Saijaku Muhai no Bahamut Vol 19 Chapter 2 Part 5-13

Part 5

「You! What are you here for──!」

At the camp in the temple’s ground.

While Lux, Aeril, and Airi were entering the central underground this temple, the Automata Arshalia suddenly showed herself.

Lisha raised her guard seeing her and she immediately unsheathed her Sword Device.

However, the silver haired Automata didn’t show any will to fight at all.

「Please don’t misunderstand. I’m only coming here in order to  persuade all of you. I also wish to tell this to the three who already  entered inside, but please quickly leave this place. By the way, this  body is a clone made from nanomachine, so there won’t be any meaning  even if you destroy it.」

Arshalia told them with a mechanical tone that wasn’t filled with any particular emotion.

「I’m coming here simply to convey my request. If the Sacred Eclipse’s  activation has been stopped temporarily, it won’t revive for several  years at least. Even if after that you have your memories erased by  Endless, you will be able to live in peace for a while.」

「…………」

Lisha was bewildered after listening to the intent of the Automata. Krulcifer lifted up her face beside her.

「So you are also someone who can’t be talked with? No, perhaps that’s  because you’re a robot. Do you think there is anyone here who will  obediently leave after being told that?」

「────」

The remaining members of Syvalles, Seven Dragon Paladins, and Azure  Division nodded slightly in agreement with Krulcifer’s words.

They were people who had decided just now to fight together with Lux.

It was impossible to make them leave at this point.

They displayed their will once more to the Gear Leader.

「I thought so. Perhaps I’m only doing something pointless.」

「Then, you should leave immediately. I won’t permit even more nonsense coming from you.」

Celis also continued after Krulcifer and pressured the Automata clone, but──.

「That person is suffering. He has been so all this time since Princess Arshalia, the model of my appearance died.」

「…………」

The Automata suddenly changed the direction of the talk. Everyone there looked confused.

「Fugil’s objective is to find a hero. He has continued searching for  that thing that he was unable to become. After he became an immortal  superhuman, he couldn’t find any other wish than guiding this world.」

The Automata girl continued talking indifferently with no change in her blank expression.

「No one can stop Fugil who is completely bound by his curse. He will  only suffer more if all of you are obliterated from opposing him.」

「So what are you sayingg? That we have to go along forever with this  farce that man has kept repeating over and over by faking history──how  laughablee. Even though he isn’t even thinking of us as fellow human  that is equal with him.」

Rosa who had kept her mouth shut until now retorted with a fearless grin.

「That is really getting on the nerves isn’t it? How he is only seeing people as guinea pig.」

Mel also continued right after Rosa and displayed her intent to keep fighting.

「Leave already if you get it! You won’t get away unscathed if you keep disturbing our rest!」

Even Lisha’s little sister, Alma pointed the tip of her Sword Device to Arshalia.

However here the Automata Arshalia showed a different reaction from before.

「Are you saying that all of you here could stop it? If Fugil didn’t  take action, it would be impossible to destroy the old empire. It was  the same with Listelka, she almost ruled over the world if Fugil didn’t  stop her. Am I wrong?」

「……What, do you want to say?」

Soffice asked back to the Automata with a dubious face.

「In the first place, weren’t those guys planning to become absolute  ruler because that Fugil and Sacred Eclipse lent them strength? Don’t  start spewing bullshit now.」

Greifer pointed out. However Arshalia turned her gaze toward him without faltering.

「Even them were originally oppressed people. Because of that Fugil  lent his strength to them, the weak to save them. But those weak people  would always grow impudent and start exploiting those weaker than them  unreasonably. Within such reality, all of you here were unable to save  the world. That’s a fact.」

「…………」

Lisha couldn’t say anything to that and closed her mouth.

At the era where the tyranny of the old empire was going on, Lisha’s  father, Count Atismata cooperated with Lux and revolted, but in the end  he died in battle.

Lux was also captured after Airi was taken hostage. Their revolution ended in failure.

That was the reality that would happen if Fugil didn’t take action behind the scene.

That reality was falsified by Uroboros──and the old empire was destroyed.

It was the same with the competition for Avalon against the Lords. If  Fugil didn’t kill Listelka when she planned to rule tyrannically, it  was very likely that everyone here would be executed.

「Originally there was no way for revolution by the weak to happen.  The world cannot be changed without the interference from the strong.  Fugil has been shouldering that task all alone until now. He has never  run away even once and continues to fight even now.」

「Kuh……!」

Lisha opened her mouth to argue back, but she hesitated.

If Fugil didn’t find Lux and the revolution didn’t happen──and if the  imperial family wasn’t destroyed to be the final push, by this time  Lisha would have been reduced into an assassin of the old empire and  died sooner or later.

There was implication in the Automata’s words.

The world would be the same whether Fugil was there or not.

No, if anything there would be the weak people who wouldn’t be saved without Fugil and Sacred Eclipse there.

「Do you, do all of you have the power for that? Do you have the  resolve to face the weight of the world? If you defeat him even though  you are unable to do that, then that’ll be just for your  self-satisfaction.」

「That’s──」

「…………」

Not just Lisha, everyone standing there also couldn’t make any voice.

The fate that they couldn’t oppose.

Because they had been continuously toyed by that fate, they were unable to declare that they were absolutely in the right.

However──.

「──There is」

Lux’s voice passed through inside the snowing forest.

*Kiin……!* Light came from the site of Ruin that was a slight distance  away and the three who entered inside were teleported there.

And then he confronted the Automata Arshalia with a straightforward gaze.

「Lux!? Are you safe!? What happened with Sacred Eclipse’s revival  system!? Were you able to obtain useful information to oppose Uroboros  with!?」

Lisha and the rest of Syvalles members turned toward Lux.

「Yes. Aeril has turned off the activation switch of Sacred Eclipse.  As for Uroboros, I think we’ll also manage somehow against it.」

Lux replied at the impatient Lisha while looking around to check everyone’s safety.

And then last he turned his gaze toward the Automata Arshalia, the last remaining ally in Fugil’s side.

「You talk just now, can I take it as a message from Fugil?」

Fugil would arrive here in several more hours.

Lux thought that perhaps he left the task of persuading them to retreat from here to the Automata before he arrived, but,

「No, this is my independent action as someone who has continued  watching and recording his way of living until now. It’s my opinion as  the manager of the system you called Ruins.」

The Automata flatly denied Lux’squestion.

「I have been watching all this time. The Ruins were originally  created in order to make humans prosperous, but the fact is that they  are too much for the hands of human. Greta technology will not always  bring people happiness. Some of the rulers──would use them to oppress  other people for the sake of their own benefit. That is the history of  mankind. The reality that cannot be overturned.」

「You──and Fugil has observed human for more than a thousand years. Is that the answer you arrived at?」

「Yes. That is the answer he arrived at as the hero who save the world.」

Arshalia nodded without delay. In respond Lux shook his head slightly.

「That’s……surely a lie. Fugil hasn’t obtained any answer. That’s why  he is repeating this. Asking himself whether they are in the right or  not. He is fighting because he has no way to get the answer for that  question.」

「Then, are you saying that you have found the answer? The answer of  how to save the people, what is the duty of a hero, and what do they  have to do, can you answer them?」

「──Yes」

Lux showed a slightly anguished expression toward the Automata’s question.

However, he didn’t spend more time looking like that and quietly nodded back.

「……I can’t believe you. What is the answer then?」

「The answer……I plan to tell him, Nii-san directly. I intend to face  him with my own words and action. ──That is my duty as someone who has  received the guidance of that hero.」

「…………I, see.」

The Automata slightly looked down before slowly turning her back toward them.

「Farewell, elite Drag-Knights who has approached the truth until this  far. If you still remain here a few hours later, then you will lose  your life.」

Arshalia dispersed after a faint light enveloped her.

After that there was only silence remaining behind.

「──Fuu」

「……Lux!」

Lisha and others rushed Lux the moment the atmosphere eased up after the threat before them left.

「We can do this can’t we!? It’s fine for us to fight isn’t it!?」

「Yes, I was able to obtain a definite proof after seeing Fugil’s  memory. I──have to defeat Nii-san. And then I need everyone’s help to do  that. Will everyone come with me?」

「Of course! I’m not going to remain here if that’s not the case!」

Lisha clenched her fist and nodded. Krulcifer looked exasperated slightly away from her.

「Haa……. You’re really quick to change your attitude, even though you were that dispirited just now.」

「That’s just how important Lux’s presence is for Princess Lisha, no──for us.」Celis said

「Right.」Philuffy also muttered in agreement with a faint smile.

「Then, the banquet ends here. The main members should rest with only  the scouting team remaining alert. Don’t use Drag-Ride for now!」

The members in the camp dispersed following Lisha’s instruction.

They prepared several tents to avoid the snow and slept with bonfires surrounding them.

The Azure Division──mainly the Drake users under Magialca’s command  were monitoring the area until far distance away using their radar, so  they would be able to detect Fugil’s arrival.

Lux was sleeping alone inside a small tent. There he noticed how his thought was becoming clear.

Fugil’s past.

He was the hero of the beginning who lived in an era of wars that was  even more disgusting than the era of the old empire that Lux  experienced as a little child. He fought for his dream of peace.

He found Lux, a seed of rebellion who was born from the old empire itself and guided him.

For Lux, Fugil’s existence was salvation itself in his childhood.

At that time he had no ally anywhere.

No one would understand him.

He was unable to change the rotten authority with the lawful method.

Lux was despairing in the face of such reality. It was Fugil who showed him the path.

「…………」

『My wise younger brother. You can change this country if it’s you.  Let’s burn the rotten root together with me. We will change the world.』

「A hero’s mission……」

He wondered what was in Fugil’s mind at that time.

As the one who brought the equilibrium between the strong and the weak, was he considering Lux his pawn?

Or was he considering him as someone with the same will like himself?

Was he looking at Lux a new vessel of king?

.

Part 6

Fugil piloted his EX Wyvern to fly through the dawning sky.

He cut through the cloud that was dyed by the morning glow, heading  toward the Ancient Forest without paying any heed of the falling snow.

The equilibrium between the strong and the weak. When it was judged  that the balance was tipping completely to one side and couldn’t be  fixed with human hand, the hero would move.

There were lives with their fate had been fixed since they were born  that they would only get exploited by the strong with vested interests.

The hero would move to take down the statesman in order to save those  lives from their unfortunate fate, but it would be pointless if he just  simply killed that single statesman.

Even if a single leader disappeared, he would only get replaced by a new leader. There wouldn’t be any change to the system.

That was why it was necessary to raise a hero. He would select  someone with excellent talent and nurtured them while giving them his  assistance.

Other than finding good person, there were also many people who got buried for smoothening the change that happened.

In that case he would only use the fact that a rebellion occurred while using Endless to make the story coherent.

However, even if the person he found and nurtured managed to safely  defeat the king, the authority would rot the heart of the country’s  rulers sooner or later. Sometimes it would happen within three  generations──and sometimes it could happen as early as within the same  generation.

It was refrains of the sight he saw in Holy Arcadia Empire.

Many people were the same like those people from the clan of traitor  who treated Arshalia’s kindness with disdain. They would lose to their  own greed and fell to become the same like the rulers who they loathed.

And so the equilibrium would crumble before long and become distorted.

In case the Sacred Eclipse possessed them directly, that immense  power and the burden to their mind would make them fell even faster, but  it was only a matter of time.

Singlen Shelbrit who he found at other country possessed enough  qualification to become king in addition of his ideology and strength  but──Lux possessed something different from htat.

He was dragged into political strife. He was made light of. He was  hated by the people and they even abandoned his mother to die.

Even so he didn’t choose to take cheap revenge.

「──Nii-san, do you think there is a way to change this country?」

It was the voice of someone who stood above others with all their emotions pushed aside.

At that time even Fugil couldn’t completely read what lie inside the heart of Lux Arcadia who was still twelve years old.

That figure who still tried to bring about true peace after conquering the hatred that he was faced with.

Fugil had never seen anyone who could take such action after having someone dear taken away from them.

「There is. If it’s you──it will be possible to change this country.」

──Hero.

The existence that Arshalia wished for. The existence that he aimed to become.

A descendant of the clan of traitor who was placed into the position as his little brother, Lux.

If it was this young man, then perhaps──Fugil entertained that hope.

That perhaps, Lux would be able to become a type of ruler who he had  never seen before even after continuing to watch human history for  thousands of years.

And then right now, he was heading toward the place where he would hear the answer of the question from seven years ago.

.

Part 7

On the other hand, at the campsite built in the temple site.

The countless bonfires were making crackling sound. Lux came out from his tent to look at the sky.

「──Haa」

It wasn’t that cold thanks to the bonfires, but his breath still looked white.

The snowfall was lessening, but it was still slightly snowing.

In exchange the sparks from the bonfires were fluttering in the air.  It was like the castle of the old empire at the day of the revolution  when it was enveloped in flame.

「……The mission, that a hero must accomplish huh.」

That small mumbling slipped out from Lux’s lungs.

He learned about the past incident that happened more than a thousand  years ago from Arshalia’s AI that was hidden in the Garden.

It was the record of the two people who overcame many trials and fought the evil that lurked inside the people.

The way of life of the hero of the beginning Fugil and the goddess of salvation Arshalia.

The conclusion of the sad tale, where it wasn’t over just by saving the people.

Even so, Fugil kept chasing the dream of peaceful world even now.

Using the Sacred Eclipse that became imperfect and Artifact Uroboros  that could only be used by him, he chose those who could become hero and  guided them for the sake of saving mankind.

However, there was still another truth hidden inside that story of the past.

Another fact that even Fugil didn’t know──.

Because of that, Lux resolved himself once more to defeat Fugil.

(But──can I do it?)

Even winning against Fugil in battle was already a reckless gamble,  but to do more as a prince was even more impossible──he couldn’t help  but thought that.

People who became ruler wouldn’t necessarily act righteously──.

No, Lux knew that the number of righteous leader was in the minority instead.

He could find ruler who drowned in authority, prioritized their own  self-preservation, and sacrificed their people anywhere he looked.

Even Queen Raffi was grieving from the pressure of her surrounding and turned to murder when Sacred Eclipse possessed her.

If by any chance──he could end this battle safely, would Lux be able to save other weak people like Raffi?

「────」

He didn’t know.

It might be pointless even if he kept thinking about it, however──.

「Lu-chan. Aren’t you cold, standing there?」

「Eh?」

He suddenly heard the voice of someone dear and got hugged tightly from behind.

Philuffy wearing a coat on top of her pilot suit had been standing right beside Lux without him noticing it.

「──Wait, why is Phi-chan here!?」

「Shh. Everyone is resting, so be quiet.」

She said it with her usual expressionless face and my pace tone.

She had just gone a battle that fierce, and now she was also waiting  for another battle that would even be more intense, and yet she was  still unshakable as usual.

Lux lowered his voice just as he was told and asked her in whisper.

「Since when──you’re here?」

「For some reason, I couldn’t sleep, from before Lu-chan came here.」

「It’s unusual that Phi-chan is saying something like that.」

She projected the image of always being composed, so he couldn’t help but felt surprised, but──.

「I was worried, that Lu-chan might vanish to somewhere.」

Philuffy told him that with a small smile tugged on her lips.

It was like she could see the inside of Lux’s heart.

「…………」

As someone who decided to fight Fugil, he didn’t wish to drag  everyone with him somewhere in his heart. It looked like this childhood  friend of his had seen through that.

「You shouldn’t worry about it alone you know? We are here, to share the burden.」

「──Yeah. Thank you.」

The two of them watched the snowy landscape close to each other for a while. Then Lux spoke out his mind.

He spoke about his worry whether he would be able to guide the new kingdom correctly if they managed to defeat Fugil.

He spoke about his wondering if there was any other way to save Queen Raffi somehow.

Lux wasn’t expecting Philuffy to give him any definite answer.

After all he thought that those were the type of question that had no answer.

However──this lovable childhood friend gave him a very unexpected reply.

「I think, perhaps, it’s impossible for Lu-chan.」

「Eh……?」

Philuffy tilted her head with her usual blank look and said such thing.

Honestly, he was somewhat shocked.

He didn’t think that she would tell him such thing so bluntly that his heart wasn’t prepared.

「That’s not what I mean.」

Philuffy seemed to guess Lux’s state of mind from his expression and turned her gaze toward him once more.

「Lu-chan, from the start it’s impossible to save everyone. Because Lu-chan, you aren’t a god.」

「…………」

It felt like his chest was stabbed.

「But, Lu-chan saved me. And I think the princess managed to save Queen Raffi. Surely, it’s fine like that. This world is──」

「……You’re right.」

Lux couldn’t possibly save everyone by himself.

It would be arrogant of him to think that he could.

But, Fugil who had become a superhuman that far surpassed  human──Fugil who had come to this point after directly facing the  ugliness and beauty of human more than anyone, he was aiming for that  height.

「I want to help Lu-chan. Even if I can’t be any help, I want to stay  beside you until the end and become your strength. That is my wish.」

「──Thank you, Phi-chan.」

As expected, her existence was a relieve for him.

Lux’s heart intended to fight as an imperial prince of the old empire  or perhaps as the Black Hero. But she returned his heart back into the  heart of a single human without any title burdening it.

That was enough.

Because after this Lux would face the hero not as something  exaggerated like a hero who would save the world, but merely as one  little human.

「Yep. That’s good, you look better now Lu-chan.」

「Say, Phi-chan」

After gazing on the soft smiling face of his childhood friend, Lux faced her directly once more.

If he was able to survive this battle.

If this battle ended without letting Philuffy die, he would have to take responsibility for her along with everyone else.

The memories of world revision in those three days of parade.

Although his memories were reset, but it was an undeniable fact that he had confessed his love to them.

「When this is over, I’ll speak my feeling properly.」

「……Yes.」

She replied with her usual smile that was warm like a sunny spot.

They decided to go back to the tent to sleep again, it was then──.

.

『──Everyone! Please wake up! The radar detected Abysses approaching! There isn’t much time!』

.

Magialca’s subordinate who was on the lookout. A female Drake user used the voice amplifier function to sound her warning.

Finally, the last moment arrived.

The fated opponent who ruled the history had returned to this place.

.

Part 8

「Swarm of Abyss? How!? Where in the world did they come from? Aeril!?」

The members of Syvalles, Seven Dragon Paladins, and Azure Division  who were asleep slipped out from their tents and gathered into formation  at the campsite.

First they listened to the detailed information of the Drake that  served as lookout before taking position in this base to intercept the  enemies.

Lux already gave everyone the method to overcome the Artifact Uroboros based on the information he obtained.

Because the central was Uroboros’s other half, Fugil should come to take it back.

In addition he had also thought about countermeasure in case Fugil headed here alone ahead of the schedule, but──.

This Abyss raid that came out of nowhere made Lisha raised her voice in confusion.

The Abyss plant in this Ancient Forest──in the Avalon was under the control of Aeril through her connection with the central.

Furthermore at present──the Abyss’s production wasn’t turned on.

Even if Aeril’s control authorization had been taken away, the Abyss production shouldn’t be able to be carried out right away.

「I’m not sure but, Fugil stopped by at the Garden right? Perhaps he  brought the Abysses from there to here? Perhaps he used the flute to  control them.」

Tillfur muttered with an unsure look. Sharis nodded beside her.

「That might be possible. In that case he shouldn’t be able to control that many Abyss but……」

「Yes. But there are troublesome signs. ──There are twenty Diabolos.  They are midsized Abyss that has self-destruction function. A powerful  type among the Abysses.」

Diabolos was a flying Abyss with jet black body that possessed fangs and claws.

Lux and others had experienced fighting it several times.

「How nostalgic. The last time we fought them was at the Garden wasn’t  it? Though unlike that time, we have also become exceptionally  stronger──」

Krulcifer replied like that to Noct’s explanation.

Certainly, it wouldn’t be that difficult to defeat that Abyss with the full power of the members here.

However, there was no way that such lukewarm attack was everything Fugil got in his sleeves.

In the first place, Fugil should be arriving here faster than those  Diabolos, so it wouldn’t be a mistake to consider that he got some trick  up his sleeves.

「So he won’t let things go as I planned.」

Abysses were deployed at this point of time.

That meant this was a diversionary tactic so they couldn’t gang up on Fugil alone.

In other words──he considered Lux as his arch-enemy and prepared a plan of his own to face him.

「Lux. What are we going to do? At this rate this camp will be  surrounded. It’ll be different from our plan, but perhaps there isn’t  any other choice than meeting the enemy?」

「Yes, that’s true.」

Lux nodded at Celis’s advice.

The hero of the beginning──the one who guided and raised Lux to  become a hero. A battle of wits against such person was going to start.

.

Part 9

On the other hand──.

Fugil who had linked up with the Automata Arshalia was focused on Lux.

At the center of Ancient Forest where the central was sleeping underground.

Far to the west from that location where Lux’s group was taking position, Uroboros was at standby.

He didn’t need to make Uroboros’s main body moved directly. In this  range it was possible to summon it to his location using its Sword  Device.

Therefore Fugil equipped the Divine Drag-Ride that was produced by  Uroboros’s special armament──Infinity and formed a plan to first throw  the formation of the enemy into disarray using his maneuverability.

Beside him, the Automata Arshalia displayed her doubt to her master Fugil.

「But, I can’t understand why you will expressly bring those Abysses  here. I don’t think that Lux Arcadia and his allies deserve that much  caution from you.」

From a glance, it might look like Fugil created Abysses using the  Garden and brought them here to replace the manpower his side lost from  the destruction of the Automatas, but the point of Arshalia’s question  was something else.

Originally Diabolos was a powerful Abyss, but they weren’t that much of a threat against Lux and others in their full strength.

That meant that from the start they were nothing but pawns for the sake of diversion.

Was there any need to do cheap trick like that──the Automata was asking that.

But, Fugil equipped a certain Divine Drag-Ride and replied to that question with a fearless grin.

「──In the end he didn’t destroy Avalon’s central. Just from that I understand that he is seriously trying to defeat me.」

「……? What do you mean, Fugil?」

The Automata showed a puzzled expression in contrast to here master who was making a convinced smile.

She was unable to understand Fugil’s meaning even with her thought circuit that was installed with delicate programming.

「If he is simply wanting to get in my way, it will be enough to  destroy the central completely. On the other hand, if he actually does  that, he wouldn’t be able to avoid his allies getting totally  annihilated. That must be what he was thinking.」

If Lux and his allies combined their strength and destroyed the  Central, Fugil would bring out the resource from other Ruins like Garden  or Moon to repair the central. It would take years.

With the central destroyed, the world revision using Uroboros would  also become sealed but──, in that case they would use up the majority of  their strength that could be used to fight Fugil.

Considering Fugil’s personality, he would only lay his hand on those  who got on his way from accomplishing his mission. Lux judged that Fugil  would slaughter them all for destroying the central.

But putting it the other way, if they remained behind without  touching central, it would be hard for Fugil to launch a large scale  attack directly using Uroboros.

「In that situation we can still take back Avalon undamaged, and you  also won’t need to expressly slaughter a lot of lives. you’ll also be  able to narrow your target for killing to Lux alone──he was limiting our  action like that?」

Fugil nodded slightly at Arshalia’s conclusion.

「You’re mistaken with just one thing. I’m still not feeling that much  threat from that spoiled child that I have to kill him no matter what.」

Singlen at his full strength showed a hidden strength that posed at threat to Fugil’s live even if only temporarily.

Therefore Fugil had no choice but to kill him, but he didn’t feel as much danger from Lux.

His evaluation toward Lux hadn’t increased that much even now after Lux had defeated the completed form of Sacred Eclipse.

Nevertheless, Fugil formed a plan and wished for tactical battle of wits like this. For what reason?

Even Fugil himself didn’t understand his reason for doing so.

But, right now he was perceiving Lux as a formidable enemy, more than anyone he had fought until now.

That was what the Automata Arshalia was feeling from Fugil.

.

Part 10

「What’s wrong Lux-kun? Twenty Diabolos are going to arrive here in  several more minutes. If we’re going to intercept them, we have to  sortie now──」

Aeril raised her voice at the camp where the allied force of Lux and others were gathered.

Fugil still hadn’t showed up within the detection range of their radars.

In contrast the Diabolos had dispersed to slowly encircle this temple site.

The twenty Diabolos would close the distance to the campsite until  they were right in the top of them unless they dispersed their whole  force of Divine Drag-Ride users to intercept the enemies.

「Right, Krulcifer-san. First please take care of the west where the enemy will first appear from.」

In respond to Aeril’s demand for instruction, Lux ordered Krulcifer to sally out.

「Understood. I should fight without moving too far away from this camp, right?」

Their formation to intercept Uroboros wouldn’t hold if their force  was divided too much, so Lux expected Fafnir that possessed great  sniping ability with its future prediction to finish up the enemies as  quickly as possible. But,

「But, ain’t the number too lacking to intercept the enemies? The  enemies are encircling our surrounding ain’t it? Can we stop them with  just a single Drag-Knight?」

「Yeah. That’s why Greifer, I’ll leave the east to you for the moment.」

The young man with blonde hair that was bristling up in part closed his mouth from Lux’s instant answer to his question.

「……Don’t mention sniping, I don’t even have any projectile weapon to attack from afar y’know?」

「But, your Cuelebre’s invincibility will be useful in case the enemies self-destructed.」

「…………」

Though as expected, it would be difficult for him to take on multiple Diabolos simultaneously at close range.

「Don’t complain, just go already. If you’re scared then I’ll go in your place.」

「Tsk, this damn prince really likes to work people hard.」

After the provocation from the youngest Seven Dragon Paladins, Mel Gizalut, the prideful Greifer had no choice but moving.

Lux was grateful in his heart seeing Mel’s consideration to him by giving Greifer a push in the back skillfully.

However, if Lux’s prediction was right, Diabolos wouldn’t approach them any closer anyway.

(──Fugil. Your aim is to take back the central. In that case your aim is to draw us away from there.)

Fugil’s tactic was to harass them by surrounding them with Diabolos  so they would send their force to intercept the enemies. He would be  able to move the battlefield with that.

At the same time it would also destroy the formation of Lux’s force.

By the way, the one using radar to detect the enemies right now was Yoruka’s Yato no Kami.

Fugil was still outside the radar’s detection range, but if for  example he used Bahamut’s compression strengthening to do super  acceleration, he would be able to close the distance of several kl  within a few seconds.

If their force was crushed one by one while they were scattered apart, they would be annihilated even without Uroboros in play.

Therefore they couldn’t just simply head out to remove the Abysses.

It would be completely impossible for them to stop Fugil without all the members of the allied force here.

「──Aruji-sama. I detected a sign of Drag-Ride.」

「……-!? Is it Fugil?」

「I don’t know. There is a reaction of a Drag-Ride just barely within  the radar’s range at the west──that’s the only information I have right  now. The Drag-Ride has withdrawn.」

The radar only detected the Drag-Ride for a moment. Was it intentional on the enemy’s part to make them focused on his presence?

In that case, there was enough possibility that the enemy was making  them focused to the west while moving to attack from another direction.

Either way, the information advantage would be important.

If he couldn’t predict Fugil’s current location and his plan and fell  behind him, the winning probability of Lux and others who were already  in great disadvantage at the strength aspect would decrease until nearly  zero.

「Yoruka, can you head to the west for me? I want you to continue tracking Fugil’s movement until we defeat the Diabolos.」

「As you command.」

Yato no Kami that was a special equipment type Divine Drag-Ride could cover a wide range using its radar to detect the enemies.

And then, Yoruka herself was also someone who could adapt well to the change in the battle situation.

He could only entrust the difficult task of tracking Fugil to her.

*Dan!* Yoruka took off to the west using her Drag-Ride’s four legs to leap.

Multiple Diabolos were prowling in the sky above, but Krulcifer held  them back with her sniping. Yoruka slipped through using that opening.

.

Part 11

「They took the bait, Fugil. It’s just as you predicted. Kirihime Yoruka has started moving.」

The Automata Arshalia communicated with Fugil using Dragon Voice.

「Then let’s circle around just as planned. You should also move like I told you before.」

Yato no Kami’s radar possessed maximum detection range.

Naturally Fugil and Arshalia had accurately grasped that capability.

The blueprints of every Drag-Ride──the detail of their abilities had been drummed into their head.

Fugil’s brain also possessed superhuman capability thanks to the  Baptism that was apllied to his whole body. He instantly detected that  it was Yato no Kami who took off using the radar of the Divine Drag-Ride  he was equipping.

In the first place, Yoruka was the only special equipment type Divine Drag-Ride user in Lux’s camp right now.

He would be able to see through Lux’s plan as long as he understood that Yoruka would be the one tracking after his location.

Lux made the judgment to prioritize tracking Fugil’s location so they  could be on their guard against him while also moving to remove the  threat that were twenty Diabolos.

「Then──I’ll dispel this Divine Drag-Ride Asp. Arshalia, give me Bahamut.」

「Roger. Activating special armament Infinity.」

Fugil dispelled his connection with the special equipment type Divine  Drag Ride Asp he was wearing. In exchange he summoned and equipped  Bahamut.

And then he fixed his aim at Lux alone and began taking action.

Asp that was created by Infinity and used by Fugil until now also possessed wide range radar just like Yato no Kami.

Therefore he could predict the movement of Yoruka who caught his current location and withdrew to the west.

Fugil wore Bahamut to head far away to the west before circiling around to the south.

Arshalia who was controlling Artifact Uroboros was slowly advancing to the north.

In other words, Arshalia’s Uroboros replaced Fugil to become  diversion by pretending to be the Drag-Ride that was detected for an  instant by Yoruka before this.

This action was more to distract Lux and others rather than for luring Yoruka away.

From the north Fugil went to the west before circling to the south.  Arshalia was moving to make Lux and others thought that Fugil would  attack from the north of their base, but Fugil was instead circling to  the south to rush them from the opposite direction.

His aim was to finish Lux with one attack.

Fugil would destroy the core that united the enemy camp which  consisted of people with different ideology and status. He was taking  the best action to sever the opponent’s unity.

Lux should be thinking that Fugil was circling to the north right now.

In that case──Yoruka’s attention would also get directed to the north.

Uroboros that Arshalia was piloting was provided with all the  abilities of land battle type, flying type, and special equipment type.  So she could also grasp the movement of Yoruka who entered the range of  her radar once more while sending Fugil the information of Yoruka’s  position.

And then now that Yoruka was sent out as scout, there was no way for Lux’s side to detect the movement of the true Fugil.

Far at the south of the temple site where Lux’s force took  position──. From the distance that was outside the range of the radar of  Noct’s EX Drake, Fugil activated Bahamut’s Divine Raiment.

「──Reload on Fire」

Crimson light surged out from the jet black armor and his time was super compressed.

The flow of time of the first five seconds was drastically slowed  down until a fragment of the original, then the flow of time would be  accelerated by multiple times at the later five seconds.

He would fly straight to north from here in full speed, to kill Lux who was standing still defenselessly.

The battle would be settled before anyone could even blink, literally.

「Was I overestimating you? Don’t disappoint me here, my wise younger brother.」

But, this was Lux that he was facing. So perhaps he had been preparing some kind of countermeasure or trap.

It would be anticlimax if he didn’t do that much at least.

Fugil grinned fearlessly. A second later, he made Bahamut flew in full speed.

.

──*GO-!*

.

The air was split apart and a streak of black shadow pierced through the grey sky.

The speed was like a fired bullet. Within that speed, Fugil’s  superhuman eyes gazed fixedly at the camp far away like a bird of prey,  fixing its aim──but,

(──!?)

A sense of discomfort wrapped around Fugil’s whole body right after that.

The answer to that doubt that he couldn’t describe was projected into  his field of vision along with a phantom that looked as though he was  looking at mirror.

The Drag-Knight from Arcadia imperial family with silver hair and grey eyes.

Lux Arcadia himself was flying right toward Fugil.

「──How can, this?」

Fugil slightly frowned. In that instant, Fugil also brandished his Chaos Brand.

Both of them were charging forward with super acceleration from Reload on Fire. The two streaks exchanged a sword slash.

.

──*BAGIiiIII-!*

.

A sound of destruction that split the eardrum burst in the air. Fugil was struck down and crashed on the forest right below him.

The match was decided in just a single instant of opening in Fugil’s action from getting taken in surprise.

The tip of Chaos Brand that Lux swung had stabbed into Fugil’s armored shoulder ahead of Fugil’s great sword.

(──I see, so that’s how)

Right after that, Fugil comprehended the reality while falling down.

The reason why Lux could see through Fugil’s plan and intercepted him  was just one. It was the hidden joker that Lux finally brought into  play.

.

Part 12

「Haa, haah……!」

Lux whose five seconds of super acceleration from Reload on Fire had  ended was released from the extreme tension and sweated from his whole  body.

He grasped this first victory with a paper-thin difference.

He wished that he could immediately pursue Fugil who crashed below,  but he had used intense concentration and mustered all his strength. The  recoil made his body unable to move right now and he couldn’t pursue.

He had to catch his breath in just several seconds.

While Fugil who was hit with a flash of counterattack was falling  with his broken armor fragments scattered, Lux heard his little sister’s  voice.

『──Nii-san. Are you alright-!? As I thought, the attack just now──』

『Yes……. It’s just, as I……predicted. This is thanks to you Airi. I’m  going to finish off Fugil now. Everyone, move just as we planned……』

『Nii-san, be careful……!』

He was communicating with Airi while breathing hard.

Fugil must have noticed too from the exchange just now.

That the piece Lux accidentally obtained and kept in secret──was used by Airi.

At the camp 2 kl north from here, there was Airi wearing the Divine Drag-Ride Jormungandr.

.

Part 13

「I’m feeling complicated somehow. Even though Airi-chan has only just  learned how to use Drag-Ride, she can only wear a Divine Drag-Ride now.  How can we keep our face as her senior now?」

Airi was deploying the gigantic Drag-Ride Jormundgandr that was like a  small fortress. Tillfur was standing guard around Airi while letting  out a sigh.

Beside her, Noct was sending Tillfur a pointed stare.

「No. Please don’t chatter pointlessly and focus. We don’t know when the enemy will attack.」

「Yeah──but at least allow me to say this for now. Airi-chan, you did great.」

Sharis concluded the talk with that. Airi too smiled at her while still looking tense.

「──Thank you very much. This is thanks to everyone.」

「It’s especially thanks to me though. But don’t let your guard down.  You are still not used with handling a Divine Drag-Ride. It doesn’t  matter even if your aptitude score rivaled Lux, using this thing will  exhaust your stamina in no time at all.」

The reason why Lux was able to read Fugil’s action that originally  should be undetected and cut him down after countering his surprise  attack was──.

The answer was this Jormungandr that Airi was wearing.

When the Automata Arhslia dispatched her nanomachine clone to Lux’s camp, she also checked everyone who remained there.

Among them, she only found Yato no Kami that was piloted by Yoruka to be the only Drag-Ride with wide range radar.

And so she was able to intentionally step just barely within Yoruka’s detection range and successfully drew her attention.

From there, Lux’s force should be unable to detect the location of  Fugil who circled around to the south of the temple site where they were  encamped.

But, Airi who had already finished her contract and tuning with the Divine Drag-Ride succeeded in equipping the Jormungandr.

Of course, with Airi’s piloting skill, she was still unable to properly move Jormungandr’s characteristic seven arms.

However, she was just barely able to put up the barrier and used the radar.

And then, using the wide range radar of the special equipment type  Divine Drag-Ride, she detected Fugil taking a large detour from west to  south.

Lux’s prediction from there was,

『Fugil’s aim is most likely me. If he find a situation where he can  attack me alone, he will come to finish me off without hesitation.』

He was the central personage who noticed Uroboros’s loop and persuaded as well as leading everyone.

If he was taken down, the allied force’s organizational capability would greatly decrease.

Fugil who had carried out a lot of historical revision in order to  maintain the world’s balance would undoubtedly prioritize targeting Lux.

And then, Lux predicted that once Fugil thought that he had gotten  out of the radar’s range, he would accelerate using Bahamut’s  compression strengthening and rushed to their base in one go. And his  prediction had splendidly come true.

Launching a powerful assault that couldn’t be detected.

It was Lux who accomplished that instead of Fugil.

(But, it’s still not over……!)

Thanks to Airi and Magialca──they obtained the advantage with a plan  that used a hand that even Fugil didn’t know they had. But putting it  the other way around, it also meant they suddenly had used up their  greatest trump card.

From here on they could only face Fugil with capabilities that he was already aware of.

If Lux let go of this chance of a lifetime, it would make it extremely difficult to defeat Fugil.

「Now, is the only chance……!」

Lux regained his breath and flew to the forest below where Fugil’s Bahamut was falling.

Fugil’s armor was already half-destroyed, and originally just the  impact alone would have dealth a great damage to the pilot, but Fugil  was a superhuman who had Baptism performed on his whole body.

His body’s endurance, physical ability, thinking capacity, they all should be far better than the average Abyss.

「──Reload on Fire」

Lux raised his vigilance to the maximum and activated the Divine Raiment of strengthening compression.

The target was Lux’s time.

Lux also saw red light surged from below him. It seemed Fugil also used Reload on Fire in reaction to Lux.

But, if he brought the fight into another exchange of slash in super  accelerated speed, Lux would be in advantage due to the better condition  of his Drag-Ride.

Even in the worst case that Uroboros’s main body was summoned here,  its size that was too big would make it took time until it was  completely teleported and set up here.

It would be the same even with Over Limit that summoned additional armor.

Previously──in the battle at the abandoned capital Guernica, Lux had  memorized the deployment time of Uroboros. He predicted that this time  it would also take that much time.

Therefore he chose the best option to seal that option from Fugil.

Because Arshalia who was piloting Uroboros’s main body was heading to the north, she would be unable to attack here directly.

In other words, this would be completely a one on one.

「One, two , three……!」

Lux counted the time until the acceleration while hypothesizing every possibility of counterattack.

He would finish this battle before Fugil could exert his full strength.

That should be the best plan to take.

「Four……!」

Lux started moving using the super acceleration of time.

The vision wasn’t good because of the trees and snow, but Fugil should be in the same situation.

The situation was even for both sides, then Lux should be able to  obtain the advantage from the difference in their Drag-Ride’s damage.

Lux was convinced of his advantage and dived down with his great sword at the ready.

The trees were in the way so it was difficult to swing his great  sword, but he transmitted energy into the sword and descended while  cutting apart the trees along.

But, at the next instant.

Countless machine fragments attacked Lux together with a dazzling light.

(──Howling Roar? No, it’s Break Purge!)

Fugil’s counterattack was completely outside his expectation that Lux was hesitating in the middle of his accelerated time.

He couldn’t avoid all the fragments because he was holding his blade  vertically while he himself was swooping down in full speed.

「Uh, gu!」

He deflected the majority with his barrier, but his balance crumbled when large fragments hit his armor.

(But, what is he planning? Certainly he might be able to avoid my attack with this, but if he take off his Bahamut──)

If Fugil became unarmored, he wouldn’t be a match for Lux who had a Drag-Ride equipped.

Just what could he be thinking?

The instant Lux pondered that, the figure of Fugil taking a stance  with his Sword Device hazily came into his view in the middle of snow.

「──!」

(Don’t tell me, he is planning to intercept me with only his Sword Device!?)

Rather than getting into a sword fight with a half-destroyed Bahamut, this way of fighting might still be better.

(However……no, it’s forbidden to hesitate! I’ll get killed if I hesitate!)

Lux instantly resolved himself and charged with Chaos Brand’s tip aiming at Fugil’s right foot.

──But,

「Your endgame is too rushed, my wise younger brother. ──You’re too hasty to win.」

「……-!?」

No.

Fugil was wearing an armor.

But, he had no armor except of the half that contained the Force Core  that was the energy source. It didn’t even have the mechanism to  generate barrier.

And yet, that composition made it possible to move the Drag-Ride at the minimum.

Lux’s Chaos Brand thrust from above to below, but Fugil dodged with a  half rotation. He unleashed a horizontal swept at Lux’s back wings that  was empowered by his body’s twist.

「Gu-ah……!」

That precise and yet mighty blow stopped the movement of Lux’s Bahamut this time.

He was sent flying and crashed through the trees or getting bounced away before getting buried into the snow.

He hurriedly try to recover his posture, but Fugil had flown toward him before he could fix his balance.

「Break Purge……, you removed only the broken parts that became unusable and the barrier generator──」

How could Fugil move perfectly using half-destroyed Bahamut?

The answer was the Break Purge that he executed before this.

Lux thought that Fugil was buying time to switch into another Drag-Ride.

Or perhaps──he was going to challenge Lux with his flesh and blood  body, so Lux readied himself to steel his resolve to kill Fugil.

However, the reality was different.

(Un-believable……! I completely misread him!)

Lux gritted his teeth while his breath was taken away from the impact on his back.

Fugil was hit by a surprise attack, his Drag-Ride was seriously  damaged, and his body was also wounded. In that condition he chose to  perform Break Purge, leaving behind only the usable parts.

He discarded the majority of his barrier and protective armor,  lightening his weight and entering the mode where the remaining energy  could be focused to the remaining parts.

In other words, he used the same technique like Celis’s kamikaze attack form.

Of course, doing such thing increased the risk and the damage from  the recoil by remarkable amount compared to wearing Drag-Ride normally,  but he never thought that Fugil would master the technique that Celis  personally invented.

A Drag-Knight wouldn’t be able to do Break Purge to enter the kamikaze attack form just from an idea on the spot.

To ascertain whether they would be able to fight in that form or not──, they would need to do a great amount of test.

But, Fugil chose that action without any hesitation──he was obviously used of doing that.

Lux had misread him in that aspect.

「Your surprise attack just now was magnificent, my wise younger brother.」

An indifferent voice reached Lux’s ears.

His sight was still bad and he couldn’t figure out Fugil’s location from where he was standing.

However, he understood the direction of his enemy. He took a defensive stance by relying on his instinct.

The latter five seconds of his Reload on Fire had passed. The instant  the effect of the accelerated time had run out, a slash from Fugil  descended on Lux’s great sword.

「Tsu……?」

The wide range radar of Jormungandr──it seems there was someone who  was using it well. I don’t think it’s possible for Alma Atismata to do  such thing yet. In that case is it Airi? It was a good judgment for you  to hide it until now. You made a wonderful decision to suddenly play  that hidden trump card. Taking the initiative is the most important  thing in battle.]

「Uu……!」

Their swords were locked with each other, but the power of Fugil’s Bahamut was overwhelming Lux.

Due to the kamikaze attack from after the Break Purge, the  Drag-Ride’s armaments became limited. The amount of energy that could be  poured into the remaining moving parts was increasing from before.

And then──inside this forest with the trees standing close to each  other, Lux’s armor that was still in its complete state sealed his  movement instead. On the other hand Fugil’s lightened Bahamut obtained  the advantage.

Even if Fugil wasn’t a superhuman, this situation around him right  now would still be disadvantageous for him. The reality of that made Lux  shuddered.

(Un, believable……)

Fugil responded to his surprise attack with another surprise attack.  He grasped the situation several seconds after receiving a serious  damage, saw through Lux’s next action, and prepared a counterattack of  his own.

Furthermore, he held Lux back with Break Purge while entering  kamikaze attack form at the same time to control Bahamut that had its  power output lowered. Furthermore he decreased the amount of his armor  and moved the battle to a cramped place with a lot of trees that was  advantageous for him.

(What if I was the one who got hit with that surprise attack? Would I be able to do something like this after that?)

That thought crossed his mind. He understood that it was pointless to think of that.

But, for the first time Lux felt uneasy thinking that his prediction might be greatly mistaken.

He thought that even if he couldn’t win against Fugil in a head-on  confrontation, he would be able to close the gap in their ability  depending on the method. But perhaps such thinking was actually  completely mistaken?

「You have blundered. Then what should you have done then? I would get  away if you didn’t quickly pursue me at that time. You also didn’t have  the time to use Over Limit. The action you took should be right. Are  you thinking like that?」

「……Tsu!?」

Fugil whispered in front of him as though he had seen through Lux’s mind.

He mustn’t get led astray by his voice.

If he lost focus, his control of his Drag-Ride would grow sluggish and created a fatal opening.

Even so, Fugil’s words still became a blade that attacked him.

Lux’s mind that was taken by surprise was assaulted by Fugil’s remarks.

「I’ll tell you starting from the conclusion. Your decision to fight  me itself is a mistake. I’ll allow you to put down your sword and  retreat even now. I’ll also return your comrades unharmed. This will be  my last warning to you.」

「──Who do you think you’re talking to!」

From the sword locking contest where he was slightly pushed back, Lux took action to reverse the situation.

He gathered energy into one point in his head piece and unleashed that energy in spiraling shape.

Howling Roar.

The Howling Roar that was launched while doing other action lacked  the power to deal the damage it was meant to do, but it was different in  this situation.

Because Fugil had taken off the majority of his armor by the Break Purge, he had lost his barrier generator.

Therefore, even the weakened Howling Roar that Lux unleashed right now could be expected to deal enough damage.

Especially to his half destroyed Drag-Ride, while Fugil himself might  be alright with his superhuman body, this attack would be enough to  break the damaged Drag-Ride.

Lux’s eyes that saw through the opponent’s weakness weren’t wrong.

However, Fugil reacted instantly even toward this.

.

──*Zagun!*

.

「Gah……!」

Fugil reversed the wrist of his armored arm and struck Lux’s head armor with a single upward thrust.

The attack that was unleashed with Quick Draw sharply took the  initiative and stopped the Howling Roar that Lux unleashed from forming.

「──Howling Roar」

Instead it was Fugil who showered the stunned Lux with Howling Roar.

Lux was blown away along with the armor he was wearing. His recovery was slow because of the damage on his back wings.

There, Fugil swooped down on him──.

(Not good……. That stance is……!)

Lux read Fugil’s aim even while getting blown away.

Fugil’s aim in making Lux’s stance crumbling was──to execute the Drag-Ride’s secret piloting technique, End Action.

If he was showered with consecutive attacks that wouldn’t end just like that name suggested, his defeat would be set in stone.

Right now Lux was already running out of method to escape that fate.

「To choose the wrong option when the choices are plain and simple is  the proof of incompetence as a ruler, my wise younger brother.」

The hero of the beginning laughed Lux’s choice that rejected his compassion.

In that moment where the future that was Lux’s defeat would become  reality in one more second, countless stakes and chains got in the way  of Fugil’s path.

*DO-DO-DO-DO-!*

The purple chains that stabbed the ground were the special armament Pile Anchor.

That meant Typhon piloted by Philuffy was rushing here to support Lux.

「I won’t, let you.」

After he heard Philuffy’s voice, the anchors that were buried into the ground were rolled back.

She prevented Fugil from finishing off Lux and stood on his way.

「So you came to throw away your life that was saved.」

But Fugil didn’t look perturbed at all and brandished his blade. He  turned around still in that posture and swept aside the lance that was  thrusting at his back.

「We don’t have any intention of throwing away anyone. We are only putting our life on the line in order to move forward.」

Celis who moved behind Fugil using Divine Gate’s instant teleportation let out a thrust with her Lance.

The two’s reinforcement made it in time to get Lux out from his predicament.

──Or rather than saying they made it in time, Philuffy and Celis had  immediately followed Lux right after he decided to intercept Fugil.

Because Krulcifer and Yoruka had already left the base, these two were assigned with the duty to assist Lux.

It could be said that this was also within Lux’s calculation.

Because if he managed to perform the surprise attack on Fugil and  held him back, he would be able to fight him along with his powerful  allies after some time passed.

He also still hadn’t given Fugil any leeway to summon Uroboros.

The battle situation was now turning from overwhelming predicament into overwhelming advantage for their side.

And yet, Fugil’s expression was still sporting that smile of composure.