Vol 12 Epilogue (2/2)

”Is that so In that case”

It was useless to say anything to Layfon now He felt he was naive to still want to persuade him

”I can only stop you with force”

The naivety h he didn't look to have moved, he did ave off light

The two clashed

Alsheyra looked at the Leerin in her arms and saw her complicated expression

”Are you bothered?”

”Huh?”

The sound of commotion was behind theht to normal people, but this level of noise was just a small ruckus to Alsheyra Lintence's Steel Threads were blocking off even the remnants of the battle, so Leerin was unhurt Alsheyra would never allow anything to harm her

”I was a little surprised I didn't think you'd say to return so quickly”

The battle behind her was just extra entertainment to Alsheyra But not so with Leerin Neveran inch But Leerin's eyes weren't enough to catch up with Layfon's ht eye

” Because I feel I have to return”

She was bothered by the battle but she couldn't see it clearly Dissatisfaction filled her, and she balled her hands into tight fists Alsheyra watched her and waited for her to speak

”She's in Grendan, isn't she? Saya”

Her words landed a heavy blow on Alsheyra's chest These words finally left Leerin's mouth No, Alsheyra already knew this day would come, but if possible, she wished for this day to never arrive However, things weren't always that pretty

”Yes,” she nodded ”She's sleeping in a secret place, somewhere deep inside Grendan No one, not eventhere”

Who was it? What was it? Alsheyra only knew of battles, and that an awareness wanted to destroy this world

”When did it begin?”

”A long Long tio At the ti story”

Leerin turned her attention back to the battle Even though she couldn't catch up with it, she still couldn't move her eyes away

”Layfon It's okay not to involve hier part of Grendan”

This was one reason why Leerin wished to return quickly

”Probably”

Yes Not only as a citizen of Grendan This event had nothing to do with people eren't Heaven's Blade successors Alsheyra was searching for Military Artists who couldn't exercise all of their strength without a Heaven's Blade Layfon suited this criterion Though physically, his athletic ability and technique were comparatively lower than other Heaven's Blade successors, his ability in Kei, whether it be e Kei, was top a the Heaven's Blades At one tiation on his body with the lie of having hio a body health check, and the report had showed Layfon's Kei vein had experienced signs of expansion at a younger age In addition, he had great concentration to control his enormous Kei But what about now? Since Lintence called him ”naive”, perhaps Layfon had yet to perfect his control of Kei?

(Haha, perhaps)

Perhaps Lintence wanted to test that hypothesis He looked like he was playing Usually, he wouldn't be like this So Lintence

She looked at Leerin again, atching the battle with anxiety

He had no place to escape to Layfon attempted to wipe clean the pressure on him with the shi+ him evaded his cut path like spiderweb in the wind But even if he shot his Kei directly at Lintence, the Heaven's Blade successor would have blocked the attack with complicated patterns of the Steel Threads thatdefensive formation

Lintence hadn'ta drag and the tip of the cigarette turned red He then puffed out a thread of green smoke All he did was simply smoke Even so, the Steel Threads attacks did not stop Since swinging the Katana was not enough to evade all the Steel Threads, Layfon keptHe had no other way but to escape

(What should I do?)

He kept fighting Perhaps this wasn't even a battle He thought with all his wits If he had the Sapphire Dite He denied that thought Lintence would turn the battle to his advantage in one split mo a technique in front of its expert, it was better to fight with one Katana

Layfon had watched Lintence fight using the Steel Threads fro him head to head Lintence was an unbelievable opponent He felt he couldn't have done much even if he had the Heaven's Blade It was obvious that Lintence hadn't been fighting seriously Still, Layfon failed to make an effective move

(What should I do? What should I do?)

No matter how hard he pondered, he couldn't find a way to escape the net of Steel Threads

”What? Can't do anything?” Lintence asked as he stepped on the cigarette butt on the ground ”This is a waste of ti with you”

Tension swept through Layfon's entire body He shi+vered at the attack that was to come At the same time, he had a premonition that Leerin would turn farther away from him

He rushed forward, but the Steel Threads interfered He raised the shi+m Adamantium Dite and attempted to cut down the Threads with the dark blade The Threads evaded him and swept back to assault hi forward Evade and move Every time, he evaded the Steel Threads and slipped by them with inches between them and his skin But once he evaded the attack, the Kei between the Steel Threads would head for hiainst Lintence's Kei Still, this had wounded him, and in a short period of ti hi forward Even one step was better than none And it was true that he was closing in on Lintence one step at a ti that Layfon did He took out a new cigarette froarette You have 180 seconds till I finish it”

He held the cigarette between his teeth He just needed to watch to knohis heart As a result, he failed to evade the Steel Threads completely, and a Steel Thread cut away some of hisnothing for the wound, hethe ss with his eyes He observed the Steel Threads that eaved together to attack him He blocked and chased the the Katana, evade and ained was so little that it wasn't worthHe kept his position with the will to die while forcing hi tiht made him more impatient He couldn't make it 180 seconds? How much tiarette? He had no time to look at Lintence The Steel Threads waited for his weakness to show Lintence was still playing If Layfon lost his concentration, he'd die He'd definitely die It was useless to keep guys alive who couldn't avoid the Steel Threads Much better to just kill theest number of Steel Threads was about 100 million How many Steel Threads were here? 200? 300 Just that ? How less But the distance between Lintence and Layfon did have so If Lintence had wanted to kill him, he just needed to increase the number of Steel Threads by 300 Hadn't Layfon's existence proven that truth?

Layfon's feelings turned turgid Lintence was so far from him, and Alsheyra, as behind the Heaven's Blade successor, was even further away How big a distance was it to want to reach Leerin as in the Queen's arms? His body moved His Katana danced He held his weapon closely But hisclumsy Pain bit his entire body His evasive actions were less perfect He could no longer capture the movements of the Steel Threads with just his eyes He had to use all of his senses However, his body becaht the filth ed phase, Savaris, and now Lintence He had been fighting till now, and his body was reaching its lih the Dite couldn't bear more Kei, he just needed more for his body Let his Internal Kei run more intensely Wake up his body and enliven his entire nervous systeive up

Run Run Run!

”Aaaaaaaaaaaaaa!”

He roared His hot Kei vein felt like it was burning Perhaps it would really burn But it was all right If he could keep burning till he used it all up, then keep on burning!

Light sparked in his vision No His body was exuding the light The redundant Kei that his body had failed to absorb was leaking fro into External Burst type Kei This Kei pushed back the Steel Threads and shook apart the ground beneath his feet The air roared and keened His body hurt as if he was bathing in an explosion But that was all right Layfon jumped and sped past the Steel Threads, past Lintence to reach the Queen Otherwise, he would fail to catch Leerin's hand

One swift moment here the only chance laid He went past Lintence to the Queen He spied the big coat in the corner of his eye The Queen's dark hair was getting closer He could get closer to her as long as his Kei kept running, as if it had no limit, as if it was to burn itself out The blade in his hand turned into a muddier color of red A muddier red of blood He had not poured more Kei into the Dite, but the redundant Kei on the Dite was beyond what it could bear

One strike Only one strike was all he had One strike This was a fight with the Queen No second strike was allowed

His gaze es here He didn't think she was looking at hihtly slow and numb Layfon stared at those pupils as if he was sucked into them He must take back that wish and make it come true But just as that wish for?

Confused, doubtful, yet he had no tiive an answer in onedown the shi+m Adamantium Dite The scarlet cut path ran out from him to close with the Queen's neck Cut down the Queen's neck, kill her and take back Leerin This ent through his mind

But that did not happen

The result ca on his wrist rather than fro The blade extended from his hand had disappeared Not that it had exploded fro The blade had scattered before Layfon's very eyes into countless pieces The Steel Threads had cut it down

Layfon leaped over the Queen and landed The thened himself with Internal Kei, he had failed to control the momentum and rein it in He slid and slid He couldn't even ready his stance to fight He knew the Steel Threads would not let this chance go And his opponent would not let this chance slip by Pressure iathering here

Sougenkyoku Hane Mushi+

Originally, it was a move to invade the filth monster's body and strike it fro, and instead, used its force to jump back The Steel Threads dispersed in the dance of a mad storm Pain battered his entire body, but he had successfully escaped fro froans His forehead was injured, and his vision had turned red The Steel Threads had cut deep into his lih he had jus and had gotten rid of the Steel Threads from his body, the Kei in the weapon had struck deep inside Layfon, rendering him immobile

He wanted to stand up, but failed The lack of weight that should be the Dite in his hand saddened him Kei still cycled in his body, but the wounds on his body could not recover immediately Still, he'd lose if he did not stand up At least, he did not want to lose If he gave up now

”180 seconds are up,” Lintence said and stepped on the cigarette

All of a sudden, Layfon was paralysed He hadn't noticed that soht to invade him The Kei from the thread cut down his consciousness He knew his opponent wasn't serious Even so, Lintence held in his palm Layfon's life and death

He lost his consciousness, not knoas going on

He seeure that looked like Nina, enveloped by blue light

”Layfon!” she shouted, seeing Layfon topple What an unbelievable sight That Layfon was defeated Was this real? But Layfon had fallen A man and a woman stood before him, and was it Leerin as in that woh she wanted to check on Layfon, she didn't think she had the strength left to do so She just looked intently at the ant face revealed a knowing smile

”Lin, that's a Haikizoku”

”I know I've seen it before”

”Heh~ Just as expected fro experience You really are different”

Nina felt cold on her back as she listened to the conversation They had seen through her

”Who are you?”

”Grendan's big boss and her servant,” the wo attitude

”No, Nina Hurry and run away!” Leerin shouted ”They're the Queen and a Heaven's Blade successor They're too much for you Run!”

Nina's eyes widened This woh to control the Heaven's Blade successors like Layfon And this man was like the former Layfon He was a Heaven's Blade successor

” What are you planning to do with Leerin?”

”We're protecting our precious citizen Is that wrong?”

The wo In her voice was someone who liked to joke She didn't act like a city's conqueror

”Though it's a bit e, I'd be thankful if you were to come with us What do you think? Besides, I think I can show you what you want to see”

”What are you?”

”This world The Haikizoku The Electronic Fairy The mystery that contains them all You're already involved Are you not bothered?”

”These things”

The Queenit a thought Did the other person notice so? Or had she just simply looked away?

There Over there

He was a far distance away from them, but they could still see him clearly A person stood at the contact point between Grendan and Zuellni

”Dixerio Senpai?”

That must be hi down a huge metal whip Kei with a color different from Nina's spilled out of Dixerio The mask on his face was also different It looked the same as the Wolf Face's mask, but it felt different Nina also felt that she had seen it somewhere before

”Ah, we're seen,” the Queen said ”This e can't run away”

Nina didn't feel the Queen was talking to hi to herself

”What is it? You want to run away?”

”Hus that are already set That's what youth is like”

”You're speaking of youth at your age?”

” If you keep saying more, I'd hit you”

Dixerio turned around and stepped into Grendan as if he had noticed Nina

”Though the city has a few factors, let this side accept them all”

”Huh?” Nina responded It see to her

”How's it? Not interested?”

”Isn't the Haikizoku your ai was the one who sent out the Mercenary Gang Savaris left Grendan because he couldn't stand Kanaris' nagging In truth, I think it's a tiny bit better to have the Haikizoku than without it Though it ht be useful for Grendan, but this ti the Haikizoku or not rests with Saya”

Nina didn't understand what she just said This woman's lack of tension had influenced her

”Well, you'd understand once you reach that side Interested? If not, never mind But if you want to interfere with us, I can only defeat you,” Alsheyra said in a relaxed ht for a moment Layfon had fallen Leerin was in their hands Could she win just by herself? How serious was the Queen?

Nina's gaze et closer But was it all right for her to return to Grendan like that? Nina thought of the Layfon behind her Could she ith the power of the Haikizoku against opponents that Layfon had failed to defeat?

No

”Aah, that's a waste of effort,” the Queen laughed, having seen through Nina's plan

Nina tightened her grip on the iron whips as she shi+vered at the Queen's action

”It's not et confused over whether I can win or not”

”Oh~”

”I've promised Layfon to protect Leerin If I were to break the proht as well killto stop Nina but Nina didn't hear her shout

”That's quite some preparation”

The man next to the Queen walked up to her

”Lin, you can't kill her”

”Then can this stop that woman?”

The voice of the man named Lin echoed in the dim atmosphere

”Please stop! Lintence-san!” Leerin shouted The name of this man, Lintence, made Nina's back feel ht Layfon the Steel Threads technique

”Real strength can be utilized best in a deep crisis What's theis an action that bets on one's life Layfon's for example, is only child's play”

Pressure assaulted Nina's entire body But she wasn't scared at all She waited for a chance to attack as she suppressed the shi+vering of her back

The tiunshot writhed around the condensed Kei bullet that ran straight here It was a shot at the Queen frounshot had stopped it The paths of two bullets overlapped and the explosion of Kei created a small circle in the air Another bullet had stopped this bullet and Nina could tell immediately where the first bullet cainator of the second bullet from the traces of Kei left after the Kei explosion

Sharnid had shot the first bullet Who shot the next one?

No tiaze was still on the Kei of the explosion

But that was a trap

” Layfon is a troubleso forward, felt a strange feeling from her feet It was already too late when she felt it Soround Steel threads then wrapped around her wrists also Their speed far exceeded Nina's and it had sealed off all her ht If he were to realize the feeling of being in a deep crisis, he'd beco as he could surpass the line he's drawn You seem to have easily crossed that line If we're to predict the future of having experienced millions of battles, either you or Layfon, you're still lacking brats”

Nina lost her consciousness in the next second

Sharnid saw it happen

He saw everything

He could do nothing but watch He couldn't press the trigger of his sniper rifle A pressure ca unique clothes was holding it to his forehead

”daht of wanting to die”

Sharnid let go of the sniper rifle and raised his hands He had no choice but to surrender The gap between hi Not only did her bullet stop his, he also didn't notice her closing in on him He only lived because she didn't kill hiun was lifted from his forehead but Sharnid remained immobile

He could only watch them take the unconscious Nina away

He wore a new fighting suit But this action spread the pain of the wound hiding underneath the bandage

He had lost co else existed besides this truth It mattered not that he was alive The important point was that he had lost The end result was Leerin had been taken away Nina was also taken too Hadn't the Haikizoku already left her? What had happened in Zuellni while Layfon ay?

His body had been unable tohad happened during this time and Nina had been taken to Grendan Defeat pained him more than the wounds he bore He understood what he wanted to do was very foolish even without having to tell anyone about it All he could do was lie on the ground, defeated by his opponent What else could so

Had he been too arrogant because he was a forht of it that way, the result ht have shown otherwise

But a real Heaven's Blade successor had shown up and defeated hi Roo for him in the corridor

”You're quick”

”Felli had already contacted me before you returned”

Harley forced out a smile and passed over the weapon harness with Dites in it The Adamantium Dite, shi+m Adamantium Dite and the Sapphire Dite Layfon's weapons The weapons he used in Zuellni The Dites combined with Harley and Kirik's talents and skills were still far froe and it wasn't the only obstacle

Could he overcome all of them?

”And this”

Harley took out the Iron Dite The Dite that Leerin brought from Grendan

”To be honest, I don't recoest a out but” he stopped halfway Layfon felt regret in his words Harley was bitter about h to sustain Layfon's Kei

”Thank you”

He took the Iron Dite and placed it in the slot deliberately left empty in the weapon harness

”Nina, she'll return?” Harley said as Layfon took a step out

”Definitely”

That hat he wanted to say but he failed to give voice to it All he did ordlessly in the corridor

He knew he should have given Harley a reply

Layfon arrived above the ground of Zuellni

Activities to revitalize the city had begun The destruction above ground was incredible Many students had lost their dored to stay at the dormitories prepared for the first years Even so, the leftover students had no choice but to live in the shelters

Noise sounded fro h the students didn't look happy, they didn't look down either It was probably already a big encourage

Layfon couldn't join them

Military Artists remained on alert in case any filth e for Layfon to walk about, dressed in fighting clothes

He didn't ask how badly the Military Artists were injured He had received treatment in the clinic located in the shelter, slept for a day like mud, climbed up from bed and walked over here He didn't have the time to ask for infor even if he had heard the news

Leerin was taken away Nina was also taken away

He was here, unable to do a thing He had also failed to defeat the aged phase filth monster The Queen was the one who defeated it He should have known about Felli overworking herself The giant filththe Heaven's Blade successors ere hunting thehtly-looking clothes

Layfon walked as he watched the city, indifferent Soirls were s new furniture Si smoke issued fro everywhere

This place was full of vitality The people here did not yield to the h the place they lived in was turned upside down The sense of welco

Perhaps because this was an Academy City One just needed to rebuild even if it was broken The existence behind this city was to do as realistic and practical The students weren't alone The vitality exuding from their collective bodies depicted the city's new chapter

Layfon couldn't join the of returning to the path of a Military Artist The feeling that the people he knew in Grendan had shattered He didn't feel at ease even with the weapon harness hanging fro off a feeling of soed the current hi

And at last came to the outskirts of the city

Grendan stood before hiainst each other Layfon didn't sense anyonehim But trade and co off entry stood here

Zuellni still had one broken leg It seerow But Layfon couldn't fatho

He would be inside Grendan if he were to cross over this line But could he reach his goal even if he reached that place? The wall blocking hih he couldn't see its top, and that wasn't the only wall He couldn't surpass the wall that was Lintence Leerin had been taken away So simple And Nina too Grendan and the Queen had taken away those two Why did Leerin go with the Queen? Layfon didn't understand He didn't get anything yet he still acted However, the doubt asking what he himself could do had then stopped his footsteps

Just what could he do?

”You've really come”

Layfon turned around at that voice

It was Sharnid Felli was here too Both of the clothes like hi?” Sharnid's expression was still the same as he walked up to hier than that”

He patted Layfon's shoulder, bringing his face close to hi but his eyes weren't

”Felli senpai”

”My exhaustion is gone The lack of judgain”

The resolve in her calm attitude was firm

”Can't accept failure just like this”

”Oh, Felli-chan has said so excellent”

”But”

Lost Layfon had lost And nuhters existed in that city Besides, it was the country The Queen had taken Nina This meant this was Grendan's will If they were to resist it, they would be declaring war against this country A fight o would take place beyond this contact point

”I also think I'll regret not doing so”

A few pats on Layfon's shoulder

”Though I'll also regret doing it But I don't knohich side is right And I ht No ht That's how it'd look from the result? It's better for me to do it That's why I'e

”Felli senpai, that's really dangerous”

He received a wordless kick on his leg

”Ouch!”

Even he himself was surprised at the sound of pain he uttered He sat down on the ground Felli's icy gaze hit hi do you plan to whine? You've already co me see yourwhat to say to make himself look handsome You'd do well to have one percent of hi like that to me?”

”Wa, still as deadly as always So harsh”

Sharnid laughed

Felli turned around

Layfon was speechless for a while then his lips softened There was no rooic end awaited hi out

”True”

He felt as if his confusion had been flushed away He looked at Grendan once more

”Let us save the Captain”

And Leerin too

Layfon and the two passed over the contact point