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Saijaku Muhai no Bahamut Vol 19 Chapter 2 Part 20-24
🕑 Added 2019-11-22 11:46:07 +0000 UTC
Part 20
「──I see. So that’s the aim of these cheap tricks.」
Yoruka muttered to herself even with two strengthened Diabolos surrounding her. She sensed something out of place the instant she eliminated them.
During the fight, she was cleverly led to the west──away from the central base.
She had been hearing the sound of horn flute starting from the middle of the fight. From that she surmised that the opponent was cleverly guiding the Diabolos to distant Yoruka away from the base.
And then currently all the remaining Diabolos that were scattered to the four directions were starting to travel toward a single location.
The Artifact was advancing from the north of the base where Airi and others were. The Diabolos were converging around it.
That was troublesome in itself, but in exchange the attack from all directions to their side had also stopped and now they could concentrate their force into one.
Both sides were now about even in fighting potential.
No, if Lux’s hypothesis about Uroboros’s weak point was right on the money, Yoruka believed that the advantage would like in Lisha and others, the allied force but──.
Yoruka sensed the sign of bad omen was swelling up.
She still didn’t know what would happen, but she felt that a threat that rivaled even that Ragnarok would appear.
The Diabolos that Fugil led here from the Garden wouldn’t end as a mere diversion. He was hiding his aim to use them as his main force.
「Take care of Aruji-sama, everyone.」
Although she became convinced of her prediction, right now Yoruka couldn’t head back immediately to help.
Right now she could only entrust Lux’s safety to her comrades.
.
Part 21
「Let's continue the work, Arshalia. Re-AliveSacred Eclipse Toxin」
Uroboros’s special armament──Infinity had already produced a Drag-Ride. Its name was Hydra.
It was the Divine Drag-Ride that was once used by Gatouhan, the leader of the mercenary group Dragon Marauder. Its Divine Raiment was the power to combine two things of the same type into one.
The missing Diabolos that Airi detected from observing her radar wasn’t just her imagination.
Fugil had created a more powerful specimen by combining Diabolos beforehand.
He was going to fuse the remaining Diabolos using that one as the base.
「GI, AAAAAAaAAAAAaAS……!」
A repulsive roar reverberated loudly. In the middle of that, flesh and blood and bone and nerve and brain were mixed and compressed into one.
The sound of horn flute that Arshalia was playing gathered all the remaining Diabolos. They were fused into one and a super huge Abyss was born.
The specimen that was created with that method possessed a strength that equaled a Ragnarok.
However, this one was an improvised monster from several Diaobolos strengthened with Elixir getting forcefully blended into one.
Therefore, unlike Ragnarok that had been set up from its foundation to be a powerful Abyss, this specimen’s operation hours was limited.
And that specimen right now had started advancing together with the sound of the horn flute.
「──The fusion is successful Fugil. What’s left is to launch a joint attack with Uroboros just as planned. You should rest for a bit. You have been too reckless even with your superhuman body. I will administer the recovery medicine to you.」
「……Looks like, I got a bit too fired up. When I saw that man……Lux, I got too rash against my better judgment.」
Fugil smiled wryly while gripping his trembling wrist.
Fugil had overwhelmed Lux in this battle.
But, even though he was overwhelmed, Lux wouldn’t give up and kept hounding him.
He did that not for his own sake, but for his comrade.
He was giving everything he got for the sake of the people he wanted to protect.
Seeing that figure──it reminded him of himself in the past. That figure looked radiant to him.
(The past? What am I thinking? I’m still carrying out my mission even now.)
The dream from thousands of years ago that Arshalia and Fugil saw was still continuing even now.
And yet, why was he feeling nostalgic right now after seeing Lux’s figure──?
Even though he had never felt something like sentimentality anymore since then no matter how much time passed.
「What I should do──is only one. To accomplish my objective, the mission of a hero.」
Within this endless path that continued for eternity, there was a sight that Arshalia and Fugil was aiming for. He couldn’t possibly stop walking it.
He would knock down all obstacles on his way and kept going forward.
「Move forward Arshalia. We’re taking back Avalon.」
「Yes, my master.」
Fugil entered inside Uroboros and gave instruction to the Automata sitting in the cockpit inside the head.
The huge dark red devil flew through the sky toward the enemy camp along with the sound of the horn flute.
.
Part 22
「What is──that!? That’s completely different from anything before this!!」
Meanwhile, Lisha had instructed everyone to reorganize their formation once all the Diabolos withdrew. Now she was letting out a shaky voice once the monster appeared from the northwest once more.
Even Airi who was looking at it from afar warned everyone in panic.
The super huge Abyss with strange shape that suddenly appeared was approaching their way with great speed.
「I don’t know what is that but──this is bad. That Abyss is most likely as strong as a Ragnarok!」
If it was just a Ragnarok, it might be strange to say it like that, but if everyone here combined their strength, it wasn’t an opponent that they couldn’t win against.
But, Uroboros that was behind the monster was also starting to advance with great speed.
「That Abyss seems to be the fusion of Diabolos that had been injected with a lot of Elixir until they went wild. Perhaps it won’t be able to live long. But──」
The reactions of Abysses that were projected in the radar had gathered into a spot a while ago.
Airi made her hypothesis from her experience of fighting similar Abysses several times. She guessed the true identity of the huge Abyss correctly.
However, in this situation where some of their main fighters that were Lux, Celis, Philuffy, and Yoruka were away from the base, it would be dangerous for them if the enemy concentrated their attack to them.
Their tactic to surround Uroboros and seal its movement would be unusable unless their side’s lineup was all gathered.
「Our tactic, is seen through……!? At this rate──」
Airi who was clad in Jormungandr spoke with a voice that was trembling with uneasiness after seeing the approaching threat.
They had obtained the information about Uroboros’s abilities from the AI Arshalia in Avalon’s central.
Even if the information contained no clear weakness, Lux thought up countermeasure from it and prepared a plan to intercept the enemy, but naturally the plan wouldn’t work against an Abyss at Ragnarok level.
In addition, Uroboros would also attack at the same time. It would be almost impossible to deal with this.
「Airi? What’s the matter? They will arrive to the base if you don’t quickly order to attack.」
Noct who was nearby as her guard turned around and asked her.
The command for this battle on the whole was entrusted to Airi instead of Lisha or Lux.
Lisha would stick to her role as a commander leading a squad.
However──Airi was falling into confusion when facing this unexpected development.
Airi who had been supporting everyone as the unit’s secretary until now realized once more how amazing Lux and Lisha were.
(Nii-san, Lisha-sama, everyone else too……they came this far even while feeling this much pressure?)
But, right now wasn’t the time to feel admiration.
As the one who was entrusted with this place, she had to give her answer even if it would end up a mistake.
(But, even I ‘m not staying here without any resolve of my own!)
Airi fired up herself and opened her mouth to give instruction. It was then,
『──Airi, can you hear me? It’s me……. I can’t stop Fugil, sorry.』
『Nii-san! Are you safe? Eh? This Dragon Voice’s signal patter, it’s from Celis-senpai’s──』
Airi reacted to Lux’s voice while also asking.
After Lux’s battle with Fugil, both sides became unable to continue fighting. Fugil had withdrawn for the moment. In order to preserve his stamina, Lux was carried by Celis’s Lindwurm even though she was also injured. Now he was telling Airi that they were heading to the base over there.
『I already know about the giant Abyss from Phi-chan contacting me. It looks like they fused all the remaining Diabolos using some kind of method.』
『The enemy is already just a stone throw away from this base. Diabolos is already closing in while slightly behind it is Uroboros──. What should we do? Nii-san!』
『Yeah. We have to start by defeating the Diabolos first. But──that’s just what Fugil and Arshalia are expecting us to do.』
Uroboros’s weak point──actually it was practically nonexistent.
But if he had to name one even then, he thought a countermeasure against gigantic weapon would be effective against it.
Because Uroboros was a gigantic Divine Drag-Ride, it boasted overwhelming destructive power, defense, firepower, and so on because of its great mass. No other Drag-Ride could possibly come close to it.
──But, there were many things where merit and demerit were like the two sides of the same coin.
That great size could backfire. If the opponent could get in close to it, it would be hard for Uroboros’s attack to hit.
In addition, because the joints part of the armor also huge, if those gaps were attacked, the enormous mass would become great burden that made the Drag-Ride brittle instead.
In order to compensate for those weak points, it had the special armament Infinity and Zero One.
Fugil would pilot various Divine Drag-Rides to intercept Drag-Ride that closed in to Uroboros. He would kick out the opponent into the range where Uroboros would then attack.
He could also use Zero One to erase the enemy Drag-Ride that got close.
There was also Endless to seal the enemy’s countermeasure by changing the world’s principle.
──After listening until that point, it was already the same like declaring there wasn’t any weak point.
In order to conquer the impregnable fortress, it would be necessary to take away those weapons one by one.
Infinity and Zero One and Endless.
They would surround Uroboros and drove it into a situation where it could only evade by using those three weapons, then created a situation where its defensive methods were insufficient. That was Lux’s aim.
If they had Yoruka with them, her Divine Raiment to control other Drag-Ride──Spell Code would become a considerable threat──but she was lured away by Fugil’s diversionary action and couldn’t return.
In addition the opponent created a super Diabolos and positioned it as a vanguard to erase one of Uroboros’s few weaknesses. It was coming to assault the allied force’s base.
『Fugil and Arshalia’s objective is to make the Diabolos and our main force clashes while Uroboros is attacking from the rear.』
Uroboros boasted absolute strength without compare as long as it kept the fighting in middle range.
Even if the giant Diabolos’s lifespan could only hold for several minutes, their side would have to intercept it by sending all their members against an enemy in the level of Ragnarok.
The opponent was planning to decide the battle in that short time.
Fugil getting injured to the point that he couldn’t move for a while was most likely outside their expectation, but even with that entered into the consideration, the opponent was still holding overwhelming advantage──Lux’s side was being cornered to a predicament right now.
『I know. But──what can we do now……』
Airi hung down her head while hearing Lux pointing out those and asked him.
They were cornered into this situation where they were aware that they were in disadvantage, but they had no other choice but fighting──however, Airi was feeling reassured that her brother Lux was listening to her worry.
『There is just one──way to overcome this. Can you take a risk with my instruction?』
『──! I, understand』
At the end of their conversation, Lux immediately formed a countermeasure.
And then Airi conveyed her brother’s instruction to everyone in the allied force.
.
Part 23
「──The plan got slightly out of order, but this battle is now settled with this. They have no choice but to meet that Diabolos head on. It’s checkmate for them.」
Inside the giant head of Uroboros, the Automata Arshalia was sitting on the cockpit seat. She was muttering while watching the sight a few hundred ml ahead of her.
Due to Fugil’s plan, Lux, Celis, Philuffy, and Yoruka were separated from their base and couldn’t be present here.
They would need several minutes until they could gather all the main fighting force of Syvalles here.
But during those several minutes, the allied force wouldn’t be able to endure the all-out attack of Arshalia and the Diabolos.
She believed that the battle had been as good as finished with this.
『Arshalia, don’t let your guard down.』
The voice of Fugil who was receiving treatment inside Uroboros was transmitted to her as a command.
While she was an artificial ego, Arshalia felt conflicted to be called with that name.
『The Lux who I fought briefly just now has reached a height that surpassed my expectation. You can’t underestimate them. That guy might have sent a new instruction to the bunch over there.
『I see. However, I don’t think there will be anything more they can do──』
『Exactly. Let’s see what they’ve got. There is no more need for battle of wits in this fight.』
『Then excuse me──』
Arshalia cut off the communication with Fugil and focused on the battle before her eyes.
She was an Automata. A different person who was bequeathed with Arshalia’s name……no, she wasn’t even a person.
However, there was this feeling inside her. She wondered what was this feeling that she harbored toward her master Fugil?
(I want to──make his wish come true. He is always facing forward even while suffering from his mission as hero without throwing it away. I want to become his support. It’s only natural for a tool like me to carry out that duty.)
Therefore, she would smash into the allied force with her power as a machine without any mercy.
She mobilized all the battle power available to her and sent out a sure-win attack.
.
「──GU-ooOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOON!」
.
A roar that shook the air like electric shock reverberated until the temple site where Airi and others were encamped.
The super large Diabolos had been strengthened by Elixir as well as having nearly twenty other Diabolos fused with it. It flapped its wings and charged forward in a straight line.
Its aim was Airi who was equipping Jormungandr.
It lifted up its claws that had become as big as a log after the fusion and fixed its aim. In that instant──.
「──Legion!」
Lisha launched Tiamat’s special armament. The arrowhead-shaped projectile weapons flit right in front of Diabolos’s eyes.
But, it immediately lifted up its claws and smashed one of the Legions.
「What!?」
Lisha’s eyes snapped wide open in surprise from that reaction speed and physical strength.
Its physical ability rivaled a Ragnarok as expected. The only salvation was that it didn’t possess any special ability.
Although Lisha’s diversionary attack was blocked, Greifer wearing Divine Drag-Ride Cuelebre closed his distance with the Diabolos using that opening. He slashed with his Tail Blade.
The giant Diabolos blocked it with his arm, but the slash that possessed unique trajectory that drew an arc managed to stab its chest with the blade’s tip.
「Too naïve. Trying to kill us with an Abyss that got its brain downgraded is just──……tsu!?」
However Greifer’s eyes opened wide in shock at the next moment.
He should have stabbed Diabolos’s chest with the blade that was filled with enough energy, but the Abyss paid it no mind.
It blew out scorching flame from its mouth as counterattack. Greifer was swallowed by the great heat along with his armor.
The attack’s temperature and range were more than ten times the normal Diabolos.
A normal human who got swallowed by that flame would have their flesh melted and their lungs burned, but Greifer had expected it and executed his countermeasure.
「──Photon Dive!」
He activated the Divine Raiment of invincibility that deflected every kind of attack energy.
Diabolos was hit by the heat that radiated from the deflected flame. Its skin slightly melted.
Even so──the Diabolos that was in rampaging state due to the Elixir didn’t stop its attack.
「──Gia, GUAAAAooOOOOOOOOOON!」
It used both its hands to grab Cuelebre’s armor that stiffened from guarding using invincibility while continuing to blow out its deadly breath.
It sealed Greifer’s movement without caring that its own body also got burned.
「Hah, it’s also troubling to face something so indiscriminate like this. So you don’t give a damn even if you go to hell together with me eh?」
Even its intelligence was already dissolving due to the Elixir’s influence.
The only thing it had was the killer instinct to destroy its target.
It didn’t intend to let go of Greifer until the Divine Raiment of invincibility got turned off.
「Lisha-sama! Help out Greifer-san!」
「I can’t. Even if I fire Sevens Heads, it’ll only get deflected by Photon Dive from this angle!」
With Diabolos completely grappling with Greifer, she also couldn’t use Suppressor to affect Diabolos alone.
There was also a method of shooting gravity sphere to defeat the monster, but Greifer would die the moment his Photon Dive ran out like that.
Rosa’s Gorynych was holding up its Cannon at the ready. But its power wouldn’t be enough to defeat the super Diabolos.
Aeril too couldn’t move right now because her stamina was used up for contracting with the central.
There wasn’t anybody in this place who could save Greifer from his predicament.
There was only several seconds left until the Divine Raiment’s activation time limit arrived and Photon Dive vanished.
(──Tsk, so it’s time I steel myself huh. To think I’ll get done in by this kind of monster)
Greifer was gradually realizing that he had no way to breakthrough this situation where he couldn’t even twitch. But the inside of his head was calm.
From the beginning he was already aware that no matter how skilled a Drag-Knight he was, sooner or later death would come for him as long as he continued to stand on the battlefield.
Such risk wouldn’t exist only in a battle where he possessed an overwhelming advantage that it couldn’t even be called a fight. But Greifer didn’t believe that such a battle could be called good.
──That was why, he could accept dying like this.
But, it wasn’t satisfying. He still hadn’t given his all until there was nothing left.
At the very least he wanted to die after doing the minimum work of dealing with this super Diabolos.
(Why am I thinking like this? Am I really that kind of person who want to be useful for other, this me?)
Greifer laughed at himself inside his heart.
When Greifer was driven to the slums at his childhood, he lived following his own pride.
He accidentally caught the eyes of the princess of Vanheim Dukedom and she picked him up, but he didn’t think that it was the cause of the drastic change in his fate.
Greifer thought that he would be satisfied if he was able to persist with his lone wolf way of living.
Greifer had prepared himself for the words and closed his eyes, but then they snapped open and he put his strength into controlling the Drag-Ride.
(──I wonder why. When I’m with those guys, it doesn’t feel that bad damn it. It’s also not that bad to fight for the sake of something.)
Greifer struck Diabolos’s face with Tail Blade. He kept struggling to split the enemy’s focus as much as possible.
Even so the Diabolos didn’t even flinch and continued breathing out fire.
The countdown until the invincibility came down was approaching.
(That’s right──I can’t stomach it, having that bastard Fugil deciding everything for us as he pleased)
At that time, the head of the super Diabolos shook. A part of it got frozen.
The sudden impact made the Diabolos stopped breathing out flame and turned only its neck to look behind.
「Greifer! Run!」
Krulcifer in her Fafnir appeared at the western sky and raised her voice.
Until now she was holding back Uroboros under Airi’s order, but she learned of Greifer’s predicament and came to back him up.
「──You idiot, why the hell you showed up here!」
The area around the super Diabolos──it was within the range of Uroboros’s attack.
Greifer avoided getting instantly killed after his Photon Dive was turned off, but in exchange Krulcifer got caught within Uroboros range.
「Krulcifer. As an Automata I cannot bring myself to kill a Key’s Supervisor like you, but there is no other way. Prepare yourself.」
The instant Automata Arshalia muttered so, *GOU-!*, the atmosphere roared and a slash from Uroboros’s gigantic Blade lunged forward.
Even if Krulcifer predicted the attack with her Wise Blood, the range and timing of this attack couldn’t be evaded.
Arshalia too reflexively attacked because she was convinced that this was a great chance, but──.
「I don’t think I have lost my composure so much that I need my inadequacy pointed out by a hothead like you though?」
Krulcifer made a smile that was mixed with sarcasm. She slid horizontally along with Fafnir and dodged the attack from Uroboros’s giant blade just barely.
「……tsu!?」
『Looks like it was us who got baited, Arshalia.』
Fugil who was in the middle of treatment spoke to the bewildered Arshalia.
Arshalia had perfectly grasped Fafnir’s capability. The attack that she launched should be impossible to dodge, but the reality spoke differently.
That was simply because there was other power that moved Krulcifer.
「I have been counting on the assist of Mahaprana from Soffice’s Vritra from the beginning──」
*DOGOOOO-!*
Right after that, the attack from swinging down a Blade that was as big as a tower dealt a tremendous impact to the area.
However, Uroboros launched its next attack at the same time when its first attack was dodged.
──*DOU-!*
The main cannon that was stretching out from Uroboros’s stomach activated and fired an extremely thick laser.
Its target was Jormungandr──in other words Airi who was five hundred ml away in the temple site.
「Lisha-sama!」
「I know! Sevens Heads!」
In respond Lisha also received the command from Airi and intercepted the attack with her main cannon.
The two waves of energy clashed and explosion occurred at the center of it. Black smoke was rising from there.
The field of vision was covered by black smoke and both sides couldn’t see the other side with their naked eyes, but Uroboros that was equipped with special equipment type’s abilities could detect the enemies’ positions with its radar.
The super huge Diabolos was also still going strong, but it was a type of monster that detected its prey using its five senses, so its movement was sealed.
Arshalia nodded in understanding and felt admiration at the response of Lisha and others.
From behind Typhon that was piloted by Philuffy was approaching.
They rescued Greifer while also taking position to surround Uroboros.
It would take several seconds until the black smoke cleared up.
If they could complete the formatin to surround Uroboros and destroyed the Diabolos before that──.
The Automata guessed that the aim of the allied force was most likely that.
「Too naïve. Just this much won’t pose any problem.」
Right after Arshalia muttered so, she took out her horn flute and placed it on her mouth.
And then, she gave a new order to the giant Diabolos using Uroboros’s voice amplification.
.
──*IIiiIIIII!*
.
Arshalia predicted that the allied force would slip into the black smoke to surround Uroboros. So she decided to breakthrough from the front.
It would be difficult of Airi to move because she was using Jormungandr that was fixed in place. If she could finish her off, the allied force would lose their commander.
(After that──they won’t have any more chance of victory.)
Uroboros charged energy into the main cannon in its stomach once more while brandishing up its giant blade inside the black smoke.
At the same time, it also gathered energy into its legs and used the device located at the back of its armored legs, making Uroboros leaping backward with Step like a Drake.
「──!?」
Uroboros instantly retreated until several hundred ml backwards from the black smoke area.
The reason it did that wasn’t only for escaping from the encirclement, but also because of the command Arshalia gave to the Diabolos.
The order of self-destruction──.
She made the Diabolos self-destruct because its remaining lifespan wouldn’t last long anyway. With this the enemy camp would be destroyed.
She had been waiting for the timing to explode the Diabolos from the start since it was fused and strengthened.
「They won’t have any way to block this with their defensive power. This is the end.」
『──No, you’re wrong.』
The prediction that Arshalia muttered was denied by the voice of Fugil who was in the middle of treatment.
『It looks like the enemies are also aiming to take advantage of the black smoke.』
「……tsu!」
Arshalia began acting just as planned even while she was feeling bewildered.
She fired the main cannon in the stomach while readying Uroboros to slash with its giant Blade.
The temple site’s ground surface should become scorched earth from the synergy of the giant Diabolos’s self-destruct and Uroboros’s attack──but,
「The explosion is──far smaller than it should be?」
Arshalia noticed something strange the moment the black smoke cleared.
She only found the unarmed allied force there.
「Mahaprana──I changed the direction of sound wave you made so that Diabolos couldn’t hear it.」
Soffice said that from her Vritra to expose the trick.
Arshalia split her focus for a moment to understand the situation, however she immediately chose the most effective method to counterattack.
Although Diabolos’s self-destruct was sealed, Uroboros’s attack boasted unbelievable power.
Therefore, she was going to step forward this time to mow down Airi’s location, however she noticed something strange at the armored legs.
「It’s too bad──you are already surrounded. It’s thanks to Lux-kun’s plan.」
Hovering in the air in front of her eyes was Krulcifer who was particularly fused with Fafnir using Full Connect.
When she checked, the right armored leg was restrained by Typhon’s Pile Anchor, while the left armored leg was hugged by Rosa’s Gorynych that entered its Devilmachia mode to stop it from moving.
Everyone there mustered all the strength they could exert to stop Uroboros from moving.
「Did the smokescreen just now acted as the signal? In order to lure me to attack and captured me like this──」
Arshalia’s analysis was right on the money.
From the beginning Lisha and others had accumulated many wounds from the intense battle that couldn’t be fully healed with just the short rest they had.
Even with their best estimation, they wouldn’t be able to fight for five minutes in their full power.
That was why they gambled everything into this situation.
Uroboros’s Divine Raiment and special armament were certainly powerful without equal, but they intentionally wouldn’t use it when they were in the advantage.
The theory was to save them for overturning the situation when they were at disadvantage, but there was a weakness there.
Someone who possessed a trump card that was too powerful would be scared to use it pointlessly. That fear restricted their own hand.
That was why they wouldn’t use it while they still had Diabolos acting as the vanguard while they observed how the opponent would act.
However, Arshalia couldn’t deal with the situation now it suddenly changed into a predicament for her.
『If they use all of Uroboros’s abilities in turn, we won’t have any hope for victory even if we band together.』
Lux told Airi that before telling her his plan. The plan was to make the enemy thought the situation favored them, and then they would overturn the situation instantly and surrounded the opponent.
He thought up the broad action patterns and acted to achieve that aim while also adapting to the unexpected situations.
In order to achieve that aim, the perquisite was to cause damage to Fugil alone until he couldn’t take action for a while──. Lux barely fulfilled that condition even while he himself got heavily wounded.
.
『──Everyone! Please give everything you have for this chance that Nii-san created for us!』
『──Roger』『Roger!』『Roger!』『Roger!』『Roger……』『Roger』
.
Several voices of Drag-Knights overlapped in respond to Airi’s Dragon Voice.
They were once enemy, they were people who never got involved with each other before this.
But now all of them were connected by each other through Lux at the end of the battle.
Airi didn’t know whether Lux had the qualification as king or not. However──.
(For me, Nii-san is undoubtedly a hero. He saved the sickly me, make everyone live in happiness, and open the path to the future. Nii-san, he’s──)
Airi who was focused with doing logistical support as a secretary could muster her courage was also thanks to Lux.
It was also thanks to the Triad who were guarding her.
This battle was a reckless one──……Fugil was too powerful of an enemy. That was what everyone thought.
However, if it was Lux who had broken down every kind of difficulties and caused miracles until now, they could believe in him.
A Drag-Ride danced in the sky as though to embody that will.
「──Drake Horn & Suppressor!」
Several seconds ago when black smoke was covering the area, Lisha was summoning and equipping her Over Unit, a supplemental armor created from dismantling other Drag-Ride.
Drake Horn was equipped with the abilities of special equipment type. At the same time it also strengthened Divine Raiment’s power output.
She fired super gravity that distorted even the space. It made the giant Diabolos to be pinned down on the ground.
「──Wise Blood Accel!」
Krulcifer saw that and flew to in front of Uroboros before shooting it with her Freezing Cannon.
She targeted the joints of the giant armor frame with rapid fire.
The first freezing bullet hit the reinforced glass that covered the cockpit in the head where Arshalia was sitting.
Arshalia was flustered with a part of her field of vision taken away.
(Our sight is blocked!? Even though I can grasp their position in general using the radar, I can’t sense their movement in detail! But──)
If she used the special armament Zero One, she would be able to instantly remove this freezing effect.
However her rational thought that she couldn’t use one of her powerful special armaments for something trivial like that held her back.
Then──she would use the overwhelming mass of Uroboros to mow down a wide area using the giant Blade that was like a tower, attacking the enemies indiscriminately.
But before she could do so, Greifer in his Cuelebre jumped right on the trajectory of the slash.
「──!?」
Against the Divine Rament of invincibility, Photon Dive, any attack would be deflected no matter how powerful it was.
Of course the Automata Arshalia had launched her attack with the timing so that Greifer wouldn’t be able to get in the way but──.
「It ain’t funny if you look down on my Divine Drag-Ride too much yeah. Well, it’s plain so it’s hard to understand though.」
「Tsu……! So that’s it!」
Greifer’s bold tone made Arshalia noticed that her actions had been predicted.
If Greifer scattered Mist Cypher that was made from metal particles, he could get away from radar detection.
However, this tactic would be impossible without Krulcifer taking away Uroboros’s sight so that it couldn’t grasp the truth.
This was the result of the commander Airi informing the whole force about the battle situation using Dragon Voice and everyone putting their trust in the plan.
「──But!」
Arshalia’s next move was using the main cannon in Uroboros’s stomach.
The giant cannon barrel roared. It fired an arrow of energy with destructive power that rivaled Sevens Heads.
Greifer who possessed powerful defense was already using his Divine Raiment. Lisha was also restraining Diabolos, so her movement was restricted.
The other Divine Drag-Rides were also surrounding Uroboros’s main body, so this cannon shot couldn’t be stopped.
「Can you block this one? Can all of you overcome this trial!?」
At this rate the allied force’s base, the temple site where Airi and Jormungandr were positioned along with Lisha who was lined up in a single line would be shot down.
But──.
「Wha-!」
*Jerk*, Uroboros’s posture crumbled slightly just before it fired its cannon.
When she checked, Typhon and Gorynych each pulled Uroboros’s giant armored legs to different direction and shifted the main cannon’s firing angle.
This tactic itself was just as planned by Airi and others.
But, the snows that were piling up on the ground was derailing their calculation.
Typhon and Gorynych were land battle type Divine Drag-Ride. Because of that when pulling something, the frictional force would increase their pulling force.
Conversely, with the ground covered with snow like this, they were unsuited to move Uroboros that boasted an overwhelming mass with brute force.
「──Mahaprana!」
Soffice noticed the lack of pulling force and used Vritra’s Divine Raiment to shift the trajectory of Uroboros’s cannon shot.
But that too was difficult to do when the target was a cannons hot that possessed overwhelming amount of energy.
『──Everyone, please brace yourself! A bombardment is coming!』
They barely managed to make the bombardment miss a direct hit, but it still grazed near the base.
「Gu-ah!」
「Tsuuu……!」
Their armor’s surface was scraped off. The after wave from the overwhelming energy hit their body.
Lisha and Tiamat were sent flying backward, while the Triad who were protecting Airi also got scattered to the wind.
Even so──Airi was able to barely endure so that the Jormungandr didn’t get dispelled.
「Airi……! Be careful, Diabolos isn’t restrained anymore now!」
「I, understand!」
Noct who was swept off her feet from the shockwave desperately raised her voice while lying face down on the ground.
Because Lisha was blown away, the super Diabolos that was suppressed by Suppressor should become able to move freely.
It was only an accidental misfortune that came from the slippery ground due to the snow, but they were cornered into a despairing predicament just from that.
From a glance it looked like Airi and others were carrying the battle to their favor, but they didn’t have the slightest leeway available for them.
Rather, if they didn’t use this chance to destroy Uroboros, their defeat would be inevitable with their current condition that was exhausted from the consecutive battles.
『I’ll hold out over here no matter what! So everyone, destroy Uroboros──』
It would be difficult for Airi to survive even for a few minutes when facing the revived super Diabolos by herself, but she mustered her courage and yelled that.
The members who heard her words through the Dragon Voice also resolved themselves.
「Let’s go everyone! All-out attack──!」
Krulcifer took a deep breath and gave command in Airi’s place.
『──Roger.』
Their target was one of the three Force Cores that were moving Uroboros──the one sleeping inside its stomach. The other two were located in its shoulder and head, but the one in the stomach was the biggest and easiest to damage.
Based on the information that Lux heard from the AI Arshalia, it was located right above the part where the cannon was installed.
Naturally──that part was also covered with a tough barrier and armor. Half-hearted attack wouldn’t go through.
The barrier was thinning because of the energy consumption after firing the main cannon, even so the defensive power there couldn’t be penetrated with the average firepower.
Singlen poured water into the joints of Uroboros’s mobile frame and froze it before expanding the ice’s capacity to destroy it from the inside. He bought time by making it unable to move.
The method of Lisha and others was different.
Rosa’s Gorynych raised its armored arm’s claws toward the shell of the giant cannon.
.
──*GAGIGIGIGIGiI!*
.
The barrier was tore apart and the armor surface was scratched off along with a grating sound.
「Something like that──is only itchy!」
Uroboros’s right arm that was bounced back along with its giant Blade couldn’t return to its position immediately, but Rosa was located at slightly to the left of the stomach.
Thus Uroboros’s giant left armored fist descended to crush her.
But, the movement of that arm strayed greatly and hit its own stomach.
「──Damn-!?」
Arshalia thought that she messed up her control, but that wasn’t the case.
The opponent that she ought to be the most wary against──, had arrived to right beside Uroboros without her noticing.
『Yoruka-san!』
Airi noticed her presence and unconsciously raised her voice.
Yoruka and Yato no Kami were standing on the left armored arm of Uroboros.
She returned while hiding herself with camouflage to approach Uroboros undetected.
And then she used Spell Code to control Uroboros’s left arm.
「As I thought it’s difficult to completely control a Drag-Ride this huge. But──」
「Yes, leave it to mee. Now I can destroy the targett!」
Rosa equipped with Gorynych in Devilmachia mode tore off Uroboros’s abdomen shell with the brute power of more than ten Drag-Ride.
And then as though she had been waiting for that moment, a Pile Anchor was launched into it. Philuffy then reeled in the wire to pull herself up.
Typhon’s right hand was already filled with all her remaining energy.
「Biting Flare!? This is bad. If the Force Core is hit with that right now──Zero One!」
Arshalia targeted the approaching Philuffy and activated Zero One.
Philuffy got temporarily teleported into Uroboros──which meant she was made to vanish.
With this the danger right in front of her was averted but──, she also couldn’t just stay motionlessly like this.
There was a chance that Uroboros would be manipulated by Yoruka’s Spell Code and Philuffy got forcefully released.
「But, as long as I can endure here, as long as I can overcome just this moment──」
Uroboros’s Force Core couldn’t be stopped unless the opponent could produce high destructive power instantly.
The moment Arshalia spoke out that thought of hers──, a huge beam came flying toward her.
「Wha──!?」
A long-range bombardment from Tiamat’s Sevens Heads was fired toward Uroboros’s stomach that had gotten its armor broken.
Lisha who should be sent flying by her main cannon just now was already getting back on her feet? Arshalia’s eyes opened wide in confusion.
Because Tiamat’s Suppressor had been halted, she shouldn’t be able to do something like this with the super Diabolos getting her way, and yet,
「It’s irritating that you’re looking down on our strength. There is no one here who isn’t giving this battle their all.」
「…………」
Krulcifer’s words didn’t reach the ears of Arshalia who was paralyzed with surprise.
But, she managed to see the super Diabolos lying on top of the snow with its whole body frozen.
The super Diabolos was buried into the snow due to the super gravity it was hit with until just a little while ago.
The instant Suppressor was dispelled, Mel made use of that situation and immediately froze it with Ddraig Gwiber’s Divine Raiment of temperature control.
Meanwhile Lisha’s little sister Alma caught Lisha who was blown away along with her armor and helped her got back on her feet so that she could immediately fired Sevens Heads at Uroboros.
Some of their coordination was planned, while some were their reflexive action after seeing the situation.
Everyone here was single-mindedly heading toward a single objective without leaving anyone behind.
(I cannot block that……, with my strength──I can’t protect Uroboros anymore!)
The solidarity of the allied force here had strengthened even more compared to the battle against all Seven Dragon Paladins.
The Automata Arshalia was falling into a situation that was beyond her capability to deal with and her thought was about to freeze──, it was then a voice resounded inside the head of everyone there.
.
【──The effect of attack and ability from Drag-Ride toward lifeless material is now invalid.】
.
The attack that was filled with all the strengths of everyone who gathered under Lux’s will disappeared before it could bear fruit.
.
Part 24
At the sky of the Ancient Forest. The blizzard was getting stronger.
Celis was in the middle of flying slowly with Lindwurm while carrying Lux in her arms. They could see Uroboros from afar. A territory made from faint light enveloped its surrounding.
Uroboros’s Divine Raiment──it was the unbelievable ability to rewrite the principle of the world within its territory. This territory was centered around Uroboros with the radius of several kl.
The principle that was changed by that ability was broadcasted directly into Lux and Celis’s heads too just now.
「Lux, just now……. The meaning of that principle made by Endless──」
「Yes. Surely Airi and Lisha-sama were cornering Fugil and Arshalia.」
Endless that altered the principle of the world itself consumed tremendous amount of energy to use.
According to the information that he heard from the AI Arshalia, it could only be used five or six times per day at maximum.
That was only if the energy was fully charged. With its current energy Lux assessed that Uroboros’s limit was around three times. Just now it had been used once.
For the enemy to go that far, it meant that they had become unable to defend using other special armaments or perhaps they had judged that they would be able to defeat the allied force with certainty using this. Those were the two likely possibilities.
Either way, the battle situation was greatly changed to favor one side with the principle alteration just now.
「Lux, are your body alright now? If you can equip your Divine Drag-Ride again now──let’s hurry!」
Celis’s voice was trembling with nervousness.
Lux’s stamina hadn’t recovered.
The damage he received from Fugil also still hurt.
But, he had reached a level where he could just barely fight.
Celis was also the same.
That was why she was asking him that question.
Even if they mustered all their remaining strength, fighting with full power for several minutes would be their limit.
Even if Lisha and the others were in danger right now, they didn’t have any strength remaining for protecting them.
If they didn’t attack, if they didn’t defeat Fugil and Uroboros right now, they would never win.
Celis was aware that without that resolve and preparation, they would only get defeated without being able to do anything when they arrived there.
「──Please go, Celis-senpai.」
「Yes.」
Lux took a deep breath and unsheathed his Sword Device once more.
He wondered why.
Even though he couldn’t see Fugil at all from this range with the blizzard obstructing his sight──.
(Fugil is, Nii-san is──waiting for me to come.)
Lux was convinced of that inside his chest.
That the next time they clashed, everything would be decided──.
