Vol 22 Chapter 4 (1/2)

Chapter 4 - Each Others' Battles

Down below, endlessly advancing underground

Karian's steps continuedon the round

He didn't knohen the lights that illuht source was the white ball of light ahead of hi Master”

She should be unable to see that light source What goal was she s were that dark

Or perhaps the scene surrounding theuardians of the other side peering over at them? That kind of doubt couldn't help but appear

But, Karian was coht before hi led

To where?

”Young Master, are you alright?”

”It's alright, just trust me for now”

”I trust you, but”

Karian didn't feel the confusion of Stania behind hiht noas focused fully on as before hier feel other e

Did the unnatural stairs heading down before hi to this city? It erous

Other than the ball of light guiding hi

Since he couldn't see doards, he feared that if he raised his head he wouldn't be able to see the place where he first entered this place

”Young Master”

Stania's voice was full of anxiety If there were a battle, then she wouldn't be very suited for the situation

Even so, Karian still stepped on the stairs going down

Going doithout stopping

Not long after Stania's hand seerabbed on to the clothes on Karian's back

”Uh”

The light disappeared

Just as he thought this, the next light appeared

The light spread out as if they were looking into the night sky

This wasn't the only change

The underground space that had oppressed the two up till now and given theave a kind of feeling like being released, and the presence of the inally surrounded the out above their heads swept away the darkness, and Stania behind him seemed to have also seen this

”This is”

Stania muttered

”Can you see it too?”

”Yes but, what's going on?”

Hearing Stania's reply, Karian could fir he saas not a hallucination, and his heart relaxed slightly

But, he couldn't find a clue that could correctly reply to her question

Though he didn't have any reason to worry either

Because after this he would be able to understand

”Well, next”

Karian once again looked at the surroundings

There was no one else in this space filled with illuht other than Karian and Stania

”We don't knoill happen next, I guess?”

The target of Karian's question was the light that had guided thes couldn't have just ended like that

After letting Karian and Stania see the scene in front of thees happened quickly

The light once again flashed before their eyes

”Ugh-”

Strong light made the two unable to help but use their hands to block their eyes, and through the flow of the air, Karian felt Stania stand in front of hiuard hiht didn't continue for too long Though the light hadn't coree where they couldn't open their eyes

”Who is it!?”

Stania's stern voice showed that changes had happened

After opening his eyes, Karian saw it

It was light

Though it wasn't enough to force hi

It wasn't the white light that had guided Karian, but rather blue light

The origin of this light had taken shape and stood there

It was a person

No, though its external appearance was very close, it wasn't a human

”An Electronic Fairy”

”Eh!?”

Karian muttered, and Stania made a surprised sound when she heard it

It wasn't Zuellni there What had appeared in the blue light was a translucent feht cloth-like objects floated by the woman's side Two protrusions extended out of her naturally curling hair, s that seemed like ani that looked like a woman, but it was actually one of her nified The woth that pushed Karian back

”Who are you?”

Karian asked carefully

”I'm the mother of your ho”

Hearing Karian's words, the woed to the city that Karian had been born in

”Why? Is this?”

After raising his doubts, Karian thought of the special information network between Electronic Fairies he had once heard of that had been called En

But, even so, it wasn't a reason for the Electronic Fairy Saintberg to have appeared here

”No then, is this inside En space?”

”What truly keen thinking That's how it is,had already turned her back to the As a result of a proposal by myself and several others, we have decided to let you attend this ? So?”

”Then the situation ht”

In the depths ahead of the vaguely-speaking Saintberg, several new lights appeared These were all Electronic Fairies with unusual hu Electronic Fairies slowly gathered in this space, forardless of where you are you can hear every sound and see every thing Just watch fro also entered the circle of Electronic Fairies

Karian and Stania had been left behind, only able to silently watch Saintberg move far away

Their mixed emotions still hadn't calmed down

Moreover, there was still an incredulousMaster this isn't a drea to Stania's question, Karian once again rectified his athered in this vast space the nureat

It wasn't very great More correctly, it was h it hadn't been a year since he had left Zuellni, he had already been to quite a few cities through the roa the number of cities he had been to, the nuathered here counted as soals were the sa That was a prerequisite

But with that hypothesis that expectation, he could confirm that he was correct

The Electronic Fairies here were Electronic Fairies of cities that Karian had been to when he was spreading infores of the crisis

”Then everyone, is it about ti said this

The responses of the other Electronic Fairies weren't sounds But, Karian sohts

”What ant to discuss is obviously the battle that began not too long ago in Grendan”

Hearing Saintberg's words, Karian's entire body couldn't help but shake It took his entire strength to si Master!' froun”

That kind of nightain

They could also win this tihting power that they had gathered in order to not be defeated, ould happen if it lost?

Because he had those kinds of thoughts, Karian couldn't stop traveling

The results of this journey would now be revealed Karian was already so tense that he forgot to exhale the air that he gulped down

”What does the infor from Grendan say?”

Other Electronic Fairies asked, and Saintberg shook her head

”The situation isn't that sie continuously Grendan's pure-blood holders are currently beginning to fight, and also, the mother's secret plan has also coeneration successor, and is currently preparing to depart for Grendan” [1]

Grendan's pure-blood holders That should mean the Heaven's Blade successors

Then, what did the 'mother's secret plan' mean?

That was information that Karian didn't know, and moreover he couldn't even speculate

But, the situation that Karian had always been bringing up had already happened, and the strength that had been prepared for it had truly begun

Then, what about the preparations that Karian had , and the Electronic Fairies' talk still continued

”There's no reason to discuss the trends of the battle It is already too late to decide according to the developht now the decision we should make is to act or not to act”

”But”

”This is only a precaution, and it's still quite a late precaution An action like taking precautions after waiting for an illness to be confir that would be spurned by an insurance company But it's a peculiar situation this ti the insurance company themselves”

”That's quite the metaphor”

The one who said this was an old Electronic Fairy that looked like a tree Things like tree branches grew out everywhere froly at any ti to insurance But, there's Grendan and our mother There's already these two preparations, and they're all extre Since it's called insurance, then at the least we should prepare side by side with them, no matter what But, can we do that?”

”Nn?”

”We probably can't”

The other Electronic Fairies' thoughts were the sa Electronic Fairy

”Then what should we do next?”

It wasn't Saintberg who said this, but a new voice

It sounded like the voice of a girl even younger than Saintberg, and words that see the old man resounded in the vast space

”If both preparations are defeated, e be destroyed without having done anything?”

A war force contained inside that warain looked into the group of lights

After looking carefully, a shape surrounded by the lights was clearly revealed

A young girl

A young girl that Karian had seen before

”Zuellni”

She was there, and had begun speaking to the other Electronic Fairies

”Though it's correct to assign things to those who can complete them However, are we currently in a position where we can do other things only after co we can do?”

The oldfaction

”Isn't it only because he trusts that there are still things he can do that he continues to travel and that we gathered here?”

”Haze to Karian

Though he had the external appearance of an old e relationshi+p between his external appearance and his mind should be different from huetting an incorrect feeling

While he was puzzled by that incorrect feeling, Karian was unknowingly surrounded by the Electronic Fairies' light

”When”

Stania behind hi? Or had the other parties ardless of which, it had occurred at a speed that the Military Artist Stania hadn't noticed

”Then please ask him to explain”

The old man spoke

Gazes focused on Karian

A sudden weight oppressed Karian's body He who had made speeches countless times to audiences before as the Student Council president of Zuellni was now enduring a completely different kind of tension froht?

”It's the weight of lives”

At the same time as Karian put his hand on his chest, a voice sounded

Zuellni was by his side

The light that covered her body also covered Karian

A war Karian feel that the weight pressing down on hihtened

”It's because of your hard work that we have thistoday”

Zuellni said wars wouldn't have beco me the situation that one day”

Karian replied, and after listening, Zuellni showed an innocent sirl

That day, after that nightmarish day when Zuellni and Grendan cas In a laboratory, he witnessed a girl awakening from a deep sleep that had continued until then, and had learned everything that was happening to the world in the Academy City's Mechanical Department from Zuellni

Why would Zuellni tell hi Zuellni's words, Karian had asked her

”I haven't only told this to you”

She had replied like that

Though it was very short, in the history of the Academy City, she had already told this to several students

But as expected, they didn't knohat to do unless the crisis was appearing right by them, and it seemed that there was no one who could come up with tactics to confront it

”If it were a Military Artist, then ht”

At that tih for a normal person who is not a Military Artist to just not know anything?”

Her pure doubt, like a child's, was given to Karian

The right to decide had been given to Karian

Zuellni had probably told these things to those who could do so more

It was prohibited for the Electronic Fairies to tell people of the world's crisis that had always been a hidden secret

Zuellni usually couldn't speak because of this

”Why would you do this?”

Karian who knew these things asked Zuellni

There were already sufficient preparations to face the world's crisis, and it should be that there wasn't anything else they could do, and moreover he didn't have that power

It wouldn't be strange for the people preparing for the fate of this world to have already considered everything

But then, ould Zuellni tell Karian about this?

Could it be that she only wanted to spread anxiety?

”Whether you like it or not, as long as there's a possibility, it's better to tell this to those orry about the world Because this is the city filled with possibilities”

Zuellni had said this with a naive expression

The Academy City

A city filled with possibilities

Yes, perhaps there were indeed innuathered there

But because of that, because she was the Electronic Fairy of the Acade like that

”You're really a foolish person”

Karian had said this, but he himself had made his determination

He had detero to many cities, to tell of the crisis of the world to many people

Even if Karian couldn't think of any strategy on his own, perhaps there were people who could Perhaps they had soth wasn't reliable as individuals, if they gathered together, perhaps they could do it

So, when Karian graduated, he embarked on a journey

Because of this, Karian was here now

Being surrounded by Electronic Fairies, in order to tilt the balance of their decision, Karian took a deep breath

Then, he spoke

In order to make all of them act, he wove his words

◇

Had Lævateinn been exhausted slightly it truly couldn't be told from her external appearance

Layfon felt the heat of the Dite grasped in his hand while he panted for breath

Leerin was behind hihtly in front of theether, they faced the eneer the Vati that Layfon knew She had becohtly taller than before, and the ied

She was Lævateinn An enemy of this world since the world had been born

A battle machine that served someone who had been imprisoned in the moon

Nano-Celluloid Interface 1 Lævateinn

That was her

He no longer had anything to say to her, and Layfon only watched Lævateinn in silence

As expected, she didn't have any appearance of weariness

She only see expressionlessly at Leerin, and the black-clothed girl next to her

Lævateinn's target should be the life of that girl called Saya

Though Layfon was still dubious whether that was truth or lies in this kind of situation, this world would be destroyed because of that girl's death

This world had been created by that black-clothed girl

The world had already been split originally, and the world had cru split In order to protect the people who had fallen into the gap betorlds called the Zero Territory, Saya had acted as a container that was created, which was the current world

Harpe had said this when they were on the road to Grendan

The concepts in his words were too huge, ardless of whether Layfon believed or not, the situation had continued unfolding according to that information Countless people and Electronic Fairies had prepared to protect the world, and enemies like Lævateinn had appeared

The Heaven's Blade successors were gathered for that goal, the Queen had becoest existence because of this, and the peculiar power inside Leerin definitely also existed for this

Then, Lævateinn had appeared here to elis They wouldn't stop the situation regardless of what unfolded, and now, this kind of situation had already co, then the situation would unknowingly develop into so that Layfon was unable to match

Layfon was here because he felt that wouldn't do

Whether he believed or not, that was thehere who could overturn all of his doubts

There was a reason here that was able to ht now he only needed to respond to this reality

”Alright”

Layfon nodded his head after speaking softly

He didn't hate this kind ofmoods

Actually, it should be said that he relied on switching moods to live to the present

The person before hiht noas no longer that way

Since right now she was threatening Leerin as both his faered the people of his hometown

He had to deal with the cold reality that she had to be gotten rid of

Letting his opponent live while at the sa himself to remain intact Layfon's poas insufficient to pursue that kind of ending

”Next~ up”

Alsheyra standing before hih Layfon couldn't see from behind her back, her voice was sufficient for him to understand clearly that she was extreht? Then It's about time to make a scene”

Lævateinn didn'tup as if covering the skin on his face, and sparks scattered in front of Layfon So must have come in contact with that defensive Kei

A similar scene appeared in front of Lintence

Leerin behind hiht told Layfon that he couldn't take his gaze away from as ahead of hies that occurred, and gathered his mind to watch the Queen's next action

A hurricane of Kei formed with the Queen as its center, and this situation was just fro her Kei Layfon endured the hurricane in order to keep froo”

Layfon heard asound inconsistent with the Queen's normal style

In a moment, the Queen's slender body had disappeared

Layfon barely caught the afterie that her black hair left behind But, his eyes didn't catch her ain appeared in front of Lævateinn

Facing the suddenly-appearing Alsheyra, Lævateinn still reacted cal the simultaneous kick

As expected, it was impossible to use his eyes to catch the process of these stances being formed It see played frah she had blocked the kick, it didn't mean that the attack's momentu all the way to the wall

Though Lævateinn had been sain

But she didn't counterattack

Lævateinn who eed fro her body

Her appearance seemed very surprised

”Haha”

As expected, the voice that Alsheyra let out was filled with a joyful air, but Layfon didn't have the leisure to feel pleasure in this situation

That disparity shouldn't only be a gap of strength, because such a thing could also be seen in Savaris

To her, this battlefield was a rare one that wouldn't end with a single strike of hers

”Let ain”

At the same time as she spoke, the Queen's body had already disappeared

The Queen who moved in front of Lævateinn opened her offensive with a fist The weapon in Lævateinn's hand was sle blow, and this forced her to choose to endure the Queen's assault

Bouncing shockwaves were everywhere underground Moreover the entire underground space was shaking, and the noises as the ave a very inauspicious preht? The city”

”You also saw things above, how could it be alright”

With a sentence, Lintence overturned the thing that Layfon had been worrying about

”It's fine as long as the shelters don't have trouble?”

”We should think that way”

As long as the city's residents inside the shelters were alright, that meant the city's death wasn't important It was currently that much of a severe situation

But, fros that he worried about No, Layfon wasn't clear on whether Lintence orried about so or not They were currently in a battle, but Lintence's slightly grim face

In the worst situation the shelter ht not even be left He feared that Lintence also had that kind of thought

This battlefield had that degree of intensity

A battle to est Heaven's Blade successor, make that kind of troubled decision

But

”We really can't go back on guarding the shelters”

Layfon said

”My family is still in there”

His brothers were inside Since he hadn't seen hi, then his adoptive father was definitely also inside

Just like protecting Leerin, protecting the the city's residents is the obligation of Military Artists”

Lintence used a low-spirited voice to respond

”Yes”

Hearing his master's words, Layfon nodded his head His consciousness returned to the battle This extraordinarily high-speed battlefor Layfon

But, if he wasn't suited for the battle in front of hiht now he didn't have any use here

Raising his Kei, flowing as much Kei as he could into his body Until his mind cried out, he endlessly quickened his movement ability, in order to be able to chase the Queen's battle

He saw it

Layfon saw Alsheyra and Lævateinn tapping off the walls that surrounding the underground space as they engaged each other in an endless es, but rather he clearly saw their movements

”But whether I can do that or not is so else”

To be able to follow their movements with his eyes and to be able to pursue thes

But even so, Layfon could feel around for some action that he could take

The powers of these teren't coht noasn't a leisurely time, he did have time to think

He had to use this ti battle would be useless to theardless of what they did they had to find a way to finish the opponent in one strike

But in that case, they would have to prepare a huge Kei technique

And they really didn't want to use that kind of destructive force in this underground facility so close to the Mechanical Department

”What should we do”

Just as Layfon was still thinking about these things

”Haha, Grendan!”

The joyful Alsheyra called out a na to the call, a four-footed beast appeared not far from Layfon

Alight the Electronic Fairy Grendan

The Electronic Fairy responding to the Queen's call ht appeared on its head

By the ti co towards Alsheyra

The Queen deftly caught the rapidly-flying light, revealing its shape

A spear

Though its external appearance seey of an Electronic Fairy indeed composed this spear

As the Queen flowed her own Kei into it, waves of Kei spread outwards with the Queen as the center

Every tiinally light-blue colored spear slowly became red

The battle didn't stop as the spear continuously changed Sweeping with the spear point, striking with the spear haft, and then using her feet to kick to widen the distance, and finally casting the spear out towards Lævateinn from far away

Layfon had felt this kind of Kei color and vibration before

This light had ended the battle in Grendan before

The destructive light that stimulated Layfon's memories was draards Lævateinn's body

One h the air reached her hand out to the light

She opened her fingers, as if she wanted to grab the spear

Regardless of the speed or her posture, Lævateinn couldn't possibly succeed at what she was doing Layfon had felt in the battle before that the attack this tiht to be called certain death

But, Lævateinn grabbed the spear

Starting from the mo its fory contained inside was released in the forht swell up

But, it still needed some time before it reached full capacity

In that short ed its trajectory, letting it continue to fly out

”What!”

Facing that kind of unexpected developape

In this case, then this side would be involved

”Ugh!”

Layfon quickly moved to a position where he could block it for Leerin, pouring all of his Kei into defense

But, this tiht of the explosion was bounced back before Layfon's eyes

”What?”

An invisible wall had blocked the explosions

”It's Saya's power”

As the chaotic explosions blocked Layfon's vision, Leerin spoke from behind him

”She has the power to create boundaries in this world”

”Boundaries?”

”Yes”

Layfon turned his head to look at the nodding Leerin, and he didn't really understand theof 'boundaries'

She prettyat Layfon's expression

”Nn Roughly speaking, it's a very strong defensive technique?”

”I see”

Spoken this way, it was easy to understand

”We only have this world because that power becareat”

”R, really”

As expected, that aspect of things was still hard to understand

It was hard to understand, and even ency shelter as a human, to be thrown into the Zero Territory”

A new voice suddenly broke into the conversation of the two of them

It was Saya who had been silent up to now

”Because of chance, I inally I was only a machine”

On the other side of the invisible wall, the force of the explosions sloeakened

A great hole had been opened in the city, and the outside world could be seen at a glance The earth hidden underneath the night and the city's shadoas quickly covered by walls ency defense system had activated, and machinery proliferated and for Saya's words, Layfon turned backwards

On the other side of the invisible wall, the battle between Alsheyra and Lævateinn still continued

Lævateinn was also a machine

She had the form of a human, and had lived with Layfon and others, but she was still a machine

Because that was reality

Indeed, her body had changed

But, Layfon didn't doubt that Vati who had lived with them wasn't a human

”Machines will only coinally don't have anything like thinking ability, and opposing their originaltheir reason for existence”