399 396. Winter.txt (1/2)

But before the ice could reach me, the wind blew.

From the stairs where Hitaki-chan had just appeared, a knight, Rainer Helvilleshain, had emerged.

And then he pierced the gap between Hitaki-chan, who was facing me, and slashed at me from behind with his signature wind magic 《Ix-Wind》 with his twin swords.

It was a splendid surprise attack, but it was easily blocked by the rapid bending of the ice blade that was extending towards me.

The ice blade cut a clean circle and became a giant ring of blades (chakram).

The two types of swords fought each other and icicles scattered in the air.

There, Hitaki-chan saw the person who attacked her for the first time and spilled his name.

''--Rainer Helvirshine?''

He was not upset at all about the surprise attack.

However, he seemed to be surprised by the surprise attacker.

Regardless of that Hitaki's surprise, Ryner continued to swing his sword at it.

What greeted it was not a huge ring-shaped blade (chakram) - but a blade of ice that twisted and turned further.

The ice in The One Who Stole the Reason of Water was shapeshifting and fluid.

In the end, it became an intricate shape, like the roots of a tree, preventing it from being pursued from all angles. The transformations were fast, hard, and sharp, and unlikely to break through easily.

Gradually, Ryner loses the advantage he gained from the surprise attack and becomes less and less offensive.

Finally, when the ever-transforming ice blade turned into an attack, he took a big leap and took a distance.

''Kook--, I failed to finish him off ......!

Swearing, I take a breath and cautiously watch for Hitaki's exit.

However, the shapeshifting ice doesn't follow Ryner.

''This is ....... Now, the power is ......?

As if there was something more important than that, before I could deal with the surprise attacker, Hitaki gave me a stern look. No, to be precise, she was staring at the 'slit' behind me.

I felt a mixture of fear in the 'gaze' behind me, so I shifted my body slightly and took a position to protect the 'slit'. Looking at me, Hitaki further wrinkled her brow as she spoke.

'...... Did you like Tiara's work so much?'

Surprisingly, he complained to the 'break'.

Hitaki let out a loud sigh and relaxed her narrowed twin eyes.

'...... haha. That's fine. If it's just until the morning light arrives, I'll play along with that favoritism for a bit. Either way, it won't change.

All the while, the magical power she wore rippled wildly and continued to chill this indoor space for all intents and purposes. The swirling distortions also became thicker and thicker, and her vision became uncertain, as if she were underwater.

In the midst of the seasick scene, Ryner gripped his twin swords tightly and muttered.

''Oh, this chill ....... I'm glad I trusted Tiara-san. There's no doubt about it now.''

As his body trembles, he slams a declaration of hostility on Hitaki-chan as he rouses himself.

'The enemy wasn't your ancestor ......!　Not even the Ragnet one!　--It's him!　You Aikawae flycatcher!　This is the Lord's 'worst' enemy!　It was the source of everything!

Together, the wind that dispelled both cold air and distortion blew.

Even if the surprise attack failed, Ryner's killing intent did not diminish at all.

Any moment now, that ferocious wind swells up in an attempt to re-attack. The only thing that kept me from following its murderous intent was the companion next to me.

As if to stop a breathing liner, Snow speaks out.

''Well, wait ......, Ryner!　It's Kanami's sister!　What are you doing?!

'Are you nuts?　If I hadn't come, Rastiara would be dead!

'Well, that's some kind of mistake ....... Because everything Kanami has worked so hard for until today was to heal your sister!　And yet, this ......!

''You still can't see that magical power!　I just let it happen!　I just wanted to use my illness as an excuse to make a connection with my brother!　That's such a nasty enemy, that one!

To Ryner, who was asserting himself, Snow couldn't talk back.

Ryner, who has interacted with Tiara-sama, who lived a thousand years ago, was prepared to fight with Hitaki-chan in this battle for the Hoosiers. I have a similar resolve through the same process.

However, Snow is different.

The information she possesses from a thousand years ago is too little.

Hence, after some hesitation, Snow leaned toward me.

Even though she couldn't make a decision, she had a profile that convinced me that she would only protect me. The remaining Sera seemed to have made the same decision as Snow and stood next to me.

Then, I watch the conversation between Hitaki and Ryner, who is coated in a killing spirit.

''...... haha. Ryner-kun, would you like to stop?　You and I are on the same page, aren't we?

First, Hitaki held up his hands and refused to fight.

It was defenseless.

With Ryner's character, he would be able to slash at his surrendered opponent.

''............!

However, Ryner is unable to step in.

Probably, but it's likely that the skill he possesses, 'Evil Sense', warns him that he has zero chance of winning. He continues to glare at Hitaki with his twin swords tightly clenched.

''You are your brother's knight. Your brother's safety should be your top priority. Then wouldn't it be best for you to cooperate with me?　Tiara must have told you that, right?　As for ”The Curse,

She was trying to persuade the motionless Ryner - it looked like she was trying to persuade him - and her gaze was on me.

The appearance of Ryner must be a trivial matter to her. Towards me and the 'slice', she continues the 'answering each other' that I mentioned earlier.

It's not just a matter of time before you'll be able to get your hands on a new one. ...... The 'Stealers of Reason' of the past, each of them carried a special 'curse'. Naturally, my brother, who is the 'stealer of dimensional reason,' is no exception.

Hitaki-chan, while trying to kill me earlier, with an expression that hasn't changed at all, politely tells me what I've been wanting to know.

''The 'curse' that's left on my brother right now is that [the one I love the most will die]. However, it was very difficult to pay this debt ...... First of all, it was really unclear what constitutes [the one you love the most dies]. First of all, it wasn't enough that only your brother loved you unilaterally. Of course, it was not good if only your brother was loved. The first one failed because it was discovered that the minimum requirement was that they loved each other. And the second one, the subject escaped and--

You speak as if you've already experimented with Kanami many times.

After all, Hitaki is definitely the one who has been adjusting Kanami all along.

As the last remaining 'suspicion' disappears, the person who is adjusting it tells me that I am the one Kanami loves [the one she loves the most].

''--Rastiara, you're the third one, I see.

I think I should really be angry at her.

But to think that because of Hitaki, I was able to meet Kanami, have an 'adventure', 'confess' to each other, and be with her. ...... I couldn't hate her.

'The script your mother prepared for you was truly perfect. It's not just a matter of time before you get your hands on it. It won't shift, it won't be different, it won't fade away. From now on, you will gain 'immortality' and continue to live. From now on, you will continue to die as the price. The best possible stage is being prepared here today--

'Ha. So, Rustyala Hoosiers, you want me to die here?　For Christ's sake?

Despite my favoritism, Hitaki-chan continues to let out a cold voice, and Ryner replies with an angry tangle of anger in place of my silence.

''Yes. One of us has to die. Someone who had feelings for your brother, confessed to each other and bonded with him, one ......

'Don't be silly: ......!　Do you really think that kind of talk will convince us ......!

So, Mr. Reiner. You want both your brother and Rastiara to die?

...... Oh, yeah. It's still better that way. It's much better to end up like that. I'd rather fight and fight and fight to the end, and if that doesn't work, then both of us die together - I'm satisfied with that.

Ryner refused to be rolled over in the palm of his hand, even if he was dead.

It's still the same ball-busting principle as it was when they met.

But it didn't add up a bit. I stared at him and looked at him, clearly ignoring all the 'threads' and moving while swinging around.

Hitaki-chan, who is facing me, seemed to have the same impression and muttered with interest.

''It's odd. ...... Is that the last page you're comfortable with?　Why does Tiara make you a collaborator: ......

But he quickly sighed and shook his head.

'...... haha. No, it doesn't matter anyway. At any rate, the last page of the story still hasn't changed a single letter. I can see that if Reiner Helvirshine is an irregularity, we can just pretend it wasn't put together.

I muttered that the answer was there without thinking about it, and finally Hitaki looked at me.

She looked at me again abominably - but lovingly - and then, in a grave voice, called out to the collaborator next to me.

'Serdra.'

'...... Do I do that too?'　Do I have to?

Now that it's come to this, the more people we have, the better. Besides, I don't want to leave you with the possibility of losing your hand, just in case. For the sake of the future 'world'.

'Certainly ......, the friends of Vortex Wave are an asset to the 'world'. That's where they agree with me. ...... All right, I'll take it on as a job.

I'll concentrate on Rastiara and Mr. Rainer. So you'll take the others--

Obviously, it was the math for the battle to come.

It was Sera who noticed and moved it before anyone else. She ran up next to me and barked a small ”get on”. But Ryner denies that response.

''If you're a senior, blood and ice will take your feet!　You'd better let him go up there!

Shouting, he turned his attention to his flight capable companion.

Snow understood what this meant, and nodded, taking me in his arms.

'...... yeah!'

He spreads the wings on his back and takes a great leap towards the stairwell in the middle of the floor (the floor).

'Snow Walker!　You're weak against the thief!　Keep going, fly with Rastiara and stay away!

It was quick, instantaneous, and brilliant.

The whole time I've been staring at each other, my friends have been calmly planning the right moment to let me go.

I couldn't react to their moves, and they did what they said they would and took me upstairs.

However, they are not so sweet that they can outwit you with that.

I'm going to ask Seldora next door for help, as if Hitaki-chan is not fazed at all and is rather on schedule.

''--and since it's going to be, that means you're the right person for the job. Since it's just right, please mix in Fafner as well. So there's zero to lose.

All right. --...ancient magic, the Freirosphere.

After a short communication, Serdra leaps after Snow.

He then transforms his body in the air while letting a red mist erupt from near his collarbone.

He introduced himself as a dragon man (Dragon Newt).

I knew that I could 'dragonize'.

However, the scene he saw now was completely unexpected.

Serdra spread one wing from his left back.

It seems that even dexterously, partial changes are possible. No other changes at all.

However, that one wing was a size beyond the norm.

The color was blue, just like Snow's.

However, unlike Snow's wings, which were so huge that they filled the ceiling, unlike Snow's wings, which were so large that they spread their arms out.

One wing alone could not even fit on this large floor, or floor.

Even now, his wings were about to burst the castle from the inside - and just before he was about to do so, his wings flapped slightly once, as if he was cowering, and generated a breeze.

And in the next moment, his wings disappear like a mist.

''Heh, what--?''

Snow was surprised, confused and confused.

What surprised him was the overwhelming mass of Seldra's wings.

What puzzled him was the fact that all that mass disappeared in an instant.

'Sorry, but it's not your age. ...... No, you're not trained enough. Regret your immaturity.

How can you--?

What's confusing is that Snow's body lost its buoyancy and began to crash.

Basically, the race of dragons do not fly on their wings alone.