Chapter 12

Chapter 12    An extreme cold trial

– Uuh, it’s no surprise that it gets colder even in summer when being at 6,000 meters above sea level.

A group of dozens of people trailed the mountain road of Edelberg, forming a long row.

The mean who led it shivered with the cold wind that blew from his side.

– Have a bit more of patience. We’ll be at the fifth campsite point soon.

– Let’s have food once the construction is over.

– I actually brought alcohol. Edelberg’s slope becomes hard from 6,000 meters onwards. So let’s drink there.

– Sure! Why don’t we have a celebration before defeating《Wings Abreast》!?

Like he just said, this was a group of ability users who gave the feeling of having the skill to aim for their objective, the neck of the international criminal《Wings Abreast》.

Not only true challengers came to Edelberg.

There were lots of the kind that took full advantage of numbers banding together.

– … But, can we really win?

– Why wouldn’t we? Our group, the vanguard, has nearly 50 people. If the gang coming from behind merge with us, we’ll be over 100 people. Moreover, all of us can use magic techniques.

– Indeed. The rumors about that person are exaggerated. How can a person destroy an army by themselves? That’s way too exaggerated as one would expect, don’t you think? Well, I’m not going to underestimate her though because she’s strong enough that ridiculous false rumors about her are out. But, look around us. 《Silver Fox》, 《Bison Killer》, 《Rekka no Sensou》Grainback, 《Amazon Hero》 Banjo. 《Red Hot Brothers》and that famous《Homicidal Syndrome》Yamada came. There’s a story about the armed forces that moved to arrest《Wings Abreast》in the past, but not all of them were Blazers. We’re the ones who gathered a number of persons of this degree for the first time. To start with, the fifty of us will clash with her to exhaust her then we’ll join the fifty guys coming from behind and finish her off. The strategy is perfect. We can crush her to death by our difference in numbers unless we greatly lose our focus.

– … Is that so?

The people in this place, all of them were fearless fighters whose names were known in the world for their real strength.

Even if their true strength was low, they had a strength equivalent to a C-Rank in the standard of the League.

The men that revealed their anxiety and lined up, sitting in a row, put themselves together and regained the vigor on their faces.

At that moment,

– Hmm? Hold on a sec.

The man advancing at the head stopped his walking abruptly and commanded the ones following him with a hand.

– Someone is in the fifth camp.

– They’re not the company that came a day before us?

The leading group said, staring.

At the other side of the gently sloping uphill road.

At the space of about 20 meters in diameter on the gently sloping plain.

At the fifth camp point.

Certainly, there was a red-haired woman standing imposingly in front of them, alone.

– … She’s not just a woman, but a child as well? She’s quite young, isn’t she?

– There was no brat among the lot that departed before us, was there?

– Then she’s just a mountain climber?

– Guys like that aren’t here. Maybe she’s a person of the village at the foot of the mountain. What a great coincidence. Heey!

Then, a person tried to get close to her while waving his hand, and at that moment,

– No! Wait, Marcus!!

The man who walked at the head grabbed the arm of the man who waved his hand to not let him do so,

– Serve me. 《Laevateinn》!

Immediately after that, the flames released from the golden blade that the girl manifested in her hand created a wall of fire in front of the group.

To block their path.

– Uwaah!? A Device…! She’s a Blazer!?

– I knew it. I felt that I’d seen that face somewhere…! She’s《Crimson Princess》!

– You mean, the Vermillion one!?

– Yeah! That red hair is unmistakable! I’ve seen it in the news!

The woman, Stella, strained her voice to the man who recognized her identity.

– I’m sorry for the sudden and violent greeting.

– Really!? What the hell are you doing here!?

– You’re《Crimson Princess》Stella Vermillion, aren’t you!? What’s the princess of a country doing in a place like this!?

– I came here because I have no more than one objective, you know? And that is the same as yours. I’m aiming for《Wings Abreast》‘s neck. And, I was told to defeat you all based on the conditions of the bout.

– What did you say…!?

– I don’t bear a grudge against you, but I have to fight with《Wings Abreast》by all means…! I’m sorry, but I’ll defeat you! Besides, if you can’t defeat me, then there’s no way you can win against《Wings Abreast》either! If it amounts to that, then being defeated here is good luck for you, don’t you agree!? ――《Dragon Fang》!!

Stella declared war and launched an attack without waiting for an answer of the other party.

She began to shoot a dragon-like bombardment of flames from《Laevateinn》.

A giant jaw opened and a flame dragon attacked the men.

The men changed their facial expressions because of this,

– She really launched an attack!

– Well! The survival between challengers is supposedly arranged to be even like this! Let’s beat her at her own game!

– Y-you sure!? The opponent is the princess of a country…

– She’s the one who picked a fight and this place is outside the law! So it’s not a problem! Let’s do it!

They immediately manifested their Devices without becoming agitated by the sudden hostility.

They swung them, making Stella’s released《Dragon Fang》 and the wall of flames disappear,

The suicide force that included the light-footed《Silver Fox》shortened the distance in one go and slashed at Stella.

A smooth coordination. A calm response. She could peek at the level of the real strength of the men.

But――,

– What!?

– S-she flew!?

Their blades didn’t slash or cut Stella’s skin.

Because Stella manifested both wings of flame, struck the atmosphere and flew high in the air.

Stella, who flew high, held up《Laevateinn》 very high as she overlooked the men from sky.

At the same time, a star was born behind her.

Countless groups of flame orbs.

And,

– Burn to nothing. 《Broken Arrow》.

When the held up high《Laevateinn》 was swung downward like a parade sword, the countless high-temperature rays fired from the flame orbs rained incessantly on the surface.

「「「Uwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!」」」

The rays of light that rained incessantly and barraged from the air unreachable air.

The screams of the men engulfed by the blasts those rays created.

Stella scraped off nearly half the enemies with this attack.

But, they were not-so-submissive people.

– This woman! What an outrageous power she has, it’s no different from the rumors!

– The ones who can fly, take shape! We’re no match for her if we go one by one!

There were guys who could fly using their abilities like Stella.

They flew, weaving their way through the heat rays and cheered, aiming at Stella.

But Stella didn’t move.

– Bring it on! Come at me!

She engaged them happily.

She was not a coward who could only fight in unreachable long distances for the opponents.

She would rather wish for close combat.

Stella manipulated both wings skillfully and crossed swords with the enemies.

And with a flash of the returning strong arm, she knocked down the enemies even from above their defenses to the ground surface.

――She could do it.

The opponents were by no means weak, but… they weren’t her opponent who evolved through the《Seven Stars Sword Art Festival》.

(Five days in this condition. I’ll do it…!)

There were two shadows who watched over Stella, who was enthusiastic about it, from a high place.

The ones who overlooked the fifth campsite point from the top of a cliff were Iris Ascaride, a woman who had eyes of different color: the left one blue and the right one red, and the other one was Tatara Yui who ate chocolate sweets dressed in maid clothes.

Tatara put a malicious smile on her face as she crushed a chocolate bar with her teeth.

– Oh, oh, this gorilla went and flew like a moron from the first day again. Let’s see if her energy will last until the night. *Gigigi*…!

– …

But only two girls were in this place.

The figure of Ikki, who probably was the most worried about Stella, wasn’t there.

Why?

He was now invited to Edelweiss’s home because『there was something she wanted to talk about』.

◆◇◆◇◆

Edelweiss, who waited for the sound of the timer, opened the iron door of the old masonry oven.

Then she took『that』out from the inside with kitchen mittens put on her hands.

At that moment, the smell of gently sweet baked fruits floated in the room.

– Yup, it was baked nicely.

What was burned to a yellowish-brown color that gave off a rich ripened scent was an apple pie.

She changed the baked pie to a plate and put it on a small table in the living room where she kept Ikki waiting.

– I’m sorry to have kept you waiting. Now, please eat. Cake, cookies and a freshly baked apple pie. There are seconds, of course, so eat without reservation.

– T-thank you very much.

Ikki, who thanked her, had a bit of perplexity on his face.

He accompanied her as he was told there was something to talk about, but to think that the result was him receiving such a welcome.

The strongest swordsman in the world was wearing an apron.

What was this?

This was too far from reality, he couldn’t even think “I’m not dreaming, am I?”

– Oh? Could it be that sweet food isn’t to your liking?

Edelweiss, who sensed such perplexity of Ikki, turned peeking eyes to him.

Ikki shook his head at this and returned a negation.

– T-that’s not it. Everything looks so delicious that I can’t choose.

– Fufu. I’m glad. If you can’t decide, then please take this apple pie. There’s no food in this world that can surpass a fresh apple pie.

Edelweiss, pleased by Ikki’s flattery, cut the apple pie while humming a tune, distributed it in small dishes and handed one over without pausing.

– Thanks for the food…!

A section filled with honey-colored cooked apples.

The smell of the thick fruits that smelled sweet and the fragrance of the brown crust from that.

He felt that even more saliva was secreted just by smelling that aroma.

Then, he tasted the pie while his body asked for it,

– …!

And opened his eyes in surprise.

It was delicious.

But not “just” delicious.

The crunchy pie crust with a faint smell of butter welcomed his teeth with a light texture and the rich sweetness of the cooked apples spread all over under it gushed out in his mouth, accompanied even by their juiciness.

However, it wasn’t just sweet.

If that was put into words――then it would be『thick』.

A really thick sweetness.

As if dozens of apples were condensed.

And deep in that sweetness, on the bottom of the bottom, the fragrance of the earth was caught solidly.

Wheat… no, it wasn’t that. Then, soil?
The information content weighed on by his tongue was totally different from the apple pie he knew.

To the point he didn’t feel it was the same food.

What on earth was this――…?

– How is it? Does it suit your taste?

Ikki suddenly came to his senses, due to the slightly anxious voice of Edelweiss.

He ended up becoming speechless before the impact of the taste that shook his sense of values.

Ikki nodded greatly to her question.

It wasn’t that it didn’t suit his taste.

– Yes, it does. It’s sweet but it’s not sickly-sweet, it’s of high-quality and very delicious. This is the most delicious apple pie I’ve ever eaten!

Edelweiss smiled cheerfully at his answer.

– I’m glad. This is an apple pie taught by my grandmother, I add Calvados as a secret ingredient.

– Calvados?

– It’s a brandy made from apple. The bitterness and spiciness of the Calvados, combined with sweet baked apples, make a rich sweetness that it’s not just sweet, you see.

Ikki got convinced by the true nuance of the rich and complex sweetness that ignored the mass.

What he felt as the aroma of the earth was the aroma of aging barrels transferred to the Calvados.

– Now, here are some cookies. The black ones are chocolate. The white ones are vanilla and orange peel. Both go well with the strong sourness of the Hawaiian Kona.

– T-thank you very much.

“Feel free to try these and these”, Edelweiss recommended handmade sweets to Ikki one after another.

He was surprised with how very delicious all of them were, but more than that, Ikki felt surprised by the facial expression and appearance of Edelweiss who recommended sweets to him.

She didn’t feel at all like a swordsman who made even major nations tremble violently with a swing of her sword.

Ever since that night’s encounter, Ikki had an appearance of hers like she carried even a certain holiness.

A person who lived in another world, and that could never be touched.

Or like a living legend in allegories, such type of godlike image he had about her.

That image was changing dramatically now.

However, rather than disillusion――

– What is it, Ikki? You’re staring at my face… ah! Do I have something on my mouth!?

Edelweiss noticed Ikki’s gaze and covered the parts around her mouth in panic.

Ikki shook his head at this and,

– Ah, no. That’s not the case, I’m thinking you really look like you’re enjoying this.

He returned.

Then,

– 〜!

Edelweiss slightly reddened that very white face of hers due to Ikki’s reply.

Then she curled herself up, looking embarrassed and asked Ikki as if peeking at him.

– … D-Did I look like I was enjoying it that much?

– Err, well… just a little.

– Ah, I’m so sorry, I showed you something improper of mine. Actually, making sweets is my hobby, I love when I get people to eat the stuff I made, but since I don’t have many chances to invite guests to my home to have tea, I end up being way too enthusiastic when that rare chance comes…

– Ahaha. This house is built in a great place, isn’t it?

Over 8,000 meters above sea level.

Outside the life zone of the species called humans.

There was no human who would promptly come to this place just to have tea.

Edelweiss also nodded at this,

– Since there are people that gather at the foot of the mountain, they come here every day. And… because I’m always concentrated on my sword only, there aren’t many people I can call friends… I’m old enough already but I’m not married yet… hahaha…

With eyes as if looking at somewhere far away while spilling a dry laugh.

――It was very painful to watch her.

He felt that if they continued this topic, he would end up scraping off something important about her.

(I must change the topic…!)

Ikki, who set his mind on “won’t there be material to talk about?”, slid his eyes to the living room as he drank coffee.

Then, he had his eyes attracted towards the picture frames on a shelf.

There were two picture frames: a big one and a small one.

The bigger one was… the picture of a shining-like white-haired girl together with several adults.

Maybe that was a family picture when Edelweiss was a child?

And the other one, the smaller one… was mysteriously facing down on the shelf.

Since the rest of the furnishings were properly set up, it was difficult to imagine that it happened naturally.

Maybe that was something she didn’t want others to see.

Then, it would be bad to touch that picture.

So,

– T-that’s right, there’s something weighing on my mind.

Ikki looked at the picture of Edelweiss when she was a child and asked the question that came to his mind suddenly.

– … Why did Edelweiss-san choose the path of the sword?

– Me?

– Yes. I’m very curious about it. The reason why Edelweiss-san, said to be the best in the world, took a sword in her hands.

What kind of determination and resolution had the girl in that picture to reach the summit of swordsmanship?

That was other people’s affairs, but Ikki also walked the path of the sword.

He couldn’t hide his curiosity.

Without choice, the wings of imagination flapped――

– Diet.

And were plucked off the very next moment.

– … Huh?

– Diet.

– … That’s not a joke?

– Nope.

――She was serious.

Ikki understood that from Edelweiss who nodded without hesitation.

She didn’t say a single lie.

– I said it moments ago, but I always liked sweets and because I loved making them and eating them myself, well… I’m embarrassed to say this but I ended up becoming a bit fat. So I exercised and my parents put me under a Japanese teacher who taught me swordsmanship near my house.

– I… see…

– Surprised?

– N-no… well, yes.

He couldn’t just mend his surprise. Ikki amended the negation.

– … This is my selfish assumption, but I truly thought that《Wings Abreast》Edelweiss-san, who is the strongest swordsman in the world, had a great reason somehow.

– Fufu. Are you disillusioned?

– That’s not the case. But it did surprise me.

– I am nothing special, you know? The strongest swordsman in the world is just a person who was born in an extremely ordinary and happy family and grew up ordinarily. … What kind of talent do I have? I really don’t know.

Edelweiss smiled as if chuckling.

However, a light of envy suddenly floated in her eyes――and muttered.

– … But that’s why I’m a bit jealous of Ikki and Stella.

– Jealous of us?

– Yes.

Edelweiss nodded.

– The two of you know what your sword is fighting for. I took my sword to fight for what I have to do. … But I don’t know what that is.

She said.

She took a sword by chance and coincidentally she was endowed with all the talent necessary for that path than anyone else.

And when she realized, she stood alone on the summit where no one could follow her.

That was it. So――

– I try to fulfill the duties of a person with some strength to the best of my ability, but I still don’t know who I am.

Even when she reached the domain of the《Desperado》, she was unable to find it.

What was the thing that she, who was born having such a strength in this world, had to do?

The title of the story called “I”.

– That’s why I still continue searching for it. What is my sword for? What should I fight for with this power I was born? My own――my only《Chivalry》.

Edelweiss gazed at the center of the whirlpool absentmindedly as she stirred the coffee with a tea spoon.

Her figure… was far from a resident of a mythical world.

She suffered searching for her existence and her value.

That was the sort of figure of a person who was anywhere.

*TN: Meaning that she looked like any other person in the world.

◆◇◆◇◆

– Thank you for the meal.

– Your welcome. Fufu, as expected of a boy. Even though I planned to prepare a decent portion of food.

Edelweiss said that and looked intensely at the completely washed away dish.

Ikki scratched his face, looking a bit embarrassed.

– Everything was so delicious that I was astonished. I’m sorry.

– Don’t feel sorry, I’m happy to be able to receive such words. I wanted to thank you even a little.

– Thank me…?

– Yes. Actually, I invited Ikki to my house today because I wanted to thank you. … For Amane, Shinomiya Amane.

– !

《Bad Luck》Shinomiya Amane.

All that he wished came true without exception through coincidence.

The boy who had the highest ability of causal interference《Nameless Glory》and that made him lose his mind in his life.

Ikki faced that formidable enemy before at the《Seven Stars Sword Art Festival》.

Ikki revealed surprise at the name he never thought he would hear here.

– Edelweiss-san knows him?

– Yes. I was the one who introduced Amane to《Rebellion》.

– Is that so!? But, why?

– Why, you ask? That’s right. “I had no choice but to do so” It’s what I should say? … The Amane I found at that time didn’t seem to be able to live in the outside world.

– …

His ability could even be called more than a divine possession.

As he ended up being born, possessing such a thing, his family only wanted『power』.

His father, his mother, all the people around him just looked after the power he had on his back.

Nobody found out the reason whether Amane himself hated or wanted that.

The result of a life similar to a ghost that was dead while being alive.

The completely despaired Amane wished for the collapse of everything that surrounded him.

It was at such a moment when Edelweiss met Amane.

– You were able to get quite close to Amane-kun in such a state. If it was his power, then he would have been able to refuse the encounter itself with you…

– Like I said to Stella not long ago, the《Desperados》have a strong autonomy regarding causality. Besides, I myself have an ability of causal interference group, so it’s not so hard to resist an ability of the same group to some extent. … But still, all I could do was to protect him. He wished to destroy not only his surroundings but also himself. I could only give him a place to live. But――Ikki saved that Amane.

A knight who persistently continued opposing fate even though he was an undesired existence just like him.

《Worst One》Kurogane Ikki.

Amane hated that knight.

When he looked at him, he finally ended up wanting to believe in the abandoned himself.

So, Amane tried to block Ikki’s path with his own fate.

With the absolute power that closed his own fate.

With《Nameless Glory》.

However, Ikki didn’t stop.

The power of miracle that plundered everything from Amane.  He overcame even that and opened up his own way.

And that figure, his back, saved Amane’s heart.

– Thank you very much.

Edelweiss bowed her head very deeply and thanked him for that.

With this, Ikki understood the reason why he was invited to Edelweiss’s house, and on top of that,

– Not at all. That’s my《Chivalry》.

What Edelweiss said earlier, the “what she should do with her sword”.

For Ikki, that was to convey to the people who tried to give up themselves, like his former self did, the words of Kurogane Ryouma, who taught him that “you can do anything without giving up”.

Until he fulfilled the vow that he swore to his sword.

It wasn’t like he would get a “thank you” from Edelweiss again.

So, Ikki raised his face to Edelweiss with a gentle expression and asked,

– But, if it’s fine to demand gratitude for that, I’d like to ask a favor to Edelweiss-san.

He stiffened his expression again and stared at the raised ash silver eyes of Edelweiss,

– What is it? If it’s something I can do.

– Stella is now fighting to surpass her limits. Which means that I can’t just kill time doing nothing. The appointed time draws near hour by hour. Unless I get stronger as much as I can to protect the home town of Stella from Or=Gaule and the others, then I won’t have face to meet Stella who will come back stronger.

Although he protected the Vermillion Army, the fact that he fell behind《B・B》didn’t change.

Stella wasn’t the only one who needed training.

He couldn’t afford to stay as he was now.

He had to be able to sharpen himself more before the moment of the decisive battle.

And for that,

– So, can you join me in a sword practice?

His kenjutsu was created by stealing《Wings Abreast》’s kenjutsu.

Then, in order to increase the precision, it was essential to know the original much better.

This was a unique opportunity.

There was no way he would let it go.

So, Ikki requested earnestly to Edelweiss to show her sword closer than anyone else.

At this, Edelweiss,

– … I understand. I don’t mind doing so, but… I think it’s unnecessary?

She bent her head slightly to one side and smiled, looking a bit troubled.

– Eh? Why?

– I also saw the match between Ikki and Stella at that venue.

– You came to that place!? I didn’t notice you at all…

– That’s because you were focused on the opponent before you, weren’t you? I think that if you were in your normal state, you would have noticed me right away. It was an incredibly wonderful match. And then, I was able to tell after I looked at Ikki’s swordsmanship――that there’s not much difference in skill between you and me.

Ikki’s face got puzzled by Edelweiss’s words.

– That’s…

– Naturally, I’m not saying there’s no difference at all. But, not a dramatic difference either. Your kenjutsu is already in the domain of the supermen. And the more you master and master that technique, the longer it takes to develop, the growth rate goes from bad to worse. The eyes of Ikki fixed on the fight with《Marionette King》and company. Even if you go to the extent of mastering your kenjutsu to the same level as me, the growth gap of the real strength obtained that way won’t be that big, don’t you agree?

“Besides”, Edelweiss wet her lips with coffee once and continued.

– The sword technique used by Ikki was originally an imitation of my sword, but it’s already completely different from my sword, it’s becoming your own signature. It’s maturing as a sword technique just for you. Particularly… the last sword stroke that decided the finals can be called the “culmination” of that, isn’t it? Which means that dyeing it again to my color at this point of time is all the more illogical.

In that case, it could even end up resulting in diluting perfection too much.

“So”, Edelweiss said.

– So… I think that there’s something else that Ikki should train now.

– Something else… you mean, other than my sword?

– Yes. Ikki definitely has one unfinished part. And that’s the absolute different between Ikki and me.

– W-what is that difference!?

Ikki put his hands on the table, bent himself forward and asked.

On the other hand, Edelweiss… pulled the chair gently, stood up and said to him.

– Please follow me. I’ll guide you to my treasured training spot. Let’s continue our conversation there.

◆◇◆◇◆

– Can you follow me? Please be careful to not fall. Instant death has no room for arguing.

– U-understood.

Ikki’s reply was slightly stiffened.

That was natural.

The two were now climbing the wall of rock that stood almost vertically, aiming for the summit of Edelberg without a lifeline.

Edelberg’s slope became extremely tough as they approached its summit.

Since that point was over 9,000 meters, the fall would be a precipice no matter the route they followed.

They had no choice but to climb making free use of their limbs and to rely on the slight unevenness of the rock cliff.

However, the unevenness was frozen by the fiercely blowing below-the-freezing-point wind, he had a hard time holding onto it.

As one would expect, however,

(Is this person really a human…?)

Edelweiss, who moved ahead of Ikki, climbed the lightly frozen rock cliff as if climbing a ladder. He felt affinity to Edelweiss who was worried by the way his sword ought to be not long ago, but that seemed to shake already.

Then, at that moment.

– !

The sixth gust of wind attacked Ikki and Edelweiss since they started climbing the rock cliff, heading for the summit.

More than 9,000 meters above sea level.

The wind that blew through the undivided blue sky on Earth was a cold blast that froze everything that it touched.

If his fingers slipped even a little from the frozen unevenness, his body would be blown several meters away as soon as that happened and would fall from the sky with his head first.

However, and as expected of the《Worst One》.

He just barely let the windstorm that continued blowing go past for a minute and started climbing to the summit right away.

And so, he continued climbing the rock cliff although falling way behind Edelweiss for about two hours.

Ikki finally reached the white peak of Edelberg somehow.

– Haa, haa! Ha…!

Ikki breathed heavily, exhausted by the environment that exploited both his mind and body.

Edelweiss said with a bit glad-sounding tone of voice to him.

– It’s no surprise you got tired, is it?
– N-no… it, isn’t, though…

– But it seems that you’ve been able to 『adapt』your breathing properly, it’s almost no longer disarranged. ――That’s great. If you aren’t able to do so, then training can’t be done at all.

– Does that mean that this is the training spot?

– Yes. The Edelberg’s summit. This is the highest place on Earth, the best spot to train your unfinished parts over and over.

9,350 meters above sea level. The summit of《Kenhou》Edelberg was… ice.

The pointed ends of the permafrost sharpened keenly by the cold wind that constantly blew against it and the temperature that never exceeded the point below freezing not even for an instant.

Edelweiss, who lay her hands on its substructure, pointed out.

– Like I said earlier, Ikki’s sword technique is already at the limits of perfection. Even if you were to train and focus on that here, there won’t be too much room for growth, don’t you think? … However, your way of using your magic power, on the other hand, is still regular. It’s far away from perfection.

– My way of using magic power…?

– It is surprising that I pointed that out?

– … Yes.

– It is, isn’t it? … In fact, your power to control magic powers is splendid. Your powers of concentration that come up even with magic power that shouldn’t be reached by human’s survival instincts. Properly speaking, your control powers that handle it increase the strengthening factor about several times to dozens of times or several hundreds of times. Because the aggregate amount of your magic power is too low, I’m impressed how skillfully you’ve been training so far with a body that hasn’t let you have your way with measurements not only at educational institutions but even at school training.

The Japanese League Branch recommended clay craftsmanship using magic power for the training and measurement of magic power’s control power.

A specific shape was made of clay just by interfering with neutral magic power without using one’s hands.

If a knight who had superior magic power’s control power like《Lorelei》Kurogane Shizuku could even create an Ikki-like figure, then ordinary knights would create simple shapes such as stars and triangles at best. Then poor-quality knights would create ugly-shaped lumps of clay similar to a pickled dried plum.

But Ikki’s results were below that.

Because when he used his magic power the way he did, which interfered with objects with his aggregate amount of magic power, he would end up running out of fuel immediately.

Magic power was a characteristic that Blazers were born with――namely, if it wasn’t used along《Noble Arts》, the energy efficiency would drop dramatically. Magic power was used as a neuter energy without direction. Ikki didn’t have a reserve power to use it in such an inefficient way. In other words, he wasn’t endowed with the power to do training and measures to the end.

However,《Worst One》wasn’t a man who would leave things undone in the categories he was able to do.

Even without being evaluated by educational institutions, he mastered the only necessary way to use magic power to strife through his own effort.

When talking about strife, Ikki’s magic power control, which increased his original strengthening ability to several hundred times, had a precision equivalent even to the one of Shizuku.

The person in question also had some sort of pride in that regard.

That’s why Ikki was surprised by what Edelweiss pointed out.

However, Edelweiss correctly estimated that the powers of control of Ikki’s magic power was excellent,

– But still, if compared to the degree of perfection of your sword technique, it’s far from perfect. It doesn’t appear in the area of honor students.

– !

– Please watch.

Edelweiss said then climbed until the pointed end of Edelberg was at her waist and stood with both feet on a tiny unevenness of ice as a foothold ――and made a magical light similar to a white flame rise up from her whole body.

The brilliance of her magic power was so thick that it was visible. That――.

– This is a state that replicated your《Ittou Shura》with magic power. Magic power is like a flame.  This magic power doesn’t own a strength equal to how raging it looks, just like the flame that appears to flare up fiercely but in reality it doesn’t have a considerable heat. The raging of the magic power is brought forth by energy loss. ――The flame that burns calmly blue has a great power. That is the same for magic power.

– That’s…!

Edelweiss told him so and the brilliance of the magic power that her body was clad in developed a change.

The white flame was violently blown out of her body.

She gradually reduced the swaying and eventually turned it into a dim light that covered her whole body.

She weakened the magic power she was clad in?

No, that wasn’t it.

– You were able to concentrate it inside your body while keeping the output…?

– Yes. Properly speaking, squeezing out even the power that shouldn’t be usable will burn to exhaustion. And that alone is not enough. It’s essential to control all the flames of one’s raging soul and make them work to the maximum degree inside your body. Especially body-strengthening group magic like Ikki. However, it will be useless if you are too preoccupied with the control of magic power and you reduce the precision of your actions. Magic power is regulated while performing precise physical manipulation in the same manner as before. The powers of concentration performs those two things at the same time. You won’t be able to obtain those powers of concentration in six days with ordinary training. However, since you’re here in Edelberg, the story is different…!

– Wha…!

That surprised Ikki.

Because Edelweiss, who contained the raging magic power inside her body, approached her index finger to the pointed end of Edelberg, raised her body as she was and stood on that sole index finger.

– The pointed end of《Kenhou》Edelberg is the permafrost that never melts, sharpened by the cold, fiercely blowing wind, exactly like the sword of the star. If you touch it with your bare hands, which are easily bisected by a steel of that degree, then you can’t just be a Blazer. Keeping the balance in your whole body during the windstorm of the firmament that blows right close to you while maintaining magic power release that is only touched by this pointed end. There’s no way better than this to master a technique to make the control of your strong body and the control of your magic power compatible.

And so, Edelweiss told Ikki that this was the training that he needed now.

Ikki’s true strength would grow rapidly if he were able to maintain this position for an hour.

– … Will you try it?

Edelweiss returned to her original stance from the handstand position safely and asked a question.

Ikki’s reply was decided from the beginning regarding this.

◆◇◆◇◆

By all means.

Edelweiss, who heard Ikki’s reply, handed over the summit to Ikki and returned to her home.

Ikki remained alone at the summit and the first thing he did was to gently touch《Kenhou》’s pointed end.

– …

Then, his skin, a finger pad, was cut just by slightly touching it.

What a tremendous sharpness.

The sword of the star sharpened by the firmament’s windstorm.

That description was not an exaggeration of any kind.

Maybe this place was prone to… being tinged with some curse.

Like a weapon that kept killing people, tinged with hatred,

Like an image praised by people, tinged with blessing.

(If I relax my magic power even a little, I’ll be cut open to the bones)

Ikki braced himself and increased the magic power in his body.

Magic power was originally a Noble Arts――a fuel to use magic.

But, it also had special characteristics as a neutral energy substance.

The most famous as a phenomenon was the powers of resistance against physical attacks that only Blazers had.

When Blazers were clad in magic power, they could demonstrate a high defensive ability against impacts that didn’t have magic power.

Impacts enough to kill in one hit, even if they were hit by a bullet from a rifle, comparatively speaking.

If he used this power――then it wouldn’t be impossible to stand on《Kenhou》.

– ――――

Ikki released magic power from his whole body.

While strongly maintaining an image of keeping it back in his body without letting it escape outside of it.

He touched the pointed end of《Kenhou》 in that state again.

His skin was not cut.

In that case, I can do it. He concluded so,

– Hah.

Ikki pushed his legs up high in the sky and supporting himself on a finger to handstand.

At that moment, anguish and impatience appeared on his face.

(Th-this… is as I imagined, no, it’s harder than I imagined…)

The wind.

Edelberg was the highest mountain in the world.

In other words, the storm zone at the top of Edelberg kept blowing through without any obstacle.

He maintained his posture by moving his center of gravity and always kept prepared for the winds that came attacking him from all directions nonstop.

This was next to impossible.

That degree of difficulty rivaled《Madoka》which demanded the finest physical control among Ikki’s secret swords.

If his center of gravity shifted even a little, he could no longer recover from that.

And the most difficult thing was the magic power control of his fingertip.

The pointed end of Edelberg was extremely sharp, it was impossible to touch it without a magic power shield.

Having said that, if he just released magic power from the fingertip, he would be repelled by his magic power and would lost the balance of his body.

He had to contain it inside his body without releasing it at random while maintaining a strong magic power enough to be able to counter the sharpness of the star sword.

To control both his mind and body in the most extreme environment.

Unless he could do that――,

– …!

The next moment, the wind that blew through the sky became extremely weak all of a sudden.

If the wind changed, then the placement of an appropriate center of gravity would naturally change.

All the more if the ground surface was a single finger.

Due to the sudden irregularity, Ikki tried to recover his center of gravity in a hurry, but――at that instant,

– Oh no.

He was so preoccupied with the posture that the control of the magic power was slightly shifted and the contained magic power gushed out.

At that moment, Ikki’s body was repelled by his magic power and was thrown into the sky at an altitude of 9,000 meters.

Naturally, his body fell to the ground surface upside down.

Even if he extended his hand, his body was swept away by the wind and ended up getting separated from the rock cliff, he wasn’t able to hold onto it.

At this rate――he would slam against the ground and die.

But,

– 《Intetsu》!!!!

His judgment was quick.

The《Worst One》, who slipped through many life-and-death situations, was calm in this critical situation and took the best measure there.

In other words, he manifested his Device《Intetsu》, untied the handle string and threw it at the rock cliff.

The blade pierced deeply into the rock cliff, his fall was stopped by the grasped handle string.

And due to the pendulum reaction, Ikki quickly held onto the wall of rock and ended without incidents.

However, there was no relief in his mind.

– Kuh…

Just some frustration.

He didn’t achieve a minute there, to say nothing of an hour.

However――

(Still, it’s certain that there’s no better training to learn the compatibility and control of my body and magic power than this…!)

“I’ll try it one more time”, Ikki was convinced.

It was really a logical training.

If he could regulate his own body and mind in that extreme environment, in that far high sky, then he would be able to regulate the magic power of《Ittou Shura》in battle and keep it in his body.

The magic power that just dispersed until now could be placed on the blade.

And so, if that became possible――

(My whole Noble Arts will evolve one level more …!)

That way, he would even be able to strengthen《Ittou Rasetsu》 with《Ittou Shura》――

– ――!

As a positive sign of evolution, Ikki felt that his heart throbbed.

Naturally, that wasn’t superficial.

He stood on the blade, but the unreliable condition in which he was wouldn’t let him keep back such small magic power so easily.

《Ittou Shura》became possible only when using all the strength that shook free even from his survival instincts, so now it would be an entirely unrealizable dream to regulate that raging magic power.

But, the reward of the materialized occurrence was endlessly big…!

In that case――

(I’ll do it…! I’ll absolutely master this technique before the battle of representatives!)

Ikki decided so and began to climb the rock cliff, aiming at the summit again.

◆◇◆◇◆

By the time when the first night in Edelberg arrived.

The fifth campsite was struck by a snowstorm brought by gusts of wind and mass of clouds that collided with each other.

Rain and hail sprayed strongly.

In the middle of that, 《Crimson Princess》Stella Vermillion was forced to an unexpected hard fight.

– Then eat this! Adolescent Explosion《Spike》!

– Aah!

4 men with identical faces surrounded Stella at a fixed distance.

Two of those men wore volleyball uniforms, and the one with a good physique spiked, aiming at Stella with a volleyball-shaped light ball created by his magic power.

When that light ball bumped into Stella vigorously, it caused a grenade-like explosion.

Stella staggered due to the damage of the explosion.

Moreover, a slender man who wore soccer uniform joined him and pursued her mercilessly.

– She’s about to fall! 《Grenade shot》!!

– Guh, haa.

The soccer ball’s magic power lump ran very deeply into Stella’s pit of stomach.

It didn’t explode like the previous volleyball, but it weighed more than an iron ball.

Probably and easily over 100 kilos.

He seemed to have the type of ability that gave mass to his magic power.

– … This guuuy!

However, the battle that opened the distance by magic techniques was Stella’s specialty.

Naturally, she wasn’t going to keep suffering damage,

– This has gone too far!

A counterattack.

Her Noble Arts radiated the magic power of her whole body as heat value from her body――

– 《Bahamut Howl》!!

In an instant. A heat wave burned down the very dim light to the ground and gave birth to an explosion.

The four men surrounding Stella were swallowed deeply by whether they wanted or not.

――That’s what should have happened.

However, the heat wave disappeared the moment it reached the men and dispersed.

The man in volleyball uniform fired a spike again, aiming at Stella who was bewildered by the mystery that erased her power.

Stella avoided this by flying to the side at once, but,

– Ooops! You won’t escape, little girl! 《Pitcher’s Double Revenge》!!

One of the four man, the man with good physique dressed in baseball uniform who was in a diagonal line in case of, returned a blow, aiming at Stella who escaped from the magic power ball that flew from the baseball bat he held aloft.

The magic power ball that returned back collided with Stella with an unusual acceleration that it gained, producing an explosion bigger than the previous one, it blew her body nearly 10 meters away.

– Kh, this much…! It’s nothing!

That solidness was Stella’s selling point.

Just before she was blown away and slammed against the wall of rock behind her.

She suddenly recovered her posture in the air and landed on the wall of rock.

She immediately kicked the wall and charged, going towards the man with the bat.

She aimed at the area between the eyebrows protected by a helmet and pushed out the point of《Laevateinn》.

She put her whole weight on it and the thrust pierced his body and all.

Yes, she certainly put her whole weight.

However, ――the thrusting ended up being repelled by a strength similar to an invisible barrier.

It was tremendously hard, the hard response that brought with it was to the degree she believed she would be unable to pierce it.

– Kuh… how…!

It had been like that since a while ago.

The slashes, magic techniques and pretty much everything of Stella was turned ineffective by the invisible interference.

“Why, how”, to Stella, who was confused,

– It’s completely useless! The referee isn’t allowed to oppose『Sportsmanship』!

The merciless attacks of the four men rained incessantly on her.

Super heavy magic power balls and detonating magic power balls.

With those two types of wavelike attacks, they reduced Stella’s stamina little by little.

A visible feeling of exhaustion floated on Stella’s facial expression.

But it wasn’t just due to battle damage.

– Take a look. I told you so.

Tatara, who looked down on Stella’s hard fight from an elevated place, said without hiding her exasperation.

– Acting violently without『adapting』under an environment like this seems to be natural.

Yes. The reason of Stella’s exhaustion.

More than half of that wasn’t due to the damage received in battle, but the fatigue caused by the unending fight since the morning.

The opponents that tried to challenge《Wings Abreast》were all skilled. More than 50 of them.

And because she intercepted them head-on foolishly honest and all by herself, she naturally got tired.

Particularly, Stella’s magic techniques consumed a large amount calories as《Dragon’s Metabolism 》in exchange for mighty powers.

This calorie cost was heavy.

On top of that, the snow didn’t melt due to the extreme cold. The oxygen was thin.

All the more in this environment where she consumed calories to keep her body temperature just to be here.

– She’s completely out of gas. Blood doesn’t get in her head. Geez, it’s obvious that these 4 stupid-looking dressed guys are using special barrier-type abilities, but their way of fighting is sloppy.

Iris Ascaride, who was next to her, agreed to Tatara’s words with a small voice.

– Maybe the abilities of the causal interference group to limit all actions beyond the level of『Sports』are being used…. I’m sure she『can’t cut』or『can’t burn』because of that…

– So a group of tactics to restrict the opponent’s normal style and defeat the opponent while it’s confused with『An ability that returns a blow with double power』『An ability that gives mass to magic power』『An ability that creates bombs with magic power』strengthened with『Sports Binding』, huh? Well, it was completed quite well in its own ways, so if she puts her head to work, then she should be able to see their attack methods right away.

– … Yup.

As Tatara said, breaking through this『binding』was not difficult in itself.

If it was the everyday Stella, then she should notice it like it was nothing.

But now that the fight extended for a few hours in a harsh environment, and with an incoming severe malnutrition, Stella was so fatigued she didn’t even notice that.

Her field of thought was narrowing.

It was dangerous to continue receiving the attacks of the enemies in such a condition.

She was fine now because her consciousness was there yet.

However, and at this rate, the moment when her consciousness was interrupted due to running out of gas would come sooner or later.

The moment when even her body clad in magic power were removed would come.

At that moment, if Stella were to receive a magic power-based attack, not even she would be safe.

Ascaride thought “that’s not good”.

The decisive battle with Or=Gaule was in six days.

If she was seriously injured now, if worst comes to worst, she wouldn’t be able to escape.

Because of that, Ascaride made her jet-black axe manifest in her dominant hand.

– You want to help her?

Ascaride shook her head to Tatara’s question who held a chocolate bar in her mouth.

– That’s impossible. If I try to assist her, 《Rule of Grace》will certainly intervene. But… it’s different if I assist her opponents. She can easily stun them from behind.

In the meanwhile, she would take Stella back to Vermillion.

“That’s my duty entrusted by Nene”, Ascaride said.

Tatara laughed at Ascaride’s words as she shook her body.

– In other words, despite that gorilla wanted to leave Vermillion, announcing so quite impressively, she was completely beaten by a lot that looked like a university club, then she realized that she couldn’t even touch《Wings Abreast》, so she’ll sleep peacefully in the bed of her house”, huh? *Gigigi*, Alright!

– … That’s not a laughing matter.

– It doesn’t make me laugh.

– Eh?

Ascaride was surprised by the words she didn’t expect.

Tatara gave a bite next to her! She violently crunched the chocolate held in her mouth,

– Come oooo――――n! I feel so irritated! I cannot help but feel irritated, it doesn’t make me laugh at all!

She raged while disheveling her hair.

– How can that gorilla suffer damage to that degree from a lot that look like chinkasu!? If it’s with your talent, then it should be natural for you to knock one down in a second without receiving a single scratch! It’s been 30 minutes already, 30 minutes! Are you stupid!? Huh!?*

*TN: Chinkasu is often used as an insult term. It means… smegma.

Tatara thought as she spat out her irritation.

What she wanted to see was the figure of Stella being viciously beaten by《Wings Abreast》.

A distant and unreasonable difference in real strength that almost made her feel dizzy, which was what she felt when she fought with Stella before.

She wanted to see the clumsiness of that woman being pinched and crushed by it.

She didn’t want to see her pathetic figure in something like struggling against these small fries.

She was really annoyed.

Now… wasn’t she a stupid because she lost to such a woman?

So, Tatara stood on the cliff edge――and shouted.

– Hey you, the gorilla over theeeere! Use your head a bit alreadyyyy!! Sports aren’t just about ball games, are they――――!!!!!?

– …!

This voice finally ignited Stella’s brain which was out of blood.

– Amaa――――――zing!!!!

– ――――――!?!?

At that moment, Stella hit the face of the man who came hitting the exploding spike, the man in volleyball uniform who was the first player to approach her with a palm heel while giving out a great shout of encouragement.

With bare hands, without using her Device.

Yes. In other words, the conquest method of the barrier stretching here.

If she went up to the same ring, like the 4 men dressed in『Sports』clothing, then that would be great.

The average Blazer would be forced to a hard fight in a battle where Devices and magic techniques were unusable, But Stella’s potential wasn’t worried about such trivial handicap.

In fact, she blew one of the four men away with a single harite.*

*TN: Harite is a sumo term, meaning “slapping the opponent with the open hand”.

– Y-you’re kidding, right…?

– He flew 300 meters away…?

The physical strength of a dragon in good health, furthermore, empty-handed.

The remaining three people who saw the result of the destructive power that burst on a human body,

– W-we give u ――――p! We lost! It’s our defeat!

– Yeah, totally! The end of the game! Sports are over when it’s the end of the game! This is international common sense after all!

– C-come on! Let’s show appreciation for each other’s strenuous efforts and shake hands!

They immediately raised a white flag and prepared to run away.

Originally, these people with a cheap way of thinking restricted their opponent’s power and fought, surrounding them in numbers.

They had no courage to squarely fight with a monster that blew humans away empty-handed like a cannonball.

On the other hand, Stella loosened her stiffened expression and replied「Understood」to this very late surrender.

Yes, she would sincerely give praise to the opponent’s strenuous efforts ――with an all-of-her-might handshake.

– ――――――――!!!!

◆◇◆◇◆

Stella managed to repel about 100 enemies who climbed Edelberg.

However, Stella was very exhausted, she lent on《Laevateinn》planted in the ground as she breathed heavily.

– Haa… ha…, I’m so tired…

The calories consumed by the battle and《Dragon Metabolism》.

That was affecting Stella adversely at a speed faster than she thought.

Ascaride and Tatara, the two people who watched attentively both Stella and the battle from afar, approached her and talked to her.

– Are you okay?

– Y-yeah… I’m not injured.

– But you’re staggering, aren’t you? Aren’t you in a sorry state? How can your legs not work anymore when you brought around 100 small fries to an end?

– S-shut up… I haven’t eaten anything since the morning, so it can’t be helped, you know…?

Stella objected Tatara’s scorn while having the same disordered breathing.

She almost wanted to go and get some food at the foot of the mountain, but she couldn’t go and do so.

Because the enemies weren’t normal human beings, but Blazers.

There might be guys who would charge into the mountain without caring for others in the night.

Or if there was a person who would go towards the summit of Edelberg directly from the sky like she did, and considered her exhaustion, then she would fall way behind and wouldn’t be in time for dealing with them.

She thought so, that it was too risky to leave the fifth campsite where her line of sight went almost across the land.

But, on the other hand, if it was about being able to survive in this condition, without eating or drinking anything until the fixed date,

(… Honestly, this is quite tough)

The exhaustion was so much that she was no longer able to freely use even the flames to warm her body.

If she managed to survive tonight, would she really be able to overcome the second night?

– Since it came to this, I should have just bought food…

Stella said so with regret at this late hour.

And towards her,

– I’ve been telling you, didn’t I? Use your head a bit. If it’s about eating something, I think I have something here.

Tatara took something out of the apron dress pocket and threw it violently against Stella’s face.

– ! What are――

Stella took what was thrown violently against her in her hand by reflex and tried to throw it back with anger.

However, that movement stopped by surprise.

Because what she threw at her was handy food, a chocolate banana.

– You, this…

– Eat it quickly. The next ones may come if you don’t hurry up.

This behavior of Tatara confused Stella.

The advice of moments ago was nice, but what was her intention?

As if she was trying to help her with this,

– Gorillas like bananas, don’t they?

But Tatara’s unnecessary words turned the partly burned confusion into anger.

– Ah, I don’t need something like your charity!

She said and threw back the handy food at Tatara.

Tatara caught it easily and said with an exasperated voice.

– Who’s giving it to you? The lot you flattened out had this.

– … Eh? ――Ah.

Stella noticed what she was told.

She was now surrounded by the still unconscious challengers who fell flat on the ground.

Yes. She didn’t expressly need to go and get food and the like at the foot of the mountain, it was fine to steal what they had.

– …!

She looked like a bandit, but this wasn’t the moment to care about her appearance.

Her fuel bunker was empty already, she was in a state she couldn’t warm herself with heat armor.

If she were to not ingest calories immediately, she would end up freezing.

Stella whipped her freezing and trembling body and snatched the food from those who were still fainted without being able to withdraw and tasted all of them, throwing them into her stomach, feeling sorry even for the time.

It was by no means a sufficient amount, but by doing so, Stella was finally able to recover just the heat to warm her body.

– Fuu… I could pull through the emergency, somehow.

However, at such relief of Stella,

– But it’s not enough to fight the next match.

The one who threw cold water on her was Tatara from the side as expected.

– …!

– Since your way of fighting is full of waste, you could pull through today but you won’t be able to do the same tomorrow. Today’s groups were collections of small fries, but… once the class of guys like《Red Scorpio》and《Kenrou》 that we met at the foot of the mountain come, it will be “The End” if your fuel tank is completely empty the next time. You can get that much in your plain head, right?

Stella averted her eyes, looking annoyed at what Tatara pointed out.

It was as she said, a dozen of small food bars won’t be enough to cover Stella’s consumption at all.

But still, there was no reason to accept this fact obediently to please this girl who came to laugh at her.

That’s why Stella pretended to be tough.

– … I’ll do something about it.

– What’ll you do? You coming with a plan or something?

– S-shut it! What have you been doing since a while ago!? Didn’t you come to enjoy how I’m mercilessly beaten!? If so, then shut up and look!

Stella raised her voice at Tatara’s importunate questioning.

Certainly I don’t.

But, that’s none of your business.

However, Tatara returned her indignation to Stella’s angry voice.

– Can’t you see that your movements are dull!? You have such gem-like talent and yet, I can’t help but get frustrated looking at the『Amateur』that can’t handle it!!

– Eh…?

Stella stared in wonder at the unexpected words spilled from Tatara’s mouth.

At this reaction of Stella,

– Ah… 〜〜〜〜!

Tatara noticed that she ended up saying something inadvertently because she was too irritated and blushed.

――A slip of the tongue that wasn’t worthy of herself at all. How disgraceful. And humiliating.

But… thanks to that, she came to a conclusion.

Tatara told Stella with that same momentum of her emotions.

– A-anyways! I feel like I’m losing hair due to stress when I look at you! So! I’ll be hoping you can pull through these six days from now on to drum into you the way of fighting an actual battle! Be grateful!

– H-huuuuh!?

The declaration of cooperation from Tatara.

Stella was, as one would expect, surprised and vocalized so at it.

The advice during the fight not long ago was fine, that she told her about the location of the food was fine, she felt strangely kind, but to think she was being serious.

Why on earth did she have a change of heart?

The connection between Tatara and her. Her attitude in the car on the way there.

Stella couldn’t hide being bewildered at the completely unimaginable behavior of Tatara.

However, even if Tatara had any reason, the answer regarding this proposal was settled.

– I don’t know if it’s stress or something like that, but… you can’t. Edelweiss said it, didn’t she? This is a thing I must do by myself, without borrowing anyone’s help. That’s why I can’t borrow your help.

However, Tatara calmly said at this.

– I’m not lending my help. I’m just interjecting.

– Such argument for argument’s sake――

– But I’m alive.

– …!

Stella was taken aback by what she was told.

Certainly, at that moment, no intervention occurred from Edelweiss’s《Rule of Grace》.

– The《sacred promise》 that tied us together at that time didn’t pierce my heart due to my advice moments ago, so, while helping is prohibited, advices aren’t prohibited. As for the barrier the laughable lot used before, that single ability of causal interference group is strong, but it has an opening dwelling in it. It doesn’t matter what worthless-like theory that opening is, wrenching it open is the frontal attack of the causal interference group. It’s not cowardice at all. The one who leaves that opening is at fault.

– B-but, even so…

There was a reason why Tatara said that.

The one who left the opening was at fault.

It was normal to take advantage of an opponent, whether it was with a sword or magic techniques.

… However, Stella was in no way interested in that.

Maybe because Stella felt the kindness of the swordswoman called《Wings Abreast》.

If Stella defended Edelberg to the last for six days, they would have a match.

Such contract wasn’t necessary for Edelweiss.

If it was her ability, then killing her with a sword on the spot was easy.

She owned so many methods to drive her away, even if she didn’t kill her.

Still, she took an oath on her sword.

This was an opportunity given by Edelweiss’s good will.

Was it okay to commit a distorted-argument-like dishonor about that opportunity?

Only if she fulfilled her promise fair and square she would be qualified to stand before her?

But――Tatara asked Stella who seemed to be confused like that with an irritated tone of voice.

– Huuh? So what? From now on, you’re going to engage fair and square the idiots who will come bustling like cockroaches with your own strength only. You came to Edelberg to satisfy such a tiny pride?

– …!

– Don’t mistake your goal and means with your immediate emotions, you amateur. This is no longer the game grounds where you’ve been fighting all this time. It’s a battlefield. The question here is neither fairness nor impartiality. Not even if you win or lose. ――But if you accomplish your goal by all possible means. Am I wrong?

– ――――…

Stella returned no further objections… to Tatara’s point.

She couldn’t return one.

– … Certainly, I was wrong.

It was as Tatara said, she came to this place to fight with《Wings Abreast》.

To fight with《Wings Abreast》to become stronger at her maximum speed.

――To get the strength and gain victory in the upcoming battle with the《Desperados》.

That was the goal.

(But I can’t accomplish this goal as I am now…)

Her way of fighting would do it well tomorrow. It was utterly impossible to defend this place to the last for six days.

Even she could understand that.

If that was the case,

(This is not a situation to be finicky about appearances and pride!)

Stella stared straight at Tatara again and asked her.

– If I count on you, then I’ll be able to pull through this place for six days?

– It depends on your ability to learn.

Stella’s mind was settled with her reply.

Wisdom was essential to defend this place to death for six days.

Since it was said that Tatara had the wisdom she didn’t have, there was no reason to hesitate anymore. She straightened herself for a moment… and bowed her head a bit to Tatara.

– I will not borrow your help. ――But please. Lend me your wisdom.

◆◇◆◇◆

Lend me your wisdom.

Tatara greatly sighed once at the figure of Stella who in no way bowed her head lightly, bent her stretched and straight back and said so.

(Good grief, what am I doing…?)

What happened to Stella should be of no concern to her.

In order to defeat《Marionette KIng》she challenged《Wings Abreast》,

… At any rate, it was pointless.

She wouldn’t be able to surpass her limits so easily.

Why was she willingly trying to be concerned with such futile act? Something was really wrong with her.

But… she was a professional who respected『trust』.

She wasn’t a woman who would swallow the spit she spat out.*

*TN: It means a person who takes responsibility for their words.

She spat out regret together with a sigh,

– Okay then, let’s immediately start before the nuisance come.

Tatara began to point out to Stella.

The battle of Stella until just now.

The points she grasped and saw that she ought to improve.

– First… as I said earlier, your potential itself is an important matter. If you can use it perfectly, then there’s no reason in and of itself to pull through six days here against opponents of the same degree as the last lot. But the current you can’t do that now. Why? It’s simply too wasteful.

– Are you saying my fighting style isn’t good?

– It’s full of blunders. They can greatly be divided into three. Three wastes that are completely pulling your feet. So you’ll crush those one by one.

Tatara talked about her plan first and raised a finger.

– We’ll start with the first waste. And that’s the waste of『calories』.

– Calories?

– It’s not something to think deeply about. It means what it means. … Based on what I saw at the finals of the《Seven Stars Sword Art Festival》, your magic techniques consume a huge amount of calories as《Dragon Metabolism》, exchanging it for a strong power. I’m correct, right?

– … Y-yeah. That’s how it is.

– After all, you’ve been warming yourself up using magic techniques ever since you came to this mountain. You’re doing it even now. That’s also the same as having a hole in the gas tank.

The hole itself may be small, but the fuel level certainly decreased.

It wasn’t a tolerable thing in a war of attrition and in an environment where supplies weren’t properly available.

– From this moment, if you use magic techniques at that rhythm, then you’ll run out of gas again by the morning. So stop immediately.

– U, uu〜, f-fine…

Stella unwillingly obeyed Tatara’s order and cancelled the heat armor that wrapped her body up.

At that moment, her skin was caressed by the cold wind of the night blowing at 6,000 meters above sea level and shivered strongly with cold.

– Okay… is, is this fine?

Stella asked while hugging her trembling shoulders. But Tatara shook her head horizontally.

– Nope, not at all.

– H-huh!? Why!? As you said, I’m no longer using magic techniques, am I?

– That’s right. You’re not using magic techniques. However, you keep shivering, so you don’t stop wasting calories in the end. The hole in the tank keeps open.

– W-what do you mean?

– Your body shivers in this cold place. That’s 『shivering』, an absolutely normal physiological response that tries to recover body temperature by generating heat energy, moving the skeletal muscles throughout the body when body temperature drops below 35ºC. But this is a very tricky thing. Because moving gigantic muscles that comprise 40% of all the muscles called skeletal muscles all at once… is naturally a calorie eater.

– Ah…

– Which means that it makes no sense how much you refrain from consuming calories because of magic techniques.

– B-but, it-it can’t be helped, you know? It’s something that can’t be controlled by my power…

– Do I look like I’m shivering like you?

– …!

Stella opened her eyes wide due to what she was told.

Although Tatara was by no means wearing thick clothes like her, she wasn’t shivering at all.

– … Now that you say that, that’s the same for Ascaride-san and Ikki. But, how can you be like that without batting an eyelid despite not being able to use flames…?

– Because I’m a pro. But you sports-limited amateurs totally misunderstand that actual fighting isn’t completed just with『yourself』and the『enemy』.  The battle environment is an important factor. It’s natural to learn the means to how you can『adapt』to any environment and situation. And keep『shivering』happening in the battlefield where you can’t expect supplies in an extreme cold like this one is the worst move. At any rate, when『shivering』happens, you consume nearly as much as 5 times of energy than usual. If you keep doing this, you’ll end up drying it up completely just like that without doing anything in particular. Which means… it’s indispensable to control it so that you don’t get to that.

– But what do I do with this physiological phenomenon…

– I’ll teach you the method now.

Tatara said so and spread both hands towards Stella.

– Eh? What? A hug?

– You’re wrong, you idiot! You’re tall, so it doesn’t make sense! Bend over a little!

Tatara shouted in anger at the dullard Stella while turning her face red in anger and disgrace.

Stella, on the other hand, without being able to read Tatara’s behavior, bent over as she said while bending her head slightly to one side. And when she chose to do so,

– ――Kyaah!?

Tatara rudely embraced the lowered head of Stella with both hands.

– Hey, what are you doing so suddenly!? D-don’t tell me you’re doing this kind of thing because you suddenly became kind!?

– Don’t get such a worthless and mistaken idea! And shut up a little! … Be quiet and listen carefully to my heartbeat.

At that moment, Stella showed an astonished facial expression in Tatara’s arms.

Stella, who listened carefully as she was told, realized.

The abnormality of the heartbeat she heard from inside Tatara’s chest.

– Oh, I see…! You’ve lowered your heart rate!

Tatara returned a positive nod to Stella’s realization.

– Uh huh. 『Shivering』 is a physiological phenomenon. It’s hard to do this because you feel like trying to stop. So――you grab it from the roots further down. In order for your body to not binge eating calories, the cardio-pulmonary function itself is reduced to the limit, the energy supply is obstructed and the level of life activity itself is lowered. If the level of life activity goes down, then naturally the metabolism will fall as well, there won’t be room for『shivering』to happen and only really minimal life support functions will be active.

Active led to a half death state, restraining energy.

It was almost the same as the hibernation of mammals, so to speak.

– This method controls metabolism. My normal heart rate is approximately 50 per minute. It has been dropped to 20 per minute now. If it’s higher than this, then metabolism will become too active, and if it’s too low, the body temperature will drop a lot and the risk of fainting and dying from cold increases. My heart rate is 20 and my body temperature is 33ºC. These numbers are the best.

Her metabolism in this state was roughly 60% of normal conditions.

If she maintained so, then she would be able to preserve her stamina without discharging it even in a extremely cold environment.

She wouldn’t have to expose an unsightly thing like today.

– First of all, learn this thing before anything else. Get rid of the waste of calories and『adapt』 to this environment. This is the most important matter. Unless you get to do that, it’ll dry up completely and you’ll just do nothing in this place for six days. To say nothing about keep fighting, that would be absurd.

――Be that as it may,

– Well, it’s not something you’ll master in a day. Getting used to it by controlling your heart rate is indispensable. So, I’ll『lead』you until you get used to it. Strongly take a mental image of you matching your heartbeat with mine. Then feel the sensation of controlling your heart rate and once you’ve learned it, do it alone until you’re able ――――—-!?

She became able to do it on her own.

The words of Tatara, who tried to continue, didn’t come out of her throat.

The surprise was so much that she became speechless.

(Y-you’re kidding, right…? She already…)

When she noticed, their beats were synchronized.

Stella and Tatara. The heartbeats of the two beat exactly at the same time.

– Amazing! My shivering really stopped! This is fine, right, Tatara!?

– Y-yeah…

– *Phew〜〜〜*. Controlling the heart rate and choosing the potential to deal with the situation, huh. … If you think about it, it’s the same as changing gears of a car. Doing this is a natural thing, isn’t it!? I wonder why I couldn’t notice it until you told me about it. It’s justified that you’ve called me an “amateur” then.

Stella felt ashamed of her inexperience and showed a bitter smile.

On the other hand, Tatara, who was left alone on a snowy mountain when she was a child and mastered that skill in the course of a month while her other sisters died, was dumbfounded by Stella who showed how she put it into practice just by listening to the theory.

Stella was a knight that excelled not only in magic techniques but also in martial arts.

She wasn’t a superhuman like Ikki, but she mastered the skill to move her flesh according to her mental image.

The thing itself about having a technique that actively controlled the heartbeat to some extent by stimulation and relaxation didn’t deserve her surprise.

Because anyone could learn it by practicing.

But――to low the heart rate to the limit of life activity.

This act couldn’t be talk about in that dimension.

Why was that? Because this was like walking up to one’s death, to hell, and looking into it.

If she had gone a bit too far, her body temperature would have declined to a level where she wouldn’t be able to self-recover, and her life… would have ceased.

Nevertheless,

– Aren’t you… scared of dying?

Without bearing it, the question came out.

However, Stella returned with no hesitation.

– I’m scared. But I’m more scared of not even dying as《Crimson Princess》. I came here to not become that. To protect those important to me. So tell me, Tatara. The things you have but that I don’t. The things that I don’t know. All that is necessary to continue being the《Crimson Princess》!

She made her eyes shine like brilliant red gems with a strong light of determination.

She spontaneously had her breath taken away by her beauty――

(… Tch)

– Don’t be full of yourself because your『adaptation』got more or less better. You’re still full of waste.

She ended up thinking that Stella’s face in profile and the brilliance of her strong determination that didn’t choose to run away even before the hardship were beautiful.

Tatara deliberately chose poisonous words to hide her embarrassment.

However, Stella made her facial expression shine even more.

– Great. In short, I can become even stronger with Tatara’s advice.

――Thus, from that day, Stella would absorb 『combatant』Tatara’s way of thinking, techniques and everything she didn’t know at an amazing speed because she only had experienced fair battles at well-regulated stages.

– The second waste is the waste of『time』. The mountain road of Edelberg is a straight path that goes up while rotating in a spiral shape, winding around the outer circumference from the 3,000 meters, so if you try to ascend on foot, you necessarily have to pass the fifth camp. It’s not a bad decision to form a line of defense here because there’re no morons who’ll amuse themselves, doing rock-climbing when coming for《Wings Abreast》. However, and like yesterday, the peak of stupidity will just stand imposingly until the enemy comes absent-mindedly.  That’s a waste of time. And to waste that precious time――you’re going to get stuck with fighting those fools.

Tatara said so and looked down the mountain road from the entrance of the fifth camp.

To be precise, what came beyond that point――was a group of noise.

They were Guile and company, the guys who mounted bikes and buggies that blew exhaust gas.

『Aniki! The female brats of that time are there!』

『And this time, we won’t be interrupted by Kiba and the others! Let’s do it!』

『Hmm, alright! But don’t lay your hands on the red one! She’s mine!』

『『『Yaaahoooo――――!!!!』』』

– Did they go up all the way here on motorcycles, I wonder? They’re quite clever, aren’t they?

Tatara slapped the back of the head of Stella who muttered so with an open palm.

– Ouch! W-What’s wrong with you!?

– That lot isn’t clever or anything. And you’re a moron.

– Eh, me!?

– If you’re able to make much more good use of the time you absentmindedly wasted yesterday, then those idiots wouldn’t have ascended so much. Your victory condition is to pull through this place for six days. In other words, a『Castle War』. In that case――

– I see!!

At that moment, Stella understood what Tatara was saying, then raised her feet high right where she was and slammed the ground.

《Dragon Stomp》shook the earth with a herculean strength.

That physical strength produced cracks in the gray mountain’s surface and those cracks ran straight towards Guile and company, to the ground under their feet. The cracks made the mountain road collapse.

『『『Gyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!』』』

Guile and company, who were swallowed up by the formed, method-less collapse, rolled down the steep slope from the 6,000 meters.

Yes, this was what Tatara was saying,

– Actually, I don’t need to 『fight』, it’s enough if only I have to protect it! All that I have to do is get in the way of those who try to go up!

– That’s right. It’ll be your defeat as『Castle War』the moment it’s brought to the battle.

To begin with, she had make sure that they couldn’t come below her. That was important.

Particularly, in a moment like this, when the goal was to defend for a defined period of time, the key to victory was “how much『battle time』within that defined period of time could be reduced”.

– Just destroying the important points of the mountain road is enough to disrupt the attack of that gang. So, if you get that, why don’t you go and destroy them at once?

– …

However, and without responding to the hurried words of Tatara, Stella stared at the slope that collapsed as if it had been gouged out with a spoon.

– …? Hey. How dare you stare at the emptiness right after I said that?

– Oh, yeah. I’m thinking this could be more useful.

– Huh?

At that moment.

『Just like I thought, she was still in the fifth camp! It’s《Crimson Princess》!』

– !

The voice of a new man, and different from Guile and the others, resonated in the clear and high atmosphere.

Before her eyes, and at the end of the mountain road that went around the outer circumference of the mountain.

A group ran with great vigor from the shade of the mountain.

That,

『You got us very well yesterday!』

『But we’ve seen your tricks already! There won’t be a second time!』

『You were the first one to move before, weren’t you!? Then you won’t regret it no matter what you go through it, right!?』

This was the bounty hunting group that Stella repelled in the fifth camp yesterday.

They fell to the fourth camp for a moment, but they recovered themselves and launched an attack again.

However, their path, the road leading to the fifth camp was scooped out in a big way, it was collapsing.

They couldn’t come straight at her.

Aside from those who could fly in the air, most of them ended up being stranded.

In that case, if she took advantage of that, then repelling them was e――

(Ah, what!?)

Immediately after, Tatara opened her eyes wide at the incredible sight.

The mountain road, that should be collapsed, had been entirely restored as it was.

What? How? Tatara was confused.

On the other hand, the group that rushed to the fifth camp ran through the road that should have collapsed,

――They tried to do so, then at that moment,

-《Flame Veil》――cancelled.

The road they surely tried to step forward now disappeared abruptly.

Yes. The supposedly collapsed road that became as it was, that mystery.

It was all an illusion displayed by the Noble Arts《Flame Veil》that created Stella’s mirage.

『『『UWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!』』』

The men who stepped forward vigorously, following Guile and the others, fell.

The ones succeeding them tried to stop in a hurry, but they were thrown down the cliff one after another in a form of being pushed by the ones further behind them,

– OK! Retreat!

The bounty hunters who almost lost their fighting power and were manipulated by the illusion had to retreat once again.

――In this way, Stella wasn’t just obeying what Tatara said to her.

The wisdom of real combat that she gave her. She interpreted that essence in her own way and thought of the very best she could do with her own power.

With this assertiveness, and with an astounding speed, Stella used the『environment』and the『terrain』that was hardly acquired in battles between fellow students and mastered her way of fighting.

And, since the third day she came to Edelberg――,

– The third waste is the waste of『leeway』! It’s not ridiculous to talk about winning using your strength x100 against opponents when your strength x10 will suffice! Especially in a war of attrition, this sloppiness will pile up and become a fatal wound! Listen! Winning comfortably and winning sloppily are different! Don’t be sloppy against weak opponents! Win in a manner where you win more comfortably than the opponent winning comfortably! The『leeway』produced from that will be effective at the most critical moment!

… The words of Tatara, who tried to point that out, didn’t come out of her throat.

– ――――

Tatara looked down on her, being silent.

On the figure of Stella who brawled alone with the army corps of bounty hunters that finally merged with the 50 people following them, crowding even Guile and the others once again, and came launching a third attack in the form of a big mob that surpassed 100 people.

But her way of fighting was very different from the first day.

From before Tatara pointed that out.

She didn’t fly in the sky like she did in the first day nor emitted big flames. The sword techniques done by《Laevateinn》.

Stella overwhelmed the men with that much.

Ikki stood out so much that her impression tended to be somewhat thin, but Stella’s taijutsu was also at a considerable level.

The slashes done by her strong arm knocked down 5 enemies with every stroke of the sword with certainty.

She was reluctant to even use a sword stroke per person.

She concentrated enough so as to not hear Tatara’s voice, purposely tempted the opponents to her sword reach and chose the best action that could secure the maximum result with the least effort.

– ――――――!

In other words, 『calories』and『time』were the direction of what Tatara had pointed out until now.

The nature of the conflict called actual fighting.

She crunched, absorbed and made them her flesh and blood, therefore――

There was no need to say she understood her mistakes.

And corrected these herself.

(The hell, she’s a student the teachings have no effect on her…)

She was quick-witted, but that wasn’t all.

She certainly was also quick to understand.

Tatara had no choice but to give a wry smile at this.

Moreover,

– It’s amazing, don’t you think? Not only she uses control of metabolism to『adapt』to this environment, but by also using it for defensive body movement and Noble Arts, she even keeps the calorie consumption done by《Dragon Metabolism》 within limits…

The woman with eyes mismatched in color and who was next to Tatara looked at Stella’s fight.

As《Black Knight》Ascaride murmured, Stella had already completely possessed the control of her metabolism by cardiopulmonary function, but not only for the environment, but for her actions as well and controlled her potential by using it finely depending on the situation such as facing opponents.

She wouldn’t deal with any situation or any opponent with the same amount of metabolism as before.

From this point onward, Stella would save energy in all of her actions to the utmost limits.

She reached a point where she was able to handle《Dragon Metabolism》, the calorie consumption was now around half before coming to Edelberg.

As a result, her stamina naturally skyrocketed.

Even if she had to deal with enemies twice as stronger as the ones of the first day, they weren’t to the degree she would run out of breath.

– … It was right for her to rely on you.

– Don’t joke about it.

Tatara laughed the words of Ascaride down.

I gave her nothing.

All of this was the power that Stella had from the start.

Certainly I taught her how to handle it, but that was a trivial thing.

– She would have noticed it herself even if she didn’t get my advice.

Both how to handle her metabolism and how to fight using the environment.

She had the sense enough to make her believe that.

– She’s a genius. She’s different from us.

Only one hour.

She thought and looked at Stella, who finally knocked down the last person in a tenth of an hour of the first day. The beginning was an unexpected premonition.

However, as the days went by――expectation swelled up in her heart little by little.

Tatara, who recognized that, didn’t hesitate anymore.

– Maybe, she may do it.

She didn’t doubt, she believed that this reckless expedition would be unsightly wasted effort.

The battle with the world’s strongest swordsman.

Or that this genius could get an ending she didn’t expect.

――The next day. The fourth day since Stella and the others came to Edelberg.

The group collapsed with a great defeat on the third day.

More than half of the men descended the mountain, but the rest of them tried a stubborn suicide attack.

Most of the faces this time were the first group.

Those who fought with Stella on the first day.

Their superior power on the first day made them mistake their time to give up.

At the end of the day, the struggle of Stella on the first day was largely due to her being devoured by her own power.

However, today’s Stella and yesterday’s Stella weren’t the same.

The dragon nested in her own soul. This partially destroyed mob had no reason to win against Stella who began to manage that power with higher precision than ever before, so this suicide attack tragically failed. It ended in vain.

And then, the fifth day continued.

In the end, not even a single enemy climbed Edelberg.

◆◇◆◇◆

– Oh〜, it feels so goo〜〜〜〜d, the bath after a long time restores me to life.

The fifth day after they came to Edelberg.

In the night of that day, Stella, who finally brought herself to a point where she could fulfill the promise with Edelweiss if she pulled through one more night, gathered lingering snow in the hollow of a rocky area on the fifth camp side and turned it into hot water with her own flames.

It was an improvised open air bath.

Stella herself, who was submerged in the bathtub, was the mechanism that kept the temperature by the heat she released and Tatara, who was submerged in the hot water next to her, let her feelings show.

– This looks like a heated stone pot…

Stella inflated her cheeks with hurt feelings at this,

– If you’re going to complain, then don’t get in.

– But I do want to complain. Because your fuel consumption got a bit better, now you dare waste it.

– This isn’t a waste. I’ll join Ikki tomorrow morning. As a maiden, it’s impossible for me to leave my body as it is, unwashed for five days. So, this is a necessary expense.

– I really don’t care about it. The guy I honey trapped some time ago seemed to like the smell of sweat.

– D-D-don’t confuse my Ikki with such high-level pervert!

– Hmm, so if I have to choose who seems to like that then that would be you?

– I-I don’t! I-it’s not like I get in Ikki’s futon when he’s not there!

Tatara, who gave a backward glance at Stella who began to confess somehow, leant her back on a rock and submerged in the water till her shoulders.

This bath after a long time certainly felt good.

It wasn’t something to do with the magic power and calories she specially saved.

(Well, today no enemy came, so…)

She didn’t use her magic power the whole day, and it would be no good if she became less perceptive because of that.

This kind of exercise was necessary to not let the perception grow dull.

So, Tatara scolded her no further and looked up at the complete starry sky and enjoyed the unexpected leisure time.

– … Hey, Tatara.

Stella, who regained her composure, talked to her while hesitating a bit.

– What?

She asked back, and Stella,

– … Thank, you.

Thanked her as she averted her eyes, looking embarrassed.

– Huh?

– It’s all thanks to you that I’ve been able to overcome the fifth day like this. It’s thanks to the advices you gave me, while even taking the risk of being killed by《Testament》. … I wouldn’t have done all this myself. So, thank you. I’m glad you’re here.

Tatara was a bit bewildered by Stella’s words of thanks.

As Ascaride said as well, Stella’s growth was all about the ability she was originally gifted with.

She just didn’t understand how to use it well. Maybe, even without her advice, it would have been noticed by Stella’s own power within the last six days like a baby that naturally stood on their feet.

So, as for Tatara, she actually didn’t feel the same, that she did something.

Well, Tatara’s personality wasn’t straight enough to honestly admit so to the person in question,

– *Gigigi*!, Nonsense. Who’d take a risk for you? I’m not a simpleton like you. I was convinced when I heard the words of《Wings Abreast》about the flaws of《Testament》. There was no risk. … But well, I can understand your way of being an incompetent above all else. All my teachings are divine blessings! If it wasn’t for me, you’d have gone back all beaten like the small fry you are about this time. So thank me perpetually.

– Recently, you’ve been saying different th――wapuh.

Tatara blocked Ascaride’s mouth who was submerged in the open air bath just like the other two with a water gun.

Stella said to her「Naturally, I’m grateful」and,

– I’ll give you my thanks once we return to Vermillion without fail. Oh right, Tatara likes chocolates, does she?

– Huh? Why?

– Because you ate a lot of them. So, what do you think of a ticket for a whole year of free chocolate from 『Bonnie House』?

Tatara returned coldly to Stella’s offer.

– I pass. It’s true that I like chocolate, but I don’t like given chocolate so much.

– What the? What a weird obsession.

– Obsession? This is a habit of mine since I was a kid.

– A habit?

Stella inclined her head to the side to the words without meaning or connection with their conversation till now.

Tatara replied as she gazed at a distant memory on the steaming and rising water’s surface.

– 《Abgrund》, the house where I was born, is a house where the whole family is a『professional killer』. I’ve been raised since I was born as one of them.

《Abgrund》.

Its history was of more than a thousand years, and after they signed a contract with《Rebellion》, they helped their activities from the deepest darkness of the dark world as employed assassins.

Naturally, their true strength was unparalleled in this world, and those who were born in《Abgrund》and those who were accepted in《Abgrund》, all the members received training to become first-class assassins from the moment they were born.

Murder training in which they used living materials.

Secret training in which they hid their movements and walked in the shadow of society.

Endurance training in which they endured all types of torture to not spit up information of their employer even if it meant their lives.

Adaptation training in which they survived for a month in a below-freezing snowy mountain without clothes or food.

And a selection in which the sisters, who shared the good and bad, killed each other in a secret room until the last one stood.

All those trainings.

– It’s not amusing at all. I’ve used all my time just to become an excellent assassin. So we don’t know the taste of our mother’s milk. We’ve never drank it. All of our meals were thoroughly nutritionally controlled with tasteless supplements and proteins since we were babies. Moreover, even those disgusting meals were poisoned once every three days, it was truly intolerable.

It was an awful place, Tatara thought again.

– … The only thing I enjoyed every day and that I seemed to become insane about it was a chocolate we could receive as a『reward』when we did a good job.

Only a cheap and small chocolate.

It was natural that every Japanese child consumed it without any deep emotion.

Still, it was the reason for living for them at that time.

That sweetness spreading in her mouth was the only enjoyment she had those days that felt like hell.

– That’s why chocolates are like killing rewards for me, and because it’s paired up with manual labor, I don’t feel like getting the free stuff.

*TN: killing is the furigana reading for job.

– Oh, I see…

A dark world unattainable for her understanding and common knowledge.

The vivid words of the person who lived there left Stella speechless.

Tatara continued saying to her.

– If you want to thank me, there’s something I want more than that. Hand me that.

– Hand you what?

– The life of《Dirty Rose》.

– …!

– She’s my target. Let me kill her.

– … If I remember correctly, 《Dirty Rose》is the Blazer that attacked my father and the others, and is a『professional killer』like you, right? However, she severed ties with your organization and annihilated all the『professional killers』but you.

The story Stella heard from Astraea.

Tatara affirmed with a nod.

– Yeah. My parents, sisters and everyone. I’m the only survivor of《Abgrund》. That’s why I’ll kill her.

– It’s vengeance, right?

– Huuh? Not at all.

– Eh?

– I have nothing to do with the lot that died by the roadside. The end of the lowly dogs that traded the life of others of their own accord is unsightly and deserved. I don’t have the slightest bit of compassion for them. … But, that fucking aneki dared turning her hands on clients of all things. The reason why I want to kill that fucking aneki is to take clear responsibility as a『professional killer』of《Abgrund》. She’s left uncontrolled and that affects the reputation of《Abgrund》.

– If so, then why are you going that far? I mean, that house gave you so little happiness, nothing but chocolates, and yet…. You don’t have any ties with it anymore, shouldn’t you live freely now…?

Those words were slightly composed of her own desire that wanted to cut her ties with Tatara.

After she spent a few days with her, the impression that she was a “detestable person” remained the same, but she understood she wasn’t『wicked』.

She lived in the shadows, but her existence was completely different from Or=Gaule and the others.

If that was the case, she didn’t want her to do such shady things like that anymore; that was her wish.

But Tatara, on the other hand,

– It’s decided. ――Because I’m a pro.

She returned the firm reason that was within her.

Certainly, it wasn’t like she did the job she chose for fun.

She was already a『professional killer』the moment she was aware of the things around her.

She was a lowly dog who exchanged the life of others with money, without feelings or resentment.

– … But, whatever the circumstances are, I had meals with the money I got from selling the life of others. However, since the house was crushed, there’s no way I’ll become someone with a respectable occupation, I’m not going to have such a disgraceful behavior.

That’s cowardice, Tatara thought.

Even if it was an undesired road, it was a fact that she took other people’s life for the sake of this small happiness that would end up melting in her mouth in the blink of an eye.

She couldn’t get rid of that.

If so, then what to do?

There were two ways.

One was to follow the path of atonement.

But this was impossible.

Because, in the first place, she didn’t have an ounce of feelings of guilt when she killed people.

Those moral feelings were never taught to her since she was born.

Nothing would make more light of a person than an insincere apology.

If that was the case――there was one way she must walk.

– I want to live like a dog and die like a road by the roadside. Until the very end as a『professional killer』of《Abgrund》. If I can achieve that… then I’ll feel like I have a bit of pride in this lowly job.

A person with no『name』as a person and with no place to go.

A life that just borrowed someone’s『name』to just kill someone.

For that reason, she didn’t want to live half-heartedly.

The moment she reflected on her whole life just before her death, she would like to consent everything, at least by herself, even if getting no one’s sympathy.

– That’s why《Dirty Flower》will be killed by me. I won’t let anyone get in my way.

– …

Tatara’s unshakeable self.

The strong desire to stick to that single path without name because of her hollowed existence that didn’t have its own name and that borrowed the name of others.

It was no longer about good and evil.

This girl already decided in her soul the road she ought to walk on.

If so, then she wasn’t going to yield.

It was impossible she would yield to the words of others.

――Like Stella Vermillion couldn’t cast《Crimson Princess》away.

Stella understood so,

– OK, I’ve decided!

She stood up on the spot.

– What’s with you all of a sudden?

– My thanks to you! Once this battle is over, we’ll have a victory celebration party at the Imperial Palace! And there, I’ll treat you to an extra-large chocolate cake from『Bonnie House』!

– Did you listen to what I said?

– It’s a special menu served at the《League》 Summit 10 years ago and that is absolutely impossible to buy for individuals! It’s incredibly big and delicious! If you miss this chance, you, who questionably works as a『professional killer』, won’t be able to eat it for the rest of your life!

– I told you already, that has nothing to do with me…

– Don’t lose.

– !

– If you die, I’ll cry. I’ll cry my eyes out. Then, I’ll hold a grand state funeral as if there’s no tomorrow. For your information, our state funerals are noisy to a great extent. Such way of dying is the worst of the worst for me. So――don’t lose by any means.

The pair of scarlet eyes stared straight at her.

Tatara believed that carefree brilliance.

It wasn’t a lie. This woman would really cry.

She would sincerely mourn the death of a person like her.

And that certainly,

(The lowest manner of dying, huh)

『Professional killers』weren’t hold dear by nobody, this was something that shouldn’t be.

If so――

– Don’t make me say it over and over. I’m a pro. Those amateurs will fail.

Tatara vowed “I object to such lowest manner of dying”, as she smiled, baring her fangs.

To the victory of this battle.

◆◇◆◇◆

When she swore her own victory, she changed her strong smile to a stubborn one saying 「more importantly」, and said.

– Worry more about yourself than others. You’re going to compete with the best swordsman in the world tomorrow, no? Even if《Wings Abreast》were to skillfully ease up on you and you were to survive, what’ll be awaiting after that is《Marionette King》. … The promise of the special cake seconds ago will have to be conveyed to other people. I don’t care if you kick the bucket, but I won’t tolerate the promise being forgotten. *Gigigi*.

– That won’t be necessary because it won’t happen.

Stella, who returned disappointedly so to the words of Tatara, remembered something and said 「Oh, come to think of it」because she failed the chance to ask something and looked at Ascaride.

– Ascaride-san. You’re… Or=Gaule’s sister, right?

– … Yes.

– And, you’re against him now.

– … Yeah.

– If it’s fine with you, can you tell us why he became the way he is? I want to know… as a companion who will entrust my back with you in the next battle of representatives. The reason you fight for.

– …

Ascaride required a bit of silence to reply to Stella’s question.

Time for her to resolve herself.

– I fight… to atone for my sins.

– Atone, for your sins?

– Yes. I’ve lived my whole life for that reason only. Ever since that day…

And, she started. The beginning of her repentance. The memories of her sins――…

◆◇◆◇◆

Or=Gaule and Ascaride=Gaule.

The older sister and younger brother were born when their parents ran a small restaurant in a French farm village.

A reliable father and a tender mother.

It wasn’t a particularly wealthy family or a poor family, just a common family found around every corner.

They spent their childhood without any inconveniences.

They received a perfect education and enough affection to not leave room for distortion in their hearts.

Thanks to parents like them, they were popular as the well-balanced older sister and younger brother in the village.

Particularly the younger brother Or=Gaule, his sociable personality that noticed the minor details was widely liked not only by the children of his same age but also by adults and youngsters, he was the favorite of village because he showed talent as a superior Blazer from a very young age.

As for the shy and serious Iris, the figure of such younger brother appeared to be dazzling and arrogant at the same time.

But――that was surely a mistake.

Because the soul of Iris’s young brother wasn’t the one of a human by birth.

But of a demon.

Of a cunning demon.

It didn’t matter how much love was poured into a demon, malignance wouldn’t disappear.

Because his soul was corrupted by nature.

Rather, the education of his parents gave wisdom to the demon.

Wisdom to hide his crooked soul.

… When she thought back upon that now, it was an eerie scene.

Such a child. Behaved like he was loved by the people he got to know, the people he came across, by everyone.

Her younger brother seemed to play himself to engage with anyone.

Like that, the demon imitated the people he learned from and built his own trust with eagle eyes.

He hoped for a bigger collapse, as if piling up bricks higher and higher.

Towards the promised catastrophe.

But nobody noticed that.

Nor her parents, nor his older sister who was the closest to him, nobody.

He was a proud son.

He was a proud younger brother.

He was, loved.

So, and while nobody realized it――that day ended up coming at last.

The day when Or=Gaule celebrated his 10th birthday.

A birthday party was held in the village chapel.

Her younger brother, who received the blessing of the village, said with a smile she had never seen.

――Thank you. I’m the happiest person in the world.

Because I’m loved by so many people like this.

Because I’m receiving the wishes of happiness from so many people like this.

So, I decided. To make today the best day in my life――

And so, the demon’s revelry began.

He stole the movements of all the villagers with his superior ability, locked them up in the chapel and destroyed them.

The method and sequence differed finely from person to person.

The order of the parts of the body destroyed. The method. Everyone wasn’t the same as before.

Perhaps he always thought about it regularly.

How to destroy the humans in front of him while pretending to be a human. The maximum despair, one person at a time.

In the closed up chapel, there were angry voices at first, then screams, and eventually prayers that earnestly begged for forgiveness resounded.

Or=Gaule looked at all the madness with a raptured expression in the middle of a smelling and almost choking pool of blood.

It was different from the charming and amiable smile that Or=Gaule showed until now.

It was different from the well-featured smile that got in people’s hearts and that was liked by them.

He had so much fun that his cheeks couldn’t help but to yield to warp.

He gave a broad smile in joy as if even the contour was enchanted.

When he reached that moment, Iris finally understood.

About the extremely gruesome facial expression that didn’t look human at all.

It was something completely different from humans.

The sense of values he had were incompatible with humans since he was born――a “demon”.

Otherwise, there was no way he could have shown a satisfied expression in this hell.

– … And so, when we were the two who survived in the chapel… finally, a visitor who noticed the strange occurrence in which all the villagers had disappeared a week ago, rushed into the chapel accompanied by the police and brought the revelry of the demon to an end. He controlled my body and went into hiding while making me fight with the police force. I escaped death with my ability and then protected by the government.

Ascaride made her shoulders tremble with the pain of the carved seal scorched into her soul and the memory of the despair and fear that made her remember… the tragedy that happened to her body and to Stella and the others, an event so gruesome that talking about the details of the indiscriminate massacre accident《La croix sanglante》was completely concealed by the《Winged Prime Minister》who feared the effect on the social standing of all Blazers.

– The village, my family, my friends, everything is gone. What remained in me, who survived, is… nothing but repentance. If I had noticed the true colors of his earlier, he probably wouldn’t have done that. Probably it would have finished without anyone dying. … I’ll no longer know that, it’s too late for that, repentance is…

Ascaride remembered.

The expression of agony of all those who died.

The despair of her parents she destroyed with her own hands.

All of the revelry of that demon.

――All that tormented her.

Why, how, for what reason I couldn’t notice it?

“You’ve always been the first to be on the side of that demon, haven’t you?”

… Ascaride confessed that this was clearly her sin.

So, after the incident, she decided to spend all her life paying for her sins.

She wasn’t going to let such a thing repeat again.

Stirred up by her repentance, she built up her strength, overcoming any kind of hard training.

And…

– This time, he finally showed up…

Even though she searched and searched for him all this time, she could only find puppets but not《Marionette King》.

He exposed his own living flesh.

――A once in a lifetime opportunity.

If she missed this chance, she didn’t know when she would be able to catch the demon after this.

No, she might not be able to catch him ever again.

So,

– … I’ll stop him here without fail. I’ll make the night smeared with blood end and clear away everyone’s regrets without fail. That is the reason I fight…. And, all the reason of my existence…

Ascaride, who thrust her nails into her white and shivering shoulders, muttered as if encouraging herself.

Stella apologized and approached her hands to the hands of Ascaride.

– I’m sorry for making you tell us a painful story…. To think such a thing had occurred…!

– … It’s fine. I think it’s something absolutely necessary to talk about to gain your trust.

Stella nodded at her words.

– Yup. I’m glad you could talk about it.

She clearly understood with this story that she had the same goal as Ascaride.

Because of that, Stella strongly clasped Ascaride’s hands and said.

– Let’s join forces to defeat him. We won’t let him fool around or do that again.

– … Yeah.

Ascaride grasped her hands back, putting her strength into her hands.

Her facial expression, that became stiff and pale due to the reminiscing fear, softened just a little.

Tatara stared still in silence,

– …

At such figure of Ascaride and the conversation she wasn’t part of.

With a… bewildered-looking expression for some reason.

– What is it? Tatara?

– … No, it’s nothing.

However, Tatara silently said so to Stella’s question and said nothing else.

◆◇◆◇◆

On the other hand, and at the same time, a fight was happening in the village at the foot of Edelberg.

Around 10 minutes ago.

When the mishmash team in front of the obstacle called Stella collapsed, and the bounty hunters that couldn’t help but abandon Edelweiss subjugation were making preparations to retreat,

『Well, it was great, wasn’t it? A suicidal act like standing before《Wings Abreast》is similar to falling behind such a kid. In other words, you considerately stopped suicide. It’s thanks to her Highness the lifesaver, don’t you agree?』

A man in a red rider suit in the tavern of the village. The words of《Red Scorpio》Lamberd Larp, who was sitting at the counter, pierced the nerves of the guys who were standing on their ends due to such unexpected hindrance that came in.

『The hell…!? You’re among the chickens that lost their nerve before climbing the mountain!』

『You want to make sure by yourself if we’re small fries!? Huuuh!?』

『Surround him! Beat him to death!』

The men with violent temperament and led by Guile flared up at him, the tavern became noisy in the twinkling of an eye.

Evasion of a conflict in this mood was already impossible.

《Kenrou》Yoshikazu Kiba, the man in stained Japanese clothing who was eating next to Larp, told him in a low voice「If you’re going to do it, do it outside」and Larp obeyed his words, he led the angry present ones outside the tavern alone.

Then, at this moment――in front of the tavern, in the square of the village… the 50 bounty hunters that Larp brought with him, all of them fell flat on the ground.

Yes. Larp himself, in less than 10 minutes, disposed of the men who troubled Stella for half a day because of her poor adaptation in the first day.

However, this was natural.

The bounty hunters bantered Larp as a coward who lost his nerve before climbing the mountain, but that was a big mistake.

Larp and Kiba certainly hadn’t climbed Edelberg even when 10 days had passed after they came to the actual place, but it wasn’t because they lost their nerve.

The first-class ones didn’t shirk their advance preparations.

Even in the sports world, even if one was a top athlete, one could finely adjust one’s meal menu and practice menu almost a week before the match, accumulate the maximum permissible level of energy in one’s body and show one’s greatest potential on the day of the match.

This was called carbo loading.

This was exactly what they were doing.

During the 10 days since they came here, they’ve been controlling their physical strength, magic power and soul, all at the same time to reach the peak in preparation for their upcoming decisive battle with《Wings Abreast》.

Their opponent was《Wings Abreast》. A little of oversight wasn’t allowed. The two of them discerned so.

That was exactly the proof that they were authentic strong men.

And they decided that the day of the decisive battle would be――evidently tonight.

The main Larp was in a state where he could use his potential to the limits.

There was no logic for those who just debacle to rival them.

It was possible to say this became a self-evident truth.

– Heee, he’s quite the deal. That red Nii-chan.

– It’s always the case that challengers kill each other here, but I’ve never seen one so one-sided so far.

A one-sided subjugation work that couldn’t be called “a fight”.

The villagers that came out of their houses due to the midnight uproar were astonished by Larp’s performance.

Their eyes were discerning due to the environment in the territory of Edelweiss’s residence.

Even for them, 《Red Scorpio》Lamberd Larp was an extraordinary strong man.

– Ara ara, I thought that was happening, but… you’re strong, aren’t you?

The proprietress who came out to see the situation from the tavern started talking to Larp who stood in the square.

Next to her was Kiba, the friend of Larp.

Then Larp cancelled《Death Stinger》, a gauntlet Device that had a long and sharp needle manifested on both arms for a moment and apologized.

– I’m sorry for causing trouble to mistress and all the villagers this late in the night. However, I already dealt with them.

– Did you kill them?

– No, mistress. Please rest assured. They just won’t be able to move for half a day.

– Hoho, that sure helps us. Having to deal with corpses is a trouble one way or another, you see?

– 10 minutes, huh? It didn’t take longer than I thought.

Larp nodded at Kiba’s words.

– Yeah. These guys are truly pathetic. Everyone went bye-bye before my body warmed up. This wasn’t a warm-up at all. Oh well, I was able to do a confirmation of my condition.

The advance preparations were safely completed.

His body was light like a feather, but the power that unleashed was like an iron hammer.

The muscles below the thin skin and the soul of mysteries were eagerly waiting for the release of the accumulated power, they looked forward to it.

Without a doubt, he was in a state where he could pull out his full power.

That was it.

And, if that was the case, then to reach《Wings Abreast》…!

– The time to pay her back for what happened in the Baltic Crisis has finally come.*

*TN: He literally says: “The time for the borrowing in the Baltic Crisis has finally come.” Not sure if I’m reading this correctly in English.

At that time, both Kiba and he, who participated as soldiers from their respective positions in《League》and《Union》, couldn’t even go against the power of gravitational pull that《Wings Abreast》had… they weren’t themselves anymore.

– … Do we go then?

– Yeah. Let’s go.

The first thing to do was to hunt《Crimson Princess》who protected the mountain.

The two of them, who looked enthusiastic, were about to walk towards Edelberg,

– Rihai! Amazi〜ng!

The voice of an out-of-place and cheerful girl stopped their feet.

◆◇◆◇◆

– These 50 guys weren’t『fighters』that weak, but they were completely sealed without a single scratch! To be able to meet strong people as soon as I come to Edelberg, luck sure is on my side〜!

Both Larp and Kiba turned around and wondered “who’s she?” because of the voice of the girl that hit their earlobes all of a sudden,

「「―――― ! 」」

At that moment, they shuddered with the departure of the human who got in their field of vision.

The owner of the voice was a girl with dark skin and dark hair in her late teens, there was a shackle with an iron ball on her bare feet and was dressed in a white straitjacket used to restrain prisoners.

A bizarre, a very bizarre appearance.

However, what made them shiver wasn’t the shape of the girl.

Where was her center of gravity? How much magic power she had?

That appearance didn’t give essential information to the enemy for a conflict.

――She wasn’t a common person.

And, clearly from her appearance, this girl showed up for the purpose of conflict.

Kiba, who seemed to understand the current situation in an instant, lay his hands on his Japanese sword Device《Shimotsuki》.

However, Larp, the other one, who belonged to the fighting force of the United States of America, a major nation with the world’s most powerful intelligence, received an even stronger shock than him because he knew things that the strayed Kiba didn’t know.

Why?

Larp understood.

Based from the girl’s look, who was she?

– Fu Xiaoli!?

– !? 《Toutetsu》of《Shisen》…!?

*TN: Toutetsu means tao-tie (mythological Chinese creature) and Shisen means four wizards (Taoism).

– Wow! You know about me! It makes me a bit happy!

The girl, whose name was called, affirmed with a cheerful smile without hiding her white teeth.

At that moment, the atmosphere in that place carried a feeling of tension as if becoming numb.

But that was natural.

The one standing in front of them was the one called《Toutetsu》Fu Xiaoli, one of the four《Shisen》 aka《Desperado》closest to the title of the champion of《God of War》of the《God of War League》 held at《Shinryuuji》 which was one of the things the Chinese Federation boasted of.

– … How strange. Shouldn’t you be imprisoned at『Kyokurou』of the《Shinryuuji》now? If I remember correctly, you broke three of the captures… no, three of the『five prohibitions』of《Shinryuuji》, and I heard you have to serve 300 years in prison, right?

Xiaoli was surprised and stared in wonder at the words of Larp, saying「Whaat!? How did you know that!?」

– I’m surprised that you even grasped the incident at《Shinryuuji》! Certainly, that’s true! But I left that place because I got bored!

She swung the restraining belt that happened to be tied to her arms which had a certain trace of being forcibly tore off.

– … Isn’t that too much? I mean, that’s a jailbreak, don’t you agree?

– Hmm…. Nope…. If I come back, I’ll be scolded by everyone again…

Xiaoli became small and felt despondent at what Larp pointed out. But,

– But if I stay in that place forever, my body will grow dull. And, I have a dream, so breaking the『five prohibitions』for that sake was inevitable!

She said with a strong tone as if to encourage herself then tore off the sleeve of the straitjacket from the shoulders,

– Both of you are strong! Please have a bout with me! Each one of us is here in this place for one reason. Since it’s decided that we’ll clash on the way after all, I think it’s more convenient to save each other’s time and get through with it here!

She told them and manifested her gauntled-type Device with broken chains attached to both arms.

A 包拳, the left fist struck against the right palm that faced Larp and Kiba.

*TN: 包拳 is kind of an old etiquette, the “greeting” you see coming from oriental martial artists who clench one fist and wrap it with their other hand in front of their chest.

She demonstrated fighting spirit, purposely covering the left one with『文』and the right one with『武』.

*TN: The first one means letter, writings, composition, so literary stuff. The second one means martial arts.

At this,

– Fuh… 《Toutetsu》, the beast that can’t be restrained, huh. Interesting.

– Kiba…!

– Larp. Don’t get involved. I’ll do it.

《Kenrou》Kiba Yoshikazu said and walked a few steps before Larp and stood, facing Xiaoli 10 meters apart from her.

And,

– Come forward. ――《Mahyoujuuroujin》

He unsheathed his Device《Shimotsuki》and thrust its pointed end into the ground.

At that moment, a white cold mist erupted from the place the pointed end was planted in, covering the battlefield in a flash.

A few seconds later, the mist was blown away by the wind and the battlefield cleared up again, then 10 Kiba Yoshikazu stood up as if surrounding Xiaoli.

– Whaat! It’s my first time seeing a ninja technique! I can’t tell you apart at all!

「「「Here I go――!」」」

Kiba turned a cold-hearted murderous intent to Xiaoli who made her eyes sparkle like a child.

Since she confronted them, then she would understand even if she hated it.

The one in front of him wasn’t just a child.

More like a demon, a titan.

In that case, there was no forgiveness.

The Noble Arts《Mahyoujuuroujin》created『Ice clones』endowed with the same fighting strength as 9 Kiba.

The group kenjutsu that made use of his clones was Kiba’s battle style crowned with the alias known as《Wolf》.

In other words, this development was Kiba’s specialty.

(This careless《Toutetsu》Fu Xiaoli. Once his Noble Arts is set in motion, it’ll be beyond her capacity when coupled with Kiba’s real strength. At any rate, unless she discovers the real one and defeats him, the ice clones will continue regenerating and attacking without ever decreasing their number. It’s normal practice to crush her before she`s able to manage it…!)

Kiba, who adjusted his solid stance at the beginning, completely took the flow of the battle in his hands――

– You’re truly amazing! I’m happy that I can enjoy myself 10 times all at once!

「「!?」」

At that moment, Kiba and Larp became speechless with the sight before their eyes.

The ice clones that attacked simultaneously at a speed that even created afterimages of them.

Xiaoli dodged all the storm of instant slashes unleashed by them.

No, she let the slashes go past her. That wasn’t surprising in itself.

If the person had a degree of strength, then it was possible. Larp was one of them.

Surprisingly, Xiaoli’s defensive body movements were also one of those.

A technique that didn’t open their eyes wide.

A speed that didn’t disorient them.

All the movements of Xiaoli could be followed by their eyes.

They clearly could see what she was doing and what she would attempt to do next.

That speed of hers was a tenth of Kiba’s, or less――?

――And yet, she wasn’t even grazed by the stroke of swords done by 10 people.

Not only that, in the little time between slash and slash,

She destroyed the『ice clones』one after another.

With palms.

With fists.

With kicks.

With the iron ball attached to her feet.

Reality betrayed the overwhelming difference in speed. That was the proof of the absolute difference in strength.

It didn’t matter how slow her movements were――the techniques of a master couldn’t be dodged.

There was absolutely no waste in her movements.

(So this much was the strength of the《Desperado》 closest to《Shisen》and《God of War》 !?)

Kiba was also a swordsman known as a master in the world, and despite that, he was like a baby compared to her.

Larp was lost for words at this fact,

(The opponent is superior in martial arts. I have no choice but to admit that)

Kiba also understood the difference in ability with the enemy who easily survived the attack with all his might.

But――,

(Don’t forget《Toutetsu》. The one who’s taking on you isn’t a knight but a 《Magic-Knight》!)

– …!

Immediately after, the flow of the fight suddenly changed.

The instant when the fist blow of Xiaoli slammed against and pulverized the head of the『ice clones』.

The『ice clones』instantaneously transformed into water, then engulfed the arms of Xiaoli and froze again.

He restrained her arms with shackles of ice.

And in the instant when the movement of Xiaoli slowed down, the other『ice clones』 grappled her and became identical shackles of ice,

– 《Seppyoukakkitsugeki》――――!!

《Kenrou》Kiba, who decided to aim at the moment when the movement of Xiaoli’s limbs was stolen, struck her with his sword held above his head with all his might.

However, his opponent was 《Shisen》Fu Xiaoli.

– Ha!!

Xiaoli released strength from her whole body and pulverized the restraints faster than the strike of Kiba reached the top of her head.

She recovered the movement of her limbs. But,

(Indeed, she’s not a beast that can be subdued with something of this degree!)

Kiba knew that.

The restraints were tore off.

But, that was fine. If he could steal her movement with the reach of his sword for an instant, for a mere instant, then that――would be enough!

– Absolute zero flash can’t be stopped!

《Shimotsuki》, which was loaded with almost all of Kiba’s magic power and that was brought down clad in cold air, was an absolute zero blade that froze everything that touched in an instant.

The instant she were to be struck by it, her whole body would freeze, resulting in her death.

There was no other way to deal with it than avoiding it.

But, and although Xiaoli got her movement stolen for a moment, she already missed that chance.

In other words, this blow would reach Xiaoli’s life!

――That’s what he thought.

– 〜〜〜〜〜〜!?

However, the sword of Kiba, which was raised overhead, was blocked by Xiaoli who stopped the sword stroke between her bare hands.

(Impossible! How――)

– Eep!!

And, the moment when Kiba lost his composure due to the unexpected situation, the match was decided.

Xiaoli’s middle level punch pierced Kiba’s abdomen,*

*TN: middle level punch is the furigana reading for demolishing fist.

The man called Kiba, who was frozen in an instant as he was, was pulverized by the impact of the fist blow.

◆◇◆◇◆

– Thank you opponent! It was a nice experience!

Xiaoli returned a formal 包拳 this time to Kiba who literally broke into two from his abdomen.

Larp, who saw all that next to them, was confused by her appearance and the conclusion of the battle.

(Even ability of ice…!?)

That should be impossible.

Because Xiaoli should have fought making free use of the power to control『wind』like in the last《God of War League》5 years ago.

This was a famous story that Kiba also seemed to know.

For that reason, he couldn’t contain his agitation when she was struck by the absolute zero blow.

She could have been able to sustain Kiba’s《Seppyoukakkitsugeki》if her hands manipulated fire or water superiorly, or even a lightning ability.

But wind had no chance. The power of wind rather amplified Kiba’s cold air.

Affinity between the abilities was impossible. Essentially, it was impossible for that to happen. Because that happened.

– And now! The next one is you, the one in red clothes! You can come at me at any time!

Xiaoli, who instantly defeated Kiba, took a stance towards Larp next.

Larp responded,

– … Alright. Let’s do it. Come, 《Death Stinger》.

He manifested his gauntlet Device endowed with long and thin needles on both hands again.

– Thanks!

At the same time, Xiaoli kicked the ground and closed the distance by going straight at him.

Regarding this charge, Larp――slammed against the ground with something that he grasped in his hand in advance.

– Humph.

– Aiyaa!?

At that moment, a white light burst in the night square.

Larp violently threw a flash bullet against her.

It was an absolute weapon and not an ability or anything like that.

This type of weapon wasn’t really used in battles among Blazers (called psychicer in America and fighters in China). Basically, weapons such as firearms couldn’t be a threat to Blazer opponents.

However, flash bullets were different.

The magic power of a Blazer was the defense against physical impacts, but light was transparent.

Therefore, it was natural for her to be disoriented.

If she was disoriented, then it didn’t matter how terrible her ability was, she was just like a wooden figure!

(Having those two abilities should be impossible. What a mysterious opponent she is! I have to settle this immediately!)

Larp moved forward towards Xiaoli who faltered with the flash.

He smashed the distance directly and stuck out his Device, with its pointed end going towards Xiaoli’s heart.

-《Lethal Venom》!!

But, his opponent was the summit of『martial arts』and a《Sennin》from China.

*TN: Sennin either means immortal mountain wizard (Taoism) or one not bound by earthly desires.

The pointed end of《Death Stinger》stuck into Xiaoli’s breast, but at that very moment, the grasping of her life was imperfect.

– A surprise attack by means of a flash bullet, yes? It surprised me nonetheless.

– We Americans are pragmatists. Our way of fighting doesn’t rely on psychic abilities only.

– Ho ho! But I don’t dislike that sort of bluntness!

There was no lie in the expression of Xiaoli who sweetly smiled saying so.

Generally, one would displease the fellow Blazers if one used this type of weapon when matched against one, but the girl in front of him enjoyed the knowledge, conflict and even the preparation from the bottom of her heart.

As expected of a fighter who became the semifinalist at the《God of War League》where surprise attacks and premeditated murder were allowed.

But,

– … I’ve been having fun so far, but I’m sorry, this fight has no future.

– Khu.

At that moment, the body of Xiaoli sprung up.

A physiological strong twitch. That was the agonizing death of life.

– The ability of my Device《Death Stinger》is《poison》. The power to manipulate all the poisons that exist in this world. Due to the fact that my opponent is《Toutetsu》of《Shisen》, there’s no way that I can be shoddy. You made me use the most powerful and lethal poison that I can handle and that can only be detoxified by me. Sorry, but you’ll die soon.

Yes, Larp’s thrusting wasn’t prevented.

If he used his ability, there was no need to pierce her heart.

If only the tip of the needle, if only 1 mm of it stuck into her, then that would be enough. He pierced her life.

The match was already decided.

– Being careful for a second or being hurt your whole life; don’t blame me for your carelessness, alright?

Larp told her as he extracted the needle from Xiaoli’s body. But――

– … Carelessness? Not here.

– ――!?

The needle didn’t come out.

Because Xiaoli grabbed it while not destroying her favorable smile and without loosening her strength not even a little.

She was in an impossible-to-recover posture already; no, the girl should have died.

“What the hell?” Larp was confused.

Xiaoli said to him.

– I can read『thoughts』and『intention』even if my visibility isn’t good. While my visibility went black, a『thirst for blood』was approaching. But it’s strange. There’s no『thought』of piercing my heart for the『thought』that came with it. There’s no『thought』of cutting my neck off vigorously. Your『thought』wants to touch me lightly because anywhere is fine. Just touching me a little is fine. That『thought』can’t be balanced at all with such『thirst for blood』. ――If so, then those two big needles aren’t your favorite specialized weapon, but the《poison》inserted in them. I came to that conclusion right away.

And,

– If it’s《poison》, then just controlling it with《poison》is okay. So ――

As soon as he told him so, Xiaoli extracted the needle herself and quickly leant in close to Larp,

– Ah!?

She pierced his abdomen with her little finger.

– This is not carelessness, but leeway.

– Guh!

The pierce that amounted to a little finger. The damage of that wasn’t a big deal.

But the current distance was bad.

He was at her mercy. Because this was the range of the empty-handed.

That was why Larp immediately brushed her arm off and thrust Xiaoli away.

No, he tried to thrust her away.

But,

– ――――!?

Suddenly, a numbness attacked his entire body, the muscles of his body began to stiff and he became unable to move.

And Larp, who couldn’t even keep standing, fell on the spot in a flash,

(This fellow, no way… the ability of this girl is…)

He lost consciousness in the middle of his thought.

That was the end.

– Thank you.

Xiaoli, who defeated both Kiba and Larp without effort, gave her thanks again and asked the proprietress of the tavern who was next to them.

– Proprietress-san. Can I ask you to treat these two people?

– … Are they alive?

– Yes. These people will wake up in a week if left alone. That ninja-san is just frozen, so if he uses a《Capsule》, he’ll return to normal without problems.

– Sure thing. Leave them to us.

– Thank you!

Xiaoli gave her thanks and turned about to the towering Edelberg.

And,

– Now that the minor business has been solved, it’s time to go and say hello!

She breathed in deeply once and――

– Haaah!!!!!!

She put on her voice the loud cheering that was released from her whole body.

In order to not let her ability be read normally, she exposed all that was concealed on purpose.

The atmosphere was blown away, the trees stirred, the birds run away and the mountain shivered at the declaration of war of《Toutetsu》Fu Xiaoli ――

「「「――――――――!?!?」」」

6,000 meters above sea level. Stella and the others shivered in the fifth camp.

– Wh-what the hell was that nasty bloodlust just now!? Was that Edelweiss!?

– No. This is…

– Kuh…

Yes, it wasn’t her.

Stella knew because she was directly struck by Edelweiss’s bloodlust.

This drive didn’t belong to Edelweiss.

The nature of the fighting spirit was different.

Edelweiss’s sword-like nature was like a very thin, sharp and hurtful blade.

However, this one wasn’t sharp, but a bravely ferocious one, a beast-like nature that gulped down everything.

It was beyond Stella’s knowledge. A strange someone.

Very close to Edelweiss… no, she was someone who had never met before, and who was endowed with possibly the same intimidating air as hers.

And, that someone told through that drive.

I’m heading there now.

At this hard fact, Stella felt the fear of her own demise, the same as when she confronted《Marionette King》and《Wings Abreast》.

The sensation that the non-opposable absolute fate opened its giant jaw and swallowed her deeply.

Still, Stella chose to not run away.

– … I have no choice but to do it…

《Crimson Princess》would face a looming threat.

To keep being the《Crimson Princess》, the sword of Vermillion.