Unconcealed anger seethed out of Eustach’s voice.
Momentary hesitation ran down Yukina’s back. Raised as a Sword Shaman, Yukina did not know the faces of her relatives.
Eustach was provoking Yukina in the full knowledge of that.
“Old man… Why, you…”
Kojou, indignant, moved to close the distance with Eustach.
However, Yukina stretched out her left arm to stop him. She made a strong smile, as if to say, I’m okay. The eyes she looked at Kojou with contained a mysterious gentleness.
Hmph, Eustach crudely snorted.
“It seems any further words shall be fruitless. We shall recover the holy relic. If you stand in our way, we shall simply remove you by force—Astarte!”
“Accept. Execute ‘Rhododactylos,’” Astarte, who had maintained her silence, responded with a twinge of sadness in her voice.
The glimmering of the rainbow-colored Beast Vassal increased proportionately to the increase in the force of the magic energy spread about by it.
“So it’s this in the end, is it…?”
Aah, said Kojou, smiling with a heavy sigh.
His fangs peeked out from between his ferociously twisted lips. His eyes were dyed a dazzling crimson.
“…But have you forgotten, old man? I still owe you one for you slicing my chest apart. Let’s get that settled before all this stuff about revenge on a guy who bought it ages ago.”
“Damn you… That ability has…”
Eustach’s expression twisted.
Lightning enveloped Kojou’s entire body. This was not anger allowed to run amok. This was a Beast Vassal that had awakened with its lord’s blood, responding to his will.
“So, let’s get this party started, old man—from here on, this is my fight.”
Kojou roared as he presented his lightning-shrouded right arm.
At Kojou’s side, Yukina wielded her silver spear with a teasing smile, as if cuddling up beside him.
“No, Senpai. This is our fight—!”
7
It was Yukina who struck first.
Wielding her silver spear, the Sword Maiden headed toward Astarte at what seemed like the speed of light. The homunculus girl used the Beast Vassal, whose giant humanoid form enveloped her, to counterattack.
The great blows of its fist caused the entire structure to shake.
Astarte’s Beast Vassal was not a humanoid-shaped life form. It was a dense mass of magical energy materialized in that shape.
Its fists were equal to the rounds from the most powerful of Black Magic Cannons; its kicks, superior to the explosions brought about with arcane rituals.
And its arms were able to rip apart thick bulkheads made of specially reinforced alloys.
This was the overwhelming power that pulverized the Island Guard’s CDAs in a single blow…
But Yukina deftly deflected the attack.
Snowdrift Wolf—or rather, the DOE infused into the Schneewalzer, fended off the materialized Beast Vassal’s tyranny and aimed to rip its flesh apart instead.
However, the Beast Vassal’s flesh, enveloped with an identical divine oscillation, withstood Snowdrift Wolf’s slicing blow.
Snowdrift Wolf’s attack, powerful enough to inflict fatal damage to a demon, made only a shallow wound upon the Beast Vassal’s body, which it regenerated instantly.
Yukina was superior in combat skill, but she did not possess the offensive power to destroy her opponent.
On the other side, though Astarte possessed overwhelming destructive power, Yukina’s skill with the spear and unarmed martial arts made her all but untouchable. Their duel was at a complete stalemate.
However, that was what Kojou and Yukina had been aiming for.
“Ooooooh—!”
Pale blue lightning scattering about, Kojou rushed Eustach with his fist.
While Yukina drew Astarte off, Kojou would defeat the homunculus’s master, Eustach. That was the plan Kojou and Yukina had thought up.
Kojou couldn’t fight Astarte’s Beast Vassal with its magic energy reflection. Having said that, even Yukina’s weapon couldn’t defeat it, either.
However, if Eustach, who was dishing out the orders, fell, Astarte would surely halt. After all, Astarte herself had no desire to bring harm to the residents of Itogami Island. The short conversation Kojou and Yukina had shared with her made them certain of that.
Therefore, for her sake as well, Kojou had to defeat Eustach here and now. However…
“Hnn!”
With unimaginable nimbleness, Eustach’s huge body evaded Kojou’s blow, counterattacking with his battle-axe. The air pressure from the axe alone ripped the cuffs from Kojou’s school uniform. He could taste the axe’s sharpness on his tongue.
Fast and heavy. If it hit Kojou cleanly, no doubt it’d split his body in two just like it had during the day. So there was no way he could let that attack hit him.
Eustach made a hearty laugh as if Kojou’s impatience was all too clear to him.
“Certainly that is impressive magical energy, but such clumsy attacks cannot touch me. Your thoughtless movements are like those of an amateur, Fourth Primogenitor!”
“They’re not like—I really am an amateur!”
As Kojou rebutted, he increased his speed. Certainly, in terms of martial arts Kojou was an amateur; in terms of a vampire, incompetent. However, though he had a few blanks, the footwork he’d honed in basketball was still good to go. Evade the pick, defend your own goal. Move quickly and balanced. And feint. Kojou was well versed in how to fight bigger and tougher opponents than he was.
“Hn… This is—!”
He tossed the ball of magical lightning he’d created at Eustach like a sharp pass. The frivolous attack gave off an air of Kojou borderline playing around. However, it made the Armed Apostle’s expression stiffen.
“I take back what I said. I accept that you are not an enemy to underestimate… Consequently, I shall face thee with appropriate resolve!”
“What…?!”
The incredible dark energy bursting from Eustach’s entire body drained the blood from Kojou’s face.
Radiance leaked out from every gap of the Armed Apostle’s vestment. The armor-reinforced clothing under the vestment emitted a golden light. Sharp pain ran through Kojou’s eyes as they looked upon that radiance; Kojou’s light-bathed skin burned.
“O holy garb, ‘Alcazava,’ crafted by the technology of Lotharingia—may thy light remove all obstacles before me!”
Eustach increased the speed of his attacks. His plated armor augmented his physical strength. Kojou, his vision robbed by the golden light, evaded his attacks mostly on intuition. Fresh blood scattered from his cut cheek.
“That’s playing dirty, old man—so you still had a trump card like that hidden away!”
Kojou unwittingly raised his voice in rebuke. However, Eustach did not halt his attacks. He leaped around time after time but the slices had both power and speed behind them. However unsightly, it was all Kojou could do to run and escape.
“Senpai…?!” Yukina yelled out as she looked at Kojou, now purely on defense. However, she, too, was at her limits just to contain Astarte. Besides that, with Eustach strengthened by the armor’s power, even Yukina probably had little chance of victory.
Kojou winked at Yukina, as if to say, Don’t worry, as he slowly rose upright.
Eustach stayed his attack, probably out of prudence at the strange aura Kojou gave off.
“If that’s how it’s gonna be, I’ll use this with no restraint, either. Don’t die on me, old man!”
“Hnng…?!”
Eustach leaped back, instinctively sensing danger.
His eyes beheld Kojou thrusting his right arm out, fresh blood spurting from it.
“Kojou Akatsuki, successor to the bloodline of the ‘Kaleid Blood,’ releases thee from thy bonds—!”
That fresh blood transformed into glimmering lightning. The light, heat, and shock wave of the lightning was incomparable to
that which had come before. This was the same Beast Vassal of the Fourth Primogenitor that had devastated the warehouse district.
But unlike before, the light did not burst indiscriminately in all directions; instead, its shape condensed, changing into that of a giant beast.
This was the Beast Vassal’s proper form. The true form of a Beast Vassal of the Fourth Primogenitor, completely within Kojou’s grasp.
“C’mon, Beast Vassal Number Five, ‘Regulus Aurum’—!”
What had appeared was the Lightning Lion—a mass of magical energy in the form of raging lightning, as huge as a main battle tank. Its entire body emanated a radiance that dazzled the eyes; its roar shook the air like thunder itself.
Kojou had inherited twelve Beast Vassals from the previous Fourth Primogenitor.
But, in the end, drinking Yukina’s blood had only made this Beast Vassal of lightning recognize Kojou as its lord.
However, he had expected as much.
For, over the space of several days since meeting Yukina, the Beast Vassal of lightning had become livelier for some reason, to a very unusual degree.
And at the warehouse district, it had run amok for the sake of protecting Yukina.
Now he understood the reason full well. This Beast Vassal had been fond of Yukina since the moment they’d met. For it was attracted to the scent of her blood—
“So this is your Vassal Beast—! It is reckless to use such power in an enclosed space such as this!”
One of the Lightning Lion’s front paws swung downward, aimed at Eustach.
The attack only scratched him. From that alone, Eustach’s huge physique was thrown several meters back.
A lightning-generating shock wave scattered sparks all over his plated armor; the lightning’s high temperature melted the blade of his battle-axe.
The attack’s aftereffects were felt by Keystone Gate as well.
The great electrical currents released ran along the Gate’s exterior wall in all directions. The emergency lights and security cameras placed across the area were blown away without a trace. The winch that secured the wired cables let out a groan as well. Neither would emerge unscathed from prolonged combat.
“Astarte—!”
The Armed Apostle finally called his servant. Nothing existed that could counter the tyranny of Kojou’s Beast Vassal, waving around explosive magical energy rivaling a natural disaster, save her Beast Vassal’s “Rhododactylos.” Surely he had determined it was so.
Shrugging off Yukina’s attacks, the Beast Vassal-shrouded Astarte stood before Kojou’s own Beast Vassal.
Partially disregarding Kojou’s will, “Regulus Aurum” went on the attack. The giant Beast Vassal’s front paw turned into lightning and slammed down upon the Beast Vassal in humanoid form.
That instant, the rainbow-colored light that enveloped Astarte’s Beast Vassal increased in radiance.
The spiritual resonance wave barrier withstood the attack of Kojou’s Beast Vassal and reflected it back—!
“Whoooah?!”
“Eyaaaaah!!”
The uncontrolled magical lightning discharged, raking the ceiling, punching through and breaking apart the thick ceiling of the Gate’s lowermost level with ease. Kojou and Yukina yelled out as they ran around to escape from the incessant downpour of debris.
“Shit…! No good?! So even my Beast Vassal can’t break her barrier…!”
Kojou groaned as fierce uneasiness assaulted him.
Even having taken a blow from “Regulus Aurum,” Astarte’s Beast Vassal was undamaged. Even if the attack was repeated over and over, it would probably end with the same result.
And the structure probably couldn’t endure further combat. If the exterior walls of Keystone Gate were breached, seawater, propelled by the water pressure at two hundred and twenty meters below sea level, would no doubt rush in all at once, crushing Kojou and the others. Yukina would definitely die instantly; even Kojou’s fate was uncertain.
“Senpai…”
Yukina gently approached as if to support Kojou against the debris trying to bury him. Even her expression bore heavy signs of fatigue—naturally, having been fighting such a powerful opponent in the flesh.
“Sorry, Himeragi. We might not be able to beat them…!”
Kojou’s voice shook with anger, as if directed at his own inadequacy.
One step. Just one step farther, and they could save the island. And yet they could not reach it.
However, Yukina, looking up at the frustrated Kojou, smiled vividly.
“No, Senpai. In this fight, victory is ours.”
As Kojou said, “Eh?” Yukina stepped in front of him, leaving no time for a rebuttal.
“—I, Maiden of the Lion, Sword Shaman of the High God, beseech thee.”
She danced with the silver-colored spear, like a swordsman praying to the gods for victory. Or perhaps like a maiden to whom victory was foretold.
“O purifying light, O divine wolf of the snowdrift, by your steel divine will, strike down the devils before me!”
Alongside her solemn chant, the snowflake spear began to emit a shine.
That dim white light was a spiritual resonance wave that could rip apart any barrier. However, its form was different from Astarte’s. It was slender, sharp, like a shining, glittering fang—
“…No!!”
Having realized Yukina’s objective, Eustach heaved back his axe to throw it at Yukina while she was defenseless. However, a sphere of lightning released by Kojou attacked Eustach as he did so. Protected by plated armor as he was, it was not a fatal blow. However, it interrupted his motion for an instant.
That instant, Yukina dashed. Like a supple, pale white she-wolf, she danced in the sky without a sound.
Astarte’s response lagged behind Yukina’s speed.
Both were imprinted with the same DOE. However, while Astarte’s was a huge Beast Vassal with a barrier enveloping its whole body, Yukina’s spear’s power was concentrated on a single point: slender, sharp, for the sole purpose of penetrating the opponent’s barrier.
“Snowdrift Wolf!”
The next moment, the silver-colored spear pierced Astarte’s defensive barrier, deeply impaling the faceless head of the human-shaped Beast Vassal. That moment, Kojou, too, finally understood the meaning of Yukina’s words.
Even though the barrier had been pierced, Yukina’s spear had done little damage to the giant Beast Vassal. However, the spear continued to deeply impale the Beast Vassal’s head, even now, inside the materialized Beast Vassal’s body, where the defensive barrier would have no effect.
The long metal shaft was as if a lightning rod, beckoning for the lightning—
“‘Regulus Aurum’!”
Faster than Kojou’s command, the Lightning Lion moved at the speed of light.
Yukina had already released her spear, leaping in midair.
And then Kojou’s Beast Vassal bit down on the shaft of the spear she had left behind.
The magical energy of the Beast Vassal transformed into lightning form poured into “Rhododactylos’s” body.
The way to defeat a mass of magical energy was to smash it with stronger magical energy—
This time, the overwhelming magical power of the Primogenitor’s Beast Vassal instantly burned away and annihilated Astarte’s.
“Astarte—?!”
Having lost her Beast Vassal armor, the homunculus girl slowly collapsed onto the floor.
Eustach moaned, dumbfounded, as he gazed upon the scene.
The annihilation of Astarte’s Beast Vassal, with the ability to destroy any barrier, meant the collapse of Eustach’s ambition to release the holy relic from the keystone.
Before Eustach’s wavering eyes, Yukina landed without a sound.
The distracted Eustach was slow to react.
Yukina pressed her palms against the torso portion of the armor-reinforced garb that shrouded him.
“Distort—!”
It was the Sword Maiden pal
m strike that penetrated armor to convey damage directly to the human body within.
As Eustach made a pained guhh, his tall body bent over. And—
“—It’s over, old man!”
Kojou added his own strike, punching the Armed Apostle in the face.
It was a forceful blow with only might behind it, not magic or spells or any other power of a Primogenitor. Consequently, it was an attack no arcane art could defend against.
Eustach’s sturdy body flew back. It bounced several times over, finally collapsing onto the floor.
He slowly outstretched his hand toward the keystone; then, his strength seemingly exhausted, he fell silent.
8
An eerie silence came over the Keystone Gate’s lowermost level.
Eustach did not move. Even if he regained consciousness, most likely he had no intention of continuing to fight. His defeat had been assured the moment Astarte had fallen.
Eustach’s holy war was over.
Even so, Yukina remained in a fighting stance, as if to guard against a counterattack from him.
“…”
Without a word, Kojou looked over the area. The Gate’s bottommost level had taken severe damage. Even so, the keystone was intact; the wire cables were virtually undamaged. They’d protected the island, if barely.
Having confirmed this, Kojou met Yukina’s eyes.
He unwittingly let out a small smile.
Yukina did the same. Yet in an instant, like a flower blooming shyly in winter, her beautiful smile inevitably vanished from her lips.
They had won a victory. However, that didn’t mean they’d achieved anything in the process.
A great many people had been hurt. And even now, the holy relic slept within the keystone. None of the distortions that enveloped Itogami Island had been resolved.
Even so, having seen her smiling face just now, Kojou was just a little satisfied. Just for that, he thought, this battle was not in vain.
And, it wasn’t as if he hadn’t saved anyone—
“…”
Kojou made a shallow sigh as he looked over the fallen Astarte.
She was heavily exhausted, but she was still alive.
She didn’t seem to be suffering any significant effect from the lightning released by Kojou’s Beast Vassal, either.
Right Arm of the Saint Page 19
