I don't know when I have ever felt so refreshed.
　The more I clear my thoughts, the more my body moves without hesitation. It was the most efficient way to kill.
　Ars manipulates the AWR chains away from his hands in a state of near mindlessness.

　As expected, he can't even let go of his reason. On the contrary, if he did that, he would be no different than a demon. It's a simple task of repeating the same thing as usual.

　I wrap the chain around my arm and adjust the length of it. Since the tip of the blade is covered by the [Dimension Fault [Dimension Thrust], it's pointless to even prevent it.
　The enemy, whose body was cut off in both directions, rolled on the ground without a single exception. Even so, they still pounced on me without fear.

''Ah, it's a lot easier just to come at me without saying a word.

　Ars grasped his hand covered with magic power, at the same time, his hand, which was raw and gripping the scythe, was crushed and bone protruded. However, he didn't even let out a cry of agony and naturally held the scythe in his mouth, and the rage did not stop.
　Arus smiles fearlessly at the enemy who is attacking him all at once. His eyes shone bewitchingly in the gap between his flickering bangs.

　It's not just a matter of time before you'll be able to get your hands on it. A splatter of blood flew up every time I put in a single sword.

''What are you doing!

　The scythe stops moving at Noir's reprimand. At the center of it all was his companion, the man in black.
　Countless stab wounds have already told the man's fate.

''Thank you........''

　They all turned at the sound of a voice behind them. There were chains surrounding everyone in a circle.
　You are going to be able to run like an idiot, but the barrier extending from the chain is in the way and no one is able to get out. I'm sure you'll be able to find out more about this as well.
　It was a cylindrical barrier that was so high it almost reached the heavens.

　If they had a few seconds to spare, they would not be able to create a barrier of such strength that they could not escape. Breaking the barrier would require an offensive magic that would immediately surpass it.
　A detecting mage might have been able to search for vulnerable spots in the flow of magic. It's probably something they don't have.

　Ars didn't feel anything to take such measures. No one can stop the deadly air anymore. This is what was at the root of the magician called Ars.
　Above all, he coldly dismissed his emotions. His cold brain constructed a cold and deadly magic.

''The Sword of Eclipse [Sword of Eclipse]

　A huge sword that looked like it had been carved out of a powerful rock floated through the clouds. Its tip was set on top of a cylindrical barrier.
　A heavy, tectonic bass sounded, like a tectonic shift, and it fell silently.

　It took a moment for it to pierce over the trapped people as it ripped through the barrier.
　A crack ran across the ground. The impact was enough to roll up the ground in this area.
　However, right after the slightest crack in the ground, the hard, huge sword turned its blade into an enormous residue of magical power.


　The sight of it makes the wind contain an unfamiliar iron smell along with dust. My mouth could sense a strange taste from the smell.



　The pale faces of the members of the group who were unable to escape or look directly at Tesfia's back.
　Tesfia herself was on the verge of nausea.

　He couldn't even look at them anymore. The droplets that pooled in his eyes made him turn his face away as if he was rejecting them. Not even water would pass down his throat now.
　There was no way I could endure this kind of hellscape. It was different from the dolls in Gudma. At that time, they had no ego, and they could tell themselves it was their salvation, having become puppets.
　If you don't do it, you'll get beaten up, and since she had a responsibility to go with you, she didn't turn her back on it, and she was able to stand up to it.

　The scene that Tesfaye sees now is not like that. It's not the same as it looks right now. There must be some way not to kill them. That's how overwhelming it is.
　Even so, they will certainly kill. It even looks like they are deliberately taking brutal methods.

　That's why I couldn't stand it.
　Tesfia, who was about to entertain, turned her face away and guffawed.

''So it's the same with you.''
--!

　Loki's wistful words brought Tesfia back to consciousness and she naturally listened.

'You deny the path that Al has walked. Have you been dreaming about it?　Did you think you had the strength that everyone envies, that you could do anything you wanted?　Did you think you were always getting chickened out?　This is the reality of how mind-blowing that magician is. You can't protect the world with a pretty face. You've said it before. You have no idea how much Lord Ars has contributed to this.
..........
'I suppose I can't blame you for not being able to imagine it. But.....

　Loki, who has begun to sob, opens his mouth, which is still trembling as he looks at Ars.

'It's sad........I've been carrying this all alone......no one wants to kill someone.......' ........so I want to lighten his load a little by the side. I want to share ... but I'm not ...

　The fullness of his thoughts poured out of Loki's eyes as he spat out his thoughts in the form of drops. The reason for my existence, it should have been to use my life for him.
　When did it start? When did I stop looking at the big, bloody back that I should have been chasing after?
　When he realized that he wasn't the only one who had crossed the path to salvation.

　It was probably because of the incident in Barmes. Loki's irrepressible love wanted him to be happy more than anyone else. It would have been good for him to have joined the academy. Having a pupil named Tesfia and Alice would have also made a huge difference to Ars.
　That's why Loki feels sad about the rejection she shows him.


　◇ ◇ ◇ ◇


　Stunned, Morweld bent to his knees, probably because they were all dead, leaving Noir behind. A thin crack in the ground ran right next to him, and a scare crawled up from under his feet - a worm called fear made him numb down his legs.
　Morweld had never experienced the thought of having no one to protect him in case of an emergency.

　Still, somewhere along the line, an ambition that he couldn't give up was keeping his mouth shut. No, maybe it was fear that prevented him from opening his mouth. No matter how many of his subordinates were killed, if he couldn't harm himself....
　But looking at those eyes, the self-defense he deserved as a Major General was not natural.

　Noir and Ars, who became one-on-one.

It's fine. This pain, that maniac and the murderer, it's all madness. Me too, oh you too!

　Huffing and puffing, Noir exhales sweetly into the sky.

''Forget the oracle, just die quickly.
'Yich!　Baboon baboon. I'll try if I can........

　The magic power became a black fog and drifted around Noir. And two 【Grudge of the God of Death (Crescent Reaper) 】 appeared.
　The maximum number of 【Grudge of the God of Death (Crescent Reaper)】 that she could create was three. The remaining one swung the sickle down from above Ars's head without a sound.

　However, it was still the same thing all over again. As an assassination technique, it's a given that it's a blind spot. It is simply because it is undetectable. I'm not going to be able to get a good idea of what I'm talking about, but I'm going to be able to half step back and dodge it with ease, as if I knew it was a good idea.
　A single swing of the knife without giving it a second thought.

　If it was a simple physical attack, it would only end up cutting through the fog, and that was its greatest strength. However, right after Ars cleaved, the supposedly astral body of 【Grudge of the Grim Reaper (Crescent Reaper)】 clearly constructed its prototype - as an ice statue.

　この魔法が召喚魔法、または幽体という点でのみ生じる欠点をつかれたことにノワールは眉根を一瞬寄せた。
　幽体状というあやふやな定義の元に構築されているのだ。ある意味で霧状とも呼べる代物だ。故に物理による攻撃を通さない。だが、それだと行動の制限が掛かる。だからこその召喚魔法として発現させているのだ。
　発現の定着を召喚魔法で補ったと言える。そのおかげで召喚魔法の弱点となる核も極力微細。さすがに物理攻撃だったとしても魔力を併用し、尚且つ核を捉えなければならないが、肉眼ではまず捉えることができない。

　逆を言えば定着を曖昧にしたため発現するための定着が弱いせいで魔力による影響を受けやすい。特にアルスが放ったような魔力そのものを凍らせる魔法に関しては劣位にあった。
　それを的確に見切られたことはノワールとしても笑顔で受け流せるものではない。

　全身を氷の塊にされた幽体がゴトンッと地面に埋まりそうな音を立て、粉々に砕け散る。構成成分があくまで魔力である以上、魔法による干渉対象なのだ。それが閉じ込めるように【死神の怨念(クレセント・リーパー)】を氷へと変質させられたのではなおさらだろう。

　刹那、ノワールはアルスを見逃しそうになる。
　目まぐるしく視線を移動させた。左右にフェイント、バックステップを踏んだと思った直後に一気に切迫してくる。

（間合い内はマズイッ！！）

　視線を真っ直ぐに固定し、【死神の怨念(クレセント・リーパー)】を割り込ませる。
　滑り込んだ【死神の怨念(クレセント・リーパー)】にアルスは再度同じ魔法を繰り出すはず、だからこそノワールは自らの魔法ごと大鎌で薙ぎ払った。

「考えそうなことだな」

　不吉な台詞が旋律のように奏でられる。まるで誘導されているのが、こちらであるかのようだ。
　そんな惑乱する胸中は苛立ちを募らせる。
　畑違いのアルスが専門であるノワールを誘導するなど神経の束を逆撫でされた気分だった。

　手応えのない大鎌を力の限り手首をひねり、反転させる。怒りをぶつけるかの如く【死神の怨念(クレセント・リーパー)】を自ら再度引き裂く。
　刃先が地面に埋まるも、幽体以外刃に触れた感触がない。

「クソオオォォォ、死ね死ねしねえぇぇ！！！」

　逆に自らの視界を塞いでしまったことで恐怖心が肥大する。大振りとなった大鎌をやたらと振り回していた。

「ハアハアハア、クッ！？」

　眼下、すぐ真下からナイフの刃先がノワールの顔面目掛けて突き放たれた。即座に柄で弾き、大きく下がったが、アルスはすでに間合いの中。

　後ろに下がりながら、目にも止まらない速度で放たれる斬撃に防戦一方となった。
　それでもノワールは大鎌を器用に扱い致命傷を避ける。身体に入る刃はすでに掠った程度の傷では済まなくなっていた。

　腕や足、赤く滲んだ傷は部位によって出血量が違う。

「痛い、痛いって痛いのおぉぉ！！」

　叫びながら振るう大鎌。全身をピリピリとした痛みが駆け巡る。それでもノワールの口元は強引に持ち上げたような歪な笑みを形成していた。

（右、いや左。次は……下、右……）

　相手のナイフだけに神経を注ぐが、それでは何も変わらない。ノワールは不意にアルスを見た。

　こんなに痛楽しいのに彼の表情はどんな感情表現もあてはまらないものだ。
　視線をアルスのすぐ真横にずらす。

　発現までに１秒もかからない。【死神の怨念(クレセント・リーパー)】よりも高位の魔法【忌子の慟哭(ヘルズス・クライ)】。

　突如アルスの左肩に腕ほどの赤子がしがみつくように現れた。透かすような真っ白い肌に底が見えない空洞の眼窩。無邪気な笑顔で口を開けるがそこもまた漆黒が詰め込まれている。
　大音響の泣き声は一瞬で体内を駆け巡り、聴覚から脳へと空気振動を直に伝えるはずだ。

　無論、ノワールとて無傷とはいかないが術者としての対策はある、鼓膜が破れるぐらいは覚悟の上だった。

（気づいてからでは遅いですの、先輩）

　笑った口が更に開きかけ。
　赤子――【忌子の慟哭(ヘルズス・クライ)】の額にナイフがざっくりと突き刺さった。そして刃先から眩むような微振動が空間を揺らし、真上に振り切られる。

　空間自体が断絶し、当然【忌子の慟哭(ヘルズス・クライ)】は構成を絶たれ、笑顔のまま左右で顔がずれて霧散した。

「――！！　なんで、どうして、気づけない、絶対に気づけないのにいぃぃ。ああああぁぁぁぁ！！！」

　アルスの目を見たノワールは彼がどこを見ているのか悟る。

「嘘ッ！！　私の視線で……あ、あああぁありえませんの」
「…………」

　そしてアルスの返答はないままにナイフは一瞬停滞したノワールへ襲いかかった。
　肩口から斜めに入る冷たい異物、肉が絶たれていく感触。そこに【次元断層《ディメンション・スラスト》】は付与されていなかったが、決して浅い傷ではない。

　即座に身体を捻ったのが功を奏したと言える。もしかするとまだ【失楽園《シツラクエン》】の効果が持続していたのか。
　どちらにせよ致命傷とはならずに済んだ。

「アアアアアッアアアァァ！！！　いっだあああい、イダイ、いたいのおおぉぉ！！！！！」

　胸を手で押さえ、乗り移った血の量にノワールは歯を食いしばる。
　フラフラしながらも痛みをねじ伏せ、錯乱気味に振るう大鎌も身体に染み付いた型を守り、決して単調になることはなかった。
　なのに――。

「どうして、どうして当たりませんの。もう嫌ですの、私だけ痛いのわあああぁぁ。ッツ！　先輩も、先輩も一緒に痛くならないと嫌ですのおぉぉ、何で私だけ、私だけ、こんなに痛い……」

　ブシュッと大鎌を持つ腕の腱が血を吹きながら斬られる。脳が痛覚を拒否してしまうほどの痛みは手から大鎌を落とす。右手の感覚もない。
　後ろにバックステップした直後のことだった。足は両方とも地面から離れている。そして彼女の目の前には触ろうと思えば触れる距離にアルスの姿がある。
　その手には有無を言わさない黒く光る刀身。心臓を突き刺すことだけを目的とした構え。

　そしてもう抵抗する得物はノワールになかった。

「イヒッ……」

　まるで別人のように沈静化したノワールは空中で嘲るように笑んだ。そして握り込んでいた左手を勢い良く開く。手の中には何かの種子のような黒い物が握られていた。
　そして……そっと小鳥の囀りを思わせる声調で発した。

「【黄泉の黒蓮(ダーク・ロータス)】」