Chapter 7 Part 20
Translator : PolterGlast
Inside
the infirmary of Solminati Academy. In this disinfectant-filled room, Irisdina
and the others were listening to what was going on from Norn.
"So,
Norn-sensei, you're saying that you made that request to give Nozomu and
Lisa-kun some alone time together?"
"Yeah,
I had to, otherwise this was just going to drag on and on. I know, sometimes
it's better to give them time, but it's been more than two weeks since the
incident. It's about time they had a face-to-face talk, don't you think?"
Norn
simply answered Irisdina's question.
Certainly,
it was time for both Nozomu and Lisa to settle their past conflicts.
Nozomu's
body was free of any aftereffects, and Lisa's mental state, which had been
unstable for a while, had stabilized.
"Indeed.
I think it's time for Nozomu to make his decision."
"I'm
sure the Red-Haired Princess will apologize while kneeling directly on the
ground and bow to Nozomu. The question is ..."
"What
kind of answer will Nozomu give to her?"
Mars,
who had been listening to Norn, nodded approvingly, while Feo and Tom calmly
predicted the future.
Hearing
Tom's words, Irisdina suddenly looked out the window.
Beyond
her line of sight was the cityscape of Arcazam.
"Ai
..."
"I
got it. I got it, so..."
Irisdina
responded to her best friend's worried voice with a squeezed voice.
She
understood. She understood that those two need to face each other.
Irisdina
and the others were not qualified to interfere in Nozomu's and Lisa's problems,
after all, since they were not the parties involved. It was a fact that they
couldn't do a thing to help Nozomu during the most difficult time of his life.
At
that time, when Lisa was about to commit self-harm, Irisdina couldn't keep her
composure and ended up getting very angry, but now she had firmly suppressed
her feelings for Lisa in her heart.
However,
her eyes looking out the window were somewhat sad.
On
the other hand, Shīna was nonchalantly tending to her bow while listening to
Norn and the others.
She
wiped the bow lightly with a cloth to remove any moisture and lifted it to
check for any damage or scratches to the bow itself.
A
bow is a very delicate weapon, and if it is not cared for properly, it will
soon become useless. The string was also removed and placed on the table beside
her, as leaving the string to tauten would damage the bow.
There
was no stagnation in her work that was being carried out quickly and
efficiently. She really didn't seem to be worried about Nozomu and Lisa.
"Even
so, Shīna, you don't seem to be too concerned about them, do you?"
"Well,
no matter what answer Nozomu-kun gives, it won't change our relationship with
him, right?"
"~
!?"
Irisdina's
eyes widened as if she had been taken aback by Shīna's attitude and words.
Shīna's
words sounded as if she was dismissing them as irrelevant, but Irisdina could
sense in her words her feelings for Nozomu.
Irisdina's
heart was filled with fear that if Nozomu and Lisa were to get back together,
Nozomu might disappear from her life. Such anxiety had been swirling around in
her heart for a long time.
But
even if that were the case, the bond they had formed with him will not
disappear. The elf girl in front of her said so and intended to respect
Nozomu's wish to face Lisa straight on.
"I
see ... you are strong."
Irisdina
found herself spontaneously exclaiming in admiration.
Shīna,
on the other hand, tilted her head curiously at Irisdina's look of admiration.
"You
think so? I think it's simply because I only spent a short time with him
..."
"Haa
..."
Irisdina
let out a sigh due to Shīna's attitude, but for some reason, it made her mouth
naturally relaxed.
"Well,
I should get my act together too..."
Once
again, Irisdina looked out the window.
Her
eyes, which earlier had been tinged with impatience, now looked somewhat
calmer.
"'Well.
We'll just have to put that aside for now. As Shīna said, no matter what answer
he gives, nothing will change."
"Good
grief, Mars. It's nice, to be so simple ~~. As expected, of a
brain-muscle!"
"What
do you mean by that, hey ..."
Feo
started to make fun of Mars, and Mars gave him a stern look and reached out his hand.
Feo
ducked and avoided Mars' hand, and the angry Mars, with a vein popped on his
forehead, began to chase after Feo.
Have
they started doing it again? Shīna and Mimuru looked aghast, while Tima and Tom
looked on in bewilderment.
Somia,
who was watching what was going on, looked at her sister and asked her if she
should stop them, but Irisdina only shrugged her shoulders.
Eventually,
Norn got mad at them for making such a fuss in the infirmary, and her fist
smacked their heads.
Norn
stood before them as they crouched down holding their heads. A storm aka her
sermon was about to hit them.
Before
they knew it, the tension from earlier had dissipated, and a calm atmosphere
filled the infirmary.
"Gosh,
you two, did you forget that this is in the infirmary..."
Just
as Norn was about to start her preaching to the two crouching with their heads
in their hands, a light suddenly began to flood from a corner of the infirmary.
Irisdina
and the others opened their eyes wide at the sudden occurrence.
"W-,
what is that !?"
What
appeared was a pure white mass of light. The sphere of light, which was about
the size of a palm, gradually increased in size.
"I-,
I don't know! Anyway, everyone get away from it!"
Irisdina
and the others hurriedly distance themselves from the light ball and brace
themselves. They began chanting so that they could invoke magic at any time.
Irisdina
deployed several magic spheres around her, while Tima, Tom, Feo, and Norn stood
by with their magic barrier at the ready.
Shīna
sent magic power into the bow she had just cleaned, and Mars enveloped his fist
with a blade of wind.
"Um,
Ane-sama. What is going on?"
"I
don't know. But I sense a magic power that I can't imagine coming from that
thing."
"It
seems dangerous if it gets out of hand..."
Somia,
hiding behind her sister, let out an anxious voice. Irisdina, too, had no words
to answer her question.
Staring
at the light ball that suddenly appeared in the infirmary, Irisdina gulped.
According
to her estimation, the magic power contained in the ball of light in front of
her was more than enough to blow up this infirmary.
Norn,
who was preparing the barrier next to Irisdina, also had sweat on her forehead.
The
ball of light floating in the air expanded and shone brightly.
At
that moment, Norn and the other four deployed their barrier magic all at once.
As if to protect both themselves and the people outside the infirmary, they
placed double barrier inside the infirmary and around themselves, respectively.
Irisdina,
Shīna, and Mars looked intently to discern the true nature of the light from
within the barrier and prepared themselves to release their magic at any
moment.
Then,
as if the expanding light ball had reached its limit, it released a flash of
light.
A
flash that was so bright that it burned their eyes. However, contrary to the
intensity of the light, there was none of the explosion that Irisdina had
feared.
"Haa,
haa, good, I'm back."
"Y-,
you are ..."
Instead,
an old man with gray hair appeared in front of them. Zonne was breathing
roughly, his shoulders slumped, and Irisdina and the others looked at him with
wide eyes.
They
could not hide their astonishment and bewilderment at the appearance of a
person whose whereabouts had been unknown since the previous incident.
On
the other hand, when Zonne saw Irisdina's face, a big smile appeared on his
face, unaware of the girls' concern.
"Oh!
I'm so thrilled to meet you here, young lady! Could it be that this is fate~! I
shouldn't have been acting like such a fool!"
Zonne,
who had been flirting on his own, suddenly sat down on the floor in front of
Irisdina and the others and rubbed his head against the floor.
"My
apologies! Ladies, lend me your strength!"
The
old man's sudden prostration and pleading deepened their confusion.
Irisdina
and the others were no longer sure what was going on and just stared down at
the old man in front of them in puzzlement.
"...
So old man, why did you come in contact with us?"
Norn,
who was the first to calm down, took a step forward and asked Zonne a question.
Her tone was extremely flat, and her eyes, looking down at the old man, showed
a strong sense of caution.
The
extraordinary ability that the old man showed in the previous incident. The
mysterious old man had completely shaken off the pursuit of the
"Starlight" afterward. It was natural for Norn to be wary.
"Let
me ask you straight to the point. Who are you and what is your purpose for
contacting us?"
Zonne's
identity and purpose. At the very least, this must be made clear.
Norn,
Irisdina, and the others gasped after hearing the old man's reply.
"I
am a member of the White Dragon Clan and the guardian of the Dragon of
Destruction. I have been chasing Tiamat, who fled from where she was sealed
into this place."
Zonne,
who raised his face suddenly, answered without hesitation while holding his
chest out and meeting the gazes of Irisdina and the others straight on.
"I
have come here this time to ask for your help. The fate of my family and the
dragons has an influence on this. The evil omens that stem from it are now
befalling Nozomu Bountis."
"...
What evil omen?"
"My
ungrateful granddaughter is plotting to dispose of Tiamat, who has escaped from
the seal. She probably already has her blade under the boy's throat."
"Damn
you!..."
Mars
almost reflexively reached out to the old man. Irisdina and the others, who had
been looking at each other with a puzzled look on their faces, turned pale at
once when they heard that Nozomu was in danger.
"In
the worst case, the boy will be killed and Tiamat will be resurrected. If that
happens, things will get out of hand. That's why! I need your help!"
Perhaps
sensing their anger, Zonne put his head on the floor again and pleaded.
"...
Do you really expect us to believe you?"
"I
know I'm talking nonsense now! It is because of my naivete that this has
happened! That's why I want you to give me a chance to make up for it!"
He
was desperately pleading for the help of Irisdina and the others, so much so that
he sounded desperate.
There
was no trace of his usual haughty atmosphere.
"Old
man, you can't stop your own granddaughter?"
"If
it were only Azel, there would be no problem. But Tiamat has a strong grudge
against the White Dragons, especially against me, the guardian. If I were
to carelessly show myself, it is certain that Tiamat, who lurks within the boy,
would go on a rampage. Depending on the boy's condition, this could lead to the
worst possible situation."
According
to Zonne, Tiamat had an unusual hostility toward the White Dragons.
It
was reasonable that Tiamat had an extraordinary hatred towards Zonne, who
called himself a guardian.
That
was why he wanted to ask for the help of Irisdina and the others who managed to
bring Nozomu back to his senses before.
"I
beg you. I want you to help us so that we don't repeat the tragedy..."
That
plea rang deep in the ears of Irisdina and the others.
========================================
Azel,
a white dragon with shimmering mystical white scales, and Nozomu, whose entire
body radiated menacing Qi.
Confronting
each other in a lifeless gray world, they stared at each other with a clear
intent to kill.
Nozomu
raised his katana and activated his [Instantaneous Movement]. Like a leopard
running on the ground, Nozomu lunged in a straight line toward Azel.
Azel,
on the other hand, launched countless light arrows as if to block Nozomu's
path.
"Hmph!"
However,
that was not enough to stop Nozomu.
He
used his [Instantanous Movement] to dodge the light arrows that were coming his
way, and at times he would brush them away while steadily closing the gap
between him and Azel.
However,
Azel, who had revealed her true form, made another move to prevent Nozomu from
advancing.
"~
!?"
Suddenly,
the ground beneath Nozomu's feet began to glow.
Immediately
after, countless spears of light protruded from the ground, their tips aiming
to pierce Nozomu.
Nozomu
immediately leaped. He twisted his body in mid-air and tied to escape from the
spears.
The
spears, which had come out of the ground, locked onto Nozomu's body, but failed
to pierce him, and instead made him fly through the air. Nozomu landed on the
ground and immediately tried to run toward Azel again.
"I'm
not done yet!"
Azel's
offensive never stops.
She
formed countless light bullets in the sky. At the same time, she launched
spears of light from the ground again.
Attacks
from the sky and the ground. If Nozomu were to leap as he did before, he would
be swallowed by the barrage of bullets, and if he ran on the ground, he will be
pierced by the spears.
The
sky was covered with light bullets, and a swarm of spears approached Nozomu.
It
was a reenactment of a natural disaster that could easily swallow a tiny human
being. At this rate, Nozomu would be swallowed by the swarm of light and not a
single piece of flesh would remain.
But
.......
"Slow
!"
Nozomu
cast such a natural disaster aside with a single word.
He
raised his right arm and slammed it into the ground. The next moment, a torrent
of light emerged from his feet.
Qi
Technique [Light of Extinction]
This
Qi technique has the greatest range of effects of all the techniques that
Nozomu has.
The
swarms of light bullets that came from the sky were swallowed up and crushed by
the torrent of light that extended from the ground, turning them into the dust
of the primordial elements.
However,
for Nozomu, who was pushing the limits, this technique was also a double-edged
sword.
"Guuuuu!"
Lacerations
ran down his arm and blood spurted out. The enormous use of Qi easily injured
Nozomu's body.
The
pain was so intense that made him want to cut off his arm, but the pain was
quickly consumed by rage and disappeared.
Nozomu
rushed toward Azel's neck while cutting through the primordial elements that scattered like fog.
"Tch~!"
Azel
flapped her wings as she clicked her tongue.
Nozomu
accelerated further with a slight hint of frustration in his angry eyes.
If
he let her escape into the air, Nozomu would lose his chance to attack at once.
Probably Azel understood this too.
Nozomu
was running like a gust of wind. But before his blade could reach Azel, she had
already flown into the air.
"Damn
it!"
The
two of them intersected as if swapping positions with each other. One turned
while scraping the ground, and the other spun and circled brilliantly in the
air.
Immediately
after, Azel formed and released countless light arrows in the sky.
Countless
light arrows spread out as if covering Nozomu. The moment Nozomu saw the swarm
of light arrows attacking him like a meteor shower, he took evasive action
without hesitation.
"~
!"
Nozomu
activated his [Instantaneous Movement] again. He dived into the forest nearby.
Immediately
after, a swarm of light arrows landed. They pierced the gray-dyed trees while
stirring up large quantities of soil and sand.
The
sound of overlapping explosions repeatedly shook the colorless atmosphere,
carving countless scars on the ground.
And
then, after all the light arrows have fallen, there came a quiet silence.
Azel
glared at the thick clouds of smoke with a quiet but stern gaze.
"~
!"
A
flying blade of Qi cut through the thick smoke and flew toward Azel's neck.
Azel
swiftly swung her forearm and knocked the flying blade of Qi away.
The
blade scaped off a few of Azel's scales but dissipated like mist. Immediately
after, an unscathed Nozomu jumped out of the cloud of dust.
"Tch~!
Too far!"
Nozomu
didn't stop his feet and swung his katana in quick succession while cursing
Azel's appearance. Ultra-thin blades of Qi bared their fangs at Azel continuously.
Azel,
with wings flapping in the air, continued to dodge Nozomu's attacks but because
of her large figure, some of them hit her.
However,
Nozomu's [Phantom] only scraped off a few scales and did not inflict much
damage.
Originally,
the effective range of [Phantom] was only a few dozen meters at most. No matter
how much Nozomu's Qi had increased drastically, it was extremely difficult to
inflict fatal damage on a dragon just by hitting it with a series of attacks
like this.
"Guu!"
Every
time Nozomu launched Phantom, the lacerations on his arms increased. This would
inevitably happen if he put all his energy and Qi into each of his strikes.
Nozomu's
mouth was distorted in frustration as his attacks seemed to be ineffective.
However,
little did he know that the power of his Qi technique could already be
considered extraordinary when he was able to inflict wounds on such a legendary
opponent, namely a dragon.
However,
Azel's expression was not relaxed either. Indeed, Nozomu's [Phantom], which was
filled with extraordinary Qi, was not much of a threat to her, but it was
powerful enough to the extent that it could not be ignored.
"~
! Annoying!"
Azel
deployed a barrier in an instant, repelling Nozomu's [Phantom]s, and again
formed and launched countless light arrows.
Nozomu
immediately took evasive action.
He
swung his katana while running around with his [Instantaneous Movement -Curve
Dance-] activated, knocking down the incoming light arrows.
The
soil and sand flew up and countless scars were carved into the ground. A tree,
that was broken in half by the carpet bombardment of light arrows, flew through
the air, and Nozomu uses even the tree as a shield to survive Azel's onslaught.
Azel
opened her mouth and the light began to converge.
Nozomu's
eyes could clearly see the scene.
It
was clear that she was preparing an attack that couldn't be compared to the
light arrows Nozomu had seen up until now. He could predict what kind of attack
it would be.
"Take
this!"
A
huge breath was released along with a roar from Azel's mouth.
The
breath swallowed the arrows of light and rushed toward Nozomu in a straight
line.
With
his [Instantaneous Movement -Curve Dance-] activated, Nozomu immediately
changed course without killing his speed at all and jumped out of the spot with
explosive acceleration.
The
next moment, Azel's breath landed, and the released shockwave and torrent of
light elements attacked everything in the vicinity.
Nozomu
swung his katana in a circular motion as he stared into the oncoming storm of
light.
Qi
Technique [Fan Shaped Sail]
The
film of Qi filled with an extraordinary amount of Qi flexibly caught the
shockwave as it bared its fangs at Nozomu.
Nozomu
kicked the bent film of Qi that had caught the shockwave and at the same time,
tried to quickly leave the place.
However,
perhaps because the power of Azel's breath was stronger than expected, Nozomu's
body was blown away by the aftermath of the explosion like a withered leaf
blown by the wind.
"Tch~!"
Nozomu
clicked his tongue and tried to regain his posture.
He
stretched out his hand with all his might and grabbed a nearby tree trunk.
His
body was about to be swept away by inertia, and he tried to forcefully control
it with his drastically increased muscular strength and physical strength. However,
his injured arm was not enough to stop the momentum, and his hand slipped from
the tree trunk.
Nozomu
had no choice but to twist his body in mid-air and forcefully land his feet on
the ground. He tried to kill the speed while scraping the ground. However, when
he looked up at the sky, he saw the light gathering in Azel's mouth once again.
"I
got you!"
Azel
declared so with conviction.
Azel,
who was already in a position to pursue, and Nozomu, who had yet to kill his
speed. It was clear who had the advantage.
The
next moment, a breath of white light shot out from Azel's mouth again.
The
huge breath, firmly aiming for its prey that was below, ran towards Nozomu as
if it were a comet.
“…………”
However,
there was no fear of death in Nozomu's eyes, and the flames of hatred glowed
red and blazing.
A
sludgy, magma-like rage scorched Nozomu's entire body.
What
came to his mind was Lisa's figure who was blown away by Azel. He felt
indescribable anger at Azel for hurting her and at himself for failing to prevent
it.
(How
dare you hurt Lisa!)
(How
dare you betray me!)
Two
angry voices overlapped.
The
anger became the fuel and the two blazing flames intertwined with each other,
gaining more and more momentum.
The
breath released by Azel completely caught Nozomu. Even if he took the
initiative to leave the place, it would be difficult for him to avoid it
completely.
Moreover,
the forest trees were dense around Nozomu. There were too many obstacles to
break away at once.
“…………”
Evasion
would be difficult. Even if he managed to evade, as long as Azel was still in
the air, Nozomu's attacks would inevitably lack effectiveness.
Azel's
altitude was too high to use the same method that he used to bring down the
Undead Dragon before.
Currently,
there was no way for him to drive the opponent to a lower altitude. Even if he
was able to repel the opponent's breath, he would still lose.
If
that were the case, then ...
"Fuh~!"
With
a short exhale, Nozomu relaxed his legs. The legs that had decreased the
momentum as he was blown away were gone, and his upper body flowed as it was.
At the same time, gray ground loomed in Nozomu's tilted field of vision.
"~
!"
The
next moment, Nozomu leaped with all the strength he could muster in his legs.
He turned his body around in a sideways roll and landed on the trunk of a tree
growing in the direction he was going.
"Haaa!"
He
focused Qi on both legs while screaming to raise his fighting spirit.
He
activated his [Instantaneous Movement]. While breaking the tree trunk that was
used as the launch pad, Nozomu's body was launched into the air and jumped over
Azel's breath.
"~!
What a quick guy!"
Azel
let out an impatient cry at the sight of Nozomu, who had evaded her breath. She
must have thought she could finish him off with her earlier breath.
Azel
formed countless light bullets around herself.
Nozomu
is a human being. He does not have the ability to fly in the air.
Thinking
so, Azel's mouth broke into a smile, perhaps convinced of her victory. However,
the next moment, her expression froze.
Nozomu
twisted his body in a somersault, and while upside down in the air, he swung
his katana in a circular motion.
The
Qi technique [Fan Shaped Sail] appeared beneath Nozomu.
Immediately
after, Azel's breath landed under Nozomu, who leaped.
The
explosion of the breath scattered shockwaves in all directions, obliterating
the gray debris into pieces.
The
shockwave spread further and slammed into Nozomu's [Fan Shaped Sail].
The
film of Qi literally bent like a sail caught in the wind. Immediately afterward,
Nozomu pushed his Qi to the limit and kicked the film of Qi under his feet with
all his might.
With
an ear-piercing burst of sound, the film of Qi burst, and Nozomu's body shot up
into the sky. Beyond him was the White-scaled dragon.
"Wha~!?"
"Uooo!"
If
he can't knock his opponent to the ground, he can "jump" to where his
opponent is instead.
Nozomu
thrust in a straight line toward Azel as if he were a spear. His katana was
once again filled with an enormous amount of Qi.
Azel
didn't expect humans to jump in the air. When she realized it, she found that
Nozomu was already right in front of her.
Azel
quickly activated more barriers, forming a myriad of multiple barriers.
Five
colors of light emerged from Nozomu's body. It flowed into the [Mumei]'s blade
he was carrying, and the shining blade was dyed in chaotic colors.
It
was the very power that Tiamat possessed.
"Be
cut apart!"
The
moment Nozomu drew his katana, Azel's barriers were instantly severed.
The
countless barriers that were cut apart just like papers dissipated into dust
and vanished into the gray sky.
"T-,
that's absurd! How could a human being use that power? ..."
While
Azel was stunned, Nozomu was swiftly drawing his second strike. The blades of
Qi that burst along the katana's trajectory turned into countless blades,
tearing apart one of Azel's wings.
[One
Billion Severance]
Azel's
right-wing was torn to shreds by countless exploding Qi blades, completely
depriving it of its function.
"Kuh~!
Damn you!"
Following
gravity, Azel's body began to fall. She forcibly twisted her body, in an
attempt to cleave Nozomu with her forearms.
However,
Nozomu took advantage of her inability to hold her ground in mid-air and was
able to escape the momentum of Azel's forearm.
"Kyaa!"
The
loss of one wing and the attempt to forcefully attack Nozomu caused Azel to
completely lose her posture. Not missing the opportunity, Nozomu swung his
katana further.
*Slash*
The
blade of chaos cut deep into Azel's body, splattering fresh blood.
Nozomu's
blade easily sliced through the White Dragon's armor, which was immune to any
attack.
Furthermore,
Nozomu kept swinging his katana again and again in quick succession. Each time,
Azel's body was injured.
"Guu,
gahah~! You!"
"~
!?"
But
Azel, not to be outdone, shot the swarm of light arrows that she had left in
the air toward Nozomu.
Like
a hawk that had found its prey, a rain of light arrows descended from the sky.
Naturally, Nozomu and Azel were at the end of it.
Compared
to Azel, who was clad in armor called dragon scale, Nozomu's body was like a
jelly. Naturally, it was obvious which of them would be seriously injured.
"...
Fuh~!"
Azel
tried to eliminate Nozomu, even involving herself in a self-destructive attack.
However, Nozomu kicked Azel's body away
and leaped towards the oncoming light arrows.
Pulling
out the sheath from his waist, he intercepted the approaching light arrows with
his katana and sheath while spinning like a spinning top in the air.
At
the same time, the Qi technique [One Billion Severance] was activated from the
sword and scabbard. They created a thick wall made of chaotic Qi in front of
them and intercepted the approaching light arrows one after another.
Despite
the fact that he was surrendering himself to his rage, his katana technique was
still clear. His movements were nothing short of extraordinary.
"Guuu!"
However,
Nozomu's body was also screaming. The inexhaustible power overflowing from his
body further eroded his body. Every time he swung his hands, the muscles in his
arms would tear, and blood would spurt from his skin.
However,
Nozomu, driven by his rage, did not stop. The hatred of both Nozomu and Tiamat,
who was in sync with each other, continued to grow without limit, and it was as
if they had no sense of pain.
He
felt pain. But that was no reason to stop.
Azel
was struck with astonishment as Nozomu reaped all the light arrows that were
coming at him, even though his entire body was torn apart and bleeding.
"N-,
no way ... Gah~!"
The
next moment, her body was slammed vigorously to the ground. The pain and shock
that ran through her entire body momentarily turned her consciousness white.
"Oooo!"
From
above Azel, who was groaning, Nozomu raised his katana and lunged at her. He
was about to finish Azel off with a tremendous amount of Qi and anger in the
blade he raised.
Nozomu,
who had leaped three times in the air, was now falling from a considerable
height. If he were to hit the ground at this rate, even he would not be safe.
However,
Nozomu, who was swallowed by anger, was no longer thinking about landing.
With
a scorching murderous intent, he plunged toward Azel, who had fallen to the
ground.
"This
is the end!"
An
explosion of five colored elements overflowed from Nozomu's body.
Nozomu
and Tiamat. The overflowing power, in sync with the anger of both, flowed into
the blade of the [Mumei] in a whirlpool, dyeing the blade in the color of
hatred.
The
blade attempted to reap Azel's life while emitting the light of chaos as if it
was going to devour everything. However, just before the tip of the blade
reached Azel, an enormous amount of light enveloped both Nozomu and Azel.
Immediately
afterward, there was a shock, and Nozomu's body was softly bounced.
"Gah~
!?"
As
Nozomu, who was hit by the shock, took a defensive stance and managed to regain
his posture, his eyes caught sight of something strange.
There
was a white crystal with a shiny ornament trapped inside it. It floated between
Nozomu and Azel as if pleading for something.
"~,
Don't get in my way!"
Nozomu,
who was consumed by anger, raised his katana without caring and tried to slash
Azel along with the crystal.
However,
in the next moment, the crystal shone even brighter, and the corner of the
ground that was dyed gray suddenly exploded.
"Wha~
!?"
Numerous
white, shiny things fly out of the scattered soil and sand.
The
paper-thin rectangular pieces flew around Nozomu and fell one after another to
the ground around him.
At
the same time, a glowing magic formation appeared around Nozomu. The numerous
lights emanating from the magic formation clung to Nozomu's body as if to hold
him down.
(Guu,
gah~ ...)
"~Ugh
..."
Immediately
afterward, a feeling of intense weariness overtook Nozomu's entire body. His
strength drained from him as if the heat had been drained from his soul.
His
strength drained from his knees and he hit the ground with his hands and
collapsed. In front of him, Azel stood up slowly while letting out a breath of
relief.
"Thank
you, Father."
Azel
reverently bowed her head to the crystal floating in the air.
(Mika-, eeel!)
Tiamat
let out a vengeful voice that sounded like it resounded from the depths of
hell. Her consciousness was no longer focused on Azel, but on the small crystal
floating in front of her.