The evacuation sirens hadn't stopped yet.
In the sky, the moon was visible through the opening on the cloud.
In addition to the Bloody Ptarmigan Cross that I shot, the Undead Archdemon was swallowed in the blasts of the numerous partially conjured dark matter it had summoned.
Caught in such powerful destructive power, there was no way that it could have survived...I wanted to think it has, but there was little way to confirm it.
I noticed that the inorganic voice hasn't announced the addition to my stats and skill.
I looked up once more, and traced the magical power.
[Is it still alive...]
[Looks like it is. It's as if it was immortal.]
I could only see weak magical traces. Now, what were you trying to do?
The distance to the enemy was quite far. It was over the effective range of the unevolved secret first form. However, that range was not a problem once I used the mastered version.
It's good that we managed to prevent the undead archdemon from destroying the capital, but it'll be bad if it managed to flee. Although, judging how it wished to destroy the capital, it'd be hard to believe that it'd escape just like that.
It's the worst matchup for us land dwellers...
[I wish my strength was still the way it was during my prime. I would've been able to put up more fight.]
It's been a very long while since Eris last used the black bayonet, so her current form couldn't be described as her best. Although Envy said that she could do as she wished, she could only bitterly laugh as it seemed that the weapon itself isn't really willing to work together..
The best she could do at the moment is just giving support fire.
– Phalanx Bullet (Charges 5): Expand magical aura, dramatically reduces the target's attack power. Stacks up to 3 times.
– Vanishing Bullet (Charges 7): Removes presence. Effect is dispelled upon taking any damage.
That's some powerful abilities.
But these special bayonet bullets cannot be used in succession. They can only be used after hitting the enemy with normal bullets several times first.
Charge 5 meant that you needed to hit the enemy five times before you could use it.
The black bayonet can hold 7 normal bullets. It takes 30 second to reload all seven bullets back. There were some limitations, so one needed to use the special bullets as effectively as they could.
Fighting while managing the remaining bullets and number of charges, I would be confused as hell if I was the one having to do all that.
[So it's like that. The charges are fine, but none of the available bullets are fitting for the situation. So, if the target flew to the sky and do something similar like before, *glance*]
[I can't shoot that many times!]
[One more shot should be fine! You still look good]
If I did that sort of thing repeatedly, my status would drop exponentially. If I couldn't kill the archdemon by then, I will be hard pressed to fight it properly.
Whenever I'm together with Eris, I always feel that she felt no tension at all during battle.
Even in this crisis, her face didn't show any worse changing.
Perhaps, even after this kingdom was destroyed and I died…..
[What's with that face of yours? Ah, could it be because how hard it is to notice the tension from my expression?]
[…Un.]
[When you've lived for so long, you'll become desensitized to things like death. Both your own death and others. Yes, I know what you mean. But there is nothing I can do about this one.]
Eris then muttered in a low voice, [I was once a delicate girl though]. I guess it's directed to herself. But judging from how she said it, I suppose she felt that she's no longer as delicate as she originally was.
[But even so. No matter if it's the past or present, there is something that never changes]
Eris looked at me. But I felt that it's as if her eyes seemed to be seeing someone that wasn't me.
I felt troubled because the conversation was somehow veering toward romance.
In such situation, a powerful magical aura was emitted from the sky.
[Seriously…..it's...]
[It seems to be using the spirit union. After Fate foiled its effort just now, I think it's starting to get serious.]
The sky was split open. The distortion was blacker than even the night sky.
The stars and moon was hidden by the distorted space. As if it has swallowed them all into its crevice.
So is this the dark magic powered up by the Soul Union...? Instead of multiple casts like before, it's now a single powerful cast using all of its magical reserves.
As Eris said before, should I shoot Bloody Ptarmigan Cross once more?
I gave the black bow a glance, but Greed remained silent.
It's something I must decide by myself.
When I was about to put more power into the black bow, I sensed another strong magical aura.
Eris also seemed to feel it, she too turned her gaze toward the direction of the aura source.
[It's from the top of the palace' rooftop]
[Ah, that girl...appearing in a timely matter.]
Even with "Night Vision", from this distance I couldn't possibly see her face. But the white flowing clothes, as well as the huge black axe, easily gave out her identity.
I could easily imagine who she was just from the silhouette alone.
It was Myne who had come up quite late. Also, why was she up there....?
She looked up, then flung the black axe toward the night sky.
Too fast. I couldn't even follow the trajectory.
All I could hear was a very loud boom, to the point that it made the ground trembling. Soon after the black magic in the sky disappeared. The large crevice to the different dimension closed up.
Along with the sky returning to its original state, I saw a black object falling down with such a great momentum.
The object seemed to be tremendously heavy, as the whole military district got shaken when it landed on the ground.
Approaching the landing point, there was a huge crater, with the undead archdemon seemingly crushed by a huge black axe.
It struggled to move out by flailing its arms and leg, but the axe won't budge.
The black axe Sloth became even heavier as it hit an enemy. And earlier today, Myne used it to spar with Aaron.
Apparently it had built up weight from that time. Myne had a habit of forgetting to reset its weight when leaving it at the garden. It was a thief prevention method, she said.
Seeing how the undead archdemon struggled under it, I guess it's a good measure. But the garden at Barbatos mansion will end up flattened again thanks to that.
While watching the undead archdemon with astonished face,
[So, feeling better now?]
To Myne who appeared from the darkness of the night, I said in a direct manner.
[It's a bit late. Myne]
[But your aid really saved us]
[Un, I got here on time. Because I was sleeping at the mansion, but Aaron woke me up]
Looking at me intently, she moved her hair locks away.
[Aaron hit me. It was painful]
Her forehead was a bit reddened. Apparently, Aaron was forced to use the last resort because normal shouting couldn't wake her up.
He was carrying Mimir in a hurry, and all he had was his holy sword scabbard.
[But since it's emergency, I forgave him]
[I see…..Aaron was in a serious rush.]
Myne glanced at the undead archdemon. I was terrified by the gaze she threw at us afterward.
[This won't do. Why was I pushed to act? And this situation, what's with this ugly thing? Ne, why is it?]
[That's, because I shot a lot of blanks during battle...I'm sorry]
Eris hid behind me to evade the killing stare.
Myne looked at the enemy, and said.
[You'll need to separate them ...in order to defeat the undead Archdemon. If it's Fate, you have the technique to kill an unkillable enemy. You can use it.]
Myne said 'to separate them'. Just from a short look, she already knew that something was possessing the undead archdemon.
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