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Unlimited Fafnir Vol 14 Prologue
🕑 Added 2021-02-27 15:24:54 +0000 UTCPrologue
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Mitsuki and I returned alive from inside the darkness.
We followed the light that everyone shined on us──.
Voices of happiness, laughter, and joyful tears burst out.
However the battle wasn’t over by any means.
This was the beginning.
Right now, the end of the world was going to arrive.
The last unknown territory──the black egg that was containing the darkness was giving birth to the calamity.
However we wouldn’t accept such conclusion.
We yelled with all our strength in order to hold back the darkness of demise that was overflowing from the unknown territory.
The name of the Ninth Dragon that Shinomiya Miyako entrusted to us──.
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「Show your form──”Demise” Angolmois!」
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Neun’s light cleaved the darkness at the same time when we announced the calamity’s name.
「──────────────!!」
I continued to yell. Because the blue light to define this indefinite existence was contained in this voice.
It was dazzling. But I didn’t close my eyes.
My throat felt painful as though it was burned. Even so I raised my voice.
Ragnarok was annihilated and Atlantis was going to sink to the bottom of the sea once more. Everyone and I were facing this world swallowing darkness together on this land.
Iris, Mitsuki, Tia, Lisa, Firill, Ariella, Ren, Kili──everyone was also desperately wringing out their voice to illuminate the darkness with this light──”Shamash”.
Yes, the emptiness before us was none other than our enemy.
Pure black darkness. The lump of End Matter. The Ninth Dragon where “Heavy Tremors” Nova aka Shinomiya Miyako was absorbed as its core──Angolmois.
The world would be swallowed by darkness if Angolmois was left alone. All lives on earth would perish.
That was why we were trying to grant “shape” to the indefinite darkness with Neun’s light.
If we could define the darkness as Angolmois and manifested it as an existence with shape, we would be able to prevent the darkness from spreading instantly.
However──.
──Was this……Angolmois’s form?
The outline that was appearing inside the light shook my body.
It made me wanted to vomit and avert my gaze.
Calling it hideous wasn’t really correct.
The word disgusting also didn’t really fit.
It was simply something that I purely didn’t want to see.
That was the kind of form it had.
The thing that anyone feared and continuously averted their gaze and mind from──”death”. This was the manifestation of it.
Angolmois appeared before us in exactly such shape.
Its body was formed from only the skulls of every creature. Its nine heads were also similar, with one of them was a single gigantic skull.
To describe it concisely……it was a nine headed dragon that was made from bones.
It had no flesh, skin, or organ. Not even a brain for its mind to reside in. It was a death dragon that was only made up from a gathering of the corpses of living things.
By all rights it should be impossible for it to move or even think. But it floundered and roared inside the blue light.
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VOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONN!!
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The roar was covered with agony, resentment, and rage. It made my body froze.
Death dragon Angolmois was radiating a clear hostility toward us.
All its nine heads turned this way and bared their crooked fangs.
──Crap……!
Neun’s light was only granting shape to the darkness. It couldn’t destroy Angolmois. It would attack us if we stayed here. In order to sever the light illuminating it. But…….
──Just a bit more! Make it in time!
Angolmois was enveloped in black mist.
That was the End Matter that still hadn’t taken form.
The “solidification” by Neun’s light wasn’t complete.
──Quick! Please!
If we didn’t cram all the darkness into “the vessel called Angolmois”……if even just a little of it overflowed……End Matter would gradually spread to the whole world.
If it was with Neun’s light that came from everyone combining their strength, most likely it wouldn’t take that long……just a few more seconds──.
*Bam*……────.
A faint strange noise reached my ear at that moment.
Then Neun’s light immediately weakened.
「Iris-san!?」
I heard Mitsuki’s quavering voice and turned around──there I saw Iris’s figure lying face down on the ground.
Her face was pale, and her whole body was convulsing.
It seemed she lost consciousness. She didn’t even react to Mitsuki’s voice.
「Wha……?」
I didn’t understand the situation. The inside of my head was pure white.
──Did she get attacked? No, but there isn’t any external wound on her body…….
「Mononobe-kun, Neun’s light is gradually weakening you know!?」
Firill’s voice resounded.
There was no time to be in a daze. Angolmois roared with faint darkness covering its body. It was walking toward here.
「Angolmois is coming!」
Tia yelled anxiously.
The ground shook and wind blew. The slightly remaining Ragnarok’s mist was scattered and seawater flooded in from all directions.
「It’s impossible to continue any further! We have succeeded in solidifying the majority of the End Matter, so the darkness shouldn’t be able to swallow the world instantly! Let’s retreat from here for now!」
Lisa who grasped the situation earlier lifted up Iris in her arms and flew to the sky. I returned to my senses seeing that.
「Kuh……I’ll buy us time! Anti-Gravity!!」
I lifted my hand toward Angolmois while yelling.
I focused my mind to my forehead and activated the authority I succeeded from the “White” Leviathan in its complete form.
Anti-gravity material was created in front of the approaching death dragon.
A radiant white light spread like a ripple. It blocked Angolmois’s advance.
However it only slowed it down. I couldn’t push it back.
Looking closer, there was a faint rainbow circle that appeared in front of Angolmois.
──That was Nova’s power that Shinomiya Miyako used……!
Perhaps that power was inherited with her becoming the core.
Anti-Gravity and Nova’s gravity field neutralized each other. At the end the advantage belonged to me, but Anti-Gravity couldn’t exert its effect sufficiently because of the counterbalancing act.
Angolmois that was transformed into a giant dragon with great mass forcefully advanced inside the repulsive force field. Just where did it keep such power inside that body that was made from only bones…….
「Mononobe-kun too, hurry!」
「Onii-chan!」
Ariella and Ren who had flown away first hurried me up.
「Yeah, I know!」
I flew to the sky by enveloping myself in repulsive force field.
I slowed down Angolmois’s approach with Anti-Gravity while heading to battleship Naglfar that should be standing by at the nearby sky.
「Yuu! What in the world happened with Iris-chan!?」
Kili flew in the sky while asking me. Iris who was carried in Lisa’s arms was still limp. It seemed that her consciousness hadn’t returned.
「……I don’t know. But, it’s clear that her condition isn’t normal. Let’s take her to Naglfar quickly.」
I suppressed my impulse that wanted to check Iris’s condition right away while replying like that. Right now our priority was to get away from Angolmois.
Atlantis’s townscape was sinking into the sea below us. The flooding seawaters crashed on each other and whirlpools formed here and there.
『Sayonara……』
Atla’s voice came from the terminal in my pocket. She was the machine intelligence that managed Atlantis civilization. She was saying her farewell to her birthplace.
「Nii-san! I can see Naglfar!」
Mitsuki who was flying at the forefront pointed forward. With Ragnarok’s mist clearing up, there was nothing blocking the sight.
I followed Mitsuki’s fingertip and found the figure of NIFL’s battleship──Naglfar at far distance above the raging sea. It seemed that it was moving in hovering mode.
「Ah──I can hear something from the communicator just now!」
Firill put her hand over her ear while yelling.
I had taken off the communicator because the noise from it was horrible after we entered inside the mist. And so I took out the tiny communicator from my pocket and put it on my ear.
『──This is Naglfar. Reply if anyone is listening. This is Naglfar──』
Then I could suddenly hear Shinomiya-sensei’s voice. I opened my mouth.
「This is Mononobe Yuu. The signal come through.」
『Aa, we’re finally connected──』
Shinomiya-sensei let out a relieved voice. Then next a deep male voice cut it off and entered my ear.
『Second Lieutenant Mononobe, we have roughly grasped the situation after Atla over here and over there synchronized. It seemed you used the so called Neun’s authority to transform End Matter into that bone dragon but……what are you planning to do now?』
The one who asked me that dispassionately was my former superior, Major Loki who was serving as Naglfar’s captain right now.
「The End Matter’s transformation isn’t complete but……it’s impossible for us to continue the mission any further. We’re retreating for now to rally ourselves.」
I glanced at Iris who was carried by Lisa and answered. No, looking closer it wasn’t just Iris. I could see color of deep fatigue from everyone. Even if we continued opposing the enemy with Neun’s authority, perhaps someone else would also collapse at this rate.
『Understood. Then as soon as all of you land on Naglfar, we will retreat from this battlefield. But──answer me this one question, Second Lieutenant Mononobe. Do you really think that we will be able to run?』
I was startled by that question and looked behind.
The figure of Angolmois whose advance was hindered by the gigantic white repulsive force field should be there. But the Anti-Graivty material was already mostly dyed black. The repulsive force field was about to vanish.
「The Anti-Gravity material, it’s eroded by the End Matter!」
Tia who also looked back like me screamed.
「Everyone, let’s hurry!」
Together with Lisa’s voice, we mustered our remaining strength and sped up.
Naglfar’s outline was getting bigger. Naglfar was already turning its bow to the opposite direction of Angolmois.
*Bakin*──behind us an abnormal sound that shook the air resounded.
Most likely the Anti-Gravity material that was eroded by End Matter was about to break.
「Just a bit more! Do your best!」
Ariella encouraged everyone.
「Onii-chan──there is someone on the deck.」
Ren found a small human silhouette on the approaching deck and raised her voice.
「Is that……Okaa-sama?」
Kili let out a perplexed voice.
──Vritra.
The girl with the appearance of Kili but far younger was staring straight toward us with her long black hair fluttering in the wind.
「Why is she there……」
I was confused, but Mitsuki who wasn’t wearing a communicator spoke anxiously.
「Nii-san! Focus on giving the takeoff signal right now rather than thinking about that!」
「G-got it.」
I felt a pleading for something from Vritra’s gaze, even so first I carried out what I should do.
I landed on the deck with everyone. At the same time I yelled into the communicator.
「Everyone has landed! Please takeoff!」
『Roger that, captain!』
The reply that came back didn’t come from Major Loki and Jeanne’s cheerful voice.
Bluish white flame burst out from the rear engine of Naglfar. The battleship floating midair began to accelerate.
──*Bakin-!!*
However the strange sound of destruction that rang out once more made me turned around.
「Tsu──!?」
One of Angolmois’s heads tore through the weakened repulsive force field and headed this way.
Rather than flying, it was the neck stretching out with astonishing speed. Naglfar that had only started to accelerate was clearly slower than it.
「Mononobe Yuu! It will catch up at this rate! Let’s intercept it!」
Lisa said that and readied her fictitious weapon that had the form of spear. However Vritra raised her voice sharply.
「Fool! The darkness will overflow once more if thou carelessly attack and destroy its vessel!」
Everyone who was about to intercept the attack stopped moving and looked at Vritra. Vritra glared at the approaching head of Angolmois and continued speaking with a strong tone.
「Leave this to me. I’m the only one who can seal its movement in this situation! Take off this restrain from me right away!」
Vritra pointed at the green vine wrapped around her white slender neck.
It was a restrain that Tia applied on her to obstruct material conversion. Vritra would be able to use her power freely if it was taken off.
「Okaa-sama──you’re planning to have your binding removed amidst this turmoil? Just what are you scheming?」
Kili frowned in suspicion. Mitsuki was also looking at me with hesitation.
「Nii-san, won’t it be dangerous to free Vritra……」
But there was no time for argument. The head of the death dragon was approaching Naglfar.
Vritra looked around at everyone who hesitated before meeting my gaze at the end.
「I can understand the feeling of everyone for doubting me. But believe me right now. In order to protect this Gaia, I had made use of the other Counter Dragons……all of thee……everything I can use. That’s exactly why I won’t turn traitor when there is a great enemy invading Gaia right there. I want to fight together with all of thee! That’s why please──my comrade!」
I made my decision seeing the earnest light residing in her eyes.
「I──believe in Vritra. Tia, take off her restrain!!」
「G-got it!」
Tia reacted to my voice and ran toward Vritra. And then she touched her collar.
With just that the black dragon──”Black” Vritra was easily released from her restrain.
「My comrade, I thank thee for thy trust.」
Vritra touched her neck that had been released from the binding and faced the back of the ship──at one of Angolmois’s head that was heading here.
「Then, feast thy eyes at my power. If that Ninth Dragon has obtained form──the method to seal it is extremely simple.」
Vritra said that and lifted her hand.
Then countless large lumps of Dark Matter were formed around Angolmois.
Then at the next moment──Angolmois’s head that was heading here sunk into the sea with a splash.
「Wha……」
I gulped seeing the unbelievable sight.
It wasn’t an application of unseen power like gravity manipulation or anything. The death dragon’s head was pushed to the bottom of the sea by a giant cube──a mere great amount of mass that was converted from Dark Matter.
「That is none other than a crystallization of Adamantine(super heavy substsance). Originally it’s a super heavy material with high density that can only be formed inside black hole──such material is now used as chain to seal that guy.」
Vritra spoke proudly.
The grey cube──super heavy substance had a side that might reach several kilometer. It was created continuously to fuse with the long neck and that tremendous weight pushed down the neck to the bottom of the sea.
Adamantine’s shackle was also formed on the far away main body and its other heads were also sinking to the sea.
And then for the last, a cube with length that might reach dozens of kilometer appeared above Angolmois.
It pressed on the ninth calamity underneath it.
「W-won’t Angolmois get flattened by that and caused the darkness to overflow……?」
Ariella muttered anxiously, but Vritra laughed fearlessly.
「No need to worry. That Adamantine is still in liquid shape. And then it will harden after that guy get swallowed.」
It was just as she said, the Adamantine swallowed Angolmois whole and dragged it to the sea. However because it was too large, the majority of the grey cube was protruding out above the sea.
The neck chasing after us was completely sinking into the sea. It was gone from our sight.
Vritra slowly lowered her hands after confirming the result.
「Fumu……we can buy a little time with this. Based from the speed it eroded the Anti-Gravity substance just now, this many mass should hold for several days at least.」
Vritra exhaled a little.
Silence filled the deck for some time while wind was blowing strongly.
「Brute force restrain using a lot of mass……it’s a feat that we can’t possibly do even if we want with our Dark Matter production amount.」
Kili muttered in exasperation.
「Vritra’s power──it’s outrageous as expected when seeing it again like this.」
「Nn……amazing.」
Ariella spoke in admiration. Ren’s eyes still widened like saucer in astonishment.
However Vritra paid no mind to everyone’s reaction and looked toward Lisa.
「Something at this level isn’t a big deal at all. More importantly, the more pressing problem is……」
Vritra wasn’t looking at Lisa, but Iris who was in her arms.
I also gasped and ran toward Iris.
「Lisa, let’s bring Iris inside for now! Atla, show us to Naglfar’s infirmary!」
I also called at the terminal inside my pocket while carrying the limp Iris on my back. Her body was cold and slightly trembling.
Did something happen to Iris while illuminating Angolmois with light…….
I harbored a bad premonition while heading to the door that connected to inside the ship with a long stride.
