The magic name that Hazan uttered shook the atmosphere at the same time.

　The earth has flipped over. Or so it seemed to Ilyce.
　A huge shadow covered the sky, which had been so clear, and then, as if to scatter the clouds, it cracked the atmosphere of the area to reveal the tip.

　A rocky peak that looked like it had been carved out of a rock. Exposing the rock face, the tower-like mountain descended upside down.
　A slippery sound that seemed to resonate in his gut. The caged, heavy bass sound that seemed to grip the sound was exactly that, swallowing all the noise around it.

　The only thing that makes my eardrums quiver is the colorless vibrations.

　Faster than you can think, Ilyce's mouth spins something out of control.
　There's only a limited amount of magic that can counter that thing but it's not one that can be used in time for the fall. After finishing only the magic activation ceremony, Ilyce struck out to intercept it with only [Four Tails of the Black Towering Wave (Tartarus)].

　Even though she knew that the magic eye couldn't display its power to its fullest, there was no option to avoid it without looking behind her. If he did so, the meaning of Ilyce coming here would be lost. Perhaps it was because Hazan knew this that she unleashed the magic that would involve the two of them.


　That's why she had to meet this sheer mountain head-on in front of her. Like Ars one day, her mind didn't even show any hesitation.

　The wave of magical power contained in it transmitted to her tail, making it bloated.


　The Hazan reflected at the edge of his vision must have reached the limit of his magic power. He seems to have decided to bend his knees and watch with a face more exhausted than I've ever seen before.
　He must have staked everything on this it's magic that's worth it. Who would have come up with it? It is probably a first-grade magic that is equivalent to the earth system if you trace it back to the original.
　There were foolish ideas such as giving it a mountain of enormous magic power and structure and making its coordinates appear far above the sky. Of course, it is probably because of his magical power and the experience he has gained that he is able to make it happen.

　There is no complicated structure to this magic. It's very simple. I'm not going to be able to tell you what to do with it.


　I'm not sure if it's a good idea. It even seems to have eased a lot more than a moment ago. The pain was distant, dull and numb.

"It's only composed to this extent, huh?

　Gently touch your tail. It's one of the huge ones that you can ride. However, the water contained within is muddy and not clear as it reflects the magic power.

　Still.

''Still, you will have to do it, though!

　All my nerves are focused on the tail, and all at once it runs and stretches to the heavens. Poking and striking. Each time, the mountain is chipped away in tatters.

''Kuh........''

　I bit my back teeth to the point of shattering them. The tops of the rocky peaks collapsed and were being chipped away like craters. But the momentum did not diminish even after hundreds of runs. Gradually the distance between them shrank, and a shadow that completely covered the vast plain filled the entire area.

　Still, Ilyce did not give up until the end. He didn't remove his gaze even for a moment, just thrusting his tail beyond, beyond the shattered point.
　Four tails spiraled and twisted into a spiral as if to pierce a point, and then changed shape into one.

''Pull out!

　Shattering the strong rock formations, the thrusting tail pushed deeper, gaining speed as if to reflect its momentum.
　The tail stretched overhead and the mountain came to a halt in mid-air. Far ahead of it, a crack ran across the bottom with a snap - and the mighty mountain even felt its weight.

　The mighty mountain becomes something that doesn't even feel heavy. It was as if it didn't feel heavy.
　Immediately after the bottom collapses and the tip of the tail slips out slightly, the glittering residue of magic power gradually melts into the air in the sun. The mountain is collapsing.

　Slowly--slowly the mass of magic power was torn off the bond and the mountain disappeared as residue as if it had finished its job.

''Hahahaha, hahaha..........''

　I swallowed the iron-flavored saliva and caught my breath.
　I could protect it, I could protect something for myself. With that thought, he looked back with his snatched vision, but his gaze didn't turn his head until the end, not to Loki, and he froze at the sight that jumped in the middle of it.

''This isn't a magical battle. It's a killing match!

　A roaring menace, a long sword blade built from the AWR in Hazan's arms.

　No, I should have noticed it sooner. Hazan didn't expect to be evaded. The aftermath of the magic he had unleashed would naturally lead to his death as well. I'm sure you'll be able to find a way to get the best out of it.
　That's right, only enough to build the sword blade.


　Immediately, Ilyce tried to pull the tail back, but a tail that penetrated deep would take a few seconds to bring it back. He releases the magic, invokes the magical process he had followed until the middle of the process, takes over, and moves his mouth, but.

'Red--!

　Ilyce's eyes caught the transparent blade that split the atmosphere. It was coming right up to his own neck. Only his consciousness could anticipate the sight of his head flying, and he could only stare at the approaching blade, and only allowed himself to stare for a hundredth of a second. He wasn't even allowed to blink.


　The blade, which cleaves the shortest distance from the side in a semicircle, won't let Ilyce even prevent it - and there wasn't enough time to do so either.



　Confident of victory, Hazan's arm angle only needed to be bent a few degrees later to allow the thin neck to fly. That's enough to make a twist of the wrist.
　A moment later, a smile of natural victory is about to fill his mouth.

''--!　What?

　Something flickered inside my body. No, it's more accurate to say that it ran around.
　Something woke up in his right arm.

　In the blink of an eye, Hazan tried to twist his wrist - but he saw the girl lying face down at the end of Ilyce.

'Giddy up!　Gaaaaaah.....

　An electric shock ripped from inside, burning his arm.
　Unbearably, Hazan took the AWR out of his hand. The electric shocks running through his body take away his body's freedom even.

　Yes, it was lurking inside the body. The [Fushikazuchi] is a thunder dragon that hides, and it uses magic power as its path. If that's the case, it entered the body of Hazan, which has a lot of magical power, at the first blow and was lying down.

　It was transmitted from his arms and within a moment, an electric shock ran through his entire body. Unlike the first blow, Hazan, who hadn't been dealt with in any way, was fragilely burned in the flesh.
　His brown skin was pushy as if it had been cracked and emitted a strange smell that rose from his entire body.

　It wasn't muscle or vein-like striations floating everywhere, it was a small hill of sore skin like a worm swelling, its painful wounds circling the entire body.



　This is exactly what it meant to say that he had a mortal coil. How long had it been since the last time? Ilyce had had a similar experience in the past during the Great Calamity. That's why he didn't misread that moment this time.

　He took over the composition again, which had been interrupted in the middle.

''Leviathan!

　Without considering the recovery status of the demon eyes, Ilyce shouted without thinking twice.

　However, without caring about such a thing, Hazan's smoky and bloodshot eyes held the two of them in his field of vision with a gleam in his eye.

''.............Ah?''

　A question snatched from the back of his throat and snatched with the smoke spat out of his mouth. Hazan turned his face to the right side according to the question as he was guided.

　That was the very moment the worst summoned beast, [Leviathan], was now spreading its mighty jaws (agito) and covering his vision with its oral cavity.
　Sharp teeth that were filled in without a single minute's gap. Each one is as large as Hazan's huge body. The color of the darkness that spreads behind it is sticky and deep.

　Hazan can't even imagine how big it is. It's because the image of a moment has dyed the world he sees into the color of defeat.


　It's all he can do just to build a gate to summon the current Ilyce. The raging Leviathan broke through the gate instantly and thrust out.
　Scythe-like arms scratched the air, peristalticizing his body and swimming toward his prey, his mouth open.

　There was no margin of error between Hazan's face and being swallowed up as it gouged the ground. In an instant, the figure disappeared, and at the moment of being swallowed, Ilyce just watched as his mouth lifted weakly.
　The rest is the aftermath of the violent peristalsis of the passing [Leviathan].

　The huge body that swallowed it as if to scoop it up gutted the ground and scattered only a storm as it was, reaping down the trees that stood in the forest at the edge of the plain like dominoes. Just when you're about to ascend to the heavens.

　Ilyce concentrates all his nerves on the magic eye and builds a huge gate resembling the water surface on his progress. Plugged in from one corner, the circle of the gate is immediately distorted and forcefully expanded to fit the entire body.

''Ggggggg......................Quickly go back!

　The magic eye's luminescence and magic formula floated on the eyeball countless times, dizzily changing its formula.
　Tears of blood dripped from the eyes as if they had crossed the operating limit.

　The configuration of the gate must continue to maintain the configuration of the circle that is forcefully spread out without being destroyed - if the configuration is destroyed, [Leviathan] will be released into the field. Even though it is a summoning magic, the majority of it is the creation of life through the demonic eye.
　There is no way to summon a demon like this, and in a way it could be called a [Salem's Ship-Eye] demon.


　Where does it lead to, it must be an abyssal seafloor like an abyss. Even the tip of the tail is swallowed by the gate, and the circle disappears safely.

''Hahahahahaha.......................It's over ah!

　As if she had finished her job, Ilyce fell cleanly on her back. Even if the wound was slightly damaged in that case, she already had no strength left to do anything.

　Nevertheless, she must still have a long way to go to sleep. She only shifts her gaze upwards. When she's on her back, though, she only sees a reflection of the blue sky after all the clouds have gone away.

　And with a dumbfounded sigh.

'My God, what a pompous little b*tc*. I didn't expect you to be unconscious.

　Loki's face contorted at the pain in her abdomen as she raised her upper body with her trembling arms. The fact that she hadn't lost consciousness was just a matter of willpower. She didn't want to give up her role rather than her role. Defeat would mean death to her, and it would be a burden on Ars.

　That's why she was prepared to be unceremoniously saddled with a deep hand and the fact that she couldn't use the means of escape was neat.
　However, now that I realized that it wasn't something that could be won at the cost of death either, I can only say that it was a foolish decision. Because in the end, she - Ilyce saved me.


''[Fush Lightning] and another old magic.......but I was saved.''
'The fact that you came here, Al...'
Look, I hate to think it, but I'm here. I don't know if he foresaw the future or not, but he's not at all the reason I'm here. But still, daughter, are you going in that body?
Do you want to hear the answer to that question like you understand it?
I don't know if I need to ask this question. But I can't let you waste the lives I saved for you. I'm sure you're aware of that. No, I'm amazed at how well you work. All I've done is make you feel better, and the important part is not healed.
Yes, I'm afraid I don't know if I can make it to Al.
Then....

　Pure questioning, though not rational thought, made Ilyce's mouth open lightly.
　But perhaps that wasn't exactly what he needed to hear. For the sound of the girl's voice that reached his ears carried a pure feeling of purity.

'I want to be by his side. I know I'm a liability. Still, I don't care what happens to me if I can be of any use. But only if I can't even be by his side when it's important... if I can still move.

　Ilyce couldn't see Loki's expression as he smiled cheerfully, but even so, the atmosphere in the air evoked an unexpected emotion.

　--a madly enviable emotion. That emotion had a name, as I recall.

　It's a strange and mysterious thing, because the single-mindedness for someone else lightly outweighs even the pain and moves the extremities.


'It's the power of love!
'Kukk, you can say that to yourself, itz~!　Well, that's good to hear.

　The sudden laughter at the little words stimulated the wound.
　That was the first time Loki had ever revealed his heart to anyone other than Ars, and that was the first time he had ever done so.

''I still don't trust you. But ... thank you for healing me.
Don't get me wrong, I did what I wanted to do. And ... no, I don't know, but I'm sure your loved ones don't want you to sacrifice yourself. You'll probably only disillusion them... oh, wow, forget it!　An old woman.


　Ilyce felt light-hearted as he ran his mouth to say these things to himself, overcoming his fatigue. I don't know if good old age makes you want to say this kind of thing, although I don't think I'd fall into that category.
　That's why the frowning eyebrows head eventually dissolves in resignation with a sigh.

　And yet.

''Yes!　I agree.
...?

　A solution that doesn't bite.
　That's the difference between her determination and her thoughts, Ilyce thinks. It may be that having pure feelings for the world today is an act against a world in turmoil.
　This is also the proof that she is still young, young and superior. Not all hardships, difficulties, and unreasonableness can be managed well. There are many things that cannot be avoided, and there are things that cannot be dealt with alone.

　Ilyce saw in her the strong legs and feet that walk such a path. While being aware that this is also what Ilyce was lacking.

　The path which she chooses in such a situation may not be disturbed by an old woman and so on. So I want to push her back to recall the distant past a little.
　There is a hope in the too-blinding light that firmly foreshadows a new generation. It is not a light that lights up the darkness and exposes it, but a light that lights up the darkness ahead, a light to walk through.

Go wherever you go.

　Loki hesitated as Ilyce spat at him to get rid of him.

'There is no help coming under the present circumstances.

　Was he concerned for Ilyce when he put his hands along his stomach and desperately endured the pain? Or was it to relieve his anxiety about being saved?
　Either way, Loki had to hurry onward. That meant that he could do nothing if he remained here. Even calling for help would be hopeless considering his condition.

　Seeing Loki's face, which had survived such frustration and death, Ilyce weakly lifted his arm and waved his wrist with a shimmy.

''I told you. I just did what I wanted to do. You don't have to do anything extra.
I understand.

　Loki turns around and begins to walk with a limp, his eyes lightly downcast. Every time he took a step, there was an uncomfortable feeling in his internal organs.
　The only thing he could tell was that it wasn't functioning properly, and the tingling pain was getting stronger and stronger. Still, she walked in one direction to avoid thinking about it as much as possible, and her footsteps were not as solid as she could ever reach. Still, she would continue to move her feet incessantly.




　I can't even sense any signs of it anymore.
　How far could the silver-haired girl go? Ilyce, who could only think of such thoughts, looked at the heavens with only blue in her vision.
　Perhaps she was able to get an instant-acting medicinal fluid into her body. The only thing I knew was that my magic eye was gradually recovering. However, the rest of his life was so polished that he couldn't feel anything.


　However..........

　--not bad.

Not bad, nah.

　I can't relax my neck. Once I tilt my face back, I may not be able to bring the view back to this vast azure sky.
　My eyes get misty, wondering what's making me do that.
　I can still continue to gaze at the idle landscape, and my vision darkens against my heart to do so.

　I'm finally realizing that I'm not.
　I've decided to atone for my sins now.
　The frustration of not being able to turn back dries my lips.

　Still, it's probably a good thing that I'm aware of it. I am sure she will never be able to get involved in the mundane world. Steeped in darkness, she has no way to live except in the darkness.
　Otherwise, her darkness would be drowned out by the light.

　It may be another choice to die to atone for the sin of mayhem. Even that is not a choice for the current Ilyce, and once again, she has no choice but to leave it up to heavenly destiny.

　But ... but ... but if ... if I could live on ...

　--what would I be able to do?

　A wandering thought has no circuitry to get lost in.
　It was as if the brain had already stopped emitting electrical signals that could only be wandered through.

　Still, I can only know that I will be very busy just by imagining it.
　So.

　So, for now........




　
　

　The faintly opened amber eyes and the other demon eye were a brilliant celestial color, as if they were projecting the color of the sky.