Vol 22 Chapter 4 (2/2)

Saya shouldn't be able to tell what Layfon was thinking

But Saya still watched the battle while speaking

”If she was sole function, then her worries should probably be easily eliminated? The functions she possesses should be 'use the abilities you have been given to serve your ue function, she feels worried about her own existence”

”Is that how it is?”

Saya see about, but she also seemed to be a bit unclear

”She has wanted to becohts are hidden inside her I can tell from her outward appearance”

”Emotions?'

”I mean the emotions of her creator His desires were all mixed into the plan That sort of lack of unity made her a bit unbalanced, I think that's the reason”

The battle still continued Layfon's eyes were trying to catch the two fighters

But, Saya's words caught his attention

”Though it's groundless, that outward appearance is probably according to the person the designer was thinking of”

Though Layfon thought about the words 'the person he was thinking of' for aapursued is completely different from the other tor”

”Searching for what?”

”Love”

”Love?”

”My love has never betrayed my function But, her function leads to chaos in her love, that is why”

The battle still continued The sounds of battle rocked the underground, probably shaking the entire city

All of the people in Grendan could probably hear these shocks

The sounds of the Queen fighting with the one anted to destroy the world

But, in those sounds, Layfon couldn't help but feel a bit of sadness from a different perspective

”She endlessly betrays herself”

The battle continued

Alsheyra and Lævateinn used the underground as an arena, ju back and forth Shockwaves distorted the surrounding darkness, and the waves of Kei that spread out tor metal foundations

The battle between the two of them was indeed in a blind spot of the city

If it were above ground, then the current situation nificant, but a battle so close to an iave one a strange tension

”Layfon”

As Layfon lost the optiardless of what that person hides”

”I know I understand as well”

If they didn't defeat Lævateinn, then the world would be destroyed Layfon was very clear on that

After hearing Saya's words, Layfon had indeed lost a chance to act

The black-clothed girl's words made him think of Vati who had once lived with him in Zuellni, that had not been a lie

'She wants to beco of 'Vati B's words that he had heard fro, if Lævateinn stayed a si

But, things obviously wouldn't beco we ht in a whirlpool, that ht

In order to be able to protect his family members, he could only do this

It was impossible for everyone to be able to obtain their desired outco tiardless of the stakes Happiness wasn't the saether like a puzzle In order for one person to be happy other people had to be discontent - that was a co

Layfon's world was an obstacle to Lævateinn reaching her goal, so wanting to protect the world could onlyLævateinn

Layfon wouldn't know any o I didn't come here to run away”

The labors he had undertaken before weren't so he could experience a setback here

He hadn't gotten Felli involved in this on purpose

Though she had said he didn't need to concern hiuilty that he had involved her in these dangers, and pain seeped into his heart

Of course there was also warnore the throb he felt in his heart

It was so he couldn't deceive himself about

Layfon's focused his will into the solid sword hilt he grasped in his hand Kei was already rushi+ng through his body

The battle had already begun

”I can start at any time”

”Really, then it's about ti”

Lintence said this

”Do we have any tactics?”

”Incinerate her after stopping herelse?”

”Understood”

In truth, there was only one way

Though he had originally thought that there could be some other way, he could only rely on Lintence if he had to catch up to the speed of the battle between Alsheyra and Lævateinn

”The Queen is even less fitting for the word cooperation than I am, so we can only think of some way to coordinate with her”

”Understood”

If hestep, he could be killed by the Queen's fist

Afterthat kind of deterh the invisible wall that Saya had created, he didn't encounter any resistance So, Layfon wasn't clear whether he had actually passed through it or not

But, he was sure that he had crossed it

The Kei pressure per the battlefield alh the air The surrounding airfloas chaotic because of the shockwaves produced in the battle of the two

With someti in opposite directions, Layfon searched for a way to jump closer to the two of them

But, the obstruction that the chaotic wind produced was ht

”damn”

Layfon restored the Sapphire Dite to steel threads, and then created a surface to run on by spreading the steel threads out

As he got closer and closer to the battle, the pressure becareater, and he felt a sharp et closer was already risking his life

Layfon clenched his teeth, ju in

”You're in the way!”

Alsheyra didn't see involved

But, that had nothing to do with Layfon and Lintence After evading the Queen's fist, his blade attacked Lævateinn in a flash

But the slash hadn't hit Lævateinn, but rather flew through the empty air

However, Layfon wasn't the only one who had entered the battle

Passing through the Kei pressure of the battle, countless soundless and presenceless spikes formed of steel threads attacked Lævateinn

Different from Alsheyra's storth chaotic airflow, it was a strike of another intruder who had quietly gotten close

They hadn't expected the opponent to make any response

But, it still didn't work, and their expectations were cleanly betrayed

Moreover the one who destroyed the to push Layfon away, Alsheyra ran out before him and unleashed an attack The pressure produced from that attack wiped out the power of the steel threads, blowing them away

Lævateinn received the Queen's fist with a braced posture, and was sent flying

”Don't get in the way!”

Alsheyra glared at Layfon as she leaped out chasing Lævateinn

”Uh”

That kind of serious look from her who usually alore a leisurely smile couldn't help but make Layfon stop his feet

”Don't stop”

Lintence's voice was very low, coet intimidated If you care about that wo”

”Y, yes!”

Capriciousness It was probably only Lintence who could say that after seeing the Queen's look Layfon reclai after theot close, a wordless roar battered Layfon's entire body It was Alsheyra's anger

”Urraaaaaaaaah!”

But, just like Lintence had said, in order not to get inti h his roar didn't have anyout his voice, Layfon as about to be intie to return to the battle

A fistfight still continued between the two Alsheyra released Kei power, and no weapon existed that could endure that kind of destructive force

Their speed was extre their movements already used all of his power

But, since he could see their movements, then he would be able to make predictions about their next ap to attack from his predictions, and release a slash

Lintence's steel threads would also find a h he could feel that she was displeased, she didn't deflect their attacks

It couldn't be told from one or two moves whether the participation of the two had a favorable effect on the battle for their side or not

On the third and fourth move they checked their opponent

On the fifth and sixth move they released hth move they overcame the distance

On the tenth move they had already transcended the problems, and the battle still continued

The battle had been successfully h it was at the sa battle, he could already keep up with its rhythht

(We can win!)

He began fir in that kind of confidence soainst his confidence beco pride, he crossed the threshold of death and continued the fight

Though Lintence's steel threads wanted to catch Lævateinn, they passed through her body

Layfon's slashes also encountered a sih eh Layfon was already used to it, the different feeling threw his plans afterwards into disarray the first time he felt it

This wasn't a hallucination

It was only that the moment the steel threads and the bladeLævateinn's body would et confused by that extraordinarily fast response, he didn't have the leisure to get arrogant

However, why hadn't that strange phenomenon happened with Alsheyra's fist?

Was it because her speed was even faster than Layfon and Lintence? Was it because her destructive poas too strong?

If it were truly because of the two of them, then it would be difficult even if they wanted to find a way to resolve it But if it had soht be the possibility of winning

Could they find it?

Layfon put more of his focus into his eyes in order to find it The sensation of Kei rushi+ng under his skin stih Layfon couldn't see it, perhaps the nerves around his two eyes were glowing because of the high concentration of Kei

Fists, blade, and steel threads wove a deadly dance preparing to pull that mechanical doll into the abyss of death

But, the doll endured everything

Endured

Not only this, she also tried to override it

”Tch”

Alsheyra clicked her tongue, but it wasn't towards Layfon and Lintence

Layfon as sticking to the battle searching for an opportunity for victory knew that their side was slowly turning passive

Was it because the addition of hiinal power?

Layfon only thought this for a ated

It was purely that Lævateinn's speed and power had overcome their side's

”Even now”

Layfon unconsciously spoke to hi the assault fro Layfon and Lintence's attacks on the road here, and then having the Queen also enter the battle after coround, Lævateinn should clearly have been continuously destroyed in that period, but right now, at this stage, Lævateinn's strength was still stronger then theirs?

”da their methods made him feel an abnor made Layfon decide to leave the battle for a moment

It wasn't only Layfon who left the battle

Almost at the same time, the other two also left Lævateinn's side

The battle stopped

With a silence as if trying to et the intense battle up till now, they stood still The attackers and the defender's gazes converged

”It's truly tangled But this is also entle”

Lævateinn didn't make any response to Alsheyra's words

But, Layfon felt that soe had happened

Not to say that an expression eed on her, nor that she made any small movement

Then, as it?

”Ah”

He understood

It was Lævateinn's face

Her crystal clear skin was dirtied by the dust of the battle, though that was a natural thing

But up to before she arrived in this underground space, she hadn't had this dust on her body

Because of her strong regenerative ability, she could restore herself the moment she suffered wounds, and that was definitely also linked with her clean skin that wasn't fitting for this extreme battlefield

Was that relationshi+p slowly crue, which is your expression”

Watching the un Lævateinn, Alsheyra spoke

”Or perhaps, has the puzzle already been solved?”

”It's the special ability of the 'Thorn Princess'”

Seely interested by Alsheyra's words, Lævateinn also opened her mouth

”'Thorn Princess'?”

”That's Saya”

Just as Layfon was feeling confused, Lintence told hi Layfon, Lævateinn continued speaking

”She is using her space manipulation abilities to remove the Aurora particles from this pace”

”Ah, that's true Are they called Aurora particles? It's a different way of saying pollutants Because we also know that those are the source of your strength, so we only have this kind of outco quite a bit of labor to reht of and i to do with Her Majesty”

Leerin muttered softly

”But this on't you Military Artists be unable to wield your latent abilities?'

”Yes, if ere normal Military Artists”

Layfon didn't really understand the conversation between the Queen and Lævateinn, so he listened while regulating his breathing

Kei rushed through his body, and even so, nothing at all was irregular

”The Kei vein that Military Artists possess originally had the function to convert Aurora particles into energy So in a situation without Aurora particles, norht”

Layfon felt that 'normal Military Artists' had been stressed repeatedly

”But, the Heaven's Blade successors here the original Heaven's Blade successors were people with that kind of power To possess such a power, there had to be some kind of factor in the Kei vein And that factor was Airen's factor”

”Airen's factor?”

He had heard that name inside Harpe

It seemed to be the nanasis, inside the in of the Military Artists has a rare Kei vein with a certain factor, and possessing ita Heaven's Blade successor”

”Airen's factor was an abnormality It could also be called crystallized Aurora particles”

”It seems like that was the case”

”So that's how it is, in that case battle would be possible even without Aurora particles”

”Yes, and so, I'm very sorry, but you've been destined to be killed after being sloeakened”

Lævateinn's goal was to eliminate Saya, so she couldn't escape fro that it had defended against the explosion just now, perhaps an attack from outside the 'invisible wall' was no use

But

”I apologize, but I will not accept that kind of ending”

Lævateinn's expressionless face didn't change at all

Perhaps that was nored when she was in Zuellni either That expressionless appearance made one think of a Psychokinesist Just like Felli, it uess when they would be able to understand the s weren't like that

It was impossible for him to understand her lack of expression

Because Lævateinn was a true ht now contain e facts?

Even if they were only recounting facts, weren't there several oal so she refused to leave

She didn't have any reason to leave so she refused to leave

Because she couldn't lose so she refused to leave

If it were the final , then he had to keep alert

If she overexerted herself, there could be a sliver of hope

But, if she only said this because she was already confident

”Your Majesty, please be careful”

”H careless is my trademark!”

Alsheyra still made a silly response to Layfon's proposal

At the sa spoken, Alsheyra moved

If he had paid less attention he probably wouldn't even have felt her disappear, but Layfon still saw her ain

He had thought so

But, it rong

”What!”

A surprised gasp and a shockwave cah the area behind Alsheyra

Her fist had been caught

Lævateinn still stood still, using a single hand to catch the Queen's fist

”You are indeed extre But”

”Ghh”

Alsheyra's body shook slightly as she let out broken words

Could it be that she couldn't take her fist back?

”But, your lives will probably have burned out before I am exhausted completely”

Cold words seeped into Layfon'stheir destruction without any hesitation

No, that was the truth

Co with her master's orders, she had said

In order to rescue her master who had been imprisoned in the moon, it didn't even matter if Lævateinn's own body was destroyed Layfon believed her words held that round battle still continued

Then, what about aboveground?

A strange silence do

It should be said that it was a silence that made one panic

”Ha”

The surrounding air was incredibly tense, and one had to be cautious at every breath, as if worrying that so that was happening in the surroundings

Only a few iant that Lævateinn had left aboveground had been defeated

The sacrifices had not been sh that Savaris had ered in Haia's ears even now

There was a huge hole before hiinally occupied, foriant bowl-shaped hole The center was a dark and deep hole

The giant's original body, Lævateinn, had entered the underground there

Heading to the place where the Queen was

He couldn't not go

That sentence continuously occupied his thinking

The battle still continued, the battlefield had just changed positions

But he still had energy

Then right now he should quickly advance, and ent priority

That was the appropriate way of thinking

”It should be that way~”

Haia muttered discreetly

As if not to disturb any explosives hidden anywhere, he spoke cautiously Because he didn't knohether that thing would detonate because of so, he was quite cautious

That kind of ats

But, he couldn't ht have classified this feeling as an illusion There were many people here whose battle experience far surpassed Haia's, and following behind to act would be enough

But, Haia wasn't the only person who didn't take action; the others were all the same

In other words, this at that would happen

”da on with this lukewarathered all of his power into recovery for the ht now could be said to be a lukewarht, the battle underground couldn't have ended already He should have decided on the battlefield he would advance to next long ago

But his body told him the battle hadn't ended

Others were in the same situation

But, they didn't have any way to believe it

So it was a lukewarround' at that time, Haia would have happily followed

But, no one said so

”What's going on~”

Muttering this, Haia took note of so and raised his head to look at the sky

Because of the battle just now, sporadic fires were everywhere Because everyone other than the Heaven's Blade successors were prettyfire were all firefighting machines

The fire retardant scattered everywhere was coht sky was polluted red and black with flaered in the city air

On the other side of the sger than nor the sky

Yes it see on~?”

A change had appeared on the moon As time passed, the s it too late to observe

Moreover, who in the world would make this into a crisis?

At that time, the people who didn't know the relations between the s

Haia focused attention to his eyes

The appearance of the e

The exterior of the moon had countless bowl-shaped holes

Why was the moon in the sky, and why did the moon's exterior have so many bowl-shaped holes? That was an eternal mystery

As Haia noticed this ed

It was a scene that was even less real

Was it because of the air, it seemed like the exterior of thethrough some screen, and the cracks continuously increased, as if a picture being drawn on paper, co from the moon that had existed until now

But, they had al on the moon

”What”

Even if he understood, if there was nothing that he could do, then he wouldn't think of doing anything

Haia only wordlessly watched the pheno in the sky

The other Heaven's Blade successors behind him also noticed this phenomenon

But, they were the sa

Other than watch everything develop, they could do nothing

The cracks drawn on thetheir area, and finally covering the entire moon

After the portion they could see was filled with cracks the an to crurate

Did the ravity? The pieces didn't fall to the ground, but rather beca in all directions

Not to say that he didn't think of it, but a falling down even from the start

The moon became many pieces and scattered out

Then, everyone felt that the changes should have ended

Because the next change should have needed quite soan from an unexpected place

”Eh? What?”

The first one who h he didn't knohether or not it had to do with the city's current condition, at the sae in the sky attracted their eyes, so new had invaded and the next event occurred

They couldn't judge the relationshi+p between the of the earth occurred

”How's the situation?”

Haia asked into the Psychokinesis flake

At the same time as he asked, all he could think of was that the battle underground had finally reached the place where the Queen was

But, the answer he received wasn't like that

(There are new energy responses, growing at a shocking speed!)

”What!!?”

Haia hadn't even thought of that kind of situation

At the same time as he noticed the presence and turned his head, explosions occurred

Blazing flaure

”I hadn't thought you would be left~”

Soht already defeated still remained

Powerlessness, terror, and then tension The bored feeling that he wanted to continue was unexpected still there even after all of this, and the two feelings strangelyhis awareness of the battle

Flaure

The thing slowly rising fro like a snake, a fantastically-shaped belt-like object

”Ah?”

Haia was confused

So was different fros up to now

It had become tattered, which should be as a result of the battle up to now But this wasn't the only reason

Its outer appearance see, the appearance of the enemy in the battle up to now had a certain aesthetic, and it felt like its outer appearance had so other than as necessary for function

But right now there was no such feeling

The tattered thing It was unsightly like sos in order to survive

”It's not the sa

But, if it were truly the case, the situation still wasn't si else had already entered the battle Though it had only been a short time, because of his concentration on recovery, he felt that he had already restored quite a bit of his Kei power

”Though it can't be called a coh he said this

Even if the condition of the eneht about the destructive power that was necessary to break through that regenerative ability, then the state of the current Heaven's Blade successors made him feel unsafe

That they couldn't match up, or perhaps would be defeated

Those kinds of thoughts appeared in Haia's h he thought in his mind that it was better to act quickly, then, how could he act? He couldn't think of it

(Do we have any tactics?)

Troyatte's voice cah the Psychokinesis flake That question showed that he was the sa after, a e occurred

◇

Psychokinesis had succeeded in sensing that change

It came from the sky

”Who?”

In the place where Grendan's Psychokinesists were gathered, Felli unconsciously h to prove the reason of the change was a single person

But there was soh speed

Just noticing this, Felli was already convinced that the true nature of that thing was a single person

Though it wasn't a fitting feeling for a Psychokinesist, she didn't think of denying it

That thing beca towards Grendan

Quakes rocked the earth

It wasn't created by the

Rather, it was produced by the vibrations of Kei fro touched down

Felli concentrated her Psychokinesis on the landing area Through the sht of Kei, there was a person standing there

It was a person Felli was very familiar with

”Captain”

Nina Antalk stood there

Translator's Notes and References ↑ Nina!