Vol 21 Chapter 2 (1/2)

Chapter 2 - Burning City

Not too long ago, inside Harpe.

It had taken less time to reach Grendan than he had imagined.

This showed how fast the speed of Harpe was as he flew through the sky. Layfon could only stare at the soundless, empty scene flying before his eyes.

And then, they arrived.

(If the battle is still being carried out inside the city, then according to the treaty, I will be unable to join the fight.)

While listening to the echoing and reverberating voice of Harpe, Layfon looked at the scene of Grendan beneath his eyes.

Grendan that he overlooked was a bit fuzzy from his position in the air.

The reason the scene had become blurred was because there was a great deal of smoke floating around the surroundings of the air filter.

Countless unshaped lights flashed, but these were not streetlights.

In the center of the city, a battle unfolded inside the palace.

”What do you mean by treaty?”

Felli asked this.

(That is a treaty with the Alchemy Master who created the foundations of the moving cities in the past. Regardless for what reason, we are unable to join battles occurring inside a moving city. This is because I who has not crossed paths with humans for long time may be thought of as an enemy by humankind.)

Indeed, just from its outer appearance, Harpe truly resembled a filth monster.

Speaking of which, in the area where Harpe had been, quite a few filth monsters had listened to its commands, so Harpe itself should count as a filth monster.

(The Nano-Celluloid and Cloud-Cell copies that were spread apart in the first battle formed the basic substance of the filth monster. It's normal for humans to be unable to distinguish between us.)

”......Indeed, if you dropped down on the city suddenly, it would definitely create a big panic.”

Felli's words made the surrounding atmosphere become cold all of a sudden, and it was unknown whether that feeling was just due to Layfon thinking too much.

No, it wasn't.

She definitely wanted to say it.

Useless thing. [1]

”............Ahaha.”

Layfon laughed slightly, and Felli reacted to this and looked over. Layfon could only pretend to be inspecting his Dite to evade Felli's gaze.

”......Then, what are you preparing to do?”

(I reckon that after Grendan is eliminated, it will be the final deciding hour between Lævateinn and I.)

”That...... are you saying Grendan will lose?”

He definitely couldn't let those words go.

(The human-bred warriors. Certainly, they are very strong, but that does not prove that you are able to be victorious. Then I can only hold to my treaty while doing what I can.)

(Moreover, there is no reason to prove that everything will be fine after dealing with Lævateinn.)

”What does that mean......?”

(The battle has already started, you should go quickly.)

There was no time to discuss the details with it.

Because Harpe ended the talks very firmly.

By using the method of letting the ground underneath Layfon and Felli suddenly disappear.

(The distance I am currently at is already sufficient to count as a violation of the treaty.)

These were the final words that the two of them heard. After Layfon held on to Felli next to him, he covered her nose and mouth.

Breathing in this kind of place was extremely dangerous.

The two of them escaped from the airs.p.a.ce around the filth monster in moments, and after experiencing the unique feeling of breaking through the air filter, they pa.s.sed through the smoke-filled sky.

”Puhaa!”

After coming to a place where they could breathe, Layfon opened his mouth, removing his hand that covered Felli's.

”Haaa!”

It seemed that she also gasped for breath.

Layfon was relieved, and then looked at the ground.

Helped by the force of the wind, they fell near the palace.

”Are you alright?”

”Nn.”

”Great.”

The moment that they landed, a Psychokinesis flake drew near them.

(How are you here?)

The voice sounded extremely familiar.

”You are......”

Layfon looked at Felli, thinking of the successor who had replaced Delbone after the battle last time.

”Then, you're indeed called Elsmau-san, right?”

(Yes. Instead of this, how did the two of you come here?)

Elsmau's words were filled with confusion.

It seemed that she hadn't noticed Harpe in the sky.

”Rather than that, how is the current situation?”

Felli forcefully changed the topic.

(The situation is extremely bad, please escape as fast as possible.)

”We didn't come here to run away.”

Felli said resolutely.

”We came here only to fight. I hope that we can obtain your cooperation like the last time.”

(That......)

”Meaningless.”

Suddenly, another voice b.u.t.ted in.

”Lintence-sama.”

Lintence appeared calmly in the shadow of a building, on the road to somewhere.

”It's already over here, I'm finally getting to the main problem.”

Those words might be said to himself.

Though it was only a quiet sentence, Layfon felt that Lintence was extremely happy.

”Well, since this little girl said she wants to fight, isn't that good. Her power was already proved in the previous battle.”

(That...... though you say that...... still......)

Lintence seemed not to care about the worried Elsmau.

He currently looked at Layfon.

”Then, what about you?”

Lintence asked.

”Did you come here to chase girls? What are you doing?”

”......I came to fight.”

Letting Lintence's sharp gaze pierce through him, Layfon replied.

”I also have reasons to fight.”

”......Huh, in battle, other than the fact that you're a Military Artist, other reasons are all superfluous.”

Saying this, Lintence walked out from in front of Layfon.

”So, if you want to fight, I have no reason to stop you.”

”Yes!”

Layfon replied loudly to Lintence's words.

He couldn't help but think of the events from the time when he had just met Lintence.

Later, they arrived at the battleground.

”How are things over there?”

(The preparations have already completed, but the condition of Psychokinesis really isn't very good.)

”......Not knowing the true form of the enemy is truly troublesome.”

(I'm already gathering as much information about the enemy as I can.)

”Good.”

The enemy's true form......

Layfon replied to Felli while he looked at the opponent.

The opponent also looked maliciously at Layfon.

Every waving tendril of thorn was as thick as a big tree, and standing on top of the monster formed by those thorns, was a girl.

Vati Len.

No, Lævateinn.

She was a bit different from the appearance that Layfon was familiar with.

However, she was extremely similar to the being they had run into in the abandoned city.

So, she was already Lævateinn.

He feared that that was the situation.

”......I really can't understand.”

Even if he wanted to think about things regarding Vati, to be honest, he didn't understand a single thing about her at all. Though some of her actions were indeed a bit strange, she should have been a girl who enjoyed learning and had a pa.s.sion for discovery.

However, Layfon had also always felt that she had the sensation of not wanting people to know her true self.

Was that related to the situation in front of him now?

How could he relate them?

Layfon who was unable to smoothly sort out these things in his mind was plunged into disarray.

”But......”

There was no time to let him be in disarray.

The battle had already started, and sacrifices had already appeared.

That couldn't be forgiven.

And most importantly......

”Felli......”

(I just heard of Leerin's position from Elsmau-san, she's underground.)

”Underground?”

Speaking of which, he had heard before that there was a s.p.a.ce underground that no one knew details about and that people were forbidden from entering.

”Then......”

(I believe that the person named 'Saya' is there.)

The person who held the key to this battle was there.

”Regardless of who she wants to encounter, that thing will be an obstacle.” [2]

Moreover, if she could defeat Lævateinn, then it could directly affect the outcome of the battle.

It was definitely like that.

(Do you feel scared?)

”How could I.”

Layfon laughed wryly at Felli's merciless question.

”If I got scared from this little even now, then what meaning would the hard work of mine have?”

After he had lost the Heaven's Blade, in order to be able to fight, he had researched unique methods of refining Kei, battled Nina's great-grandfather, come to the abandoned city before this, and fought with the thing that looked exactly the same as Vati.

”I got through everything to be able to come here.”

(That's true.)

”If I turn back here, then how terrible would that be for Felli who accompanied me here the whole time?”

(You don't need to think about those things.)

”Eh?”

(I myself decided to come here with you, so I'm saying that it's alright if you don't think about those things.)

”Ah, sorry.”

(Nnn......)

”Th......Thank you.”

(Good.)

”Haha......”

Though Layfon was carrying out a conversation with Felli, his eyes never moved from Lævateinn's body.

The monster of thorns had already stopped digging. Lintence's steel threads had blocked the road ahead of it, and moreover had bound the movements of the giant creature.

The shaking ma.s.s of thorns seemed hesitant over whether to dig forcefully like before.

Lævateinn who stood there stared maliciously at Layfon.

'Why are you here?'

As if asking this.

Not to say that her mouth moved, and not to say that her expression changed.

He should have been in the abandoned city, but the area that Lævateinn wanted to ask about was not the fact that he was already here.

No, however he thought, she wouldn't have any interest in that kind of problem.

Then......

”I'm going.”

Layfon restored his Dite. The s.h.i.+m Adamantium Dite. The dark blade highlighted Layfon's leap.

”Hey, hold on!”

Ruimei roared.

However, by now he already couldn't stop.

Layfon raised the blade of the Dite, preparing to pierce through Lævateinn's head.

The thorns swung left and right to block Layfon. Though it had a giant form, it was still agile enough to keep up with Military Artist speed. Moreover, the destructive power that the giant ma.s.s brought couldn't be ignored.

Layfon dodged the thorns from a very close distance, and sparks flew because of the Kei covering his entire body touching the chaotic shockwave.

A giant tendril of thorns obscured Layfon's vision.

There was nowhere he could run. The opponent was trying to stop his momentum.

He had no reason to let this succeed.

Layfon rotated his body in midair, letting his feet first touch the opponent...... that moment, he suddenly entered a world of instantaneous speed.

Internal Kei variant, Reflecting Water Ferry.

Pa.s.sing through the thorns that blocked the road ahead, Layfon stood in front of Lævateinn.

Her eyes stared at Layfon.

She kept up with Layfon's speed.

But even so, he couldn't stop here.

Psyharden Technique, Flame Cut.

He drew a flaming cut path, but unfortunately he wasn't able to complete it.

”Ugh.”

He hadn't finished his desired action, and the shock pa.s.sed through his arm and spread through his entire body.

Lævateinn had used her hand to block Layfon's blade.

”Though I know your power, I cannot stop because of this.”

”......I as well, I can't stop here without moving forward.”

Layfon held Lævateinn's gaze, replying with this.

”So, I came here.”

Regardless of how many time he was asked, regardless of who asked him.

”I haven't changed my plans.”

Flame Cut had been stopped.

However, the next move had already been prepared.

External-type Kei, Composite Blast variant - Flame Reversal, Flame Tempered Edge.

The blade had been stopped, and the slash of Flame Cut had been invalidated.

However, that didn't mean that the Kei technique was over.

The same time the blade had been pulled out, the Kei of Composite Blast had been scattered above Lævateinn's head.

In the next moment, the expanding red color became countless blades, slas.h.i.+ng towards Lævateinn.

Taking advantage of the gap of time in which Lævateinn raised her head to look up, Layfon moved back.

The countless flaming blades formed by Kei all caught the immobile Lævateinn, exploding one after another.

Layfon didn't stay in one spot to watch the outcome of this attack.

He only retreated with all his power.

Using the same methods to destroy the thorns that he had done just before, he returned to the place where he had originally been.

Savaris stood there like the past, welcoming Layfon with a familiar smile.

”Using all your might to run, huh.”

”Please say something like 'I understand my current power'.”

Layfon calmly replied to Savaris' ridicule.

”It sounds like you've already become an adult, how silly.”

”If you have so many opinions, why don't you try them out?” [3]

”But, didn't I already work hard for so long just now? I at least want a bit of time to rest.”

”Really......”

Speaking of which, traces of blood were all over Savaris' body.

Seeing as there was no new blood flowing out, his wounds had already been closed by his use of internal Kei.

The other Heaven's Blades like Ruimei, Kanaris, and Troyatte didn't take any actions either, using this time to focus on recovery.

He didn't know why Haia and Claribel would be here, but Layfon had already noticed that they held things like Heaven's Blades in their hands.

He had already noticed, and moreover felt surprised, but he didn't have time to express it.

More concerning, where in the world were Reverse, Cauntia, and Kalvan?

”It seems like some people aren't here?”

”Those few have already died. You should have understood, right?”

”......I never heard of it.”

That was probably the only reason for them not being on the battlefield. The feelings squeezed inside Layfon's chest were ejected in an instant.

It was very normal for people to die on a battlefield. When he had fought in Grendan, he had seen many Military Artists die with his own eyes. Regardless of whether filth monsters or Military Artists, if fighting happened, then there would definitely be a death between the two sides.

So, the reason wasn't strange, and even Heaven's Blade successors could lose in battle.

But, his heart wouldn't be throbbing if he only relied on reason.

”We can't let her reasons for leaving increase.” [4]

He said quietly.

Next to Layfon, Savaris continued speaking cheerfully.

”Rather than that, it seems like you thought up of a very interesting move. So that's how it is, you were confident to come here because of that.”

”Though it seems like it wasn't of any use.”

During the process as Layfon had been returning, the explosions produced by his Kei technique had ended, for the most part.

An unharmed Lævateinn was leisurely standing there.

Layfon understood that it wasn't possible to defeat her so simply.

What Layfon cared more about, was why hadn't the Kei technique just now been able to cut her? Or had it cut her, but she had instantly recovered already?

Though it didn't change much about the fact that Lævateinn was standing over there unharmed, Layfon still looked for a clue from that fact.

”Judging from the results I've seen here, it should have cut her.”

As if reading Layfon's thoughts, Savaris spoke.

”However, there's no way to defeat her.”

”If she were defeated that easily, then it would be meaningless for us to be here.”

Savaris' tone was frivolous like the past, but the more frivolous his tone got, the more it expressed the strength of the enemy. Layfon was certain on this.

Because to Savaris, fighting was more meaningful than anything else.

(How pitiful that you can speak so well with a person after you tried to kill each other.)

Felli said by the side.

”Eh? Ah, uh...... true.”

Speaking of which, that kind of thing had indeed happened.

”That was a very nice battle.”

It had probably been heard by Savaris, as he spoke.

”Something that I can't picture like being able to fight even without a Heaven's Blade, let me experience it a bit another time.”

”No.”

(You two really are weird.)

He had rejected Savaris' interest, but Layfon had still been told off by Felli.

”Please don't cla.s.sify me as that kind of person.”

Though Layfon said this, the confused atmosphere of the other side had already pa.s.sed through the Psychokinesis flake.

”Ooh, that person is also beginning to test her out.”

Before Savaris' words were spoken, Layfon already felt it.

He could feel an extremely great Kei ripple from that place.

The surroundings were already filled with his steel threads, showing that his steel threads could become deadly blades to attack Lævateinn at any time.

Layfon looked at Lintence.

The man who pursued battle for another reason different from Savaris' momentarily moved the five fingers of his leisurely drooping hand left and right.

Layfon hadn't missed that fine movement because there had once been a master-student relations.h.i.+p between them.

In a breath, countless thin blades attacked the monster of thorns and Lævateinn.

Cut lines produced by the rus.h.i.+ng wave of strikes appeared everywhere on the thorns.

”It wasn't cut apart, huh.”

Yes, Lintence's cuts hadn't cut off a thing from the thorns.

”If it's just cutting, then Cauntia-san should have been the strongest, and there's also you and Haia. So this isn't a surprising outcome.”

”I guess that is true.”

”That guy's strength shouldn't be in that area.”

”I also understand.”

He had never thought that Savaris would speak like that to him. The unexpected and strange confrontational feelings that arose in him made Layfon a bit low-spirited.

”That's only his first contact, I understand.”

Using steel threads to investigate the state of the enemy, this was called 'contact' by them.

However, because Lintence's contact was too strong, just that could directly eliminate large numbers of filth monsters.

”Then this is enough.”

Layfon felt annoyed at Savaris' att.i.tude as he watched the battle.

The monster of thorns had seemed to have decided to first stay aboveground. Not only because of Lintence who currently attacked it, but Layfon and the others had also received the attacks of its giant body.

Layfon easily jumped to evade the a.s.saults of the thorns that came with a cras.h.i.+ng noise.

The same time he dodged, the thorns exploded.

”What!”

A huge amount of smoke filled the surroundings in a moment, and his vision was ruined, but even so, he wouldn't miss any abnormal changes in the air.

Countless things were flying towards Layfon.

Layfon ducked his body according to their presences.

The countless things that broke through the smoke and rushed over were...... thorns.

Thorns whose thickness had become closer to reality became countless spears to break through the smoke and a.s.sault Layfon.

”They've changed?”

Layfon checked his posture, sweeping his blade to ward off the thorns, but the thorns appeared wave after wave, seeming completely limitless.

”d.a.m.n.”

The recoil produced when he dealt with the thorns continuously pushed Layfon's body back.

”Die!”

External-type Kei Composite Blast variant, Compound Sendan - Kagome.

The strikes that ran up and down a.s.sembling something like a net rushed out, wiping out the group of thorns.

However, the number of the thorns was limitless.

External-type Kei, Composite Blast variant - Hunter's Pursuit.

While following Sendan's momentum with additional Kei, Layfon confirmed the situation in the surroundings.

The smokescreen was slowly dissipating.

If he looked closely, the number of thorns breaking through the smoke numbered one or two thousand.

Not only Layfon, but Savaris next to him as well as the other Heaven's Blades endlessly received the thorns' a.s.saults.

Like an endlessly inflating pincus.h.i.+on.

The Heaven's Blades had all carried out evasion and counterattacks, but they still couldn't stop the swelling trend.

And other than Layfon and Lintence, the other Heaven's Blades' movements were not very smooth.

It seemed that the degree of weariness was much more serious than Savaris had spoken of.

Layfon abandoned his attack, beginning to focus on evading.

Layfon endlessly avoided or parried the thorns rus.h.i.+ng at him, his target the ball of thorns. Because the opponent had such a great number, if he avoided them once, the next attack wouldn't come so quickly.

However, the superiority of that number was still there.

Regardless of whether he leaped or dodged, if he erred once, then because of the enemy's number, he would be forcibly pushed back to his original position or somewhere even farther.

From the opposite side of the extending thorns came the sound of something being destroyed.

Was it the sound of the Heaven's Blades doing something to the thorns?

No, it wasn't like that.

”She's destroying the city?”

If he considered the speed at which the thorns expanded, it had already reached the size that the palace had originally been. Moreover, it was very easy to speculate that it had already extended outside of the palace.

A crisis was already approaching Leerin.

”I can't go on leisurely like this.”

Layfon once again flowed Kei into his feet, running into the center.

Sprinting in the opposite direction towards the extending thorns wasn't such an easy thing. Something that looked like very fast movement actually wasn't so.

”d.a.m.n.”

An anxious word came from his mouth.

At that time.

A sound different from before closed rapidly in on him from behind.

There was already no time to turn his head to confirm.

Even so, some kind of feeling told him that the sound closing in was even more dangerous.

Layfon forcefully escaped from the path of the advancing sound.

Right after that.

The thorns in the direction that he had left from disappeared in a moment.

No, they had been torn apart.

”What?”

Layfon didn't even finish his sentence. However, he couldn't resolve anything if he didn't confirm with his own eyes. Layfon looked over.

As expected, it was a scene that was hard to describe.

The thorns had been broken, torn apart.

There was something he couldn't see well that was spinning, shredding the countless thorns, scattering around.

What was it?

No, there was no reason to consider.

”Let's go.”

Though Layfon felt a chill run up his spine at the seemingly displeased voice, he still quickly jumped into the suddenly-created s.p.a.ce.

He had originally thought that he would be cut into two along the way, but that hadn't happened.

But even if he entered right now, it didn't mean that he would be able to be at ease afterwards. Layfon focused his consciousness into his eyes, and after he found it, landed on top of it.

The fine net-like object that he landed on was...... steel threads.

Yes, it was probably only Lintence who could do that kind of reckless thing.

”It seems like we can't cut them when they're packed.”

Above Layfon's head, Lintence seemed to be talking to himself.

His voice sounded like he seemed bored.

But, even this Lintence had quite a dangerous expression.

He didn't feel despair at his opponent.

”I always feel like your tone makes it hard to swallow.”

”What are you saying?”

A spiraled blade of steel threads continuously cut apart the extending group of thorns, piercing, and guiding Layfon and Lintence as they ran towards the center.

Layfon had finally spoken because he was being escorted.

”It hasn't used its full strength yet, huh.” [5]

”Eh?”

”I'm talking about that thing. It called up a bunch of forces to drive off the palace Military Artists, and even told the Heaven's Blades to retreat at the start. That isn't what a person who destroyed Reverse's s.h.i.+eld and who defeated Kalvan should say.”

”That......”

Though he wanted to say something, Layfon couldn't think of what he should say.

Did Lævateinn actually want to avoid battle?

Why?

Unexpectedly, something appeared in Layfon's mind.

”Even if she has the outer form of a human, that thing isn't human in the end.”

”Ah......”

”The reason I cleaned up the other forces first was because I wanted to understand this. In the end, it was the same after I investigated just now.”

His investigation just now...... he should have been speaking of his 'contact'.

”Even if she imitates humans, she isn't a human. Since she doesn't have organs or a heart. She's a monster formed of things even smaller than sand.”

The thing which had appeared in Layfon's mind had been broken into pieces by Lintence's words, and he couldn't even reform it.

Yes, it was like that.

Hadn't he also seen it when he had been in the abandoned city, that being who had appeared with the same form as her.

Hadn't he seen her calling Lævateinn the mother form.

Vati Len, she was not a human.

Rather, she was the monster known as Lævateinn.

He couldn't forget that.

”Why would that kind of thing want to avoid battle? ......It really bothers me.”

Because he had been born as a Military Artist, he had pursued battles corresponding to his abilities.

Layfon had heard him say something like this before. He had been the one who had spoken about his reasons of the time when he had left his birthplace city, but he hadn't thought about that time much.

Perhaps for this kind of person, Grendan's battles hadn't been able to satisfy his thirst for battle.

Not to say that he played around in a crisis like Savaris.

Had Lintence done what he had merely as a duty? There were times when Layfon thought this. Though it was possible that this way of thinking was a bit twisted, it was because of those kinds of thoughts that had brought about the current Lintence.

If he was like that, perhaps he currently stood before the enemy that would allow him to complete his duty.

He who looked no different from normal might actually be lacking calmness. This kind of dangerous feeling pa.s.sed through Layfon.

The spiral of steel threads endlessly cut through the thorns, bringing them to the center. It was already impossible for him to grasp his position. Where was he, in what part of the city? Had there been any big changes from the place before? Or had he already dove underground? Or had he peen pushed back up into the air?

Various worries continuously sprung up in Layfon's mind, throwing it into disarray.

However, perhaps what he had just felt from Lintence might have been his illusion.

Layfon looked at the other side of the spiraling blade.

If he saw his battle opponent, there wouldn't be time to let himself be in disarray.

The spiral continuously brought Layfon and Lintence forward.

”It's coming.”

As they came closer and closer into the center, the gaps between the thorns became smaller and smaller, and they almost couldn't see the things ahead of them.

But they could still sense it, and with a definite goal in mind they continuously advanced.

The feeling of distance narrowed, and suddenly came the sound of the spiral spinning in open air.

They had reached the center.

They saw Lævateinn.

She still stood there with the same posture as before, making one even doubt whether she had even moved at all after the thorns began changing.

”Go!”

The moment the spiraling blade was removed, Layfon leaped out.

Internal Kei variant - Reflecting Water Ferry.

With instantaneous speed, Layfon moved in front of Lævateinn.

As expected, her eyes caught Layfon.

Psyharden Technique - Flame Cut.

Layfon still pulled out his blade like before.

With the same process as before.

So the outcome was also the same.

The blade that was released was caught by Lævateinn's hand.

The following technique was not released.

”Why!?”

A shouted out question replaced it.

A very tiny change was produced in Lævateinn's expression.

”This has nothing to do with you.”

However, the reply he got indeed didn't have any emotions.

Knowing that there was no following move, Lævateinn added strength into her hand in order to crush the blade that she had caught.

”What are you joking about!”

External-type Kei Composite Blast variant, Flame Ignition.

The flame that had once disappeared once again covered the blade, spewing out from inside Lævateinn's hand.

The flame wasn't only simply spewing out, but it also burned Lævateinn's hand black, making it lose its shape.

”You......”

”Not having anything to do with me...... I don't want to hear that anymore.”

The fire hadn't disappeared from the blade.

Before Layfon looked at that burned black and melted hand, her hand had already regenerated.

She wasn't human.

Though he already knew this, he now confirmed that fact again.

Yes...... So......

”I have to......”

It was alright even if he pointed this blade at her.

Definitely...... it was alright.

'Has it become close to humankind at all?'

Unexpectedly, Layfon thought of 'Lev B's words. Though he hadn't heard that sentence directly, it still echoed in his mind.

”This is necessary!”