Unlimited Fafnir Vol 14 Chapter 2

Chapter 2 – The Clear Dragon at Battle Again

.

Part 1

「Wait……where is she?」

Even though I was following right behind her, I couldn’t find Iris’s figure at the passage outside the bridge.

First I checked whether she was at the deck, and then I tried going to the cabin that Iris was using together with Kili and others.

「──Iris, you there?」

I tried knocking but there was no reply. I tried peeking inside but it was completely empty.

Well, it could be said as natural perhaps. She quickly got out of the bridge because it must be painful for her to have everyone concerned for her. There was no doubt that she wouldn’t be able to feel calm inside the cabin where someone would definitely return.

But Iris couldn’t fly, so she should be inside Naglfar without a doubt. If she wanted to be alone, perhaps I had no choice but search for her everywhere──.

I suddenly got an idea and headed to my cabin.

And then I quietly opened the door while praying.

「────」

Surprise and relive welled up inside me.

Iris was sitting on my bed. From the side her face looked gloomy and depressed, but she made a smile when she noticed me.

「Mononobe, sorry……I’m intruding here.」

「No──nice timing, I was looking for you Iris.」

She must be wanting to talk with me because she was here.

I was relieved about that and also felt slightly happy. I sat down facing Iris.

「Mononobe, do you have a business with me?」

「Rather than business……I’m worried because Iris left the bridge in a hurry like that.」

Iris slightly smiled apologetically when I told her that.

「Thank you, Mononobe. I──have something to consult with you, so I’m really happy.」

「……It’s about, Neun’s authority right?」

“Shamash” was using Apocalypse’s factor as light source. Iris’s factor was even thicker than the others, so she was like a sun for us──because of that the possibility of her using up her strength the fastest was high.

The result for that would be demise──death. It must be weighing heavily on Iris’s shoulders.

「Yep……ah, but you know, what I’m hesitating isn’t about using the power──about fighting or not fighting.」

「Eh?」

I was surprised by her unexpected words and stared back into Iris’s eyes.

「The world will be swallowed by End Matter if we don’t do anything after all, so we can only do what we can do! Isn’t that right, Mononobe?」

「Y-yeah……but, then what is it that you want to consult with me……?」

I asked her in confusion, then Iris looked down in grief.

「It’s about Kili-chan, and Vritra-chan. They fought because of me.」

「No, that’s not Iris’s fault──」

I tried to deny her, but Iris shook her head to interrupt me.

「No, Kili-chan just said what I couldn’t say in my place. You see, just now I said “we can only do that” but……I’m actually scared……if possible, I want Vritra-chan to save me……」

Iris spewed out her true feeling with trembling hand. I couldn’t keep watching her and wrapped her hand with both my hands.

「It’s only natural for you to feel like that. You said that Kili spoke in your place──but she also spoke for me. Compared to the vague future of the planet, Iris who is right before me is far more important. I should have known that, and yet……」

I felt frustrated and gritted my teeth.

When Kili said that something like the planet’s lifespan didn’t matter, I wondered why I myself couldn’t say something like that──.

「Surely, it doesn’t matter for us.」

「Doesn’t matter……what do you mean?」

「About the future. Both Mononobe and me, actually understand just how important the future is aren’t we? But our mind……can’t really comprehend it fully. That’s what I think.」

Iris scratched her cheek shyly and continued talking.

「Say, that’s why, I──want to understand. I want to properly picture this future that I don’t really understand, and the understand it fully just how important it is! If I do that I think I’ll be able to say to everyone that I’m fine with my head held high, and Kili-chan and Vritra-chan will also be able to reconcile with each other!」

Iris leaned forward and explained insistently. Her face approached and our noses almost touched.

However rather than that, I was entranced by Iris’s eyes. Her gaze was completely straightforward and clear, staring into my heart right from the front.

「……I, see. It might be good if we can do that.」

I smiled and nodded.

I couldn’t take off my mind from the risk that Iris might die no matter what.

But, I couldn’t make a gloomy expression in front of iris who was trying to be positive.

「Right!? But, I wonder what should I do to understand about the future? What do you think Mononobe?」

In other words this must be what she wanted to consult with me.

A smile slipped out from me in front of the frowning Iris and I suggested this to her.

「Well, we can only imagine it. I guess there is no other way for that.」

「Imagination huh……uuun, my future……future……as expected Mononobe and I──」

Iris seemed to imagine something and her face was gradually reddening.

I also tried to imagine it. If everything went well and we could return to Midgard, our daily life would start again from there and it should continue to the future.

It was highly possible that everyone and I who became Counter Dragon wouldn’t lose our ability even when we became adult.

Therefore it would be hard for us to get out from Midgard. It was the world’s rule that “D” couldn’t leave Midgard’s protection.

Major Loki also knew that we had stopped being normal “D”, so it would also be difficult to pretend that we had lost our ability.

Firill said that we just needed to change the international rule itself, but it would surely take time, and we would definitely had limitation placed on us even if we accomplished it.

That was why perhaps our future would be mostly spun at that southern island.

If Vritra didn’t act then new “D” would also stop appearing, the Midgard’s standing would also change but──if Iris and Mitsuki were there…….

My thought circuit halted after reaching that far.

「Mononobe, your face is red you know?」

「No, you too Iris.」

Iris and I looked at each other and we burst out laughing simultaneously.

「Fufu, as I thought it’s difficult……and somehow it’s embarrassing. Besides──」

Iris turned her gaze at me looking like she wanted to say something. I nodded at her.

「Yeah, perhaps we won’t be able to completely imagine it with just the two of us.」

After all Iris and I wouldn’t be the only one who was in that future.

「You know, Mononobe! I, also want to consult with Mitsuki-chan and others!」

Iris said that and stood up from the bed. I let go of her hand and waved my hand lightly at her.

「Got it. Talk to me again if you are at a loss.」

「Yep, I’m going!」

Iris jokingly saluted at me and then she headed to the cabin’s door briskly. There I heard a faint sound from outside and frowned.

However Iris opened the door without pause and ran out with a light gait.

──Just now, there was someone outside right?

And yet it was strange that Iris didn’t run into anyone, so I tried going outside the room.

However there was only the faint echo of Iris’s footstep at the corridor. There wasn’t anybody else.

「…………」

But, I felt a strange pressure from above and I looked up.

「…………Jeanne, what are you doing?」

I saw a girl in man’s clothing holding her breath at the ceiling. I asked her hesitatingly.

Jeanne was entwining her legs around a thick pipe while covering her mouth with her hands but──her face went bright red when her gaze met mine.

「Hawah……c-captain! T-this is, how should I say it, it’s a part of my training……it’s nothing at all so don’t mind me!」

Jeanne made excuse with a flustered tone. I averted my gaze from her. And then I warned her awkwardly.

「No, even if you’re training, I think it’s bad that you’re dressed like that in a shared space.」

As someone who belonged to the same special unit Sleipnir like me, it was possible for her to hide herself at the ceiling instantly. However there was a big problem with her current state.

「Eh……?」

Jeanne let out a bewildered voice. If possible I wanted her to notice by herself, but it couldn’t be helped. I explained to Jeanne about the situation she was in.

「You see, right now you are hanging upside down. That’s why your clothes are slipping……」

The jacket and shirt that Jeanne was wearing were rolled up and exposed her smooth stomach completely.

It wouldn’t be that big of a deal if it was a little while ago. But right now Jeanne wasn’t wrapping her breasts with bandage. She had been warned that it wasn’t healthy to tightly wrap her breasts like that, so now she wasn’t wrapping her breasts even when dressed in male clothes.

Because of that right now──she wasn’t even wearing a bra, so the lower half of her voluptuous twin hills was visible. Or rather, her clothes were pulled thanks to her large breasts.

「Clothes……? A……aah? P-please don’t lo──hyah!?」

Jeanne finally noticed her current state and floundered in panic. That made her legs let go of the pipe and she fell upside down.

「Jeanne──guh!?」

I immediately caught Jeanne’s body with both hands. The impact and weight ran through my arms, waist, and knees, making me staggered greatly. However I regained my balance using a leg as the axis and somehow stopped myself from falling.

「Whoops……it helps that you are lighter than I thought.」

I let out a relieved sigh. Meanwhile Jeanne who was in princess carry right now was trembling.

「W-w-wha……」

「It’s dangerous if you fall upside down even from this height you know? Well, it was me who caused you to panic but……put down some mat the next time you are training on the ceiling.」

I said that jokingly, but Jeanne’s face instantly turned red and she began to flounder once more.

「C-captain, I’m sorry! I-I, this is──wait, my clothes is still pulled up──l-let me down, please let me down~!?」

「Wai-, don’t struggle like that, I’ll put you down.」

I put down Jeanne on the floor in hurry. She immediately turned her back on me and tidied up her appearance.

「U-umm……this is, I have shown something extremely embarrassing just now……-I-I beg you, if captain can please forget my unsightly appearance just now……!」

Jeanne spoke while still turning away from me with her shoulders shaking.

「I don’t really mind it but──you weren’t actually training right? Do you have business with me?」

Jeanne should be in front of the cabin when Iris was about to exit the room. I didn’t know her reason for hiding, but it was only natural to think that she was simply coming to visit me right?

「Eh──aa, captain found me out as expected. As expected from captain.─

Jeanne let out a sigh of resignation and admiration before she continued speaking.

「Actually I have something to talk about with captain but, I heard a voice from inside……I unconsciously listened in……and then──」

「You felt awkward and hid at the ceiling huh.」

Jeanne shrunk into herself and nodded after I completed her sentence for her.

「Yes, my apologies for eavesdropping like that. The matter about the “future” is also something that is on my mind so……I couldn’t help but listen.」

There Jeanne mustered her courage and turned around to meet my gaze.

「Captain──umm, in captain’s future……that’s, a-am I also in there? I’m not a “D”, I’m also not Neun──captain’s mate. Even now I cannot be any help to captain at all! That’s why I have no qualification to stay at captain’s side! But, even so I, if possible I want to be together with captain……」

Her words were vigorous at the beginning, but they gradually petered out. And they cut off at the end. Jeanne weakly looked down. I sighed seeing her like that.

「There is no way Jeanne isn’t in there right? Things like being a “D” or not, useful or not, they don’t matter at all. Jeanne is already a comrade in Brunhilde class──we being together is only natural.」

「Comrade……is it? But──captain feels responsible for imprinting Kili and others and want to take responsibility for that. And yet, Captain and I don’t have that kind of strong connection……」

Jeanne kept looking down with a gloomy expression. My hand plopped on her head in respond and I rustled her hair a bit strongly. Just like when we were superior and subordinate in the past.

「What are you saying. If you’re talking about responsibility, then I also feel a really strong one for you Jeanne. After all you betrayed NIFL and Major Loki in order to save me. I won’t be able to make it up for you unless I at least look after you for my whole life.」

「W-whole life!?」

Jeanne’s voice broke into falsetto. Perhaps I spoke a bit exaggeratingly just now but, it was fact that Jeanne had no other place to belong to other than Midgard now. And so I decided to not correct my words.

「Also, you are also wrong that you aren’t of any help for me. You took a share with the linker in Marduk and worked hard right? When we challenge Angolmois for the final battle, I plan to borrow Dark Matter from Vritra to construct Marduk. I’ll count on you again at that time. Let’s save Shion together.」

Shion wouldn’t wake up unless we did something about Angolmois. That was why we absolutely had to accomplish this.

「Tsu……y-yes! Roger than captain!」

Jeanne straightened her posture and saluted. I smiled wryly at her.

「Just now isn’t an order. It’s my request to you as a comrade. Besides──if Apocalypse is mixed into us, that means there is also “light source” inside you Jeanne. Even though you don’t have Neun’s authority, you are still fighting together with us.」

「Inside me Apocalypse is also……」

Jeanne’s eyes widened and she put her hand on her chest. And then she gasped in surprise and leaned forward toward me.

「Captain! I……might have hit on something amazing.」

「Something amazing?」

I looked back at the excited Jeanne. She nodded vigorously at me.

「Yes──but it might be just my misunderstanding, and I don’t even know whether it’s possible to be implemented so……for now I’ll go talk to Midgard’s headmaster.」

「Is it something that involved Char?」

I didn’t know what Jeanne was going to do and frowned.

「This might be something that I can only discuss with her who claim to be the king of mankind. Then I’ll quickly go to the bridge!」

「Y-yeah.」

I was overwhelmed by her momentum while nodding. However she stopped after taking three steps and turned around toward me.

「Captain──after this, you are going to have a talk with Major Loki aren’t you?」

「Well yeah. You heard it yourself, he called me to come to the deck.」

Jeanne stared fixedly at me when I said that. She then opened her mouth with hesitation.

「……Perhaps it’s too impertinent for me to say this but, captain……please be careful. Major Loki before this, how should I say it……he felt a bit scary.」

Jeanne urged me to be careful with some vague words.

「Is that so? But you know, Major Loki is always scary most of the time.」

I didn’t really feel any abnormality at that time so I was greatly bewildered.

「Yes……that’s, true that he is always scary but……I don’t know how to describe it, like there was eeriness that Major Loki was holding back before this……」

Jeanne’s words were vague and hard to understand but, I couldn’t ignore her instinct.

「──Got it. I didn’t intend to let my guard down from the start but, I’ll be even more careful if you say that.」

「Thank you very much……captain. Later!」

Jeanne sighed in relief and walked toward the bridge with a fast pace.

I took out my phone and checked the time. It should be the right time to head to the deck now.

I slapped my cheeks with my hands to switch my feeling, calmed my breathing, and started walking through the narrow corridor.

.

Part 2

I pushed open the heavy door. The setting sun was coloring the surrounding orange.

The warm sea breeze was accompanied with the lowly humming engine sound. At the deck that was illuminated by the evening sun, there was Major Loki with black and long shadow stretching behind him.

He was staring toward Naglfar’s bow as though to ascertain the ship’s direction. When I saw his back, I realized that Jeanne’s worry was right on the mark.

「Hey, Second Lieutenant Mononobe. You are right on time.」

Major Loki slowly turned around and spoke with his usual composed tone.

I became unable to approach him any closer with just that sentence.

My instinct was insisting to me. Don’t get closer carelessly. Loki Jotunheim was already combat ready──.

I didn’t feel anything like fighting spirit at the slightest from the smiling Major Loki. He also didn’t bring any weapon. He wasn’t even in a fighting stance.

Even so, I believed in my instinct and faced him with all my nerves focused on him.

「Major Loki, what is your business with me?」

I was careful to not let any tension into my voice while asking him.

For some reason──I recalled when I bumped on Major Loki at the school festival in Midgard. I let my guard down at that time and got restrained by Major Loki in an instant.

「About Code Lost, there is one thing that I want to confirm. I want you to cooperate with me for that Second Lieutenant Mononobe.」

Major Loki stared fixedly at me while speaking of his business.

「Cooperation, is it……I don’t mind if it’s something that I can do but──Code Lost doesn’t work on Angolmois right now you know?」

I felt my bad premonition growing while checking whether this was something that we should talk about right now.

「Yeah, I know. Code Lost──your “Fafnir” is powerless in front of Angolmois that doesn’t have humanoid form. You don’t even need to tell me that. After all I had spent half of my life researching Code Lost.」

Major Loki wryly smiled with coldness in his eyes.

Aa─these eyes.

The gaze felt like I was stabbed with a chilling killing intent. I had feared it all this time. That hadn’t changed even now that I had won against him once.

In the first place Major Loki made use of Code Lost only when we fought in Midgard. Before that he didn’t have any special power at all.

And yet, my body froze when I stood at his presence like this. My heart was shriveling when I was stared by him.

I couldn’t imagine at the slightest how to win against him in battle training.

Major Loki’s “strength” was──what I feared from him wasn’t something like ability but a more different strength.

It was the extremely great something that he had accumulated and polished for his whole life.

However I mustn’t be paralyzed. Because I wasn’t his subordinate anymore, I also wasn’t his pawn that existed only to be used by him, but Mononobe Yuu of Brunhilde class.

「Then why──」

When I met his gaze and asked him the reason, Major Loki interrupted me.

「Second Lieutenant Mononobe, do you remember? That time when you killed me.」

「Tsu……what are you suddenly……」

Major Loki paid no mind to my bewilderment and continued speaking.

「I remember it clearly. Your arm that was enveloped in golden light stabbed my torso. That moment──that pain──I remember every detail.」

He said that while his hand touched a spot slightly below his chest.

That moment had also been burned clearly into my brain. My arm that entered the torso without any resistance at all──the heat of the flowing out blood…….

「Yes, I remember. I──dealt a fatal damage to Major Loki. But, Kili healed that wound with biological conversion……」

「That’s right. I was revived by Kili Surt Muspelheim. But, don’t you think it’s strange?」

Major Loki nodded even while he was asking me a testing question.

「Strange?」

However I didn’t know what Major Loki was considering as problem from that. He sighed with a slight disappointment hearing that.

「……You are the one who inherited the Code Lost that I gathered and become the true Clear Dragon──the “Colorless” Fafnir. It’s sad to see you in such state. If you have the pride as the absolute killer, you should harbor the same doubt as me……of how I could be revived simply from having my wound healed.」

「Eh……?」

A chill ran through my back. My head still couldn’t comprehend, but a possibility that I had never even thought about was filling me with the premonition of what laid ahead from there.

「Code Lost is something that make use of the common trait that is human to perform quantum interference and determine absolute death──this is the most plausible hypothesis that we arrived at after going through many years of research and experiment. You can even call it a power to control fate and causality.」

「I had also heard about that, before……」

It was a complicated topic and it was hard to say that I understood it, but right now I was able to instinctually comprehend it because I once obtained that power in the complete form.

「I read the report from Colonel Shinomiya. It seems that you have “killed” End Matter that took on a human form. From there it can be said that my hypothesis has been proved. Something like completely killing something that has already ended and erasing it, there is no way such thing is possible unless it’s done using interference to causality. But……if that’s the case then why am I still alive?」

Major Loki repeated the same question like before. However the weight that was pressuring me this time was different.

「That’s……」

I couldn’t answer. Now even I thought of it as unnatural.

Fafnir’s fang dealt lethal damage not to the target’s body, but to fate itself. In fact Major Loki executed Hreidmar without even touching him──but just by imagining it.

In other words it could be said that simply healing the flesh wound would be meaningless. And yet Major Loki was truly revived──.

「I have already made several hypothesizes regarding this matter. However none of them can be proved conclusively. Therefore I’m thinking to ascertain it now. The reason why you couldn’t kill me──」

He moved smoothly.

Major Loki put his hand into his chest pocket with a thin smile on his face──and took out a mass of metal that had black luster.

It was an old type revolver that was more of an antique.

He aimed the muzzle at me without any hesitation and pulled the trigger.

「Tsu──!?」

Even though I had imagined the possibility, resolved myself, and on my guard, I couldn’t move with my mind. My thinking wouldn’t make it in time.

What pushed my body into action was animalistic instinct.

Gunshot resounded at the same time when I jumped to the side. Bullet grazed my left cheek.

I would have died if I didn’t dodge. However I had no time to protest. Major Loki slid the gun muzzle to match my movement.

I could see his finger pressing the trigger in slow motion.

My delayed mind accelerated and I my mind finally caught up with the present situation.

However it wasn’t enough. Faster──.

──Anti material armor, Damascus 09P!

I formed Dark Matter ahead of my gaze. I transformed it into an armoring board with diameter of 5 centimeter.

*GIIINN!!*

A high pitched metallic sound echoed. The bullet that Major Loki fired was deflected by my barrier.

I felt “Fafnir” inside me was awakening.

Now that I had been told about how Code Lost worked, I could also make conjecture about the origin of this foresight that was like a future sight.

Most likely this foresight wasn’t prediction. It was closer to being determining the causality.

The bullet hit the board because such causality was drawn to happen.

Before, Major Loki who obtained Code Lost destroyed unmanned weapon without even touching it by making use of the process of killing human. What I was doing might be the same with that.

By determining the causality that Major Loki would be killed at the end of this fight, I was controlling the process in between.

But──.

The succession of gunshot and the echoing metallic sound.

I completely blocked all the six bullets loaded in the revolver and formed Dark Matter on my hand.

Anti personal weapon──AT Nergal.

What I created from material conversion was a gun type stun gun. It was a weapon to subdue the opponent without killing them.

I couldn’t possibly kill Major Loki. There was no reason to kill him.

Therefore I fought back using nonlethal weapon.

「Fu──」

Major Loki smiled slightly and dodged Nergal’s attack with the minimum movement.

I knew. My objective wasn’t to kill him, so my shot didn’t receive accuracy correction from causality interference.

However by switching into offense, I finally obtained the leeway to say something.

「Major Loki, why are you──」

「I already told you the reason. This is a necessary process to ascertain what lies in the deepest part of Code Lost. Although……I can’t claim that there is no personal feeling influencing me.」

Major Loki casually dodged my attack while reloading his revolver.

「Personal feeling……?」

I also reloaded Nergal’s bullet with material conversion and asked him back.

「I wanted to fight you one more time. To be honest I’m a sore loser. The fact that I’m defeated by you──leave a bad taste in my mouth.」

Major Loki finished reloading his revolver and fired once more.

「Kuh……」

I made up pinpoint defense using barrier creation, but my attack also didn’t hit.

I checked the surrounding while running.

There were multiple gun turrets on Naglfar’s deck. I quickly rolled behind that cover. Bullet hit the base of the gun turret and dull metallic sound rang.

「I’m facing you with all my strength. You too shouldn’t hold back and can use your dragon authority. Just like the other day when you killed me.」

Major Loki spoke from the other side of the gun turret.

Hearing that, I realized that certainly I could only do that in this situation.

I understood from fighting like this. I was far below Major Loki when it came to simple combat technique.

I would lose if I fought him normally. If I fixed “death” using Code Lost, I might be able to obtain victory through the process but──it would be completely meaningless to kill Major Loki here.

Rather doing that would make NIFL and Atla stopped cooperating with me. It would cause hindrance for the coming final battle against Angolmois.

That was why I had to use power other than Code Lost──dragon’s ability that wasn’t Fafnir──.

I put my hand on my left chest and focused my mind.

Residing there was the authority that I succeeded from “Yellow” Hraesvelgr, Ether Wind.

Golden particle began to flutter at the surrounding. I was wrapped in a materialized veil of mind.

This was dragonification that occurred from using Ether Wind in full. I confirmed that my whole body was covered in golden light and slowly walked out from the cover of the gun turret.

Gunshot resounded right at that instant──Major Loki’s bullet hit my forehead.

However there was no pain. There was only a slight sensation of something touching me.

Just like with Hraesvelgr, mind veil that was created by Ether Wind couldn’t be affected by physical attack.

After forehead it was heart──.

Major Loki’s bullet targeted my vital spots accurately, but the golden veil blocked them.

「This is my wind, Major Loki.」

I declared that there was no point in fighting any further.

In the previous battle, Major Loki also lost against me who used Hraesvelgr’s ability. Human had no method to kill a dragon that neutralized physical attack. Therefore even Code Lost couldn’t kill me.

「Victory proclamation should be made after you neutralize the opponent── Second Lieutenant Mononobe.」

However Major Loki didn’t put down his gun and spoke with a fearless smile.

His expression and gaze made a chill ran through my body, but Major Loki shouldn’t be able to do anything, so I started walking.

Major Loki should accept his defeat if I took away his gun.

Thinking that──I approached Major Loki who was repeating his pointless shooting.

「Second Lieutenant Mononobe, can I ask you one thing?」

Reloading, then firing. Major Loki repeated that while asking me.

「……What is it?」

I asked back while feeling discomfort because Major Loki wasn’t showing any panic at all.

Then Major Loki said this with a wry smile that was filled with exasperation.

「You──are thinking that the same method will work twice against this me?」

A freezing chill assaulted my whole body.

My instinct, my body, they were raising alarm bell. But just what was it that I was fearing──.

Even I myself didn’t understand the origin of this feeling of danger, but I noticed the faint low sound coming from behind and turned around.

「I should have said that I’m facing you with all my strength──that it leave a bad taste in my mouth to stay defeated by you. Naturally, I have prepared a method to win.」

The gun turret where I was hiding before this moved and aimed at me.

Normally, gun turret that was installed on ship couldn’t aim at its own deck. However the variable range of that gun turret’s movement was big and could aim at me easily──.

「Wha-……!?」

I gulped. Behind me Major Loki sharply announced.

.

「Prototype Mental Gun Turret Noa Replica──Fire」

.

Light blinked deep inside the cannon barrel. I wouldn’t be able to dodge in time. I immediately crossed my arm in a defensive posture.

An impact came right after that.

My vision was dyed pure white. There was only the scattered golden particle that could be seen at the edge of my field of vision.

After that numbness──and intense pain ran through my whole body.

*Pshew* Something was severed and the world reversed from white to black.

Inside that only my mind was rolling around.

──Just now was a weapon reproduced from Marduk’s anti dragon weapon……”Noa(Nirvana Penetrating Ark)”…….

That weapon amplified mental strength and fired it as cannon shell. Certainly that weapon would be able to work even on me who was using Hraesvelgr’s ability.

I should pay more attention to this battleship Nalgfar that was modeled after Marduk and the fact that I was on it. It wouldn’t be strange even if it was loaded with weapon other than Babel replica──.

Even such thought was gradually fading──when I realized I was facing up the burning red sky.

It seemed I fainted, but most likely not much time had passed.

But, Major Loki was standing right beside me who collapsed on the deck. The gun in his hand was pointed at me.

「This is my win, Second Lieutenant Mononobe.」

「Tsu……」

I couldn’t say anything──I couldn’t even move my body. I gritted my teeth.

It wasn’t like I had any reason to fight.

If the battle was over with this then that was just I wanted.

However……for some reason it felt extremely vexing. It was so embarrassing and pathetic the way I underestimated my opponent.

Major Loki looked down at me who was in such state and smiled slightly.

「──That’s what I want to say but……it seems that it’s a draw this time.」

Then the gun slipped out of his hand. *Gan* It rolled beside my head with such sound.

「I heard that it exhausted the mind but……to think that it’s to this degree. Was it because of lack of adjustment, or bad amplification ratio……anyway, I don’t have any strength to even pull the trigger.」

Major Loki fell on his knee and sat down beside me after saying that.

「Just what are you doing……」

I felt something like relieve, but also anticlimax──I sighed with a complicated feeling.

「Fu──well, we didn’t try to kill each other so this is how it ends up. I can’t call it a satisfying result but……I accomplished my objective. There is no problem.」

Major Loki laughed with his shoulders slightly shaking. He stared at me who was unable to get up.

「Just what did you learn from the fight just now……」

I frowned doubtfully and asked the meaning of that fight.

Then Major Loki paused for a moment before opening his mouth.

「──Second Lieutenant Mononobe, you are an extremely powerful existence when dragonified. However I’ve proved that it’s possible to defeat you if I can go through the required procedures. But……originally this is impossible.」

「Impossible?」

I sent a questioning gaze at Major Loki who shrugged.

「There is no way human can win against you who possess the majority of Code Lost right? It’s trivial whether you intend to kill me or not in the end. It’s impossible to fight without any killing intent──no matter how much you try to suppress it, Code Lost will interfere with causality.」

「Then, how……」

He continued while looking at the puzzled me.

「There is one conclusion. Code Lost didn’t function in the battle just now. It was the same when you killed me last time. If that’s the case then my revival can be explained.」

Major Loki sighed with an expression that was somewhat refreshed.

「Wai──please don’t get satisfied by yourself. I don’t understand your meaning at all here.」

Major Loki gave off an aura as though what he said was already an explanation enough, so I hurriedly protested at him.

「……You are so slow Second Lieutenant Mononobe. The point in common between the previous battle and today’s battle is your use of Hraesvelgr’s ability, of you turning into dragon. In other it words it can be considered that Code Lost stopped working against human when you temporarily stopped being human.」

Major Loki spoke in annoyance, but I was getting even more confused instead.

「Stopped working against human? But, Code Lost is a power for killing human isn’t it?」

「That’s right. However do you remember the hypothesis that I mentioned? Code Lost made use of human as point in common to do quantum interfere in limited fashion.」

「Y-yes……」

It was hard to say that I understood the theory, but I recalled him saying that so I nodded.

「In short Code Lost become the “lethal gold” to kill human because human has it. Then if the owner stop being human, what will happen──」

「Ah……」

There I finally understood what Major Loki wanted to say and managed to guess the answer vaguely.

「If the point in common is gone, the quantum interference cannot be carried out. The gold is altered into a harmless junk for human. No……perhaps I should say that the opponent it can kill is changed. I’m considering that the key to defeat Angolmois lie here.」

「Don’t tell me──」

I still hadn’t connected our talk right now to Angolmois, but now I held my breath at Major Loki’s words.

「Yeah, even though Angolmois doesn’t have human form, it’s possible to make it a target of Code Lost. If you yourself become an existence of the same kind like Angolmois, the quantum interference will occur and Code Lost will function.」

「Tsu……becoming the same kind of existence? How in the world……」

I instinctually felt resistance to the content of this talk and reflexively replied back before giving it any consideration.

It made me shuddered thinking about becoming the same like that monster that was formed from the skulls of every living being.

「Certainly that might not be easy, but we have all the cards in our hands. If we ask for “Black” Vritra’s cooperation, won’t she be able to change your form with biological conversion? And then with Neun’s authority that can determine shape, I think it will also be possible for you to return to back being human.」

「That’s──」

The logic that Major Loki pointed out made my mind to consider if such thing was actually possible.

However a young voice came from a different direction at that moment.

.

「It’s too bad but, this matter won’t be that easy.」

.

I moved my gaze in surprise and found Vritra sitting on the gun turret that shot me.

Major Loki seemed to have noticed her. He didn’t show any reaction. Or rather, it must be also his objective to let Vritra listened to our conversation till here.

「Vritra……since when──」

She laughed pleasantly at my question.

「I ran away from my annoying daughter and enjoyed my freedom in the sky after so long. And then the battle of both of thee began. I took the pleasure of observing the battle. Thy consideration about Code Lost is also very interesting.」

Vritra said that while jumping down from the gun turret. Normally someone who jumped from that height would get their legs sprained, but her body floated lightly just before the landing and offset the impact. Most likely she formed wind at that timing.

「”Black” Vritra──are you saying that my conjecture is mistaken?」

Major Loki approached and questioned Vritra.

That’s right, she objected at Major Loki’s words just now.

「No, most likely thy conjecture about Code Lost is correct. What I’m objecting is after that──the part of becoming the same kind with Angolmois.」

Vritra erased the smile on her lips and answered with a serious tone.

And then she stared fixedly at me who was lying down on the ground. Her underwear was completely exposed due to the angle, but Vritra showed no sign of concern about that. And the mood also wasn’t right to point that out, so I helplessly averted my gaze.

「Even you Vritra are saying that it’s impossible for me to become the same figure like Angolmois? Is it a problem with something like the remaining amount of Dark Matter……」

I stared at another direction while asking that. Then Vritra straddled my head and glared down at me.

「Don’t underestimate me. I don’t know if it’s about dragging you back from the demise, but it’s more than possible if it’s simply about biological conversion. Certainly it will reduce the remaining amount of Dark Matter, but it won’t be to a degree that affects the planet’s lifespan.」

My head was fixed in place by both her legs, so I couldn’t even avert my gaze and asked toward her panty.

「Then, what’s the problem?」

「Do thy……think that is really Angolmois’s true appearance? That “lump” of skulls?」

The panty asked back. I considered the meaning of her words.

「Lump…………in other words, there are extra things mixed in it?」

「Indeed, one of the skulls belonged to Bahamut correct? In other words the majority of the bones are “those who ended” that Angolmois absorbed. Even if thy imitate the outer shell that is formed from such things, it can’t be said that thou have become the “same kind” like Angolmois.」

The panty declared strongly.

「Then, we’re in a stalemate.」

「It’s too early to give up. Thou have Neun’s authority. The light of defining might be able to illuminate the real body──the corpse of Angolmois itself that is buried within the countless skulls.」

「Tsu……but that means, the burden on Iris will be even greater than before.」

I argued back half reflexively. In respond Vritra sat down on my chest heavily.

The panty finally vanished from my sight and the childish face that looked really similar with Kili stared at me from very close.

「Exactly. However is there any other way?」

「────」

I couldn’t answer. However that wasn’t a silence of agreement. I glared back at Vritra with determination.

.

「It looks like it’s still too early to form a concrete strategy.」

.

Then Major Loki who was watching quietly sighed and slowly stood up. It seemed that he had recovered to a degree where he could move.

「I showed you that Code Lost is an effective card, but it doesn’t mean that we have all the cards now with that. I don’t mind to wait for you to consider various possibilities before forming a plan. I shall wait until Naglfar’s resupplying is over.」

He said that and picked up the fallen gun before walking away with heavy steps.

「────Thank you, very much.」

I was almost killed and hurt to a degree where I couldn’t stand up, so I was reluctant to say it but……I thanked him at the very least.

Major Loki raised one hand slightly and vanished from my view without even looking back.

Only me who was lying down unable to move and Vritra who was sitting above me were left behind on the deck.

Perhaps because my mental veil was directly damaged, my mind couldn’t command my body well. Feeling was gradually returning to my fingertips, but it seemed that I would still need some time until I could get up.

Vritra was looking down on me coldly. Her expression was giving me a bad premonition.

「Vritra, you’re heavy so get off me.」

Actually she wasn’t that heavy, but I tried telling her that.

Then her eyebrow twitched and she grabbed my collar in irritation.

「My comrade──is Iris Freya’s existence that important for thee? That person isn’t even thy “family” like Mononobe Mitsuki……she is one of thy several “mates”. Her standing isn’t unique. Isn’t she just a replaceable existence?」

Vritra ignored my words and showered me with questions.

Blood rose into my head for an instant, but seeing the pure confusion in Vritra’s eyes, I took a deep breath first.

「……She is absolutely irreplaceable. Iris is Iris. There is only one of her in this whole world──she is……my important person.」

I suppressed my emotion and answered. Then Vritra shook her head in exasperation.

「I can’t understand. I thought that for human who live in colony. Their position with other people is everything for them.」

「There are things that can’t be measured with just position. Iris is the only one who call you “Vritra-chan” right? But Iris doesn’t do that because she is in a special position. She can interact with you like that because Iris is Iris.」

Vritra looked slightly surprised and blinked hearing that.

「Certainly there is nobody who call my name while adding “chan” other than Iris Freya. However……is there any meaning in that?」

「Whether it has any meaning or not……I don’t know. But try imagining it. If Iris who is always that noisy and interact with you without any reservation is suddenly gone──won’t you feel desolate?」

「………………」

Vritra didn’t say anything. I felt that there was a possibility for mutual understanding there and added more words.

「As for me, of course I’ll feel desolate if that ever happen. No……it won’t be just a feeling of desolation. I’ll also feel the same for Mitsuki or Lisa or the others──naturally, I’ll also feel the same for you Vritra.」

「……Me too?」

Vritra’s eyes widened in surprise.

「Yeah, I’ll feel desolate if Vritra is gone.」

「Isn’t it because all of thee will be troubled if thou can’t obtain my help?」

Vritra tilted her head and asked. I replied with a wry smile.

「Certainly your ability as “Black” Vritra is really reliable right now. But even if you don’t have that──even if your ability is still sealed──you are already a member of Brunhilde class Vritra……your existence should have become irreplaceable for Iris and the others too.」

「Thou are saying……that I have more value than my position?」

Vritra showed an expression that couldn’t hide her confusion. I strongly nodded back at her.

「That’s a complicated way to say it, but that’s right. That’s why……don’t belittle that kind of thing too much.」

I said that with a heartfelt feeling. Vritra closed her mouth and fell silent.

And then after a while, she let out a long sigh.

「As I thought──the creature called human is hard to understand.」

Vritra said that with a monotone voice and stood up. This time she looked down at me from an angel where her panty wasn’t visible.

「I see……」

I felt disappointed that my words didn’t reach her.

「Thou better cool down thy head a little. I’ll also do the same.」

Vritra shortly told me that and lightly flew to the sky.

「Ah──」

I saw off her receding figure and her panty that peeked out from her skirt.

──She said that she is going to cool down her head too.

I considered it as proof that my words had also shook her at the inside a little.

Then perhaps this conversation wasn’t meaningless.

I harbored such expectation while continuing to look up to the sky of red sunset from the deck until my body could move again.

.

Part 3

Naglfar was anchored at an uninhabited island that NIFL was using for training.

The supply ship still hadn’t arrived. There was no ship other than Naglfar at the port.

The sun set at the horizon at the west. Stars were starting to twinkle at the sky.

I finally could stand up again and leaned on the deck’s railing while staring at the black silhouette of the island.

For some reason it reminded me of the uninhabited island that we visited when subjugating Basilisk. But because there was no large volcano here like that island, we couldn’t hope to find a natural hot spring here.

The night wind was gradually getting colder, so I thought of getting back inside the ship. It was then the phone inside my pocket vibrated.

「Hm……?」

I took out my phone and the screen showed Midgard office. I gasped and pressed the accept button. The phone then showed the face of Charlotte B Lord.

『O? Ooo──the call finally connect. Really that cursed hero’s son……Naglfar’s information management is really troublesome……he put that irritating limitation in the communication……』

Charlotte smiled, but she immediately switched into complaining mode toward Major Loki.

Maika-san tapped her shoulder from behind.

『Charlotte-sama, Mononobe-sama will be confused if you don’t tell her your business.』

『Y-you’re right. My friend──actually there is one thing that I want to talk about with you.』

Charlotte made a serious expression and cleared her throat before entering the main topic.

「Talk?」

I also straightened my posture because this seemed to be a serious matter.

『Indeed, it’s something about a suggestion that Jeanne Hortensia brought up a little while ago……』

「Now that you mention it, Jeanne said that she has some kind of business with Char.」

I recalled what happened before the battle against Major Loki. Jeanne said that she had something that could only be talked with Char who introduced herself as the king of mankind.

『……That maiden asked me this. Is it possible to use “Grey” vampire’s authority to draw out Apocalypse’s power from humans all over the world?』

「Tsu──」

I held my breath in surprise. To think Jeanne got that kind of idea.

『If this so called Apocalypse’s factor is mixed to this whole world, then certainly all humans can become “light source” for Neun. For human light is their “voice”, so if they can be made to call the names of all of you forcefully using my power, then perhaps even more light can be gathered and the burden on Iris Freya will decrease……』

Charlotte’s face was cloudy even though she was saying that. Even I understood the reason for that.

I recalled the scene of red mist spreading over Midgard.

「But, if Char do something like that──」

『Of course, I can’t──it’s something that mustn’t be done. If I attempt to do something like controlling the whole mankind, my authority will run out of control once more and kill the people’s hearts. Therefore what I can do is relying on my underlings and my position as Midgard’s representative and making as many people as possible to call out everyone’s name. That’s all.』

Charlotte folded her arms and spoke with an apologetic look.

However I shook my head hearing that.

「No, just you going that far……fills me with nothing but gratitude. Even without Char giving out absolute order that control the people, surely there will be many people who lend their ears. After all the threat of Angolmois isn’t just our problem alone.」

『I hope that’s true but……I hesitate to inform the maidens about this. What if this method doesn’t give that much result? It’ll pain me if this only gives them premature joy. And even if it goes well, it still won’t change that the greatest burden is on Iris Freya. And if the worst result still occur in the end……』

Even so Char’s expression didn’t clear up and a heavy sigh slipped out from her small lips.

「So that’s why you want to talk with me first.」

『Yeah. I leave it to you whether you will tell them about this or not──』

「I’ll tell them.」

I smiled and interrupted Char’s words.

『M-my friend, it will be better if you consider it for a bit──』

The anxious Char pressed her face on the camera from the other side. I smiled at her.

「Iris already decided to fight. Both Iris and I aren’t thinking of anything like it’s fine whatever the result is but……we understand that there is no running away from this. That’s why having as many factor that can give up hope as possible will be better.」

『────That maiden, she is far stronger than I expected.』

Char muttered in a daze. I responded to her with a wry smile.

『Understood. I shall believe in you and those maidens. And so believe in me too. I swear that I will send to all of you a dazzling light──”voices” that cheer on all of you without fail.』

Charlotte puffed out her modest chest with her declaration. I nodded.

「You don’t even need to tell me. I believe on my “best friend” right from the start.」

Char’s face blushed when I said that.

『Y-you’re right! This kind of vow is unnecessary with our friendship. Then my friend──I pray for your fortune.』

Charlotte saluted. I also responded back to her with the same and then the communication was cut off.

I put back my personal phone into my pocket and looked up at the night sky that had even more stars now than before.

I could see the path now thanks to Major Loki.

Hope was born now thanks to Charlotte.

I didn’t know whether we had all the cards now or not but, we should fix our plan going forward here for the time being.

The time that was remaining for us was limited.

The more we left Angolmois alone, the more End Matter would spread and the harder it would become to deal with it. The resupply would also finish tonight, so I wanted to start taking action tomorrow morning.

I firmed my heart and walked away from the railing toward the entrance.

My retreat ended here. From here on it was time to move forward even if only a little.

.

Part 4

「──As I said just now, thanks to Char we can now expect Iris’s burden to be lightened and for the “light source” to be expanded. If a lot of people respond to Char’s call, Neun’s light will surely emit a radiance that is many times, dozens of times──or even more than that compared to before.」

Everyone other than Shion gathered in Naglfar’s bridge once more.

I talked in front of everyone about what we should do and what we should aim at from here on.

「With that light, first we will push back at the spreading End Matter. And then after that we will illuminate Angolmois’s core, the skull that can be said as its true body……its true appearance. There is no guarantee that this phase will go well. If there is no effect from our effort, then I’m thinking that we will destroy its outer shell temporarily before trying to solidify it once more.」

Vritra’s whereabouts was unknown before this, but she showed up when I gathered everyone using Naglfar’s external broadcasting function.

However she was taking distance from Kili and she also wouldn’t meet our gaze. In contrast Kili had been glaring at Vritra the whole time.

Iris was concerned by the two of them and sometimes she would glance at them.

As for Mitsuki and Lisa and others, I couldn’t see any agitation and hesitation like before from them. All of them should have talked with Iris, so each of them must have resolved themselves.

「And then if we succeed in identifying Angolmoi’s main body, I’ll borrow Vritra’s power──and take the same form like Angolmois.」

However as expected this statement surprised Mitsuki and others. It caused a stir from them.

「N-Nii-san, you said the same form──what do you mean?」

「I learned something thanks to Major Loki. Code Lost isn’t something that only work with human──it seems that it’s a power to kill the same kind of existence with the authority’s owner. That’s why if I become the same kind like Angolmois, it’s highly possible that he will become a target for Code Lost.」

I turned my gaze to the bewildered Mitsuki and explained the reason to her.

Then Vritra who should be said as the foundation of this plan continued my words.

「A mechanism of automatic biological conversion has been included in “D” factor from the start. I’m referring to the process of being imprinted and transforming to the same kind. My comrade is also not an exception to this with his status as “D”. Therefore I shall add biological conversion mechanism into him that will activate transformation to the same kind when he come into contact with Angolmois.」

The members of Brunhilde class looked at each other with worried expression when they heard that, but Major Loki nodded in understanding.

「Fumu, the requirement is lax if just touching will be enough. Vritra not needing to come along in the charge toward the main body can also be called a merit. It will be better to have Vritra continuing to restrain the solidified Angolmois like before.」

However everyone else was uneasy as expected. This was also my first time hearing about the concrete plan so I was slightly shaken.

──In other words, I would be imprinted by Angolomois and took his form huh.

I was able to comprehend that I wouldn’t be able to become the “same kind” unless I went that far. But I still had reluctance.

Besides……would I be able to maintain my current consciousness if I became the same thing like Angolmois?

「Yuu──you’re going to become Angolmois?」

Tia asked me worriedly. I was also uneasy like her, but I smiled to reassure her.

「Yeah, but if we have Neun’s authority──if everyone illuminate me, I should be able to return to normal. I’m not trying to become a sacrifice here.」

Of course there was no guarantee that things would go that well.

There was also the possibility of Neun’s authority running out, and if I lost sight of myself, then perhaps I wouldn’t be able to return back to normal even if my name was called.

But, there was no meaning discussing that here.

Everything would end if we failed. No matter how dangerous the path was, there was no way but to advance forward.

Perhaps Tia also understood that, because she bit her lip and didn’t say anything else.

However Ariella raised her hand hesitatingly there.

「Umm……if we can completely solidify Angolmois, there won’t be any need to take that much risk isn’t it? We can seal it by restricting its movement using overwhelming mass after all……」

However I shook my head.

「No, we have to destroy Angolmois no matter what. It’s not for the world’s sake or anything, but for Shion.」

「Aa──」

Ariella gulped and pressed her hand on her forehead.

「……I’m really no good. I can’t see anything but what’s in front of me again.」

Ariella sighed, but Ren shook her head a little beside her.

「Onee-chan isn’t bad. Onee-chan is simply worried and in love with Onii-chan.」

「W-wait Ren!」

Firill who was watching the panicking Ariella opened her mouth with an expression that was exuding determination.

「That Angolmois is Miyako……and also Shion. That’s why we have to liberate the two of them from that pitch black darkness.」

Lisa agreed with Firill’s words.

「Yes, exactly. After all that is Miyako-san’s wish. Isn’t that right──Mitsuki-san?」

Mitsuki who was addressed nodded deeply and strongly.

「──Yes.」

And then everyone’s gaze gathered on me once more.

I looked around fully at the bridge and confirmed that there was no other question, then I told them the plan going forward.

「It seems that Naglfar’s resupply and maintenance is planned to finish at six o’clock tomorrow morning. That’s why the mission will start at seven o’clock tomorrow morning──we will depart from this island after we reconstruct Marduk with Vritra’s help.」

I turned my gaze to Major Loki to see if he had any problem with it. He responded with a smile and a small nod.

Everyone else also tensed their expression and nodded.

However Iris who hadn’t said anything until now raised her voice at that timing.

「Mononobee, we won’t have anything particular to do until then?」

「Yeah, that’s right──」

「In that case, seeing that this battle is going to be really, really important……before such really difficult battle, there is something that I want to do first!」

Iris looked around at us after saying that and spread her arms wide open.

「Something that you want to do?」

I raised my guard thinking of what kind important matter it would be, but Iris told this with a nonchalant smile.

「You see──let’s play with everyone right now!」

Iris’s excited voice echoed inside the bridge that was filled with tense atmosphere──.

Prev Table of Content Next