Winter Fall (I)

by Shūsuke Amagi

  She looked upwards.

  There was the figure of Savaris dropping down in a straight line.

  Lævateinn threw out the sword in her hands.

  When the sword reached the middle of the space between Lævateinn and Savaris, its exterior suddenly changed. It lengthened endlessly, continuously branching out, and in a while the form of the sword had disappeared, becoming a pincushion to spear the falling Savaris.

  But this time, the pincushion still hit nothing.

  It was another afterimage.

  No, perhaps it was more accurate to call it a phantom.

  Lævateinn's gaze didn't stop scanning the surroundings.

  In one place after another......

  Savaris' figures suddenly appeared one after another, and this time they didn't disappear, instead filling the ruined palace.

  Combined Internal and External Kei variant - Thousand Man Rush.

  "Come, let me try you."

  The voices of countless Savaris' overlapped.

  All of the Savarises who filled the entire area took the same actions. They crossed their hands, lowering them in front of their body.

  The shape of the combined hands and fingers was like the gaping mouth of a wile beast.

  External-type Kei variant - Roar Kei, Focused Demolition.

  Savaris added on the Luckens secret skill to his ability.

  A thousand Savarises surrounded Lævateinn, releasing vibrating waves at the same time.

  Vibrations filled with destructive power made a frenzied attack with Lævateinn in the center.

  The assault of the vibrations produced the sound of bursting metal.

  "How is it?"

  In this kind of situation, Savaris happily watched Lævateinn's posture.

  Lævateinn had just created great walls of thorns in her surroundings, blocking the vibrations. Whether her special substance could endure the vibrations or not, nothing had changed in Lævateinn who was behind the thorns.

  However, just this wasn't enough. Every short period of time, the exterior of the thorns would collapse a bit.

  Using a thousand copies to surround the enemy and then release a Kei technique to attack was the Kei combination killing technique that Savaris was the most proud of. In the storm of vibrations, there was nowhere to run, and even the thorns that possessed an annoying regenerative ability were crumbling bit by bit.

  "Come on!"

  The rapid movement of Kei made Savaris' consciousness reach an excited state.

  Savaris opened his flashing eyes to watch Lævateinn who was inside the slowly crumbling thorns, and because of this he wouldn't miss any changes that occurred.

  "How unfortunate."

  The moment he stopped his Kei technique, the situation was reversed.

  Lævateinn attacked from a completely opposite direction.

  The thorns that had appeared there in a moment covered Lævateinn who had been surrounded by the Savarises, and then exploded. The countless spikes that flew out of the explosions pierced the Savarises produced by Thousand Man Rush one by one.

  "But, I still felt something."

  Savaris who had released Thousand Man Rush fell in front of Ruimei. The burst of spikes had torn his clothes in various places, and bloodstains were everywhere.

  "Vibrations?"

  "Yeah."

  Ruimei who had been waiting while watching the battle asked, and Savaris confirmed his question.

  "On the surface it seems as if she can regenerate limitlessly, but even so, vibrations seem to be able to hinder her regeneration speed."

  "It seems like it won't be enough if it's only that."

  "Yes. To completely eliminate her, anything that uses heat should be alright, but she still hides quite a few secrets."

  Lævateinn, who had escaped from Savaris' Kei technique, had more white color on her body than before.

  And because she hadn't quickly pursued, it meant that it still could be affected by the actions of the Heaven's Blade successors if they cooperated.

  "Speaking of which, it would be nice if you got rid of her directly."

  At that time, Barmelin said this.

  "No no no, it isn't that simple and easy to defeat. That defense is very hard."

  "Useless thing, go die."

  "Ahahaha......"

  Savaris laughed at Barmelin's abuse.

  "Then, is it enough to completely eliminate her defense?"

  "From the situation before, it should be that way."

  "Hm, in that case, Kanaris."

  "What?"

  "That teamwork the youngster spoke about just now, and speaking of vibrations, you should understand, right?"

  "Ah, that's right."

  Though the topic had suddenly been shifted to Kanaris, she already understood just from this much being said.

  "That's true, then......"

  "Ah?"

  "The battle captain will be Haia Laia. No, Haia Wolfstein Laia."

  "Haah~?"

  "We'll leave all the planning to you. Weren't you the first one to make that proposal?"

  "Hey, Kanaris!"

  Ruimei roared at Kanaris' words.

  "I don't know how to fight cooperatively either. If you think about that, then won't his knowledge definitely be useful?"

  "......Tch."

  "Is that alright? Haia Wolfstein Laia."

  'Wolfstein' had been stressed twice.

  This was because Kanaris already thought of Haia as a Heaven's Blade successor?

  Or perhaps, did she want to judge whether his might was fitting of what being a Heaven's Blade successor expressed?

  Regardless of which......

  "Then, please allow me to command you~"

  Haia responded.

  There were several people with unhappy expressions.

  However, Haia felt that this was very meaningful.

  The fact that he felt it was meaningful showed that he still had power left.

  The Heaven's Blade successors would listen to his commands, to fight with this difficult enemy.

  "Things are really becoming more and more interesting."

  Haia said this.

  ◇

  Know yourself and know the enemy, and you will not be imperiled in a hundred battles.

  The origins of that saying were already unknown, and no one had been able to unravel the mystery. [6]

  Even so, that saying had always been passing through the autonomous moving cities, through this world, and through the battlefields, and it was used in many places other than this.

  And now, Haia was also saying it.

  "Our information on the enemy and friendly information are both insufficient, it's really the worst situation."

  Haia had not been a Heaven's Blade successor for long, and after that he hadn't had the opportunity to observe the fights of other Heaven's Blade successors.

  A few moments ago had been the first time he had seen them fight, so it could be said that they were people he was cooperating with for the first time.

  Also, many mysteries revolving around the enemy's body hadn't yet been unraveled.

  "In this kind of situation it's very difficult to customize battle plans~"

  (But, you've already issued an order.)

  Elsmau said this. Her Psychokinesis flake was by Haia's ear, quietly glowing with light.

  The feeling of this position was very familiar. Though it was hard to put into words, it was a feeling that Haia felt was very familiar.

  "Ah, it's not the first time I've been dragged into battle without any information."

  Haia who was being toyed with by that kind of familiar sensation replied.

  He didn't have any time now to care about other things.

  So his orders were very vague.

  However, he could only do this much.

  "Anyway, those peoples' strengths are too great~"

  The 'people' that he spoke about naturally meant the Heaven's Blade successors.

  Even if they seemed like
extremely refined Kei techniques, they would become large-scale Kei techniques when used by Heaven's Blade successors due to their massive strength, making the techniques look a bit rough.

  Many of these 'people' had gathered together, and if it was very difficult for them to exchange opinions with each other, he could only give out a set of general orders.

  "Ah, even so, in the end......"

  As he said this, the first action began.

  The enemy wouldn't wait, and their side wouldn't wait either.

  "Really~"

  Just as Haia shrugged his shoulders, the sound of a clash rang out.

  A new round of attacks began by Ruimei's iron ball.

  The iron ball that was interlaced with external Kei rushed towards Lævateinn in a simple straight line.

  The situation didn't unfold the same way as the first time.

  The iron ball made an intense sound, but it wasn't the sound of destroying the target.

  The moment before it struck its target, a wall composed of thorns blocked the iron ball's path, receiving it.

  "It's not over!"

  Ruimei let out a majestic roar.

  The thorns that had received the iron ball tried grabbing it.

  In order to stop the thorns, the chain swung intensely.

  The iron chain intertwined with Kei shook off the thorns like a fierce snake, moreover preparing to attack Lævateinn inside, but it was quickly obstructed by other thorns.

  "Tch."

  It was simply a defensive formation formed by thorns.

  Ruimei who retrieved his iron ball retreated back just like that.

  And a figure quickly stood on the flying iron ball.

  It was Barmelin.

  "......Let me break open your shithole."

  Swearing like she had in the past, Barmelin stood up the cannon that her Heaven's Blade had restored into.

  The Heaven's Blade cannon whose Kei strength had been set as high as possible absorbed Barmelin's Kei, which became a cannonball of light and was shot out.

  The bullet that was shot out drew out a beautiful arc with its tail, becoming a line of light.

  Though it was a sudden, single shot, Lævateinn responded to it.

  More accurately, the thorns responded to it.

  The thorns focused at the position of the incoming shot, becoming a shield.

  A collision. The bullet split because of the explosion, destroying the surroundings.

  "How annoying."

  Barmelin wrinkled her face looking at the results, and then returned from on top of the iron ball to Ruimei's side.

  The sudden attack wouldn't end like this.

  "He, llo, there~"

  There was someone who still spoke to Lævateinn with a cutesy voice even in this kind of situation.

  It was Troyatte.

  Troyatte who had sneaked behind Lævateinn's back held a staff in his hands that was his Heaven's Blade.

  "I'm here to defeat you, miss."

  He said this while he released a technique.

  External-type Kei, Karen Kei variant - Seven Fangs.

  In an instant, a snake with seven heads appeared in front of Troyatte.

  Countless fangs were arranged in the mouths of the seven snake heads, and these fangs wanted to tear the body of the girl Lævateinn in front of them.

  However, the thorns defended against the fangs.

  In the opposite position they became a shield to block Barmelin's shell, and it was only right that a gap should have appeared where Troyatte was, but that gap was filled faster than the speed of the Heavens' Blades combination techniques.

  "Eh? What an unexpectedly shy girl."

  Other thorns attacked Troyatte. After fighting the thorns off with Seven Fangs, Troyatte also retreated.

  Next was Claribel.

  As if coming out from the shadow of Troyatte who was retreating, Claribel closed the distance between her and Lævateinn.

  "Vati-san!"

  Claribel shouted the name that the girl had used in Zuellni.

  She had originally thought that this would make the girl waver, but it was evident that the girl had no response at all.

  "Really!"

  Though it was an outcome that had already been guessed, Claribel still couldn't help but exclaim that word. After that, she flowed Kei into the Heaven's Blade that she had received not too long ago. The Heaven's Blade became a shape exactly the same as Kochouenshiken [7], and it didn't even seem to have any different feelings when she used it, but right now there was no time for her to ponder about those doubts.

  She released her Kei technique.

  External-type Kei, Karen Kei variant - Gohachou.

  Butterflies with wings of flame danced.

  The flaming butterflies proliferated in instants, filling Lævateinn's gaze very quickly.

  The speed at which this attack had proliferated would make normal people slip up in the timing of their counter, and what would Lævateinn do in this situation?

  "............"

  The thorns took what seemed to be an offensive defense, clearing away all of the flaming butterflies in the surroundings in a sweep.

  "Umm."

  Because of the racing Kei, Claribel who had finally escaped from tension made an unhappy expression and mumbled.

  "In that case!"

  Claribel got angry, manipulating the butterflies.

  The butterflies flying towards the thorns exploded one by one.

  The explosions and red flame filled the surroundings.

  "Haha!"

  The imposing manner of the swelling red flame made even Claribel herself stare.

  At that time, someone pulled her clothes from behind.

  "Guah?"

  Her collar was grabbed.

  "Idiot, get back."

  It was Troyatte.

  "The Kei flow of Heaven's Blades are different from ordinary Dites, remember that."

  "It...... It was my first time."

  Troyatte, who was pulling Claribel while looking at the explosions, smiled.

  "Really......"

  "Ahahaha."

  Claribel sat down in front of the sighing Troyatte.

  At that time, a figure passed over their heads.

  It was Haia.

  He was running quickly on the wall that had been broken open because of the explosions.

  Thorns chased Haia.

  "Hah!"

  Haia held a smile on his face as he exclaimed, an excited smile. Though he hadn't become crazy about fighting, if he didn't rely on smiling then he wouldn't be able to move due to the fear of the mighty pressure that came from behind his back.

  The thorns that still hadn't lost their momentum even after receiving Claribel's attack up to now chased Haia, and Haia could only run circles through the room while taking aim at Lævateinn.

  The thorns that chased him from behind reached out a huge spine towards Haia's back.

  Haia evaded the spines that shot out like rain, arriving in front of Lævateinn.

  Psyharden Technique - Flame Cut.

  One swift Iai strike. [8]

  However, before this Iai strike was released, the thorns had already gathered in front of Lævateinn.

  Though it hadn't been completely blocked, the cut path of the strike was unable to catch Lævateinn.

  "Hey! You lost!"

  Ruimei roared at Haia who was retreating breathlessly.

  "Come on now, if we could succeed in one try we wouldn't have to work this hard~"

  "What did you say!?"

  "If you have an opinion, you should have beaten it with your first blow."

  "Ugh......"

  "Alright, then let's continue."

  "How long do we have to keep going?"

  Barmelin asked this.

  "Until we succeed, regardless of how many times we try."

  "How annoying."

  Barmelin's sentence became the signal for the next attack.

  "Uraah!!!!"

  Ruimei once again
roared, the iron ball flying towards Lævateinn's body.

  Ruimei, Barmelin and Troyatte along with Claribel and Haia. The continuous attack composed of five Heaven's Blade successors endlessly repeated.

  The order of Ruimei, Barmelin, and Troyatte didn't change for the most part, and in comparison, Claribel and Haia attacked from time to time in between the three of them, keeping their assault from becoming monotonous.

  In the second round of attacks Troyatte still helped Claribel a little, but from the third round onwards Claribel could already rely on herself to complete her mission perfectly.

  Seeing her figure, closer to himself than the other Heaven's Blade successors, Haia was extremely satisfied with his judgment.

  It could even be said that the teamwork of the other three was carried out easily.

  But actually, they primarily relied on their reflexes to act.

  What could they do to let the actions of the next in line become easier, they definitely wouldn't be thinking of such a thing.

  It was easier for a provocative action like 'well, what can you do next?' to appear. Taking the bait, the next person would unleash an even more intense attack than the last.

  Troyatte who didn't seem to share that way of thinking from the look of it actually had this tendency in the end. Heaven's Blade successors were truly a group formed of loners who hated to lose.

  And Haia and Claribel mixed in with the three of them, mitigating that kind of competition.

  "Annoying."

  "Don't speak too much, watch your surroundings a bit~"

  According to Haia's first plan, if they wanted to destroy Lævateinn's defense, it couldn't be resolved by just continuously increasing their destructive power.

  "I'll give you the commands for when to use your moves~"

  "Then give them earlier."

  "Don't say it like it's that easy~"

  Haia already felt bored of responding to Barmelin, and he didn't even know what round of attack this was anymore.

  But Lævateinn's thorns almost hadn't been reduced at all.

  In any case, a doubt had sprung up in his mind, perhaps these thorns were completely unbreakable?

  Then in that case they could only make the thorns disappear entirely.

  No, he had pretty much planned for that since the beginning.

  "But......"

  Haia and Claribel continuously inserted themselves between the actions of the three of them, and though it seemed like a very random sequence, it still had a well-defined sequence of actions.