Vol 13 Chapter 2 (1/2)
Cadenza Road Itto: Part 2
Speechless, Nina followed Claribel Right now, she had no other way It was paramount to understand Claribel as she was a Military Artist who fought the Wolf Faces Nina could persuade herself with this line of thinking Thewas that she didn't feel any observers h she felt the Haikizoku insider her body – the existence of Melnisc, she didn't feel the stirring and hot blood she felt when they fought together in a battle This ht be why Claribel knew she didn't notice their presence?
But Claribel noticed the observers without needing the Haikizoku's help Grendan's Military Artists were truly strong Why would someone of this level still thirst for a Haikizoku? No Coht now she should
(Wait)
This ht back then? But they didn't get caught Was that it?
Claribel had said that only she and Minse could fight the Wolf Faces here Then they e that there were people protecting them in the shadows In that case, there should be people who had seen theht with the Wolf Faces just by looking? Then how did Nina get herself involved?
(You can't get involved just by looking)
Nina thought so as she followed Claribel Right now that was all she could do
Then what did Nina herself see at that tiered?
She tried to recall the past
”Right, let's start here”
Claribel's soft words called her back to reality Though this was the city's center, the surrounding environment was a quiet residential area The house before Nina had the same structure as Nina's own ho to a Military Artist of a strong dojo?
Claribel leaped over the ithout changing her expression
”Hey!”
”It's okay”
”But”
”If orried about the details, they'd be doing whatever they want”
This was an illegal intrusion but she was speaking loudly She was conversing in a relaxed h Nina was a bit nervous, she followed
”Well, they wouldn't be that hardworking if they could do whatever they liked,” Claribel said as she landed
All Nina sahile standing on the top of the as the tall trees close to her and the top part of a three story ic scene shocked her after she landed Norrass and adorned with a fountain but what replaced it noas a hard surface that hadn't been repaired
”This is”
A hole was in the round Nina storound It was unbelievable that this was land judging by the hardness of it She gave it a kick and it didn't budge
”This is Heaven's Blade successor Rui at the same time Thanks to him, Grendan's citizens can wake up on time everyday”
Claribel walked in someone else's ho co from her under her feet A person who held the title of a Heaven's Blade successor It was easy for hiround but all he did was round into hard soil It had becoh repeated coth and perfectly control his Kei
”Those guys use the people living here as mediums to appear because they don't have a real for and arrived at the backdoor This was probably used by hired hands The room immediately behind the door would be the kitchen if this building had the same layout as Nina's home, and this backdoor was probably used for deliveries
The door opened easily
The aroma of spice wafted out from the kitchen The structure of this mansion was the same as Nina's, and most of the people in this mansion were norht since this ets”
Nina could only watch regardless of Claribel's actions Claribel walked into the corridor without using Sakkei The appetizing ser The two of them came to the kitchen as Nina expected In the kitchen were three chefs and a wo the dishes The four of them turned around when they noticed Nina and Claribel
”Ahah, Claribel-sa the flustered Nina ”You'reit difficult for ood, Mrs MacRing”
”It's almost lunch time That person eats a lot”
The woertips showed signs of having been through training She was also a Military Artist
”Yeah It's nor capacity Sorry for the sudden visit Can we join you?”
”Sure We've no reason to refuse Claribel-sama's visit”
”Ahhh, that makes me happy Then can Ithat I don't have? My chef can redients”
”I don't mean to increase it for me On the other hand, I want you to reduce it”
”Aa”
”IFor example, the small bottle over there”
Claribel meant the bottle closest to her She was about tothe seasoning on the dish
The air froze in thatthe s Nina didn't knoas inside the bottle as she didn't kno to cook Though it was seasoning, it didn't feel like the type that an outsider could i As a me I don't know”
”I understand Then I won't add it to the meals of Claribel-sama and your friend My husband likes it ”
The wo about her husband She suddenly stopped It seee of time had also halted
Nina didn't understand her expression She was speechless in this unusual circumstance so she could only observe how this event would unfold She found it strange that Claribel could converse normally in this situation
”The ruave birth to a child, and she is also a Military Artist I understand the feeling of his ho can't bear children but I don't think he had to do it that way”
”You don't understand as you're still young”
”No, I'm also female, and I'm a child of the royal family so I understand very well the treateneration”
”Even so, you won't understand Our standings are different Our path from noill be even more difficult on a certain level But you'll never understand the feeling of losing to another woman”
”The term replacement is especially sensitive within the royal fa if possible”
”No! You still don't understand!” the wo? Seemed to be so from the noise she made But what about her expression?
Nina didn't comprehend Nor did she understand Because all of them, whether it was the woman or the three chefs, wore theyou to a bad direction Lether job faintly
”No, you can't”
The woman's head was still lowered A voice came from somewhere deep within her
”I s”
”Then take down the mask first and resolve it”
”No No”
”This is decided”
”No!”
The woman lifted her head
Claribel ain Kochouenshi+ken was already in her hand when Nina reacted The scarlet blade cut the h pitchedfilled the kitchen The chefs attacked with kitchen knives in their hands Their foreheads were pierced by a scarlet thing in the next second The masks split into two The needle-like cloud that destroyed only the masks scattered
The needle was the product of Karen Kei
The chefs continued to moan and then fell onto the floor with the woman
”Are they dead?”
”Just fainted”
A quick and carefree reply Claribel took the bottle from the kitchen and tossed all the finished and half-finished cooking into the rubbish bin
”Let's go to the next stop”
She planned to ignore the fallen and leave
”What about the up That event just then has taken advantage of her personality and her dissatisfaction with reality She didn't do it deliberately This is what is called ”the des work” Fortunately, they're weak characters”
They left the mansion and leaped over the wall as Claribel explained
”Well, now I know their goal To assassinate the Heaven's Blade successors Theysome destructive work too I can only leave that to Minse”
”Those guys do so like this in Grendan?”
Nina had seen the Wolf Faces two times One hen she met Dixerio The other was in Myath The Wolf Faces took the initiative to attack eapons in both tiet to the Heaven's Blades
”This isn't the first ti new No matter who it is, people have one to teaknesses if you look carefully Perhaps they think they can't defeat the Heaven's Blade successors without using thesethe twelve Heavens' Blade successors And Savaris-sa of the future from now, they probably think it better to make one or two more immobile”
”Future”
Nina recalled the Electronic Fairies' conversation They said soios – the slu Saya in Lance Shelled City Airen who sealed off the people in the nasis and his subordinates, the Wolf Faces They were sealed away but they continued to plan the destruction of this world through pollutants They used the pollutants to create a new ecological environment The filth monsters that acted as the weapons of destruction in the past
So related to them was about to happen It could possibly be a battle And a very intense battle at that Hence the Wolf Faces were getting active in order to make the balance of victory tilt to their side
Was that it?
She kept hesitating What should she be doing now? She should observe the fight with the Wolf Faces and she should also participate But in reality, she could do nothing except follow Claribel No Perhaps this couldn't be helped Her current situation was like her situation at Myath She was in a state in which she had even lost her innateof which, what do you think of my skill just then when I unsheathed the Katana?”
”Uh?”
Claribel asked her just when she was deep in thought She turned around with disapproval, sensing Nina's slow reaction
”Really Didn't hear me? That's the skill to unsheathe a Katana Leave aside the accuracy of cutting down theis speed Speed Didn't you find it really quick?”
”Ah Yes Very quick”
She didn't even see her restore the Dite Though Claribel was praising herself, her accuracy in cutting the mask was incredible
”Faster than Layfon?”
Her eyes sparkled She still couldn't stop herself fro
”I, I wonder”
Nina still felt Layfon was faster but the speed Claribel used to unsheathe the weapon was a first for Nina
”Layfon's capacity of Kei is the highest even a the Heaven's Blade successors I can't surpass hie with speed,” she said
So rushed out in Nina's heart as she watched her She didn't feel happy about it but she couldn't be sure what it was
Claribel kept talking on her own It had becoue that didn't need an audience
”But the problem is the source of Layfon's Military Arts, the Katana technique The skill to unsheathe a Katana can't be underestimated Don't think I'm out of it I've always done heaps of research but I feel that I'd lose if I studied under Psyharden to understand the essence of his Katana technique Besides, the strengths of others ield Katana don't differ much Ah, in fact, the current person who holds the Psyharden skill is someone called Derek Psyharden You can count the nuth of his Katana skills in the entirety of Grendan”
”Ha”
”I don't quite understand the situation now but randfather said he's sohts one on one or with a group He isn't on the Heaven's Blade level but he has extreh skill The lowest requirement of a Heaven's Blade successor is to possess an amount of Kei that only a Heaven's Blade can sustain But his skill is probably the level of a Heaven's Blade And from here I can understand why Layfon took the Heaven's Blade at his age No Hang on a sec In that case, under the situation that randfather is a Heaven's Blade but one Heaven's Blade is stillan owner then the question is, why I can't beco Pretend I didn't say anything Got it? Thanks very much Then Layfon could so speedily make his achievement because of an experienced teacher, Derek Psyharden What a sharandfather's I can't mature quickly Ara? Then what I said before counts, doesn't it? Never mind It doesn't matter Anyway, I want to stress that I'm not weaker than Layfon I won't lose to hiht even win I'd have to boast about it Eh? To whom? To Layfon of course”
She spoke it all at once, totally overwhel Nina
Claribel's attitude and words were cold when she first ative elements of hostility and murderous intent All Nina felt from her was competitiveness
And she was very innocent
The second strong and young Military Artist that Layfontowards hi, Haia, was the same but he held hostility and murderous intent
”Excuse me”
Nina planned to ask her and understand everything She had s she wanted to ask About the Wolf Faces About Leerin being taken away But Claribel hadn't given any answers No Nina had been forcibly taken in Claribel's direction rather than Claribel trying to divert the conversation Anyway, Nina hadn't gained any useful information from her This was the ti the Heaven's Blade successors but Claribel wasn't i Nina had to ask Otherwise she wouldn't have the confidence to keep on working with Claribel
”What is it?” Claribel watched her She wasn't on guard with Nina
”Claribel”
”Please callof which, don't you find my name hard to say?”
”Ah, well”
”What is it?”
”That isWhat do you ith Layfon?”
”I want to defeat him”
A very honest and quick reply
”Ah, yes, please don't e or the sense of justice of a Military Artist”
”Then what is it for?”
”Please don't think this isMilitary Artists in Grendan who are the saest Heaven's Blade successor”
”But Layfon”
”Didn't I say it already Military Artists don't mind hiive it a good thought The underground matches ine there are al Military Artists fro buses like Grendan In that case, many local Military Artists and people who make up the audience are involved Otherwise it's not possible for trade, isn't that so?”
”Thatisn't unreasonable”
”I've said it round matches and his intention to kill Gahard Baren in thehe shouldn't have done, but his action that made people understand the horror of a Heaven's Blade successor So he must leave Grendan We've secretly fined the other Military Artists who participated in underground matches”
The horror of a Heaven's Blade successor
The Queen had said it before too, that this must not be exposed Nina heard that what pained Layfon were his siblings at the orphanage, knowing he wasn't the pure hero they thought he was They were angry that the ie of the hero they worshi+ped had been tainted
”Actually, he could have killed Gahard somewhere other than the htWell, this clu style is also”
”Uh?”
Unusually, Claribel's words turned unclear
”No Nothing Anyway, us Military Artists of sith We all see our own potential by looking at hi the Heaven's Blade This point alone stillMilitary Artists The reason for his entering the underground matches has been spread I don't think uy”
”Then that means”
Layfon's return to Grendan wasn't just a dream?
”So many people want to defeat him”
”What did you say?”
Claribel looked nored
”Because he's very strong So this wish to fight hioal in life for us Military Artists who are the sae as him”
Claribel didn't notice Nina's shock
Had Nina herself felt the sa?
No How ht the sae nuathered everyday after the platoon h Layfon himself wasn't keen, the flow of students neither lessened nor stopped And no one had tried to challenge Layfon in a duel Nina too She wanted to be strong like hi him Layfon was also Zuellni's student He was in her teaoal was to keep i, Layfon wasn't someone whoth
(This is)
Why Grendan's Military Artists were strong Their asn't li that they could one day reach Layfon's level but the as directly connected to the term ”surpass” So was that why Grendan's Military Artists were so strong?
”So that's why Clara wants to fight Layfon?”
”Yes”
Claribel confirmed in a carefree manner
The two of them hadn't halted their steps as they walked
”Ah?”
Claribel nodded innocently and turned around
”What is it?”
”Nothing I thought there's so else I see So that hat it was”
She didn't understand her
”What is it?”
”Ah, sorry Seems we have to split up here”
”What did you say?”
Her sudden word made Nina speechless
”I' I have to do I think you don't have to worry I'll get killed but if you don't feel well, my conscience would feel bad And I don't knohether Her Majesty would coood care of yourself It's fortunate that you're on our side and you have the Haikizoku to protect you It should be all right You'll be safe”
Claribel spoke without stopping as Nina thought Nina was speechless
”Then, keep at it”
Claribel suddenly jumped She was suddenly on a roof nearby and the next second, she was gone
”What?”
That was all Nina could e She was suddenly left behind in an unfamiliar street on Grendan Uneasiness rushed up in her as she looked around
What had Claribel noticed?
Nina stood on the spot, thinking of what she should do next
(Let's just take this opportunity)
This was a good chance to return to Zuellni It was impossible to take Leerin back as the Queen ith her She couldn't win against Lintence even using the Haikizoku's power – He was the top aer than Layfon but Layfon had said that the Queen surpassed all Heaven's Blades She herself could have been killed within seconds in the fight against Lintence No way she could win against the Queen
She carefully thought of her strategies but Grendan was too unfa now is to one to save Leerin alone if she was the past Nina So sense of mission made her lose control of herself She understood it too but she could not control herself once she pressed the button ofhad enabled her to escape that situation and calmly think about her next action It see her was still around She felt she couldwasn't a problem She still ree point in the palace Perhaps she could escape by running in that direction
(That's decided)
No point standing here once she had her plan Nina prepared to run for Zuellni
Kei moved at the same time but it didn't coe circle with Nina in its center The pressure of Keian i
”Wh, what?”
What she felt was the re Kei It had surrounded her in a split second and cancelled out so had happened in that split second and then had quickly ended
Her hands naturally held the Dites and restored the iron whips
So The sense of premonition in her expanded
The sound of wet footsteps from somewhere arrived at thestuck to the shoes It was a very soft sound but it couldn't escape a Military Artist's ears
Behind her
Nina turned around A cold sensation flowered in her chest the moment she saw him She had seen him close to the Queen when she lost to Lintence and was close to losing her consciousness
”Yo”
His voice carried a heavy at manner he had when they first met was now hidden
”DixerioSenpai?”
”Ah, yes”
It was hard to accept even with his ade was coe
”Well, it can't be helped that you feel different from the last time My ht have appeared I've beco it”
Naïve Was this at of that term?
She couldn't put down her weapon The Dixerio before her was anything but good Her heart still held tension The cold sensation seemed to want to suck out all the heat in her body
”Senpai, what do you want to ot involved because of uilty, I'ize”
His left hand held the chain of the watch hanging before his chest Nina could clearly see the dry blood on his fingertips
”Senpai, what did you just do?”
”Uh? The peopleyou are in the way so I put them to sleep temporarily”
Temporarily? Put them to sleep? Was it really that? Dixerio didn't respond to the question in her eyes She was expecting hi”
But he didn't
”It doesn'telse to do then I'd take you back to Zuellni Besides, they'll be in chaos It's so that will happen sooner or later”
”How so”
”Don't worry You'll forget it anyway”
His words shocked her Was this his original personality? Had he been pretending all along?
”It is troublesoet rid of it”
And suddenly
A sudden stor the iron whips The sound of hard things clashi+ng pierced the sky Dixerio quickly moved to her Three successive strikes with the iron whips caused sparks to fly
”Why!?”
”Didn't I say it e firstI can to take what I want This ht here”
Dixerio's Kei continued to expand as the two of theth Should she avoid it? She couldn't The pressure on her wrist had not changed If she e metal whip of his would kill her
In that case
Internal Kei variation – Kongoukei
Kongoukei received the external Kei releasing fro the two to separate
”Whythat would end in a split second if you don't resist”
”Give et anyway!”
Kei was increasing during the conversation She couldn't let her guard down in this situation Nina gave up holding back her Kongoukei and allowed her Kei to expand
”You're so stubborn”
”You forced me to!” she shouted and rushed hiet confused But this hesitation had slowed down her actions Dixerio didn't hesitate The Kei running in her ain strike a path similar to the one she made before The impact created in the iron whips crossed in front of her was like the touch of electricity, nu purple electricity ran madly around Nina
”Wu”
”Never would have thought you could withstand that”
The expressionless cold voice retreated Dixerio took a few steps back He put soain As Nina's action was dependent on his attack oukei to receive the next i
She couldn't defend all of theoukei, accu her injury This made her shi+ver She'd lose at this rate She tried to suppress the innate anxiety rising in her
(In this disadvantageous situation)
But Dixerio had retreated again to prepare the third Raijin while she was thinking of her strategy
Kongoukei The iron whips crossed before her deflected the attack But this ti the attack and deliberately let her weapons fly The huge iron whips fell hard on the ground after losing their goal and created a huge explosion She adjusted her position according to the Kei flow to avoid the flying debris
The distance was just right Dixerio prepared to release Raijin as she expected He stupidly rushed her
”Believe in yourself Step out without confusion and deal your enemy a decisive strike”
She suddenly recalled Dixerio's words for her when he deht was just the repetition of one's strongest technique One didn't have to use strange e the battle experienced The strategy was to attack decisively and stop the opponent froy Inability to carry this out y also meant defeat Inability to last was also defeat She had to utilize all the potential in her in a fight that was overwhelh it felt stupid, she had to attack to keep testing her boundaries
And this was the essence of Raijin
”In that case!”