The battle between the defense squad and the Endo 8 Funeral Blade, led by the Nord Horns guarding the east gate, had already begun.

''Kook...!　Keep your distance and fight!　If you don't fight in time, you'll get attacked properly!

　While surrounding the enemy with several members of the group, the node was looking for the next opportunity to go on the offensive.

''The end of the ten indicative armies................................The end of the eight funeral blades is one, Fabiisi.

　A purple and white speckled outfit.
　The man dressed in those bizarre shades of clothing announced this as soon as he appeared.
　Immediately after the enemy came forward, the nodes began attacking at once.
　The other party was a resident of Doomsday Township.
　This is not an opponent that can be negotiated with.
　The nodes immediately decided that.
　At the very least, it was unlikely that they would accept the words of an opponent who was lower in rank than them.

　So.
　Nodo quickly realized that his opponent was not someone he could win one-on-one.

''Watch out!　If you take a real bite of that weapon, it's going to cut your body in half!

　Fabisi's weapon is a huge axe.

　--Boom--.

　A large axe that was as long as the height of the user.
　As Favisi swung that great axe with a speed that didn't make you feel the weight, a wind arose.
　It was neither a holy sword nor a magic sword, but it was dangerous enough to be called a threat.

''Lord Node!　I'll get his attention myself!

　One of the members of the group - Rosso has been looking out for me.
　He is a member of the group that has a reputation for defense and its persistence among the people here right now.
　It seems that he wants me to find an opening while I'm on the defensive and launch an attack.

''Alright!''

　The Great Axe rampaging like a storm.

''...........''

　Fabisi seemed to be a quiet man.
　He hadn't spoken a word since he first said his name.

　Lozo moved forward while thrusting his shield, which had an uneven shape, forward.
　Depending on the shape of the opponent's weapon, he could hook the weapon with that uneven part of the shield.
　If he does it well, he might be able to hook and entangle that axe and stop it from moving.

　--Gakin--

　He did it.

　The unevenness of Lozo's shield caught Favisi's axe.

'Whoa, whoa, whoa!

　Rosso pulled the axe.
　He was also proud of his strength.

　--guy--.

　Fabisi's body was slightly pulled towards Lozo.

　There's an opening.

'Now!'

　--What the hell?

'Gafu!　What....to...?　Stupid, what.....

　A spear had pierced Rosso's body.
　Where had it been hidden?
　No, it was "planted" in his other arm.

"A planted spear, you say?　d*mn........shit!

　In a desperate move, the node stepped forward.
　He took a glance at the group members behind him.
　I'm probably in a terrible shape now, he thought.

　--Rozzo, save it.

　Fabisi pulled the spear out of Rosso.
　The Great Axe attacked the node.
　The node caught the big axe with his holy sword.
　He tries to use the angle to escape his opponent's power.

　 --

　The blades of the axe and sword violently cut into each other, causing a loud noise and sparks to fly.

''Gu........!

　In the shoulder, an uncomfortable feeling and heat.
　The axe attack for the amount of power it couldn't escape, gouged the flesh of the node's shoulder.

　While jumping away, the node removes his gaze from the enemy for a moment.
　Lozo, pierced by the planted spear, is being held by his companions and taken off.
　The rescue is successful.
　The node chooses to keep the pause.

　--Boom! --

Huh?

　An axe blade with killing intent rode past the tip of his nose.
　If I had been a little later in jumping, my head might have been cut in half to the side.

''Haha, haha...!

　We have not yet given the enemy a wound that seems to be a wound.
　Moreover, the enemy is not only unharmed, but not even a single breath has been disturbed.

"Weak.

　Favici opened his mouth.

"He's too weak. He's no match for me.

　The tone is emotionless, but there's a hint of amusement in the sound of it.

"I guess it's time to just kill us all and be done with it.

　Is this the difference in class?

　For some reason, Nodd was worried about Lili.
　His own body should be in danger as well, but for some reason, he suddenly felt worried for Lili.
　If it was the Forbidden Spell Maker or Currier Versteen, who had also brought down the Four Deadly Disasters, they might have a chance to win.
　But an enemy of this rank--.

　The faces of the Holy Tree Knights' members float and drift away in my brain.

　If they didn't have the same level of strength as Commander Sogut, they wouldn't be able to win.

　I can't abandon the fight here.
　Our mission must be carried out to the letter.
　But I can't think of a way to win with our current strength in this place.
　Even if we all made a desperate charge, we would not be able to defeat them.
　As soon as we realized that...

Oh, you're...

　A member of the group behind me let out a puzzled voice.
　He turned around behind him.


　A jet black armor was standing there.


''Rose....Clay, Wal...?''　

　Ruvel Argan's "Armored War Demon".

　Rose should have been following beside Prince Geas........

　Passing through the members of the group who naturally gave way, Rose walked straight towards the fabisi in silence.
　With each step, there was the illusion that the ground was creaking.
　So much so, a sense of weight.
　She had already heard from Makina Renoussphere that the 《Armored Warrior》 was a silent person.
　So this silence of the 《Armored Warrior》 is not so strange.
　It must be that kind of personality.

''You're going to join us, you mean...?

　To the node's words, which could be taken as both a question and a soliloquy, still, or rather, Rose did not respond.
　However, from the jet-black armor, a wariness to Fabisi was rising up from the jet-black armor.

''The appearance of the rumored "Armor Warrior" is enough to be an offering to our Empress.

　The sound of sand scraping against the soles of his shoes.
　While moving with sliding feet, Fabisi is trying to pause.

You're going to be able to cut through that armor with this crystal-rich Breakthrough Axe........................let's try it out.

　Armor is not a complete piece of protective equipment.
　Even if they are wrapped in armor, their joints will inevitably be exposed due to mobility issues.
　You can still say it's lucky that your opponent isn't a striking weapon, but with an opponent of that kind of strength, they're sure to come for the gaps in your joints.
　There's also a possibility that a planted spear will shoot your brain out of your eyes at once.

''Lord Rose, that fellow has a planted spear in his left arm please be careful. And the enemy controls that huge axe as if it has no weight.

　One of the group members said to Rose what Node was about to tell her.
　Rose did not respond to the words.
　However, to Node, it appeared that Rose nodded slightly.

　The distance between the black armor and Favisi was closing.

　Rose still hadn't pulled out the sword at her waist - the Holy Magic Sword Tailfinger.

　He didn't think about covering him.
　It's not much of a stretch for someone with their own level of competence to be able to mix in a fight of this caliber.
　It's a good idea to have a good idea of what you can do to help.

　The distance between the two sides was narrowing further.
　And then...

　The demon in the armor.
　The Great Axe.
　In time.
　I'm in.

"Past the vaunted Sacred Demon Sword, Armored Demon.

　Fabisi urged, but Rose was unresponsive.

'That seemingly thick armour ... so confident, huh?

　Fabiji let out a snorting snort.

'Then--'

　--Gosh--

　The big axe roared.
　That pause.
　You can reach it.
　The distance you can mow down the black armor.

　--Cuey--

　Just before the axe moved, there was a strange sound.

　A moment later, the black armor turned into a super-speed shadow.

　--Huff--

　Immediately afterwards, there was a crushing sound like a thunderclap.

　Continued, the sound of a crack in the ground.
　A piece of stone flew in the air.

　The heartbeat was found to be gaining speed.
　Words involuntarily escaped from Node's mouth.

''What, what........was that.......?

　The ground around Fabisi's head had caved in around it.
　Rose's black cuirass grabbed the white-eyed, unconscious head of Favisi in an eagle grip.

　I couldn't see what had happened.
　But I could predict it.
　Perhaps, though.
　Rushing forward with tremendous speed, Rose jumped into his opponent's bosom faster than Favisi's axe.
　And in an instant, she must have grabbed Favisi's head and slammed it straight into the ground.

　--with that huge armor, what speed........

　Rose Claywall was even more different in rank than Favisi.
　It could be called extraordinary.

''That........is the Rouvel Argan's "Armored Warrior".......''

　All of the group members who were present at the scene were speechless.



　Fabisi still had breath in his body.
　A weak, trembling hand was searching for his weapon, which he had removed.
　Above him, a shadow covered his head.
　He looked upward with only his eyeballs, and there was the soles of his black armor.

　The will to life vanished from Favisi's eyes.
　His hands cease their search for weapons.

　And--.

　The foot, wrapped in heavy leg armor, was ruthlessly swung down like an execution hammer.


　---- thud!