Chapter 169
All credit goes to the original author (Chuuni Suki), who has posted the raw data here:
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Bakapervert translated this chapter. He also did the edits.
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White Divine Dragon and the Platinum Apostle
On the gigantic island with diameter around ten-odd kilometer.
There were grass plain and forest, with branching small rivers in between, where the upper stream was linked toward the mountain with bountiful greenery.
A chalk white obelisk was enshrined at the grass plain area of that floating island. The huge tower that was around fifty meters tall looked out of place in the middle of the magnificent nature. Coupled with that artificial whiteness, it looked strangely conspicuous.
But, something even more standing out existed further above that obelisk, it was a silver colored man sitting cross-legged on a shining magic circle. His silver hair and wings fluttered in the wind. His skin was so white that it looked transparent, even the color of his eye pupils looked shining radiantly silver.
His clothing looked like a pure white priest outfit. Coupled with his calm and self-possessed state, his appearance gave a divine impression. If anyone who didn't know anything saw him, they would surely think that a messenger from heaven had descended.
The first voice that man, Freed Bagua let out made Hajime who was facing him to snort while he started talking frivolously.
"Is that new fashion? If that's the case then there is nothing I can say except you have got no fashion sense at all. It's because you are still accepting the clothes that your parent(god) prepared for you without protesting that you looked incredulous like that. Your red hair and darkish skin before this looked manlier you know?"
Hearing Hajime's speech, Tio and Shia burst into a snort "bufuh" beside him. Perhaps the two of them also had such experience, that the clothing that parents prepared for their children was usually embarrassing. Just what kind of clothing that Karm and Adol presented to their daughter, and then, the complicated expression that Shia and Tio surely made at that time…it was something that made Hajime felt relatively curious.
Although, Freed who was obviously got made fun of only reacted slightly with a twitch of his eyebrow from that speech, his calm behavior still didn't break. And then, as though to say that he got no intention to follow along with Hajime's frivolous talk, he talked with a cold voice.
"…Indeed, you really are still alive. When Aruvheit-sama didn't come back, and my lord informed me that you are going to come, I thought what kind of a joke is that yet…truly what an obstinate man you are. It would be better if you just graciously die."
"Hee, so that shitty bastard Ehito predicted this. Well, I guess he at least has that much brain. He understands just how great my feeling toward Yue is after all. So? What about you? Were you told to defeat us here? Getting ordered to come to your suicide here, what a cruel order that is. So that's why your hair got totally white like that then, because of the stress huh."
Once more, snorting sounds "buhoh" could be heard from Hajime's both sides.
Freed ignored the sympathetic gaze that said "Freed-kun, you really got it hard" which was directed at him and continued on talking.
"No matter the time you are still screwing around. Really, you don't seem like a man whose woman is taken away at all."
"Yue is the best woman there is after all. It can't be helped that she is popular. I only need to straighten up all the guys who laid her hand on her. Even the master you are proud of, I'll carve a lot of agonies and regret into him before killing him."
"That haughtiness, it will be immediately broken apart. My lord has already grasped that body perfectly. There is not even a one in million chance for you to take back your woman."
As though to beat despair into Hajime, as though to show that it was the truth, Freed informed Hajime using a matter-of-fact tone without getting worked-up at all.
However, in regard to that Hajime's face contained not even a single trace of agitation. Rather, he was giving back a fearless smile.
"The one who is calling me irregular is your side you know? Something like a worthless scenario that you guys prepared, I'm going to messed them up into pieces."
"…"
Hajime and Freed exchanged gazes wordlessly for a while. The Wind of killing intent began to blow suddenly. That atmosphere which licked at the skin like coiling snake was truly apt to be described as an explosive situation.
Hajime's finger touched Donner, at that moment, Freed opened his mouth as though to beat Hajime to the punch.
"Your previous question."
"Aa?"
"Your question of 'were you told to defeat us'――half is correct."
"Half?"
With his hand still touching Donner, Hajime narrowed his eyes questioningly in a state where he could draw his gun and shoot anytime.
Freed suddenly stood up from his cross-legged sitting posture and flapped his silver wings to float in the air, then he opened his mouth.
"My lord――Ehitorujue-sama granted me the command to let you pass without any obstruction when you arrived at this place. There is nothing more mortifying then the lost of my chance to strangle you to death with this hand, but it's still inevitable for your life to meet its end."
"Hou. Then? During that time you are going to face Shio and Thia, that's what you mean?"
"Exactly. While you are receiving divine punishment from my lord, I'll thoroughly torture to death the women who love you dearly."
Right after Freed said that, the obelisk shined radiantly.
Hajime drew out Donner with the end of the talk. The fired bullet became a red flash and approached Freed's forehead.
However,
*GIIN!*
A hard sound reverberated, that attack was completely blocked. When Hajime looked, it was as though the bullet crashed into an invisible wall in front of Freed, the bullet flattened and stopped midair.
"If you think that my space magic is the same like before than that's a great mistake."
It appeared Freed had laid out a protective wall of space isolator around himself beforehand. From how Hajime's magic eye stone was unable to detect the wall, then it was just like Freed said, his level in space magic had increased.
At that moment where Hajime's first attack was blocked and a bit of time was bought, the obelisk that was emitting strong radiance shined explosively.
The white light completely dyed their field of vision. But, Hajime's magic eye stone that wasn't affected by the amount of light accurately caught what kind of phenomenon this was.
Before long, the light settled down, and what flew into their cleared up field of vision was the scenery of a great swarm of monsters clamoring together to the degree that no empty space could be seen. Their number was definitely in four digits. Roughly there might be around two thousand monsters.
From each and every single monster, they could feel the strength at the level of the monster at the lowest level of the abyss at the very least. There were also monsters that they had encountered before, but based on their appearance every single one had been evolved.
A black wolf with four reddish black eyes had its head increased by two like a watchdog of hell. A black panther with tentacles seemed to be combined with a chimera, it had draconic claws and snake tail while the air at its surrounding was flickering. A monster with horse head Ahatd had further two arms added, and it was also further enveloped in reddish black magic power that seemed to be 'Vajra'.
Especially the dragon flock that covered the sky, every single one appeared to possess strength at the same level with the white dragon that they faced at Guryuen Grand Volcano.
And then, the leader of that dragon flock, the white dragon that was also the partner of Freed, it was emitting an absurd pressure that easily surpassed all the monsters. Its physique was already nearly twenty meters big Its pure white scales were giving off the radiance of steel. The wings on its back increased to two pairs of four wings, each time it breathed pure white spark was surging from its mouth.
The scar on its chest was exposed with ferocious dignity. Its magnificent body was shining brilliantly and emitted divinity. A white dragon that came out in legend――or perhaps it should be called as a white colored holy dragon, a white divine dragon. In any case, it appeared to have a strength that easily surpassed the divine beast leviathan that they encountered just now.
Hajime and others were surrounded by a few hundred, a few thousand monsters of abnormal level, the fierce killing intent was showered on them from all direction, amidst that Freed was floating calmly right at the side of the white divine dragon with his silver wings flapping.
"Now, Nagumo Hajime. You can leave behind the women who love you dearly in this despair and progress ahead."
Hajime directed a scorning smile toward Freed who elaborated this disgusting plan where Hajime had to leave behind Shia and Tio among this swarm in order to meet her beloved woman.
"Are you idiot? Just why do I have to listen to what you are saying? I can just instant-killed all of you before going forward brazenly."
There was no need to purposefully divide their battle strength in front of the enemy. Hajime who talked that doing this with all three of them was faster was given a cold gaze by Freed.
And then, he proclaimed.
"No, you are going to go ahead. To head toward despair, alone by yourself."
"Hah, saying whatever you like――!?"
Instantly a golden light poured down toward Hajime. The 'angel's ladder' that suddenly appeared from the gap of the clouds really resembled the torrent of light that once captured Yue.
"Hajime-san!"
"Goshujin-sama-"
Shia and Tio, perhaps remembering that time they reached out their hand toward Hajime with a slightly uneasy voice. As expected, their hand was repelled away.
Hajime was going to take out his pile bunker to show that the same trick wouldn't work the second time. However, Freed opened his mouth faster than that.
"That light was a light of teleportation. It will lead toward the location of your 'beloved'."
Hearing that stopped Hajime's hand for an instant. Indeed, the light that was pouring down right now didn't have a harming effect at him for even a bit, it felt like it was connected with a space somewhere.
But, Hajime immediately rethought his thinking and he was going to destroy the light torrent. He could just exterminate Freed and the monsters together with Shia and Tio, then go to Yue altogether. As expected, he was unwilling to leave behind just the two of them in this space.
But, the one who stopped such Hajime was no other than Shia and Tio.
"Hajime-san, please go ahead."
"Truly. It's an invitation that art hard to come by. Just the two of us art enough to take care of this side."
Hajime's eyes widened slightly. But the two added more words without being concerned of that.
"Leave this place to us and go ahead! I wanted to try saying that sentence at least once desu."
"Doon't worry, we art going to follow immediately after finishing here. Fufufu."
Hajime's face turned exasperated toward the rabbit and the no good dragon who sent him a wink while raising their death flag daringly. And then, he also sensed how they were seriously telling him to go ahead even while joking around.
That was a scolding toward him not to let go of the chance to arrive at Yue's location even if it was at a stage that the opponent prepared, it was also a resolve to not let any other to become hindrance at his battle against Ehito, it was also their faith that if it was Hajime then he would surely rescue Yue without fail, and it was also the expression of their confidence that if it was the two of them then they would make it somehow against a situation of just this level.
Hajime's figure was fading. He was being transferred to another different place. Although Hajime was slightly hesitant, he directed a gaze that was filled with his utmost trust at the resolved Shia and Tio and strongly nodded.
In actuality, it was outside of their expectation for the inside of [Holy Precincts] to have this many varied spaces contained inside it. They had the compass, so they didn't get lost in searching Yue's whereabouts. But, if for example, Ehito rearranged the spaces' configuration like a block game or if he could teleport without limitation, then there was the risk that this would become an endless chase.
In that aspect, it was honestly painful when the degraded version crystal key broke when they entered the [Holy Precincts]. In the worst case, there would be a need for Hajime to recycle the very small amount of god crystal he used for his other artifact to create a new degraded crystal key, so if the other side was giving him the invitation then it was an unexpected windfall for him.
Shia and Tio also understood about that, for that reason they proposed this dispersion of battle strength that could be said as a bad move.
"Got it. Shia, Tio…"
"Yes desu."
"Yes."
Just before Hajime was teleported, he made a fierce smile and left behind his words to the two in exchange for leaving from here.
"No need to hold back. Kill them all…in a way fitting as my women."
"Yes, siiir desuu!"
"Fufu, leave it to us!"
Shia and Tio were also returning a smile that looked like a wild beast at Hajime.
At that moment, the light dispersed and along with it, Hajime's figure vanished.
The two who were left behind――Shia was tapping her war hammer Vire Doryukken on her shoulder while glaring over the monsters around them, while Tio was cracking her neck audibly with a somehow bewitching smile on her face.
"Now then, it seemed that you said something about torturing us to death or something but…"
"Instead, the one who wouldst be made sport to death art thou, just like all those time before, and from here on too. Thou art truly a man without any learning capability."
While being surrounded by several hundred, several thousand monsters of absurd level, far from having their calm expression crumbling, Shia and Tio were instead giving Freed a gaze as though they were looking at an idiot. Freed narrowed his eyes to that.
"Don't think that I am the same like the me before this. This power that I was bestowed by my lord――putting aside that monster, there is no doubt that I have surpassed the likes of you two. Prepare yourself. The bitterness of being looked down, I'll return it completely, no, I'll return it by several folds to the two of you. The two of you can meet your end while yelling that man's name with your death cry."
"Enough with the tedious talk desu. Crushed, beaten up, punched, exploded, splattered, they are all similar, but I'll let you chose the method that you preferred to be massacred with."
"So this is what art called as big talk. Let me taught thou this thing called as the difference in status."
Both sides sent each other caustic words.
A beat.
Killing intent burst out from the whole body of each of them.
And then,
"Kill them-!"
"I'll kill you to death desu-!"
"Be annihilated-!"
The spark of battle was lit up.
Rain of aurora rained down from the sky, immense blazes were spat out from three-headed wolves, violent shockwave surged from the six-armed horse-heads, silver flash and a large amount of feathers rushed from the front.
Lethal attacks from all directions. The field of vision of Shia and Tio were completely covered with death.
But,
"Tio-san, two steps to the right, drop a little then go three steps ahead desu."
"Right, that helped."
Tio moved almost reflexively following Shia's murmur. Aurora poured down at the spot where she was at just a moment before, furthermore when Tio lowered his altitude shockwave passed through above, and when she stepped forward she evaded silver feathers in return.
At the same time, Shia was also similarly taking steps as though she was dancing in midair. She slipped through the gaps of the attacks as though it was actually the attacks that were avoiding Shia.
The place where Shia moved at, and then, the place where Tio moved at following Shia's instruction, those places were places with the thinnest concentration of attack.
The derivation of characteristic magic 'Future Sight', the 'Revelation Sight'――an ability that could automatically take a peek at the future a few seconds ahead. Shia predicted the trajectory of attack with this ability and calculated the safe spot swiftly.
Nevertheless, it was not an exaggeration to say that the density of the attacks sent to them was like a wall. Even if they moved to the place where it was relatively harder to be hit, that didn't mean that they were unharmed.
Therefore,
"URYAAAAAAAA-!!"
"Just this much-!"
Shia took out from the empty air a kendama made from adamantium and coated with sealing stone, and then she launched it instantly overhead. Vire Doryukken struck the metal ball and a thunderous sound roared, at the same time the kendama was rising to the sky with a violent momentum like a rocket flying to space.
The surface that was coated with sealing stone displayed its trait fully and reduced the intensity of the rain of aurora. Next, the aurora rain was snapped away to far beyond due to the kendama's pure destructive force.
And then, for a brief time, the gray dragon that was defenseless due to firing the aurora could only get startled funnily by the approaching metallic mass from below. At the next moment, *mekyo!* such graphic sound resounded and while the kendama was sinking into its stomach, the dragon was further blown away to the sky.
The gray dragon got the bones in its whole body got pulverized and disappeared at beyond the sky. An instant later Shia then appeared at the place where that dragon was at as though in replacement, without stopping she used the chain to swing around the kendama, giving rise to a whirlwind that beaten to death the surrounding gray dragons.
Freed slightly narrowed his eyes toward such Shia, but when he directed his gaze at Tio who was left behind, there he could see the figure of Tio who was crossing her arms while getting swallowed by the impact of light and blaze.
Although in that spot the attack was relatively fewer, but she was still getting hit by attacks at the amount that might be enough to inflict lethal wound considering the level of the power of the attacks.
However,
"That appearance…"
"Hmph, compared to Goshujin-sama's reward, this level of pain art too lukewarm."
Tio was floating unmoving with a fearless smile while saying such sentence. Her appearance was completely changed compared to her appearance just a moment before.
First of all, the color of her skin was different. Her beautiful skin that was like porcelain was now covered with jet black color, only her golden eyes were piercingly shining in there. Looking carefully, Freed noticed that the source of the jet black color was from dragon scales on her skin.
It was the derivative skill 'Partial Dragonification' from characteristic magic 'Dragonification'. The dragon scale that originally could only came out in Tio's black dragon form was now being put on like a chainmail so that it wouldn't obstruct the movement of her small human form. Furthermore, using 'Dragon Scale Hardening' that increased the hardness of the scale in respond to the magic power consumption, Tio completely endured all the attacks solidly.
Of course, if Tio was actually hit by all the attacks then the damage would pass through, but with Shia's help the number of attacks that she got hit with decreased remarkably, she would have no trouble at all if she only got hit by one or two of each variation of attack.
By the way, the reason Tio didn't turn into dragon completely was purely because her human form was more maneuverable and it was also harder to hit her because she was a smaller target like this. Although her physical strength dropped compared with the state of complete dragonification, she had already mastered the 'Partial Dragonification' to the degree that there was not that much difference in defensive capability aspect, so this state was convenient for her in this case.
If this technique was to be given a name then this would be composite dragonification and metamorphosis magic――the 'Dragon Scale Armor'.
"A return gift!"
The instant a pause appeared between the attacks, Tio turned into a counterattack. She stretched both her hands horizontally and instantly focused tremendous magic power, at the next instant she fired breath attack from the tips of both her hands like a laser that had been compressed to the limit.
The right and left breath attacks that were fired straight like black string easily pierced the monsters at their line of fire. Even the horse head that looked excellent in defensive power was also no exception. This attack of Tio had been refined until its might heightened by that much.
In addition, that was not the end of it. Tio spread wide her hands horizontally and then she twirled on the spot.
Naturally, the super thin breaths that pierced and bisected everything were matching Tio's movement and trampled the battlefield, mowing down the monsters.
Her clothing that looked like Japanese clothes gently fluttered along with her long beautiful hair, exhibiting elegance like in a dance in this battlefield. The blood spray scattered everywhere by the bisected monsters that were falling to the ground colored Tio's surrounding like a blizzard of falling sakura petals.
"Impudent…Uranos. The disgrace that you once received, clear it up right here!"
Freed who frowned from looking at Tio's figure gave instruction at the white divine dragon(Uranos) beside him. Uranos's reddish black eyes shined in joy.
GOGAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!
Uranos raised an extremely loud roar.
It didn't fire aurora as breath attack, it was merely roaring, but just with that space itself trembled, a shockwave of sound was generated. Normal people would have their body pulverized just from that, and even if they endured it a primitive terror would well up and they might be driven mad, a violent howl.
Truly a roar of a divine dragon.
Due to that, even the monsters who should be its ally couldn't help but get paralyzed, the attacks that were raining down like storm also got completely dispersed.
Although, it was by no meant that Tio was helped just because of that.
"Nuoo!?"
While her whole body got strongly struck by the shockwave, combined with the lightness of her small human body caused Tio to get blown away. She fell toward the ground like a meteor. Looking carefully, there were few small shining fragments scattered at the trajectory her body passed through. Although it was only a few, but Tio's prided dragon scales were smashed, just from a single roar.
Tio impacted the ground like that without being able to kill her momentum. *BAM* Tremor hit the ground and a small crater was created on the floating island, Tio's figure got concealed by the rolling up dust.
There, a merciless pursuit attack was fired.
GOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!
The world was dyed by white radiance, by the breath of the Uranos――by aurora.
Even the word tremendous couldn't represent a fragment of that attack's might. The absurd torrent of light caused the space itself to creak, just its after-wave gouged out the ground of the floating island.
And then, at the place that got hit directly…the aurora pierced until far below――it broke through the bottom of the floating island and pierced until the far beyond.
Yes, the aurora pierced through the ground of the floating island that had the diameter of ten-odd kilometers until it came out on the other side. The sea of clouds spreading under the island had a hole opened there like the eye of a typhoon that dispersed in a radial shape.
A terrifying might. It was just like the light of divine punishment. Everything that stood on its way would be completely destroyed without any discrimination by that breath of devastation.
Before long, the flash that dyed the world was disappearing as though melting into air.
"Tio-san-!"
Tio was swallowed by the aurora, no, any possibility other than Tio got destroyed altogether with the ground leaving not even dust behind was unthinkable from witnessing this spectacle, seeing that caused Shia to spontaneously called Tio's name with shrieking voice.
While beating to death several gray dragons with her kendama, Shia focused her eyes at the spot where Tio got blown away at, but she could only see a hole in the ground that was completely empty of any living thing and she couldn't discover Tio's figure.
"Hmph, perhaps that's overdoing it. Despite my intention to torture her to death, but to be annihilated with one attack…the situation just cannot go as I hoped for."
"There is no way such thing is――!?"
Freed glared at below looking not amused.
Shia raged to deny those words.
And then, Shia changed the Vire Doryukken into bombing mode and aimed at Freed…at that moment, the figure of herself getting slashed into pieces by countless large swords was reflected in her brain. It was a death prediction from her characteristic magic 'Future Sight'.
A chill rushed through her whole body instantly, her voice got caught in her throat while she twisted her body half-forcefully. From the superb timing of the attack's instant, it brought to Shia's intention that this was an attack that leaped through space――an attack that couldn't be dodged perfectly based on Shia's experience.
In an instant, the space around Shia was undulating, from there large swords were thrusting out in a flash.
"――"
While raising a wordless scream, Shia's legs and arms cartwheeled midair in order to at least avoid a fatal wound, and then four large swords grazed her and blood sprayed up.
Another large sword approached her head, she avoided that by turning her head and the blade grazed her cheek, two large swords approached her neck from left and right, she blocked one with her Vire Doryukken, and used the chain connected to the kendama to block the other one.
She pulled the trigger of Vire Doryukken next and used the fierce recoil to rotate like a spinning wheel, three blades rushed at her as though blocking her escape path, but she barely evaded them even while her shoulders got gouged.
And then, even while bearing injury, Shia somehow succeeded to get away from her future of death and put her feet on air using 'Air Force'. At the same time, the apostles with platinum hair flew out from the undulating space with their wings flapping, their twin swords launching severe slashes at Shia.
"KuUUUU-"
Vertical bisecting attack using two large swords at the same time. Shia blocked that attack using the handle of Vire Doryukken, but she was pushed toward the ground by immense pressure and impact where the weapons of both sides were locked with each other.
Amidst the sparks scattered by the large swords and the war hammer, Shia fell with fierce momentum toward the ground, the platinum apostle who wielded that bizarre strength from really close range then opened her mouth at Shia.
"The first apostle Erst. Judgment to god's enemy."
Immediately after, the large swords shined in platinum light. Right after that power swelled up explosively into a torrent. The apostle that introduced herself as Erst swung out her twin swords in one breath then.
"Gua!?"
Shia's body was struck fiercely due to the impact, she fell on the ground like that. *BAM* Fierce shockwave radiated loudly and a crater was created, dust rolled up. It was like a reproduction of Tio's fall before this.
Sure enough, five platinum flashes aimed for Shia at the bottom of the crater, all of them were fired simultaneously.
"The second apostle Zweit. Judgment to god's enemy."
"The third apostle Dritte. Judgment to god's enemy."
"The fourth apostle Vierte. Judgment to god's enemy."
"The fifth apostle Funfte. Judgment to god's enemy."
The four apostles that appeared unnoticed were conducting their introduction proclamation while launching their bombing. Even if the color of their magic power light was different, but it only stood to reason that the light that an apostle launched must have disintegration ability.
Thinking of the apostle's explosive power that struck Shia into the ground, the spec of the platinum apostles were obviously above even the normal apostle, from that it could be easily imagined that their bombing would be something absurd too.
Shia immediately pulled her kendama close to use it as shield replacement, but in the end would it make it in time or not… Similar with Tio, it seemed that Shia was also going to vanish inside the light.
But, at that time,
Gigantic black flash that was fired from somewhere approached the apostles, furthermore *hyun* a sound of cutting wind resounded and something like a rope rushed inside the dust cloud and entangled around Shia's body, it then extracted Shia from that spot in one go.
The platinum apostles flapped their platinum wings and evaded the black flash. At the same time, the ground where Shia was just at before she got pulled was pierced by the platinum bombardment. The ground after the dust got swept away had been gouged really deeply, even though the attack didn't pierce until the bottom of the island but the bottom of the hole couldn't be seen from above. As expected, the might of these apostles had wide difference compared to the normal apostle.
"Shia, art thou safe?"
"Tio-san!"
Shia who was entangled in black rope――or more accurately in black whip was pulled up and received into an embrace of Tio, who although she was in a sooty state here and there with various sizes of wound all over her body, her expression still looked comparatively fine.
Shia spontaneously sighed in relieve, to that Tio grinned widely while the corner of her mouth was holding a test tube container.
And then, Tio moved her lips and tilted the test tube container, she drained up the content in one go before *puih* she spat away the container also with a wild gesture, she then released Shia from her black whip.
"…So you escaped. What a toughness that is as expected from that man's woman. How annoying."
The expression of Freed's eyes warped while he spouted out abusive language.
"Well, I thought I was going to die for a bit there though. For the large shield created by Goshujin-sama to be pulverized, although it couldn't use 'Vajra' or 'Transmutation'…thou have really evolved this dragon of thy."
It appeared in that instant when the aurora poured down, Tio summoned a large shield artifact from her 'Treasure Warehouse II' and she barely escaped at the slight time it took until the shield got pulverized. In other words, the protection of Tio's Dragon Scale Armor got overtaken only by the after wave and she bore this much damage from that. As expected, the aurora of the Uranos was something absurd.
"Hmph, is it really okay for you to act composed? The aurora of Uranos who has reached the territory of a divine dragon is increased not only in its might. Its additional ability to obstruct healing is also evolved. It obstructed even the regeneration magic. On top of that, it is making the wound to worsen further with the passage of time. Although you got hit only by the after wave, if you bore that much wound, it won't take that long for the effect to gnaw at your body until you die you know?"
"Is that so? All these monsters, and then these platinum apostles, these art quite troublesome. …Well, normally that's how it would be."
"What?"
Ahead of the gaze of Freed who was feeling dubious at Tio's way of talking, Tio was wrapped in the light of magic power. That was the sign that regeneration magic was being used. As though to show that, the wounds that Tio bore were being healed one after another.
Freed was gazing in astonishment while raising his voice from being unable to endure his question.
"Ridiculous…the invasion of the aurora is being nullified? Impossible-"
"The ridiculous one art thou. Just how many times do you think Goshujin-sama hath been showered by that light. Obviously something like one or two countermeasure would be created for that."
"…Don't tell me, is it the liquid just now?"
Tio shrugged at Freed's question. It seemed that was the correct answer.
Anti-aurora magic medicine 'Fix It J'――the ability to obstruct healing that was included in the magic power of the aurora, Hajime who understood that it came from the magic factor with opposing nature against the magic power contained in the aurora made this magic medicine. Hajime enchanted magic that would negate the effect of the aurora into powder of metal that didn't have bad effect to the human body to make this medicine.
It had been proven by the 'God Water' that it was possible to forcefully heal the affected wound using something with healing power that surpassed the obstructing effect. And so, if the obstructing effect was weakened by this 'Fix It J', even if the effect had been evolved but the wound could be healed enough using regeneration magic.
Freed showed an irritated expression that the additional effect of the aurora didn't show result. Even the Uranos at his side was making growling sound from its throat in dissatisfaction.
But, at that time,
"-, Tio-san-"
"Yes-"
Suddenly, Shia raised a voice of warning, both of them immediately leaped away from their spot.
After that, platinum flash rushed through.
"Freed-sama. These people are that irregular's comrade. Please don't let your guard down."
"Acknowledged."
Erst was giving a warning to Freed using polite language. It seemed that before they knew it the status between the Freed and the apostles had been reversed. Most likely it was because the transformation that happened with Freed, but right now there wasn't any free time to know the detail.
The platinum apostles flew out simultaneously focusing at Shia.
"We will hand down the judgment at that rabbit person first. Is that fine?"
"Yeah. I'll leave that one to you. I too want to judge that dragon woman, the one who made fool of me once."
Erst nodded briskly at Freed's words, she then flapped her platinum wings in order to deal with Shia herself and flew away.
When Shia guessed that all the apostles were designating her as their target, she raised a ferocious war cry while forcefully blowing away the large sword that was swung down at her by the second apostle Zweit along with the holder.
"Bring it on desu-! Just try it if you think that you can desuu!"
Immediately after, faint blue magic power burst out from Shia. Using the derivative skill of magic power operation, 'Body Strengthening', and then also the further derivation skill 'Impact Conversion Increase III', Shia's body capability was explosively raised up.
And then, she rotated the kendama in high speed using only snapping motion of the wrist of the hand holding the chain, swinging around the super heavy kendama like a flail.
The gigantic metal mass was rotating in circle with abnormal speed and became like a streak of light.
There, the third apostle Dritte came attacking right from the front. Shia pulled the trigger of Vire Doryukken and fired out bursting slug bullet to check Dritte in place.
Dritte evaded that like it was only natural and kept advancing. But, Shia read ahead the path that she took and launched the kendama that looked like it would snap away anytime with superb timing. The liberated red kendama that looked like a wild beast made Dritte unable to take evasive action…was how it looked like, but the moment she was almost hit, Dritte's figure vanished.
And then, at the next moment, she materialized right at Shia's side. Furthermore, unnoticed the fourth apostle Vierte from behind and the fifth apostle Funfte from below were approaching, they slashed their twin large swords as though to block Shia's place to escape.
"ts, youu-"
Shia entrusted Vire Doryukken to her physical strength and swept it horizontally, she repelled away the large swords of the two apostles while dodging the last sword with a somersault.
But, it seemed that this time it was the apostles who read ahead of her movement, Zweit who was sent flying before this was already slashing her large sword in a timing that couldn't be dodged.
Inside the flow of time that felt strangely slow, the eyes of the inhuman apostle and Shia's eyes crossed with each other. No emotion or anything could be seen there, but vaguely Shia could feel something like triumph "Even if you can see the future, you cannot avoid this right?", surely it wasn't just in her imagination.
Shia wasn't even agitated or impatient, she returned back a straight clear gaze. Shia didn't blink even once while capturing the rapidly approaching blade that left behind trail of platinum light in her field of vision.
A predicament of this level was nothing to speak of. Don't think that the one who obtains new power is just you! Shia proclaimed that implicitly. And then, just when she was about to use that new power…a black whip stretched out smoothly and entangled the wrist of the apostle before her eyes.
(Oh my, I don't even need to use it. As expected from Tio-san. That's a superb follow-up desu!)
Shia who whispered that in her heart changed her plan. While a smile formed at the corner of her lips, Vire Doryukken leaped up from below.
The slowing world returned to its original speed.
Right after that, the arm of Zweit was tugged away and the trajectory of her large sword slipped away from Shia's body. At the same time, the war hammer repelled away the second sword from below at the opposite side while rising up with powerful speed.
*GOGYA!*
Such graphic sound resounded, Vire Doryukken that hit the jaw of Zweit blown her away to the sky above as though rocket propulsion was carrying her away.
"Disappear."
Toward Shia who was just lifting up Vire Doryukken, a cold voice――Erst's proclamation came at the same time with a platinum flash that attacked Shia.
Shia was unable to evade due to an instant of her body stiffening after launching her attack.
But, as expected the color of anxiety was nonexistence in her expression.
Right after that, Zweit who was blown away just now was returning. That wasn't because Shia's blow wasn't effective and she came to attack once more. The black whip that Tio controlled was still connected to her hand, therefore she was now being pulled back forcefully, toward the line of fire of the platinum light.
"――!"
Erst and the pulled back Zweit reflexively gazed in astonishment, at the next moment, Erst's bombing was defended by Zweit's own platinum wings.
And then, Zweit shook off the black whip entangling her wrist and got out of the line of fire in hurry.
This was happening in less than a second.
But, that was enough.
"SEYAAA!!"
A yell exploded.
Shia's Vire Doryukken caught the platinum flash in a full swing. A tremendous shockwave was generated, at the same time, the surface that was coated with sealing stone dispersed the disintegration ability along with the flash.
And then, the apostles who attempted to attack Shia without any interval were held back by Tio's breath attack, while Tio's body slipped in to become shield using her dragon scale against the opponent that couldn't be held back. Although the black dragon scale of the dragon race that boasted supreme hardness was disintegrated, coupled with its unparalleled endurance it somehow pulled through with only faint wound created by the platinum magic power.
"Those arts quiet the cooperation, but it's troubling for thou to then look down on our cooperation!"
Tio opened her mouth. At the tip of her mouth, magic power was focusing with fierce momentum. Dritte who was looking at that across the arm covered with dragon scale that blocked her large sword immediately leaped away. The compressed breath pierced that vacated spot.
Naturally, Shia and Tio became standing back to back.
"Tio-san, thank you very much. It's truly amazing that you can breakthrough to here."
"Well, if I charged with the resolve to be damaged, then as long as it's not against that white dragon I am unstoppable."
Yes, Tio saw Shia who was receiving a concentrated attack from the apostles, and then she resolved to receive damage from Freed and the monsters' attack while cutting across the storm of attacks to come at Shia's side.
"But, Tio-san, your wound…"
"Shia. It will be okay with this. Just so thou know, there is this."
"…Aa, I see desu."
Shia and Tio talked back to back with a small voice that could reach other.
During that time, with Erst at the front as the starting point, the apostles were surrounding the two. Beside Erst, Freed finally arrived accompanied with his Uranos.
"Sorry. It seems that dragon woman is not really bothered by damage. I misread the way she fights a little."
"No, we too were unable to finish off Shia Hauria. It appears that she has further increased her fighting strength in these few days. …What an unbelievable thing."
It seemed that the two of them were revising their analysis of Shia and Tio.
"Then, we will pull away Shia Hauria away and exterminate her."
"Aa. Even the dragon race won't be able to maintain that kind of reckless fighting for long but, I too will use my full strength here."
Shia and Tio, and then Freed and Erst, each side exchanged words with each other. The wind of tension blew once more.
And then…
"Exterminating god's enemy."
"Receive your judgment, foolish people."
Erst swung her twin large swords, while Freed distorted the space at the tip of his stretched out hand.
At the same time,
"I'm going-, ――'Level IV-'!!"
"Come, mine retainer, ――'Dragon Army Summoning'!!"
Shia's body reinforcement rose by a level, the light magic power enveloping her further increased in radiance. Along with Tio's proclamation, a hundred armed black dragons materialized from the 'magic orbs' that were scattered in the battlefield unnoticed by anyone.
Right now, the gong of the second round was sounded.