Regardless of the hardness of the dite, it was possible to make it whatever weight was convenient for the user. It was hard to break, and it could change to any shape freely.
The only setting Layfon was particular about was weight. As for the others, he entrusted them to the special Heaven’s Blade technicians.
"You’re the first Heaven’s Blade to say such a thing. Is it because you’re young, that you underestimate the value of a weapon?"
Looking at Layfon silently listening to his criticism, the old technician finally revealed a defeated expression, giving up attempting to persuade him, and set the sword to match Layfon’s physique.
(It’s just a sword anyway.)
As long as it could be set to the same weight that his wrist was used to, than anything else would be fine. All he needed to remember was that part and forget everything else.
That’s all the awareness he had for a sword. That weight he was so used to in his hands would quickly become a part of his body. The kei spread out like the nervous system, making the inflow of kei into the sword even more complete.
Was this the result of training under Lintence with the steel threads in the past month? Like being able to make input kei into his sword the same way his kei would instinctively flow into his muscles. Even though his fighting stance was a little forced when he fought with the sword, it could still achieve what was desired.
This wasn’t just a feeling.
With this sort of technology, couldn’t he toss the blade into the air and manipulate it freely? Maybe he should try next time.
Even Layfon wasn’t brave enough to just toss it into the midst of a battle.
The enemy was getting closer.
Layfon reached into a small pack on his waist and retrieved two small objects, and tossed them skyward. They two arced across in a parabola, and using his External Type kei, Layfon shattered them.
The shattered objects turned into yellow dust and scattered about in all four directions.
It was a kind of dried animal fat. After other refining steps, it could be made into soap. But right now it wasn’t like that. It was just to give the surroundings the smell of life.
Would the Filth Monsters react to the scent of living things? Naturally, people would ask such questions in doubt. As for results, it definitely produced them. In terms of larvae moving in large herds, it could drastically change their movement routes.
But as for older Filth Monsters, the effect was minimal.
For Mature Phase Filth Monsters it was impossible to tell if it even had any effect. The Technical Department had once told him that. But regardless, this was the first time he had fought a Mature Phase. Everyone bestowed their experience upon Layfon.
As if it were cautious, the Mature Phase didn’t change its bearing, but it noticed the existence of a tiny life form en route to Grendan. Although, it wasn’t affected by the smell, but by Layfon’s shadow.
A Mature Phase Stage 2, just as Delbone predicted.
As it got closer, the Mature Phase revealed that mysterious body shape. Like a bug in its larval state, when it shed, it would get rid of its legs, and specialize into a flying form. But the Mature Phase purged even its insect form, transforming into something akin to a reptile.
There was some doubt.
All of Grendan’s Filth Monster researchers held doubts.
Because the lack of nutrition when growing up as Filth Monsters, they would attack cities. And when they transformed into Mature Phases, they would become extremely hungry.
Then why would there be some many Mature Phases in the way of Grendan’s wandering area?
If cities in the same region where annihilated, it was impossible for the news to not spread to Grendan. But they didn’t hear of such reports of other cities being destroyed.
Then, couldn’t the Filth Monsters reproduce through the pollutants and cannibalism?
Then, why would they attack humans?
For Layfon, he couldn’t understand this.
But Delbone gave this answer.
"If you’re talking about diet, mankind can survive by only eating wild vegetation as well. Then why would they eat meat? And this is every kind of creature. Do we reproduce just to eat? That’s not all, we’ve also created various kinds of dishes and desserts. Why is this? Because they give humankind a kind of enjoyment. Can we just assume that Filth Monsters don’t know of this kind of enjoyment?"
Although he couldn’t be said to have no interest, clearly he wasn’t able to understand the Filth Monsters' feelings.
The Filth Monster near him was exactly as Delbone described: it had just entered the Mature Stage a week ago.
"Arara…I’ve made a little mistake."
From within the helmet came the voice of an obaa-san who seemed to be in a good mood.
"What is it?"
"At first I thought there were two, but it seems there’s only one."
Change mature phase stage 2 to 2 mature phases…T_T for all prev sections.
"…Eh?"
What Layfon saw before him were indeed two filth monsters. Some distance off, climbing below Grendan was a body far larger than those supporting pillars, sporting a pair of semi-transparent wings. Long and sharp teeth could be seen protruding from that long and strange mouth. Only the eyes were like those of a bug’s, with a pair of dark green glass ball eyes.
Those two looked as if they were stacked atop each other and flying.
"No, no, please look carefully. They’re linked together at their tail section, right? It’s like when dragonflies mate. It’s because there are two heads, so I got it wrong. I’m sorry."
"Ah… No problem."
Compared to two, one was still a lot easier…was what Layfon thought.
"The battlefield isn’t somewhere you can get careless, okay?"
As if reading Layfon’s mind, come those words of warning. Although obaa-san’s words weren’t actually severe, they were like water seeping into soil, irrefutable.
They no longer had any time to be having a conversation.
"Well, I hope you have an enjoyable fight."
Once again hearing those words he heard two days ago, Delbone’s voice vanished, and following immediately, the Mature Phase opened its two huge mouths, and rushed towards Layfon with urgency.
Layfon jumped up, avoiding.
The Mature Phase’s lower half smashed the hard ground apart. The upper half was chasing Layfon as he rapidly ascended. Tugging the lower half after it the two halves eventually switched places.
It was as if they were twining around each other as they chased Layfon.
After adjusting his posture midair, Layfon engaged the Mature Phase in attack.
External-type burst Kei, Sendan.
The blade emitted brightly colored Kei. A paper thin shockwave cut through a part of the Mature Phase’s wing and sliced the tail section where the two were connected.
The Filth Monster’s two halves let out a fierce wail. The scream itself had a lot of force behind it, completely sending Layfon’s small body flying.
If you said a creature had two heads, then a ten-year-old child won’t understand. Could you not kill it even if you cut off a head? As for the Mature Phases that came in all shapes and sizes, all that he had heard about them was that the scales on their heads were extremely hard.
Then, what about the section that connected the two bodies together? Although he had suspicions like a child’s curiosity, it was a fact that that part moved the least and was the easiest to target.
The Sendan beautifully divided the tail portion into two. From the wound came spraying out a viscous liquid.
However, the two separated parts were both still moving individually.
"What’re you talking about; this is clearly two Mature Phase Filth Monsters."
Although he was unable to kill the Filth Monster, Layfon was hardly depressed at all. At any rate, he should land before worrying about anything else. The enraged Mature Phase performed even more comp
lex movements than when it was whole, in order to get closer to Layfon while preventing his escape.
Layfon didn’t retreat nor evade, and instead took a deep breath on the spot. His breath temporarily fogged up his line of sight through the helmet.
Layfon was filled with Kei. In that moment with the heat pressing down on his whole body –
He gathered it all on his blade.
External-type burst Kei, Gouken (Resounding Blade).
The blade of the sword became wider and longer, transforming into a huge sword taller than Layfon. A sword that had been infused with Kei. This was a technique that could be used by any Military Artist of a sword using Style. However, normal Dites were unable to withstand the highly concentrated Kei that Layfon emitted and would self-destruct. As for normal Military Artists, they were unable to use the technique to such an extent to cause the blade to self-destruct. That’s why, for Layfon, if he didn’t have the Heaven’s Blade he was unable to use this technique.
Even at birth, Layfon possessed an enormous amount of Kei.
Was he adopted only because of that? He had also thought about this before. However, it was only because he had this power, that he could become a Heaven’s Blade.
By becoming a Heaven’s Blade he could even better help the orphanage.
When Layfon was very young, he realized that this was what life is all about. It was fortune and misfortune blended together. One moment of fortune was the result of overcoming many misfortunes, and a series of misfortunes laid the foundation for following happiness.
Of course he wanted good fortune to come. It was because of his talent that allowed him to be adopted. However, it was thanks to this, that he was able to meet Derek and Leerin. However, because they were in an orphanage, they experienced many tragedies as a result of the lack of food. But because he was a Military Artist, he could rely on his Military Artist grants to slightly ease the orphanage’s suffering. And in order to never be in such a state again, he decided to fully utilize his own abilities to become a Heaven’s Blade.
After becoming a Heaven’s blade, there was definitely the happiness that he was awaiting for. Layfon firmly believed this.
And then, he became a Heaven’s Blade.
The huge sword was one that even adult Military Artists couldn’t properly grip, yet Layfon wielded it with ease. He aimed at the circling Mature Phase. Making a feint, he rushed towards the Mature Phase in front of him, stepping on its forehead and jumping once again, somersaulting in the air.
As Layfon twisted in the air, the two halves collided with each other before his eyes. There was a resounding boom. The vibrations from the sound shook the outside of the contamination suit, and the sound of small pebbles striking the helmet could be heard.
Layfon held the gigantic sword in a reverse grip and landed on the Mature Phase’s back.
Then he plunged the sword into it.
And pulled out the Heaven’s Blade.
All that was left was the Dite infused blade of the sword.
He then jumped up.
The remaining Gouken was blasted apart. It transformed into numerous Sendan, and sliced the Mature Phase’s body all over.
(Good)
Escaping from the chaos of the storm of scattered Sendan, Layfon mentally pumped his fist. He had always wanted to know if he could do this, and he had always trained in his mind. And the result made Layfon felt very satisfied.
(Is it possible to focus the direction of the explosions onto a single point? If he can immediately get to that level next time…)
As he was thinking this, he landed and ran beside the Mature Phase’s body.
The effective area of the Gouken explosion was even smaller than he had imagined. Even though this was something for him to improve on later, at least he had managed to dispatch a Mature Phase. As long as it was effective, it was ok… thought Layfon as he ran.
Suddenly, the back of the Filth Monster cracked open.
"…Eh?"
It wasn’t the result of the Gouken. From the vibrations he felt underfoot, it seemed that the cracking had come from within.
Something was surging out from within.
Before any sound from the cracking could be heard, Layfon had already jumped.
The scales and flesh of the Mature Phase burst open, and from it surged countless larvae.
This probably counts as his carelessness, right? In the prior lectures about Mature Phases he had heard that among Filth Monsters they were the ones who had given up the ability to reproduce. He had also heard that if Filth Monsters wanted to reproduce they had to moult into the Female form.
And he heard one more thing about Mature Phases.
There were strange Transforming types.
The pair in front of his eyes were exactly that.
The two in front of him looked to be a pair. They were clearly Mature Phase, but they hadn’t given up the ability to reproduce. Or rather, they had become Mature Phases that had found some abnormal way to reproduce.
At any rate, in order to escape the larvae that were just gushing out of the Mature Phases’ body Layfon jumped.
He was a fraction too slow.
His shoe was caught on a Larva. It reduced his jumping power by a lot. The silver lining in the cloud was the fact that only the sole of the shoe had been caught. It was just that the sole of the shoe was shaved away a little, and hadn’t made a hole through which pollutants could seep through.
However, the momentum of his jump had been reduced, and it undeniably caused Layfon to lose his balance.
Without any threats to it, the Mature Phase did not fail to take advantage of that opening.
It opened its maw to swallow up Layfon.
"Ara ara, Layfon has been swallowed."
"Oh, is that so?"
Lintence was standing alone on the outskirts of the city and hearing Delbone’s words allowed him to understand the situation. Although the sense of touch from the steel wires allowed a general understanding of the situation, the information it delivered couldn’t be compared to the precision of Psychokinesis.
The Mature Phase flew towards the sky. For the moment, Lintence took care of the Larvae that were overflowing.
"What are you going to do?"
"He’s still alive, right?"
"His life signal is very clear."
"The protective suit should be able to resist the digestive fluids of the Filth Monster for a few hours."
"Yes, I’ve heard that it can."
"Then I’m sure he’ll be able to solve the problem on his own."
"Ara, so harsh. Isn’t he your disciple?"
From the way Delbone spoke it seemed she was extremely interested by Lintence’s reaction.
"I never intended to take him as my disciple. I’m only teaching him a little. Also, if he’s struggling at just this level of opponent, what is he going to do in the future?"
"Even if that is the case, regardless of what you say he’s still just a child. For me, he’s like a grandchild to me. If he died in battle like this, isn’t it rather young?"
"If the city is destroyed, then there will be children even younger than him who will perish. Isn’t it the Military Artist’s duty to protect them? That they would die in battle was something that they never put into consideration. Weak Military Artists don’t have any value in their existence."
This was the cold blooded reality of the battlefield. However, Layfon understood these principles from a young age.
And like this, without any unnecessary reserve, without any unnecessary blame, he underwent the baptism of these principles.
"Although I don’t have children, there’s also a time to spoil children, is there not?"
"I love my grandson very much, though. His parents can take care of his education."
She clearly indicated that it had absolutely nothing to do with her, and passed the responsibility of education onto Lintence.
"Really, such careless words."
"Of course, if you aske
d why, it’s because this sort of hard work I’ve already experienced. It’s obvious that this sort of work should be done by those who’ve never experienced it…ara."
Halfway through their conversation, Delbone’s attention seemed to have wandered off elsewhere.
After a brief pause, she started talking to Lintence once more.
"A message from Her Majesty. Bring Layfon to the Palace Garden."
"Tell her we’re in the middle of a battle."
"Her Majesty understands this."
"How disorganized. What reason is there to act upon a child’s impulse?"
"You see, that child was orphaned very young, so Her Majesty has no choice but to take over the responsibilities of a parent, right?"
"I can’t take this anymore…"
Lintence, moved his body a little, and the steel wires abided by their master’s will and silently began to move.
After confirming that the steel wires had wrapped around the Mature Phase that was coming this way, Lintence had still not moved a finger and used the various rocky outcrops within a few kilomels of the Regios to restrain it.
"Tell her Majesty to increase the density of the air purification machine. At this rate the pollutants will get into the city."
"Even if you didn’t say it, Her Majesty would have done it anyway."
Dispersing the strong resistance resulting from the extremely heavy weight among the various rocky outcrops, Lintence started his large scale fishing activity.
Going back in time a little.
Alsheyra was considering how to deal with the scene before her.
"In any case, your Majesty, please forgive us."
Kalvan was kneeling before Alsheyra. His clothes were tattered and dirty, and blood was oozing from all over his body. Although Savaris and Kanaris were able to stand up, after they did, they couldn't move a muscle.
The only one who could move was Kalvan, so it probably had something to with the fact that he was the oldest, right?
(Well, even if age was a factor, it shouldn’t have that much of an effect, right?)
Alsheyra thought to herself. His physical body was already past its peak, even now the downwards trend could be seen. However, being unable to match up to two young people just because of this is inexcusable.
Mixing Note Page 14