Bloody wind was blowing violently, cracks ran through the ground, and there were
countless mountains of rubble and craters.
There were black clouds in the sky. Hell fire was running between the clouds, it was
like magma overflowing from crevice on the ground. Thunder was roaring constantly,
the world was being dyed with the redness of blood and flame.
"The world at the other side of the glass"――the other side of the unknown large glass
hidden underground Vatican was truly a place that was worthy to be called as "hell".
"Tsu!? ――My clone!?"
The one who slipped out the shocked voice was Kousuke who rushed into hell in
answer of the voice of a young man who was seeking salvation.
The moment he passed through the glass, his link with the clone at Grant house was
severed, at the same time his sense was telling him that he could summon clones at
maximum number. His clone was dispelled unintentionally.
"As I thought, the world is different…"
No matter how excellent Kousuke's clone was, it couldn't be maintained continuously
when he crossed over world. Even though the clone was able to move independently,
its source of power was the magic power of the main body. As expected when the
connection was severed by the interval of worlds the clone became impossible to
maintain.
An ashamed feeling crossed at the corner of his mind that surely he made Emily and
others worried with this, but the strange and supernatural pressing situation before
his eyes didn't allow for unnecessary thought.
Countless shadows were squirming inside the bloody wind that became even more
terrible like a thick sandstorm.
"Shit-. How troublesome…"
He unconsciously let out a curse.
Whether it was the condition, the environment, and then the situation, everything was
the worst.
It appeared the blood wind had quite that bad effect on human body. Since the
moment he stepped in here, Kousuke was feeling it all the time――the pain as though
his lung was stabbed, his prickling skin as though he was burned, stamina and vitality,
and then his spirit, the energies for the sake of living felt like they were slipping out
from the core of his body.
This world wasn't kind at all for living person.
In addition, due to the bloody wind that was increasing in thickness and intensity, he
lost sight of the strangely shaped humanoid and his rescue target.
Kousuke's Presence Detection normally had the range around 150 meters in diameter.
If it was a presence that he had memorized, it was possible to continue to sense the
presence within 300 meters at maximum, but he couldn't detect his target's presence
within his range.
In exchange, the presences of a great number of "something" where it seemed stupid
trying to count them were astir.
Anyway, he at least understood the direction to a certain degree. He had to advance
toward that direction, caught the presence of the woman within his range once more,
rescued her, then escaped.
(The time limit is… ten minutes I guess.)
He pushed up his sunglasses. He readjusted the position of the mask that was covering
his lower face until his nose. He muttered inside his heart and imposed a time limit
over himself.
Instantly, repulsive voices resounded directly inside his brain.
――Human-! Human-!
――There is a human-! Living, human-!
――Feed-, feed-
"These things talk-!? Or rather, they noticed me!?"
To even say he was thunderstruck was not enough to express how shocked he was. In
addition, he wasn't happy at all even though he got noticed. Rather, he got goosebumps
and it felt like there was a block of ice sliding down his spine.
But, there was no free time to stiffen from the indescribable repulsiveness. The many
"something" mixed inside the surrounding bloody wind attacked.
Their speed was like a wild cheetah assaulting their prey with its top speed. In
addition, their tricky movement that made use of the surrounding rubbles and craters
was like monkey freely going through sea of trees as they pleased.
The bizarre movement and abnormal speed made it next to impossible to deal with
them at the first encounter. A normal human would surely get done in by the first
move.
"I've got no time to care of this!"
*Hyun*, a streak of sword flash ran inside the bloody wind. Right after that, Kousuke's
figure appeared a few meter ahead. His pose with one hand pushed up his sunglasses
while staying unmoving was truly striking. Even though he still hadn't entered the
Abyss Lord mode for real.
The result was naturally…
The attacking "something" ――bloodshot dark red eyes, hair and teeth that grew
sparsely, bizarrely long limbs, thin and ashen body that had deficit here and there. And
yet it was only their stomach that was strangely bloating up. It was as though they
were monster like ghoul――all their head tumbled on the ground without a single
exception.
And then, they got up normally.
"No way!?"
Kousuke-san who entered Abyss Lord mode for a bit. He reflexively returned to
normal mode.
The ghoul-like things that he had definitely beheaded was regenerating their head
with the cut section bubbling and swelling up. Their tumbling heads were withering
rapidly and were blown away by the bloody wind.
Even during that time, the ghoul-like things attacked him one after another.
"Chih. Even though I don't have time, it's rea~lly troublesome!"
He also unsheathed his second short sword.
He dodged the incoming hands and beheaded them while passing through.
He trampled those that came crawling toward him, used those who came leaping at
him as footstool, and jumped further. The kunais that he let flew using Telepathy Stone
skewered five of the things altogether.
With a midair rotation, he mowed down the ghoul-like things that jumped at him, and
crushed the enemy underfoot with his feet when he landed.
And then, all those enemies regenerated and got up as though nothing happened.
"They're immortal!? There is no end to it!"
They came from all directions. The rain of ghoul-like things that leaped out from the
bloody wind even caused the sky to become temporarily not visible.
"Can't be helped-, ――"Black Vortex"!"
Gravity magic "Black Vortex" ――a magic that deployed gravity field to the selected
direction.
Kousuke made himself freefalling toward the sky and forcefully blew away the swarm
of ghoul-like things falling from over his head, opening the path to break through.
And then, below, the ghoul-like things who were reaching out their hand at Kousuke
were piling up to form a small mountain. He got goosebumps seeing that sight while
deploying gravity field to the horizontal direction. He began freefalling toward the
direction of his target.
"Guuh, it's harsh as expected-. Yue-san is seriously a monster."
The body was burdened because it radically changed direction from freefalling to
above toward horizontal direction, and also due to the enormous magic power
consumption from using gravity magic continuously. Kousuke raised an anguished
voice.
In actuality, the gravity magic that Kousuke could use in battle was extremely limited.
The change of gravity's direction to stand on ceiling or wall, the conferment of gravity
field, increase and decrease of gravity with him at the center――he could do things at
that level.
If he wanted to do things like Yue, compressing the enemy to death instantly,
swallowing all enemy attacks and compressed them while making a gravity sphere in
return, mixing elemental magic with gravity magic, and so on, he had to spend much
time on it, and he also couldn't use them consecutively.
Yue could activate something like basic gravity magic "Black Vortex" as easy as
breathing without any incantation and did pseudo-flight freely with it. She made it
looked simple, but in actuality even that was only possible with super advanced skill
of simultaneously controlling multiple gravity magic from speed adjustment and
direction adjustment, and even continuous neutralization of the normal gravity.
The same like how Hajime and Shia had no magic talent and were unable to properly
use gravity magic.
Although Kousuke possessed some talent, he was originally a frontliner, in addition he
couldn't manipulate magic power directly, and to speak further, he didn't even possess
abnormal amount of magic power. For him, the age of god magic called gravity magic
was his trump card, at the same time it was also a magic that was too advanced with
bad usability.
Also, Kousuke's flight time was only around thirty seconds. Though it would be a
different story if he was in Limit Break state or in the deepest state of Abyss Lord
mode.
Once more he grumbled that the bride of the monster of the abyss was a monster as
expected! which he wouldn't be able to say face to face even while continuously
activating gravity magic desperately. However, he finally detected the presence he was
expectantly looking for as the compensation of consuming magic power like crazy.
His remaining flight time was about ten-odd seconds, but his speed was that of
someone freefalling. It was more than enough to close the distance of a few hundred
meters.
Kousuke held his breath and shifted his mask to drink recovery medicine during that
time to recover his body's damage and magic power. And then, he took out a recovery
medicine from the Treasure Warehouse and moved to drink it…
Just before he could,
――iaAAAAAAAH
There was a repulsive shriek piercing his ears.
"Kuh!?"
Kousuke instantly stopped the "Black Vortex" and shifted his trajectory by falling
normally. Instantly, very bizarre creatures passed through in grazing distance to him.
They were ghoul-like things with wings of thin membrane that looked transparent.
Other than wings, they had trait of sharp fangs and extremely irregular head that had
their brain exposed, bringing about an unimaginable ugliness.
"What is it this time!?"
Kousuke raised his voice with irritation mixed in because he dropped the medicine
when the impact from the graze in passing and because he breathed in the bloody
wind without mask.
He returned his mask position to normal, at the same time he used the technique
"Wood Splinter Dance" ――the derivation skill of "Shadow Dance" to leap using dust
and dirt midair as instantaneous foothold――to leap and avoid the "thing" that flew
toward him from another direction.
But, even here the problem was the pure number of the enemies as expected.
The winged ghoul-like things that rushed at him from all directions while letting out
shrieks that disturbed the mind were rapidly approaching one after another in
trajectories that totally ignored aerodynamics. Finally, one of them succeeded in
tackling Kousuke.
"Woaahh!?"
――Living-, human!
Kousuke got cold sweat seeing the jaw that snapped close *gakin-* before his eyes. Of
course, he didn't make the blunder of getting hit directly and firmly guarded using his
short sword, although no matter what he was at disadvantage midair.
He was pushed by the momentum of the enemy's rush and they plunged through the
storm of bloody wind like that. From behind, a new player came in a pincer attack!
Kousuke's eyes slowly narrowed.
"――Can you all, stop already? ――" Gouka Beni Senpuu
Whirling Dark Flame of the Aby
" " (TN: Hell Fire Crimson
Whirlwind)
――Abyss-style Katon
Fire Ninja Art
– Futon
Wind Ninja Art
Combination Skill Gouka Beni Senpuu
Whirling Dark Flame of the Aby
A vortex of flame swallowed the surrounding while spreading to the sky and earth. It
was a defensive magic toward all direction that created a tornado of flame that was
whirling with the caster at the center.
The ghoul-like thing that was biting on the short sword and also the one who
attempted to do pincer attack from behind, and not just them, even the things below
and above that were looking for chance were also dragged into the magic flame
altogether.
And then, *PAN* after the sound of wind bursting accompanied the disappearance of
the flame tornado, the person who was pushing up his sunglasses meaninglessly…
That was, Kousuke…
No, starting from the irritation that the situation wouldn't progress smoothly, his
binding of the heart finally came off――it was the Abyss Lord
Abyssgate
!
"Hou. It appears their regeneration is faltering before my abyssal skill isn't it?"
Lord Abyssgate was staying midair with the power of the Air Force boots while
narrowing his eyes behind his sunglasses with a striking pose.
Just as he said, the winged ghoul-like things who got hit by "Gouka Beni Senpuu" were
turned into dust and carried by the wind without regenerating.
Were they weak against flame? Or perhaps because it was an attack by magic? If it was
the latter, then would physical attack be effective as long as he coated it with magic
power?
Although, the time to verify that was scarce.
Inside the thick encirclement where the winged ghoul-like things were surrounding
him in spherical shape, the lord made a fearless grin and readied his short swords in
cross shape.
There was no particular meaning in that!
"If you think you can stop this me, the noble of the abyss, then feel free to try! The dead
of the hell!"
It was unknown since when he became a noble! But, he was always introducing
himself as lord, so let's not pick at minor details!
The lord bent his knee midair like a tightened coil, then the next instant, he leaped out
like a cannon shell. At the same time, he activated gravity magic "Black Vortex" once
more.
He barrel rolled his body while cutting apart the winged ghoul-like thing that came
from the front.
Following the orbit of his slash, the two short swords carved the afterimage of shining
red cross midair.
The short swords that were originally jet black were containing radiant light right
now.
――Short Sword Brilliant Lightning and Flame Sword of Ruin
It was an artifact that performed "pseudo light sabe○ transformation" by compressing
advanced flame element magic to coat the sword.
Magic + blade of super high heat that melted everything. It was unclear which one of
them was effective, but as expected, the winged ghoul-like thing that was slashed
withered and vanished without regenerating.
The lord sneered "Fuh" toward the things that rushed at such lord only with number
as expected.
The winged ghoul-like things came attacking from left and right.
"Where are you looking?"
"Your above is empty you know?"
There were two black silhouettes. They were falling from above, at the same time the
heads of the two winged ghoul-like things were sliced and their bodies were falling
with tailspin.
A newcomer reached out its long hand from the front.
"Who do you think you are standing against?"
It was pierced from right below and vanished while getting blown away. The third
black silhouettes twirled midair and took position.
The three silhouettes――the three clones surrounded the main body of the lord from
left, right, and the front in delta formation.
Although the enemies were pushing using their number, the three clones attacked
suicidally with the resolve of taking down the enemies with them. When any of them
vanished, a new clone would appeared from the outset and unleashed a one hit kill.
The winged ghoul-like thing had no way to stop that advance that was like a surging
wave. The lord finally broke through the encirclement.
"Muh, out already!"
At the same time, it seemed like that also meant breaking through the very thick storm
of bloody wind.
*Bobah* The lord slipped through the storm of bloody wind with such sound and got
out to the other side. However, he unusually lost his words and got into a daze.
"What is… this place?"
Black clouds and cracked sky. Although the density was lowered, the bloody wind that
was blowing violently and the dried and cracked ground hadn't changed.
But, there was something that made the lord gazed at wonderment.
"A, city? This place"
Yes, what was reflected in the lord's eyes was a devastated city's townscape.
There were numerous half-destroyed buildings that gave the impression of
skyscraper. Roads that were bulging or gouged. There were also sections that were
turned into mountains of rubbles, and also a large hole that reminded anyone
watching of hell.
Far away at the other side of the spreading devastated city, there were mountains
glowing red with flowing magma. A gigantic lake that seemed to be made from the
magma could be seen too. The expression of "kettle of hell" was truly fitting for it.
The saying of the world of the end undoubtedly referred to this.
The lord thought that without any particular reason.
――IIIIIIIII
――HUMAaaAAAAAAN
The lord brought down the winged ghoul-like things leaping out from inside the storm
of bloody wind behind while scolding himself for stupidly getting dumbfounded like
this.
He concentrated and searched for the location of the presence he detected in more
detail.
And then,
"――Found you."
The lord became a streak of shadow and rushed through the air.
A voice could be heard.
A repulsive voice that disturbed the heart.
The voice of the arch-enemy that she had heard for thousands, tens of thousands
times.
The heat of hell and slimy shadow caressed her skin.
Aa, it was the usual dream again…
Claudia thought so, but she wondered why.
Even though it should be a dream, it felt more real than usual.
She wondered if that demon that continued remain clinging inside her brain was
something that granted pain and suffering that was this raw.
――The time, came
She wondered why.
Its words were different from usual. "That guy" first would sneer, and then said it. "If
the time come". Like that, it would the continue, saying "I'll violate, lodge inside you,
and go to the boundary of interval".
'Aa, I see'. Claudia understood inside her hazy consciousness.
The time, had come. The reason why "the guy" who took away both her parents let
only herself escaped. It was the time, to carry it out.
It was the time, the most terrifying time!
"Uh, a?"
Buzzing and thunderous wind hit her ears. The wind that caressed her skin
accompanied by discomfort and agony and the dull pain in her solar plexus were
gradually awakening her consciousness.
Claudia groaned while slowly opening her eyes. She was in a state where her
consciousness was still half in the dream world, but the discomfort and agony, and the
intense out of place feeling that gave her the sense of weightlessness was pushing her
consciousness rapidly to the surface.
"――kuh"
Her consciousness that became clear made her noticed the thing coiling around her
torso. That sensation, presence that made her feeling sick in display of her soul's
rejection of that thing that was just too repulsive.
[The time, came.]
A terrifying sneering that was unthinkable to come from this world reached her ears.
It wasn't a dream. It wasn't a voice that could be heard from dream. The voice
definitely, reached her ears right now!
"――!?"
Claudia raised a soundless scream. Her hazy mind was noisily raising the red alert
alarm sound. The warning her soul gave her was rapidly restoring her consciousness.
[The false kings has vanished, the annoying seal was undone. My empty body, will
obtain――I've been waiting, Claudia. The body that will give birth to me.]
The sneering laugh that sounded like metal getting scratched by claw resounded once
more. Just from that, it felt like human's heart could be easily turned mad. The
laughing voice was just too blasphemous.
What entered the sight of Claudia who lifted up her gaze was a nightmarish reality.
"Shadow". A condensed "shadow" that took the shape of human. Countless flames
were rushing like blood vessel, spurting out from the cracks of the "shadow". Its eyes,
mouth, nose, were existences shaped by hell fire. The left arm stretching out from the
thing's body was holding Claudia's body!
"You are-――kafuh, cough-!?"
Claudia opened her eyes wide and tried to say something, but the dull pain on her
solar plexus caused her to cough.
At the same time, that dull pain shook her memory back.
"-, Aziz! Aumale!?"
She looked around while still being carried by the thing's arm. She could only see
storm of bloody wind and desolated townscape. The people she was looking for,
weren't there.
But, the answer unexpectedly came from her arch-enemy.
[Kakaka-. If it's that human, he already became the nourishment for my body. It was his
reward for being useful.]
"A, aa, such thing…"
"That human" ――Claudia guessed that it undoubtedly referred to Aumale.
Aumale Garret. He was Claudia's comrade and also her subordinate. And then――the
"traitor" who caused the incident this time.
Claudia recalled. Due to Aumale's report, together with Aziz she hurried to the "hall of
mirror gate" that connected to the foreign world――to "hell" in a hurry.
Aumale reported in panic that the seal of the "mirror gate" was loosening, that at that
rate the "gate of hell" would open.
But, what was reflected on the eyes of Claudia who arrived at that hall was the "mirror
gate" with its seal in pristine condition.
When Claudia was going to ask what was the meaning of that, it was Aziz's anguished
voice which entered Claudia's ear.
When she turned around to see what happened, she saw the figures of the two clinging
on each other as though they were embracing. It was as though, when Aziz turned
around just like Claudia to ask what was going on, Aumale grappled him.
And then, her important step-younger brother fell on his knees.
They weren't related by blood. However, since the time he was taken in when he was
a child with similar circumstances like her, Aziz became her family as though he was
her little brother. And that beloved little brother of her was sinking on his own puddle
of blood.
Why? Why, Aziz was collapsing? Why, a knife was stabbed into his stomach? Why, was
so much blood flowing out like that?
Claudia who was unable to immediately understand the scene happening in front of
her eyes screamed to call out at Aziz. Aumale smoothly approached her who was like
that.
What Claudia remembered was the impact she felt right after that on her solar plexus,
and how the "Heavenly Light Cross" she carried was taken and thrown away.
There, Claudia was taken aback with surprise and felt around her chest. Because she
was made to abandon the "Heavenly Light Cross", she confirmed on her body thinking
'could it be', but…
The result that was just as expected caused blood to leave from her expression.
[Is this, what are you looking for?]
"! Return it!"
Even though Claudia understood that it was pointless, meaningless, and laughable, she
couldn't help but to yell it.
Something like a tentacle that was stretching out from the shoulder of the "shadow"
had an antique reddish brown cross with chain attached dangling from there. That
was exactly the reason why Claudia's face went pale. It was the secret treasure that
only Claudia was permitted to bring. It must not be handed over to the enemy no
matter what.
In front of the "shadow" who was sneering at Claudia's agitation, she slowly closed her
eyes.
She wasn't giving up.
It was the reverse.
It was for fighting.
She had no weapon and also no comrade, but since that day, from that time when the
nightmarish scene of her childhood was carved into her heart, she had determined,
resolved, and prepared herself!
"――Oh Lord, please hear the prayer of Thy child. Please grant Thy compassionate and
lamenting voice within mine heart. Please bestow the divine protection to Thy devout
believer――"
It was the manifestation of power that could only be used by very little part of people
even within the organization Claudia belonged too. The exercise of miracle by
chanting scripture.
Faint jade colored light wrapped around Claudia and burned the arm of the "shadow"
that was restraining her!
But,
[Kakaka-. Good, struggle. It's a delicacy.]
The unbothered sneering laugh and hell fire that was mixed with blackness coiled
around Claudia. And then, an even more intense pressure assaulted Claudia. An
unpleasant sound rang out from her ribs. Intense pain pierced through her brain.
"Kuh!? ――Oh Lord, I beg You to cut down the evil of the wicked, and help the righteous
to stand firmly. The shield of God protects me. Those with just heart is saved by God."
But, Claudia didn't stop praying. She wouldn't stop just because of pain.
The gentle phosphorescence wrapping around Claudia like firefly light was increasing
in radiance, causing the arm of the "shadow" to smoke white.
In front of such Claudia, the lump of shadow was slowly…
[Claire? Why are you tormenting your mother?]
"-!?"
The prayer that caused miracle stopped. Though she immediately restarted,
[How horrible you are, Claire. You are still planning to torment your father?]
"Sto, stop!"
She missed those voices, and yet those voices contained hatred that stopped her
prayer for sure this time.
In front of Claudia's eyes――were the figures of her dear mother and father. The two
who only had their head left.
She got flashback of that day's scene. To shake it off, Claudia tried to strengthen the
power of miracle further, but the two was looking as pained in proportion with her
effort.
"u, aa――"
Shadow loomed over her determination from that day.
She understood. This was an illusion. A nightmare that this foreign world and the
"shadow" showed her.
She understood.
But,
[Stop it, Claireee]
[Please, don't hurt us even more than this]
To think, that her heart was this weak. Claudia harbored an emotion that resembled
despair while stopping her words of prayer completely.
And then, the blazing hell fire. It burned Claudia's skin as though to say that it was her
punishment.
"aAAAAAAAAAAAH!?"
[The greatest flesh that will conceive my body. I won't destroy it.]
But, although it wouldn't destroy the body, it seemed it didn't mean that it wouldn't
torment her. Unpleasant voice that was smeared with sadism and scorn scorched the
wound.
Burn scar that was like welt was carved on Claudia's body like a seal. Intense pain
blocked her throat. Far from praying, even her will of resistance was messed up.
Small tears spilled out from Claudia's eyes.
The tears that were immediately blown away into nothing by the bloody wind weren't
because of the pain, but because of her mortification.
She had accumulated diligent study for more than ten years for the sake of this day.
She repressed the negative emotion of hatred and resentment that would give
strength to the "shadow", in order to fight with heart of purity and unselfishness, in
order to negate the nightmarish childhood scene nesting inside her heart.
And yet, she couldn't do anything.
Because she was betrayed by a person who she believed in. Because she witnessed
her little brother was lethally wounded. Because she didn't have any weapon in hand.
She couldn't even make those excuses.
She believed that she could do more. With the diligent study and experience she had
accumulated, her daily prayers, and her faithful heart, she believed that she had been
bestowed with the strength to overcome the "shadow".
But, this was the result.
"…O Lord-, grant me Thy hand of salvation-. Lend me Thy strength-"
[Kakaka-]
She asked for salvation to God pleadingly, but what came back was laughing voice that
fanned up disgust.
The light of salvation didn't shine down――
(O Lord, why, won't You answer me…)
She couldn't hear God's voice――
Then, at the very least,
(…Please, please)
She wanted to be punished as someone who would become great sinner for mankind
after this. She wanted to be given punishment for her sin of being unable to resist evil.
And then, she prayed for salvation even if only slightly to her comrades who were like
her family who fought until the bitter end――
[…?… Human?]
That call wasn't directed to Claudia.
The "shadow" suddenly stopped. Even while gasping in pain, Claudia somehow lifted
up her face. And then, she understood even within her hazy mind. It wasn't her who
was addressed.
The "shadow" looked around the surrounding suspiciously.
Right after that, there were countless sounds of slicing wind!
[!?]
The "shadow" swept its arm. Following its arm's trajectory, a whip of hell fire flew and
struck down the countless things flying toward it.
One of the things stabbed ahead of the gaze of Claudia who was being held.
It was a short sword with shape that Claudia had never seen before. A blade of
extended diamond shape, with guardless handle attached, at the end of the handle it
became ring shaped. A strange shape. Even though it was jet black colored as though
to absorb light, for some reason it was shining faintly.
"This is…"
Her eyes opened wide. She understood even though she had never seen it before. It
was a short sword that was suitable to be thrown even while containing many utilities,
something that shouldn't be used by the existence of this foreign world.
Yes, it was a "weapon that human used"!
"Where do you think you are going?"
A human's voice could be heard. A voice of a young man. It came from the other side
of the bloody wind in front.
"I don't know the situation, but let me say that I cannot admire this. Learn some more
about the way to escort woman."
The "shadow" narrowed its eyes quietly.
Claudia too was also directing her gaze toward the voice in surprise.
Like that, he appeared.
"Although, perhaps this warning is a bit too harsh for you whose figure is only like a
shoddy portrayal… in any case, this is a request from a courageous little brother. I'll
have you return that woman."
A man in black appeared as though melting out from inside the bloody wind.
The sunglasses and the mask that was covering almost all his lower face caused his
face to be unknown. His figure walking calmly with a short sword in one hand made
one apt to forget that this was a foreign world that was like hell.
She thought that her comrades came to save her, but this person's figure didn't exist
within Claudia's memory. He looked like a youth from the Orient who was younger
than her but…
That man――was making a turn adroitly for some reason. He pushed up his sunglasses
sharply. He crossed his arms, and made a striking pose! Just why in the world!
Claudia's brain was flooded with questions!
The "shadow" swung its hell fire whip with no question asked. Perhaps the whip broke
through sound barrier instantly, because it left the bursting sound *PAN-* in its wake,
arriving at its target within an instant.
Normally, the youth would be struck by the hell fire whip without even any time to
blink and got burned to ash, or his body would be bisected and his life came to an end.
Of course, the youth――who had snapped seeing Claudia who was worn-out from
torture and the sneering laugh of the "shadow" that was filled with delight which he
could hear while he was approaching the two of them――the lord easily struck back
the whip with a blazing hot short sword.
The eyes of the "shadow" snapped wide open. And Claudia was also the same.
In front of such monster of the foreign world and the woman who he ought to save,
the lord grinned fearlessly――and declared.
"From here on, unreasonableness will be performed. Lament your wretched luck of
being in front of the abyss and fall to ruin."
Claudia thought.
'Aa, my Lord, I'm grateful.
To grant salvation to this one.
But, o Lord.
Please, tell me one thing.
――Why is Your messenger, still turning and posing like that?