive system aimed at the magic weapons and repeated firing. However, other than the gigantic particle cannon that was Ataraxia’s main cannon, the other weapons couldn’t raise that much accomplishment.

Looking at that, Reiri immediately gave out instruction.

“Magic weapon unit, go-!”

Izgard’s magic weapons flew up to intercept the enemy, they clashed with the Albatrosses at the sky. Even Izgard’s magic weapon that looked like old models put up a fight without pulling back a single step.

“Certainly it seems that it has inferior performance……but right now they can give us cover somehow with numbers.”

The assistance that was more reliable than she thought made Reiri patted down her chest.

It was also the same for Kizuna who was at the firing device of the main cannon.

Kizuna was in suspense staring at the monitor while still sitting inside the firing cockpit, but the magic weapons of Izgard was gradually looking reliable.

‘――That’s the spirit. Do your best there!’

Beside Kizuna who was cheering inside his heart, the window of Nayuta Lab was opening. Reiri and Kei’s talk could be heard from there.

{Kei, how many of the enemy’s magic weapons have reached Ataraxia?}

Kei displayed the map of enemy and ally forces at the monitor in answer. The lights that signified the enemies were moving around the circle that represented Ataraxia.

“Roughly twenty, thirty machines. But, on top of their many numbers their speed is also fast. Whether we can capture all the enemies or not is……}

{I see. The frame of magic weapon is big, but in the off chance that magic armor slips among them, we might overlook it.}

Kizuna also glared at the forces map, he felt anxiety of the situation worsening. Certainly the situation had mostly become a melee fight. With this surely it was difficult to accurately grasp the battle situation. While thinking of such thing, he suddenly felt a gaze and raised his head.

In front of Kizuna’s eyes, there was a girl that was sticking out like a sore thumb.

Even with the magic armor she was wearing, the painful-looking scars on her half-naked body were visible. It was like she forgot to put on her skirt, the panty at her lower body was laid bare. And then the twin swords she held at both her hands.

Kizuna’s thought petrified for an instant due to the unexpected existence.

“So you are hiding……in this kind of hole, Lemuria’s demon king.”

‘――Lunora!?’

Lunora prepared her swords and charged at him.

‘――Fast!’

The firing cockpit was bisected into two. He immediately deployed Life Saver, but protecting his body was the best he could do. Kizuna’s body that was thrown away from the cockpit fell on the floor.

“Kuh……this is bad!”

‘――If we fight here, the main cannon will become unusable. This thing is the important means to capture the AU.’

The fragments of the cockpit scattered everywhere, he recovered his stance while rolling. He fully opened his thrusters and charged at Lunora.

“Fuh!”

Heading to Lunora who was readying her swords at the front to make her counter, Kizuna manifested three layers of Life Saver.

“What!?”

“UOOOOOOOOOOOO!”

Using the Life Saver as a wall, he crashed into Lunora.

“Sheet-! Something like this!”

She stabbed her twin swords, but as expected, even Lunora couldn’t easily break this wall.

‘――I’ll push her out in one go like this! I want more output!’

Parts were created from Kizuna’s back, thruster parts that looked like they were assembled by unseen hands appeared. Thanks to doing Connective Hybrid with Gravel and Aldea, his thrusters were also carrying considerably powerful propulsive force. Kizuna wrung out his whole output and dashed inside the particle accelerator in a straight line.

Lunora couldn’t move her body from the excessive acceleration G-force and got pushed out until the outside of Ataraxia.

“Yosh-!”

Kizuna pushed away his Life Saver in order to throw away Lunora’s body. Lunora held her ground in the air and glared at Kizuna with an expression of rage.

“You……!”

Kizuna hid his nervousness with a smile and declared to Lunora.

“It’s not polite to enter someone’s home as you please yeah!”

Beside Kizuna’s face, Reiri’s floating window opened.

{Kizuna! What happened?}

“Lunora appeared inside the accelerator! I’m in the middle of battle right now!”

{What!? Oi, the situation――}

Without any time to even answer Reiri, Lunora came slashing at him.

“UOO!”

The two sword attack unleashed from her both hands was trying to carve apart Kizuna with a terrific speed. The combination of the left and right swords were splendid, he could only just barely evade.

“Chih!”

He somehow took distance from Lunora.

“As expected……evading them is――guh!”

A gash entered Eros’s armor. And then blood spurted out from Kizuna’s forehead.

‘――I couldn’t evade……is it? It was just barely, even though I planned to dodge them all.’

Kizuna wiped with his hand the blood flowing from his forehead without taking off his eyes from the opponent.

Lunora lightly threw her two swords up and renewed her hold. And then she was peeking for an opening in order to bring Kizuna down for sure this time.

“Your movement……slow. You look unmoving. If you stay in the Colosseum like that……most likely you will die in a week.”

Kizuna felt a shudder against the two sword style girl in front of his eyes.

“One week huh……about how long you’ve survived in the Colosseum?”

Perhaps she recalled her past of fierce fighting. Or else, perhaps her fear of strangers didn’t change even against the opponent she was having a death match with. Lunora’s expression stiffened for a moment.

“……Five years.”

However Lunora didn’t look that much different in age with Kizuna. She said five years ago, that meant when she was around the age of an elementary student.

“Since you were that young……just why, were you made to do something like killing each other huh?”

“I wasn’t made to do it.”

Lunora displayed a smile on her lips.

“I don’t even have anywhere else to go……”

“Lunora, you――”

“Hey― Lunora! I’m also coming here!”

A carefree voice cut in.

“Ramza, so you finally arrived.”

Lunora spoke briskly like a different person.

From the sky, red hair with small red wings, a magic armor that was like a bikini armor appeared.

‘――Quartum’s Ramza!’

Kizuna clicked his tongue to the condition that further worsened.

Ramza’s strength was of unknown quantity and he didn’t understand the scope of her power. But, this girl was also one of the Quartum. There was no doubt that she was formidable. Also, in the previous battle, she was stopped from fighting by Lunora. There was high possibility that she was hiding some kind of terrifying ability.

‘――Sheet-, I wanted you to at least keep this girl at bay you know, Gravel’

“I got a little held up. It’s really hard doing it while holding back you know―. Buttt……”

She looked down at Ataraxia below her with eyes that shined in expectation.

“If it’s there, it’s fine even if I get serious right?”

“Yeah, I don’t mind. But don’t force yourself. I beg you, don’t act rashly.”

“Whoohoo!”

Ramza held her tomahawk in her hand and descended to Ataraxia.

‘This is bad!’ just when his attention was taken by Ramza, the two swords were approaching before his eyes.

“GUAAAAAAAAAaah!”

Lunora’s swords smashed into Eros’s armor, Kizuna’s body that lost his posture control was falling down to Ataraxia. Kizuna dropped down on top of a car parked in a parking lot. The impact crushed the roof of the car and broke apart the glass into pieces. Kizuna’s breathing stopped for a moment from being struck.

“Gah! ……kuh”

Chasing behind Kizuna, Lunora also gently landed down on the parking lot.

“To look another way……like this, far from a week, you won’t even survive three days.”

Kizuna somehow rotated his body while coughing violently and dropped from the car to the ground. Right after that, the car he was just on at was bisected into two. The shockwave bisecting the car carved a crack at the ground and rushed right beside Kizuna. Kizuna’s cheek was cut by that shockwave, and blood flowed.

At the other side of the car that now became scrap, Lunora with a sword in both her hands dangling down was standing. Right when she was going to ready her swords again, Ramza’s carefree voice resounded.

“Hey― Lunora. Is it fine around here?”

Ramza was waving her hand at the intersection a little ahead from the parking lot.

Lunora answered without even turning back.

“Yeah, dig down to the underground from there.”

“Yo―sh, I’m doing it―!”

Ramza’s red hair was emitting light like a real flame. Her body was emitting high heat that melted the asphalt below her, where the ground was starting to bubble. The surrounding trees were set on fire and blazed up, causing squall to roll up. Hot wind suddenly struck Kizuna’s face.

“Wha, what? That’s”

“That’s……Ramza’s power.”

The heat Ramza emitted distorted the armor panel of Ataraxia and began to gouge out a large hole in the ground. The lifeline pipes and cables sleeping underneath blazed, they melted and vanished.

If she released this much heat, Ramza herself shouldn’t end up safe. However looking at Ramza’s face that seemed like in a pleasant feeling, Kizuna was dumbfounded.

“Ye―p, as I thought letting out my full power feels good~. The break becomes ineffective if it runs wild though. Well I’m in good condition now, it’s going to be alright.”

She was stretching refreshingly while whispering such thing.

“Uu……sheet, I cannot get near!”

He wanted to go stop her, but he couldn’t get near the really high temperature. Far from that, just by being nearby made him unable to breath. Like this, it was understandable why Lunora stopped Ramza at Zeltis.

Kizuna distanced himself for the moment. He was flying away from the intersection where Ramza was.

“This is Kizuna! Ramza is emitting high temperature trying to open a hole in Ataraxia! At this rate not only the main cannon, even Ataraxia will get destroyed!”

{What did you say? Certainly, abnormality in Ataraxia’s facility is――}

Reiri’s communication was cut off. And then an explosion occurred at the spot where Ramza was. Black smoke was rising up to the sky.

Kizuna clicked his tongue.

The cables and wireless system running inside Ataraxia seemed to be dead.

Perhaps with that high temperature, Ataraxia’s system was being destroyed from the inside.

‘――What to do to remove that girl?’

This time Lunora was hot on his heels, not even giving him any leeway to think of a countermeasure.

“Lemuria’s demon king, prepare yourself!”

Lunora was faster in speed. At this rate he would be overtaken.

“I cannot win in speed and sword fighting! Then, this!”

Kizuna spread his hands and light particles were converging between them, the light was crystallizing into the shape of a large sword and a huge sword appeared from inside, and then gun with cylinder and several cannon barrels lining up in circle shape, those two parts combined into a Sword Gatling.

“I’ll match you with firepower!”

The Sword Gatling groaned. Without any gap at all, bullets were streaming out like a waterfall. Each time a bullet impacted, a flame pillar rose up and explosion burst out. While he was repeating bombardment in pursuit of Lunora who was moving agilely, his sight was completely stolen by blast smoke.

‘――Damn it. I cannot see any……!?’

Something cold ran shudderingly on his back. That was the instinct of living things. Without turning back, he swung out his Sword Gatling using his spinal reflex.

Sharp metallic sound resounded from inside the smoke, sparks scattered. The smoke was blown away from the wind pressure, there Lunora was blocking the Sword Gatling with the sword in her right arm.

‘Gulp’, Kizuna’s throat sounded.

The heavy class Sword Gatling was defended with one hand. Lunora still had one more sword. If he was cut by the remaining sword, he would be killed. Even now that sword was going to slash at him. However, she kept her posture without moving.

Both of their nervous gazes clashed with each other.

‘――What’s wrong? Why doesn’t she attack?’

He thought doubtfully, Kizuna stared hard at Lunora’s face, wondering if he could read her thought from her expression.

At that time, a little hesitation was created inside Lunora.

‘――Ainess-sama, said not to lay a hand at the demon king Kizuna……however, I received instruction from Grace-sama and Zelcyone-sama, don’t let a chance to kill go away if it comes.’

However, there was no way Kizuna could understand what was inside her mind. If she wasn’t going to attack, then it was a chance to talk. Kizuna decided that and spoke to Lunora with all his might.

“Oy, you fought at the Colosseum because you didn’t have any place to go, that’s what you said but……didn’t you have, anything like a home or a family?”

Lunora put strength into the fingers holding the sword. She was feeling like a stranger was stepping inside her room with muddy shoes. Just why she had to teach the feeling hidden inside her heart to this kind of guy?

‘――As I thought, I should prioritize Zelcyone-sama’s order.’

The emotion of fury drove her to kill the opponent before her eyes. However, when she thought that this person was someone that would soon die by her hands, her feeling changed. After all this was a person that would die soon, it didn’t matter what she told him. Perhaps he would be more at ease if she talked. Such whim made her talk about her past.

“I had them, but they died. I also lost my home. For I who had nothing to depend on, I lived as a beggar.”

Kizuna was shocked that Lunora answered him honestly. He never thought that she would actually answer him.

“There was nothing that I could really wear, there wasn’t even things I could eat……but when I peeked at other people’s home, warm room, and delicious looking meals existed in excess. Even though we lived in the same world, even though right beside them there was a human that was freezing, almost dying from hunger……I was, unable to suppress my wonder about that.”

Lunora didn’t particularly show emotion and spun her words apathetically.

“At such time, the organizer of the Colosseum called out to me who was sleeping on the side of the street. It was because she needed someone to play the role of the killed one as an attraction. My first opponent, was a fat rich person with the hobby of killing children.”

“That kind of match……no, it cannot even be called a match.”

“As expected it was impossible for it to be a championship match. But, for an opening performance or filler match……there are outrageous content as many as they like. Especially in the past. And so, I was given a single shabby knife. And then I was told. [This is a death match. You can receive money if you kill your opponent. But you die if you lose].”

That was also the content that was told to Kizuna. However it was too cruel of a story for such a thing to be thrust onto a child with that kind of circumstances. Kizuna felt rage, but Lunora’s reaction was different.

“I thought, is there really such a dream-like job. I didn’t value my life, so even if I lose I won’t lose anything. Yet despite so, I can receive prize money if I win. I doubted that such a one-sidedly convenient story really existed. But it was true.”

Lunora narrowed her eyes, seemingly feeling a little nostalgic.

“The rich person wore armor while holding a large sword, everyone was thinking that I would get killed. However I, immediately understood how to kill my opponent. Avoid the sword’s large swing, use the momentum to approach near and stab the heart. It was a simple work. After killing the rich person, I got the prize money. It was the first money I obtained from working.”

“Is that so……”

She had walked such a gruesome life until now.

Kizuna once more ruminated, on the fact of Lunora’s survival of many death matches at the Colosseum, until she became called as a death god.

“After that I was picked by Zelcyone-sama, and I distanced myself from the Colosseum. Zelcyone-sama saved me……Ramza is also the same.”

“That girl also originated from the Colosseum?”

“That girl was in a facility……she was a child that was supposed to be culled.”

Kizuna couldn’t reply towards that unexpected answer.

“Because of that special ability of Ramza, she was abandoned by her parents, avoided by everyone. She was unable to control her ability and even burned to the ground the facility she was held in. And then at the time when she was finally going to be disposed……the one who picked up Ramza, was also Zelcyone-sama.”

“Was that how it happened……”

Inside Kizuna’s memory, there was the figure of Zelcyone who liked to sadistically torment her enemy. However, it seemed that it was not everything of her.

“I’m feeling gratitude to Zelcyone-sama who is valuing me. However, I don’t know any other way except killing my enemy and obtaining compensation.”

Kizuna stared fixedly at the face of Lunora who was talking indifferently.

“The food for your living, the feeling of your gratitude, repaying the favor you got, and even the charity, so you make up all of those with the blood of other people.”

Lunora’s face clouded as if she came to herself. Her face when she was being talkative was completely hidden and she returned to her usual attitude that was anxious to strangers.

“I talked too much……but it was towards someone who will die soon, so that’s fine.”

Kizuna nodded in satisfaction, and then he smiled broadly.

“I’m glad you told me your story. But, it just gave me even more reason to not die.”

Lunora slightly knitted her eyebrows.

“……Why?”

“After hearing such an important story, there is no way I can die taking that story to my grave alone right? I’m even going to make a gathering to make you happy Lunora with everyone.”

“Wha……”

Lunora’s face became bright red. And then she immediately swung her sword. The rough attack that was unlike Lunora bisected the Sword Gatling. The rugged barrels were very easily split into two and fell to the ground.

However the careless attack that was not like her couldn’t wound Kizuna.

“You, you plan to tell people?”

“Yeah. Also, I’ve got to defeat you no matter what. In order to let you know that there is no need to die even in defeat. And then, in order to make you understand that you can live even without fighting!”

The moment he said that, he ignited his thrusters and took distance from Lunora.

“I, I won’t let you escape!”

Lunora immediately chased behind Kizuna.

In the little time before he was overtaken, he had to think of his next move.

‘――Now that the Sword Gatling isn’t working against her, what to do? What I can use is the effect from the Connective Hybrid with Gravel and Aldea. If that’s the case……’

The memory when he fought the two of them came to the surface like a revolving lantern.

Kizuna turned at a corner and did a spin turn, stopping in place. And then he fully operated Eros’s Core and circulated magic power through his whole body.

“Here I go, just like when I defeated Gravel! Bring here the fire power to the degree that won’t even leave any place to escape for Lunora!”

Gunsword was being created at Kizuna’s back. At first it was one, and then two, and then in the blink of an eye the number was increasing to an amount that fully covered his behind.

Lunora who was turning corner chasing behind Kizuna, doubted her eyes. There was a wall of gunsword towering behind Kizuna.

‘This is bad――’, when she thought that she was already exposed to a barrage that was like a storm.

“Kuh! So this is the rumored power of the demon king!”

She knew how he made the ability of the magic knight he turned into his subordinate into his own. However, it was implausible that he could freely increase the weapon like this.

But, with this she could only believe it.

Nevertheless, even with this much power displayed to her, Lunora’s heart didn’t feel any impatience or despair. Regardless of the desperate situation, Lunora’s mind was cool, she calmly analyzed the situation. It was something that came from her experience in the Colosseum. Right now, this place was Lunora’s Colosseum.

‘――It’s fine, I can evade.’

Certainly the bombardment was fierce. However there was a fixed pattern of the bullets’ position, if she calmly dealt with it, she could evade or escape.

And then, at the same time she could also kill.

The eyesight of Lunora who had survived through the Colosseum saw through the route to evade the bullets while reaching Kizuna. Lunora took that route with all her might.

Amidst the barrage that was like a rain, she weaved through the gaps that were barely there with razor sharp movement, heading towards Kizuna. She evaded the bombardment with posture control in the measurement of millimeters, to the right, to the left, and then lowered her head, to the right. She approached Kizuna in a flash.

Kizuna’s face distorted in nervousness from not expecting it.

Lunora readied the swords in both her hands. At that time, she decided the combination to carve apart Kizuna.

Kizuna was also holding sword in his hand, but she didn’t fear it. In his right hand was gunsword, in his left hand was a spear. Both weapons couldn’t follow her speed.

Kizuna raised up his gunsword.

But, her charge was faster.

As a threat, Kizuna directed the spear at his left hand to Lunora. But she was too fast and it hit empty air. He seemed to aim at her leg, the spear’s tip gouged the ground.

His movement stopped from the spear, he seemed to plan to slash his gunsword, but it wasn’t effective at all.

Lunora leaped into Kizuna’s bosom.

He was completely late at swinging his gunsword. Far from that, the gunsword was still held aloft above.

Lunora’s two swords struck in four slashes within an instant.

Was how it was supposed to be.

The certain death four consecutive attacks cut empty air.

‘――Wha,’

Kizuna’s body became far for an instant.

‘――Why?’

The spear at Kizuna’s left hand tossed out sand from piercing the ground, it was then pulled out.

The ground scraped by that spear, was far.

At that time, she realized the true identity of the spear at Kizuna’s hand.

‘That is, Aldea’s,

――Space distorting, spear.’

Lunora’s body was pierced by a terrific impact.

“UOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA-!”

The gunsword pulverized Lunora’s magic armor [Seres]. Lunora’s body was blown away like a fired bullet, she was thrown into a building wall. The great momentum destroyed the building wall as it was and she broke through the other side while rolling.

That impact also inflicted severe damage at Lunora’s flesh. Lunora’s body that lost strength was rolling on the street like a doll rolling over. Her head was strangely calm while she was rolling.

‘Aa……I lost.

The barrage before. It didn’t have gaps. All was prepared beforehand. I who let my blood rush to my head and rush the match got wholly caught into that trap.

Also, not only Gravel, he could even make the ability of Aldea as his own at the same time.

I see, this is defeat.

This is, the power of Lemuria’s demon king――.’

Collapsing on the ground, Lunora lost consciousness.

Kizuna arrived beside her.

“Oi……you’re alive?”

Lunora didn’t reply. However she was breathing.

“I want to do first aid but……right now――”

“You’re safe!? Kizuna!”

At that time, Gravel and Aldea came down from the sky. Kizuna answered with a smile at the worried two.

“Gravel and Aldea yourself, are you guys safe?”

“Sorry, Zeltis’s garrison that appeared from the Entrance is a lot more than imagined. Because of that it took time――”

Stopping Gravel that was trying to explain the reason, Kizuna pointed at the direction where flame was rising up.

“Rather than that, I want you to do something about that somehow.”

The flame was whirling with amazing speed, turning into a globe that was shining crimson. The fierce flame and heat were melting Ataraxia’s armor, right now more than half of that figure was sinking into the ground.

Aldea was trickling down cold sweat with a cramped face.

“I don’t really want to get near that there. Just what is that?”

“That is……”

Just when Kizuna was going to talk, the flame sphere suddenly raised a flame pillar.

“-!?”

Vibtartion that shook the whole Ataraxia attacked Kizuna and the others. Flames were spouting out from the drainage of the street nearby.

“Damn it! That Ramza. She is doing as she pleases!”

“Ramza you say?”

Gravel asked in surprise.

“Yeah, in the center of that flame Ramza is――”

Flame wall was approaching in front of Kizuna who was pointing at the flame sphere.

“UOOO!?”

“KYAAA!”

“Fly!! Both of you!”

Gravel’s yell made Kizuna and Aldea fully opened their thrusters. The three flying to the sky avoided the tsunami of flame by a hairbreadth.

“Wha……what is, thattt?”

Looking from the sky, they now understood that flame tsunami was spreading to the whole of Ataraxia from Ramza’s fire globe. The diameter of the hole made by the fire globe was extending several times over and muddy flame that looked like magma was gushing forth. Surely the flame was also spreading underground. The gutter, manhole, the entrance of the underground train, and so on, flames was spurting up from the mouths that were connected to the underground.

“Sheet-! That Ramza, she is getting carried away.”

Gravel asked the cursing Kizuna.

“That’s Ramza’s doing?”

“Yeah. Ramza is in the center of that. She is generating high temperature flame from her body.”

With the flame sphere as the center, cracks were running through the street. When the pavement jumped up as if exploding, steam was blowing out fiercely from inside.

“The enemy’s aim is to make Ataraxia’s main cannon powerless. But, this is not in that level. Far from the main cannon, Ataraxia itself will be melted.”

Perhaps the wiring and lifelines under Ataraxia had died, the electronic billboards displayed throughout the city shutdown all at once. The flame flowing out from the sphere blazing bright red was like water bursting out from a broken dam and invaded the town area of Ataraxia, the flame was rapidly spreading.

“Sheet-! Anyway let’s try getting near. We cannot leave her alone more than this!”

“Eee―, even though it’s this hot already here, it’s insane to get near that.”

Aldea accompanied the two even while complaining. When they reached right above the globe, the heat of the flame rising from below was more than they imagined.

While sweating, Gravel murmured unable to make sense of it.

“Indeed I have heard about Ramza’s special ability. But, no matter how this is……what do you think Aldea? Have you participated in a mission together with Ramza before?”

Aldea was fanning her face with her hand while answering in fed-up.

“Let’s see. Previously, I have seen Ramza in real battle, but it didn’t get so big until this scale, this is a little……abnormal isn’t it?”

Like a sun that spouted up its prominence, flame was sometimes spouting up from the sphere. And then while the hole was increasing in diameter, the sphere was sinking into Ataraxia.

Kizuna wiped his trickling sweat.

“By any chance, did something happen to Ramza?”

He desperately thought how to resolve this, but he didn’t get any idea at all. However, suddenly something he wanted to test came to mind.

‘――If that girl is also wearing magic armor, then can I open communications with her?’

Kizuna opened a floating window and searched for communication partner around the coordinates of Ramza’s position.

“It’s not a solution but, perhaps I can persuade her. At the very least even if it’s just a clue……”

Suddenly a girl with red hair was projected in the window. That girl was surprised exaggeratedly and raised her voice.

{UWAA! That startled me―. Just when I thought who was it, I never thought that it’s from the demon king of Lemuria.}

Ramza’s way of talking was the same like when she was talking with Lunora, a bright carefree voice.

“Ramza! Just what are you planning to do!”

{Hm? It’s making this fortress powerless you know. Especially that tough particle cannon I think.}

As expected that was it. Kizuna nodded.

“At this rate, you won’t seal not only the main cannon, but this Ataraxia will sink. If that happens, a great number of lives will be lost because of your power. Can we avoid at least that somehow?”

According to Lunora’s story, in the past, disaster was brought about to people with this power as the cause. If, she had a regret about that, then possibly――,

{Hm―m……if I can, I want to do that but see……}

Ramza knitted her eyebrows looking troubled and smiled.

“Then do that! Please!”

{Ahaha, actually I too didn’t intend to make it until this showy though……}

“This isn’t something to laugh about! Then quickly――”

{Actually it is completely running wild……it’s unstoppable already.}

“Wha……”

‘――What the hell!?’

Kizuna’s mouth kept opened and he couldn’t make out a word.

{When my condition is bad, there were times when I couldn’t stop the flame. But, this is the first time it’s this bad. For some reason, it feels like I’m imprisoned inside my own flame……}

“Something, is there no way to stop this!?”

Ramza scratched her head. Sweat was trickling down her forehead, it looked like Ramza herself was feeling hot.

{It will stop if I release my magic armor but……the magic armor also doesn’t listen to what I say……I wonder if the Core itself had gotten strange from the heat? And so, my bad, but quickly evacuate the place or something. Indeed, I don’t like to kill people pointlessly.}

Ramza’s attitude that seemed to have given up already made Kizuna feel an uncomfortable feeling.

“And, when is this rampage going to end?”

{I don’t know. But, I think it’s going to stop if I die.}

What?

{Seems like, it’s getting hot that even I myself is going to get burned. At this rate will I die burning, or will I die from using up my magic power……that’s why, you can just leave me here alone.}

The communication cut off after she said that.

‘――Sheet-! Running wild she said? However, it will stop if Ramza died?’

{Kizuna! Can you hear!?}

Suddenly the line with Nayuta Lab came back. However it was only voice while the image was noise.

“Nee-chan! Just now I directly heard the story from Ramza but――uoo!?”

Even looking down from the sky, he could understand that Ataraxia below him was greatly shaking. Sound of the ground rumbling was reverberating, and then that sound was rapidly getting louder.

“Don’t tell me, this is!”

Enormous explosive sound that sounded confined could be heard, shaking Ataraxia fiercely one more time. And then enormous flame spouted out from the flank.

“That’s……the area around the main cannon’s firing hole……don’t tell me……”

{It’s exactly as you imagined. Just now, the firing system of the main cannon was destroyed. With this we cannot fire the particle cannon anymore. But, Ramza’s temperature is further increasing, the damage is spreading. A few more minutes and it is going to break through Ataraxia’s bottom. We cannot even close the dividing wall anymore, the evacuation won’t make it in time too.}

“Ku……”

{Aldea, this is your turn.}

“Me? Just what are you going to make me do?”

Aldea tilted her head with a cautious voice.

{The Labyrinth Cube that imprisoned Himekawa. Use that and remove Ramza.}

Aldea lifted the corner of her mouth.

“Fufu, I see. If I lock her up, she will self-destruct by her own heat isn’t it? Well, the problem is can the Labyrinth Cube endure Ramza’s heat or not, however……there is worth in trying it.”

{Deal with Ramza no matter what! I’ll leave it to you!}

Kizuna couldn’t move when the floating window closed. He understood that they had to act quickly. However, Ramza’s history that he heard from Lunora flashed through his head.

“What’s the matter? We are going now Kizuna.”

Aldea called to Kizuna who kept floating in a daze.

“Aah, I get it.”

Aldea faced the hole the fire globe made and descended down. She was feeling as if she was descending down into the caldera of a volcano.

“U……it’s really hot here. But, if I don’t get nearer, the Labyrinth Cube cannot be linked.”

“Let’s descend a little bit more. We are plunging into the hole.”

Aldea made a dissatisfied face towards Gravel who easily said that.

“You say that easily but, we are going to get burned just by getting near you know?”

“It’s fine, just do your best. I’ll praise you later.”

“Geez―……absolutely okay?”

Aldea entered inside the hole while trying to hold her breath. After her Gravel and Kizuna followed.

The rim of the hole was shining red like magma, it was melting like gooey. And then, on their path was an object like the flame of a smelting furnace solidified round whirling. Approaching near the fire globe that was squirming like a living thing, their body temperature was becoming high, they felt the temperature increasing each time they approached for ten more centimeters. Sweat trickled from their whole body and their heads were becoming hazy.

“Geez, this is the limit!”

Aldea talked as if crying while sweating like a waterfall.

It was fifty meters from the target. If they were without their magic armor, they would have been burnt to death a long time ago. Aldea finally stopped and disassembled the six shields protecting her body.

Kizuna faced Aldea’s back and asked.

“Can you do it from this distance, Aldea?”

“I’ll do it somehow. Go-, Labyrinth Cube!”

The armors torn away off from Aldea’s body and transformed into cross-shaped parts changed shape. All six crosses were flying towards the ball of flame.

Aldea concentrated her mind and controlled the crosses. Sweat that was like a globe flowed down into the valley of her breasts. The cross parts configured their surfaces and created a cube. It was impossible for the thing locked inside this cube to escape. Using the power of the magic armor Zeel, it created a perfect prison by warping the space, and because it was impossible to escape, the heat energy was also locked inside the Labyrinth Cube. They would remove Ramza from Ataraxia, at the same time Ramza herself would be defeated by her own energy, it was a tactic that killed two birds with one stone.

The cross parts sunk into the flame and their figures vanished. Kizuna became anxious, if the parts melted or not. He wanted to ask the situation, but Aldea was concentrating so there was no way he could call her. Not only the heat, impatience was also gradually scorching the inside of his chest.

“I caught her!”

Suddenly Aldea yelled with a satisfied smile.

The flame globe burning below them instantly changed into a cube.

“You did it! You did really well, Aldea!”

Gravel too clenched her fist like a guts pose.

“I’m bringing it up now!”

The moment she said that, Aldea was rising through the side. The flaming cube was following her as if being pulled. Kizuna and Gravel escaped to the outside in panic. And then like that they flew through the sky in one go. At the sky where cool wind was blowing, the rectangle box of flame was floating.

“A success, huh.”

Kizuna murmured while staring at the Labyrinth Cube floating five hundred meters in the sky.

The flame was perfectly isolated, so it wasn’t hot even if he approached near. But, the cross parts composing the Labyrinth Cube were melting at the surface.

Kizuna sent a communication at Ramza inside the Labyrinth Cube. However there was no reply. But, the flame was burning meant that she was still alive.

‘――Is it really okay, to burn her to death just like this?’

He could hear Lunora’s voice inside his head once more.

{Because of that special ability of Ramza, she was abandoned by her parents, avoided by everyone. She was unable to control her ability and even burned to the ground the facility she was held in. And then, at the time when she was finally going to be disposed……the one who picked up Ramza, was also Zelcyone-sama.}

“Zelcyone huh……”

‘――She is quite someone.’

“A pervert though.”

Kizuna made a thin smile at his lips and then spoke to Aldea.

“……Can you release the Labyrinth Cube for me?”

Aldea tilted her head a little in puzzlement, unable to understand her ally.

“Why?”

“I’ll save Ramza.”

“Haa!? What are you saying? Even though we finally locked her up, all that hardship is going to come to nothing!”

Gravel also made a grim face.

“Besides there is no way to save her. Just how in the world are you going to rescue Ramza?”

“Ramza said before that the flame will stop if her magic armor is released. That’s why, I’ll drag out Ramza from the flame globe and rip off that girl’s magic armor by force!”

Gravel spoke to Kizuna who declared that angrily to make sure.

“Kizuna. I won’t say that it’s bad to show mercy. But, there is the risk that we will be exposed to danger once more. Do you understand that?”

“Yeah. That’s why, I’ll do it alone.”

Similar with when he defeated Lunora, Kizuna created a gunsword in his right hand, and a spear in his left hand.

Aldea sighed in amazement.

“Hey, Gravel? Looks like it pointless to say anything anymore to him.”

However Gravel crossed her arms in a state that couldn’t accept what was going on and pursed her lips in bad mood. Kizuna didn’t notice that displeasure of Gravel, he lightly swung up the weapons in his hands as if to measure the weight and fixed his grip.

“So that you won’t get swallowed, run away right after you dismantle the cube. Also, Gravel.”

“What?”

“I’m sorry but, if I fail then Ramza……could you make it easy for Ramza?”

“I refuse.”

“Eh”, Kizuna leaked out such a voice.

“No, ‘leave it to me’……isn’t that what you should say in that kind of scene?”

Gravel decisively said to Kizuna who was smiling wryly.

“You, hereafter you have to bring about a miracle in an even more difficult reality. Just something this much, should be naturally doable for you.”

His comrade in arms grinned broadly.

“Take care of this quickly.”

Kizuna didn’t answer with words, he put strength into the sword and spear he gripped in his hands and flew towards the Labyrinth Cube.

“Now Aldea!”

The Labyrinth Cube detached not even an instant after Kizuna’s voice. The parts were flicked off and the vortex of flame locked inside was spreading.

“HAA!”

Towards the flame assaulting him with explosive momentum, Kizuna swung his spear. The spear that distorted space cut open the flame. Ahead of the wrenched open space, the figure of the girl at the center of the flame was exposed.

‘――There!’

Kizuna threw away the spear and deployed Life Saver that covered his body surface. And then he flew into the chasm of the flame. The heat was terrific. His body burned, it was like he would be burned to death. Perhaps his whole body was getting burn damage. But he didn’t confirm it.

His only problem is whether his body could move or not. Anything other than that was trivial.

He lifted up his gunsword and slashed at Ramza. The more he approached near, the flame was raging even more severely. If he flew in without distorting the space, then he would surely get evaporated instantly. Fierce hot wind was blowing on his face.

“DEYAAAA!”

He swung the gunsword and smashed Ramza’s armor. Putting too much power would mangle Ramza’s body altogether. Cracks entered the armor and the surface parts broke.

The distorted space began to close.

‘――Whattt!?’

Kizuna’s body was licked by scorching hot flame.

“DAMN ITTTTTTTT!”

He also threw his gunsword and directly grasped Ramza’s armor and put the strength of his whole body. He broke the armor and tore it off. He tore off the arm part, broke the leg armor and ripped it off. He threw away the large part on her back, then he put his hand into the gap between the skin and the armor protecting her abundant chest.

“THIS BASTAAAAAAAAAAAAARD-!”

What his palm felt, was not heat but pain. And then the pain broke the limit and he felt nothing. The flame was slowly roasting his body. His throat was thirsty. His tongue became dry and the liquid of his eyeballs was evaporating.

“QUICKLY……STRIP OFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF-!!”

The chest armor broke apart, and Ramza’s abundant breasts flew out bouncingly.

At that moment, the scorching fire globe burst open like an explosion. The flame flying to all directions dispersed and the flame and heat vanished like a lie.

After that, only the cool wind of the sky was blowing. That scorching flame was just like an illusion or dream. The only thing that told him it had happened for real, was the sweat flowing down his face and the prickling pain on his skin. And then the figure of Ramza inside his arms without a single string covering her.

“Kizuna! You okay?”

Gravel and Aldea came to him in a panic.

“I’m not really……fine here.”

“What! Where, show it to me!”

Kizuna powerlessly smiled at the flustered Gravel.

“My throat is thirsty.”

“That’s-……eh?”

Gravel was staring at Kizuna for a while with a befuddled face. Before long she showed a wry smile and peered at Kizuna’s face.

“Seems like the burn is not that bad……your life also doesn’t seem to be affected.”

“Yeah, just like Gravel told me.”

“I guess. But……no matter what kind of circumstance it is, the opponent is Vatlantis’s imperial guard. Even if you left her to die, no one will blame you.”

Kizuna stared at Ramza who was sleeping like a child inside his arms.

“Maybe……but”

Kizuna smiled a little shyly.

“I got the feeling that the future me will blame me.”

Gravel nodded with closed eyes.

“Then, it can’t be helped huh.”

“But you know……it sounds good that you say you are saving her but, looking at what you did from a broad point of view, you were forcibly stripping off a girl naked with brute force……wasn’t that what happened there?”

Aldea bantered with a mean smile.

“I, idiot. There is this thing called way of speaking.”

From both sides, Gravel and Aldea supported Kizuna who was still holding Ramza and they landed on Ataraxia.

“First get a doctor to look at you, and then rest for a while. It’s rash to return to the battlefront immediately in that condition. Leave this place to us for a while. Okay?”

Gravel admonished Kizuna.

“I really want to do that……but, we are marching into Zeltis after this right, there is no free time for rest or――”

Suddenly a floating window opened in front of Kizuna’s face.

{Bo-, boss! This is really bad!}

Gertrude was projected close-up while talking with force that spit almost flew from her mouth.

{Right now we are attacking until London but, the, they came out! They came here now-!}

“Came out you say, what is it?”

{Isn’t that obvious! It’s that!}

The viewpoint of the window was rotated 180 degree.

The Entrance was reflected. There was still quite a distance. Above the Tower Bridge building that was the representative of London, was a huge rectangle towering to the sky.

“Just what are coming out……”

The image in the monitor zoomed up at the Entrance. The resolution became a little rough but he could confirm a figure of a person floating.

Aldea who was peering into the screen knitted her eyebrows.

“A person, rather, a magic armor?”

Gravel also made a doubtful face and stared at the floating window.

“However, there is only that single one. Just what is it planning?”

Cold sweat trickled down Kizuna’s cheek.

His heartbeat was beginning to throb loudly.

The magic weapons of Izgard were attacking at that silhouette. The magic weapons that looked like a brusque armored knight was swinging down their swords. But, faster than that sword could swing, the figure of the magic weapon became letters and formulas of light and flew away.

‘――Code Breaker!?’

The figure projected at the coarse image was glaring this way.

There was no way he could mistake that face.

Pink hair, red eyes. The figure of white magic armor with magic circle shining blue on the back.

“Aine!!”

Kizuna faced Gravel with a pale face.

“Gravel! Withdraw the whole army!”

However Gravel too only kept her eyes opened wide and continued to stare at that image.

“Impossible……why is Zeros here?”

Kizuna grasped the shoulder of the half dumbfounded Gravel and shook her to be awake.

“Quickly withdraw from the front line! In front of Code Breaker, magic armor and battleships are useless. If we don’t hurry, the important battle force will be annihilated!”

Gravel who returned to her senses gave out instruction to retreat from the front line in panic. Thereupon the fleet retreated while opening to the left and right to evade Aine. And then at the center, a direct path to advance straight until Ataraxia was opened. At the empty sky, Aine was slowly advancing forward while still in her standing straight posture.

Her eyes that were wrapped in grief was staring at her former home.

“Kizuna……”

While the fleet was retreating, Kizuna and the others returned to Nayuta Lab in order to the situation and countermeasure.

At the wall, the image of Aine heading towards Ataraxia was largely projected.

{There is still time before she arrives with her current speed. However, we have no way to stop her.}

Kei’s text covered the monitor. Reiri clicked her tongue while asking.

“The defense system? Can we possibly repel her?”

{The cruise mechanism is completely dead due to Ramza’s attack. The defense system is the same. The remaining reserve generator can do nothing but operate just this lab.}

Gravel murmured in frustration.

“Certainly the fleet of Vatlantis should have headed to Izgard just as planned. Yet despite so, why is Zeros here……”

Aldea also nodded with a difficult face.

“Really. This Aine, does she have some kind of special ability too I wonder?”

Kizuna was staring fixedly at the figure of Aine in the monitor while staying quiet.

‘――It’s my fault.’

At that night, Kizuna felt like he heard Aine’s voice and he replied.

That itself, was really nothing at all. He also understood that it was only his imagination. When he was replying, he was only speaking to himself.

However for the current Kizuna, it was inevitable for him to think that it was Aine who was calling for him. It was just his subjective impression, so he couldn’t speak about it. But, for some reason he felt apologetic to everyone.

Reiri looked up at the monitor in decision.

“We are abandoning Ataraxia.”

“Eh!?”

Kizuna doubted his ears.

“Throwing away Ataraxia you say?”

“In the first place if we march into the AU, Ataraxia will be just a useless object. After its great activity of being the herald of this time’s embarking, it’s fate will be only to standby here. Then, it’s not really a great change to abandon it here. Therefore, all students and personnel are to evacuate to Izgard’s flagship in haste.”

It was a shocking decision based from Reiri’s judgment.

“Forgive me for saying things as I pleased, but there is no other way. Can you allow this, Gravel?”

Gravel immediately nodded.

“Very well. We can do nothing but that right now.”

Reiri faced to Kei and gave out instruction.

“Immediately gather the leaders of each department. Because the information system is unusable, relay the evacuation order to all members by mouth. If they don’t make it in time, then I don’t mind even if they are using helicopter or boat. For the moment, after they distance themselves from Ataraxia, we will request Izgard’s ship to recover them.”

At that time, Momo rushed into the central control room.

“Ah, Hida-kun! I just finished the arrangement of your request!”

She showed a V-sign proudly while being out of breath. Kizuna raised a bright voice in an unexpected joy.

“Is that so! Nice timing. Thanks, Kurumizawa!”

Reiri crossed her arms with a face that couldn’t understand what they were talking about.

“Arrangement? What’s the preparation for?”

Kizuna answered with a smile.

“It’s the preparation to fight Aine.”

“What!? No……anyway right now we are retreating. You to prepare for that.”

“Everyone go retreat. I will intercept Aine at Ataraxia.”

“Kizuna!”

Reiri yelled angrily with an impatient voice.

Gravel was also shaking her head in a bewildered state.

“That’s reckless. Haven’t you said it yourself Kizuna? In front of Code Breaker, battleship and magic armors are useless. Even my Zoros and your Eros will only vanish. There is no method to deal with that.”

However Kizuna smiled daringly.

“――There is.”

Gravel opened her eyes wide in surprise.

“It’s just, it’s impossible with only me. I had help from the guys of the research department and the combat department.”

Momo responded with a guts pose as if to say to leave it to her.

“Something like that is no problem at all! I already called out to everyone!”

“I don’t know whether I can win or not. But, there is a way. That’s why, I want to bet on that! And then……”

Kizuna stared fixedly at his own clenched fist.

“I’ll take back Aine for sure!”

Part 2

Aine stepped on the ground of Ataraxia after a long time.

However, the scenery was too tragic for her to soak in deep emotion. There was almost no undamaged building, a lot of them were turned into mountains of rubble. Here and there were small flames and smoke rising up, showing that they couldn’t even extinguish the fire. A large hole like a crater at the center was opened, steep cracks and ground depression occurred around it, the buildings were mowed down.

There was no sign of people, there was no shadow of the stylish and ordered townscape anywhere. Not even electricity was working, all the digital signage displays everywhere were off, it felt like the light of Ataraxia’s life itself had been extinguished. What was here was the wreckage of the former Ataraxia. It was an enormous corpse, exactly a ruin.

While she was walking, she saw the magic weapons of Vatlantis and Izgard collapsed down, turned into wreckage. It was the vestige of a battle between fellow magic weapons. But for the remains to not vanish yet, it seemed to mean that although its operation was halted, it hadn’t completely died yet.

When Aine put a little more strength to her fingertip, the wreckage was pushed by her palm. Instantly the magic weapon was disassembled into the formula of the blueprint. Shining letters, numerical formula, such things were dancing in the air and vanished.

Like a tree that withered and the leafs scattered, the gigantic remains of the magic weapon was changing into beads of light and vanishing away. Only then she noticed for the first time that behind it there was a person. Aine called the name of that person who gradually showed his figure.

“Kizuna……”

The one who Aine was looking for was standing there without wearing his Heart Hybrid Gear, only his pilot suit.

“Who ever thought that you will appear in London……even though we thought that we had outwitted Aine. That was shocking.”

Hida Kizuna was talking normally, just like when Aine was a member of Amaterasu.

“Yes, I headed to Izgard until the middle of the way. But……somehow it felt like Kizuna called me and I went back alone to Zeltis. Even though I understood that it was just my imagination……but”

Aine showed an empty smile.

“By any chance, I grew unwilling to fight you, and wanted to run away, perhaps that’s why I heard that kind of hallucination. That, it became something like this……perhaps fate just cannot be opposed.”

The magic circle at Aine’s back was increasing in radiance, the rotating speed was increasing.

“Kizuna, there is no longer a way for you to fight. Surrender quietly.”

Kizuna made a surprised face and responded.

“Surrender? You came to kill me right?”

“Ye, yes……right. That’s how it is.”

“Or else, are you planning to take me back, and give me the death penalty at the other side?”

Aine clenched her teeth hard.

“No……if I do that, surely you will be killed in a gruesome way. I cannot endure, something like that……that’s why, I’ll rather, with this hand, so that you won’t suffer……I will”

Aine stared reproachfully at both her palms.

“Is that so……”

“For Kizuna, I look like a demon or a devil isn’t it? But――”

Kizuna shook his head and cut off Aine’s words.

“No, I don’t think of you like that. I’m grateful that you are thinking about me until that much.”

“Eh……?”

Aine faltered towards Kizuna’s unexpected reaction.

“What are you blurting out? Are you seeing hallucinations or something after getting cornered this far?”

However Kizuna was showing a calm smile. When she saw that expression, Aine became anxious. She wondered just why Kizuna was being this calm, acting so confidently. Even though far from winning against her, he didn’t even have any method to fight.

“But see, there is no way I’m getting killed. There are still things I’ve got to do.”

“Things to do?”

Kizuna spoke full of confidence.

“I’ll go to Vatlantis, and resolve the problem of Genesis. And then, the AU and this world too, I’ll save both worlds at the same time.”

Hearing that really big talk, Aine’s opened mouth couldn’t close.

“What’s the matter? Has your head become strange because the situation is just too hopeless I wonder?”

“No. I’m sane. Even you Aine, you think it’s better if something like that can actually happen right?”

Aine clenched her fist tightly.

“There is no way such thing is possible.”

“There should be some kind of way. Just think about it carefully. My Eros can create magic power using Heart Hybrid right? I got the feeling that there is some kind of hint there. Besides Genesis is not something that was made naturally right? There was a human that created it for sure. If there was a human creating that, then there should be a way to repair it.”

Aine brushed off the air as if to erase a grating noise.

“We won’t be this troubled if we understod that! Or else what? Does Kizuna know about that way? Even Professor Nayuta still doesn’t know about it.”

“It’s possible! No, I’ll show you that I can do it. That’s why cooperate with us!”

“No way. That will only make the chaos worse! Are you saying that not just the disaster of Genesis, you are also going to cause war damage with Lemuria to the people?”

“That’s why I don’t want to attack with brute force. Please, Aine!”

However Aine glared at Kizuna with upturned eyes and face that was going to cry. Kizuna made a deep sigh.

“……As expected, it seems that in order to do that, first I have to defeat you.”

“How are you going to defeat this me? Something like a way to fight me, you have none at all Kizuna!”

“I have! It’s my reserve method see!”

Aine glared at Kizuna with a dubious face.

“Just what in the world, that way of yours――”

“Equip!”

The moment he yelled that, a metal frame appeared on Kizuna’s back. The frame brushed aside rubble, flying out from the ground and embraced at Kizuna, equipping on his body. And then on top of it a rugged armor was stacked up.

“Tha, that is……?”

It was an existence that was completely different from the Heart Hybrid Gear or magic armor that Aine knew. It was a complete armor of machine. Rugged armor on a metal frame. Electronic equipment and battery at the inside. Large fuel tank jutting out from the frame, in addition motor and jet engine and so on were installed on it.

The shape that prioritized function didn’t feel polished at all like Heart Hybrid Gear. The large fuselage that seemed to want to say that it was completely impossible from the start to consolidate it into a smaller size, was a size or two sizes bigger than Kizuna’s body. Kizuna’s arms were surrounded by thick steel arm that was a size longer. The mechanical leg part that was like a rough steel frame for the sake of supporting its mass of several hundred kilos was covering Kizuna’s leg.

Kizuna lightly lifted up the railgun in anti-material rifle model at the mechanical arm that was extended from his arm, and pointed the gun muzzle at Aine.

“Here I go, Aine!”

“Wha……Code Breaker!”

The magic circle behind her increased in radiance. The magic circle of Code Breaker was spreading underneath Aine, that light swallowed Kizuna.

But there was no change even for a little bit at Kizuna and the armor worn on his body.

“My bad Aine. You see, Code Breaker against this thing…”

Kizuna made a daring smile and fired up the motors and engines that drove each part.

“Won’t work at all!”

The tough leg part stepped on the ground, the steel arm readied the large railgun.

“Such thing!?”

The armor couldn’t be disassembled into formula. The event that overturned her common sense made Aine fall into chaos. Kizuna pulled the trigger and a bullet with a speed several times the speed of sound flew out.

“Kuh!”

Aine kicked the ground and evaded the bullet. It was a movement characteristic of Zeros who boasted of the fastest speed. Aine once more stared fixedly at the thing Kizuna equipped.

“That Heart Hybrid Gear……no, wrong. That thing, don’t tell me……”

She had seen it before in Ataraxia. Aine recalled the true identity of that thing.

“Yeah, exactly. This thing, is a Technical Gear. It doesn’t use magic power at all, an armor that is created with 100% earth technology!!”

It was a training hardware that the students of Ataraxia’s combat department used to practice. Before being installed with Taros’s Core, even Sylvia was doing practice with this. While it was only natural, but its performance was greatly inferior compared to the real Heart Hybrid Gear, it didn’t even compare if talking about its combat ability.

“Are you……making fun of me?”

“Why do you say that? This thing is something the creator really has confidence――”

“Don’t fool around with me! Just what use that kind of training tool has huh! There is no way that kind of thing will work against this Zeros right!?”

One more rifle slide up from behind the Technical Gear and came out to the front. Kizuna took it in one hand and aimed it at Aine.

“I guess that’s true thinking about it normally. It won’t even reach under the feet of Zeros. But you see……this thing can fight. It won’t vanish even against Code Breaker. If that’s the case, then I can only do this right?”

Kizuna pulled the trigger. Bullet assaulted Aine together with a fierce explosive sound. When the ground burst out as if exploding, Aine was running towards Kizuna while evading the bullet.

Sensing that movement, the Technical Gear’s jet engine spewed out fire. Violent smoke was rolling up while the heavy large body was flung up to the sky. However Zeros pursued Kizuna in one jump.

“If I cannot use Code Breaker, then I only need to normally punch it!”

Zeros’s punch was received by the armor of the left arm. With that one punch, the arm frame bent and the armor snapped off. However Kizuna didn’t falter and fired the railgun at Aine whose movement stopped. Aine struck down the bullet with her fist and took large distance by the ignition of her thruster.

Kizuna confirmed the movement of the bent arm and smiled boldly after he confirmed that it could still move.

“Certainly this thing is a training unit created with existing technology. Even the weapon is fundamentally just a conventional thing. However it’s better to not underestimate it too much. The fellows at the research department developed it until this point with their passion, tenacity, and by staking their life. This is somewhat different with your run-of-the-mill tool!”

“Bring it on!”

Aine attacked once more. In order to maintain distance, Kizuna raised the output of his jet engine. However he couldn’t really make a detailed movement. He could do broad movement, but it was impossible for him to have fine posture control in the air.

‘――It can only be a land war if I want to open a path of survival!’

He dropped down the jet engine’s output and landed after a natural drop. Togther with a fierce ground shaking, his leg caved into the ground. However the shock absorber of the leg part absorbed most of the impact.

He pulled out his leg and while he was trying to begin moving, Aine caught up. Zeros’s speed was in a different dimension than the Technical Gear. By the time he tried to guard by raising his arm, Aine’s fist had been unleashed. Vortex of air current was created around the fist due to the severe speed. Together with an impact as if he had been hit by a car, the right arm of the Technical Gear that was guarding was blown away.

“Sheet!”

Similar like before, he aimed the railgun when Aine’s movement stopped. However before the aim could be fixed, the gun barrel was conversely caught.

‘――Damn it.’

“I don’t have the mood to keep giving service of getting caught by that so many times here.”

Aine stole the railgun from Kizuna’s hand by tearing it off and threw it away with all her strength.

“Looks like you don’t have another weapon. With this you are bare handed.”

Aine opened her legs, put her hand on her waist and glared at Kizuna.

“Aine, have you forgotten already?”

Kizuna thrust down his left arm as if to strike the ground.

“Forget you say……just what”

The Technical Gear’s left arm rotated a certain handle on the ground. Thereupon, the ground opened up and a metal box flew out.

“――That’s”

Her forgotten memory was resurrected. That was the facility she used before she met Kizuna, before she obtained the Corruption Armament yet.

“The firearm replenishing system……for magic weapon interception.”

Kizuna had assault rifle type railgun in his right hand, and then his left hand was taking out anti material rifle type railgun [Toshirou], he aimed it at Aine and fired.

“Kuh!”

Aine immediately put a Life Saver. Fierce storm of gunfire blew away the rubble surface, flame and smoke rolled up which was stealing the field of vision.

‘――I never, for the defensive system that I once used myself to be used on me.’

Railgun was firing rapidly and raised a groan like thunder.

The enemy she fought at that time. Right now she had become that very enemy itself, once again she was feeling as if she was cursed at. Aine whose blood rose to her head reflexively jumped out to the right. She escaped from the smoke that the gunfire raised and cleared her vision.

“Wha-……!?”

Ahead of the smoke curtain she escaped, the Technical Gear was standing in her way. It was as if Aine’s movement had been read, the Technical Gear was waiting with its fist pulled back.

“DEYAAAAAAAAA-!”

It was an accurate attack. The steel fist that was accelerated by motor and hydraulics struck at Aine’s body.

“……Kuuh!”

Aine’s body lightly flew in the air. She was thrown into a half-destroyed building while rotating and sunk into concrete.

‘――I did it.’

Kizuna himself doubted his eyes.

The Technical Gear blew away the strongest Heart Hybrid Gear Zeros.

‘――I can do this!’

“AINEEEEEE-!”

He made the tire at his leg part do high speed rotation. Sparks scattered from its friction with the street. Powerful motor and the jet engine at his back accelerated the Technical Gear’s large body in one go, he dashed towards Aine.

‘――Decide it with the next attack!’

Kizuna brandished his left arm. He was heading towards Aine that was caught in a wall with fierce speed. He shot out the steel fist with a superb timing.

“Ga……-!?”

A sound of a huge metal lump crashing resounded. Kizuna’s body that was fixed in the frame became thrown out to the front. The frame dug into his body, causing his muscle and bone to scream. It was an impact like a car crashing into a wall.

He was assaulted by a light brain concussion, Kizuna’s gaze was going in circles. He resisted his circling sight and stared at the end where his fist struck.

Aine’s right hand lightly blocked the Technical Gear’s fist.

“As I thought……it won’t, be that easy.”

Kizuna grumbled with a wry smile.

Ignoring Kizuna’s frivolous talk, Aine’s red eyes shined coldly.

“Only with this level, just how are you going to try to save Vatlantis? There is nothing that Kizuna can do at all.”

Kizuna also appealed with a serious expression.

“Certainly just me alone, might not be able to do anything. But, Nee-chan, Shikina-san, everyone of the research department, they are all here! Even for us, there must be something we can actually do!”

“There is already Professor Nayuta.”

“……!!”

Kizuna’s throat was blocked from that name.

“How can Shikina-san and the students of the research department do something that is impossible for Professor Nayuta huh.”

“That Professor Nayuta! Kaa-san is the one that cannot be trusted the most isn’t she!”

Kizuna spontaneously howled. As if to oppose that, Aine also let out a rough voice.

“There is no other way! There is no one else that can be relied! Besides Professor Nayuta said that she is deciphering the letters of Genesis’s relief. It will be deciphered soon already! If that happens, she said that she should be able to find the method to save us! That’s why!”

Aine’s finger crushed the fist of the Technical Gear. The actuator that controlled the finger’s movement was pulverized, the broken piston flew out like bones, and oil spurted out in place of blood.

“URYAAAAAA-!”

The tire of the leg part rotated, the Technical Gear hurriedly began to spin turn at that spot. And then he tipped up the toes and struck towards Aine. The heaviest part of the Technical Gear that was the leg part launched a kick that was added with the rotation energy.

However, Aine kicked up her leg with a cool face. The large metal leg was met by Zeros’s slim leg.

“Ku……-!?”

The leg part of the Technical Gear was scattered apart into pieces. The internal motors and cables, the parts of hydraulics system and so on, all danced in the air. Zeros’s causal attack really easily smashed the kick with the Technical Gear’s whole strength.

“Not yet!”

Kizuna unfastened the lock of the frame and fell off from the Technical Gear. And then he desperately escaped with a fierce dash. Ahead of him was a mountain of rubbles with height of five meters, Kizuna begun to climb that mountain.

Aine was staring at that action with a loathsome feeling.

“That’s really unsightly, Kizuna.”

She didn’t even run. Aine was walking to chase behind Kizuna who was climbing the mountain of rubble. When Kizuna reached the summit of the mountain of rubble, he moved aside the fragment of plank that was in the highest place. And then his body slid down underneath it.

‘――Kizuna?’

Aine felt discomfort toward Kizuna where only his neck was visible from the mountain of rubble. When she felt that, the mountain of rubble crumbled down. Intense sounds and smoke were raised, the rubble was raining down on Aine.

“Aine! This thing is not a Heart Hybrid Gear. Even if it got broken, if it’s just replaced, then I can fight no matter how many times!”

The rubbles flipped up and a large Technical Gear showed its appearance. This one was larger more than two sizes compared to the previous fuselage. Its total height was nearly five meters. Both its arms and legs were also large, the railgun equipped at that arm was also extraordinarily large.

“I’ll depend on you, Rugaa-chan! Blow her away!!”

It was the large railgun Kurumizawa Momo of the research department developed, with barrel that was longer than five meters, the named [Rugaa-chan] spouted fire.

Thundering explosive sound and electricity that was like thunder were fired. With destructive power that was like a bomb with every single shot, it gave rise to a storm of flame and shockwave. Its power also destroyed Ataraxia, the spot where Aine was standing , its ground and also pavement, and even the armor panels underneath were turned over, skyrocketing high to the sky.

“What about this!? Aine!”

Even while yelling that, Kizuna was dripping cold sweat inside his heart.

This thing was created from scraping up together any parts of Technical Gears available, just a large machine for bluffing. It was mostly only taking on the role as an unmoving platform for the railgun.

‘――I know already, that she is not a lukewarm opponent that could be dealt with somehow with something like this.’

The instant he thought that, Aine flew out from inside the blast smoke. She changed her posture in the air and hit the Technical Gear with a flying kick. The body that was reinforced solidly easily exploded.

“Chih! At least one attack!”

The large Technical Gear’s thick arm was going to swing down. However, the movement was too slow. Aine easily evaded that arm. Aine swung from above to the arm that hit empty air and struck the ground with a sword hand. The Technical Gear’s arm was broken into two. With a returning strike of the same arm, the hand that equipped the railgun was broken.

“Stop giving useless resistance.”

“Chih!’

Kizuna pulled the lever at his waist.

In an instant the frame disassembled and Kizuna’s body was launched to the sky.

“Kizuna-!?”

Kizuna’s body was flown to the other side of a building that was separated a few hundred meter from there thanks to the small jet engine equipped on his back.

Aine distorted her mouth in frustration.

“What’s this……after making that kind of boast, you are now planning to run?”

Aine started up a floating window and attempted to search for Kizuna’s location. However, there was no reaction of Kizuna who was not wearing his Heart Hybrid Gear.

Aine clicked her tongue and dashed towards the direction where Kizuna vanished.

“Ah! Hida-kun, this way this way!”

Momo was waving her hand to signal Kizuna.

Making his jet engine to ignite in reverse, Kizuna descended down from the air. The moment he landed, he threw away the backup on his back and headed to the trailer of the research department. A Technical Gear was loaded inside that platform. And then around it, several dozen students of the research department were busily moving around, they were doing the preparation for the Technical Gear’s sortie.

“Has the preparation been finished!?”

Momo raised a thumbs up and showed him a smile.

“Yes, you can go out anytime!”

Kizuna immediately boarded the platform, matched the frame with his body and locked it. A student of the research department took off the preparation cable connected to it and rotated his arm.

The Technical Gear had been charged with electricity and the warming up was also finished. Kizuna raised the output, he proped his body up with the arm and sat upright.

Its shape was the same with the first fuselage, but this one had light movement, its output also felt bigger. A missile pod was on his shoulder, and railguns on both his arms. Jet engine with higher output was on his back together with reserve railguns loaded there, and then it was shouldering a straight single-edged sword without curve.

“Hida-kun! That thing is constructed by gathering all the best parts! Just know if that thing gets broken, that’s the end!”

Kizuna waved his hand in understanding towards Momo who was yelling with her hands on her mouth.

“Never mind that, escape quickly! Aine is coming here!”

Leaving those words behind, Kizuna rotated the tire of the leg part and dashed away.

When he turned at the corner of a collapsed building, there was Aine ahead of the path.

“Aine!”

He fired the missiles from his shoulder. The missiles were flying towards Aine while drawing behind smoke and flames. Together with an impact, orange fire pillar was rising up. Weaving through the blast flames, Aine dashed towards Kizuna.

Kizuna was continuing the missile attack while firing his railguns. He was firing while predicting Aine’s movement, but Zeros’s shocking mobility enabled Aine to dodge all the bullets with defensive body movement.

“KIZUNAAAAAA!”

Getting through the barrage in the blink of an eye, Aine leaped up. She rotated her body and struck with a fierce spinning back kick. Zeros’s kick pierced at the two arms that wasted no time to guard.

“GUUOu!”

The frame of the arm warped, the body of the Technical Gear was kicked up with a power that floated it in the air. The impact mercilessly attacked the body of Kizuna that was riding in it. The Technical Gear wasnt like Heart Hybrid Gear, it didn’t give protection to the pilot’s body. The received impact reached the pilot directly.

Fracture entered Kizuna’s rib and the bones in his whole body creaked. However the leg part somehow held the ground even while letting sparks flew.

“!?”

The arm of the Technical Gear that was trying to aim the gun for counter attack was caught by Aine.

‘――Thrown away!?’

Just when he thought that, his body was flying in the air. And then he crashed on the road that was littered with rubble. He was rolling like a dice on top of the rubble.

“Ka……gehoh”

When the rolling stopped, Kizuna spitted out blood from his mouth.

“Shi, sheet……!”

Without even time to wipe the blood, he ran the program to check the function in panic. He tried to stand up, but the arm of the Technical Gear wasn’t moving.

The check program showed error and froze in the middle.

“What the hell! Damn it-“

He hit at the console at the waist and roughly cut the power. Wasting no time, he turned on the power one more time and rebooted the system.

At that time, an explosion occurred beside his face. Fragments of concrete flew at his face and created a gash.

“Guh! ……A, Aine?”

What caused the explosion was Aine’s foot. She stepped beside Kizuna’s face and treaded through the pavement.

“Just why, are you resisting like that. Even though……I want to give you an easy death. Like this, aren’t I just tormenting Kizuna.”

She was looking down at Kizuna with a face that was going to cry even now.

“Not really……something this much is not really a big deal.”

Kizuna spitted out a spit mixed with blood.

“Yeah the injury is painful here. But, even Aine is bearing injury too. We are the same here.”

“What are you saying? I’m not getting hurt or anything at all. For the attack of a toy like that to give me damage or anything……that’s impossible.”

Aine said sorrowfully.

“Not your body. Your heart.”

Getting puzzled, Aine stared fixedly at Kizuna’s eyes.

“Even though you were looking for help, I couldn’t respond to that. And then I hurt you, and you got distressed. Compared to that, just this much is nothing at all. This is only like the interest that I haven’t paid.”

“Wha……are you an idiot!?”

Aine yelled angrily in fluster.

“Right now Kizuna, is going to get killed you know? By this me, do you understand that?”

“Yeah……that’s how far you are going, trying to protect this me.”

“……-!”

“It seems at Vatlantis, I’m quite hated there after all. There are guys there wanting to execute me there with gruesome ways right?”

“……That’s right.”

Aine couldn’t meet Kizuna’s eyes and her gaze was wandering around.

“Trying to kill a comrade with that hand, there is no way it’s not painful. So that I won’t taste that hellish pain, Aine is trying to protect me even by shouldering that much bitterness.”

“Something like that……you are just thinking too much. I’m, just……”

“Thank you, for thinking about me until that much.”

Tears were gathering in Aine’s eyes and she shook her head.

“No matter what the reason, it doesn’t change that I’m trying to kill you. I’m――”

“I too want to become a man that doesn’t lose to you. Even if I died, I want to become someone that can throw out my chest and say, that I’ve done everything that I can in order to protect my comrades.”

“Stop it already!”

At that time the electronic sound that informed that the rebooting had finished chimed.

“Yosh-!”

He released the remaining missiles from the super close range.

“!?”

The attack that took her by surprise also made Aine jump back. Wasting no time, Kizuna ignited the jet engine on his back and flew up while scraping the ground. And then he pulled out the reserve railgun attached on his back to the front.

“I won’t stop! No matter what you say, I want to save your country!”

Kizuna aimed the railgun at Aine and shot all over.

After he kept pressing the trigger, the bullet ran out in a flash. He immediately took out the cartridge and tried to put in the reserve cartridge. He put his eye on the reserve cartridge, at that slight time, Aine was rushing at him with a fierce speed.

‘――I won’t make it.’

“Sheet-!”

Giving up reloading, he put back the railgun on his back, And then he rotated the tire at the leg part and hardened his arm guard while backing off. However Aine’s fist mercilessly struck from above that. Impacts that were going to do something to his eardrum and semicircular canal were attacking without pause.

“Even though I don’t want to kill Kizuna with this hand! Why of all things, you are taking along everyone here!”

“I told you, it’s in order to save Atlantis!”

Tears scattered from Aine’s eyes.

“Are you stupid!? If we don’t discover the method to fix Genesis, at this rate Atlantis will be ruined!”

There was already no form or anything in the punch she hit with, Aine was merely leaving it to her emotions to punch her left and right fists.

“But, even if the whole of Atlantis is terminated, it’s irrelevant to everyone of Lemuria, to earth. That’s why isn’t it fine with this magic power plant or whatever! Because it’s safe if they become energy source of magic power! Even Hayuru and the others, will soon start the provincial tour in Lemuria. If they do that you can just find an opening to let them escape. Even though I’m thinking that, just why are you purposefully trying to lead everyone of Ataraxia to Atlantis!?”

Kizuna felt anger gushing out from inside his heart.

“Stupid idiot! What are you doing giving up huh!”

He ignited his jet engine and jumped. In the air he changed the rotation direction of the leg part’s tire to advance forward. At the same time with his landing, he filled the distance with Aine in one go.

“That’s your country right! That’s your people right!!”

And then he deployed the railgun at the back to the front.

“That’s why you want to cry isn’t it!”

Before the Technical Gear grasped the railgun, Aine’s two fists struck the barrel. The installed unit was torn off and the left and right railguns were blown away.

However the arms of the Technical Gear didn’t try to grip the railguns. The two arms that were circled to the back gripped not the railguns but a different weapon.

‘――The railgun was bait!?’

He aimed a large bladed tool to Aine and swung down.

Created from special steel material that the research department developed, the blade had the length of one meter, the width of the blade was ten centimeters, it was a blade exclusive for the Technical Gear.

The weapon that was certainly brutal while being primitive attacked Aine.

However, Aine evaded that attack with paper-thin difference.

She leaped at the opening where he hit empty air and her fist struck. Just when she thought that, the sword once again traveled under her nose.

The wrist of the Technical Gear rotated, the arm was bending to a bizarre direction. The Technical Gear was continuing to swing the sword with motions that were impossible for a human. Aine was perplexed against the swordsmanship she had never experienced before, she could only evade without stepping in.

Kizuna yelled while chasing after Aine.

“I’m not going to give up! I’ll show you that I’ll save the people of earth and also Atlantis!”

“Why! Don’t you hate the AU!?”

“I went to AU and understood! The people living there are the same like us. There are people holding various circumstances. Perhaps they even have, a reason why they have to fight no matter what.”

The motor of the Technical Gear’s arm went over the limit and emitted high heat. Burning smell stabbed Kizuna’s nose. Kizuna yelled while dripping with sweat like a waterfall.

“I! Am not fighting to defeat the enemy, to kill the enemy, to trample them underfoot, so I can boast my victory! I’m fighting to make the fight end! I don’t care what method that is for that sake! Even if for example, I’ve got to sing and dance and entertain the enemy!”

The thruster at Aine’s foot emitted light particles. Her foot leaped up and met the sword. The sword made from special steel material snapped, it rotated in the air and stabbed on the ground.

From Aine’s heel that was extended straight, sword of light was growing. Light particles were sharply ejected from the heel thruster, creating a bladed tool that was like a knife.

The Technical Gear separated from Aine, it spin turned after running for a while and then stopped. He threw away the snapped sword.

“That time I was captured in the prison, you said it. Help Vatlantis. That you want the two worlds to walk together.”

Aine yelled as if to vomit out the inside of her heart.

“That’s right! Why, didn’t you answer me at that time!?”

Tears endlessly spilled out from Aine’s eyes.

“Sorry……”

Kizuna rose his looking down face. He stared straight at Aine.

“But, I don’t want to keep missing you.”

He didn’t avert his eye at any cost. He absolutely couldn’t run away. The reason was――,

“We, can always do over anytime. The problem is, how to survive from this time right now.”

“Kizuna……”

Aine smiled.

That smile looked nostalgic, sad, and painful.

“Oh well……then Kizuna. Show me how you defeat me.”

Light of magic power was circulating in Zeros’s whole body with high speed. The magic circle deployed from the ring at her back increased in radiance.

“But, I’m also going in full strength.”

“Just what I wish for.”

Both of them stared at each other.

Ataraxia that had become a ruin was quiet.

The wind kindly fluttered the hair of the two.

It felt like they could hear each other’s breathing and heartbeat.

Smoked rose from under Aine’s feet.

The leg part of Technical Gear scattered sparks.

Instanly, the two entered the range of certain death.

Aine’s fist at Kizuna’s heart.

And then Kizuna,

For the first time in this fight, he determined his sight at the true aim.

“GOOOOOOOO-!”

The right arm of the Technical Gear thrust out with fierce speed. However, the timing was too fast. The arm extended until the distance where it didn’t reach Aine.

At that moment, the blasting bolt built into the elbow ruptured. The impact of that explosion, and the jet fuel for a little under a second built inside the arm shot out the fist like a rocket.

“-!?”

As expected even Aine was taken by surprise. However――,

The fist of the Technical Gear passed over Aine’s shoulder.

The tactic wasn’t bad.

However, the accuracy was too bad.

This move that was relying too much on chance greatly got Aine’s body out of place.

Aine filled her fist with despair, and struck out at Kizuna.

Kizuna didn’t avert his eye and was staring straight at Aine.

What he was staring at was ahead of Aine.

The fist of the Technical Gear that Kizuna’s eyes were staring at,

――Just as he aimed, struck the magic circle of the Code Breaker.

“Wha……-!?”

Aine comprehended what happened from the dull metallic sound resounding behind her.

The Technical Gear’s fist that was shot out using explosives and jet engine caved into the ring of Zeros floating on Aine’s back.

The ring creaked, crack entered, and fractured.

And then at that moment, the magic circle of Code Breaker vanished.

“Eros!!”

In an instant Kizuna’s body was equipped with a jet black Heart Hybrid Gear. Right after that, the fist filled with Aine’s whole strength struck Kizuna. That shockwave tore off the frame where Kizuna’s body was fixed inside the Technical Gear with brute strength. The Technical Gear separated from Kizuna’s body and got blown away as scattered parts.

But, Kizuna who equipped Eros endured through that impact. Aine’s fist caved into his breast armor. Eros’s armor broke and her fist sunk in, but Aine’s fist didn’t pierce Kizuna’s heart.

Aine’s expression froze into shock with her fist still sunk into Kizuna’s chest.

“No way……”

Even though her chance of losing was nonexistent. There was no way she could lose, this was supposed to be a hopeless fight, yet.

Yet despite so, this man called Hida Kizuna was,

“This is my win.”

Aine felt like she was bewitched by something not of this world.

Kizuna spread his hands, those hands were turning towards Aine.

Was he going to thrust his fist like that, maybe mowing her down with sword hand, it didn’t matter. Now that she was in this defenseless situation, she couldn’t resist. No, even the will to resist, was gone already.

If she thought about it, this was a life that was once saved by Kizuna.

That was why if it was stolen by Kizuna, that was fine.

Kizuna’s two hands attacked Aine from both sides. Aine resolved herself and shut her eyes.

But, what she felt next, was the sensation of arms gently wrapping her body.

“Eh……?”

Kizuna gently embraced Aine’s body.

“Even Zeros that boasts as the fastest, cannot do anything if it got completely caught.”

When she opened her eyes, Kizuna’s smiling face was right there.

Aine’s dumbfounded eyes were trembling, still unable to gaze on the reality.

“……Kizuna. So from the beginning, you didn’t have any intention to defeat me, with Technical Gear didn’t you……The ring that generated the magic circle. That was your only aim……”

Aine murmured with a weak voice. Hearing that voice, Kizuna warped his face and smiled.

“Isn’t that obvious? There is no way a Technical Gear can win against you.”

Aine’s lips, abruptly slackened.

“You completely tricked me.”

Aine moaned in utter amazement.

“Going as far as bringing out Technical Gear……betting your life……why, did you go that far?”

“……I forgot to say but, other than saving Atlantis, there is one more thing I’ve got to do. If it is for that sake, I’m going to use any kind of method.”

“There is still something?”

“That’s……”

Kizuna’s cheeks slightly reddened.

“Aine, it’s taking you back.

As if unable to understand the meaning of those words, Aine stiffened for a while. And then, her cheeks were reddening little by little, in the end even her ears became red.

Kizuna made a smile on his lips, however with a serious gaze he spoke to Aine.

“This is my win. Aine.”

Aine whose cheeks reddened partly closed her eyes and smiled.

It was a smiling face that was liberated from all pressure, a simply happy smile.

“Fufu-, yes. This is my……loss, yes.”

That smile was beautiful, and yet it was endowed with innocent cuteness, It was a smile with purity, as if she had been reborn exactly right now.

That smile captured Kizuna’s heart and pulled him closer.

“……Aine.”

Kizuna’s face approached. Until now, had she ever looked at Kizuna’s face at this close? Her cheeks blushed, her eyes were willfully getting wet. The beating of her chest was embarrassingly getting louder that the other one might be able to listen. But she didn’t want to separate her eyes. Kizuna’s mouth that called her name. Even during the fight, he had kept calling at her all the time. She couldn’t separate her eyes from those lips.

“Kizuna……”

Kizuna was also unable to separate his eyes from Aine’s face. The red eyes that weren’t filled with sadness, but filled to the brim with light of happiness and hope were beautiful like a jewel. And then, the lips that called his name was wetly glistening pink. When his name was called by those soft lips, he became unable to separate his eyes as if he was put under a spell, it felt like his heart was going to melt.

They pulled each other closer, and their lips were getting closer, it was unclear which side was doing it.

And then――,

Both of them, kissed for the first time.

The softness the lips felt, a lovely sensation.

Through the Heart Hybrid and Climax Hybrid until now, they had done various acts. However, this sensation of kiss, was something that by no means could be obtained from any other.

The love of the partner was conveyed from the lips. The feeling of how much the other one was cherishing, valuing them was naturally flowing in. The hearts of the two were being filled with something warm.

The bottom of their hearts were filled, it felt like power was welling up.

If there is this person, they can do anything.

Such bravery was welling up.

Shining tears trickled down from Aine’s eyes.

‘――I love you.’

At that instant, intense light of magic power that was far brighter than everything until now, was emitted from the bodies of the two.

Part 3

Below Genesis, there was the research lab of Nayuta.

There was nobody getting near the Genesis that had begun tilting. The trace of repeated protrusion and ground depression carved on the ground was painful to look at. However it was only the research lab of Nayuta that miraculously escaped the damage.

In that research lab which no one should have approached, there was a visitor. Wearing the uniform of the imperial guard, that character with showy and luxurious outfit entered the research lab without any notification, the person began to investigate the documents and machineries inside.

“This is……!?”

While the person was reading through the documents on the desk, the person’s expression changed into shock.

“That woman……just what is she scheming about?”

A shadow was rising up from the corner of the room swayingly. The existence that was just a shadow without corporeal body was approaching the intruder.

“!!”

Steel claw assaulted from inside the shadow.

Sharp metal sound and sparks scattered.

The sword the intruder held blocked the steel claw. The intruder attacked back with her returning blade.

The shadow jumped away until the corner of the room and the arm once more thrust out sharply. That arm vanished starting from the elbow ahead. The vanished arm part was manifested at the chest of the intruder who was separated a few meters ahead.

It was an ability that cleared over space and directly attacked the flesh of the opponent. Using that power, the steel claw should have stabbed the chest of the intruder.

However the claw stopped at the chest of the intruder.

The hand of the intruder wasn’t holding sword but a whip before anyone realized. And then the end of the whip was binding the body of the shadow.

The eyes of the intruder shined. Magic circle was floating inside that light.

“Stop this and show your true shape, Valdy.”

The moment those words were said, the shadow disappeared. And then Valdy who slipped into darkness showed her figure.

“Zelcyone……sama.”

The intruder, Zelcyone who was wearing a silver colored magic armor pulled Valdy closer with a composed smile.

“Valdy, what is Nayuta doing here?”

“Wha, what is she doing……of, of course……the way to save Vatlantis……”

“However, looking from the document there, I cannot think that that’s really the case. It even makes me think that she has another objective for something different.”

Valdy opened her eyes wide, as if she was surprised from the bottom of her heart.

“Su, such thing……should, not be. I’ve never, read the document or anything though.”

Zelcyone glared at Valdy with an astonished face.

“That damn Nayuta. It’s like the way she is grasping human heart is equal to me……listen well, Valdy. As far as I can see from what is here, Nayuta is――”

“My, so there is a guest coming.”

A bright voice was audible from the corridor. The voice that sounded highly clear and transparent was obviously coming from a child. A *pata pata* sound like someone wearing a large slipper was approaching near, the owner of the voice showed her figure at the door.

Zelcyone made a doubtful face.

“……You, who are you?”

Valdy also opened her eyes wide. Rather than calling it a surprised face, she was making a pale face. Her trembling eyes were staring at the person entering the room.

It was a small girl.

Her age looked around seven years old. She had long black hair, with long white robes dragging trailingly behind her.

“So your greeting is by asking who I am then, Zelcyone-sama. Even though I finally solved all the puzzle of Genesis with great trouble.”

Zelcyone’s cheek was trickling in cold sweat.

“……Don’t tell me, you are……Nayuta?”

The girl tilted her small head and smiled widely.

“Yes, of course.”

That smile was like an angel.

However for Zelcyone, it made her felt like darkness and chaos were lurking behind that smile. Zelcyone exposed her vigilance and asked the girl who introduced herself as Nayuta.

“You bastard……what’s with that appearance?”

“Yes. I finished the deciphering of the relief’s letter, so I performed an experiment but……”

The Nayuta in the appearance of a young girl answered with a smile without worry.

“I became a god.”

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