Winter Fall (I)

by Shūsuke Amagi

  But they could still sense it, and with a definite goal in mind they continuously advanced.

  The feeling of distance narrowed, and suddenly came the sound of the spiral spinning in open air.

  They had reached the center.

  They saw Lævateinn.

  She still stood there with the same posture as before, making one even doubt whether she had even moved at all after the thorns began changing.

  "Go!"

  The moment the spiraling blade was removed, Layfon leaped out.

  Internal Kei variant - Reflecting Water Ferry.

  With instantaneous speed, Layfon moved in front of Lævateinn.

  As expected, her eyes caught Layfon.

  Psyharden Technique - Flame Cut.

  Layfon still pulled out his blade like before.

  With the same process as before.

  So the outcome was also the same.

  The blade that was released was caught by Lævateinn's hand.

  The following technique was not released.

  "Why!?"

  A shouted out question replaced it.

  A very tiny change was produced in Lævateinn's expression.

  "This has nothing to do with you."

  However, the reply he got indeed didn't have any emotions.

  Knowing that there was no following move, Lævateinn added strength into her hand in order to crush the blade that she had caught.

  "What are you joking about!"

  External-type Kei Composite Blast variant, Flame Ignition.

  The flame that had once disappeared once again covered the blade, spewing out from inside Lævateinn's hand.

  The flame wasn't only simply spewing out, but it also burned Lævateinn's hand black, making it lose its shape.

  "You......"

  "Not having anything to do with me...... I don't want to hear that anymore."

  The fire hadn't disappeared from the blade.

  Before Layfon looked at that burned black and melted hand, her hand had already regenerated.

  She wasn't human.

  Though he already knew this, he now confirmed that fact again.

  Yes...... So......

  "I have to......"

  It was alright even if he pointed this blade at her.

  Definitely...... it was alright.

  'Has it become close to humankind at all?'

  Unexpectedly, Layfon thought of 'Lev B's words. Though he hadn't heard that sentence directly, it still echoed in his mind.

  "This is necessary!"

  Layfon's words weren't meant for Lævateinn.

  He pointed the blade at her.

  Psyharden Technique Composite Blast variant, Flame Strike.

  A thrusting flash.

  Cracks of red light cut through space in all directions, throwing the air into turmoil.

  However, the tip wasn't able to run through Lævateinn.

  It had been evaded.

  No, had it not?

  Layfon himself wasn't clear.

  However, Layfon who released the thrust passed by Lævateinn's side, and then turned back to release another strike towards Lævateinn.

  "Layfon Alseif, you, why?"

  "......If you want to know the answer, then don't do these kinds of things."

  "............"

  Lævateinn went silent.

  Yes. Lintence had also said so. She hadn't used her full power. What meaning did that have? Did she feel that there was no reason to use her full power?

  Or did it mean that she didn't want to use her full power?

  Was that because there was something that made her feel hesitant?

  Did she feel confused about the battle?

  Could this battle truly be avoided?

  In that case......

  "It's impossible to want to carry out a conversation while battling."

  In a situation of murderous intent, how could anyone carry out a mutual conversation?

  What could be understood about the other party?

  With every strike shadowed with the possibility of being fatal, what truth could anyone talk about?

  Reverse and Cauntia had died, Kalvan had died.

  Reverse was a good person, and moreover he was good to everyone, but Cauntia was a bit scary, so he hadn't had much contact with her. Though Kalvan had always had an intimidating expression, Layfon also knew that he wasn't the kind of person to hate others without a reason.

  Those three had died.

  They had been killed by Lævateinn.

  Killing and being killed, in the process of these abominable exchanges, no words could hold truth no matter what they were.

  "If you truly want to know something, then it would have been better for you to have stayed in Zuellni forever."

  "......I can't do that."

  "......! ......!" [15]

  Layfon didn't know what to say, and his impatient mood was about to explode inside him.

  The expression of the blank-eyed Lævateinn was even emptier than a normal Psychokinesist.

  "I have already understood what I wanted to understand there."

  "What!"

  "Also, I have a mission that I must fulfill, so I came here."

  "You!"

  "I am Lævateinn. Nano-Celluloid Interface 1 Lævateinn. The first Nano-Celluloid, the Master Alchemist Soho Ignasis's weapon against the Aurora Particles."

  "Vati!"

  "That is also me."

  "Vati!"

  "New humans affected by the Aurora Particles."

  Lævateinn's gaze didn't change at all, and she spoke, simply watching Layfon.

  "The constituents of that body have hindered my mission many times by now. I have currently concluded that you are 'abnormals', and will carry out elimination immediately."

  "Vati!"

  Regardless of how Layfon shouted, his voice seemed like nothing to her, and that iron expression didn't waver a bit.

  "Really, so you're finally willing to use your full abilities."

  "Lintence-san."

  "Layfon, if you have no meaning to fight then stop here, go pull back."

  "Uh......"

  "Are you finally going to be serious? Then that should be enough."

  He was probably also an unreasonable person.

  "Damn."

  Layfon rebuked himself in his heart.

  He recalled the goal for which he had come here.

  Actually, he was very clear even without thinking that he wasn't very clear anymore on what he wanted to do.

  "Vati...... If you want to continue performing your duties like this, this world will be destroyed, right?"

  "In terms of the outcome, the probability of things becoming that way is very high."

  "......Then, I have no other choice."

  The feeling of grasping the sword and the feeling of air passing through his nose and battering against his sensitive skin once again felt painful.

  He felt it again, but even if it was painful he had to advance.

  From her cold expression, it couldn't be read how much determination she actually had, or perhaps whether she even had determination.

  Like a machine, just doing what she had no choice but to do.

  Seeing Vati...... Seeing Lævateinn, Meishen's smiling face couldn't help but appear in Layfon's mind.

  However, he couldn't be held down right now by those thoughts.

  Due to Psychokinesis being unable to reach, he wasn't able to hear Felli's voice. If she could hear, right she definitely would have reprimanded him.

  No, being reprimanded and allowing himself to completely clear his head a bit might be even better.

  "Even I will fight."

  "Then let me see it."

  Lintence's voice was still indifferent as always.

  Layfon let out a deep breath. The unknown things clumped up in his chest were blown out of his body breath after breath.

  If he let them all out, then afterwards he could only keep running forward.

  ◇
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  Just as Layfon and Lintence were beginning battle underground, the battle aboveground continued endlessly.

  Haia also felt the change in the air.

  "Why do I suddenly have a kind of annoying premonition."

  Of course, Haia wasn't the only person who felt this.

  However, the thorns that had been swelling even through now had separated the Heaven's Blade successors, making them unable to coordinate.

  Haia had also exhausted his full strength dealing with these continuously attacking thorns.

  (Haia!)

  The sharp sound at that time was Elsmau's voice.

  "Ooh, you can finally communicate, what happened~?"

  (This just shows how far you have gotten from the center.)

  "It's really that~"

  Hearing Elsmau's manner of speaking, Haia felt a little bit relieved while beginning to examine his body.

  He hadn't received any big wounds.

  His weariness had also recovered quite a bit.

  "What about the others?"

  (They're all fine, but they have all been separated.)

  "It seems like it definitely wants to destroy us individually~"

  First was to converge with the others.

  "Then, how big is this thing right now?"

  (Aboveground, with the palace as the center, it's already stopped expanding with a radius of four kilometers.)

  "And underground?"

  (Right now Psychokinesis is unable to check the situation underground, so I am unable to speculate, but it shouldn't have destroyed five hundred meters yet.)

  "I see."

  It had been smaller than he feared.

  (But it's the center of the city that's being destroyed. The administrative side and the mechanical side both suffered deep blows.)

  "Ah~ in this kind of situation everything can be resolved as long as we stay alive~"

  If they couldn't overcome the crisis in front of them first, then they wouldn't have the leisure to worry about those things.

  "......How's the steel thread user who seemed to have ran inside with Layfon?"

  (They haven't been pushed back out.)

  "I see."

  As expected, Elsmau didn't know what was going on inside.

  "Then, in that case...... In the end, we'll have to first get rid of this thing that could either be a plant or a machine~"

  She probably couldn't have been waiting for Haia to say those words.

  "Ah?"

  Haia who didn't stop leaping felt puzzled at the sudden change.

  The extending of the thorns had stopped.

  "What's happened~?"

  The unclear premonition still didn't disappear.

  He felt that the sudden stop was to prepare for the next stage, and just from thinking this, Haia felt a chill run up his spine.

  To attack or to retreat, the two ends of the scale wavered without stopping.

  He didn't have time to hesitate.

  The scale in his heart was as if it were broken, one side suddenly dropping. Haia's blade emitted light.

  External-type Kei Variant, Sendan.

  Releasing a continuous slash, his aim was obviously the center of the thorns.

  (Haia!)

  "Tell the others, if they still plan on listening to my commands then gather up again, and as for the location to gather, it's up to you to decide!"

  (Understood.)

  Elsmau quickly chose the gathering spot, telling Haia.

  Haia didn't even confirm the results of Sendan, just unleashing it one time after another, and then leaping towards the designated location.

  The scale had tended to the side of attacking again.

  The location that Elsmau had described was the roof of a household whose life seemed quite decent.

  "Ooh, everyone's here."

  Haia had originally thought that there would have been one or two people who didn’t come, this was truly an unexpected outcome.

  "What battle plans do you have now?"

  Ruimei asked. His voice sounded quite dissatisfied. It should be because the battle hadn't gone very smoothly, so he was on the edge of exploding.

  Haia looked at the people present. None of them looked particularly wearied.

  Though everyone had continuously carried out attacks up to now, they hadn't been careless enough to let their bodies enter an unbearable state.

  "It seems like the steel thread master and Layfon have already entered the inside of the thorns."

  Haia spoke. He could believe this from the fact that the two of them had not returned.

  Because Psychokinesis was unable to penetrate, he couldn't get any correct information, so he could only make a fitting speculation.

  And, never mind Layfon for now, it was unthinkable for Lintence to have been defeated and killed while he was destroying the thorns.

  Even Haia who hadn't joined the Heaven's Blades for long knew this, and it was even more obvious to the other Heaven's Blades.

  "So, our target is to eradicate that lump of thorns."

  "In any case, if we don't clean up that thing we won't be able to enter."

  Troyatte nodded.

  "However, for that kind of difficult lady, how can we get her to take off her dress?" [16]

  "Ah, listen to me~"

  Haia gave the battle plan that he had thought of while fighting.

  "The battle plan this time requires Elsmau's cooperation, or more accurately, without her cooperation it's impossible to complete."

  He had stressed this deliberately.

  Even after he had explained it, from the expressions of the people around him, they didn't fully agree.

  They didn't really understand.

  They had that kind of expression.

  "I didn't really understand the first time I heard that battle strategy."

  "Haven't you tried that kind of thing before?"

  Haia nodded his head to reply to Kanaris' doubt.

  "Ah, the scale before wasn't as big as now."

  "Is that so. Since you succeeded, then you have no reason to object. Moreover, regardless of what method you use, the danger won't change much."

  After deciding, Kanaris looked at the other Heaven's Blade successors.

  "Let's use this battle plan. Or do you guys have some different methods?"

  "If Kanaris also says so."

  Barmelin spoke very unwillingly.

  "It's a very interesting plan."

  "Yes, yes."

  Savaris and Troyatte both approved, and Claribel also nodded her head to reply.

  The last unsatisfied one was only Ruimei.

  "Ruimei, do you object?"

  "No, I have no opinion."

  "Then what do you mean by that face, sir."

  "......I always had this face. I'll follow the plan, if you don't have any problems."

  "I don't~"

  Ruimei, Kanaris, Troyatte...... After watching the discourse between them, Haia once again turned his gaze to the thorns.

  The thorns that were still silent really made him have the premonition that something was being prepared down there.

  It seemed like they would have to get rid of that thing before it truly arrived.

  "Then, let's start preparing~"

  After Haia finished speaking, everyone moved.

  (Wait.)

  Elsmau called out to Haia who was preparing to move.

  (Do you think this can succeed?)

  "I just talked about that~"

  Haia's face showed a displeased expression, and Elsmau continued asking.

  (You truly think this kind of plan is useful?)

  "Strong regenerative ability, gigantic mass, huge numbers."

  Haia spoke while crooking his fingers towards the Psychokinesis flake.

  "It's the same as the conditions from that time. And from my feelings up to now, I think that this thing is pretty much a kind of filth monster in the end. Then, the same kinds of methods from that time will also work~"


  (But......)

  "I'm very confident. I would believe in the plan that my companions think of. You also know this, right?"

  After Haia said this, Elsmau fell silent.

  "Regardless of what you say, we can only try various methods now. So I would believe in the plans my companions think of~"

  The flake stayed silent.

  Haia once again began jumping towards the center of the thorns.

  ◇

  The battle plan that Haia had proposed, and Elsmau who was shaky after hearing this plan......

  A doubt was produced in Felli who had heard the conversation between the two of them.

  Felli was currently with Elsmau.

  There was a solely dedicated room in the palace that was called the intelligence room, and because Lævateinn had attacked, everyone had retreated from it since the start of the battle.

  This judgment was correct, as had been proved very early on.

  Right now they were gathering information in a temporary establishment in the outskirts of the city, very near the City Police branch.

  Though Felli was an unrelated person, after Elsmau had explained for her, everyone had received her. Possessing Delbone's heritage as well as being the Psychokinesist that Layfon had brought made others have faith in her.

  Ignoring Delbone for now, the fact that Layfon was still honored by everyone even now made Felli have mixed feelings.

  Once she thought of the possibility that Grendan would accept him, Felli was happy while worried at the same time.

  Forget about him for now, there was a more important question to resolve before her.

  "Then......"

  Felli raised her voice towards Elsmau who was pressing her forehead because of fatigue.

  "What is it?"

  Though she seemed quite weary, she still was a beautiful woman. Moreover, she had the air of being raised in a high-class society. Though her external appearance had arisen through a variety of different means, the aura that she gave out wasn't something gained through surgery.

  "Are you implying, you're keeping it a secret?"

  That this kind of woman had unexpectedly been a mercenary together with Haia before was really surprising.

  And Elsmau was currently hiding it, that she had been the Psychokinesist Fermaus of the Salinvan Guidance Mercenary Gang.

  "......Nn."

  Her back facing Felli's face, she replied.

  "Why?"

  Though Elsmau had seemed to be a bit embarrassed in the conversation up to now, she still had made herself out to be someone with no relation to Haia.