Published at 25th of March 2019 10:11 pm

Volume 8 Chapter 2 - Forest of Bewilderment

Part 1

“…Is this information not mistaken?”

Beatrix asked her aide with a voice that was tinged with disappointment.

Inside one of the hotel rooms where the Einherjar was made to stay, Beatrix, Eleonora, and Damian were gathering and lowered the volume of their voices unintentionally in front of the taboo information.

“I’m sure it’s not wrong.”

It was not actually information that she could assert its authenticity that surely, but for the sake of moving Beatrix's heart Eleonora dared to assert it as the truth.

“It’s hard to believe so suddenly…it’s too much…too much of an inhuman story.”

Beatrix who had a pious moral sense from Odin’s teaching felt a completely chilling sensation inside her head’s core. Disappointment accompanied by fury that were extremely silently cold.

Even Damian was in a lost of what to say.

“Of course I think that Hayashizaki Kazuki is not involved in this plan itself. …I think there is no choice but to revise our stance to be neutral against both sides in this case.”

Taboo information―that was the data that Japan was secretly conducting human experiments on its own people. It was already hard to recognize from Germany’s point of view even just about how Japan was continuing to develop their culture of machine, but this blasphemy in front of their eyes was intolerable.

―However this information was the experiment data where the former Headmaster Otonashi was secretly advancing the experiment in the period when Nyarlathotep was conducting his secret maneuvering. This data was handed over to Eleonora by a transformed Loki where it was made for the reader to misunderstand that it seemed even now the experiment was still being conducted by the government.

Beatrix and Eleonora recalled the girl with curious appearance called Hiakari Koyuki that was at Kazuki’s side. When they thought that the girl was exactly the product of this human experiment, suddenly the persuasiveness of this information increased.

And then, without even giving any time to verify the information, Eleonora urged Beatrix to change her mind.

“There is no benefit for us to tie a good relation with Japan. And so using this chance I think it is a good plan to entrust the ruling of this land to Yamato. We have to side with Yamato.”

“U, mu…is that so…”

Beatrix spoke ambiguously with bitter expression.

Eleonora who guessed what happened inside the heart of the superior that she respected and loved was also becoming gloomy inside.

In this kind of time, Eleonora always wanted to hate that young man.

“Captain is too charmed by that young man.”

“It’s really just like you said. The feeling of this 19 years old Beatrix-chan doesn’t even hesitate with the difference between our age.”

“Hesitate more. No matter what we are saying we won’t be able to understand each other with the people of this country. As long as we continue to swear loyalty to the gods of Norse. In the very end both of your destinies will surely miss each other. He is an enemy. And then his relation with Captain is a relation between warrior and warrior. Captain, is the sword inside your heart rusted completely?”

“There is no such thing! Kazuki is…that’s right…he is an opponent that I have to fight and defeat!!”

Beatrix yelled resolutely.

Hearing that Eleonora thought “Yosh”.

The heart of an Einherjar that loved battle had severed her attachment to that young man!

But “No, wait” suddenly Beatrix tapped her hand on her jaw and pondered something.

“If, if Yamato becomes the ruler of this country, and if that fellow Ikousai becomes the King of this country…Kazuki will become a mere commoner person right?”

“Eh? Ah, yes, he is going to be just a commoner then.”

“In that case…even if I take him back to Germany…there will be no problem at all right…?”

Eleonora was dumbfounded.

So it became like this? Did she want that young man this much?

Beatrix’s expression turned bright like a different person with a wide grin.

“Yosh, I got a great idea! We are going out in action right now! Luckily those bunch of Japan’s Knight Order have their hands full with observing the bunch of Kings from other countries and their observation on us is thin!”

Eleonora opened her eyes wide in shock.

“By any chance, is Captain saying that we are going to Fuji’s sea of trees after this?”

“You said that Kazuki and others are going to Fuji’s sea of trees from now on aren’t you? Fu-fu-fu, we are going to obstruct them. We are going to thoroughly get in their way, then if circumstances permit and I find Kazuki I’m going to fight him. It’s going to be a luscious fight for our conclusion! I’m going to defeat Kazuki, then after he falls into magic intoxication we will hide his body. If we do that then inevitably Yamato is going to win the struggle race for the Sacred Treasures. Kazuki will become a commoner. I’ll bring him home to Germany. And we are going to quietly hold a modest ceremony in Germany’s remote countryside. Uh huh.”

“What ‘uh huh’…Captain…”

“I-I feel that I’m not suited for a wedding dress or the like but…I’m not going to let Kazuki who will be the loser to say any complaint for sure!”

Beatrix fidgeted around. “Haa” Eleonora sighed like that.

“I have decided! As a warrior, I’m going to defeat Hayashizaki Kazuki!”

The largest love of Beatrix―her love of [fighting strong people], and her love for Hayashizaki Kazuki that had completely grown so large that it couldn’t be ignored anymore, with a strange harmony both of those loves had formed a single objective. It was idiotic when seen with a single glance, but it was a frighteningly perfect logic that offered no opening that could be taken for someone to insert their tsukkomi.

With Yamato’s victory there would be no more obstacles that stood in Beatrix’s way.

Beatrix leaped out from the hotel and ran.

She carried Eleonora and Damian on her shoulders while running. That way was faster for her.

Kazuki and his group was supposed to head for Fuji’s sea of trees using the magic light train, but Beatrix ran with her own feet. Even so she wasn’t really falling behind with her vigorous legs and stamina.

Seeing it from a human’s point of view they were nothing more except a suspicious group.

But as long as they didn’t get obstructed in this moment, then the matter of later was trivial. After all at that time Japan’s government would be overthrown and this country would become Yamato. After that they were going to bring Kazuki back home to Germany. After that whatever happened, happened. …Beatrix ran while drawing such perfect scene of future inside her mind.

Of course it didn’t mean that her aide Eleonora had completely stopped thinking.

“There are patrols by the Knight Orders at Fuji’s sea of trees.”

Eleonora had finished gathering all the intelligence of the Knight Order’s patrol schedule.

Following Eleonora’s direction, Beatrix’s group approached the gate of the wall. They evaded the entrance that was heavy with security in a detour and concealed themselves in the position a few kilometers west.

They kept concealing themselves like that while waiting for Kazuki and the students of the Knight Academy to enter the Haunted Ground.

Part 2

The two military buses where the elites of the Magic Division and the Sword Division were stuffed into came to a stop in front of the gate of Fuji’s sea of trees.

No matter how many times they saw it, the wall of adamantite with a height as if piercing the sky was a magnificent view. In its surrounding many knights and aged former knights was conducting security with numbers several times larger than before. He couldn’t think that the security could be broken easily.

The students that disembarked from the buses formed a line for each group with Kazuki standing in the head.

“Kazuki!”

Two people mixed with the former knights’ security―Akane-senpai and Kanon-senpai were rushing to Kazuki’s spot while calling his name. They were the third years of the Magic Division that were accumulating hands-on training in the Knight Order.

“So you two senpai also came here.”

“Because it seemed that Akane wanted to meet you again so…ouch”

The head of Kanon-senpai who smiled mischievously was hit by Akane-senpai with a whack.

“That’s not it. To make the security of the gate even stricter, the active duty knights were also mobilized, but knights who can be trusted indefinitely to not be a spy are not really that much.”

“That’s right isn’t it, I’m relieved if Akane-senpai and the others are here.”

“But certainly this is also a rare chance, ehem, let’s exchange our contact address too.”

“Eh? Ah, that’s right, thank you very much.”

Akane-senpai took out a chic mobile phone with champagne golden color from her chest pocket.

Kazuki similarly took out his cell phone and made sure of each other’s contact address.

“If something happens then you can ask for a consultation of anything to me as the highest student of the Witch’s Mansion. Though it’s fine to contact me even if you don’t have any business.”

Hikaru-senpai clung on Kazuki’s back and came mingling into the conversation.

“Mufufu, Akane-senpai is approaching Kazuki♪”

Kanon-senpai too went ”fuhihi” and clung at Akane-senpai’s back to mingle into the conversation.

“Geez really―, how unexpected―, for that Akane to be this fast in moving on a man―☆”

“Do, don’t misunderstand you two!”

A slight embarrassment peeked out from her expression, Akane-senpai then drove off Kanon-senpai.

“I just think of him as a man I can respect…no, as a junior I can respect, that’s all. I’m just a mediocre person after all. …Kanon! Start processing the procedure for these children to pass the gate!”

Akane-senpai pulled Kanon-senpai’s hand and walked to the gate’s direction.

“That person is exactly a person you can respect you know.”

Still clinging on Kazuki’s back, Hikaru-senpai brought her face near to Kazuki.

“With the exception of Enchant Aura, her abilities are uniformly high levels in all lineage of magic. She is a person with no field she is bad at.”

All her abilities were equal―which meant without a doubt that it was the result of not trying to rely on the quality she was born with but methodically continuing to temper herself objectively.

Achieving completion just by her strong will, a person of hard work.

“She totally lost at magic power’s absolute amount and output power against Kanon-senpai, but her chanting speed is said to be number one inside the history of the Knight Academy. She also has never gotten a score below 95 in any subject.”

“How amazing…like that she doesn’t have any grounds to say that she is just a mediocre person.”

“She is going to lose in a duel against Kanon-senpai and Kaguya. But if each of them are thrown into Haunted Ground, then perhaps the one who will successfully clear the place first is going to be Akane-senpai I wonder.”

Kazuki felt complicated while listening to the story.

For Akane-senpai to evaluate herself as a mediocre person, compared to him which part of him was it that could be said as special then? Why did Leme choose him, he didn’t get it at all.

He was unexpectedly chosen by Leme, so could he be called as a special human because of that…

…Then this power, was he going to say that he was not worthy of it and he wanted to throw it away?

No. He didn’t want to do that.

Then, he had to become a human that was more worthy of this power.

He had to obtain the power of a King in his hand with his own will.

In front of this battle that gambled the Three Sacred Treasures, all the cowardice vanished from his heart.

“Kazuki and Akane-senpai are a little similar. Both of you are hard workers. I love the two of you.”

Hikaru-senpai rubbed her cheek on Kazuki while clinging at him.

“I too must work harder so not to lose against Akane-senpai. …Come on, Hikaru-senpai is also one of the leaders so please return to your own group.”

Kazuki tore off the clinging Hikaru-senpai from his body and pushed her back toward the direction where her members were at.

“Well then, operation start!”

The students that entered inside the Haunted Ground were scattered in each group so as to not let their area of exploration overlap with each other. Everyone was aiming for the direction where the magic power was thick and no one had gone into yet while defeating the Demon Beasts they encountered and liberating the Haunted Ground very thoroughly. That was the strategy they were using.

Fuji’s sea of trees was divided into three levels. The sphere of 5 kilometer radius with the peak of Mountain Fuji as the center was the level 3 area, and then further within 5 kilometer outside from it was the level 2 area, and then even further 5 kilometer outside was the level 1 area―each of the areas’ borders were encircled with a gigantic wall where no one could pass except through the gate.

It was a Grand Haunted Ground that had grown to possess three areas with a total radius of 15 kilometer.

This wall was used because the Knight Order was once unable to liberate the Haunted Ground, and at that time they encircled it with the wall for the time being and yet in the end the wall too was completely swallowed by the Haunted Ground…these walls were created from the repeat of such occurrences multiple times.

Right now was exactly the time to liberate this Grand Haunted Ground while taking the opportunity to discover the Three Sacred Treasures.

Because before this Kazuki and others had split into two groups and searched the left and right near the entrance for a few kilos, at the beginning there were no figures of Demon Beast around. Everyone scattered widely all at once and the other groups soon became invisible.

“Let’s go around in a circle from the deepest place for our group.”

Kazuki moved following his image of entering the depth aiming for the second wall inside, and from there they were going to go around in a circle. Like that they were going to the place where the magic power was the thickest―which meant that they were going to explore the area with powerful Demon Beast, but a small number of elite had gathered in Kazuki’s group. Kazuki felt that going around that area was only a natural responsibility for them.

Kazuki, Ryuutaki Sisters, Karin, and Kohaku. It was a group with these five.

As far as the eye could see, the more they advanced deeper the dampness and the stench became more choking in the air and around them became a forest of Haunted Ground. There was no green of the nature but a poisonous tint that was spreading around them.

There was still no atmosphere of mountain around them.

“Don’t you dare order me and Nee-sama around, you quack student council president.”

…Shinobu-senpai ignored Kazuki from the very beginning and kept pulling Miyabi-senpai’s hand while advancing forward rudely.

“You dare calling this one’s bosom friend a quack you bastard!”

Behind Shinobu-senpai who was advancing forward, Kohaku yelled exposing her rage.

After Kazuki admonished Kohaku, the result was Kohaku stopped thinking of Kazuki [based in marriage] and tried to build the human relationship between them from the start again. It seemed that she settled down to regard Kazuki in the position as a [bosom friend].

“To insult mine’s bosom friend that has been arranged to become this one’s husband, this one who is his future wife wouldn’t allow it!”

Somehow it was a bosom friend with a really impure feel in it.

But Shinobu-senpai was advancing forward rudely as if Kohaku or anything else didn’t exist.

“Why is she participating in this quest anyway if she just acts like this?”

Karin tilted her head from the totally justified question.

“I think that’s because Miyabi-senpai said that she would participate and so she came along.”

Miyabi-senpai was feeling that she wanted to have a connection to the outside, her consciousness of wanting to become useful to the society with her ability was stronger than other people. She wished to become useful and from that have the surrounding people recognize the power of elves.

Yet with Miyabi-senpai like that, Shinobu-senpai was like a guard dog that displayed its threatening glare so that no one would approach near them…she was someone that was similar to a hindrance.

Even while Miyabi-senpai called “Shinobu!” in reprimand, her arms was still pulled ahead without stopping.

“Wait I mean, moving ahead carelessly like that is really dangerous senpai!”

Kazuki chased them in panic.

But with Kazuki chasing behind, Shinobu-senpai then moved her feet even faster unnecessarily.

“KIIIIIIIIIIIIII!”

Suddenly a gryphon that was lurking on top of a tree that looked poisonous in color determined Shinobu-senpai and other as prey and swooped down nearing them. It was a fantastical wild beast with a head and wings of eagle on body and limbs of a lion.

“HAAAAA!”

Karin immediately dashed and overtook the Ryuutaki sisters and launched a flying kick to the swooping down gryphon with all her strength.

Kazuki sensed Karin’s movement and entered a stance for support.

“GUKIIIII!”

The torso of the gryphon distorted from Karin’s fierce kick. Pulverized sounds rang out crackingly under its bulky fur. Karin’s kick that was strengthened with Enchant Aura possessed a destructive power of that much.

But from the mouth of the gryphon that largely opened, swirling magic power was produced―rather than calling it organism activity, it was a phenomenon that was closer with magic. The whirling of magic power transformed into a whirling of flame and it was spit at Karin along with a long breath like a gale―fire breath.

Karin’s posture was stiffening because of her full power kick to help the Ryuutaki sisters, she couldn’t move to evade.

But Kazuki knew beforehand that the gryphon would do that kind of attack.

“Burn to ashes all that you touch…the scorching heat of rejection without any place to resort to! Self Burning!”

With Kazuki’s support magic, Karin’s body that was very nearly swallowed was wrapped in armor of flame.

The flame armor absorbed the fire breath and cancelled each other.

“Oo! Thank you, Hayashizaki Kazuki!”

Karin raised a happy voice while landing from her flying kick, then she stepped on the earth and filled her fist with power.

There Kazuki controlled the flame armor with Psychokinesis and concentrated the flame on Karin’s fist.

The flame armor transformed into a flame knuckle.

“Oooo!?”

Karin raised a shocked voice while swinging her flaming fist. When she struck a further kick in a combo, Kazuki Foresighted that movement and this time he moved the flame to her toes.

The gryphon that received a boisterous dance of flame raised a scream “KIIIIIII!” and dispersed into magic power light before vanishing.

Karin went “Hooray!” and jumped up and down.

“As expected from Karin huh.”

Kazuki once again felt admiration toward the martial arts of Karin while approaching near the back of the girl that was jumping up and down.

“Oi Hayashizaki Kazuki! It was really great just now you know!? Somehow just now was awesome!”

Karin grasped Kazuki’s both hands and swung it up and down.

“What are you saying, just this much is only a normal teamwork right?”

“Teamwork! I don’t know that! It’s my first time doing something like this-!”

“First time you say…you also fought together with Hayashi Shizuka right?”

When Kazuki said out that name, Karin’s bright eyes became dark and clouded and got dull instantly.

“Fighting together with Shizuka…was mostly painful…”

Now that she mentioned it…the teamwork between Karin and Shizuka was something like that.

Shizuka granted Karin with power of immortality accompanied with intense pain and making her as a wall of meat single-mindedly.

Such an act couldn’t be called teamwork…

“I have the hunch that it’ll be really fun to fight together with you!!”

“That, well, compared to a treatment as a meat wall…sorry to make you remember a strange thing.”

Karin was going “Teamwork♪ Teamwork♪” cheerfully while turning round and round around Kazuki and a little heart mark flew out from her.

Katsura Karin―48

“…”

Kohaku saw that only one gryphon wouldn’t pose any problem and she was being vigilant toward the surrounding if there would be any reinforcement for the Demon Beast or not.

She was really reliable with her calmness.

“…Hmph, a teamwork like that, the teamwork between me and Nee-sama is far more skilled than that.”

Shinobu-senpai stood upright when she was protected by Karin, but even now she was still pulling Miyabi-senpai’s hand while walking ahead briskly. She was trying to walk in the lead stubbornly. Kazuki chased her in panic.

“Senpai, that’s troubling!”

In the space between Kazuki who was hot on Shinobu-senpai’s heels and Shinobu-senpai herself, Miyabi-senpai was being in a dither from the current happenstance.

“KIIIII!”

―Without even any time to persuade Shinobu-senpai, a gryphon once again descended down from the sky before them.

Shinobu-senpai stood right in front of Miyabi-senpai to cover for her.

“You think I care if you bastard is troubled. We are going to show you that other people are unnecessary for both of us! …Thy wings bestowed from Belphegor, o <ice pillar of flame>! Mask us, become the wall of unreasonable contradiction! Cross Conflict!”

After Shinobu-senpai lured the gryphon close enough she cast her defensive magic. Wings of red crystal grew out from her back. Marchosias’s <ice pillar of flame> that possessed contradictory special characteristic of having both powerful heat and chill, these wings were a fragment of its power.

It protected the user’s body from double elements and it could also attack with double elements.

Shinobu-senpai concealed her body with the crystal wings and blocked the claw attack of the descending gryphon. The crystal wing was slightly chipped from the impact. The chipped crystal emitted heat and cold and part of the gryphon’s leg that touched it was burned.

“GUGIIIIII!”

While the gryphon raised a scream it was still swinging both its front legs frantically however.

The gryphon’s claws repelled away the crystal wings with brute force. Shinobu-senpai who didn’t have any knowledge of martial arts couldn’t react to that.

The gryphon wrenched open a gap in her guard and then it brandished its claw.

Shinobu-senpai was struck with one hit on her body and blue magic power was scattered.

“Dance your wing and scatter the spark. Trail behind a spiraling wind, become a life gouging bullet! Flap and shoot out! Barrett!”

Kazuki frantically backed up Shinobu-senpai whose guard of crystal wings was broken. The bullet of flame struck home and hindered the gryphon’s following attack.

But with a glare Shinobu-senpai directed an expression of fury at his direction.

“Don’t interfere unnecessarily!”

With that shout, not only Kazuki, but Kohaku and Karin that was going to enter their assistances also stopped their movement.

“O goddess of affection…please grant the illumination of light toward the warrior that challenge the trial under thy watch. Moonlight Breath!”

While being protected by Shinobu-senpai, Miyabi-senpai chanted a reinforcement magic.

Shadow of the moon faintly floated on the clear sky above their head, the moonlight descended down on Shinobu-senpai.

The blessing toward the warrior of the moon goddess strengthened the physical ability of Shinobu-senpai.

“UAAAAAAAAAAA-!” Raising her voice, Shinobu-senpai blocked the arm that the gryphon swung down. Arm and arm tangled with each other solidly and her posture entered a contest of strength with the gryphon.

‘How rash’, Kazuki was taken aback.

Although she was strengthened, Shinobi-senpai was supposed to be unsatisfactorily uninformed in martial art.

Even just blocking with only her two arms was peeling off Shinobu-senpai’s magic power.

The gryphon whose both arms were restrained pulled back its head and took a stance of going to stab with its beak. With her posture there was no way for Shinobu-senpai to defend.

But Shinobu-senpai barely maintained her chant and cast her magic.

“Kuh…O lonely wolf wandering the forest, thy is bestowed the moonlight from the goddess. That light is the strength of warrior…change the sharp fang into blade, display that bravery! Blade Tusk!!”

Twin swords that danced in the air stabbed at the eyeballs of the gryphon.

The gryphon raised a scream and its movement stopped.

“O crescent moon of the frozen sky, cleave the cloud following the blowing wind, cut down the life of the surface earth…Moon Scraper!”

At Shinobu-senpai’s back, Miyabi-senpai created a blade of crescent moon and threw it at the gryphon.

The blade of light that flew drawing an arc grew large in the blink of eye the moment it was separated from Miyabi-senpai’s hand, it bisected the gryphon’s torso right into two from the side. The gryphon finally scattered into magic power light.

“…How’s that, hmph.”

Shinobu-senpai’s voice leaked out saying that.

“…Didn’t senpai just barely manage it?”

Kazuki rushed near the two sisters with a grieving sigh.

In the first place gryphon was a demon beast that often came attacking in swarm.

Just now it was nothing more than luck that they could somehow make do with just the two of them.

“Hmph, what’s with that weak-kneed posture! It’s just impossible for a fellow without any knowledge of martial art to fight without any vanguard! Yaa―ii, yaa―ii!”

Karin lined up beside Kazuki and directed an abusive speech to Shinobu-senpai like a kid.

But when Shinobu-senpai wordlessly directed a glare filled with sharp glint at Karin, Karin was trembling violently.

“…Ha, Hayashizaki Kazuki, that girl just didn’t get a joke…she’s scaryyy”

Karin clung at Kazuki’s arm in fright.

“…It seems that the playing around is over.”

Kohaku said so with a sigh while looking up at the sky in the east.

“The Grand Haunted Ground is coming at us seriously here.”

At the east sky that was brightly pure white from the morning sun, countless black shadows were floating. The black shadows were approaching their direction while flickering, their contour gradually became exposed―a swarm of gryphon.

The piercing cry of Demon Beast resounded.

“This one is going first! …You just pull back!!”

When Shinobu-senpai tried to meet the assault of the gryphon’s swarm rashly, Kohaku got the drop on her and pushed her down with all her strength. Shinobu-senpai staggered and Kohaku rushed ahead while sparing a backward glance at her.

In the first place Kohaku had a polite personality that put importance on the age order. What she did was rough but it was also the correct judgment.

Karin too went after Kohaku from behind. Shinobu-senpai was left in the dust and missed the chance to continue to be obstinate.

“GOOOAAAAAAAAAA-!”

From their behind, a much heavier growl compared to the gryphon’s cry was resounding.

Kazuki and the Ryuutaki sisters looked behind them.

From behind a giant that might be even as big as a single house―a troll was approaching them while pushing down the trees and trampling those underfoot with a pole that looked like a log brandished in its hand. It was making a face similar like human but they really couldn’t feel any humanity from the bloodshot eyes that peeked out from behind its unkempt, ruffled hair.

With one hand Kazuki held back Shinobu-senpai who might try to leap out at the enemy.

“Certainly I know that both senpai were able to clear all the quests you took till now with just the two of you…but the Demon Beasts of this Grand Haunted Ground are far more formidable compared to your average Demon Beast.”

Shinobu-senpai bit her lower lips and looked down.

“Can senpai engage in a bout with that troll using the way of fighting like before?”

The answer to that question was clear as day.

Kazuki kicked the ground without waiting for an answer and intercepted the troll.

“Miyabi-senpai and Shinobu-senpai, please back us up from behind with magic!”

Even while saying that, he understood that Shinobu-senpai wouldn’t obediently give him such a favor.

Both Karin and Kohaku were excellent warriors.

They could tidy up the swarm of gryphon and the troll without any significant harm.

There was no heaps of corpses all around even with the number of the enemies, the defeated Demon Beasts became light one after another before disappearing.

“…As expected it’s harsh dealing with them with mostly just melee combat.”

Kohaku talked as if criticizing Shinobu-senpai implicitly.

Shinobu-senpai was hanging her head down with a sulking face.

Miyabi-senpai hung her head down with half-closed eyes and put her breathing in order. She was breathing heavily with her shoulders heaving. Miyabi-senpai was trying to do the work of two people with herself alone and continuing to fight with vehement chanting speed.

Kazuki was also doing similar thing, to compensate for the share of Shinobu-senpai who was not fighting, he was constantly minding the battle situation with the gryphon at the opposite side even while fighting the troll, sometimes he let loose defensive magic for his companions.

The troll at Kazuki’s side was a tough Demon Beast, but because it was just a single troll he could do it skillfully.

Indifferent to Kazuki’s hardship, Karin raised a voice that was bursting with cheer.

“Hayashizaki Kazuki! Your magic is awesome! It came flying here right in the critical moments like a hero of justice!”

And then she optimistically went “Teamwork♪ Teamwork♪” while frolicking with one of Kazuki’s hand.

It seemed that she was feeling a great culture shock.

Looking at that Kohaku went “Mu…!” and stiffened.

“In contrast with this one who just got irritated with other people, she instead frankly thanked Kazuki the first thing while fawning on him. A woman that just makes the atmosphere heavy and a woman that can lighten the feeling of a man innocently…by, by any chance is this what is called the difference of the fundamental girl power!?”

Somehow Kohaku began to be calculating of something incomprehensible.

“Kohaku, I also like a stoic person that is strict with both other people and herself you know. Because Kanae is also that kind of type and she makes you feel that with her you can grow together.”

“Is, is that so!? Really!? Growing together…and then after that is engagement!?”

“It’s not engagement…”

“So it’s no engagement…”

Kohaku dropped her shoulders in dejection…

“After all bosom friends doesn’t get engaged with each other.”

“Standing in the position of bosom friend has quickly become really hard…”

“I’ll say this first but you haven’t yet done a single act that is worthy of the title bosom friend.”

“I want to quickly become a bride…”

“I don’t care where just disappear somewhere.”

“Why are you saying such a cruel thing to this one-!”

“Because you are my amiable bosom friend.”

“Ah, is that so? Because we are a fellow bosom friend so that’s a forgivable joke instead. When it’s said like that there is this impression of both of us actually getting along.”

Kohaku came to the grips with Kazuki’s heavy frivolous talk and smiled positively. What a honest fellow.

Karin’s eyes brightened.

“Oi, Hayashizaki Kazuki. If talking to each other like that is what is called a friend then I too am going to be your friend! After all teamwork is fun!”

Karin was nuzzling herself at Kazuki’s arm like a small animal.

Seeing that behavior of Karin, Kohaku was once again getting distressed by something.

“Ho, how licentious…not, is this kind of thing normal between man and woman in this present day…? Then this one too…”

Kohaku went “Eei!” and hugged Kazuki’s other arm resolutely then she rubbed her body at him repeatedly.

“Wh, what are you doing copying someone else! Right now Hayashizaki Kazuki is busy doing teamwork with me here!”

Karin too said out something of uncertain meaning while being burned with sense of rivalry, then she rubbed her body at him all the more.

When it became like that the fire of rivalry spirit was lit up inside Kohaku too.

“ “Rub rub~!” “

…Both of their bodies were not particularly well-rounded figures so when he was scraped strongly that much it felt painful instead.

The two girls that swayed up and down intensely at his left and right were completely like the piston motion of a jackhammer.

“…Hmph, how stupid.”

Shinobu-senpai who became left out of the event murmured as if spitting out.

Karin twitched in a fright and her movement stopped. Kazuki thought that such way of talking was not right. Kohaku went “Rebuttal impossible” and she suddenly became calm in instropection.

“Shinobu, don’t just keep talking abusively like that! You were always disturbing everyone’s group harmony since before!”

Miyabi-senpai shouted after having lost her patience.

“Everything else doesn’t matter…I and Nee-sama don’t need other people at all. It’s fine as long as there is just the both of us.”

“Such thing is obviously impossible!”

Her shoulders shaking, tears were gradually piling up in Miyabi-senpai’s eyes. Shinobu-senpai twitched in fright seeing that expression.

Miyabi-senpai wished for the outside world and volunteered to participate in this quest. She wanted more companions. She wanted herself who was once persecuted to become a hero of the world as a knight.

There Shinobu-senpai was following Miyabi-senpai and tried to drive away the people who tried to become closer to Miyabi-senpai. In spite of how this quest had group activity as its premise.

Miyabi-senpai kept on talking without pause with words that sounded like scream.

“It’s just a delusion to keep living just with both you and me! Whoever it is, even us, can only keep living like this from borrowing the strength of many other people in other places we cannot see! We have to possess the awareness to return the favor for all that…society is something like that, it’s no good to not recognize that when we become adult don’t you know!?”

“…Hnn. If we are not looking at it, then that’s the same with there is nothing there in the first place.”

“That way of living…!”

Miyabi-senpai turned her back on Shinobu-senpai as if driving her off and embraced Kazuki tightly.

“ “Right from the front!?” “

From right beside him where Karin and Kohaku were hugging both his arms, both of them were raising voices that were taken by surprise.

Miyabi-senpai hugged Kazuki right from the front and then she rubbed her body even more intensely than the other two at Kazuki. Different from the other two she felt terribly bouncy. She was a glamorous senpai right about next to Kaguya-senpai.

“Se, senpai…we are watched by her like this!”

While Kazuki was almost led astray by the really sweet sensation, he looked at Shinobu-senpai’s expression in panic.

―Seeing the figure of her big sister getting intimate with Kazuki, Shinobu-senpai’s expression warped into grief.

―As if a frozen water surface was stepped on with all one’s strength, *parin* something was broken.

For some reason the feeling inside Shinobu-senpai was transmitted at Kazuki.

Shinobu-senpai turned her back at Kazuki and others. And then she dashed right away somewhere. She went through a pitch black path with no definite direction into the forest of the Haunted Ground.

The back of Shinobu-senpai that emitted a dim light from her Magic Dress disappeared into the darkness between the tree trunks that twisted eerily.

“I…didn’t say anything wrong…”

Refusing to chase after that back, Miyabi-senpai kept hugging Kazuki as it was and leaked out an isolated voice.

It was a voice that seemed to want to express how she wanted to be separated completely from her twin little sister just like that.

Kazuki felt like his heart was going to be crushed from the grief.

“…But we have to chase her, this place is a Haunted Ground.”

This place was not a place so carefree where they could have a quarrel like this between themselves.

To run off like that completely alone was just…!

Kazuki untangled everyone who was still clinging to him even now and rushed off.

Part 3

Kazuki had the advantage in leg speed. The back of Shinobu-senpai soon became visible for him.

But while he was thinking so, suddenly his field of vision became dim in haziness and Shinobu-senpai’s back disappeared from his sight. White―in front of his eyes everything was completely covered in pure white.

Even the figures of Kohaku and Karin who was supposed to be running with him at his sides became blurred in white and vanished.

When he looked back, the figure of Miyabi-senpai who was supposed to be following along slightly behind them was also gone.

What happened…? It was as if he was running inside a dream…

That’s not it. This was…a fog filled with magic power…?

Kazuki slowed down his legs and looked around his surroundings.

There was already a fog surrounding him so thick that he couldn’t even make sure of anything one meter ahead of him.

“Guys!” He raised his voice but there was no reply.

It was as if his voice was completely absorbed into the mist like silk floss.

…They weren’t supposed to get separated just in this short time.

Not if they weren’t all running to a completely different direction from the start.

[Forest of Bewilderment]―suddenly a single phrase floated inside his mind.

The sea of trees of Mountain Fuji was that kind of forest since time immemorial. It could even be said to be a myth. Haunted Ground and Demon Beast imitated the myth. It wouldn’t be strange even if this Haunted Ground itself and possibly the Demon Beasts that nested in this Haunted Ground possessed the power of that myth.

This mist wasn’t something natural but a mist of magic power. Moreover it chose the time to activate at the worst timing for the intruders who were Kazuki and his group…

Kazuki stopped his legs from his inability to calm his uneasiness.

If it was with this party’s composition then he had already expected that a friction of this degree would surely happen without fail once or twice.

But right at that moment the Haunted Ground inserted interference and made the whole party come apart.

He thought too much of only the possible obstruction from Yamato and the other countries and possibly made light of the Haunted Ground itself. In the first place his decision to bring along Ryuutaki sisters might be too naïve.

For him to dare think that this was a good chance to get closer to those two…

Without even any time to worry, a mass of magic power bloated up in the mist right in front of him.

A gryphon leaped out right in front of his eyes as if it’s body was birthed from inside the mist.

Kazuki drew out his katana and blocked the gryphon’s body ram before parrying it aside.

…If it was him then he could fight no matter how many Demon Beasts.

However if Miyabi-senpai and Shinobu-senpai that became alone was assaulted by a troll…!

He felt the presence of gryphons that formed a swarm from the mist’s opposite side.

Kazuki made an instant judgment. He couldn’t waste time here…it couldn’t be helped!

“Zekorbeni!”

Kazuki created the pendant-type Magic Dress on his neck and poured his magic power into it. The poured magic power became the image of Phoenix itself and was absorbed into the pendant.

{Hoo…so you use it without any hesitation. Even though you were so stingy with it in the Isonokami Shrine.}

Leme teased Kazuki inside his mind not knowing what she was thinking. Just when he thought that she finally opened her mouth after so long…

The situation was different! Besides he had also trained to use it while economizing the output!

{Ain’t that right!}

Leme’s voice was lively in delight from seeing Kazuki using Zekorbeni.

“Mode・Phoenix!”

Flame spilled out from the pendant, the flame turned into a flame armor and covered his whole body.

This was a Magic Dress that he owned only from the number of the bond that he had tied.

At the same time wings of flame grew out lengthily from his back. This was not the Magic Dress―

“O immortal bird soaring from dusk to dawn, please grant that wing of hope on my back! The destruction for the sake of rebirth right here…! Blazing Wings!!”

With the large wings of flame created from Phoenix’s level 5 magic, he cleared off the gryphon right in front of his eyes and also the swarm that was hiding inside the mist.

The mist around him was slightly thinning down from the heat of the flame. While Kazuki fluttered the flame and scattered the mist, he skillfully weaved his way through the space between trees. He concentrated on the link of his bond when he tried to sense everyone’s whereabouts.

The whereabouts of Miyabi-senpai whose positivity level was 55 and Karin with positivity level 48 couldn’t be sensed clearly compared to his other companions. To say nothing of Shinobu-senpai whose positivity level was 2, her location was exactly fitting the word of [inside the mist].

"―Lonely."

Suddenly, a small voice reverberated inside Kazuki’s head. It was Shinobu-senpai’s voice.

The instant he sensed the voice, the coordinate of Shinobu-senpai that he should be unable to sense was faintly shining.

"―Lonely."

This was…the voice of heart of Shinobu-senpai who became completely alone from being [rejected] even by Miyabi-senpai.

Kazuki spontaneously looked around the surrounding mist. Where did this voice come from…?

Magic power was residing inside the surrounding mists, it didn’t touch only his skin but there was also something like peculiar tentacles that stung the mind. Kazuki, and Shinobu-senpai too, they were both inside this mist.

The feeling of Shinobu-senpai was flowing into the mist and got transmitted to Kazuki, it could be like that though.

The extremely strong feeling of loneliness were unconsciously mixing out into the mist.

In a certain meaning Kazuki and Shinobu-senpai were connected with each other through this mist of magic power.

"―Lonely."

The loneliness strongly raised the strength of Telepathy. Just like Koyuki, her isolated environment might also have raised up a strong Telepathy power in Shinobu-senpai too.

Right now Shinobu-senpai was strongly wishing for someone right from the bottom of her heart.

She thought that she was hated by Miyabi-senpai who was supposed to be one of body and soul with her.

Kazuki flapped his wings in full power toward the direction the coordinate pointed at.

"―I’m always together with Nee-sama. We are twins after all."

The mist where magic power light was residing in it continued to transmit words to Kazuki who rushed through the gaps between trees.

It was the voice of Shinobu-senpai's heart that sounded like a young child.

Till now Kazuki had tried hard to understand Shinobu-senpai’s feeling, but it was a difficult thing to do. But the mist began to narrate her heart openly.

"―Why? Why is everyone directing such cold eyes to Nee-sama?"

"―Even father and mother… He, she, everyone…"

That was a tragedy that occurred everywhere at the period where elves were born into the world.

"―Why does everyone tell me not to get near Nee-sama?"

"―That’s strange. It’s not supposed to be something right. Unreasonable."

"―Those people that say such cruel things, I hate them. Those kind of people are exactly the ones that I have to get away from."

A frank sense of justice that the adults couldn’t even imagine changed into hatred toward everything of the world.

"―Everyone, whoever it is, just leave me and Nee-sama alone."

"―Nee-sama is crying sadly."

"―Don’t cry."

"―That’s not it. It’s not Nee-sama’s fault."

"{Then why?}"

A different voice yet sounded really similar was mixed into the mist.

"―It’s my fault you know."

"―Nee-sama’s hair is shining beautifully in sparkles."

"―However my hair looks dirty in pure black instead."

"―Nee-sama’s ears are beautiful things that grew long and sharp."

"―However my ears are uneven ugly things instead."

"―It’s not Nee-sama’s fault."

"―Not Nee-sama’s fault, not Nee-sama’s fault. Nee-sama is not something like an elf at all."

"―Because of this unforgivable unreasonable thing"

"―It’s not Nee-sama’s fault but everything is because of me."

The words she used to persuade herself was permeating into her own heart irreversibly.

And then she molded a firm world.

"―A world of only me and Nee-sama…"

The words that she used to persuade herself was not entirely transmitted to her companion for all that.

Before she knew it Shinobu-senpai had looked through Miyabi-senpai and became unable to see anything else other than her own self.

That was why before long their path missed each other.

"{I’m important, even though Nee-sama said I’m important, yet why don’t you listen to what I say!}"

It was a piercing voice as if the world inside the mist was breaking down into pieces.

The world that was supposed to be completed firmly shook. The heart of Shinobu-senpai raised a scream.

"―Why…I ask why…"

"―Because if I believe that, this world is going to be completely broken."

"―Nee-sama doesn’t do anything bad."

"―The accursed people that persecute me and me, all of them are the one that is bad, they are the one that is breaking this world completely."

"―Why is Nee-sama eager to get out from this world?"

"―Is Nee-sama starting to wish to be connected to those kind of guys?"

"―It’s lonely."

"―The truth is"

"―The truth is…Nee-sama is…"

"―Even though the truth is that Nee-sama is to blame for everything."

Kazuki folded his wings of flame. Inside the forest that was shrouded with mist, a small back that was crouching down was visible. Shinobu-senpai who was clad in the Magic Dress of Marchosias looked like the wolf puppy that was told in the mythology.

“Shinobu-senpai is just too kind.”

Hearing Kazuki’s call, the girl stood up jumpily and turned back.

And then the surrounding mist was faintly turning blue where she noticed that it was tinged with the moisture of magic power. She suddenly understood what was the meaning of Kazuki’s words.

“This light…don’t tell me it exposed human’s heart as it please!”

“The feeling is transmitted to me from senpai.”

“Even so…!”

Shinobu-senpai stepped forward and with a *pan* she slapped Kazuki’s cheek.

“There is already no one that is going to hurt Miyabi-senpai or Shinobu-senpai. In the past the world misunderstood the elves, it was only that kind of bad timing.”

“Elf or whatever…it has nothing to do with Nee-sama at all-!”

Shinobu-senpai slapped Kazuki’s other cheek one more time. Kazuki let her do as she pleased.

She was saying that kind of thing yet,

―Even though the truth is that Nee-sama is to blame for everything.

Inside her heart, Shinobu-senpai was able to completely understand everything that had happened on her twin elder sister.

Looking at Kazuki who didn’t say anything even though his cheeks were slapped, tears were gathering fully in Shinobu-senpai’s eyes before she turned on her heel from that place. Surely she was going to look for Miyabi-senpai.

Seeing that Kazuki caught her shoulder and held her back in half embracing her.

“I will search too together.”

“I don’t need the cooperation of you bastard!”

“Senpai cannot find her alone!”

Shinobu-senpai’s shoulders shook heavily from Kazuki’s strong words.

“I have the power to sense Miyabi-senpai’s whereabouts just faintly.”

“I’m not going to borrow your strength! No matter how much time passed, I will, with my strength…”

“What are you going to do if Miyabi-senpai is attacked by Demon Beast like that troll while she is alone!”

Shinobu-senpai’s shoulders shook. If it was with Miyabi-senpai’s ability, then she should be able to do something like buying some time.

But if too much time passed then even more different Demon Beast would come as reinforcement.

There would be nothing she could do. Only death awaited.

The Haunted Ground was a place where such happening occurred far more often compared to the battlefield with Yamato.

Kazuki also couldn’t just search for Miyabi-senpai alone. If he just left alone Shinobu-senpai then the same thing would only happen to her. Kazuki and Shinobu-senpai had to be together.

This was something that affected life. Kazuki strengthened his words.

“I too want to help Miyabi-senpai. This world is not filled with only Miyabi-senpai’s enemy. Now is the time for senpai to believe that, if not then Miyabi-senpai will fall into danger.”

Shinobu-senpai looked down as if she was just hit. Strength slowly left both her shoulders.

“If Shinobu-senpai cannot believe me…one of the twin sisters is going to die!”

Kazuki released the shoulder that he grabbed and ran while saying “Miyabi-senpai is over here!”

Having been told that, there was no other direction that Shinobu-senpai should go to.

When Kazuki ran out, Shinobu-senpai moved totteringly―however when the distance between them got too far she followed him in panic. Even though Kazuki quickened his pace, but Shinobu-senpai sprinted fast like a black wolf and followed right behind Kazuki. Kazuki finally felt relieved. He just hurried himself putting aside the other problem for later.

―Before long after running for several minutes, they could hear a sound of battle from the other side of the mist.

The sound of a blow that collided with something, the sound of tree crumbling down hard, those sounds reverberated.

Just from hearing once they could understand that several trolls were rampaging around.

When he took a glance behind him, Shinobu-senpai was going pale from imagining the situation vividly.

The faint scream of Miyabi-senpai was mixed among the chaotic sounds.

“Miyabi-senpai!”

Kazuki called out to Miyabi-senpai who was right in the opposite side of the mist.

At the same time he entered fire into Zekorbeni again and deployed Mode・Phoenix.

Behind him there was the presence of Shinobu-senpai gulped in surprise. This should be the first time she was seeing this power of Kazuki. Kazuki’s greed of going to protect everyone was not just putting on air.

This powerability had to be used for everyone’s sake.

“Dancing wing scattering spark, trail behind spiraling wind, become the life gouging bullet! Flap your wing, whirl up the storm of sparks! Tri Barrett!!”

He immediately shot flame bullets. The familiar Barret had its chanting time shortened from the effect of Zekorbeni and acquired the attribute of rapid-fire. Each of the shots accurately avoided Miyabi-senpai on the other side of the mist and hit only the group of trolls. Even with his field of vision obstructed by the mist, Kazuki could sense the magic power’s movement like seeing shadow pictures and grasped the positioning of his ally and enemy.

“Blazing Wings!”

Kazuki flapped his wings of flame while restraining the enemies’ movement with the flame bullets rapid-fire and intruded into the middle of the group of trolls. He enfolded open his wing of flames right in the middle of the group and went in rampage, exactly like a tornado of flame. The trolls writhed in pain from getting burned while haphazardly swinging around their pole, but Kazuki avoided those through and cut apart the troll’s wrist with Doufuu, The spilled blood spurted up and turned into magic power light before disappearing.

“O ruler of flame and ice, liberate the duplicate body of crimson…ruffle up the fur of fire shadow, stab the red hot fang! Beacon Wolf PackCrimson Wolf Pack!!”

Shinobu-senpai too let fly an attack magic as if to support Kazuki.

After shooting out several flames, those flames turned into the shape of wolf and formed a group before assaulting the trolls.

“O bird of paradise whose body the light of paradise is residing inside, respond to my accusation and burn to ashes the sin on the surface! Israel Judgment!!”

Kazuki matched Shinobu-senpai’s attack magic and shouldered the aurora on his back before firing a laser of super high temperature. The heat ray didn’t only grant damage but it also enlivened the flame wolves even more.

“Shinobu! Also Kazuki…!”

The trolls got frightened from the cooperation of the two’s attack that were like avalanche.

Using that chance Kazuki found the figure of Miyabi-senpai that was half defeated among the group of trolls and flapped his wings to descend down beside her.

The trolls swung down their poles all at once on Kazuki who was going to steal their prey.

“O the ruler of flame and ice, liberate the freezing duplicate body…ruffle up the fur of snowflake, stab the fang of ice pillar! Ice White Wolf PackIceblue Wolf Pack!”

Shinobu-senpai let loose ice wolves and blocked the trolls’ attacks to cover for the extraction.

“Miyabi-senpai, are you okay?” Kazuki confirmed the condition of Miyabi-senpai who was carried inside his arms.

“Ye, yes.” Miyabi-senpai nodded inside Kazuki’s arms. She was in a condition where she was already bearing some damage and mental fatigue, but there was no major injury on her.

The flame and ice wolves bit the trolls to death and eradicated the group.

The strength of Shinobu-senpai when she was giving her undivided attention on her spell chanting at the rear was just as one would expect.

Kazuki put Miyabi-senpai down on the ground that had recovered its silence.

It looked like Miyabi-senpai put [Moonlight Breath] on herself while enduring with excellent Resist technique, she weakened the enemy’s offensive with her mental attack magic while skillfully escaping.

It was fortuitous that the help came in time at the timing when she was finally cornered and surrounded.

“Shinobu, Kazuki, thank you. And also…Shinobu, I’m sorry for before this.”

Miyabi-senpai lowered her head at Kazuki and then she approached Shinobu-senpai.

Shinobu-senpai was hanging her head down and stayed quiet while feeling lost of what kind of face should she make.

“I pondered inside the mist just now you know. I had the feeling that I heard the voice of someone…”

―Even though the truth is that Nee-sama is to blame for everything.

“I’m sorry, Shinobu…in the first place everything is my fault, and yet you keep being together with me all this time. But as I thought all of it was only a problem of misunderstanding and timing. Right now…there are no more people that persecute me already.”

‘That’s why I want to direct my eye to the outside world’, Miyabi-senpai said once again.

“But…I can’t endure the Nee-sama that I love to look at other people…”

Shinobu-senpai murmured to herself. Tears were going to spill out from her eyes that were looking down.

Then she directed her powerful gaze with a glare at Kazuki once more.

“That’s because you still cannot widen your field of vision.”

“…Is such thing necessary, even for me?”

Shinobu-senpai asked while glaring at Kazuki. How right now there was a storm whirling inside her heart was transmitted even to Kazuki. It was a storm that had crooked everything that came near her at any cost all this time even when the one that came near was straight.

Living with twisted way in public ―recognizing one’s own mistake was difficult.

“That’s right, it’s necessary.”

Miyabi-senpai concluded.

[Right now this child should also feel it. Someone that give a talk to her with words that think of her this much, you are the first person that did that in the ten odd years.]

The words Miyabi-senpai spoke to him that time inside the bus that was heading to the front line was floating inside Kazuki’s head. It was because Shinobu-senpai rethought back upon those words that her feeling was transmitted through the mist and reached even Kazuki.

“If…if Nee-sama said that even I need other people. That’s…”

The gaze of Shinobu-senpai that glared at Kazuki changed in atmosphere.

The level of humidity changed, the feeling that was filling the mist was [clearing away].

“Kazuki. …Sorry, for everything to now.”

Without even any heart mark flying from Shinobu-senpai, her positivity level was changing glidingly only in number.

Ryuutaki Shinobu―38

Kazuki faltered. Her positivity level up to now was 2, but it suddenly surged up in one go.

Inside his head Leme explained to clear away Kazuki’s question.

{Surely her positivity level was 2 till now was because she didn’t allow anyone into her heart and she suppressed her own heart strongly. If that suppression is removed, her number will raise drastically…no, her number will return to its original value. After all, in the first place this girl doesn’t have any reason at all to particularly hate you right?}

Now that she mentioned it, before this Hikaru-senpai had also curtailed her positivity level to Kazuki from thinking of herself as a man.

Positivity level was not only increasing little by little, there was also the case where it changed drastically.

Kazuki braved himself and walked near Shinobu-senpai.

“Shinobu-senpai, please become my friend.”

“I don’t know what to do, for that kind of thing.”

Shinobu-senpai averted her eyes from Kazuki and got confused.

Shinobu-senpai who relaxed her face had a pure look like a child.

“Are you not minding, about all the thing I’ve done till now…?”

“I don’t mind. Let’s eat boxed lunch together after this. I have cooked the portion for everyone.”

“My” Miyabi-senpai opened her eyes and mouth widely.

“This is a quest but soldier’s ration is necessary after all.”

“But you didn’t bring anything here.”

“I have Karin hold on to it for me. That’s why, first we have to find Karin and Kohaku.”

“…I wonder if that child was fighting while carrying some baggage around.”

Miyabi-senpai tilted her head in wonderment.

Shinobu-senpai put her hand on her navel that was exposed through her Magic Dress.

“…My stomach is empty.”

“This child is really a glutton you know.”

Miyabi-senpai smiled refreshingly. It was a refreshing expression from having been liberated from a distress. From her chest, an avatar of a golden key floated up and it was absorbed into the stigma on Kazuki’s left hand.

Ryuutaki Miyabi―65

The restraint that held back Miyabi-senpai’s positivity level on [50] was also gone. Miyabi-senpai too had her heart suppressed because she couldn’t make herself like Kazuki by leaving Shinobu-senpai behind.

Golden key―it appeared right in the instant when a bond had been tied with senpai as a definite connection.

“…If it’s now then I can seduce Kazuki…with a feeling right from my heart you know.”

Miyabi-senpai embraced Kazuki‘s arm.

And then *munyu munyu*, she pressed the breast across the thin Magic Dress’s dress on Kazuki’s upper arm.

“Senpai, I’m happy but, what are you doing right in the middle of a Haunted Ground?”

“Fufufu, Kazuki’s red face, how cute. Somehow it looks like a real composure is coming out from my heart.”

That was, well, his face was becoming red. The face of Miyabi-senpai like this was also red.

“What should I do when becoming friend? Those two also rubbed themselves at you though.”

Shinobu-senpai embraced the other arm of Kazuki on the other side and the breasts that was exposed largely from the Magic Dress that looked like underwear were pressed on him *munyu munyu*.

“Even Shinobu-senpai…! So th, this is sister sandwich!?”

“Kazuki’s panicked face is cute♪ Chu-“

Miyabi-senpai kissed at Kazuki’s cheek.

“I’ll copy Nee-sama too…chu-“

Shinobu-senpai too was kissing Kazuki’s opposite cheek with a pure look.

Shinobu-senpai’s positivity level was also increasing led on by Miyabi-senpai’s bold act.

“…This, feels good that my head feel blank somehow.”

“It’s something that feels good when a girl is clinging at a boy. Sounds promising right?”

“Is that so Nee-sama? …It’s not bad.”

Both of them were pushing their chests at his arms from both side while repeating to *chuu chuu* kiss at his cheeks.

“…Senpai you two!” Kazuki was dazed for a while and had his fill completely from that, but he tensed his feeling in panic then. “Kohaku and Karin might be also in a pinch for the moment, so we are going!”

After Kazuki walked out to Karin’s coordinate, before long he could hear voices of dispute from the other side of the mist. Kazuki and others felt their nervousness faded all the more from that.

“This one is charging ahead!”

“I’m the stronger one so I’ll be the vanguard-! You just be the support for me!”

“You can use Summoning Magic right! Think what it meant for the right person in the right place!”

“Even you can make your katana shoot out something *BUU―N!* right! Just make your katana go *BUU―N*!!”

It seemed Karin and Kohaku had a good luck that they could naturally converge with each other even inside the mist. Both of them were able to fight freely whether in range or close quarter. That was exactly why Kazuki was mostly unworried for these two, but consequently because both of them were the all-purpose type it seemed that it had became a dispute on who would be the vanguard.

It was a futile quarrel. Kazuki parted the thicket and approached near those two and called out from their back.

“Both of you are going to be the vanguard together with me. Both senpais will give us back up after all.”

Both of them were startled and turned around their faces.

“What are you two quarreling about? For Karin and Kohaku rather than making strange talk with each other you two will mesh well with each other naturally just by fighting without thinking about unnecessary things I guess.”

“Hayashizaki Kazuki! Who cares about that, look at that! That’s the master of this Haunted Ground see!”

Karin suddenly pointed at an unexpected direction, Kazuki went “Eh?” from surprise and chased at the pointed direction with his eyes.

At the direction where Karin was pointing at was pure white space that was packed full with mist. But faintly inside that mist, a rugged silhouette of a huge Demon Beast could be seen.

He couldn’t see well but it was fairly huge for just a single living being.

He poured even more magic power into his eyes and focused his sight. All over its rugged body that looked like rock, there were many things like a spraying nozzle, it was in the state of emitting mists *pushu―* from those nozzles.

Was it fairly thickheaded, or maybe it was concentrating on pushing out mist, the Demon Beast was not being concerned at all toward the sounds that they made.

“Is that the source that produced this mist!?”

Karin nodded repeatedly on Kazuki’s question.

“We were having a strategy meeting to defeat that thing! But if everyone had gathered then the talk is fast!”

Karin puffed out her chest saying that. He was doubtful whether it was okay to call that quarrel as a meeting though.

“Back up is it…will it meet expectation?”

Kohaku directed a questioning gaze at Shinobu-senpai.

Shinobu-senpai hung her head down completely with a face as if her heart was crushed from guilt.

“It will be okay.”

Kohaku’s doubt was most correct, but Kazuki strongly declared with the intention of taking responsibility himself.

“Is that so, if Kazuki said so then surely it will be okay.”

When Kohaku consented without any resistance, Miyabi-senpai released a sigh of relief and embraced Shibobu-senpai’s shoulder.

Shinobu-senpai stared at Kazuki fixedly and a small heart mark was flying at him.

It seemed that she was happy to be covered for.

“Let’s go. If these members meshed well with each other then there’s no way we’re going to lose to something like a mere Demon Beast.”

After Kazuki called out like that, he took a step forward toward the silhouette of the Demon Beast that was visible through the mist.

It was even more huge when seen from up close. The spouting nozzles that looked like acorn barnacle attached all over its body were continuing to blow out white mist without any pause. Its movement was sluggishly slow, if they were being careless they could just overlook it as a rocky mountain.

The blade of Kohaku and the fist of Karin who were the vanguards were easily bounced back by its rock skin.

Kazuki recalled the time when he had a hard fight against a slime. Liz Liza-sensei’s advice―in a glance the Demon Beast looked like a fantasy organism, but unexpectedly they were following the rule of living things in reality.

This Demon Beast was not merely a moving mass of rock.

In its inside there were necessary features and nerves necessary for living.

“Karin! Hit it with Shintoukei!!”

Karin changed her movement from hitting its surface to an attack that transmitted shockwave to its inside.

“Kuh…this one will devote oneself on defense!”

Kohaku blocked the giant punch with her enlarged <Taroudachi> and protected Karin.

“This guy…looks like he doesn’t really have any brain.”

Miyabi-senpai tested her mental magic and immediately called it off.

“Kazuki, my attack magic is not really effective against this guy. What should I do, teach me.”

Shinobu-senpai too talked with a low, dull sound and directed a relying gaze at Kazuki.

Marchosias was a beast that manipulated heat and cold. However cold didn’t work on rock and even melting its rock skin with superficial heat wouldn’t be any hindrance on its activity.

“This hand reach out to the height of Babel, right now the thunderbolt of god is grasped inside this hand! In accordance with my life, o lightning, whirl following my will! Collider Field!!”

Promotheus’s armament summoning magic―a large-type machine gauntlet was equipped on Kazuki’s right arm. That gauntlet charged in electricity and discharged it.

The attack of the rock giant stopped. The nerves in its whole body were fried from electrical discharge and its rugged limbs were trembling in shivers.

“We are going to stop its movement, so both senpai use Union Magic!”

―With the special bond that was tied between Gremory and Marchosias, these two Divas could use the sole Union Magic in Solomon 72 Pillar. But because Union Magic had to be done with two people chanting a long aria all together while matching their breath, it created a lot of openings. The support of comrades and trust was indispensably necessary.

Miyabi-senpai and Shinobu-senpai started chanting without any hesitation.

Both of them joined their palms together and concentrated with their eyes closed to reject the outside world.

Closing their eyes from the outside world―it was an act with a completely opposite meaning now.

Both of them closed their eyes because they believed that their surrounding would protect them.

“I am the oppressor that reaches my hand to the height of Babel! In accordance with my life o lightning, let’s praise the foolhardiness of the human race! Blitzkrieg!!”

Kazuki piled up even more magic of Prometheus. A large lance was equipped on the tips of the gauntlet that he had already equipped. The electricity of the gauntlet was poured into the spearhead.

“Kazuki! Lend me that robot spear, lend me!!”

Karin begged him with shining eyes.

“Do you have some kind of idea!?”

Kazuki unfastened the gauntlet and equipped it onto Karin’s slender arm. The lance was even longer than Karin’s height, it looked really unbalanced. But Karin yelled lively.

“The eight extremities’ innermost secret is in the spear! I’ll show you here, the <Eight Extremities Grand Spear> learned from Shizuka-neesan!!”

Karin stepped on the ground fiercely, the impact of that step was transmitted into both her arms through twisting movement without leaving any to spare and then she swung the large spear vigorously.

Chinese kenpo’s [thrust] was resembling the [thrust] of a swung large spear.

No, both of them were the same thing in the first place.

“HAAA!!”

The impact that was like a cannon which was produced from the small body shook the enemy’s giant body. The electricity created from the tip of the lance stopped the giant’s movement.

“Karin, aim for the nozzles!”

With Karin’s height she couldn’t reach the nozzles of the giant just like that. But…,

“The sky is verdant, blowing wind drooping grass the dance of heavenly fox spirit, cleave the cloud formation…Wind Riding Least WeaselKazenori Idzuna!”

Floating behind Karin who was preparing her spear was the avatar of a bewitching fox spririt―Tamame no Mae, wind arose at Karin’s surrounding. The wind focused in one direction and threw Karin’s small body to the sky in one go. Karin flew through the sky as if swimming unhindered, where she circled to the giant’s blind spot.

Stepping strongly on the wind, Karin swung the large spear.

“Follow my arm and become meteor! <Shintoukei>!!”

The tip of the spear was screwed into the nozzle’s entrance with the force of a falling star. Cracks were running in radial shape around the nozzle and electric current ran wild deep inside the body.

“Karin, get away from there!”

The giant’s movement stiffened. When Kazuki sensed the height of the senpais’ magic power reached the extremity, he raised his voice. Karin jumped away from the giant that was emitting off vapor trail.

“ “O moon that shine even above the head of deeply sinful person, transform that motherly light into fury, crush this surface! The nightmare of falling moon right here…Moon Strike!!” “

A grand magic was invoked. The howling of a wolf facing the sky was resounding, the clear sky that was obstructed by the trees overhead became much more pitch dark―the far away moon was falling closer and covered the sky completely.

The falling moon that was imitated by magic power flattened the atmosphere where it burned and became a meteor from the generated insulation and compression, it fell on top of the giant while burning the surrounding trees. Overwhelming heat and giant mass smashed and melted the giant in one breath, and it dispersed into magic power light.

“…We did it!” Kazuki’s voice leaked out. Miyabi-senpai and Shinobu-senpai rushed to Kazuki’s sides and both of them *chu-* kissed Kazuki’s cheeks.

“Wha, what the!?” Kohaku opened her eyes wide in shock.

The surrounding mist cleared away all at once and the surrounding scenery of Haunted Ground recovered its original color of mother nature.

Kazuki and others were stupefied in amazement.

The instant the mist cleared, the figure of a giant wall that pierced the sky appeared in front of their eyes.

It seemed that they had arrived into the deepest vicinity of Level 1 area which had the shape of donut unaware. They were standing in a slope under their feet. Inside the mist was turning into a mountain trail little by little.

It wouldn’t be surprising if it was just that much, but there was a rectangle door with its joint inserted into the wall before their eyes, and a Stigmata confirmation device was installed at its side. There was no mistake that it was the gate to continue on Level 2.

That Demon Beast was hiding the gate using mist and safeguarded this gate.

Part 4

After settling its three comrades at the bottom of its stomach, the giant snake went underground deep inside the earth.

Far deeper underground than the complicated underground infrastructure installation that lurked under the city―gas line or water service or electric supply line, into the earth's crust, rather than called digging Midgarsormr was half assimilating with the earth while advancing forward.

It was inside the sea of rock where there was nothing that looked like a landmark at all, but the snake that assimilated with the earth was grasping the destination where it advanced using its paranormal sense.

Before long it leisurely broke through the underground of the wall that concealed the Fuji’s sea of trees.

As expected, the wall didn’t extend down this deep.

The underground of the Haunted Ground was not a Haunted Ground. Haunted Ground was only generated in the domain of human. Because the underground was not included in that domain it didn’t transform into a Haunted Ground. Therefore the snake advanced without even any Demon Beasts obstructing it.

Loki was saying that [the Three Sacred Treasures surely would be located in whether Level 2 or Level 3 area].

If the Three Sacred Treasures had already been created since the old era where that [forgotten hero] still lived then it should be just as Loki said. After all the Level 1 was in the scope of expansion that only happened in the recent years.

Understanding that fact right from the beginning was the advantage of Loki who was a related party with that era. It could be said to be only natural for Loki to show a composed smile.

The snake also passed through the underground of the next wall and crawled into the Level 2 area.

Further deeper…the snake and its party planned to begin their search starting from the deepest part of Level 3.

Surely they could steal all the Sacred Treasures without anyone noticing anything during the time Hayashizaki Kazuki and his group were slowly searching Level 1.

While keeping what Loki said in mind, they also passed through the third wall―*GAKON*.

*GAKON* Midgardsormr felt a sensation that was hard to believe on its face.

Its own face that was advancing through the earth collided with a bedrock. It was unable to assimilate with that bedrock and advance forward. It couldn’t advance even further than this!

While feeling shaken, the snake sensed its current position. This location, was just right under the third wall.

Something that could hinder its assimilation with earth was, a sealing magic. A sealing magic was fixed here.

The Level 3 of the Grand Haunted Ground was being protected by a gigantic sealing magic that extended from the wall on the surface deep into the underground!

With nothing that could be done, Midgardsormr folded its body 90° toward above and rose to the surface.

Getting out its face from the earth, his whole visage was exposed in the blink of eye―Midgardsormr that went out to the earth's surface was as if a towering lighthouse was there.

That huge body was writhing, while squirming around, the three comrades that were settled inside its stomach were spat out.

Ikousai, Hel, Nyarlako, these three people.

“It’s really the worst travel ever.”

Ikousai made a grimace. There was an anecdote that Midgardsorms’s body fluid was a powerful poison that even gave the finishing blow to that Thor of the Norse Mythology. Of course all the body fluid was repelled from her using Psychokinesis, but being transported while wrapped inside a pink grotesque mucous membrane for several hours was not something pleasant.

Midgardsormr returned into its human body and became the appearance of the black robe that was familiar with Loki’s troops. Before Midgardsormr was residing inside a man but right now its host was a woman.

Hel that was also spat out from the mouth was also a woman in similar appearance of black robe. …To be accurate they should be called as [the woman that was possessed by Midgardsormr] and [the woman that was possessed by Hel], but because Loki and his group were naturally thinking that the original personality of the body was not there anymore anyway, just like that they called each other [Midgardsormr] and [Hel].

Midgardsormr and Hel were biological children of Loki that he gave birth himself, they were Loki’s most trusted underlings.

Around them magic power so thick that pierced their skin was drifting, trees that were stained pure black were growing in abundance densely. Overhead many leaves and branches obstructed their view of the sky, in spite of the afternoon, their surrounding felt like inside a room where the electricity was turned off. It was the Level 2 of the Grand Haunted Ground.

Next Ikousai and her group stared at the wall that obstructed them with suspicion.

This was the oldest wall in this Grand Haunted Ground. It was a concrete wall that enclosed the Haunted Ground as the fleeting resistance of the humans at the era where [the forgotten hero] was active.

It was a mere concrete. Moreover the wall had considerably worn out from age.

But an unknown sealing magic gave out the sensation that the concrete was powerfully pressured to become solid.

Surely it would be difficult to destroy this wall even by combining the power of the four people here. If they released out such a powerful magic power then as expected there was the risk of their existences here got exposed. With nothing that could be done Ikousai turned her back to the wall.

“Th, then what are we going to do…?”

Nyarlako asked Ikousai timidly. The girl who was originally an orphan had an anxiety toward stranger. She was suddenly ordered by Kaya to go along with Ikousai and felt baffled.

She was an elf girl whose body was wrapped in punk fashion. Her elf’s characteristic skin was stained black and the long ears were hidden inside the black hood.

Inside the girl, the dregs of that Nyarlathotep was residing. Those dregs was in the process of reviving little by little, but the girl was trying to tame that power to use it skillfully and freely.

“For the time being we are going to immediately search this Level 2 for the Sacred Treasures.”

“Wait… Before that…” Hel was keeping back the shoulder of Ikousai who was impatient.

Her appearance was still like someone around twenty years old, but her voice was hoarse like an old woman.

“I’ll make this territory…into my territory.”

Hel chanted the short spell that was characteristic of a possessed magician and immediately invoked the effect.

“…O uncomforted people, o unhonored people, stand up from Körthe earth’s cushion…Gleaming DisasterBlikjandaböl.”

In drips, black magic power like sticky and moody mucus were flowing down from Hel’s whole body.

The black magic power went *doro doro doro doro!* in terrific speed and completely covered the ground in wide area before the magic power seeped into the ground of the Haunted Ground.

“…What are you doing?”

Ikousai murmured such. Hel didn’t reply but only lifted the corner of her mouth smugly.

The ground of the Haunted Ground here and there was suddenly bulging up.

From those bulging ground, arms, heads, humans’ upper body were growing out.

From the solid ground―[the deceased] with pale skin were creeping out one after another.

As if the budding plant that showed out its face at the spring, the deceased people were budding out from the rotting soil of the Haunted Ground.

With a gait that was exactly like the spirit of the dead, the deceased were wandering around the gaps between the trees unsteadily.

“The Fuji’s sea of trees was known before as a spot for suicide…this land mesh well with my ability…”

Hel explained the sight that was happening in front their eyes to Ikousai.

“My [Blikjandaböl] is the power to open the boundary line…it’s a power that call the deceased who had no honor and once again bestow them the chance to obtain honor…”

In Norse Mythology the people who accomplished a honorable death was invited to serve under Odin while those dead people who didn’t manage that was invited to serve under Hel.

These dead people mourned their unforeseen death and wished for honor. Hel possessed the power to manipulate that desire.

“I can share my senses with the dead…if Hayashizaki Kazuki stepped his foot into this Level 2, I’m going to detect him straight away… If we can make him fight the dead and detect his intrusion then we can concentrate on searching the Sacred Treasures without any hesitation…”

“…Hnn, what a distasteful magic. But certainly it serves to be something to be thank for.”

“So it’s fine if it can buy time? Then…”

Nyarlako raised her head and talked.

After that she closed her eyes and concentrated on her magic power. It was the magic of [Darkness Mythology StructureCthulhu that resided inside her.

“Spew out the melody of sacrilege, awaken the memory of freezing immortality…Madness CadenceCold Pray.”

An eerie sound resounded. As if there was a barrage of vulgar drums, a sound that repeatedly swelled out and shrank in the atmosphere.

The sound of a monotone wind like a flute that possessed no melody.

It was something human couldn’t comprehend, a ghastly music that would make the brain trembled in shiver just from hearing it too much.

“…What are you doing?”

Ikousai was not as good as Kazuki in foreseeing the effect of a magic from its magic wave.

To say nothing of how Hel and Nyarlathotep’s magic was belonging under a really minor element that was rare to meet.

“Something was overwritten in my magic…?” Hel slowly tilted her head.

“I endowed Nyarlathotep’s power of madness on Hel-san’s magic. The moment someone see those deceased, the magic of madness will automatically get invoked. …That, I think it will become something that can buy a lot of time.”

Hel once again raised the corner of her mouth smugly. As if she was really pleased.

Nyarlako was hoping to get praised and directed her gaze at Ikousai timidly.

“…As expected, it seems there will be no chance to fight Hayashizaki Kazuki huh.”

However on the contrary Ikousai’s expression turned despondent instead.

Nyarlako hung her head dejectedly. Ikousai didn’t try to understand the nature of a lonely orphan that was still very young at all.

“…Yosh, we are going to look for the Sacred Treasures now! Let’s do this while those guys are still not even aware of our presence here!”

Part 5

“It seems the students of the Knight Academy are entering the Haunted Ground.”

Eleonora said while searching the magic power inside. The Einherjar were hiding right near the wall of the outer circumference of the Grand Haunted Ground, looking for the right timing.

That timing they were waiting for finally came.

Beatrix paid attention at her surrounding while walking near the wall.

“This wall is…adamantite huh. …Should I use [Mjolnir]?”

[Mjolnir], the magic with the maximum destructive power of the god Thor that Beatrix relied the most.

If it was with the one strongest attack in Norse Mythology, then even breaking this wall was not impossible.

“We don’t need to go that far…Damian, your [Mysteltein II] should be able to destroy this wall quietly.”

Eleonora called out to Damian. She had seen through that the hardness of this adamantite was composed from the magical strengthening of its Prima Materias’ binding.

[Mystiltein II] was a Sacred Treasure that destroyed both physical matter and also all kind of magical effect.

“Yosh, here I come.” Saying that Damian too sidled up to the wall.

After chanting for a while, Damian created a large cursed sword in both of her hands.

“The blade grasped in my hand is the ill will that curse the blessing! While wishing for the rebirth someday, the indestructible thread of life of the son of god is severed with this hand! Mysteltein II!”

That blade which had the size almost the same as Damian’s small stature was swung with a speed that even the eye couldn’t catch. *ZUUUUN!!* Raising such a heavy sound, the wall was slashed in rectangular shape and fell down.

“Yooosh, let’s go! We are going to be Kazuki’s nuisance persistently!”

While yelling something troublesome for other people cheerfully, Beatrix stepped inside the Haunted Ground.

“In the miniscule chance that we find something that looks like the Three Sacred Treasures, let’s bring it home and hand it over to Yamato later.”

Eleonora was clearly making an assertion that sided with Yamato.

Even if they backed up Yamato they had the just cause that could make other countries shut up.

Japan had dirtied their hand with a blasphemous experiment that couldn’t be forgiven, they had the data of that experiment in their hand.

“So the talk is that the elites of the Knight Academy are gathering here then? I’m looking forward to it ze!”

Damian too followed behind with a lively gait. The knights of the Einherjar loved battle above all else.

“Fufufu, if possible I want to meet Kazuki in a flawless situation but…”

A troll and a gryphon were standing in Beatrix’s way, but she cut them down in a single blow and advanced forward heavily.

Wondering whether there was anyone that was conducting a showy fight around them, she sharpened her senses clearly.

Choosing the direction of powerful magic power as much as possible, Beatrix was walking forward heavily.

That was why that encounter was inevitable.

“…Beatrix Baumgard…”

Seeing the figure of Beatrix that displayed her appearance impressively from between the trees, that black haired Magika Stigma leaked out a strangled voice. It was the owner of the strongest magic power in the Knight Academy.

Beatrix determined her prey and grinned widely.

“Otonashi Kaguya… You too are one of the opponents that I want to try to fight at least once!”

Kaguya-sensed Beatrix’s eagerness for battle and raised her voice to her comrades.

“Everyone…be careful! Coming!!”

She wavered just for an instant, then she immediately resolved herself and glared at Beatrix.

It was a small luck that Beatrix made her appearance at her location.

As the student council president that was the strongest in the Magic Division, she would halt this formidable enemy in this place―she resolved herself with that determination.

Part 6

The god of sky rushed through the sky with the speed of lightning.

Ilyailiya Muromets erased her presence and made the knights that were monitoring her sleep with mind magic without allowing a single one to get away, then she rose to the sky.

There would surely be a great commotion when the knights woke up but she was really not worrying about the matter of later.

Japan had been a perished country already anyway… Ilyailiya was thinking like that.

Right now in this moment everything would be fine as long as there was no interruption from Arthur or Regina.

With a glance she directed her gaze at the GPS bracelet that was attached on her wrist.

This was the problem. …There was a problem, but it was just a small problem.

She had already assumed beforehand that the country of science Japan would make use of this kind of method.

She didn’t know anything about GPSthe eye of the sky or whatever, but to dare trying to monitor this god of the sky was a severely damned action. She would make them realize that the machine civilization was undoubtedly nothing more than human’s extravagance.

Ilyailiya activated the <Deception Recursion DeviceDeception Repeater> that was buried under the skin of the back of her hand. This machine was memorizing the electromagnetic wave from the GPS that was trying to measure Ilyailiya’s position and transmitted back a higher intensity electromagnetic wave with the same frequency. The GPS would then receive the electromagnetic wave by prioritizing the strong fake wave rather than the weak original wave and detected only the fake.

Ilyailiya sent haphazard information of distance and direction toward the GPS.

With this the operator of the Knight Order would believe that Ilyailiya was staying put obediently.

“It won’t be too late even if we are waiting after all the other Magic Advanced Countries are destroyed before exterminating all the machines.”

Ilyailiya was murmuring without any emotion.

“What is convenient is convenient. Arthur and Regina are very devout, but it’s inefficient.”

Ilyailiya wouldn’t be picky with her method if it was for the sake of victory.

Of course a body check had also naturally been conducted on her, but she had already planted all the necessary machines beforehand inside her body.

Who in the world would even imagine that a King of magicians was going to behave like this.

Everything was efficient.

Ilyailiya who was free from the monitoring raised her altitude vertically till she reached the <stratosphere>.

She had received a request from Loki to search the Grand Haunted Ground for Sacred Treasures in the Level 2 and Level 3.

When she heard this story, Ilyailiya was convinced that Japan’s defeat was unshakeable.

The only problem was Arthur and Regina who pretended to be the judges but…, there was no way they could notice for her movement that had reached the stratosphere.

It was not for sure, but Ilyailiya was a type of human that made snap judgment when she was struck with an idea.

She soared to the Grand Haunted Ground without any hesitation with the speed of lightning.

What happened then…without any obstruction from anyone she passed through the first wall from far away on the sky.

And then the second wall. Next was the third―just when she thought so, the lightning was suddenly halted.

Her face almost collided with an unseen wall dangerously.

Wall. That’s right, it’s a wall. The wall was a wall yet it was a wall of magic power.

“Sealing magic, is it…”

Against this seal that stretched from the ground to the stratosphere, Ilyailiya was surprised while still being expressionless.

It was an extremely powerful sealing magic. Which person of Japan that could put something this powerful here?

Without any magic or Sacred Treasures that excelled in seal destruction, even a King couldn’t break this seal.

Those who seemed to have the possibility to break this might be…someone like [Damian] that she had read about from the investigation report about Einherjar, she had been reported to have a [specially mentioned ability] which was her [Mystiltein II].

Ilyailiya descended down to the ground without having any other option.

It was just around the area that was called as Level 2 by the people of this country.

“…There are so many dead people here aren't there?”

Ilyailiya murmured right after she descended down at the pitch black forest.

Part 7

Regina Olympia Folnar was looking.

She was once again bringing her body into the sky.

[Metamorphosis]. The girl could make the divinity of the mother nature to reside in her body. She was unable to reach the stratosphere but with her body transformed into a swan and flew through the sky, those eyes of her possessed the power of a hawk and her sight was strengthened.

Regina was looking.

[Eagle Eye]. There was nothing that could escape from Regina’s sight in this sky where there was no cover to hide at all.

Regina purposely overlooked how Ilyailiya was infiltrating the Grand Haunted Ground with the speed of lightning.

By no means she didn’t possess a method to stop her. However she was thinking that now was not the time to stop Ilyailiya.

“…First it’s fine to make your sin to be definitely clear, o Russia’s foolish King.”

Regina murmured to herself as if spitting out. She was looking down at Ilyailiya.

That fellow was an owner of personality that joined hand with other King…the King of China.

The point was that she was an owner of a gutless thinking that was trying to borrow the power of others.

The King called Ilyailiya was unmistakably weaker than herself.

While believing that, Regina purposefully overlooked Ilyailiya’s infiltration.

―A few dozens of minutes before, Regina was acting together with Arthur.

“An intervention of other Magic Advanced Country in this Sacred Treasures Struggles Race between Japan and Yamato has to be firmly opposed. We got a late start despite the permission Commander Yamagata obtained from Japan’s government because of how long it took but…it’s fine as long as we are not too late though.”

Arthur who proposed to patrol the area brought along Regina and two people of Ryouzanpaku―Shouko and Silirat and they had arrived at the entrance of the Grand Haunted Ground.

“First Queen Regina, the sky is the field that is your forte right?”

Regina nodded at Arthur’s question.

“The possibility that Queen Ilyailiya will infiltrate from the sky is also high. I want to request of you to observe the sky.”

“Very well.” Regina threw in an appropriate response and immediately cast [Leucothea Metamorphosis]. That body of hers was changed into a giant swan.

“I ask you sincerely…please don’t allow any intervention toward this conflict between Japan and Yamato.”

Arthur called to the swan.

Inside her heart Regina was scoffing derisively at Arthur’s stupid honesty.

How could he believe that a King of equal status with him would move exactly as he wanted?

It was decided already that I will move as I please.

Regina who turned into a swan nodded briefly and flew away to the sky.

Next Arthur directed his eyes to both Shouko and Silirat.

“Let’s confirm each of our ability that is necessary for patrol. For me I can detect the magic power that is powerful enough to destroy this wall in a radius inside 5 kilometer. I can also sense the trace of the magic power left behind for about fifteen minutes since it was used. How about you I wonder?”

“Extra Sense is a field that I’m poor at.”

The small statured girl with swarthy skin, Silirat was shaking her head. Shouko tapped her hand on her chin.

“I, Roshouko-san am the one in charge for that kind of thing but…I cannot do it as good as a King like you yeah. My range is three kilo, for magic power trace maybe I can only sense it within ten minutes at most.”

“I see. Then how much time it will take you to circle around half of this Grand Haunted Ground? With the speed I possess it might be around ten minutes more or less with some time to spare.”

“I have confidence in my speed. For us ten minutes should be enough too.”

“Splendid. Then let’s divide our part. I will patrol the east side following along the wall of the Grand Haunted Ground. I entrust the west side to you two. With our speed and the range of our senses, we should be able to immediately detect someone who destroy the wall and infiltrate inside.”

“Gotcha.” After Shouko replied back slovenly, Arthur said “Please” and smiled.

And then he immediately headed to the east and walked away with an elegant gait.

“…From what I see that guy is the most badass among the three Kings, but he is too trusting yeah.”

Silirat murmured idly while seeing off that back.

“I feel the same. I guess that kind of guy is what you called a noble youth huh. Now then…my bad King, but the range of my magic power perception, is 1000 ri in truth!”

“1000 ri is too exaggerated yeah. It’s 3000 kilo right?”

Silirat immediately inserted a tsukkomi at Shouko’s energetic words.

“Shaddup, I wanted to say that cause its called Senrigan. …If I say for real then my sensing range of magic power is 50 kilo and tracing back the magic power trace might be around one hour. Although…it’s only when I get to use this Sacred Treasure.”

Shouko took out a piece of yellowed scrap paper with flourish. But it was not just a mere scrap paper.

“Moreover this [Sacred Treasure] also suck your magic power like crazy though. …See through, <Yin Yang Ultimate MapOnmyou Taikyokuzu! Shingan Kaikon, Map of Heaven and Earth and Mother NatureTenchi Shizen no Zu!!”

The scrap paper on her hand floated in the air gently and then it generated an extraordinary magic power and released it for 50 kilo in the surrounding. Shouko’s magic power was rapidly absorbed into the map and her senses were expanded in proportion of her sucked magic power. All the scenery and magic power illustration within 50 kilo was flowing into Shouko’s head.

Shouko went “wh, what a pain” and her body was oozing cold sweats.

“How is it?”

“Hmm…there is a trace of something’s magic power passing through the underground. The bunch of Yamato had infiltrated the Grand Haunted Ground already. They had went through for quite a while. Right now…they’re entering Level 2. Some kind of magic power is stretching around the whole place of area Level 2. Seems like it had been made into their own territory.”

“Suddenly it went to hell already huh. Anything else?”

“Aa―…at the sky, that Russia Queen called Ilyailiya had already went ‘pyuu―n’ from the stratosphere and flew to area 2. I wonder if it was too high to see for Regina who is patrolling the sky. No, might be that she purposefully turned a blind eye.”

“Why the hell would she overlook it knowingly?”

“That chick mightn’t be as moderate as Arthur yeah. Perhaps she wants an established fact that Ilyailiya really has violated the agreement.”

“Just attempting to infiltrate ain’t enough to wallop her, but if she infiltrate and do something then she can be walloped without any worry, that kinda thing? That chick’s head is also a little screwed up huh. As expected, that’s all then?”

“No, there’s still more. …It’s a long way off from the direction Arthur patrolled. Lucky, it ain’t gonna be anything interesting if it’s the honor student that butted in. This time there is no turn for that guy.”

“Then there is something in the west side?”

“Those bunch of Einherjar destroyed the wall and infiltrated the Grand Haunted Ground. Ain’t much time had passed since they enter.”

“Oi oi, this is the wall they boasted their butt off right?”

“…Oops, they encountered the students of the Knight Academy. It’s the group of that woman called Otonashi Kaguya. It became a battle now.”

“I heard that those Einherjar are savage after all.”

“Oy, you think you can say that about other people yourself just now.”

The duo of Ryouzanpaku that were overflowing with wild beauty were reciprocally trading a fierce smile with each other. It was the smile of veteran warrior that had repeatedly conducted guerrilla warfare with an enormous enemy as their opponent in the parched earth of China.

They didn’t love the battle itself like the Einherjar. Being thoroughly informed of their own capability accurately and making use of that strength to achieve something―they were people that loved a game like that.

“To get choices you can freely pick is really awesome. Now then, first we gotta move to sell some favor for Hayashizaki Kazuki’s gratitude later on I wonder. …Ah, crap, I used too much magic power and my head got dizzy.”

“No biggie, just me going alone is enough.”

Silirat nodded in exultant spirits. She understood her own capability.

She understood that she was under the category of [strong person] in this battlefield.

The foreign warrior that was contracted with the <God of Destruction Shiva> moved out.

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