Behind the spirit body driving the wheel, from above, I held a magic gun loaded with 'tidal water stone'.

''--!''

　Current Situation
　Aricht loads the Tide Bullet into the magic gun.
　Attack of the "Arithito
　'? Hit the 'Wheel of Will' -> ? 'Wheel of Will' weakened, rusty state

　With a recoil, a bullet is released - when the power drawn from the magic stone lands on the spirit body standing in the car seat, a ball of water instantly swells up and bounces down on it.

''This is........something that shouldn't be in this space.......salt dissolved, water......''

　Normally, a mere sprinkling of salt water would not kill a plant in an instant. But salt damage will harm and eventually kill many plants.

　--In this space where matter weathering is fast, the effects of saltwater would occur faster than in the outside world.

''--Dono Atobe!
"Those who avenge themselves on this crown of thorns will be punished for their crimes...

　Current Situation
　'? The Wheel of Will activates "Rose Javelin".
　Aricht activates Backstand. Target: Seraphina.
　Monk's Ankh's effect has been activated, which converts physical strength into magical power.

　While slowing down my movement, she counterattacks back while transforming the thorns into spears - I recognize Seraphina-san in my vision as 'in front of me' and shift behind her to avoid her.

''--gahaha...!
Lady Atobe you are a man of the rear guard and yet you would do something so reckless...
'Idata... haha, they finally let me go... it's a bit of a joke... sucking a girl's blood...'
Thank you, Aricht-san.........

　My friends who had been entangled in the thorns are freed - as I run my eyes over the license.

　Current Situation
　Seraphina, Suzuna, Misaki and Melissa's foot restraints and bloodsucking have been released.
　'? Wheel of Will has become rusty, attack power reduced, speed reduced, physics absorption lifted, lightning vulnerability

Aricht, we can attack now........
No, no, wait...!

　Current Situation
　'? The Wheel of Will activates Iron Maiden → Blood Sucking changes the form and releases the rust state

　The four men who were caught by the thorns had received 'blood sucking' - their blood turned the thorns red.

''-- Offering the blood of the maiden, the crown of thorns will regain its brilliance.''

　The thorns that turned red powered the wheel - the wheel that began to turn was covered in a pale light, and the rust disappeared as it flaked off. A normal wheel wouldn't be able to be restored to its original state even after stripping off the rust, but it looked like it had been completely restored.

(If that wheel is a 'part', does that mean it's alive with a will... and can be restored...?

Oh, is that color... or is that our...?

　At Misaki's words, Elitia's expression shades - if you slash the thorns now with your sword, there's a chance that you'll be bathed in return blood.


Elitia....　

　He recalls Elitia's words, "I'm not a murderer. Even now, Elitia hasn't completely gotten over the events that happened in the past.

''Just as long as I don't get blood back... but if I do...''
'I'll connect you to Miss Elitia. At all costs.
Suzuna.

　Elitia and Suzuna exchange glances. There is a risk, but we still have to have Elitia take on the role of attacker.

''Eventually the wheel will begin to turn. The thorny trials of the thorny road will make people flounder - they will be impatient.''
They're coming!

　Current Situation
　'? The Wheel of Will activates the Aura Spike, which increases physical attack power and increases attack range.

　The two wheels are covered in light - not just reinforcement, the light becomes a needle-like shape, a physical force that lifts the wheels and the seat up.

　Evade or have Serafina-san take it - but the moment the wheel starts to turn, I felt that the attack was something I shouldn't have to take.

'--Mr. Serafina, please evade!
H..........?

　Current Situation
　'? The Wheel with a Will invokes 'Trackless Overrunning'

　It was in the blink of an eye - the thorns embedded in the walls of the room rapidly expanded and contracted, drawing the wheel that was in the center of the room.

''Kook...!
Woah...!

　The two people who were on the track of the attack were me and Seraphina-san - both of them avoided the attack as they threw themselves to the side. The wheel glides through the air and continues to run up the wall.

'The crown of thorns looks down on those who are being tested.'

Misaki, Suzuna!

　Current Situation
　Aricht activates 'Support and Defense 1'.
　'? The 'Wheel of Will' destroys the terrain
　Rain of Rubble hits Misaki and Suzuna with no damage.

Kyahhh...!
Misaki-chan, Suzuna-chan!
It's okay, it's not..........

　The thorns of light that cover the wheel pierce the stone ceiling, and the spirit body standing on the wheel seat looks down at us - a red thorn stretches out and tries to join with one of the thorns that traveled across the room.

(It's not just the spinning of the wheel... it's those thorns that make high-speed travel possible...!

Suzuna!　Go for those red thorns!
"Yes, sir!　'Hit'.........!

　To precisely shoot through the red thorns and sew them to the ceiling, Suzuna's 'Minnaka' is a powerful tool - that strike can also be incorporated as the first strike of the 'Support Linkage'.

''Fall........!

　Current Situation
　Aricht is "Support Link 1" and "Support Attack 1".
　Elitia activates "Sonic Raid".
　Suzuna activates Munchu for two consecutive hits.
　Suzuna activates Storm Arrow → ? Hit the Wheel of Will. Slowing down, blocking action, first level of coordination.
　Elitia activates "Rising Zapper" → ? Hit the 'Wheel of Will'
　Elitia's additional attack is triggered → ? Hit the 'Wheel of Will'


　Suzuna's arrows pierce the red thorns, and the wind that rolls up impedes the movement of the wheel - the slash that Elitia unleashed while jumping up is superimposed on it.
''--Me too...!

　And it's not over yet - Melissa runs in with her 'Butcher's Knife' at the ready and connects with more coordinated techniques.

　Against an enemy hanging from the ceiling, jumping and attacking normally would only enter shallowly. However, among Melissa's skills that she didn't acquire, there is one that is powerful against the air - yes, 'Moonsault'.

　◆Current Situation ◆
　Melissa activates "Moonsault" → ? Hit by the Wheel of Will. Defenses down.
　Linking Technique "Storm Rising Moon" → Support Damage 56, Additional Damage 18, Cumulative Speed Decrease

　I used "Support Attack 1" to thread the blows through the metallic wheel, just as I did with the Murakumo - the attempt worked better than I expected.

"Where the wheel goes ... outside forces and the storm will block the path of the wheel.

Heeee........oh, it's coming down........
"--Haah!

　Current Situation
　Aricht activates 'Support and Defense 1' → Target: Seraphina
　Seraphina activates the defensive stance.
　Seraphina activates the "Defense Force".
　Seraphina's defense range has been extended, and her movement speed has been increased while defending.
　Seraphina activates "Rage Rage Forward" and her movement speed increases during defense.

　In order to prevent her companions from being caught in the fall, Serafina-san rushed forward, extending the defensive range of her shield, and hit the falling enemy bodily - she kept going and pushed the enemy to the edge of the wall.

''--Seraphina-san, stay back!
.....
Igarashi-san, Theresa........Misaki, please!
Yeah, I'll do it...

　Current Situation
　Arihito activates 'Support Link 1' and 'Support Attack 1'.
　Kyouka activates Lightning Rage → ? Hit the Wheel of Will with a Wheel of Will.
　Additional Attack of "Lightning Rage" → ? Wheel of Will hits three levels.
　Theresa activates Azure Slash → "? A hit on the Wheel of Will. Knockback small, magic burn second level
　Misaki activates the Blast Card → ? Hit the 'Wheel of Will'
　The coordinated move "Lightning Azure Blast" deals 42 support damage and 14 additional damage.

　''Support Attack 1'' is ineffective up to the lightning chase that occurs in ''Lightning Rage'' - but it's certainly a response to putting three linkages in a row.

"Yah, I wanted to do it...!
Don't let it get to you, Misaki!

　Elitia issues a warning - the enemy that had been hiding behind the blast had already turned towards us.



　The source of power, too. At the same time as the spirit body says that, the wheel is covered in lightning - and lightning runs through the ivy that is spread across the room.

"Everybody behind me...!

　Current Situation
　Aricht activates 'Support and Defense 1' → Target: Seraphina
　Seraphina activates "Aura Shield".
　Great Shield of Mirrored Armor's special effect is activated.
　Seraphina activates the "Defense Force".
　'? The Wheel of Will activates the Thundering Supper. Target: Seraphina. Counter with accumulated lightning blows.
　'? Release the slowdown of Wheel of Will from lightning counter

Seraphina-san...!
It's okay.........it's all right.......no problem....

　We see how strong Seraphina-san's shield is against magical attacks - she completely blocked the powerful electric blasts that came through the thorns and protected us as we jumped behind her.


''No, I was going to ask for it too so.......and look. It looks like there's a recoil on the main body at the same time as the counterattack just now.
"...they're going to use their last ounce of strength to defeat us. If we don't advance to this stage, we won't be able to defeat them.......they're coming.......!

　Current Situation
　'? 'Wheel of Will' activates 'Wheel of Fate' → '? The 'Wheel of Will' releases power

"...the crown of thorns has done its work. The wheel turns, the stars spin.

　Current Situation
　'? 'Wheel of Will' activates 'Endless Loop' → '? The Wheel of Will stops spending magic power.
　'? 'Wheel of Will' activates 'Thorny Tracks'
　'? The Wheel of Will activates 'Endless Violation' → '? 'Wheel of Will' launches an indiscriminate attack

　The thorns were also weapons, and seemed to need them to accelerate - but they were only a provisional way to see if we were worthy of the 'test'.

　The Wheel was deemed worthy of us showing our true strength. But it showed that the enemy's attack, which was about to begin, would be incomparable.

　No one was able to make a sound. The thorns that stretched throughout the room turned into a path for the 'wheel' to run - running in all directions at super speed, regardless of the walls, floor and ceiling.

''Don't.......this is.......!

　Neither Elitia's speed nor Suzuna's 'Minnaka' can aim at them - if they can't stop their movements, they will all be attacked eventually.

''If they come this way, we can't hold them back...!
Come.....!
Igarashi-san!

　Current Situation
　Kyoka activates "Decoy" → Target: "Kyoka
　Kyoka activates 'Ibaid Step'.
　'? Wheel of Will attack → Kyoka avoids it
　Kyouka's evasion rate has increased.

I haven't..........

　Igarashi uses the "decoy" on himself and attracts the enemy's attacks - even if he avoids it once, the "wheel" runs towards Igarashi in succession and hits him with his body.

　◆Current Situation ◆
　'? Wheel of Will attack → Kyoka avoids it
　Kyouka's evasion rate has increased.
　'? Wheel of Will attack → Kyoka avoids it
　Kyouka's evasion rate has increased.

Igarashi-san........every time I evade, I move more and more.......this is the 'Ibaid Step'.......!

I won't let them hurt you...!

　Current Situation
　'? Wheel of Will attack → Kyoka avoids it
　Kyouka's evasion rate has increased.
　'? Wheel of Will attack → Kyoka avoids it
　Kyouka's evasion rate has increased.

Kyouka, no!　Those skills.........!
I'm not... yet...!

　--a skill that increases the rate of evasion the more you continue to evade. But that's not a promise of 'absolute evasion'.

　And every time you evade, Igarashi-san's magic power is decreasing. He won't have it the next time - if that's the case.

''--Use the 'Blink Step', Igarashi-san!
Huh...!

　Current Situation
　Kyouka's magic power decreased. "Ibaid Step" unlocked.
　Arihito activates "Assist Charge" → Kyouka's magic power is restored.
　'? Attack of the 'Wheel of Will'
　Kyouka activates Blink Step and avoids the attack.

'Igarashi-san, please use the 'blink step' one more time!
Aricht, what are you...
''--Everyone, if Igarashi-san evades, attack the place as I instructed!

　Current Situation
　Arihito's Eagle's Eye is activated, and his ability to grasp the situation is improved.

(Concentrate........I've already seen his trajectory many times. The next path he will take to aim at Igarashi-san is........!

'-- Master, you can use my power. The wheel is now abandoning its defenses to go on the offensive. My slash should be effective.

　I can hear Murakumo's voice - I gripped the sword on my back to strike the biggest blow at the only and momentary opportunity that came my way.

'Please ... just one more time ...!

　Current Situation
　'? Attack of the 'Wheel of Will'
　Kyouka activates Blink Step and avoids the attack.

I'm here!
hit!

　Current Situation
　Arihito activates 'Support and Control 1' and can guide party members to their targets.
　Arihito activates 'Support Linkage 1' and 'Support Attack 2: Tenchi Blades'.
　Suzuna activates Storm Arrow → ? Hit the Wheel of Will. Slow down.

　It was the second arrow by Suzuna's 'Minnaka' - that point where Suzuna's 'Minnaka' passed by the place where Igarashi-san was, ran through the wall, ran through the ceiling and struck again.

　The arrows Suzuna had fired into the place where no one should have been there, had successfully caught the 'wheel'.