"Hehe, don't worry; the pain will end soon. Originally, I'd planned to torment you a bit more, but it seems I'd best get this over with."
Cyrus turned his back on Julis, groaning in pain, and raised his hand.
She saw the brawny puppet approach her, gigantic Axe in hand, ready to hack her open.
"..."
She couldn't bear to watch any further, and closed her eyes.
––At that moment, a gust of wind blew past her.
A wind both gentle and carefree, and yet with all the ferocity of a gale-force wind.
"Sorry I'm late."
Shocked, Julis opened her eyes. In front of her stood a young man who had no place being here.
In his right hand he gripped a large sword of blinding white light.
"Ayato?!"
As Julis screamed his name, the Axe-wielding puppet crumpled.
At precisely the same moment, the puppets holding her did the same, their bodies sliding apart where they had been severed in half.
"Wh-What are you doing here...?"
Ayato held her in his arms.
As relief flooded through her, a complicated mix of joy and embarrassment bubbled up in her heart.
"Thanks to Saya and Claudia."
"Sasamiya and Claudia...?"
No, that's not what was important here.
"Don't tell me you came here to save me?"
"...Isn't that what just happened?"
Julis couldn't help but be enraged by his words.
Didn't he know for whose sake it was she had braved her loneliness to make her way here?
...She had to be honest with herself. This bright, kind-hearted young man was someone incredibly dear to her. And yet it was for that very reason that she hadn't wanted him to get caught up in this.
"This is my problem, it's none of your business! Why would you intentionally put yourself in harm's way?!"
Speaking the words that floated up from deep within him, Ayato responded openly.
"Julis, you said before that you were fighting of your own accord, for your own sake? That protecting that orphanage was something you yourself desired to do?"
"...That's right."
Julis was slightly taken aback by the sudden change in topic, but she nodded.
"I honestly find that admirable. It's just that-"
Pausing his words for a moment, Ayato turned to look Julis in the eyes before continuing.
"––Who's going to protect you?"
"Protect, me...?"
Julis had never before considered this question.
All that she was had been for the sake of protecting that which was dear to her.
Every spare moment had been spent toward achieving this very goal.
To take the reins of the future, to ensure that tragedy never repeated itself, she'd devoted her very being.
And that was why––
"Did you know, Julis? I've always been searching. Always seeking. In pursuit of that which only I can do, that which I want to do, that which I must do–– my life's purpose. Ever since the person precious to me above all else disappeared, I've never stopped looking. It wasn't until I came here ––until I met you–– that I've finally found what I've been chasing after."
Ayato's voice was filled with deep longing, as if bidding a dear friend farewell.
"Now I know what I want to do–– and I have the power to make it happen. This, is my calling––"
"Your... calling?
"I will be your strength. Just that."
Ayato nodded lightly as a smile lit his face.
The eyes that met Julis' were open and sincere.
Fathomless and dark, eyes like the boundless night sky.
She felt her heart begin to pound.
Although slightly painful, it was a mysterious feeling which filled her with joy.
This was something she'd never experienced before, an emotion which surged with great force-
"Are you two done? Man, I never would have guessed you'd show up here–– Amagiri Ayato-kun."
The voice pulled Julis back to her senses. She saw Cyrus give an exaggerated shrug.
He was as unperturbed as ever. Even if three of his puppets had been destroyed in an instant, he wasn't unnerved in the slightest.
Brimming with confidence, even if Ayato had now joined the game, he was sure the victor had remained unchanged.
"So that was the power of Ser-Vesta. It truly is something to behold."
Ser-Vesta was a name that even Julis had heard of before. It was a prized possession of Seidoukan Academy, a first-rate Ogre Lux which hid a terrifying ability. Truly a demon sword indeed.
Its enormous blade radiated with a blinding white light, held aloft by a single of Ayato's hands.
"Unfortunately, such a weapon is wasted on a second-rate owner like yourself. Ayato, I've already watched you fight. People with your mediocre level of ability are a dime a dozen. Your success just now was only because you took me by surprise. Faced with my army of over a hundred puppets, what can you possibly hope to achieve-"
"––Shut your mouth. The despicable coward who attacks others by surprise is you, Cyrus Norman."
It was almost impossible to believe such a cold and unfeeling reply had come from Ayato.
Intimidated, Cyrus retreated a step.
As he realized what he'd unconsciously done, his face twisted with rage.
"...You sure talk big, but why don't we see if you can back that up?"
Cyrus again snapped his fingers, and once more, the ranks of his puppet army readied their weapons.
"If you have what it takes to face off against an entire army, then bring it!"
Bullets of light flew from all directions as puppets wielding Lux swords, axes, and guns attacked all at once.
However.
"––Secret sword bound by the prison of stars, release your might!"
At that precise moment, Julis saw.
Ayato's face showed a bitter expression. At first, she'd figured he was simply raising his Prana to its limits. Instead, she saw magic circles floating all around him, which sparkled into nothingness. A breathtaking surge of Prana was released, becoming a pillar of light that touched the heavens.
No. If I were to put you down, he'd undoubtedly go after you. I'm sorry, but please bear with it for a moment longer
Almost as if the chains that bound him had been undone.
A moment later, he disappeared.
"Wha...?"
Cyrus mouthed wordlessly as he watched the puppets that had attacked Ayato fall apart. Looking at the fallen bodies, it wasn't so much that they'd been cleaved in half by a blade as that they'd been burned clear through by tremendous heat.
Cyrus stood unmoving, completely at a loss to explain what was occurring before his very eyes, as he continued to stare at the location Ayato had previously occupied.
"...How! How is this possible!?"
Finally coming to his senses, Cyrus surveyed the situation.
"Wh-Where did you disappear to now-!?"
"I'm right here."
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"!"
Ayato stood behind him.
Grasping Julis tightly with his arm, he'd appeared behind Cyrus in an instant. His path was made evident by the trail of bodies.
Julis watched the scenery before her change like channels on a television as she realized just what kind of inconceivable speed she was being made witness to.
"Y-Y-You...!"
Ashen-faced, Cyrus turned and staggered backward.
Before him stood a young man, a giant sword in his right hand, Julis in his left. His entire body overflowed with a force of Prana so dense it was nearly visible.
"Wh-What are you...?"
Julis was similarly stunned speechless, but recovering her senses, she started to struggle.
"A-actually, let me go! I don't want to be a burden on you!"
It didn't matter how light she was, holding a person in your arms as you fought was bound to negatively affect your combat ability.
This was even more true since it forced Ayato to wield Ser-Vesta single-handed. The burden created by doing so couldn't be underestimated.
"No. If I were to put you down, he'd undoubtedly go after you. I'm sorry, but please bear with it for a moment longer."
"But then you can't use your other arm...!"
"There's no need to worry. You wouldn't believe how light this sword is."
Ayato waved Ser-Versta lightly. Along the blade, clear as snow, a trace of black began to show. Rather, it should be said that the trace of black actually left the blade, coiling around its body.
The thought that naturally came to Julis' mind was of the blackened flames of hell, leaking through their seal. Perhaps that was the origin of this weapon's name.
"Although, even if I say that, I really can't maintain this for too long. Not that it matters when it comes to opponents of this level, though."
Ayato again advanced toward Cyrus.
"Uu...! It seems like you've got some skills, but don't underestimate me!"
Cyrus tried to give the appearance of having maintained his calm, but it was obvious he was deeply worried.
"Let me show you what I'm really capable of...!"
The ranks of puppets which had fallen into disarray, again organized themselves into an orderly formation.
The first ranks held those which were armed with spears, axes, and other long-range melee weapons. The middle ranks were composed of those puppets with swords, and the final ranks were armed with guns and bows. Cyrus stood at the rear, directing his forces.
"This is the true form of my Merciless CorpsMerciless Puppet Army! Its destructive power is equal to that of a military company; if you want to challenge it, go right ahead!"
The first ranks suddenly charged forward.
Ayato dodged the tip of a spear which came lancing towards him, but arrows had already targeted his reaction. Ayato blocked them with Ser-Versta, at which point the sword-wielding puppets attacked.
"Uwah!"
Ayato again avoided an attack before leaping backwards.
Julis finally took a breath.
The succession of attacks had only missed her by a hair. Ayato wasn't clutching her with his full strength, but nonetheless, their intimate proximity had Julis blushing.
Julis scolded herself for allowing her imagination to run wild at a time like this, but it couldn't be helped.
"To think you would actually avoid all that... That said, it's all you can do just to dodge, isn't it?"
Watching Ayato defend himself, Cyrus began to recover some of his former confidence, as he bared a mocking grin.
"Ah, about that. After that attack just now, I understand everything."
"...And what is it that has you so enlightened?"
"Six types, right? That's the most you can move at once."
"Wha-"
Cyrus frowned in disbelief.
"And here I thought you were going to say something profound. Are you blind? Am I not moving more than one hundred puppets right before your very eyes?"
"It's precisely because I'm not blind; all you have to do is look. Only six types are capable of independent movement. Those capable of following some basic patterns are around 16 at most, and the remaining are only capable of pulling triggers and waving their wrists; that kind of simple motion."
"...!"
"That's only good enough for a bluff. Now I see why you always have to rely on sneak attacks. Were you to try and use this sort of crude ability in a real match, you'd be seen through."
Cyrus, paling, began to tremble.
His reaction was enough to verify that Ayato's words had been spot-on.
"You know, speaking of six types and sixteen puppets...your ability uses the imagery of chess, doesn't it?"
"Chess, that's it!"
Generally speaking, the abilities of the Strega and Dante were modeled after real objects. Just as Julis' abilities used flowers as a focus, it seems Cyrus' abilities mimicked chess pieces.
As Julis nodded, she was simultaneously filled with admiration for Ayato's impeccable powers of observation.
If that short engagement had been enough for his secret to be seen through, then it was clear that Ayato was many levels above Cyrus.
"You probably saw yourself as a grandmaster–– but that's not how this game is played."
"You... bastard...!"
Flushed completely red, Cyrus howled in rage.
The front ranks of puppets again charged forward, but this time Ayato didn't dodge. Instead, Ayato strided toward the dense mass of the puppet army, and swung his sword.
As the light flashed, three lance-wielding puppets fell to pieces. Ayato swung his sword with extraordinary speed, and with all the ease of brushing away an insect, each puppet that appeared instantly dropped.
"It's useless. Even putting aside the fact that they're powerless alone, as long as you've grasped their movements, they may as well be made of wood."
Ayato swung his blade without so much as looking. Like a moth to a flame, the puppets approached him, and with a searing hiss, were dispatched.
In other words, Ayato had completely grasped their movements.
"Alright then, it's about time we finish up."
As he finished speaking, he suddenly charged into the mass of the puppet army's main body.
With every swing of his sword, the number of puppets dropped.
Several of the puppets attempted to guard against his attacks, but to no avail. Ser-Vesta was simply too strong. As other Lux weapons attempted to meet it, both the puppets and the weapons they had used as shields were cut through like a hot knife through butter.
Julis trembled at the sight of this almighty power.
(A demonic sword that can't be blocked...?)
Even for an Ogre-Lux, this was just too much.
They then tried to evade his attacks, but his sword was far too fast.
––It hadn't even been three minutes.
During this short duration, Cyrus' puppet army which had numbered over a hundred was now left utterly in ruins.
Whether it was the large and sturdy type meant for Lester or the black-clothed flame-retardant type meant for her; all lay in pieces.
"...This isn't possible... This isn't possible... Impossible... Just not possible..."
Watching the scene before him in disbelief, Cyrus seemed to have fallen into an incoherent stupor. As Ayato pointed his sword at him, he let out a scream and fell on his butt.
"Game's over, Cyrus."
"...It's not over yet! I still have my trump card!"
From his position on the floor, Cyrus waved his arms energetically.
From behind a pile of rubble an enormous puppet appeared.
It was five times the size of any previous one. If it hadn't been for the hole in the roof, it would undoubtedly have smashed through the ceiling. Its limbs were large enough to rival the size of the pillars of the decrepit building. Although it was still vaguely humanoid, it resembled an ape much more than a human.
"Ahahahaha! Come forth–– my queen! Destroy my enemies!"
Heeding the command, the queen charged Ayato at a speed unfitting for its large size.
She didn't seem to be armed, but all things considered, she probably didn't need to be. With all the momentum that blow could accumulate given its mass, even someone from the Starpulse Generation would be unable to withstand its force.
Ayato, however, only sighed, and again took Ser-Vesta up in a stance.
At the precise moment when that giant fist would splatter the two, the sword flashed.
"Rend flesh and shatter bone - Amagiri True Bright Style, Intermediate Technique
Even Julis, watching from point-blank, couldn't tell what Ayato had done.
She saw but a single flash from Ser-Vesta, but in the next moment, all four of the giant puppet's limbs had been severed, dropping to the ground with a loud rumble. A huge scar had been scored into the puppet's body. She wasn't sure just what kind of attack could leave such a mark–– actually, she wasn't even sure just how many times Ayato had attacked in that single moment.
"––"
At last, Cyrus was left completely speechless.
As Ayato approached, his face twisted in fear and he ran.
"Aaaaaaaaaaaah!"
Stumbling, crawling, wailing, he squeezed his way into the wreckage of his puppets.
"You really don't give up, do you?"
Ayato frowned impatiently, and followed after with a dangerous expression.
Even if Ayato had immediately taken after him, he was still a step behind.
Clutching a piece of wreckage to his chest, Cyrus began to float.
More accurately, it was the wrecked piece of his puppet that began to float, but the effect was the same either way.
He watched Cyrus accelerate and speed away.
"Sorry, Julis. I need to go after him. Would you mind waiting for me here?"
"If you're going to ask, then of course I can. Can you catch him though?"
"...I'll be honest; it's going to be hard."
At that moment, Cyrus had nearly reached the roof. If he managed to escape the building...
"Alright then. Tag me in."
"Huh...?"
"Didn't I say this already? I refuse to be a burden!"
Julis laughed fearlessly and gathered her Prana.
"Bloom proudly - StrelitziaStellar Wings of the Bird of Paradise!"
As mana gathered, wings of pure flame began to sprout from Ayato's back.
"Uwa!"
"We're going to take off. Leave control to me! I'm going to teach that despicable piece of trash a very painful lesson!"
"...Princesses shouldn't talk like that."
Julis ignored Ayato's comment and spread her wings.
The pair flew through the hole in the roof and out of the building in a burst of speed, emerging into a sunset scarlet-dyed sky.
Although this was Julis' first time flying with the weight of two people, she felt anything but unsteady. Indeed, strength bubbled forth from somewhere deep within her.
Julis again accelerated, and they soon caught up to Cyrus.
"––This is checkmate, Cyrus Norman."